Nuclear membrane lipid peroxidation products bind to nuclear macromolecules.

Ascorbate-Fe2+-driven lipid peroxidation processes in isolated rat liver nuclei give rise to products that bind to DNA and total nuclear proteins. This has been demonstrated by integrating [3H]arachidonic acid into the nuclear membranes. Lipid peroxidation was estimated from the formation of 2-thiobarbituric acid chromophore, and from the relative distribution of 3H-peroxidation products between the lipidic fraction and the nonlipidic fraction of the nuclear suspensions during incubation. The amount of 3H-peroxidation products associated with DNA and total nuclear proteins increased about threefold, when compared to control experiments (no ascorbate-Fe2+), after 180 min of incubation. In contrast, the radioactivity associated with the histone fraction was observed to decrease during incubation. The positive correlation obtained between the formation of thiobarbituric acid chromophore and the association of radioactivity with DNA and nuclear proteins indicates that the binding processes were dependent on peroxidation of the nuclear membrane lipids.