Mechanism of horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed heme oxidation and polymerization (beta-hematin formation)

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalyzes the polymerization of free heme (beta-hematin formation) through its oxidation. Heme when added to HRP compound II (FeIV=O) causes spectral shift from 417 nm (Compound II) to 402 nm (native, FeIII) indicating that heme may be oxidized via one-electron transfer. Direct evidence for one-electron oxidation of heme by HRP intermediates is provided by the appearance of an E.s.r signal of a 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (spin trap)-heme radical adduct (a1H=14.75 G, a2H=4.0 G) in E.s.r studies. Heme-polymerization by HRP is inhibited by spin trap indicating that one-electron oxidation product of heme ultimately leads to the formation of heme-polymer. HRP, when incubated with diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC), a histidine specific reagent, shows concentration dependent loss of heme-polymerization indicating the role of histidine residues in the process. We suggest that HRP catalyzes the formation of heme-polymer through one-electron oxidation of free heme.     

Enhancement of the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed chemiluminescent oxidation of cyclic diacyl hydrazides by 6-hydroxybenzothiazoles

6-Hydroxybenzothiazole, 2-cyano-6-hydroxybenzothiazole, and 2-(6-hydroxy-2-benzothiazolyl)thiazole-4-carboxylic acid (dehydroluciferin) dramatically enhance light emission from the horseradish peroxidase conjugate catalyzed oxidation of luminol, isoluminol, N-(6-aminobutyl)-N-ethyl isoluminol, and 7-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid hydrazide by either peroxide or perborate. Light emission is enhanced by up to 1000-fold, which is an improvement over the enhancement previously observed using firefly luciferin (4,5-dihydro-2-(6-hydroxy-2-benzothiazolyl)thiazole-4-carboxylic acid). Enhancement is influenced by enhancer concentration and pH. Spectral scans of light emitted in enhanced and unenhanced reactions are similar, suggesting that aminophthalate products, and not the enhancers, are the emitters.     

The peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of kyotorphins

In vitro experiments are reported showing that the dipeptides Tyr-L-Arg (kyotorphin) and Tyr-D-Arg (D-Arg-kyotorphin) can be oxidized by H2O2-horseradish peroxidase system: the products formed are characterized by absorption spectra with two peaks at 290 nm and 315 nm. The effects of substrate and enzyme concentration on the oxidation rate are described. Amino acid analysis of hydrolysates of peroxidase-treated kyotorphins provides evidence for the presence of dityrosine. The data suggest that the oxidation leads to the production of dimers with an o,o-linkage between the tyrosine residues.     

The horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of 3,5,3',5'-tetramethylbenzidine. Free radical and charge-transfer complex intermediates

Benzidine and related compounds are well known substrates for horseradish peroxidase/H2O2 oxidation. Typically, two different colored products are formed. In this paper, we study the oxidation of 3,5,3',5'-tetramethylbenzidine. The first colored product is a blue charge-transfer complex of the parent diamine and the diimine oxidation product. This species exists in rapid equilibrium with the radical cation. The radical was observed by ESR spectroscopy, and hyperfine splitting constants were determined. Addition of equimolar hydrogen peroxide yields the yellow diimine, which is stable at acid pH. At less than equimolar peroxide, all four species (diamine, radical cation, charge-transfer complex, and diimine) exist in equilibrium. A theoretical analysis of this redox system is presented, including a determination of the extinction coefficients and equilibrium constant for the nonradical species.     

The peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of enkephalins.

In vitro experiments are reported showing that Leu-enkephalin and Metenkephalin, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, can be oxidized by horseradish peroxidase. The products formed are strongly fluorescent and characterized by absorption peaks with maxima at 290 nm and 315 nm. The effects of substrate and enzyme concentrations on the oxidation rate of enkephalins are described. Amino acid analysis of the hydrolysates from peroxidase-treated enkephalins provides evidence for the presence of dityrosine. The data suggest that the oxidation leads to the production of enkephalin dimers with a linkage between the N-terminal tyrosine residues. Data are also obtained indicating that enkephalins function as hydrogen donors for mammalian peroxidases.     

An electron spin resonance study of the novel radical cation produced during the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of tetramethylhydrazine

Thrombin stimulation of [³²P]-prelabeled platelets induces a rapid decrease of the radioactivity from phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate. No significant change is observed in phosphatidylinositol-4-monophosphate. The initial, thrombin-induced decrease of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate is not inhibited by cytochalasin D or by compounds that interfere with the mobilization of Ca²⁺ such as 8-(diethylamino)-octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate, the calmodulin-antagonist, trifluoperazine, prostacyclin and cyclic AMP. Our information indicates that the rapid loss of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate is linked to receptor activation and insensitive to Ca²⁺-mobilization.     

