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The effect of alpha-tocopherol on the nitration of gamma-tocopherol by peroxynitrite. Arch Biochem Biophys 1999 Mar 15;363(2):333-40

Date

03/09/1999

Pubmed ID

10068456

DOI

10.1006/abbi.1998.1094

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0033558804 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   66 Citations

Abstract

It has been proposed (S. Christen et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94, 3217-3222, 1997) that although alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TH) is an efficient antioxidant, the presence of gamma-tocopherol (gamma-TH) may be required to scavenge peroxynitrite-derived reactive nitrogen species. To investigate the reactions between alpha-TH, gamma-TH, and peroxynitrite, endogenous levels of both alpha-TH and gamma-TH were monitored when low-density lipoprotein was oxidized in the presence of the peroxynitrite generator 5-amino-3-(4-morpholinyl)-1, 2,3-oxadiazolium (SIN-1). SIN-1 oxidized alpha-TH while gamma-TH levels remained constant. The sparing of gamma-TH was also demonstrated when 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine liposomes containing alpha-TH and gamma-TH were incubated with either SIN-1 or peroxynitrite. Our data show that alpha-TH inhibits peroxynitrite-mediated gamma-TH nitration, i.e., 5-NO2-gamma-tocopherol formation. The rate constants for the reactions between both alpha-TH and gamma-TH with peroxynitrite suggest that the sparing of gamma-TH by alpha-TH does not occur by competitive scavenging, but may be due to the formation of a transient gamma-TH intermediate. Nitration of gamma-TH becomes significant only after alpha-TH levels have been depleted. We conclude alpha-TH alone is sufficient to remove any peroxynitrite-derived reactive nitrogen species, as the presence of alpha-TH attenuates nitration of both gamma-TH and tyrosine. The present results also indicate that a bolus addition of peroxynitrite or SIN-1 to liposomes containing gamma-TH forms 5-NO2-gamma-tocopherol in similar yields. This is in contrast to their reaction profile with tyrosine in aqueous solution. Under these conditions, SIN-1 does not form nitrotyrosine at detectable yields.

Author List

Goss SP, Hogg N, Kalyanaraman B

Authors

Neil Hogg PhD Associate Dean, Professor in the Biophysics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Balaraman Kalyanaraman PhD Professor in the Biophysics department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Chelating Agents
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Enzyme Inhibitors
Liposomes
Molsidomine
Nitrates
Oxidants
Pentetic Acid
Stereoisomerism
Tyrosine
Vitamin E