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W A Pryor

Publications and source records attributed to W A Pryor.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Overexpression of hMTH1 mRNA: a molecular marker of oxidative stress in lung cancer cells.

Human MutT homologue (hMTH1) mRNA was overexpressed in SV-40-transformed non-tumorigenic human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells) and in 11 out of 12 human lung cancer cell lines relative to normal human bronchial epithelial cells. Expression levels of hMTH1 mRNA were inversely proportional to cellular levels of 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine. Together, these results suggest that hMTH1 gene expression may represent a molecular marker of oxidative stress that could ultimately be used to elucidate the temporal relationships between oxidative stress, genomic instability and the development of lung cancer.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Scavenging of peroxynitrite by a phenolic/peroxidase system prevents oxidative damage to DNA.

We examined the ability of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), an analog of human myeloperoxidase, to protect DNA against oxidative damage caused by peroxynitrite in the presence of chlorogenic acid (CGA), a naturally occurring polyphenol. Chlorogenic acid inhibits the formation of single strand breaks in supercoiled pBR322 DNA by acting as a scavenger of peroxynitrite. Horseradish peroxidase markedly enhances the extent of DNA protection by catalyzing the decomposition of peroxynitrite in the presence of CGA. Horseradish peroxidase alone does not inhibit peroxynitrite-induced DNA strand breaks, indicating that CGA is required as an electron donor to regenerate the active enzyme. The apparent second order rate constant for the HRP-mediated oxidation of CGA in the presence of peroxynitrite at pH 6.9 is 3.4 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1). This high rate suggests that CGA and other dietary polyphenols might efficiently scavenge peroxynitrite in peroxidase-containing systems in vivo.

Chlorogenic Acid↗

Inactivation of glutathione peroxidase by peroxynitrite.

Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) is inactivated on exposure to peroxynitrite under physiologically relevant conditions. Stopped-flow kinetic studies show that the reaction between peroxynitrite and GSH-Px is first-order in each of the reactants, with an apparent second-order rate constant of 4.5 +/- 0.2 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 per monomer unit of enzyme. In good agreement with this value, GSH-Px inactivation experiments afford an apparent second-order rate constant of 1.8 +/- 0.1 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 per monomer unit of enzyme. The hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol, DMSO, and benzoate (at 100 mM) afford only 8-12% protection of the enzyme, while addition of 25 mM bicarbonate results in 55% protection. The minimal protection by hydroxyl radical scavengers indicates, as expected, that hydroxyl radicals are not involved in the inactivation. Protection by bicarbonate occurs because peroxynitrite is rapidly trapped by CO2 to form the adduct nitrosoperoxycarbonate (ONOOCO2-), and/or other reactive species that preferentially decompose to nitrate rather than react with GSH-Px. The close agreement between the rate constants obtained from enzyme inactivation and from stopped-flow kinetics experiments suggests that the mechanism of the reaction between peroxynitrite and GSH-Px involves the oxidation of the ionized selenol of the selenocysteine residue in the enzyme's active site (E-Se-) by peroxynitrite. This reaction does not simply involve formation of the selenenic acid, E-SeOH, because E-SeOH is an intermediate in the catalytic cycle of the enzyme, and thus its formation cannot explain the inactivation we observe. Thus, the ionized selenol in the active site is transformed into a form of selenium that cannot easily be reduced back to the selenol.

Animals↗

Lipid ozonation products activate phospholipases A2, C, and D.

