Inhibition of protein synthesis by carbonyl compounds (4-hydroxyalkenals) originating from the peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids.

Carbonyl compounds released during the NADPH-Fe dependent peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids and identified as 4-hydroxyalkenals (almost entirely as 4-hydroxynonenal) inhibit protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate. The ID50 was 0.48 mM. The inhibitory effect was reproduced by synthetic 4-hydroxynonenal. The inhibition was already evident at 1-2 min of incubation. The addition of -SH groups to the incubation medium afforded a marked protection against the inhibition of protein synthesis. The inhibitory effect seems to be due to an interaction of the carbonyl compound with -SH groups essential for the cellular protein synthetic machinery.