Lipid peroxidation within human arterial lesions is thought to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Peroxidation can be accelerated by the presence of 'catalytic' iron or copper ions. Gruel samples from advanced atherosclerotic lesions in the abdominal aortae of human cadavers were tested for pro-oxidant properties. All samples contained bleomycin-detectable iron and phenanthroline-detectable copper. Almost all gruel samples stimulated peroxidation of rat liver microsomes, and this was usually inhibited by the iron-ion chelator desferrioxamine. Some samples stimulated formation of hydroxyl radicals from H2O2 in the presence of ascorbate, a reaction again inhibited by desferrioxamine. We conclude that the interior of human advanced atherosclerotic lesions is a highly pro-oxidant environment, and that the use of copper or iron ions to promote peroxidation of low-density lipoproteins in vitro may be a valid model for events in the arterial wall.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.