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A O Stoppani

Publications and source records attributed to A O Stoppani.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

High-affinity calcium-stimulated, magnesium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase in Trypanosoma cruzi.

1. A high-affinity (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase and a low-affinity Mg(2+)-ATPase were identified in the 105,000 g fraction from epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas' disease (Tulahuen strain). 2. Activities were conserved after enzyme solubilization with deoxycholate. 3. The Ca(2+)-stimulated ATPase activity was (a) lower than that of the Mg(2+)-ATPase; (b) inhibited by p-chloromercurobenzoate and orthovanadate and (c) insensitive to oligomycin. 4. Optimal stimulation by Ca2+ was observed at pH 6.5-6.8 in the presence of 1 mM MgCl2 and 0.1 M KCl. 5. The Mg(2+)-ATPase was insensitive to p-chloromercurobenzoate and orthovanadate and did not require KCl for activity. 6. Kinetic analysis of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase yielded a half-maximal stimulating concentration of 1.1 microM for Ca2+ and a Km of 66 microM for ATP. 7. The (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase clearly differed from the Ca(2+)- or Mg(2+)-ATPases previously characterized in the same strain of T. cruzi (Frasch et al., 1978; Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 60B, 271-275).

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Electronic properties and free radical production by nitrofuran compounds.

Substitution of nifurtimox tetrahydrothiazine moiety by triazol-4-yl, benzimidazol-l-yl, pyrazol-l-yl or related aromatic nitrogen heterocycles determines changes in the quantum chemistry descriptors of the molecule, namely, (a) greater negative LUMO energy; (b) lesser electron density on specific atoms, especially on the nitro group atoms, and (c) modification of individual net atomic charges at relevant atoms. These variations correlate with the greater capability of nifurtimox analogues for redox-cycling and oxygen radical production, after one-electron reduction by ascorbate or reduced flavoenzymes. Variation of the nitrofurans electronic structure can also explain the greater activity of nifurtimox analogues as inhibitors of glutathione reductase and Trypanosoma cruzi growth, although other factors, such as molecular hydrophobicity and connectivity may contribute to the latter inhibition.

Electrons↗
PubMed1992

Reduction of nitrofuran compounds by heart lipoamide dehydrogenase: role of flavin and the reactive disulfide groups.

In order to elucidate the mechanism of the biological activation of nitrofurans, the interaction of these compounds with lipoamide dehydrogenase (LipDH)** was investigated. LipDH catalysed one-electron reduction of several nitrofuran derivatives. The reaction could be demonstrated spectroscopically and was enhanced by cadmium, arsenite and anaerobiosis. The role of flavin in the nitroreductase activity was supported by (a) the nitrofuran effect on the spectral properties of anaerobic, arsenite-inhibited, NADH-reduced LipDH; (b) FAD catalytic activity in a NADH-nitrofuran model system; and (c) the nitroreductase activity of LipDH monomer. Two-electron nitrofuran reduction to less oxidized products was inhibited by cadmium, arsenite and NAD+. The possible role of reactive nitrosofuran derivatives as intermediates of the nitrofuran reduction sequence was supported by the LipDH capability for catalysing 2-nitroso-1-naphthol redox-cycling. The nitroso naphthol reduction was inhibited by cadmium and arsenite, like the two-electron nitrofuran reduction.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed1991

Inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation and cytochrome P-450-catalyzed reactions by nitrofuran compounds.

