Time dependent changes occurring in rat liver microsomes upon lipid peroxidation.

Steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of diphenylhexatriene and n-(9-anthroyloxy)stearic acids (n = 2,12) in rat liver microsomes showed a marked increase in the early stages of enzymatically or non-enzymatically induced lipid peroxidation. The changes in fluorescence anisotropy occurred in parallel with the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBA-RS). Parallel to these changes, the fluorescence emitted from peroxidized microsomes increased markedly in the early stages of lipid peroxidation. In contrast to the changes in the fluorescence anisotropy and in the formation of TBA-RS, the fluorescence showed a continuing increase over the three hr period of lipid peroxidation. Glucose-6-phosphatase was inactivated in the early stages of lipid peroxidation, whereas NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase underwent a slow deactivation over three hr. The apparently slow deactivation of the peripheral protein may be explained by the formation of fluorescent substances.