Metmyoglobin-catalyzed exogenous and endogenous tyrosine nitration by nitrite and hydrogen peroxide

Metmyoglobin catalyzes the nitration of various phenolic compounds in the presence of nitrite and hydrogen peroxide. The reaction rate depends on the reactant concentrations and shows saturation behavior. Two competing paths are responsible for the reaction. In the first, myoglobin reacts according to a peroxidase-like cycle forming two active intermediates, which can induce one-electron oxidation of the substrates. The MbFe(IV)==O intermediate oxidizes nitrite to nitrogen dioxide, which, after reaction with the phenol or with a phenoxy radical, yields the nitrophenol. In the second mechanism, hydrogen peroxide reacts with iron-bound nitrite to produce an active nitrating species, which we assume to be a protein-bound peroxynitrite species, MbFe(III)--N(O)OO. The high nitrating power of the active species is shown by the fact that the catalytic rate constant is essentially independent of the redox properties of the phenol. The occurrence of one or other of these mechanisms depends on the nitrite concentration: at low [NO(2) (-)] the nitrating agent is nitrogen dioxide, whereas at high [NO(2) (-)] the peroxynitrite path is dominant. The myoglobin derivative that accumulates during turnover depends on the mechanism. When the path involving NO(2) (.) is dominant, the spectrum of the MbFe(IV)==O intermediate is observed. At high nitrite concentration, the Soret band appears at 416 nm, which we attribute to an iron-peroxynitrite species. The metMb/NO(2) (-)/H(2)O(2) system competitively nitrates the heme and the endogenous tyrosine at position 146 of the protein. Phenolic substrates protect Tyr146 from nitration by scavenging the active nitrating species. The exposed Tyr103 residue is not nitrated under the same conditions.     

Mechanistic studies on the reaction between cob(II)alamin and peroxynitrite: evidence for a dual role for cob(II)alamin as a scavenger of peroxynitrous acid and nitrogen dioxide

Peroxynitrite/peroxynitrous acid (ONOO(-)/ONOOH; pK(a(ONOOH)) =6.8) is implicated in multiple chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Both mammalian B(12)-dependent enzymes are inactivated under oxidative stress conditions. We report studies on the kinetics of the reaction between peroxynitrite/peroxynitrous acid and a major intracellular vitamin B(12) form, cob(II)alamin (Cbl(II)), using stopped-flow spectroscopy. The pH dependence of the reaction is consistent with peroxynitrous acid reacting directly with Cbl(II) to give cob(III)alamin (Cbl(III)) and (.)NO(2) , followed by a subsequent rapid reaction between (.)NO(2) and a second molecule of Cbl(II) to primarily form nitrocobalamin. In support of this mechanism, a Cbl(II)/ONOO(H) stoichiometry of 2:1 is observed at pH 7.35 and 12.0. The final major Cbl(III) product observed (nitrocobalamin or hydroxycobalamin) depends on the solution pH. Analysis of the reaction products in the presence of tyrosine-a well-established (.)NO(2) scavenger-reveals that Cbl(II) reacts with (.)NO(2) at least an order of magnitude faster than tyrosine itself. Given that protein-bound Cbl is accessible to small molecules, it is likely that enzyme-bound and free intracellular Cbl(II) molecules are rapidly oxidized to inactive Cbl(III) upon exposure to peroxynitrite or (.)NO(2).     

谷胱甘肽和Ebselen对胰岛素硝化的抑制及其相互作用机理的研究

生物体内NO和超氧阴离子快速反应生成的过氧亚硝酸根离子(ONOO^-，peroxynitrite)是一种强细胞毒性物质，它诱导蛋白质酪氨酸残基硝化是其损伤生物系统的重要途径之一。为了探讨谷胱甘肽和ebselen对胰岛素硝化的抑制及其相互作用机理，采用UV-Vis、HPLC和ESI-MS等方法，研究了ONOO^-对胰岛素的硝化作用、小分子抗氧化剂谷胱甘肽(GSH)和ebselen对ONOO^-硝化胰岛素的影响以及它们之间的相互作用。结果表明单独的GSH和ebselen对ONOO^--引发的胰岛素硝化均有明显的抑制，而作为谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPx)的底物GSH 与GPx的模型化合物ebselen之间存在相互拮抗作用，经过对其产物分析，确定其机理是GSH和ebselen能够直接反应生成一种加合物，从而抑制了GSH和ebselen各自的抗硝化能力。     