(5-Nitro-2-furfurylidene)amino compounds bearing triazol-4-yl, benzimidazol-1-yl, pyrazol-1-yl, triazin-4-yl or related groups (a) stimulated superoxide anion radical generated by rat liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH and oxygen; (b) inhibited the NADPH-dependent, iron-catalyzed microsomal lipid peroxidation; (c) prevented the NADPH-dependent destruction of cytochrome P-450; (d) inhibited the NADPH-dependent microsomal aniline 4-hydroxylase activity; (e) failed to inhibit either the cumenyl hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation or the aniline-4-hydroxylase activity, except for the benzimidazol-1-yl and the substituted triazol-4-yl derivatives, which produced minor inhibitions. Reducing equivalents enhanced the benzimidazol-1-yl derivative inhibition of the cumenyl hydroperoxide-induced lipid peroxidation. The ESR spectrum of the benzimidazol-1-yl derivative, reduced anaerobically by NADPH-supplemented microsomes, showed characteristic spin couplings. Compounds bearing unsaturated nitrogen heterocycles were always more active than those bearing other groups, such as nifurtimox or nitrofurazone. The energy level of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital was in fair agreement with the capability of nitrofurans for redox-cycling and related actions. It is concluded that nitrofuran inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation and cytochrome P-450-catalyzed reactions was mostly due to diversion of reducing equivalents from NADPH to dioxygen. Trapping of free radicals involved in propagating lipid peroxidation might contribute to the overall effect of the benzimidazol-1-yl and substituted triazol-4-yl derivatives.

Aniline Hydroxylase↗
PubMed1991

Superoxide anion production by lipoamide dehydrogenase redox-cycling: effect of enzyme modifiers.

Redox-cycling of porcine heart lipoamide dehydrogenase in the presence of NADH and oxygen produced O2-. (NADH-oxidase activity) as demonstrated by (a) reduction of cytochrome c; (b) reduction of the Fe(III)-ADP complex; (c) lucigenin luminescence and (d) the inhibitory effect of superoxide dismutase. NAD+ and p-chloromercuribenzoate inhibited O2-. generation whereas arsenite enhanced it. Comparison of heart and yeast enzyme preparations revealed a close correlation between lipoamide reductase and NADH-oxidase activities. It is concluded that O2-. production is a molecular property of lipoamide dehydrogenase.

Acridines↗
PubMed1990

Effects of mansonones on lipid peroxidation, P450 monooxygenase activity, and superoxide anion generation by rat liver microsomes.

Several structurally related ortho-naphthoquinones isolated from Mansonia altissima Chev (mansonones C, E and F) (a) inhibited NADPH-dependent, iron-catalyzed microsomal lipid peroxidation; (b) prevented NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 destruction; (c) inhibited NADPH-supported aniline 4-hydroxylase activity; (d) inhibited Fe(III)ADP reduction by NADPH-supplemented microsomes; (e) stimulated superoxide anion generation by NADPH-supplemented microsomes; and (f) stimulated ascorbate oxidation. ESR investigation of ascorbate-reduced mansonone F demonstrated semiquinone formation. Mansonone C had a greater effect than mansonones E and F on NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation, O2- production and ascorbate oxidation, whereas mansonone E was more effective than mansonones C and F on aniline 4-hydroxylase activity. Mansonones E and F did not inhibit hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation, cytochrome P450 destruction or microsomal aniline 4-hydroxylase activity. Mansonone C inhibited to a limited degree tert-butyl hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation, this inhibition being increased by NADPH. Mansonone A, a tetrahydro orthonapthoquinone derivative, was in all respects relatively less effective than mansonones C, E and F. It is postulated that mansonones C, E and F inhibited microsomal lipid peroxidation and cytochrome P450 catalyzed reactions by diverting reducing equivalents from NADPH to dioxygen, but mansonone C (including its reduced form) may also exert direct antioxidant activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Catalysis of nitrofuran redox-cycling and superoxide anion production by heart lipoamide dehydrogenase.

