Free Radicals Flashcards
what is a free radical
an atom or group of atoms (molecule) with one or more unpaired electrons
what produces free radicals (3)
energy transfer (electrons), redox, enzymatic reactions
what is homolytic cleavage (example)
A-B becomes A* + B*
what is an example of energy transfer reaction that produced free radicals
H2O + hv –> HO* + H*
what is an example reaction of an enzymatic process that produced free radicals
O2 + e- –> O2*-
what are 3 examples of normal bodily enzymatic processes that produce free radicals (O2 + e- –> O2*-)
- phagocyte respiration burst
- mitochondrial respiration
- intracellular enzymes, metabolism
what is the fenton reaction
Fe2+ + H2O2 –> Fe3+ + HO* + HO-
which is the most reactive radical
OH radical
what kind of diseases do free radicals cause
lots of them!!
what are 4 things that can happen with macromolecule free radicals
mutation, catabolism, inactivation signalling
what 2 things can happens once macromolecule free radicals cause signalling
toxicity or protection (apoptosis)
what kind of species is H2O2
a pro-radical, just 1 step away from a free radical
what are 2 main initiator free radicals
O2- and HO
what is superoxide
O2*-
What is hydroxyl radical
HO*
what is a common reaction that makes the hydroxyl radical
H2O + hv –> HO- +H
what is an example of a good free radical
NO*
what is the difference with superoxide and normal diatomic oxygen
there is 1 more elctron
how reactive is OH*
very
what are reactive oxygen species
species that are derived from oxygen that are or have the ability to form free radicals
what are reactive oxygen species compared to oxygen
they are more oxidizing that oxygen
are all reactive oxygen species free radicals
no
is hydrogen peroxide a free radical
no
is singlet oxygen a free radical
no
what can cause the formation of singlet oxygen
light and photosensitizer
what is singlet oxygen diff with oxygen
two electrons fill one orbital and none in other (compared to one in ech in normal oxygen)
why is singlet oxygen a better oxidizer than oxygen
because it has has an empty orbital that it wants to fill with an electron
why is oxygen a diratical
because it has 2 unpaired electrons in its orbitals
why is oxygen unreactive
because the electrons have parallel spins
is singlet oxygen a ROS
yes
is singlet oxygen an electrophile or nucleophile
electrophile
is superoxide a reductant or oxidant
either
what is peroxynitrite
ONOO-
what is the reaction that forms peroxynitrite
O2*- + NO+ –> ONOO-
what is mitochondrial aconitase
an enzyme which is a target for ROS
why does aconitase react with superoxide
because it has iron that is solvent exposed which is electrophilic and reacts with superoxide (nucleophilic)
when can mitochondrial aconitase become a target for ROS attack
when the system is overwhelmed in trying to combat free radicals
what is the main reaction that happens in phagocytosis
NADPH + O2 –> NADP+ + O2*-
what happens after superoxide is produced in phagocytosis
it forms H2Oh then HOCl
what is the main enzyme responsible in phagocytosis
NADPH oxidase
what is consumed to make superoxide in phagocytosis
NADPH
what is the respiratory burst
oxidation of NADPH in order to generate superoxide
what activates the phagocytosis response
microorganisms and inflammatory mediators
what do microorganisms and inflammatory mediators activate
NADPH oxidase enzyme complex to crease phagocytosis
what is MPO and what does it do
enzyme that produces HOCl, called myeloperoxidase
how is MPO (myeloperoxidase) activated
superoxide is converted into H2O2 which activates MPO to generate HOCl
what enzymes helps produce HOCl
MPO
which complexes in the mitochondria make superoxide
1 and 3
how can some drugs effect ETC and cause ROS
they interfere with electron transport therefore electrons will leak and react with oxygen
how can drug metabolism cause ROS
from cytochrome P450 enzymes