NOVEL COPPER SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE MIMICS AND DAMAGE MEDIATED BY O-2

Metabolites of oxygen such as superoxide anions. (O-2(-)), hydrogen pe roxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radicals (OH.) are potentially damaging to biological systems. Univalent reduction of oxygen produces O-2(.-), w hich may be converted to H2O2 and OH.. The biological damage mediated by O-2(.-) can be attenuated by a cytosolic copper- and zinc-containin g enzyme known as superoxide dismutase (SOD). Certain transition metal complexes having properties similar to SOD may be useful in suppressi ng such damage. However, known complexes have either been ineffective in vivo or may have toxic side effects. We prepared mixed-ligand coppe r complexes of polyamine using biomolecules such as pyridine or imidaz oles as secondary ligands. The choice of polyamines and biomolecules w as made with the aim of producing products with low toxicity. Our. stu dies suggest that these copper complexes act as mimics of SOD in a var iety of O-2(.-)-generating systems and may be effective SOD mimics for their usage to abrogate such an injury in biological systems. This ma nuscript provides a brief state-of-the-art review on SOD mimics includ ing our own studies.