Ozone exposure, in vitro, has been shown to activate phospholipases A2 (PLA2), C (PLC), and D (PLD) in airway epithelial cells. However, because of its high reactivity, ozone cannot penetrate far into the air/lung tissue interface. It has been proposed that ozone reacts with unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) in the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and cell membranes to generate a cascade of lipid ozonation products (LOP) that mediate ozone-induced toxicity. To test this hypothesis, we exposed cultured human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) to LOP (1-100 microM) produced from the ozonation of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) and measured the activity of PLA2, PLC, and PLD. The PLA2 isoform responsible for arachidonic acid release (AA) in stimulated cultures was also characterized. Activation of PLA2, PLC, and PLD by three oxidants, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH) and 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride (AAPH) also was measured and compared to that of LOP. The derivatives of ozonized POPC at the sn-2 residue, 9-oxononanoyl (PC-ALD), 9-hydroxy-9-hydroperoxynonanoyl (PC-HHP), and 8-(-5-octyl-1,2,4-trioxolan-3-yl-) octanoyl (POPC-OZ) selectively activated PLA2 in a dose-dependent fashion. Cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) measured in the cytosolic fraction of stimulated cell lysates was found to be the predominant isoform responsible for AA release. PLC activation was exclusively induced by the hydroxyhydroperoxide derivatives. PC-HHP and the 9-carbon hydroxyhydroperoxide (HHP-C9) increased PLC activity. PLD activity also was induced by LOP generated from POPC. Incubation of cultures with H2O2 alone did not stimulate PLC; however, in the presence of the aldehyde, nonanal, a 62 +/- 2% increase in PLC activity was found, suggesting that the increase in activity was due to the formation of the intermediate HHP-C9. t-BOOH, and AAPH also failed to induce PLA2 activation, but did activate PLC, under conditions of exposure identical to that of LOP. Only t-BOOH activated PLD. These results suggest that biologically relevant concentrations of LOP activate PLA2, PLC, and PLD in the airway epithelial cell, a primary target to ozone exposure. The activation of these phospholipases may play a role in the development of lung inflammation during ozone exposure.

Arachidonic Acid↗

Effects of melatonin on lipid peroxidation induced by oxygen radicals.

We here report the activity of the neurohormone melatonin (MLT) as a scavenger of free radicals in two different experimental models: (a) linoleic acid peroxidation initiated by different free radical-generating systems and (b) a multilamellar vesicle system composed of dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine. In system (a) linoleic acid peroxidation, induced by either the water-soluble initiator 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (ABAP) or Fe2+-EDTA addition to 2.6 mM linoleic acid dispersed in SDS-phosphate buffer, was evaluated as the formation of conjugated dienes, measured spectrophotometrically at 236 nm. MLT did not reduce the rate of peroxidation induced by ABAP, but did reduce, in a concentration-dependent fashion, the rate of the reaction activated by Fe2+-EDTA. In system (b) multilamellar vesicles were used as the substrate for lipid peroxidation, initiated by Fe2+-EDTA and determined by means of malonaldehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxyalkenal (4-HDA) content. MLT was found to be slightly more effective in system (b) than in the dispersed linoleic acid system (see a). These results show that MLT inhibits lipid damage induced by oxygen free radicals. However, MLT is only about one one-hundredth as effective an antioxidant as vitamin E in the micelles system.

Amidines↗

Oxidative chemistry of nitric oxide: the roles of superoxide, peroxynitrite, and carbon dioxide.

The roles of superoxide (O2.-), peroxynitrite, and carbon dioxide in the oxidative chemistry of nitric oxide (.NO) are reviewed. The formation of peroxynitrite from .NO and O2.- is controlled by superoxide dismutase (SOD), which can lower the concentration of superoxide ions. The concentration of CO2 in vivo is high (ca. 1 mM), and the rate constant for reaction of CO2 with -OONO is large (pH-independent k = 5.8 x 10(4) M(-l)s(-1)). Consequently, the rate of reaction of peroxynitrite with CO2 is so fast that most commonly used scavengers would need to be present at very high, near toxic levels in order to compete with peroxynitrite for CO2. Therefore, in the presence of physiological levels of bicarbonate, only a limited number of biotargets react directly with peroxynitrite. These include heme-containing proteins such as hemoglobin, peroxidases such as myeloperoxidase, seleno-proteins such as glutathione peroxidase, proteins containing zinc-thiolate centers such as the DNA-binding transcription factors, and the synthetic antioxidant ebselen. The mechanism of the reaction of CO2 with OONO produces metastable nitrating, nitrosating, and oxidizing species as intermediates. An analysis of the lifetimes of the possible intermediates and of the catalysis of peroxynitrite decompositions suggests that the reactive intermediates responsible for reactions with a variety of substrates may be the free radicals .NO2 and CO3.-. Biologically important reactions of these free radicals are, for example, the nitration of tyrosine residues. These nitrations can be pathological, but they also may play a signal transduction role, because nitration of tyrosine can modulate phosphorylation and thus control enzymatic activity. In principle, it might be possible to block the biological effects of peroxynitrite by scavenging the free radicals .NO2 and CO3.-. Because it is difficult to directly scavenge peroxynitrite because of its fast reaction with CO2, scavenging of intermediates from the peroxynitrite/CO2 reaction would provide an additional way of preventing peroxynitrite-mediated cellular effects. The biological effects of peroxynitrite also can be prevented by limiting the formation of peroxynitrite from .NO by lowering the concentration of O2.- using SOD or SOD mimics. Increased formation of peroxynitrite has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, lung injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other diseases.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Fractionation of aqueous cigarette tar extracts: fractions that contain the tar radical cause DNA damage.

