s-nitrosocysteine and 3-nitrotyrosine

The goal of this investigation was to explore the mechanism by which NOS and NO serve to regulate events linked to chondrocyte terminal differentiation. NOS isoform expression and NO adducts in chick growth cartilage were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. All NOS isoforms were expressed in chick growth plate chondrocytes with the highest levels present in the hypertrophic region. The enzymes were active since nitrosocysteine and nitrotyrosine residues were detected in regions of the epiphysis with the highest levels of NOS expression. Maturing chick sternal chondrocytes evidenced an increase in NO release and a rise in NOS protein levels. When treated with NOS inhibitors, there was a decrease in the alkaline phosphatase activity of the hypertrophic cells. On the other hand, NO donors caused a small but significant elevation in alkaline phosphatase activity. Transient transfections of chondrocytes with an endothelial NOS isoform caused an increase in collagen type X promoter activity. Induction of both collagen type X expression and alkaline phosphatase activity was blocked by inhibitors of the cGMP pathway. These findings indicate that NO is generated by three NOS isoforms in terminally differentiated chondrocytes. The expression of NOS and the generation of NO enhanced maturation by upregulating alkaline phosphatase and collagen type X expression. Since expression of these two determinants was blocked by inhibitors of the cGMP pathway, it is concluded that NO metabolism is required for development of the mature chondrocyte phenotype.

Topics: Alkaline Phosphatase; Animals; Blotting, Western; Cell Differentiation; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Chick Embryo; Chondrocytes; Collagen Type X; Cyclic GMP; Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Cysteine; Gene Expression; Growth Plate; Guanylate Cyclase; Immunohistochemistry; Isoenzymes; Luciferases; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitrates; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitrites; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; S-Nitrosoglutathione; S-Nitrosothiols; Sternum; Transfection; Tretinoin; Tyrosine

We report on developmental changes of pulmonary and systemic nitric oxide (NO) metabolites in a baboon model of chronic lung disease with or without exposure to inhaled NO. The plasma levels of nitrite and nitrate, staining for S-nitrosothiols and 3-nitrotyrosine in the large airways, increased between 125 d and 140 d of gestation (term 185 d) in animals developing in utero. The developmental increase in NO-mediated protein modifications was not interrupted by delivery at 125 d of gestation and mechanical ventilation for 14 d, whereas plasma nitrite and nitrate levels increased in this model. Exposure to inhaled NO resulted in a further increase in plasma nitrite and nitrate and an increase in plasma S-nitrosothiol without altering lung NO synthase expression. These data demonstrate a developmental progression in levels of pulmonary NO metabolites that parallel known maturational increases in total NO synthase activity in the lung. Despite known suppression of total pulmonary NO synthase activity in the chronic lung disease model, pulmonary and systemic NO metabolite levels are higher than in the developmental control animals. Thus, a deficiency in NO production and biological function in the premature baboon was not apparent by the detection and quantification of these surrogate markers of NO production.

Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Chronic Disease; Cysteine; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Fetus; Free Radical Scavengers; Lung; Lung Diseases; Nitrates; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Nitrites; Papio; Pregnancy; S-Nitrosothiols; Tyrosine

The oxidative environment within the lung generated upon administration of oxygen may be a critical regulator for the efficacy of inhaled nitric oxide therapy, possibly as a consequence of changes in nitrosative and nitrative chemistry. Changes in S-nitrosocysteine and 3-nitrotyrosine adducts were therefore evaluated after exposure of rats to 80% or >95% oxygen for 24 or 48 h with and without 20 ppm inhaled nitric oxide. Exposure to 80% oxygen led to increased formation of S-nitrosocysteine and 3-nitrotyrosine adducts in lung tissue that were also associated with increased expression of iNOS. The addition of inhaled nitric oxide in 80% oxygen exposure did not alter any of these adducts in the lung or in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Exposure to >95% oxygen led to a significant decrease in S-nitrosocysteine and an increase in 3-nitrotyrosine adducts in the lung. Co-administration of inhaled nitric oxide with >95% oxygen prevented the decrease in S-nitrosocysteine levels. The levels of S-nitrosocysteine and 3-nitrotyrosine returned to baseline in a time-dependent fashion after termination of exposure to >95% oxygen and inhaled nitric oxide. These data suggest the formation of S-nitrosating and tyrosine-nitrating species is regulated by oxygen tensions and co-administration of inhaled nitric oxide restores the nitrosative chemistry without a significant impact upon the nitrative pathway.

Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Animals; Cysteine; Humans; Infant; Isoenzymes; Lung; Male; Nitrates; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Nitrites; Oxygen; Rats; S-Nitrosothiols; Tyrosine

The present study shows that when freezing nitrite containing biological samples in the presence of sodium and phosphate, a process of tyrosine nitration and S-nitrosocysteine formation is observed. The underlying mechanism is obviously based on the already described pH decrease in sodium phosphate buffered solutions during the freezing process and probably involves nitrous acid as an intermediate. However, in pure potassium phosphate buffer freeze-artefacts were absent. The yield of 3-nitrotyrosine from albumin-bound or free tyrosine depends not only on the concentration of nitrite, tyrosine or protein, and sodium phosphate but also on the velocity of the freezing process. Nitrite and nitrate were quantified by the Griess/nitrate reductase assay. 3-nitrotyrosine formation was quantitatively measured by HPLC analysis with optical and electrochemical detection as well as qualitatively investigated by immunohistochemistry and slot blot analysis using 3-nitrotyrosine specific antibodies. The formation of S-nitrosocysteine was detected by S-nitrosothiol specific antibodies and quantified by a fluorometric assay. Irrespective of the mechanism and although the here presented results cannot be generalized, the data warrant caution for the analysis of nitration or nitros(yl)ation products following freezing of nitrite containing biological material.

Topics: Animals; Aorta; Buffers; Cryopreservation; Cysteine; Freezing; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Nitrates; Nitric Oxide; Nitrites; Nitrophenols; Nitroso Compounds; Phosphates; Potassium Compounds; Rats; S-Nitrosothiols; Serum Albumin, Bovine; Tyrosine

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and choline transport are decreased after nitrosative stress. ChAT activity is altered in scrapie-infected neurons, where oxidative stress develops. Cellular prion protein (PrPc) may play a neuroprotective function in participating in the redox control of neuronal environment and regulation of copper metabolism, a role impaired when PrPc is transformed into PrPSc in prion pathologies. The complex cross-talk between PrPc and cholinergic neurons was analyzed in vitro using peroxynitrite and Cu2+ treatments on nerve endings isolated from Torpedo marmorata, a model of the motoneuron pre-synaptic element. Specific interactions between solubilized synaptic components and recombinant ovine prion protein (PrPrec) could be demonstrated by Biacore technology. Peroxynitrite abolished this interaction in a concentration-dependent way and induced significant alterations of neuronal targets. Interaction was restored by prior addition of peroxynitrite trapping agents. Cu2+ (in the form of CuSO4) treatment of synaptosomes triggered a milder oxidative effect leading to a bell-shaped increase of PrPrec binding to synaptosomal components, counteracted by the natural thiol agents, glutathione and thioredoxin. Copper(II)-induced modifications of thiols in several neuronal proteins. A positive correlation was observed between PrPrec binding and immunoreactive changes for calcineurin B and its partners, suggesting a synergy between calcineurin complex and PrP for copper regulation.

Topics: 14-3-3 Proteins; Animals; Blotting, Western; Calcineurin; Carbocyanines; Choline O-Acetyltransferase; Copper Sulfate; Cyclophilin A; Cysteine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epitopes; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Membrane Glycoproteins; Membrane Proteins; Mercaptoethanol; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neurons; Nitrosation; Oxidation-Reduction; Peroxynitrous Acid; Prions; Protein Binding; Pyruvic Acid; Qa-SNARE Proteins; R-SNARE Proteins; Recombinant Proteins; S-Nitrosothiols; Sheep; Synapsins; Synaptic Vesicles; Synaptosomes; Tacrolimus Binding Proteins; Thioredoxins; Time Factors; Torpedo; Tyrosine; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

