Thermal Stability of Primary S -Nitrosothiols: Roles of Autocatalysis and Structural Effects on the Rate of Nitric Oxide Release (original) (raw)

A Kinetic Study of S-Nitrosothiol Decomposition

Chemistry - A European Journal, 2002

Under anaerobic conditions S-nitrosothiols 1a-e undergo thermal decomposition by homolytic cleavage of the S-N bond; the reaction leads to nitric oxide and sulfanyl radicals formed in a reversible manner. The rate constants, k(t), have been determined at different temperatures from kinetic measurements performed in refluxing alkane solvents. The tertiary nitrosothiols 1c (k1(69 degrees C) = 13 x 10(-3) min(-1)) and 1d (k1(69 degrees C) = 91 x 10(-3) min(-1)) decomposed faster than the primary nitrosothiols 1a (k1(69 degrees C) = 3.0 x 10(-3) min(-1)) and 1b (k1(69 degrees C) = 6.5 x 10(-3) min(-1)). The activation energies (E# = 20.5-22.8 Kcal mol(-1)) have been calculated from the Arrhenius equation. Under aerobic conditions the decay of S-nitrosothiols 1a-e takes place by an autocatalytic chain-decomposition process catalyzed by N2O3. The latter is formed by reaction of dioxygen with endogenous and/or exogenous nitric oxide. The autocatalytic decomposition is strongly inhibited by removing the endogenous nitric oxide or by the presence of antioxidants, such as p-cresol, beta-styrene, and BHT. The rate of the chain reaction is independent of the RSNO concentration and decreases with increasing bulkiness of the alkyl group; this shows that steric effects are crucial in the propagation step.

Biological Mechanisms of S-Nitrosothiol Formation and Degradation: How Is Specificity of S-Nitrosylation Achieved?

Antioxidants

The modification of protein cysteine residues underlies some of the diverse biological functions of nitric oxide (NO) in physiology and disease. The formation of stable nitrosothiols occurs under biologically relevant conditions and time scales. However, the factors that determine the selective nature of this modification remain poorly understood, making it difficult to predict thiol targets and thus construct informatics networks. In this review, the biological chemistry of NO will be considered within the context of nitrosothiol formation and degradation whilst considering how specificity is achieved in this important post-translational modification. Since nitrosothiol formation requires a formal one-electron oxidation, a classification of reaction mechanisms is proposed regarding which species undergoes electron abstraction: NO, thiol or S-NO radical intermediate. Relevant kinetic, thermodynamic and mechanistic considerations will be examined and the impact of sources of NO and t...

Effect of Superoxide Dismutase on the Stability ofS-Nitrosothiols

Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 1999

S-Nitrosothiols formed from the nitric oxide (NO)-dependent S-nitrosation of thiol-containing proteins and peptides such as albumin and glutathione (GSH) have been implicated in the transport, storage, and metabolism of NO in vivo. Recent data suggest that certain transition metals enhance the decomposition of S-nitrosothiols in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine what effect Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) has on the stability of certain S-nitrosothiols such as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) in vitro. We found that CuZn-SOD (20 microM) but not Mn-SOD in the presence of GSH catalyzed the decomposition of GSNO with a Vmax of 6.7 +/- 0.4 microM/min and a Km of 5.6 +/- 0.5 microM at 37 degreesC. Increasing GSH concentrations with respect to CuZn-SOD resulted in complete decomposition of GSNO at concentrations of GSH:SOD of 2:1. Increasing GSH concentrations further from 0.1 to 10 mM resulted in a concentration-dependent attenuation in GSNO decomposition suggesting that SOD-catalyzed decomposition of GSNO would be maximal at concentrations of GSH known to be present in extracellular fluids (e.g., plasma). The decomposition of GSNO by CuZn-SOD resulted in the sustained production of NO. We propose that GSH reduces enzyme-associated Cu2+ to Cu1+ which mediates the reductive decomposition of the S-nitrosothiol to yield free NO. We conclude that CuZn-SOD may represent an important physiological modulator of steady-state concentrations of low-molecular-weight S-nitrosothiols in vivo.