Role of oxygen radicals in the phototoxicity of tetracyclines toward Escherichia coli B.

Photoillumination of tetracycline derivatives with low-intensity (320- to 400-nm) light and visible light generated superoxide, observed as the reduction of ferricytochrome c. The rate of reduction was dependent on the tetracycline concentration and on the derivative being examined, with doxycycline greater than or equal to demeclocycline greater than tetracycline greater than oxytetracycline. Tetracycline-mediated cytochrome c reduction was oxygen dependent and inhibited up to 70% by superoxide dismutase. Illuminated tetracyclines were lethal to Escherichia coli B incubated in a glucose minimal medium containing chloramphenicol. This lethality was light dependent, oxygen dependent, and dependent on the concentration of tetracycline. Kill rates also varied according to the derivative under study, with doxycycline greater than or equal to demeclocycline greater than tetracycline greater than oxytetracycline. The addition of superoxide dismutase and catalase to the incubation medium partially protected E. coli B against the light-dependent lethality. Preinduction of intracellular superoxide dismutase and catalase substantially protected E. coli B against the phototoxicity of tetracyclines. Iron EDTA augmented the phototoxicity of tetracyclines, while diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid protected against their lethality. Hydroxyl radical scavengers also conferred protection against tetracycline phototoxicity. The extent of protection was in order of the in vitro reactivity of the scavengers with the hydroxyl radical. These results indicate that superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and the hydroxyl radical are generated by illuminated tetracyclines and are molecular agents of tetracycline phototoxicity in E. coli B.