Inhibition of superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase of human neutrophils by lazaroids (21-aminosteroids and 2-methylaminochromans).

Lazaroids (21-aminosteroids and 2-methylaminochromans) are a new series of drugs designed and demonstrated to protect against tissue damage after trauma and/or ischemia. It has been suggested that the protective effects of lazaroids are derived from their potent actions to inhibit iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, but whether this is sufficient to explain their therapeutic effects is unknown. In an effort to better understand their mechanism of action, these drugs were tested for other modes of antioxidant activity such as scavenging superoxide and hydroxyl radicals and inhibition of production of oxygen free radicals by human neutrophils stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate. Using an ESR spin-trapping technique, with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) as a spin trap for superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, we found that the lazaroids U74500A and U78518F are, at best, weak scavengers of superoxide radicals whereas U78518F is a strong scavenger of hydroxyl radicals. In addition, lazaroids were found to be strong inhibitors (60-80% inhibition at 50 microM) of the superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase of human neutrophils. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase by lazaroids in cell-free systems suggested the action to be on the activated enzyme rather than on the process of activation. This may represent an important mode action of lazaroids and suggests their potential use in ischemic/inflammatory conditions involving oxygen free radical production by activated phagocytic cells.