过氧亚硝酸根离子诱导DNA断裂机理的研究

在体内NO和超氧阴离子生成的过氧亚硝酸根离子（ONOO^-，peroxynitrite）是一种强氧化性物质，它可以诱导DNA单链断裂使DNA发生损伤。为了探讨ONOO^-断裂DNA的作用机理，以质粒DNA pBR322为研究对象，采用琼脂糖凝胶和硫代巴比妥酸(TBA)显色反应等方法对ONOO^-与DNA的反应进行研究。结果表明ONOO^-能明显使DNA发生断裂，而且随着ONOO^-浓度的增加，DNA断裂的程度增加，在酸性和中性条件下ONOO^-断裂DNA的能力明显高于碱性介质，而CO₂对该反应有显著的抑制作用，TBA显色反应进一步证实该反应为自由基机理，其机理为ONOO^-与H⁺形成ONOOH，然后裂解为二氧化氮自由基（·NO₂）和羟基自由基（·OH），继而对DNA造成损伤。     

Potential energy surface of the reaction of imidazole with peroxynitrite: Density functional theory study

This article presents a theoretical investigation of the reaction mechanism of imidazole nitration by peroxynitrite using density functional theory calculations. Understanding this reaction mechanism will help in elucidating the mechanism of guanine nitration by peroxynitrite, which is one of the assumed chemical pathways for damaging DNA in cells. This work focuses on the analysis of the potential energy surface (PES) for this reaction in the gas phase. Calculations were carried out using Hartree–Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT) Hamiltonians with double‐zeta basis sets ranging from 6‐31G(d) to 6‐31++G(d,p), and the triple‐zeta basis set 6‐311G(d). The computational results reveal that the reaction of imidazole with peroxynitrite in gas phase produces the following species: (i) hydroxide ion and 2‐nitroimidazole, (ii) hydrogen superoxide ion and 2‐nitrosoimidazole, and (iii) water and 2‐nitroimidazolide. The rate‐determining step is the formation of a short‐lived intermediate in which the imidazole C₂ carbon is covalently bonded to peroxynitrite nitrogen. Three short‐lived intermediates were found in the reaction path. These intermediates are involved in a proton‐hopping transport from C₂ carbon to the terminal oxygen of the ? O? O moiety of peroxynitrite via the nitroso (ON? ) oxygen. Both HF and DFT calculations (using the Becke3–Lee–Yang–Parr functional) lead to similar reaction paths for proton transport, but the landscape details of the PES for HF and DFT calculations differ. This investigation shows that the reaction of imidazole with peroxynitrite produces essentially the same types of products (nitro‐ and nitroso‐) as observed experimentally in the reaction of guanine with peroxynitrite, which makes the former reaction a good model to study by computation the essential characteristics of the latter reaction. Nevertheless, the computationally determined activation energy for imidazole nitration by peroxynitrite in the gas phase is 84.1 kcal/mol (calculated at the B3LYP/6‐31++G(d,p) level), too large for an enzymatic reaction. Exploratory calculations on imidazole nitration in solution, and on the reaction of 9‐methylguanine with peroxynitrite in the gas phase and solution, show that solvation increases the activation energy for both imidazole and guanine, and that the modest decrease (15 kcal mol^?1) in the activation energy, due to the adjacent six member ring of guanine, is counterbalanced by solvation. These results lead to the speculation that proton tunneling may be at the origin of experimentally observed high reaction rate of guanine nitration by peroxynitrite in solution. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

A theoretical study on the reaction pathways of peroxynitrite formation and decay at nonheme iron centers

