Si. Liochev et I. Fridovich, LUCIGENIN (BIS-N-METHYLACRIDINIUM) AS A MEDIATOR OF SUPEROXIDE ANION PRODUCTION, Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 337(1), 1997, pp. 115-120
Lucigenin (bis-N-methylacridinium) (LUC(2+)) has frequently been used
for the luminescent detection of O-2(-). In fact, the pathway leading
to this luminescence requires univalent reduction of Luc(2+) to LucH(.
+) followed by formation of an unstable dioxetane by reaction of LucH(
.+) with O-2(-). It is now shown that LucH(.+) rapidly autooxidizes an
d so produces (-)(2). Luc(2+) can thus mediate O-2(-) production in sy
stems, such as glucose plus glucose oxidase, in which there is ordinar
ily no O-2(-) production. Luc(2+) luminescence can thus be used as the
basis for assaying superoxide dismutase activity but should not be us
ed for measuring, or even detecting, O-2(-). (C) 1997 Academic Press,
Inc.