INFLUENCE OF CULTURE-MEDIUM CHARACTERISTICS ON THE ABILITY TO OXIDIZE LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS

Five culture media, differing in terms of their metal ion (Fe and/or Cu) and antioxidant contents, and used for endothelial cell-low-density lipoprotein (LDL) interaction studies, were characterized electrochemically. Measurement of the redox potential of the solutions and plots of the cyclic voltammograms revealed marked differences in potential and the rate of oxygen reduction. However, there were only very weak correlations between these electrochemical properties and the capacity of the media to oxidize LDL in the absence and presence of endothelial cells. In contrast, this capacity was strongly correlated with the presence of metal ions, which may act via conformation changes of LDL.