Involvement of active oxygen in lipid peroxide radical reaction of epidermal homogenate following ultraviolet light exposure.

To elucidate the radical mechanism of lipid peroxidation induced by ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation, an electron spin resonance (ESR) study was made on epidermal homogenate prepared from albino rat skin. The exposure of the homogenate to UV light resulted in an increase in lipid peroxide content, which was proportional to the time of UV exposure. Using ESR spin trapping (dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide, DMPO), the DMPO spin adduct spectrum of lipid radicals (L.) was measured following UV exposure (DMPO-L.:aN = 15.5 G, aH = 22.7 G), as was the spectrum of DMPO-hydroxyl radical (DMPO-OH, aN = aH = 15.5 G). In the presence of superoxide dismutase, the DMPO spin adduct spectrum of lipid radicals was found to be reduced remarkably. Therefore, it was shown that the generation of the lipid radicals partially involves superoxide anion radicals, in addition to hydroxyl radicals. In the ESR free-radical experiment, an ESR signal appeared at g = 2.0064 when the ESR tube filled with homogenate was exposed to UV light at -150 degrees C. The temperature-dependent change in the ESR free radical signal of homogenate exposed to UV light was observed at temperatures varying from -150 degrees C to room temperature. By using degassed samples, it was confirmed that oxygen is involved in the formation of the lipid peroxide radicals (LOO.) from the lipid radicals (L.).