The Effects of Visible Light on Iron Release from Ferritin Related to Lipid Peroxidation in the Retina

We studied iron release from ferritin by irradiating the visible light, and then followed ferritin-mediated lipid peroxidation in the rod outer segment (ROS) fraction of the porcine retina. In the presence of several phosphorus compounds such as ADP and ATP, iron release from ferritin at pH 7.0 could be induced by irradiation of the visible light to the reaction mixtures. Furthermore, iron release from ferritin in the presence of ADP depended on the incubation time and the visible light irradiation. Moreover, we investigated lipid peroxidation level in the ROS fraction by two independent assay systems including the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and ferrous oxidation/xylenol orange (FOX) methods. The visible light induced ferritin-mediated lipid peroxidation in the ROS fraction in time- and irradiance-dependent manners. In the dark condition, iron release and lipid peroxidation were not observed. Iron release from ferritin by irradiating the visible light may play an important role in the etiology of phototoxic injuries in vivo.