Brain blood barrier defects and ferric-iron brain accumulation as cause of gradually neurodegenerative brain disease

As a main aim we want to focus on the sources of oxidants as key factors in understanding the role oxidants play in the pathogenesis of brain vascular endothelial dysfunction. The question remains whether iron inversion and subsequent radical formation is a primary or secondary event in neurodegenerative disease. Recent research suggests that iron inversion is an initial cause of neuronal cell death and axonal degeneration. Methemoglobin and its catabolic products provoke adverse effects in vascular endothelium dysfunction, reduced regenerative capacity and an increased rate of endothelial cell apoptosis. The main diference between hemoglobin and methemoglobin heme oxygenation is that the final hemoglobin degradation products are bilirubin-biliverdin, CO and ferrous (Fe++) iron , but the final methemoglobin catabolism products are bilirubin-biliverdin, CO and ferric (Fe+++) iron, which in a methemoglobinemia pathological condition have an important role, which has a redox-active and cytotoxic property, and as a valuable biomarker. Correspondence to: Lucijan Mohorović, MD,PhD, Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rijeka, School of Medicine, Croatia, E-mail: [email protected]