title: N-acetylserotonin suppresses hepatic microsomal membrane rigidity associated with lipid peroxidation.
abstract: N-acetylserotonin, the immediate precursor of melatonin in the tryptophan metabolic pathway in the pineal gland, has been reported to be an antioxidant. The aim of this work was to test the effect of N-acetylserotonin in stabilizing biological membranes against oxidative stress. Hepatic microsomal membranes from male adult rats were incubated with N-acetylserotonin (0.001-3 mM) before inducing lipid peroxidation using FeCl(3), ADP and NADPH. Control experiments were done by incubating microsomal membranes with N-acetylserotonin in the absence of lipid peroxidation-inducing drugs. Membrane fluidity was assessed by fluorescence spectroscopy and malonaldehyde plus 4-hydroxyalkenals concentrations were measured to estimate the degree of lipid peroxidation. Free radicals induced by the combination of FeCl(3)+ADP+NADPH produced a significant decrease in the microsomal membrane fluidity, which was associated with an increase in the malonaldehyde plus 4-hydroxyalkenals levels. These changes were suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner when N-acetylserotonin was added in the incubation buffer. In the absence of lipid peroxidation, N-acetylserotonin (0.001-3 mM) did not change membrane fluidity nor malonaldehyde plus 4-hydroxyalkenals levels. These results suggest that the protective role of N-acetylserotonin in preserving optimal levels of fluidity of the biological membranes may be related to its ability to reduce lipid peroxidation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, Mail code 7762, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karbownik
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: D X
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Ballarín
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Acuña-Castroviejo
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008566:Membranes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; C063409:4-hydroxyhexenal; D012701:Serotonin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C006389:N-acetylserotonin