Previously, we have shown that aqueous cigarette tar (ACT) extracts contain a long-lived tar radical that associates with DNA in isolated rat alveolar macrophages and causes DNA damage in isolated rat thymocytes. These ACT solutions reduce oxygen to produce superoxide and, ultimately, hydrogen peroxide. In this study, we report the fractionation of ACT solutions prepared from the tar from five cigarettes using Sephadex columns. The fractions were analyzed by UV and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The fractions containing polyphenolic species (principally catechol and hydroquinone, as determined by MS) caused most of the observed DNA damage in rat thymocytes. These DNA-damaging fractions produced superoxide, H2O2, and hydroxyl radicals. Stable free radicals were identified as o- and p-benzosemiquinone radicals by EPR spectroscopy. Hydroxyl radicals were detected by EPR spin-trapping with 5, 5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). Catalase inhibited the EPR signal of the DMPO-OH adduct, indicating that H2O2 is the precursor of the hydroxyl radical spin adduct. The Sephadex separation resulted in a 90-fold concentration of the hydrogen peroxide-generating capacity of the fractions that contained polyphenols, relative to the unfractionated ACT solution. Another fraction, which contained nicotine, caused some DNA damage, but this damage was 28-fold less than the damage caused by the most damaging phenolic fraction. These results support our hypothesis that the tar radical system is an equilibrium mixture of semiquinones, hydroquinones, and quinones. The tar radical associates with DNA, causes DNA damage, and very likely is involved in the toxicity associated with cigarette smoking.

Animals↗

O3-induced formation of bioactive lipids: estimated surface concentrations and lining layer effects.

Recent evidence suggests that inhaled ozone (O3) does not induce toxicity via direct epithelial interactions. Reactions with epithelial lining fluid (ELF) constituents limit cellular contact and generate products, including lipid ozonation products, postulated to initiate pathophysiological cascades. To delineate specific aspects of lipid ozonation product formation and to estimate in situ surface concentrations, we studied the O3 absorption characteristics of ELF constituent mixtures and measured hexanal, heptanal, and nonanal yields as a function of ascorbic acid (AH2) concentration. Exposures of isolated rat lungs, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes were conducted. 1) O3 absorption by AH2, uric acid, and albumin exceeded that by egg PC and glutathione. O3 reaction with egg PC occurred when AH2 concentrations were reduced. 2) Aldehydes were produced in low yield during lung and BALF exposures in a time- and O3 concentration-dependent manner. 3) Diminishing BALF AH2 content lowered O3 uptake but increased aldehyde yields. Conversely, AH2 addition to egg PC increased O3 uptake but reduced aldehyde yields. Estimations of bioactive ozonation and autoxidation product accumulation within the ELF suggested possible nanomolar to low micromolar concentrations. The use of reaction products as metrics of O3 exposure may have intrinsic sensitivity and specificity limitations. Moreover, due to the heterogenous nature of O3 reactions within the ELF, dose-response relationships may not be linear with respect to O3 absorption.

Absorption↗

Carbon dioxide modulation of hydroxylation and nitration of phenol by peroxynitrite.

