Identification of metabolic pathways of the lipid peroxidation product 4‐hydroxynonenal by mitochondria isolated from rat kidney cortex

Abstract

The cytosolic lipid peroxidation product 4‐hydroxynonenal (HNE) is rapidly metabolized in mitochondria isolated from rat kidney cortex. About 80% of HNE was degraded within 3 min of incubation. Main products of HNE which were identified in mitochondria were the hydroxynonenoic acid, the 1,4‐dihydroxynonene and the glutathione‐HNE‐conjugate. Furthermore, formation of metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid cycle from HNE 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.