Effect of Plastoquinone Derivative 10-(6′-Plastoquinonyl)decyltriphenylphosphonium (SkQ1) on Contents of Steroid Hormones and NO Level in Rats

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V. A. Chistyakov^1*, V. A. Serezhenkov², A. A. Alexandrova¹, N. P. Milyutina¹, V. N. Prokof’ev¹, E. V. Mashkina¹, L. V. Gutnikova¹, and S. V. Dem’yanenko¹

¹Research Institute of Biology, Southern Federal University, pr. Stachky 194/1, 344090 Rostov-na-Donu, Russia; E-mail: vladimirchi@yandex.ru

²Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Kosygina 4, 119991 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received April 26, 2010; Revision received July 6, 2010

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Introduction of the plastoquinone derivative 10-(6′-plastoquinonyl)decyltriphenylphosphonium (SkQ1) into male Wistar rats once a day for two weeks in doses of 25 and 250 nmol/kg led to elevation of 17β-estradiol level in blood serum by 33 and 41%, respectively. At the same time, nitrate and nitrite contents in the rat blood serum increased by 49 and 34%, respectively. ESR spectroscopy with diethyldithiocarbamateiron complex as a spin trap showed more than twofold increase in NO production in lungs, but not in blood, liver, and intestines, following the SkQ1 daily introduction at a dose of 25 nmol/kg.

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KEY WORDS: SkQ1, penetrating cations, steroid hormones, estradiol, nitrate, nitrite, nitric oxide

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297910110106

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