摘要：Classical pathology demonstrated that fluorescent lipofuscin granules developed in the aged cells. They were believed to be waste-products of subcellular components during lipid peroxidation. They were composed of lipids, proteins and melanin-like pigments. Recent works by Tappel and his associates demonstrated that age-related fluorescent pigments increased with lipid peroxidation of tissues and were extracted with organic solvents. Tappel et al. suggested that the fluorophore of the pigments was the conjugated Schiff bases between primary amines and malonaldehyde. Our current studies suggested that malonaldehyde did not participate in the formation of the pigments although mild reaction of primary amines and malonaldehyde afforded highly fluorescent 1, 4-dihydropyridine-3, 5-dicarbaldehydes (I and II). Mechanisms of the formation of the fluorophore of the pigments are not obvious. While physiological role of lipofuscin granules or the age-related fluorescent pigments is obscure, it may be important to elucidate mechanisms of lipid peroxidation to produce such fluorophores in biological systems.