A computational study based on density functional theory was undertaken to identify possible reaction pathways for the formation and decomposition of peroxynitrite at models of the active sites of the nonheme superoxide scavenging enzymes superoxide reductase (SOR) and iron superoxide dismutase (FeSOD). Two peroxynitrite isomers and their possible protonated states were investigated, namely Fe? OONO^?, Fe? N(O)OO^?, Fe? OONOH, and Fe? N(O)OOH. Peroxynitrite formation at the active sites was assumed by either the interaction of a peroxynitrite cis/trans anion with the pentacoordinated iron active site or the interaction between a nitric oxide bound adduct and superoxide; both scenarios were found to be facile for all models investigated. The ferrous adducts of the Fe? OONO^?isomer were found to undergo instant heterolytic cleavage of the O? ONO bond to yield nitrite, whereas for the ferric adducts, the homolytic cleavage of the O? ONO bond to yield nitrogen dioxide was found to be energetically facile. For the Fe? N(O)OO^? isomer, the active site models of FeSOD and SOR were only able to accommodate the cis isomer of peroxynitrite. Ferric adducts of the cis Fe? OONO^? isomer were found to be energetically more stable than their trans counterparts and were also more stable than the cis adducts of the Fe? N(O)OO^? isomer; conversely, the protonated forms of all adducts of the Fe? OONOH isomer were found to be lower in energy than their equivalent Fe? N(O)OOH adducts. Multiple reaction pathways for the decomposition of the formed peroxynitrite adducts (whether the anions or the protonated forms) were proposed and explored. The energy requirements for the decomposition processes ranged from exothermic to highly demanding depending on the peroxynitrite isomer, the type of model (whether an SOR or FeSOD active site), and the oxidation state of iron. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Peroxynitrite-Promoted Persulfide Prodrugs with Protective Potential against Paracetamol Poisoning

The newly emerging persulfide prodrugs provide additional options for the profound study of persulfide, a fascinating molecule expected to intervene in biological functions and even diseases. Peroxynitrite is often the culprit in pathological processes characterized by oxidative stress, while the persulfide prodrug responsive to it is still pending. To enrich the family of redox-activated prodrugs, we designed prodrugs with a 2-oxo-2-phenylacetamide trigger, which achieved the release of persulfide via 1, 6-N, S-relay. The degradation of prodrugs and the formation of persulfides were confirmed to be peroxynitrite-responsible by the qualitative and quantitative studies based on LC-MS/MS methods and a spectrophotometry-based tag-switch strategy. Furthermore, these prodrugs showed potent peroxynitrite scavenging activity, cellular therapeutic potential against paracetamol poisoning in HepG2 and oxidative stress in H9c2, as well as desirable in vitro metabolic properties.     

Kinetics of the reactions of catechins with hypochlorite,peroxynitrite, and amino acid–derived peroxyl- radicals

Catechins, one of the class of flavonoids, are known as very efficient antioxidants. Here we investigated the kinetics of the reactions of three catechins, namely, catechin, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) with some oxidants, which are formed in vivo under oxidative stress, hypochlorite, peroxynitrite, and amino acid peroxyl radicals. Stopped-flow spectrophotometry and pulse radiolysis technique with absorption detection were used to observe the formation of intermediate products of oxidized catechins. We found that catechins react with hypochlorite with the rate constant of the order of 10⁵–10⁶ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ at pH 7.4. Experimental kinetic traces of the reaction of EGCG with valine peroxyl radicals were fitted using chemical simulation, and the rate constant of this reaction was found to be 5 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. The rate constants of the formation of unstable catechin quinones in the reaction with peroxynitrite were comparable to that of spontaneous peroxynitrite isomerization, which indicates that catechins are oxidized indirectly by peroxynitrite. Biological consequences of these reactions are discussed.     

An Activatable NIR‐II Nanoprobe for In Vivo Early Real‐Time Diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most dangerous acute diseases resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Current methods remain limited with respect to early diagnosis and real‐time feedback on the pathological process. Herein, a targeted activatable fluorescent nanoprobe (V&A@Ag₂S) in the second near‐infrared window (NIR‐II) is presented for in vivo optical imaging of TBI. Initially, the fluorescence of V&A@Ag₂S is turned off owing to energy transfer from Ag₂S to the A1094 chromophore. Upon intravenous injection, V&A@Ag₂S quickly accumulates in the inflamed vascular endothelium of TBI based on VCAM1‐mediated endocytosis, after which the nanoprobe achieves rapid recovery of the NIR‐II fluorescence of Ag₂S quantum dots (QDs) owing to the bleaching of A1094 by the prodromal biomarker of TBI, peroxynitrite (ONOO^?). The nanoprobe offers high specificity, rapid response, and high sensitivity toward ONOO^?, providing a convenient approach for in vivo early real‐time assessment of TBI.