The effect of pH on the oxidation of bovine serum albumin by hypervalent myoglobin species

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a probe for the oxidation of proteins by hypervalent myoglobin species in solutions with pH from 5.3 to 7.7. The reaction between perferrylmyoglobin, MbFe(IV)O, and BSA was studied by activating metmyoglobin with equimolar amounts of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of BSA. A minor pH dependence was observed as judged from the formation of BSA-centered radicals, which were monitored at room temperature by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, and the formation of dityrosine. The reaction between ferrylmyoglobin, MbFe(IV)O, and BSA was pH-dependent. BSA-centered radicals and dityrosine were formed in low levels at neutral pH and increased at low pH to the same levels as observed in the reaction of MbFe(IV)O with BSA. The present results demonstrate that protein-centered radicals can be formed from the non-radical MbFe(IV)O under mildly acidic conditions, and this should be taken into account when considering oxidation in cellular compartments of low pH and in meat-related products.