title: Cholesterol photosensitized oxidation in food and biological systems.
abstract: Lipid oxidation is one of the main chemical degradations occurring in biological systems and leads to the formation of compounds that are related to aging and various chronic and degenerative diseases. The extent of oxidation will depend on the presence of antioxidants/pro-oxidants, the unsaturation degree of fatty acids, and environmental conditions. Lipid oxidation can also affect other molecules that have double bonds in their chemical structures, such as cholesterol. Cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) have been studied in depth, because of their negative and controversial biological effects. The formation of COPs can be particularly favored in the presence of light and photosensitizers, since they generate excited singlet oxygen that rapidly reacts with the double bond by a non radical mechanism and without any induction period. The present review intends to provide an overall and critical picture of cholesterol photosensitized oxidation in food and biological systems, and its possible impact on human health and well-being.
authors: Inter-Departmental Centre for Agri-Food Industrial Research, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60, Cesena, Italy.
authors: Vladimiro
authors: V
authors: Cardenia
authors: Maria Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Rodriguez-Estrada
authors: Emanuele
authors: E
authors: Boselli
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Lercker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D002784:Cholesterol