Studies on peroxidized lipids. V. Formation and characterization of 1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarbaldehydes as model of fluorescent components in lipofuscin

We investigated fluorescence properties of 1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarbaldehydes and their formation in mild reaction of primary amines and malonaldehyde, in order to clarify the role of malonaldehyde in the formation of fluorescent components of lipofuscin. The compounds exhibited fluorescence with excitation maxima at 375–405 nm and emission maxima at 435–465 nm, which was similar to those of lipofuscin and the fluorescent substances derived from the reaction of oxidized fatty acids with primary amines. Fluorescence of the compounds was greatly affected in acidic medium and little influenced in alkaline medium or by the metal chelator. The compounds lost fluorescence by treatment with sodium borohydride. They were inert to thiobarbituric acid reaction. Some of the fluorescence properties of the compounds were different from those of lipofuscin and the related fluorescent substances. Mild reaction of methylamine with pure malonaldehyde gave a single fluorescent compound, 1,4‐dimethyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarbaldehyde (Ia), and the reaction with the acid hydrolysate of tetramethoxypropane gave Ia and 1‐methyl‐4‐(dimethoxyethyl)‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarbaldehyde (IIa), the latter being produced from the impurity in the hydrolysate. These reactions produced a non‐fluorescent Schiff base, a 1∶1‐adduct of methylamine and malonaldehyde (IIIa), as a major product. It looks unlikely that malonaldehyde is the only product of lipid oxidation that produces fluorescent components in lipofuscin complex.