Protein damage and reactive oxygen species generation induced by the synergistic effects of ultrasound and methylene blue

• The sonodynamic damage to protein in the presence of MB were studied.
• The mechanisms of the synergistic effects of ultrasound and MB were studied.
• The protein damage induced by the synergistic effects were more serious.
• The damage of protein could be mainly due to the generation of ROS.
• Both 1O2 and OH were the important mediators to protein damage.

The sonodynamic damage to protein in the presence of methylene blue (MB) and the various influencing factors including ultrasonic irradiation time and MB concentration on the damage of protein were studied by fluorescence and absorption spectra. In addition, the mechanisms of the synergistic effects of ultrasound and MB were studied by oxidation–extraction photometry with several reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. The results indicated that the damage of protein induced by the synergistic effects of ultrasound and MB were more serious than those that ultrasound or MB alone was applied. The damage of protein could be mainly due to the generation of ROS. The damage degree of protein increased with the increase of ultrasonic irradiation time and MB concentration because of the increased quantities of ROS generation. Both 1O2 and OH were the important mediators of the ultrasound-inducing protein damage in the presence of MB.

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