Formation of 8-methylguanine as a result of DNA alkylation by methyl radicals generated during horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of methylhydrazine

Methylhydrazine oxidation promoted by horseradish peroxidase-H2O2 or ferricyanide led to the generation of high yields of methyl radicals and to the formation of 7-methylguanine and 8-methylguanine upon interaction with calf thymus DNA. Methyl radicals were identified by spin-trapping experiments with alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butyl nitrone and tert-nitrosobutane. The methylated guanine products were identified in the neutral hydrolysates of treated DNA by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis and spiking with authentic samples. The structure of 8-methylguanine, a product not previously reported in enzymatic systems, was confirmed by HPLC chromatography, UV absorbance, and mass spectrometry. The formation of 8-methylguanine suggests a possible role for carbon-centered radicals as DNA-alkylating agents.     

Mechanism of horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed conversion of iodine to iodide in the presence of EDTA and H2O2

EDTA not only blocks the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed iodide oxidation to I-3 but also causes an enzymatic conversion of oxidized iodine species to iodide (Banerjee, R. K., De, S. K., Bose, A. K., and Datta, A. G. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 10592-10597). The EDTA effect on both of these reactions can be withdrawn with a higher concentration of iodide and not with H2O2. Spectral studies indicate a possible interaction of EDTA with HRP as evidenced by the formation of modified compound 1 with H2O2 at 416 nm instead of 412 nm in the absence of EDTA. EDTA causes a hypochromic effect on HRP at 402 nm which undergoes the bathochromic red shift to 416 nm by H2O2. The addition of iodide to the 416 nm complex causes the reappearance of the Soret band of HRP at 402 nm. Among various EDTA analogues tested, N-N-N'-N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) is 80% as effective as EDTA in the conversion of I-3 to iodide and produces a spectral shift of HRP similar to EDTA. Interaction of EDTA with HRP is further indicated by the hyperchromic effect of HRP and H2O2 on the absorption of EDTA at 212 nm. The addition of oxidized iodine species produces a new peak at 230 nm due to formation of iodide. EDTA at a higher concentration can effectively displace radioiodide specifically bound to HRP indicating its interaction at the iodide-binding site. The enzyme, after radioiodide displacement with EDTA, shows a characteristic absorption maximum at 416 nm on the addition of H2O2, indicating that EDTA is bound with the enzyme. Both positive and negative circular dichroism spectra of HRP and the HRP.H2O2 complex, characteristic of heme absorption, are altered by EDTA, suggesting an EDTA-induced conformational change at or near the heme region. This is associated with a change of affinity of heme toward H2O2 and azide. It is postulated that EDTA interacts at the iodide-binding site of the HRP inducing a new conformation that blocks iodide oxidation but is suitable to convert iodine to iodide by a redox reaction with H2O2.     

Electronic factors and lipophilicity in the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of N,N-dialkylanilines with hydrogen peroxide and oxygen

Initial rates of N-dealkylation of 15 N, N-dialkylanilines with hydrogen peroxide and oxygen in the presence of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase are interpreted mainly in terms of electron availability on nitrogen. In these cases a mechanism similar to that postulated in the chemical oxidation of these substrates is suggested, and involves the formation of a cation radical. Lipophilicity acts as a limiting factor in the reaction, and highly hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates deviate from the reactivity suggested by electronic factors toward higher and lower reactivity, respectively.     

Molecular orbital studies of the action of thyroid hormone analogs: Effects on oxygen consumption of mitochondria and horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed NADH oxidation

The electronic structure of thyroxine and related compounds were calculated by semiempirical molecular orbital methods. When the quantum chemical indices obtained were compared with the structure-activity relationship obtained so far byin vivo andin vitro assays, it was found that HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) energy levels of thyroxine and its analogs are well correlated with the increase in oxygen consumption of rat kidney mitochondria determined byin vitro assay. This finding permits the hypothesis that these compounds may play a role in activating the electron transport system of mitochondria by mediating the oxidation-reduction of cytochromes. Furthermore, HOMO energy levels of thyroxine and phenol derivatives were found to correlate well with the stimulation of horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of NADH. This suggests that the step of electron removal from these compounds by the enzyme system may be a rate-limiting step, confirming the view that phenoxy-radicals meditate the whole reaction.     

