IDENTIFICATION OF METABOLIC PATHWAYS OF THE LIPID-PEROXIDATION PRODUCT 4-HYDROXYNONENAL BY MITOCHONDRIA ISOLATED FROM RAT-KIDNEY CORTEX

The cytosolic lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) is rap idly metabolized in mitochondria isolated from rat kidney cortex. Abou t 80% of HNE was degraded within 3 min of incubation. Main products of HNE which were identified in mitochondria were the hydroxynonenoic ac id, the 1,4-dihydroxynonene and the glutathione-HNE-conjugate. Further more, formation of metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid cycle from HN E is suggested. The quantitative share of HNE binding to proteins was high with about 8% of total HNE consumption after 3 min of incubation. Therefore, rapid degradation of HNE by mitochondria might be involved in an intracellular antioxidative defense system.