Haemosiderin-like properties of free-radical-modified ferritin.

Conjugated-Schiff's-base-type fluorescence was measured in iron-depleted samples and chloroform extracts of human spleen haemosiderin. Incubation of ferritin with liposomes and ascorbate led to the formation of compounds with similar fluorescence properties. Analysis of protein subunits by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis confirmed that ferritin was damaged in incubations with ascorbate. Since previous studies have shown that intact ferritin is resistant to proteolytic degradation, it is suggested that haemosiderin may be a product of oxidative reactions involving ferritin and lipid.