Catalytic effect of free iron ions and heme-iron on chromophore oxidation of a polyene antibiotic amphotericin B

Owing to the presence of a chromophore in the amphotericin B (AmB) structure, the molecule can undergo the oxidation process. In this research, AmB chromophore oxidation was catalysed by iron ions (iron(III) chloride (FeCl3), pH 2.5) and by heme-iron (methemoglobin (HbFe(III)), and hemin (heme-Fe(III)) at pH 7.0). Additionally, we compared oxidation processes induced by the aforementioned oxidizing agents with autoxidation by dioxygen (O2) naturally occurring in a sample. The effects of the interaction of the oxidizing agents with AmB were analysed using molecular spectroscopies (electronic absorption (UV-Vis), fluorescence) and LC-MS. The use of a 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) chelator facilitated unambiguous determination of the oxidative effect of free iron(III) ions (FeIII) in an acidic solution on the AmB molecules. Also, the changes in the spectra of fluorescence emission centred at ∼470 nm indicate iron-catalysed processes of AmB chromophore oxidation. Unexpectedly, we found a similar spectroscopic effect for AmB induced by methemoglobin and hemin at pH 7.0. Methemoglobin and hemin at a concentration of 8 × 10−7 M (physiological) significantly increases the rate of the processes of AmB chromophore oxidation relative to the process of autoxidation.