Carboxyfullerene prevents iron-induced oxidative stress in rat brain

Carboxyfullerene, a water-soluble carboxylic acid derivative of a fullerene, was investigated as a protective agent against iron-induced oxidative stress in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system of anesthetized rats. Intranigral infusion of exclusive carboxyfullerene did not increase lipid peroxidation in substantia nigra or deplete dopamine content in striatum. Infusion of ferrous citrate (iron II) induced degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. An increase in lipid peroxidation in substantia nigra as well as decreases in K⁺-evoked dopamine overflow and dopamine content in striatum were observed 7 days after the infusion. Co- infusion of carboxyfullerene prevented iron-induced oxidative injury. Furthermore, tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive staining showed that carboxyfullerene inhibited the iron-induced loss of the dopaminergic nerve terminals in striatum. The antioxidative action of carboxyfullerene was verified by in vitro studies. Incubation of brain homogenates increased the formation of the Schiff base fluorescent products of malonaldehyde, an indicator of lipid peroxidation. Both autoxidation (without exogenous iron) and iron-induced elevation of lipid peroxidation of brain homogenates were suppressed by carboxyfullerene in a dose-dependent manner. Our results suggest that intranigral infusion of carboxyfullerene appears to be nontoxic to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. Furthermore, the potent antioxidative action of carboxyfullerene protects the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system from iron-induced oxidative injury.