Molecular changes in erythrocyte membranes induced by nitroimidazoles and radiation

A damage of erythrocyte membranes by gamma-irradiation in the presence of nitroimidazole derivatives was shown by the demonstration of their effect on lipid peroxidation and SDS-PAGE protein pattern (1000 Gy) as well as on electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of maleimide spin-labels attached to the membrane (for doses < or = 300 Gy). Erythrocyte membranes were labeled with two maleimide labels MAL-6 and MAL-M-3-PROXYL under strictly controlled and reproducible conditions with incubation at physiological temperature of 37 degrees C. The labels were bound to SH groups on the protein surface (weakly immobilized W-sites) as well as to internal SH-groups (strongly immobilized S-sites). The amplitude ratio W/S of the ESR signals was used for a monitoring of an influence of nitroimidazole drugs and gamma-irradiation. The influence appeared, even for the lowest doses, only when nitroimidazole drug was attached to the membrane. It was due to a destruction of spin-label paramagnetic centre both at W and S-sites and was related to the recombination processes during radiolysis connected with nitroimidazoles. It indicated a radiosensitivity of the nitroimidazoles. However, the persistent degradation of the membranes by the oxidative stress appeared above the threshold dose of 300 Gy determined from transformation of the W-sites into S-sites in ESR spectra. For the higher dose (1000 Gy) a fragmentation of the band 3 proteins was clearly seen as well as a partial damage of higher molecular-weight proteins with a simultaneous formation of much higher molecular-weight polymers.