THE EFFECTS OF DETERGENTS ON T-BUTYL HYDROPEROXIDE-INDUCED CHEMILUMINESCENCE

We examined the effects of Triton X-100, digitonin, sodium dodecyl sul fate, taurocholic acid, and cetylpyridinium chloride on hemoglobin-cat alyzed and t-butyl hydroperoxide-induced chemiluminescence. The experi mental system contained hemoglobin, luminol, t-butyl hydroperoxide, an d different concentrations of detergents (5-100 mg/dl) in TRIS-HCl buf fer. Control assays were performed by excluding detergents. Chemilumin escence was detected using a liquid scintillation counter in single ph oton mode. All concentrations chosen for each detergent reduced the ma ximum chemiluminescence value and retarded the time that maximum chemi luminescence occurred. The most prominent reduction in maximum chemilu minescence was observed with 50 and 100 mg/dl digitonin. The smallest reduction was observed with 5 mg/dl sodium dodecyl sulfate, without re tardation of the time that maximum chemiluminescence occurred. Our aim was to use detergents in membrane-containing experimental systems and hence to identify the detergent with the least effect on chemilumines cence. Our results suggest that sodium dodecyl sulfate is the most sui table detergent for chemiluminescence studies in membrane systems.