Chemical damage in gamma-irradiated human erythrocyte membranes.

In air saturated suspensions of erythrocyte ghost membranes γirradiation causes formation of lipid peroxides, measured as malonaldehyde, and a loss of membrane protein sulphydryl groups. Addition of N-(p-amino-benzoyl)-1-glutamate prevented peroxidation up to doses of 2 × 103 Gy, due to scavenging of hydroxyl radicals. Another hydroxyl scavenger sodium formate, also prevented peroxidation at low doses, but lost its protective effect at higher doses probably because of secondary reactions of the resulting superoxide radical anion. Two sulphur containing radioprotectants also were able to reduce the extent of lipid peroxidation. The enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase were added to the irradiated suspensions in order to determine the contribution from hydrogen peroxide and superoxide to peroxidation. The extents of peroxidation are compared with structural modification of the membrane under the same conditions of irradiation

Structural modification of human erythrocyte membranes following gamma-irradiation.

Structural damage to isolated erythrocyte membranes (ghosts has been studied following gamma-irradiation under a variety of conditions. For this two fluorescent probes were used; one 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulphonate probes the lipid-aqueous interface, the other, diphenylhexatriene, was used to probe the membrane fluidity. Irradiation of the membranes caused a decrease in fluorescent intensity of the added probes, and changes in polarization of fluorescence. Oxygen was found to enhance the radiation damage, and scavenger experiments showed the hydroxyl radical was the major radical species involved. The structural modifications are therefore interpreted in terms of preliminary chemical damage involving peroxidation of unsaturated lipids. In addition sensitization and protection was observed in the presence of known dose-modifying chemicals