CYTOTOXICITY OF GLUCOSONE IN THE PRESENCE OF CUPRIC ION

We found that glucosone (D-arabino-hexosulose), a typical enediol product formed in the Maillard reaction or in gamma-radiolysis of sugars, was cytotoxic on Chinese hamster lung V79 cells in the presence of cupric ion (Cu2+). Several other metal ions showed no effects. The cytotoxicity was assessed by colony formation assay and measurement of cell growth rate. In both assays, catalase inhibited the cytotoxic effects. To confirm the role of H2O2 On the cytotoxicity, we detected H2O2 in the reaction mixture of glucosone and Cu2+. No other metal ions except Mn2+ showed any effects on the formation of H2O2. From these results, we propose that H2O2 was formed after Cu2+-catalyzed oxidation of glucosone and that hydroxyl radical (.OH) formation from H2O2 in the Cu+-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction was a possible step in the cytotoxicity of glucosone.