We have examined the formation of hydroxyphenols, nitrophenols, and the minor products 4-nitrosophenol, benzoquinone, 2,2'-biphenol, and 4,4'-biphenol from the reaction of peroxynitrite with phenol in the presence and absence of added carbonate. In the absence of added carbonate, the product yields of nitrophenols and hydroxyphenols have different pH profiles. The rates of nitration and hydroxylation also have different pH profiles and match the trends observed for the product yields. At a given pH, the sum of the rate constants for nitration and hydroxylation is nearly identical to the rate constant for the spontaneous decomposition of peroxynitrite. The reaction of peroxynitrite with phenol is zero-order in phenol, both in the presence and absence of added carbonate. In the presence of added carbonate, hydroxylation is inhibited, whereas the rate of formation and yield of nitrophenols increase. The combined maximum yield of o- and p-nitrophenols is 20 mol% (based on the initial concentration of peroxynitrite) and is about fourfold higher than the maximal yield obtained in the absence of added carbonate. The o/p ratio of nitrophenols is the same in the presence and absence of added carbonate. These results demonstrate that hydroxylation and nitration occur via two different intermediates. We suggest that the activated intermediate formed in the isomerization of peroxynitrous acid to nitrate, ONOOH*, is the hydroxylating species. We propose that intermediate 1, O=N-OO-CO2-, or secondary products derived from it, is (are) responsible for the nitration of phenol. The possible mechanisms responsible for nitration are discussed.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by N-acetylserotonin and its role in retinal physiology.

N-Acetylserotonin (NAS) inhibits the peroxidation of linoleic acid induced by a water-soluble initiator, 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) (ABAP). Lipid peroxidation was detected by the formation of conjugated dienes, monitored spectrophotometrically at 236 nm. N-Acetylserotonin, at concentrations ranging from 200 nM to 20 microM, reduced the rate of ABAP-initiated lipid peroxidation in a concentration-dependent manner. The results of NAS-inhibited lipid peroxidation are compared to the antioxidant activities of melatonin, vitamin E, and a water-soluble vitamin E analog, Trolox. It is suggested that NAS acts as a physiological antioxidant in retinal photoreceptor cells.

Animals↗

Inhibition of peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of glutathione by carbon dioxide.

Peroxynitrite reacts with CO2 to from an adduct containing a weak O--O bond that can undergo homolytic and/or heterolytic cleavage to give other reactive intermediates. Because the peroxynitrite/CO2 reaction is fast and physiological concentrations of CO2 are relatively high, peroxynitrite-mediated oxidations of biological species probably involve the peroxynitrite-CO2 adduct and its subsequent reactive intermediates. We have examined the reaction of glutathione with peroxynitrite in the presence and absence of added bicarbonate. In the presence of added bicarbonate, CO2 competes with glutathione for peroxynitrite, resulting in a markedly decreased consumption of glutathione compared with that observed in the absence of added bicarbonate. However, the consumption of glutathione still is much higher than predicted from the assumption that the glutathione-peroxynitrite reaction is the only reaction that can consume glutathione in this system. These results suggest that glutathione partially, but not completely, traps intermediate(s) derived from the peroxynitrite and CO2 reaction. Some rate constants for the trapping of the intermediates are estimated by simulating the reactions, and possible mechanisms for the reaction of peroxynitrite with glutathione in the presence of added bicarbonate are discussed.

Bicarbonates↗

The mechanism of the peroxynitrite-carbon dioxide reaction probed using tyrosine.

Peroxynitrite (ONOO-), which is produced in vivo by the reaction of nitric oxide (.NO) with superoxide (O2-.), is a selective oxidant. Peroxynitrite decomposes to form nitrate at neutral pH and the decomposition is accelerated by CO2, which is abundant in biological systems, but the mechanism of this CO2-assisted decomposition of peroxynitrite is not fully understood. Previously we showed that CO2 recycles and is a true catalyst in the reaction. In this work, we probed the reaction of peroxynitrite with a limiting amount of CO2 at pH 7.4 and 25 degrees C in the presence of tyrosine. Tyrosine does not react directly with peroxynitrite, but it is able to trap intermediates that arise from the CO2-peroxynitrite reaction. The addition of tyrosine to the CO2-peroxynitrite system results in a reduced rate of decay of peroxynitrite. This effect is easier to identify in later stages of the reaction, and therefore we have used the lifetime of peroxynitrite (the time it takes for the concentration of peroxynitrite to fall to 1/e of its initial value) to characterize the reaction. The values of the lifetime of peroxynitrite rapidly reach a plateau with increasing concentrations of tyrosine. However, even at the plateau value, the lifetime of peroxynitrite still is much shorter than that observed in the absence of added CO2. To rationalize these effects, we suggest that tyrosine partially traps intermediates that arise from the CO2-peroxynitrite reaction, causing the fraction of the CO2 that recycles to decrease and the lifetime of peroxynitrite to increase. Possible intermediates involved in the CO2-peroxynitrite reaction that could be trapped by tyrosine are discussed.

