The discovery that mammalian cells have the ability to synthesize the free radical nitric oxide (NO) has stimulated an extraordinary impetus for scientific research in all the fields of biology and medicine. Since its early description as an endothelial-derived relaxing factor, NO has emerged as a fundamental signaling device regulating virtually every critical cellular function, as well as a potent mediator of cellular damage in a wide range of conditions. Recent evidence indicates that most of the cytotoxicity attributed to NO is rather due to peroxynitrite, produced from the diffusion-controlled reaction between NO and another free radical, the superoxide anion. Peroxynitrite interacts with lipids, DNA, and proteins via direct oxidative reactions or via indirect, radical-mediated mechanisms. These reactions trigger cellular responses ranging from subtle modulations of cell signaling to overwhelming oxidative injury, committing cells to necrosis or apoptosis. In vivo, peroxynitrite generation represents a crucial pathogenic mechanism in conditions such as stroke, myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure, diabetes, circulatory shock, chronic inflammatory diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. Hence, novel pharmacological strategies aimed at removing peroxynitrite might represent powerful therapeutic tools in the future. Evidence supporting these novel roles of NO and peroxynitrite is presented in detail in this review.

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Nitric Oxide and Peroxynitrite in Health and Disease

This review concentrates on advances in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) structure, function and inhibition made in the last seven years, during which time substantial advances have been made in our understanding of this enzyme family. There is now information on the enzyme structure at all levels from primary (amino acid sequence) to quaternary (dimerization, association with other proteins) structure. The crystal structures of the oxygenase domains of inducible NOS (iNOS) and vascular endothelial NOS (eNOS) allow us to interpret other information in the context of this important part of the enzyme, with its binding sites for iron protoporphyrin IX (haem), biopterin, L-arginine, and the many inhibitors which interact with them. The exact nature of the NOS reaction, its mechanism and its products continue to be sources of controversy. The role of the biopterin cofactor is now becoming clearer, with emerging data implicating one-electron redox cycling as well as the multiple allosteric effects on enzyme activity. Regulation of the NOSs has been described at all levels from gene transcription to covalent modification and allosteric regulation of the enzyme itself. A wide range of NOS inhibitors have been discussed, interacting with the enzyme in diverse ways in terms of site and mechanism of inhibition, time-dependence and selectivity for individual isoforms, although there are many pitfalls and misunderstandings of these aspects. Highly selective inhibitors of iNOS versus eNOS and neuronal NOS have been identified and some of these have potential in the treatment of a range of inflammatory and other conditions in which iNOS has been implicated.

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Nitric oxide synthases: structure, function and inhibition

A rapid, simple spectrophotometric method for simultaneous detection of nitrate and nitrite.

Congeners of nitrogen monoxide (NO) are neuroprotective and neurodestructive. To address this apparent paradox, we considered the effects on neurons of compounds characterized by alternative redox states of NO: nitric oxide (NO.) and nitrosonium ion (NO+). Nitric oxide, generated from NO. donors or synthesized endogenously after NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor activation, can lead to neurotoxicity. Here, we report that NO.- mediated neurotoxicity is engendered, at least in part, by reaction with superoxide anion (O2.-), apparently leading to formation of peroxynitrite (ONOO-), and not by NO. alone. In contrast, the neuroprotective effects of NO result from downregulation of NMDA-receptor activity by reaction with thiol group(s) of the receptor's redox modulatory site. This reaction is not mediated by NO. itself, but occurs under conditions supporting S-nitrosylation of NMDA receptor thiol (reaction or transfer of NO+). Moreover, the redox versatility of NO allows for its interconversion from neuroprotective to neurotoxic species by a change in the ambient redox milieu. The details of this complex redox chemistry of NO may provide a mechanism for harnessing neuroprotective effects and avoiding neurotoxicity in the central nervous system.

A redox-based mechanism for the neuroprotective and neurodestructive effects of nitric oxide and related nitroso-compounds

The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect in tumor vasculature: the key role of tumor-selective macromolecular drug targeting.

