Publication at Faculty of Science, Central Library of Charles University |
2010
Abstract
Carbohydrates protect polypeptides against modification by free radicals derived from toxic xenobiotics and provide passive shielding of the protein moiety. / Free radicals generated during peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of two xenobiotics, carcinogenic Sudan I and an anticancer agent ellipticine, easily attack unmodified proteins but not glycoproteins. A significant inverse correlation between the extent of glycosylation of proteins and the degree of binding of Sudan I or ellipticine radicals to these proteins was observed, whereby the protection only occurs if oligosaccharides are covalently bound to the proteins.