Summary
The rates of chemical reactivity (kR) and physical quenching (kQ) of singlet oxygen by bilirubin IXα, mesobilirubin IXα, bilirubin IXα dimethyl ester, aetiobilirubin IVγ, biliverdin IXα, biliverdin IXα dimethyl ester, aetiobiliverdin IVγ and an oxodipyrromethene have been determined. The kR and kQ values approach the diffusion threshold for the bilirubin-like substrates, but kR<kQ by about a factor of 103 for the verdins. A reaction mechanism involving superoxide ion is suggested. Bilirubin appears to quench singlet oxygen by an electron-transfer mechanism.
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The authors wish to thank the National Science Foundation (CHE 74-20877) and the National Institute of Child Health (HD 09026) for generous support of this work.
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Lightner, D.A., Park, Y.T. Singlet oxygen reactivity of bilirubin and related tetrapyrroles. Experientia 34, 555–557 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01936954
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01936954