ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE AND CYTOTOXICITY OF PURIFIED BOVINE SERUM AMINE OXIDASE AND SPERMINE IN CHINESE-HAMSTER OVARY CELLS

Bovine serum amine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6) catalyses the oxidative deamination of polyamines giving rise to the corresponding aldehydes, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide. It has been suggested that the dialdehyde produced during the oxidation of spermine subsequently undergoes spontaneous beta-elimination to form acrolein. Oxidation of the aldehydes by aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.5) thus eliminates these reactive species and prevents the formation of acrolein. This work studies the role of each of the oxidation products of spermine in cytotoxicity induced by purified bovine serum amine oxidase. The inhibition patterns of NAD-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase and catalase against cytotoxicity of bovine serum amine oxidase were determined in Chinese hamster ovary cells at 37 degrees C. Cytotoxicity caused by exogenous hydrogen peroxide, added directly (> 10 mu M) or generated by glucose oxidase (0.5 U/mL), was completely inhibited by catalase. Cytotoxicity caused by bovine serum amine oxidase (5.7 x 10(-3) U/mL) and spermine (340 mu M) was completely inhibited by catalase only during short incubation times after which time cytotoxicity occurred. This indicates that hydrogen peroxide was the only species contributing to cytotoxicity at this stage of the reaction. Aldehyde dehydrogenase alone caused partial inhibition of cytotoxicity, but only later in the reaction. Cytotoxicity was completely eliminated in the presence of both catalase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Exogenous acrolein (> 50 mu M) also caused cytotoxicity in Chinese hamster ovary cells. However, hydrogen peroxide was toxic to cells at lower concentrations and at shorter exposure times relative to aldehydes. These data show that both peroxide and aldehydes contribute to cytotoxicity of oxidation products of spermine. Aldehydes such as acrolein are responsible for cytotoxicity that cannot be accounted for by hydrogen peroxide.