Reaction of ferritin with hydrogen peroxide induces lipid peroxidation

Lipid peroxidation is known to be an important factor in the pathologies of many diseases associated with oxidative stress. We assessed the lipid peroxidation induced by the reaction of ferritin with H2O2. When linoleic acid micelles or phosphatidyl choline liposomes were incubated with ferritin and H₂O₂, lipid peroxidation increased in the presence of ferritin and H₂O₂ in a concentration-dependent manner. The hydroxyl radical scavengers, azide and thiourea, prevented lipid peroxidation induced by the ferritin/H₂O₂ system. The iron specific chelator desferoxamine also prevented ferritin/H₂O₂ system-mediated lipid peroxidation. These results demonstrate the possible role of iron in ferritin/H₂O₂ system-mediated lipid peroxidation. Carnosine is involved in many cellular defense processes, including free radical detoxification. In this study, carnosine, homocarnosine, and anserine were shown to significantly prevent ferritin/H₂O₂system-mediated lipid peroxidation and also inhibited the free radical-generation activity of ferritin. These results indicated that carnosine and related compounds may prevent ferritin/H₂O₂ system-mediated lipid peroxidation via free radical scavenging.