Spectroscopic studies on H2O2 damaging BSA induced by 1,2-dihydroxy-9, 10-anthraquinone-3-aminomethyl-N, N-diacetate-Ferrous(III)

•Iron amino acid complexes were used to study the interaction and damage to BSA.•Oxidative damage of the Fe(III)/H2O2 system to BSA were studied at first.•Some quenchers were used to determine the kind of the generated ROS.

The interaction between 1,2-dihydroxy-9, 10-anthraquinone-3-aminomethyl-N, N-diacetate-Ferrous(III) (Alizarin–DA–Fe(III)) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied by using UV–vis and fluorescence spectra. And then, the H2O2 damage of BSA induced by Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) was examined. The results show that due to the interaction the fluorescence of BSA solution can be obviously quenched by Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) and that the quenching process belongs to the static quenching. In addition, in the presence of Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) the BSA molecules were markedly damaged by H2O2. Meanwhile, the effects of the standing time, Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) concentration and H2O2 concentration on the damage of BSA molecules were also researched. The experimental results demonstrate that the damage degree increase with the increase of standing time, Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) concentration and H2O2 concentration. Finally, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from H2O2 induced by Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) as Fenton-like reagent was estimated by some quenchers. Because the Iminodiacetic–Ferrous(III) (IDA–Fe(III)) and Nitrilotriacetic–Ferrous(III) (NTA–Fe(III)) can be thought of as the active part of Alizarin–DA–Fe(III), they were used to compare the catalytic activity with Alizarin–DA–Fe(III). Owing to the special plane structure, the experiment results showed that the Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) exhibited higher damage ability than IDA–Fe(III) and NTA–Fe(III). Perhaps, the Alizarin–DA–Fe(III) may be used as a new antitumor compound to induce peroxides in body to kill cancer cells.

Graphical abstractThe interaction between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Alizarin–DA–Fe (1,2-dihydroxy-9, 10-anthraquinone-3-aminomethyl-N, N-diacetate-Ferrous(III)) as well as the induced H2O2 damage to BSA by Alizarin–DA–Fe were studied by using UV–vis and fluorescence spectra. The results showed that the fluorescence quenching process of BSA caused by Alizarin–DA–Fe belongs to the static quenching. Otherwise, in the presence of H2O2 in aqueous solution the BSA molecules were obviously damaged by Alizarin–DA–Fe. The experimental results demonstrate that the damage degree increase with the increase of standing time, Alizarin–DA–Fe concentration and H2O2 concentration. Finally, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by Alizarin–DA–Fe as Fenton-like reagent was estimated by some quenchers.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide