Protection against oxidative damage of erythrocyte membrane by the flavonoid quercetin and its relation to iron chelating activity

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 416; no. 2; pp. 123 - 129
• Main Authors: Ferrali, M, Signorini, C, Caciotti, B, Sugherini, L, Ciccoli, L, Giachetti, D, Comporti, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 20.10.1997
• Subjects: Acrolein - pharmacology; Animals; Barbiturates - pharmacology; Chelating Agents - pharmacology; Erythrocyte Membrane - drug effects; Erythrocyte Membrane - physiology; Erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - drug effects; Erythrocytes - physiology; Flavonoids - chemistry; Flavonoids - pharmacology; Glutathione - blood; Hemolysis; Hemolysis - drug effects; Humans; Iron - blood; Iron Chelating Agents - pharmacology; Iron chelation; Kinetics; Lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Male; Malondialdehyde - blood; Methemoglobin - metabolism; Mice; Oxidizing agent; Pyrimidinones - pharmacology; Quercetin; Quercetin - chemistry; Quercetin - pharmacology; Senescent cell antigen; Oxidizing agent; Hemolysis; Iron chelation; Erythrocytes; Quercetin; Lipid peroxidation; Senescent cell antigen
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-5793(97)01182-4

Incubation of glutathione (GSH) depleted mouse erythrocytes with the oxidants phenylhydrazine, acrolein, divicine and isouramil resulted in the release of free iron and in lipid peroxidation and hemolysis. The addition of the flavonoid quercetin, which chelates iron and penetrates erythrocytes, resulted in remarkable protection against lipid peroxidation and hemolysis. The protection seems to be due to intracellular chelation of iron, since a semi-stoichiometric ratio between released iron and the amount of quercetin necessary to prevent lipid peroxidation and hemolysis was found. Incubation of GSH depleted human erythrocytes with divicine and isouramil did not induce lipid peroxidation and hemolysis in spite of a substantial release of iron. However, divicine and isouramil produced alterations of membrane proteins, such as spectrin and band 3, as well as formation of senescent cell antigen. The addition of quercetin prevented these alterations.