Abstract
The chemical properties of Amadori compounds in the presence of transition metal ions were studied, using the analogs 1-deoxy-1- n -butylamino- d -fructose (DBF) and N f -formyl-fructoselysine (fFL). The following characteristics were revealed: (a) DBF combined easily with Cu 2+ (but no other transition metal ions) to form a DBF-Cu 2+ complex in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4; (b) the complex was unstable, and degraded with the release of Cu + during incubation at 37°C; (c) degradation of the complex was associated with the production of hydroxyl radicals by the Fenton reaction and f -dicarbonyl compounds by non-autoxidative degradation; and (d) properties of DBF were similar to those of fFL. The above properties were additionally observed in glycated poly-Lys (GPL). Our findings indicate a novel mechanism for the generation of hydroxyl radicals and f -dicarbonyl compounds from Amadori adducts in the presence of Cu 2+ .