Superoxide Radical Initiates the Autoxidation of Dihydroxyacetone

摘要

The aerobic xanthine oxidase reaction causes the cooxidation of dihydroxytacetone in a process which is strongly inhibited by superoxide dismutase but not by catalase, HO scavengers, or iron-inactivating chelating agents. Several molecules of the sugar can be oxidized per O2 introduced. A free radical chain mechanism, in which O2 acts both as an initiator and as a chain propagator, is proposed. Simple sugars capable of tautomerizing to enediols may now be added to the list of biologically relevant targets for O2.