Effect of Surfactant Microenvironment on SOD-like Activity of Cu(II)-Salicylate Complex

Cu(II)-salicylate was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. The reaction mechanism of the Cu(II) complex with superoxide anion was studied by ESR spectroscopy, and its (superoxide dismutase) SOD-like activity was determined by a modified illumination method in phosphate buffer (pH = 7.8), micelle solutions and lamellar liquid crystals formed from surfactants CTAB and TX-100. X-ray diffraction indicated that the Cu(II) complex had a formula Cu₂(Hsal)₄EtOHH₂O and a similar structure to the SOD active site. EPR spectra proved that the reaction mechanism of the Cu(II) complex catalyzing O ₂ ^.- dismutation was the same as that of the proposed dismutation reaction catalyzed by SOD. Results obtained by the NBT method indicated that the Cu(II)-complex showed SOD-like activity, and the effect of microenvironment created by surfactants on its activity was same as on SOD activity. The order of the inhibition of NBT reduction by the Cu(II)-complex in different microenvironments was: in phosphate buffer (pH = 7.8) > in TX-100 micelle > in TX-100 liquid crystal, and in nonionic TX-100 organized assemblies > in cationic CTAB organized assemblies. These results were explained by the catalytic effect of micelles, and by the space restriction and high viscosity of organized assemblies of surfactants.