INTERACTION OF MELANIN W/ FREE RADICALS

尽管人们普遍认为，主要的生物学因素之一 黑色素的功能是光保护，其分子机制是 没有完全理解。因此，可以说，除了简单的光 筛选，黑色素通过封存发挥其光保护作用 重金属离子和清除活性自由基。的 当然，黑色素清除自由基的能力可能会 取决于它们的物理化学性质：它们的寿命， 单电子还原电势和净电荷。我们研究了 多巴黑色素(DM)和多巴黑色素(DM)两种合成聚合物的相互作用 半胱氨酸多巴黑色素(CDM)，具有一系列还原和氧化作用 自由基。我们的数据表明，黑色素可以作为一种强大的 氧化和还原自由基的清除剂。

Although it is generally believed that one of the major biological functions of melanin is photoprotection, its molecular mechanism is not fully understood. Thus it can be argued that besides simple light screening, melanin exerts its photoprotective action via sequestration of heavy metal ions and scavenging of reactive free radicals. Of course, the ability of melanin to scavenge free radicals is likely to depend on their physicochemical properties: their lifetime, one-electron reduction potential, and net charge. We studied the interaction of two synthetic polymers, dopa melanin (DM) and cysteinyldopa melanin (CDM), with a series of reducing and oxidizing free radicals. Our data indicate that melanin can act as a powerful scavenger both for oxidizing and reducing radicals.