Formation and reactivity of free radicals in 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde--the effect on isoprenaline photostability

Solutions of glucose are used as diluents for drugs in various drug infusions. When sterilized by heat small amounts of the substance 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (5-HMF) is produced from glucose. At a hospital ward such infusions may be exposed to irradiation; including UV-light. The photoreactivity of the furaldehyde is investigated. It is shown to photodestabilize the catecholamine isoprenaline. It is shown to be a producer, but also a consumer, of singlet oxygen. The excited triplet, cation and anion radical have been produced by pulse radiolysis and flash photolysis and their absorbance characteristics have been determined. The triplet absorption spectrum showed absorption bands at 320 and 430 nm with molar absorption coefficients of 4700 and 2600 M-1 cm-1, respectively. The anion radical showed absorption bands at 330 and 420 nm with molar absorption coefficients of 2000 and 300 M-1 cm-1, respectively. The cation radical had an absorption band at 320 nm with a molar absorption coefficient of 5000 M-1 cm-1. The quantum yield for the production of singlet oxygen, sensitized by the 5-HMF triplet, was determined to be 0.6, whilst the quantum yield for the triplet formation was 1.0. Aqueous solutions of 5-HMF were found to photoionize to yield the hydrated electron and the cation radical of 5-HMF in a biphotonic process. The influences of pH, buffer and glucose on the formation of transients were evaluated. The reactions between 5-HMF and the solvated electron, the hydroxyl radical and the superoxide were also studied.     

Mitochondrial-targeted fatty acid analog induces apoptosis with selective loss of mitochondrial glutathione in promyelocytic leukemia cells

Some fatty acids and derivatives are known to induce cell death in cancer cells. Mitochondria may have important roles in the death process. Therefore, we investigated the mitochondrial contribution in cell death induced by a modified fatty acid, tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA), which cannot be beta-oxidized. TTA treatment induced apoptosis in IPC-81 leukemia cells via depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (deltapsi) and early release of cytochrome c, accompanied by depletion of mitochondrial glutathione. Caspase-3 activation and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) occurred at a late stage, but the broad-spectra caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk did not block TTA-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of Bcl-2 partially prevented TTA-induced apoptosis, whereas cAMP-induced cell death was completely blocked. In conclusion, TTA seems to trigger apoptosis through mitochondrial-mediated mechanisms and selective modulation of the mitochondrial redox equilibrium.