title: Oxidized ascorbic acid and reaction products between ascorbic and amino acids might constitute part of age pigments.
abstract: Fluorescence and non-enzymatic browning were observed in reactions between ascorbic acid (AH2) and amino acids (AA) as well as in reactions involving AH2 autoxidation and/or polymerization in the presence of trace amounts of adventitious iron (less than or equal to 10 microM). These reaction products exhibited fluorescent spectra (400-490 nm) akin to those of extracts from lipofuscin-rich tissues. Lengthy incubation of AH2 at 37 degrees C in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) caused a concentration- and time-dependent increase in absorbance at 412 nm, paralleling increase in 377/440 nm fluorescence, due to formation of autoxidation/polymerization products. The fluorescences of these substances were increased by acidity and quenched at alkaline conditions but restored by neutralization. The reactions between AH2 (0.1-2.0 mM) and a number of AA (1.0-4.0 mM) were also found to result in products with blue fluorescence. Following TBA test, the AH2 autoxidation/polymerization products and AH2/AA reaction products showed only moderate and slight absorbance at 535 nm, respectively, indicating a little or minute formation of aldehydes with MDA-like reactivity. The findings in this study, nevertheless, suggest possible misinterpretations of results in previous studies dealing with AH2-dependent, oxygen free radical induced, 'lipofuscin-related fluorescence'. Thus, similar to nonenzymatic glycosylation (Maillard) reactions, AH2 autoxidation as well as reactions between AH2 and AA may result in 'lipofuscin-like material', as judged from their fluorescence spectral patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology II, Linköping University, Sweden.
authors.forename: D Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: U T
authors.initials: UT
authors.lastname: Brunk
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005609:Free Radicals; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013858:Thiobarbiturates / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D005609:Free Radicals; D008062:Lipofuscin; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D013858:Thiobarbiturates; C029684:thiobarbituric acid; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D010100:Oxygen