Protective effects of the thiophosphate amifostine (WR 2721) and a lazaroid (U83836E) on lipid peroxidation in endothelial cells during hypoxia/reoxygenation

Little is known about pharmacological interventions with thiophosphates or lazaroids in endothelial cells injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation with respect to membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) caused by reactive oxygen species. Therefore, a cell line of bovine aortic endothelial cells was studied after 120-min hypoxia followed by 30-min reoxygenation, resulting in moderate and predominantly reversible injury (energy depression/cytosolic Ca2+-accumulation during hypoxia, which almost normalized during reoxygenation; membrane blebs, an increasing amount of lysosomes, vacuolization, lipofuscin formation, alterations in mitochondria size, some lyzed cells). 18.9 +/- 4.3% of the cells died. Radical induced LPO measured as malondialdehyde continuously increased to 2.18 +/-: 0.17 nmol/mg of protein after reoxygenation vs control (0.41 +/- 0.13, P < 0.05). Simultaneously, the content of 4-hydroxynonenal, a novel indicator of LPO, increased from 0.02 +/- 0.01 to 0.11 +/- 0.02 nmol/mg of protein (P < 0.01). The results support the assumption that reoxygenation injury is accompanied by an increase in membrane LPO, causing structural and functional disturbances in the monolayer. The thiophosphate WR 2721 [S-2-(3-aminopropylamino) ethylphosphorothioic acid] and the lazaroid U83836E {(-)-2-[[4-(2,6-di-1-pyrrolidinyl 4-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazinyl] methyl]-3,4-dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-6-ol (dihydrochloride)} were effective scavengers of (OH)-O-., being more efficient than trolox C (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carbon acid) used as standard (EC50: 12, 5 and 15 mu M, respectively, measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy). One mM WR 2721, 10 mu M U83836E, and 5 mu M trolox C reduced formation of malondialdehyde during hypoxia/reoxygenation to 53 +/- 7, 51 +/- 10 and 48 +/- 6%, respectively (P < 0.05 each, versus control). In general, WR 2721 and U83836E prevent radical-induced membrane LPO in a model of endothelial cells injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation. The use of these two agents is a new approach to protect the endothelium against oxidative stress. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.