Carbon Dioxide↗

On the mechanism of HOONO to HONO2 conversion.

We have conducted an examination (using density functional theory) of possible transition states that could lead to HNO3 from peroxynitrous acid (HOONO) and one or two water molecules. We find no transition states with free energies in the range of 20 kcal/mol, i.e., near the experimental value in solution. The implications for the mechanism of conversion of HOONO to nitrate are discussed.

Algorithms↗

Oxidative stress following traumatic brain injury in rats.

BACKGROUND: Free radicals may be involved in the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) through oxidative damage of neurovascular structures. Endogenous antioxidants, such as ascorbate and alpha-tocopherol, may play a critical role in combating these oxidative reactions and their oxidized products can serve as an important index of oxidative stress. METHODS: We used electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and in vivo spin trapping (reaction of an organic compound with free radical species) to detect the possible generation of free radicals after TBI. Injury was inflicted by a weight drop technique over the head (5.7 kg-cm). Rats were intravenously infused with either 1 mL, 0.1 M of the spin trap, alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN), or an equivalent volume of saline immediately before TBI or sham-injury. Animals were divided into four groups: (1) Group I: PBN-infused sham-injured, (2) Group II: PBN-infused injured, (3) Group III: saline-infused sham-injured, and (4) Group IV: saline-infused injured. Additional groups of saline-infused uninjured, saline-infused, and PBN-infused injured animals were used for histopathology. Sixty minutes after TBI or sham-injury, rats were again anesthetized and decapitated. The brains were removed within 1 minute, homogenized, and extracted for lipids. The extracts were analyzed by ESR spectroscopy. Brain ascorbic acid (AA) concentration was determined spectrophotometrically, using the ascorbate oxidase assay. RESULTS: No PBN spin adduct signals (indicating trapped free radical species) were visible 60 minutes after TBI. All groups of rats showed an ascorbyl free radical signal. The ascorbyl signal intensity (AI) was, however, significantly higher in the injured rats, while the brain (AA) was significantly reduced. In addition, the ratio of AI/AA, which eliminates the effect of variable ascorbate concentrations in the brain, was also significantly higher in the injured animals. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that 60 minutes following TBI there was a significantly increased level of oxidative stress in the brain. This may reflect formation of free radical species with subsequent interaction with ascorbate (antioxidant) during the 60 minute period. The lack of PBN spin adduct signals 1 hour after TBI may indicate that free radical generation is time dependent and might be detectable earlier or later than the 60 minute period.

Animals↗

Peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of D,L-selenomethionine: kinetics, mechanism and the role of carbon dioxide.

Peroxynitrite oxidizes D,L-selenomethionine (MetSe) by two competing mechanisms, a one-electron oxidation that leads to ethylene and a two-electron oxidation that gives methionine selenoxide (MetSeO). Kinetic modeling of the experimental data suggests that both peroxynitrous acid and the peroxynitrite anion react with MetSe to form MetSeO with rate constants of 20,460 +/- 440 M-1 s-1 and 200 +/- 170 M-1 s-1, respectively at 25 degrees C. The enthalpy (delta H++) and entropy (delta S++) of activation for the reaction of peroxynitrous acid with MetSe at pH 4.6 are 2.55 +/- 0.08 kcal mol-1 and -30.5 +/- 0.3 cal mol-1 K-1, respectively. With increasing concentrations of MetSe at pH 7.4, the yield of ethylene decreases and that of MetSeO increases, suggesting, as with methionine, the reactions leading to ethylene and MetSeO have different kinetic orders. We propose that the activated form of peroxynitrous acid, HOONO*, is the one-electron oxidant and ground-state peroxynitrite is the two-electron oxidant in the reaction of peroxynitrite with MetSe. The peroxynitrite anion rapidly adds to CO2 to form an adduct, O = N-OO-CO2- (1), capable of generating potent reactive species, and we therefore examined the role of CO2 in the peroxynitrite/MetSe system. In presence of added bicarbonate, the yield of ethylene obtained from the reaction of 0.4 mM peroxynitrite with 1.0 mM MetSe increases slightly with an increase in the concentration of bicarbonate from 0 to 5.0 mM and remains constant with a further increase of bicarbonate up to 20 mM. The yield of MetSeO, from the reaction of 10 mM peroxynitrite with 10 mM MetSe, decreases by 35% with an increase in the concentration of bicarbonate from 0 to 25 mM. Kinetic simulations show that the decrease in the yield of MetSeO is due to reaction of the peroxynitrite anion with CO2. These results suggest that CO2 partially protects MetSe from peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation and that 1 or its derivatives do not mediate the oxidation of MetSe to MetSeO.