Heart lipoamide dehydrogenase (LADH) catalyzed redox-cycling and O2-. production by (5-nitro-2-furfurylidene)amino derivatives using NADH as electron donor. NADH was a much more effective electron donor than NADPH for the nitroreductase activity. O2-. production was demonstrated by cytochrome c reduction, adrenochrome formation and the effect of superoxide dismutase. Under optimum conditions, nitroreductase activity was about 1% of LADH activity. One electron oxygen reduction and NADH oxidation correlated in 2:1 stoichiometry. The nitroreductase kinetics was in accordance with an ordered bi-bi mechanism. Nitrofuran derivatives bearing unsaturated five- or six-membered nitrogen heterocycles were more effective substrates than those bearing other groups, namely nifurtimox, nitrofurazone, nitrofurantoin and 5-nitro-2-furoic acid. Other nitro compounds (chloramphenicol, benznidazole, 2-nitroimidazole and 5-nitroindole) were ineffective. With the triazole, traizine and imidazole nitrofuran derivatives, the nitroreductase pH curve showed a maximum at pH 8.8, different from the pH optimum for the lipoamide reductase and diaphorase activities. Spectroscopic observations demonstrated pH-dependent structural changes in the triazole(I) and triazine derivatives which would affect their behavior as nitroreductase substrates. The nitroreductase activity was inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and enhanced by cadmium and arsenite, whereas the NADH-induced LADH inactivation failed to affect the nitroreductase activity. In the absence of oxygen. LADH catalyzed nitrofuran reduction to products more reduced than the nitroanion, which were not reoxidized by oxygen. The anaerobic nitrofuran reduction was inhibited by cadmium and arsenite. The assayed nitrofuran compounds did not inhibit LADH lipoamide reductase activity, at variance with their action on glutathione reductase (Grinblat et al., Biochem Pharmacol 38: 767-772, 1989).

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Effects of isoxazolyl-naphthoquinoneimines on growth and oxygen radical production in Trypanosoma cruzi and Crithidia fasciculata.

Several 4-(aminomethylisoxazolyl)-1,2-naphthoquinones inhibited growth and DNA synthesis in Trypanosoma cruzi and stimulated O2 uptake and O2-. generation by the parasite epimastigotes and their mitochondrial and microsomal membranes; these results support the idea that oxygen radicals play a role in quinone toxicity. Maximal effects on respiration and O2-. generation were observed with antimycin-inhibited cells. Similar results as well as stimulation of H2O2 production were obtained with Crithidia fasciculata despite the presence of catalase in this organism.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation and cytochrome P-450-catalyzed reactions by beta-lapachone and related naphthoquinones.

The lipophilic o-naphthoquinones beta-lapachone, 3,4-dihydro-2-methyl-2-ethyl-2H-naphtho[1,2b]pyran-5,6-dione (CG 8-935), 3,4-dihydro-2-methyl-2-phenyl-2H-naphtho[1,2b]pyran-5,6-dione (CG 9-442), and 3,4-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-9-chloro-2H-naphtho[1,2b]pyran-5,6-dione (CG 10-248) (a) inhibited NADPH-dependent, iron-catalyzed microsomal lipid peroxidation; (b) prevented NADPH-dependent cytochrome P-450 destruction; (c) inhibited microsomal aniline 4-hydroxylase, aminopyrine N-demethylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin deethylase; (d) did not inhibit the ascorbate- and tert-butyl hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation and the cumenyl hydroperoxide-linked aniline 4-hydroxylase reaction; and (e) stimulated NADPH oxidation, superoxide anion radical generation and Fe(III)ADP reduction by NADPH-supplemented microsomes. In the presence of ascorbate, the same o-naphthoquinones stimulated oxygen uptake and semiquinone formation, as detected by ESR measurements. The p-naphthoquinones alpha-lapachone and menadione were relatively less effective than the o-naphthoquinones. These observations support the hypothesis that, in the micromolar concentration range, o-naphthoquinones inhibit microsomal lipid peroxidation and cytochrome P-450-catalyzed reactions, by diverting reducing equivalents from NADPH to dioxygen.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1990

Generation of radical anions of nifurtimox and related nitrofuran compounds by ascorbate.

Nifurtimox analogues bearing triazol-4-yl, benzimidazol-1-yl, triazin-4-yl or related groups as counterpart of the (5-nitro-2-furfurylidene) amino group were reduced to their nitro anion radicals by ascorbate in anaerobic solutions at high pH. The ESR spectra of the radical anions showed hyperfine spin couplings restricted to the nitrofuran moiety. With these compounds, the spin density at the nitro group was greater than with nifurtimox, nitrofurazone and nitrofurantoin. At neutral pH, solutions containing ascorbate and nitrofuran derivatives consumed oxygen, the compounds bearing unsaturated nitrogen heterocycles being the most effective. Superoxide dismutase and catalase decreased the rate of oxygen consumption, thus demonstrating the production of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. NMR spectra of the triazol-4-yl and triazin-4-yl nitrofuran derivatives showed a deshielding effect for the azomethine proton, which was undetectable with nifurtimox and nitrofurazone.

