Experimental modeling of heme-induced exophthalmos physicochemical mechanisms of single-electron transfer in cell membranes
Here the results of experimental modeling of heme-induced exophthalmos on line DBA/2 mice are presented. Exophthalmos modeling was conducted by means of a single intraperitoneal coproporphyrin III salt injection with subsequent metal-coordinator salt activation. It is shown that the introduction of coproporphyrin in the amount of 430 mcmol/L is equivalent to a substantial increase in the concentration of heme and its degradation products in the blood of experimental animals. Free radical nature of heme-dependent exophthalmos is confirmed by electron spin resonance investigations of the serum samples of experimental animals, where hydroxyl radicals were found in a concentration of about 10 mcmol/L. The dynamics of free radicals concentration was analyzed to observe the change in infrared spectra of samples of blood of experimental animals, taken at different times after coproporphyrin has been activatted. It is shown that the time dependence of infrared spectra correlates well with the calculated dependence of the concentration of free radicals, which are to be the the final product of a chain sequence of redox reactions induced by superoxide. The results of the study provide an opportunity to quantify the performance of antioxidant system of the body subjected to be attackted by free radicals. As a side effect in the modeling of exophthalmos it can be mentioned that during the time interval corresponding to the maximum concentration of radicals the experimental animals, fall in a convulsive state, similar to the human opisthotonos. This effect allows to develop a new approach into the study of a number of neurological pathologies such as tetanus, Crigler – Najjar syndrome, and the other similar deseases.