title: Hydroxyl radical scavenging mechanism of human erythrocytes by quercetin-germanium (IV) complex.
abstract: Quercetin is a popular flavonoid in plant foods, herbs, and dietary supplement. Germanium, a kind of trace elements, can enhance the body immunity. This study investigated the hydroxyl-radical-scavenging mechanism of the quercertin-germanium (IV) (Qu-Ge) complex to human erythrocytes, especially the effects on ultrastructure and mechanical properties of cell membrane, plasma membrane potential and intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration. Results showed that QuGe(2), a kind of the Qu-Ge complex, could reduce the oxidative damage of erythrocytes, change the cell-surface morphology, and partly recover the disruption of plasma membrane potential and intracellular free Ca(2+) level. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to characterize the changes of the cell morphology, cell-membrane ultrastructure and biophysical properties at nanoscalar level. QuGe(2) has triggered the antioxidative factor to inhibit cellular damage. These results can improve the understanding of hydroxyl-radical-scavenging mechanism of human erythrocytes induced by the Qu-Ge complex, which can be potentially developed as a new antioxidant for treatment of oxidative damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Pu
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei-Ling
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Huai-Hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Ji-Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Pei-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005857:Germanium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000097:blood*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D056831:Coordination Complexes; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D005857:Germanium; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D011794:Quercetin; D002118:Calcium