Electron spin resonance study on the permeability of superoxide radicals in lipid bilayers and biological membranes

The permeability of lipid bilayers and biological membranes to superoxide free radicals was examined by using superoxide dismutase (SOD)-loaded lipid vesicles and SOD-loaded erythrocyte ghosts. After exposing SOD lipid vesicles and SOD ghosts to enzymatically produced superoxide radicals and using spin-trapping and electron spin resonance (ESR) techniques, we found that SOD entrapped within erythrocyte ghosts effectively scavenges external O2.- while SOD inside the lipid bilayers has no effect. These results confirm that O2.- is able to cross through a biological plasma membrane but not across a pure lipid bilayer. The data provide instruction as to how and where anti-oxidant therapy is to be approached relative to the site of oxygen free radical production.