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Hydroxyl radical formation from Cu(II)‐trolox mixtures: insights into the pro‐oxidant properties of α‐tocopherol
Author(s) -
Burkitt Mark J.,
Milne Lesley
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(95)01481-0
Subject(s) - trolox , chemistry , radical , tocopherol , antioxidant , hydroxyl radical , oxidative phosphorylation , oxygen , photochemistry , lipid oxidation , radical initiator , vitamin e , organic chemistry , biochemistry , antioxidant capacity , polymerization , polymer
Although widely recognised as the most important chain‐breaking antioxidant of the lipid phase, α‐tocopherol has also been reported to exert pro‐oxidant activity, particularly during the Cu(II)‐stimulated oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL). In the present communication, we demonstrate that hydroxyl radicals are generated following the interaction of Cu(II) with the α‐tocopherol model compound Trolox, involving the reduction of Cu(II) by Trolox and the subsequent reduction of molecular oxygen by Cu(I). We suggest, therefore, that the hydroxyl radical may be the species responsible for the initiation of fatty acid oxidation during the Cu(II)‐stimulated oxidation of hydroperoxide‐free LDL.