In various peroxynitrite (PN)-treated proteins, the formations of stable 3-nitrotyrosine (nitration) and labile S-nitrosocysteine (S-nitrosation) were observed by employing rapid Western blot in 6 h. The steps of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and membrane-blotting were performed at 4 degrees C. It was noted that the intensity of immunoreactive bands specific for anti-nitrotyrosine was stronger than that specific for anti-S-nitrosocysteine. Additionally, the intensity was in the manner of a dose-dependency of PN. Nitration/S-nitrosation were formed in the following treated proteins, including bovine serum albumin (BSA), DNase-1, ceruloplasmin, catalase and hemoglobin (Hb). The incubation of PN-pretreated hemoglobin with 1 mM reduced glutathione (GSH) did not change immunoreactivity significantly. However, the addition of glutathione S-transferase (GST) or glutathione peroxidase (GPX) to the above incubation mixture, resulted in decreased immunoreactivity, suggesting GSH may form a transition complex with PN-pretreated hemoglobin and/or partially reduce/modify the treated hemoglobin, thereby increasing the accessibility for the subsequent modification by GST or GPX. Such decreased immunoreactivity indicates that nitrotyrosine and S-nitrosocysteine of treated hemoglobin was, indeed, further modified via (a) converting -NO2 to -NH2 in tyrosine residues, (b) denitrating -NO2 directly/indirectly in tyrosine residues, and/or (c) changing -S-NO to -SH in cysteine residues, or denitrosation. The findings imply similar enzymatic modifications of proteins may also occur in vivo, and therefore play a pivotal role in the NO-related cellular signaling cascade(s).

Topics: Animals; Blotting, Western; Cattle; Cysteine; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Glutathione; Glutathione Peroxidase; Glutathione Transferase; Hemoglobins; Histones; Horses; In Vitro Techniques; Mice; Nitrosation; Oxidative Stress; Peroxynitrous Acid; S-Nitrosothiols; Tyrosine

Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important intracellular signaling molecule whose activity is essential for a number of aspects of neuronal function including synaptic plasticity. We investigated the regulation of PKC activity by reactive nitrogen species in order to examine whether such species regulate PKC in neurons. Neither autonomous nor cofactor-dependent PKC activity was altered when either hippocampal homogenates or rat brain purified PKC were incubated briefly with three different nitric oxide donor compounds. However, brief incubation of either hippocampal homogenates or purified PKC with peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) inhibited cofactor-dependent PKC activity in a manner that correlated with the nitration of tyrosine residues on PKC, suggesting that this modification was responsible for the inhibition of PKC. Consistent with this idea, reducing agents had no effect on the inhibition of PKC activity caused by ONOO(-). Because there are numerous PKC isoforms that differ in the composition of the regulatory domain, we studied the effect of ONOO(-) on various PKC isoforms. ONOO(-) inhibited the cofactor-dependent activity of the alpha, betaII, epsilon, and zeta isoforms, indicating that inhibition of enzymatic activity by ONOO(-) was not PKC isoform-specific. We also were able to isolate nitrated PKCalpha and PKCbetaII from ONOO(-)-treated hippocampal homogenates via immunoprecipitation. Collectively, our findings support the hypothesis that ONOO(-) inhibits PKC activity via tyrosine nitration in neurons.

Topics: Animals; Brain; Cysteine; Isoenzymes; Male; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Nitrates; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitroprusside; Nitroso Compounds; Oxidants; Oxidation-Reduction; Penicillamine; Protein Kinase C; Protein Kinase C beta; Protein Kinase C-alpha; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; S-Nitrosothiols; Tissue Extracts; Tyrosine

Inhaled nitric oxide (INO) therapy is currently used clinically to selectively dilate the pulmonary vasculature and to help treat persistent pulmonary hypertension and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in the neonate. However, in the presence of oxygen or superoxide, nitric oxide forms potentially harmful reactive nitrogen species. Using an experimental mice model, we examined the effects of concurrent hyperoxia and INO on protein tyrosine nitration and cysteine S-nitrosylation in pulmonary tissue. Data showed enhanced 3-nitrotyrosine staining within the airway epithelium and alveolar interstitium of mice lungs treated with hyperoxia, which did not increase significantly with INO administration. Within the alveolar interstitium, 3-nitrotyrosine staining was localized to macrophages. S-Nitrosocysteine staining in airway epithelium was significantly enhanced with INO administration regardless of oxygen content. These data suggest that the formation of protein S-nitrosocysteine is the major protein modification during administration of INO.

Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Animals; Cysteine; Epithelium; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Lung; Mice; Nitric Oxide; Nitroso Compounds; S-Nitrosothiols; Tyrosine