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Tyrosinase-mediated formation of a reactive quinone from the depigmenting agents, 4-tert-butylphenol and 4-tert-butylcatechol

Thorneby-Andersson, K ; Sterner, Olov LU and Hansson, Christer LU (2000) In Pigment Cell Research 13(1). p.33-38
Abstract
Exposure of the skin to certain phenols or catechols such as 4-tert-butylphenol (TBP) and 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) may cause leukoderma. These substances are used in the polymer industry and numerous cases have been reported. Several theories of the mechanism for chemical leukoderma have been suggested. In the present study, TBP and TBC are shown to be oxidised by tyrosinase. The oxidation of TBC yields a quinone that is further investigated on its reactions with cysteine or glutathione (GSH). The products formed are isolated and identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance as being 4-tert-butyl-6-S-cysteinylcatechol (cys-TBC) and 4-tert-butyl-6-S-glutathionylcatechol (GS-TBC). The reactive quinone is a strongly... (More)
Exposure of the skin to certain phenols or catechols such as 4-tert-butylphenol (TBP) and 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) may cause leukoderma. These substances are used in the polymer industry and numerous cases have been reported. Several theories of the mechanism for chemical leukoderma have been suggested. In the present study, TBP and TBC are shown to be oxidised by tyrosinase. The oxidation of TBC yields a quinone that is further investigated on its reactions with cysteine or glutathione (GSH). The products formed are isolated and identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance as being 4-tert-butyl-6-S-cysteinylcatechol (cys-TBC) and 4-tert-butyl-6-S-glutathionylcatechol (GS-TBC). The reactive quinone is a strongly electrophilic substance that rapidly reacts with GSH. A depletion of the GSH defence system may give conditions where the quinone lives long enough to effect its toxic properties. The influence of the reactive tert-butylquinone on enzymatic activities is demonstrated by the inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Chemical leukoderma, Glutathione, Melanocyte, Pigmentation, Quinone
in
Pigment Cell Research
volume
13
issue
1
pages
33 - 38
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:10761994
  • scopus:0343239102
ISSN
0893-5785
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Department of Dermatology and Venereology (Lund) (013006000), Organic chemistry (S/LTH) (011001240)
id
c193284f-93a9-4bfe-ba6c-4608efe8073c (old id 1117869)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:01:00
date last changed
2022-04-21 01:09:05
@article{c193284f-93a9-4bfe-ba6c-4608efe8073c,
  abstract     = {{Exposure of the skin to certain phenols or catechols such as 4-tert-butylphenol (TBP) and 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) may cause leukoderma. These substances are used in the polymer industry and numerous cases have been reported. Several theories of the mechanism for chemical leukoderma have been suggested. In the present study, TBP and TBC are shown to be oxidised by tyrosinase. The oxidation of TBC yields a quinone that is further investigated on its reactions with cysteine or glutathione (GSH). The products formed are isolated and identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance as being 4-tert-butyl-6-S-cysteinylcatechol (cys-TBC) and 4-tert-butyl-6-S-glutathionylcatechol (GS-TBC). The reactive quinone is a strongly electrophilic substance that rapidly reacts with GSH. A depletion of the GSH defence system may give conditions where the quinone lives long enough to effect its toxic properties. The influence of the reactive tert-butylquinone on enzymatic activities is demonstrated by the inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.}},
  author       = {{Thorneby-Andersson, K and Sterner, Olov and Hansson, Christer}},
  issn         = {{0893-5785}},
  keywords     = {{Chemical leukoderma; Glutathione; Melanocyte; Pigmentation; Quinone}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{33--38}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Pigment Cell Research}},
  title        = {{Tyrosinase-mediated formation of a reactive quinone from the depigmenting agents, 4-tert-butylphenol and 4-tert-butylcatechol}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}