Catalytic effect of free iron ions and heme-iron on chromophore oxidation of a polyene antibiotic amphotericin B

Owing to the presence of a chromophore in the amphotericin B (AmB) structure, the molecule can undergo the oxidation process. In this research, AmB chromophore oxidation was catalysed by iron ions (iron(III) chloride (FeCl3), pH 2.5) and by heme-iron (methemoglobin (HbFe(III)), and hemin (heme-Fe(III)) at pH 7.0). Additionally, we compared oxidation processes induced by the aforementioned oxidizing agents with autoxidation by dioxygen (O-2) naturally occurring in a sample. The effects of the interaction of the oxidizing agents with AmB were analysed using molecular spectroscopies (electronic absorption (UV-Vis), fluorescence) and LC-MS. The use of a 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) chelator facilitated unambiguous determination of the oxidative effect of free iron(III) ions (Fe-III) in an acidic solution on the AmB molecules. Also, the changes in the spectra of fluorescence emission centred at similar to 470 nm indicate iron-catalysed processes of AmB chromophore oxidation. Unexpectedly, we found a similar spectroscopic effect for AmB induced by methemoglobin and hemin at pH 7.0. Methemoglobin and hemin at a concentration of 8 x 10(-7) M (physiological) significantly increases the rate of the processes of AmB chromophore oxidation relative to the process of autoxidation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.