Carbon Dioxide↗

The catalytic role of carbon dioxide in the decomposition of peroxynitrite.

The fast reaction of peroxynitrite with CO2 and the high concentration of dissolved CO2 in vivo (ca. 1 mM) suggest that CO2 modulates most of the reactions of peroxynitrite in biological systems. The addition of peroxynitrite to CO2 produces of the adduct ONOO-CO2- (1). The production of 1 greatly accelerates the decomposition of peroxynitrite to give nitrate. We now show that the formation of 1 is followed by reformation of CO2 (rather than another carbonate species such as CO3 = or HCO3-). To show this, it is necessary to study systems with limiting concentrations of CO2. (When CO2 is present in excess, its concentration remains nearly constant during the decomposition of peroxynitrite, and the recycling of CO2, although it occurs, can not be detected kinetically). We find that CO2 is a true catalyst of the decomposition of peroxynitrite, and this fundamental insight into its action must be rationalized by any in vivo or in vitro reaction mechanism that is proposed. When the concentration of CO2 is lower than that of peroxynitrite, the reformation of CO2 amplifies the fraction of peroxynitrite that reacts with CO2. Even low concentrations of CO2 that result from the dissolution of ambient CO2 can have pronounced catalytic effects. These effects can cause deviations from predicted kinetic behavior in studies of peroxynitrite in noncarbonate buffers in vitro, and since 1 and other intermediates derived from it are oxidants and/or nitrating agents, some of the reactions attributed to peroxynitrite may depend on the availability of CO2.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Reactions of peroxynitrite with aldehydes as probes for the reactive intermediates responsible for biological nitration.

We have examined the reactions of peroxynitrite with short-chain aliphatic aldehydes to model the reaction of the peroxynitrite anion (ONOO-) with CO2. Aldehydes, like CO2, react rapidly with peroxynitrite and catalyze its decomposition. The pH dependence of the reaction is consistent with the addition of ONOO- (not ONOOH) to the carbonyl carbon atom of the free aldehyde forming a 1-hydroxyalkylperoxynitrite anion adduct (5), which structurally resembles the nitrosoperoxycarbonate adduct (1) formed from the reaction of ONOO- with CO2. Intermediate 5, or the secondary products derived from it, decays to give NO3- and regenerated aldehyde, with small but significant yields of H2O2, organic acids, and organic nitrates. In analogy with the peroxynitrite/CO2 system, it is suggested that 5 undergoes homolytic or heterolytic cleavage at the O-O bond, giving a caged radical pair [RCH(OH)O./ .NO2] (7) or intimate ion pair [RCH(OH)O -/+ NO2] (8). The radicals and ions in intermediates 7 and 8 can recombine within the solvent cage to form 1-hydroxyalkylnitrate [RCH(OH)ONO2] (6), which can then dissociate to give nitrate and regenerate the aldehyde. The aldehyde/ peroxynitrite adducts 5-8 mediate the oxidation of 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) but not the nitration of 4-hydroxyphenylacetate. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the mechanism(s) of the CO2-catalyzed isomerization of peroxynitrite to nitrate and biological nitrations involving peroxynitrite/CO2 adducts.

Acetaldehyde↗