Ascorbic Acid↗
PubMed1978

Effect of beta-lapachone on superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide production in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Addition of beta-lapachone, an o-naphthoquinone endowed with trypanocidal properties to respiring Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes induced the release of O2- and H2O2 from the whole cells to the suspending medium. The same beta-lapachone concentration (4 micron) that released H2O2 at maximal rate completely inhibited T. cruzi growth in a liquid medium. The position isomer, alpha-lapachone, did not stimulate O2- and H2O2 release, and did not inhibit epimastigote growth. beta-Lapachone was able to stimulate H2O2 production by the epimastigote homogenate in the presence of NADH as reductant. The same effect was observed with the mitochondrial fraction supplemented with NADH, where beta-lapachone enhanced the generation of O2- and H2O2 4.5- and 2.5-fold respectively. beta-Lapachone also increased O2- and H2O2 production (2.5 and 2-fold respectively) by the microsomal fraction with NADPH as reductant. Cyanide-insensitive NADH and NADPH oxidation by the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions (quinone reductase activity) was stimulated to about the same extent by beta-lapachone. alpha-Lapachone was unable to increase O2- and H2O2 production and quinone reductase activity of the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Adenosine triphosphatase activities in Trypanosoma cruzi.

1. Subcellular fractions obtained from epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, disrupted by three different procedures, contained in addition to the already known Mg2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase; E.C.3.6.1.4), a Ca2+-ATPase activity. 2. The Ca2+-ATPase (a) was activated by low concentrations of CaCl2 (apparent Ka, 80 microM); (b) had a Km for ATP of 0.6 mM (at 1 mM CaCl2, pH 8.0); (c) presented a broad pH curve (optimum 7.1-8.6); and (d) was insensitive to oligomycin concentrations which inhibited the Mg2+-ATPase present in the same preparations. 3. All attempts to find a (Na+-K+)-activated, ouabain-inhibited, ATPase have been unsuccessful, in spite of the fact that living epimastigoes of T. cruzi are able to concentrate K+ and exclude Na+ from the medium.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1978

Solubilization and some properties of the Mg2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase from Trypanosoma cruzi.

1. Grinding of epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi with glass powder in a mortar yielded a Mg2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) preparation which was highly sensitive to oligomycin. 2. Chloroform treatment of the particles resulted in the solubilization of an ATPase which was (a) activated by MgCl2; (b) slightly inhibited by CaCl2; (c) activated by sulphite and bisulphite; (d) had an optimum pH of 7.6; and (e) had a Km for ATP of 2.1 mM (in the presence of 4 mM MgCl2). 3. The solubilized enzyme was insensitive to oligomycin and leucinostatin, which inhibited the membrane-bound ATPase, though inhibited by efrapeptin and quercetin. 4. The results indicate that the chloroform-extracted enzyme is a soluble F1-ATPase similar to those isolated from mammalian mitochondria.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Ultrastructural and biochemical aspects of liver mitochondria during recovery from ethanol-induced alterations. Experimental evidence of mitochondrial division.

To study the morphologic and biochemical changes occuring in liver mitochondria during recovery from ethanol-induced injury, rats fed a 6-month high-alcohol regimen plus a nutritionally adequate diet which did not induce fatty liver were compared with isocalorically fed controls. After this period the alcohol-fed animals displayed striking ultrastructural changes of liver mitochondria and a decreased respiratory activity with succinate or malate-glutamate as substrate. On the contrary, the respiratory rate with I-glycerophosphate was 50% increased. Regression changes were studied after alcohol was withdrawn from the diet. Enlarged mitochondria rapidly disappeared (in 24 hours), although a few megamitochondria were still present after 8 days of abstinence. A similar recovery was observed for the functional alterations. At the end of the experimental period, only a slight decrease of the maximal respiratory rate using malate-glutamate as a substrate was noted. The ultrastructural findings and the morphometric data suggest that the way in which mitochondrial normalization takes place is based on partition of these organelles.

Animals↗