title: Folic acid as a Fenton-modulator: possible physiological implication.
abstract: Acting as a redox switch, folic acid (1) might be a promising iron modulator to protect cellular machinery against oxidative stress and iron overload. The vitamin 1 can directly control the iron concentration by oxidizing it even if present in chelated forms. In addition, during its role as a reducing agent for the biologically relevant reactive oxygen species (ROS), it furnishes 6-formyl pterin. This folate-derived intermediate possesses a stronger Fe2+-oxidizing capacity than 1. Thus, compound 1 can reduce the iron toxicity in two ways. Although, the Fe2+-oxidizing capacity is nullified in the presence of a strong biological reductant like ascorbic acid, this property may play a predominant role during pathogenesis when the cellular ascorbic acid levels deplete significantly. The iron-modulatory property of 1 was also confirmed with the L929 mouse fibroblast cell line.
authors.affiliation: Bio-Organic Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai--400 085, India.
authors.forename: Birija S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Patro
authors.forename: Soumyakanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: Tulsi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Subrata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003855:Deoxyribose / Q000737:chemistry; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011622:Pterins / Q000737:chemistry; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C045076:Fenton's reagent; D011622:Pterins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D003855:Deoxyribose; C005926:2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-formylpteridine; D005492:Folic Acid; D004492:Edetic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007501:Iron