SPERMINE ACCELERATES IRON-INDUCED LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN MITOCHONDRIA BY MODIFICATION OF MEMBRANE-SURFACE CHARGE

The polyamine spermine was found to make the mitochondrial membrane more susceptible to lipid peroxidation induced by adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP)/Fe2+. It shortened the lag time before induction of peroxidation, but did not affect the rate of lipid peroxidation. It had no effect on lipid peroxidation of electrically neutral egg yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes, but had an effect on lipid peroxidation of negatively charged liposomes consisting of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine and bovine heart cardiolipin similar to that on peroxidation in mitochondria. Spermine decreased the negative zeta-potential of these negatively charged liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine and cardiolipin. These results suggest that the hydrophilic polycation spermine reduces the negative charge on the surface of mitochondrial membrane, possibly by its interaction with negatively charged polar heads of phospholipids, and that this neutralization of the surface charge renders the mitochondrial membrane more susceptible to induction of lipid peroxidation induced by ADP/Fe2+.