Mitochondrial oxidation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in rat cerebral cortex

4-Hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (HNE) is a neurotoxic product of lipid peroxidation whose levels are elevated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases and CNS trauma. The detoxification of HNE may take the route of glutathione conjugation to the C3 carbon and the oxidation or reduction of the C1 aldehyde. In this work, we examined whether the oxidation of HNE to its corresponding carboxylic acid, 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenoate (HNEAcid) was detoxifying event, if it occurred in rat cerebral cortex, and in which subcellular compartments. Our results show that HNEAcid did not form protein adducts and was non-toxic to Neuro 2A cells. HNEAcid formation occurred in rat cerebral cortex slices following exposure to HNE in a time-dependent and dose-dependent fashion. Homogenate studies indicated that HNEAcid formation was NAD(+) dependent. Subcellular fractionation demonstrated that mitochondria had the highest specific activity for HNEAcid formation with a K-M of 21 mum HNE. These data indicate that oxidation of HNE to its corresponding acid is a major detoxification pathway of HNE in the CNS and that mitochondria play a role in this process.