Complexities in horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of dihydroxyphenoxazine derivatives: appropriate ranges for pH values and hydrogen peroxide concentrations in quantitative analysis

The highly sensitive, convenient fluorescence assay, based on the oxidation of nonfluorescent 10-acetyl-3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazine (Amplex Red) to highly fluorescent resorufin, is becoming increasingly popular for hydrogen peroxide quantitation. Yet, the intricacies of the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of the reductant substrate Amplex Red by hydrogen peroxide and the resulting resorufin could complicate the assay design and data interpretation. In particular, substrate inhibition and enzyme inactivation at higher hydrogen peroxide concentrations were known to affect the enzyme kinetics and end-point fluorescence. In addition, here we report the spontaneous transformation of resorufin to less or nonfluorescent product(s) in the absence of hydrogen peroxide and horseradish peroxidase. This spontaneous decay of resorufin fluorescence is most prominent in the pH range 6.2-7.7, likely due to general base-catalyzed de-N-acetylation and polymerization of resorufin. From a practical point of view, precautions for properly designing assays for hydrogen peroxide or characterizing hydrogen peroxide-generating systems are discussed based on the spontaneous transformation of resorufin to less fluorescent compound(s), substrate inhibition and enzyme inactivation at higher (>100 microM) hydrogen peroxide concentrations, and enzymatic oxidation of resorufin to nonfluorescent resazurin.     

DNA damage during the peroxidase-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of isobutanal

The aerobic oxidation of isobutanal catalyzed by peroxidase, when carried out in the presence of DNA, produces alkali-sensitive bonds in this macromolecule. Neither the initial components of this reaction nor the final stable products are responsible for this effect. Since triplet acetone has been recently identified as an intermediate in this oxidation (Durán, N., Faria Oliviera, O.M.M., Haun, M. and Cilento, G. (1977) J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 442--443), this species is a likely candidate for the entity which brings about the lesions, via transfer of its electronic energy to DNA.     

Evidence for free radical formation during horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed N-demethylation of crystal violet.

Crystal violet (gentian violet) can undergo an oxidative metabolism, catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase, resulting in formaldehyde formation. The N-demethylation reaction was strongly inhibited by reduced glutathione. Evidence for the formation of a crystal violet radical during the horseradish peroxidase catalyzed reaction was the detection of thiyl and ascorbate radicals from glutathione and ascorbate, respectively. The concentration of radicals from both compounds was significantly increased in the presence of crystal violet. Oxygen uptake was stimulated when glutathione was present in the system and this oxygen uptake was dependent on the dye and enzyme concentration. Oxygen uptake did not occur when ascorbate, instead of glutathione, was present in the system. However, when glutathione was present, ascorbate totally inhibited the glutathione-stimulated oxygen uptake in the crystal violet/horseradish peroxidase/hydrogen peroxide system. Although a weak ESR spectrum from a crystal violet-derived free radical was detected when the dye reacted with H2O2 and horseradish peroxidase, using the fast flow technique, this spectrum could not be interpreted.     

Bactericidal agents generated by the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of para-hydroquinones

For the three Gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli, and Erwinia amylovora, p-benzoquinone was the principal bactericidal agent formed in vitro during the oxidation of hydroquinone by horseradish peroxidase, whereas no toxicity could be associated with either phenolic or oxygen-free radicals. Even the continuous generation of p-benzosemiquinone during the simultaneous reduction of p-benzoquinone by xanthine oxidase and reoxidation of hydroquinone by peroxidase was no more toxic than p-benzoquinone alone. Anaerobiosis had no effect on the toxicity of either p-benzoquinone or the peroxidase reaction and the generation of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals catalyzed by xanthine oxidase was not bactericidal. Substitutions on the p-benzoquinone ring decreased quinone toxicity in rough proportion to the decrease in quinone redox potential, suggesting that strong oxidizing potentials are important for such quinone toxicity.     

Lignin and Mn peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of phenolic lignin oligomers

The oxidation of phenolic oligomers by lignin and manganese peroxidases was studied by transient-state kinetic methods. The reactivity of peroxidase intermediates compound I and compound II was studied with the phenol guaiacol along with a beta-O-4 phenolic dimer, trimer, and tetramer. Compound I of both peroxidases is much more reactive than compound II. The rate constants for these substrates with Mn peroxidase compound I range from 1.0 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 for guaiacol to 1.1 x 10(3) M-1 s-1 for the tetramer. Reactivity is much higher with lignin peroxidase compound I with rate constants ranging from 1.2 x 10(6) M-1s-1 for guaiacol to 3.6 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 for the tetramer. Rate constants with compound II are much lower with Mn peroxidase exhibiting very little reactivity. The rate constants dramatically decreased with both peroxidases as the size of the substrate increased. The extent of the decrease was much more dramatic with Mn peroxidase, leading us to conclude that, despite its ability to oxidize phenols, Mn2+ is the only physiologically significant substrate. The rate decrease associated with increasing substrate size was more gradual with lignin peroxidase. These data indicate that whereas Mn peroxidase cannot efficiently directly oxidize the lignin polymer, lignin peroxidase is well suited for direct oxidation of polymeric lignin.