Metal Ions in Biological Systems

Astrid Sigel

The mechanism of Fenton-like reactions and their importance for biological systems - a biologist's view; reactions of aliphatic carbon-centred and aliphatic-peroxyl radicals with transition-metal complexes as a plausible source for biological damage induced by radical processes; free radicals as a result of dioxygen metabolism; free radicals as a source of uncommon oxidation states of transition metals; biological chemistry of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and its link to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; DNA damage mediated by metal ions with special reference to copper and iron; radical migration through the DNA helix - chemistry at a distance; involvement of metal ions in lipid peroxidation - biological implications; formation of methemoglobulin and free radicals in erythrocytes; role of free radicals and metal ions in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease; metal binding and radical generation of proteins in human neurological diseases and aging; thiyl radicals in biochemically important thiols in the presence of metal ions; methymercury-induced generation of free radicals - biological implications; role of free radicals in metal induced carcinogenesis; pH-dependent organocobalt source for active radical species - a new type of anticancer agents; detection of chromatin-associated hydroxyl radicals generated by DNA-bound metal compounds and antitumor antibiotics; nitric oxide (NO) - formation and biological roles in mammalian systems; chemistry of peroxynitrite and its relevance to biological systems; novel nitric oxide-liberating heme proteins from the saliva of bloodsucking insects; nitrogen monoxide-related disease and nitrogen monoxide scavengers as potential drugs; therapeutics of nitric oxide modulation.