Redox Transformations of the OX063 Radical in Biological Media: Oxidative Decay of Initial Trityl with Further Formation of Structurally‐Modified TAM

Being a low‐toxic and hydrophilic representative of TAM, OX063 has shown its suitability for in‐vivo and in‐cell EPR experiments and design of spin labels. Using 13C labeling, we investigated the course of oxidative degradation of OX063 into quinone‐methide (QM) under the influence of superoxide as well as further thiol‐promoted reduction of QM into TAM radical, which formally corresponds to substitution of a carboxyl function by a hydroxyl group. We found these transformations being quantitative in model reactions mimicking specific features of biological media and confirmed the presence of these reactions in the blood and liver homogenate of mice in vitro. The emergence of the trityl with the hydroxyl group can be masked by an initial TAM in EPR spectra and may introduce distortions into EPR‐derived oximetry data if they have been obtained for objects under hypoxia. 13C labeling allows one to detect its presence, considering its different hyperfine splitting constant on 13C1 (2.04 mT) as compared to OX063 (2.30 mT). The potential involvement of these reactions should be considered when using TAM in spin‐labeling of biopolymers intended for subsequent EPR experiments, as well as in the successful application of TAM in experiments in vivo and in cell. We studied in details redox reactions of OX063 radical in biological media. These reactions can introduce distortions into EPR oximetry data derived for objects under hypoxia, and they may possibly pose obstacles to the successful application of TAMs to spin‐labeling of biopolymers for experiments in vivo or in the cell. The use of 13C labeling to track these reactions is described.