Oxidative stress associated with porphyrias characterized by overload of 5-aminolevulinic acid

• Grant number: 96/00154-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: October 01, 1996
• End date: August 31, 2001
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Metabolism and Bioenergetics
• Principal Investigator: Etelvino José Henriques Bechara
• Grantee: Etelvino José Henriques Bechara
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 00/02161-1 - Etsuo Niki | research center for advanced Science and Technology - Japão, AV.EXT; 99/09913-0 - Model studies of schiff base oxidation by peroxynitrite leading to triplet carbonyls., AR.EXT; 99/08298-0 - Cloning and molecular characterization of the cdna for brazilia larval click-beetle pyrearinus termitilluminans luciferase., PUB.ART; 98/13064-5 - Peroxynitrie-initiated chemiluminescent reaxctions with aldehydes and beta-diketones., AR.EXT
• Associated scholarship(s): 97/07865-2 - Interactions of ascorbate bioflavonoids and redox biofactors in cytochrome c - induced peroxidative stress and apoptosis., BP.PD

Abstract

The project proposes the investigation of the molecular mechanisms implicated in the clinical manifestations of porphyrias in which there is a build-up of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), among them, intermittent acute porphyria and saturnism. Our hypothesis is that ALA acts as an endogenous pro-oxidant and induces oxidative lesions in DNA, proteins and membranes, in addition to supramolecular structures. There is special interest in the study of the mechanisms of lipoperoxidation, oxidation of the bases of DNA and regulation of the homeostasis of iron. (AU)