Peroxynitrite [oxoperoxonitrate(1-), ONOO-] may be formed in vivo from superoxide and nitric oxide. The anion is stable, but the acid (pKa = 6.8) decays to nitrate with a rate of 1.3 s-1 at 25 degrees C. The experimental activation parameters of this process are delta H++ = +18 +/- 1 kcal/mol, delta S++ = +3 +/- 2 cal/(mol.K), and delta G++ = +17 +/- 1 kcal/mol. Peroxynitrite (or its protonated form) oxidizes some compounds such as thiols and thioethers in a biomolecular reaction. The reactions with glutathione and cysteine have activation enthalpies of 10.9 and 9.7 kcal/mol, respectively, which are lower than that of the isomerization reaction. Peroxynitrite reacts with other compounds such as dimethyl sulfoxide and deoxyribose in a unimolecular reaction for which the activation of peroxynitrite is rate-limiting. In theory, activation could involve (1) heterolysis to OH- and NO2+ (delta rxn Gzero' = 13 kcal/mol at pH 7) or (2) homolysis to .OH and .NO2 (delta rxn Gzero = 21 kcal/mol), and these processes also could be involved in the isomerization to nitrate. However, thermodynamic and kinetic considerations indicate that neither process is feasible, although binding to metal ions may reduce the large activation energy associated with heterolysis. An intermediate closely related to the transition state for isomerization of ONOOH to HONO2 may be the strongly oxidizing intermediate responsible for hydroxyl radical-like oxidations mediated by ONOOH. Thus, peroxynitrite reacts with different compounds by at least two distinct mechanisms, and the hydroxyl radical is not involved in either.

Peroxynitrite, a cloaked oxidant formed by nitric oxide and superoxide.

We here report the reactions of peroxynitrite (O=NOO-) with alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1PI) and with a synthetic decapeptide (MER10) containing the sequence of amino acids found in the active site of alpha 1PI (Pro-Met-Ser-Ile-Pro-Pro-Glu-Val-Lys-Phe). Peroxynitrite inactivates alpha 1PI at both pH 7.4 and 12.0. Thiourea and methionine protect alpha 1PI against inactivation by peroxynitrite, while mannitol and benzoate fail to afford effective protection. The major product isolated from the reaction between peroxynitrite and MER10 was analyzed by NMR, mass spectrometry, and amino acid analysis. These analyses indicate that peroxynitrite primarily oxidizes the methionine residue in the peptide. We detect neither smaller molecular weight peptides, which would indicate cleavage of MER10, nor hydroxylation or nitration of the phenylalanine residue. Our results suggest that peroxynitrite is capable of oxidizing methionine residues in proteins without the involvement of the hydroxyl radical or nitrogen dioxide. The implications of these observations on lung diseases attributed to cigarette smoke are discussed.

Inactivation of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor by peroxynitrite.

This study demonstrates the ability of aqueous extracts of cigarette smoke to reduce iron and cause its release from ferritin. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) increases the rates of iron release with the less filtered smoke extracts, but has no effect on the rate of iron release caused by aqueous extracts of well-filtered gas-phase cigarette smoke. Faster rates of iron release are observed under anaerobic conditions, and the reducing power of the cigarette smoke extracts is prolonged when incubated in argon. Hydroquinone and catechol, two of the major polyhydroxybenzenes in cigarette smoke, increase in concentration in the smoke extracts as these are subjected to less filtration, and higher concentrations of polyhydroxybenzenes correlate with higher rates of iron release from ferritin. Concomitant with iron release, depletions of amino acids in ferritin are observed. Depletion of histidine is partially prevented by bathophenanthrolinedisulfonate and mannitol, while lysine and arginine depletions remain unaffected. These observations suggest that cigarette smoke components react directly with these amino acid residues in ferritin. Cigarette smoke induced release of iron could alter iron metabolism in the lungs of chronic smokers and contribute to the increase in the total oxidative burden on the lungs of smokers.

Juan J. Moreno

Papers

Peroxynitrite, a cloaked oxidant formed by nitric oxide and superoxide.

Inactivation of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor by peroxynitrite.

Release of iron from ferritin by aqueous extracts of cigarette smoke.