Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV) light has a potent effect on biological organisms. Hemoglobin, an oxygen-transport protein, plays an irreplaceable role in sustaining life of all vertebrates. In this study we scrutinize the effects of ultraviolet irradiation (UVI) as well as visible irradiation on the fluorescence characteristics of bovine hemoglobin (BHb) in vitro. Data show that UVI results in fluorescence enhancement of BHb in a dose-dependant manner. Furthermore, UVI-induced fluorescence enhancement is significantly increased when BHb is pretreated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a type of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, The water-soluble antioxidant vitamin C suppresses this UVI-induced fluorescence enhancement. In contrast, green light irradiation does not lead to fluorescence enhancement of BHb no matter whether H2O2 is acting on the BHb solution or not. Taken together, these results indicate that catalysis of ROS and UVI-dependent irradiation play two key roles in the process of UVI-induced fluorescence enhancement of BHb.
Highlights
There would scarcely be life on earth without light
We could found that UV irradiation (UVI) significantly resulted in fluorescence enhancement of bovine hemoglobin (BHb) solution in a dose-dependent manner
There is fluorescence enhancement upon low-dose UV excitation light that is increased by action of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as already discussed, no such effect can be found for low-dose green excitation light (Fig. 4c,d). These results clearly demonstrated that fluorescence enhancement of BHb solution depended on UVI
Summary
There would scarcely be life on earth without light. Main source of visible and ultraviolet (UV) light is the nuclear fusion reactor in the middle of our solar system. Certain skin diseases can be healed by a proper dose of UV radiation, UV light is in general noxious [1]: For instance, it may cause sunburn, photoaging [2], skin cancers [3], or immune suppression [4]. Several factors play an crucial role in UVI-induced different cellular physiological and pathological responses. One of them is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through a photosensitized mechanism involving energy transfer by chromophores to oxygen molecules (photodynamic effect). There is a wealth of evidence that ROS trigger, among other physiological responses, pathological ones in biological organisms [6±8]
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