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PubMed1996

Residues critical for H-L disulfide bond formation in human IgA1 and IgA2.

There are two subclasses of human IgA, IgA1 and IgA2. IgA2 exists as two known allotypes, IgA2 m(1) and IgA2 m(2) with a recently reported novel IgA2 (IgA2(n)) possibly representing a third allotype. The variants of human IgA differ in their H and L chain disulfide-bonding pattern; in IgA1, IgA2(n), and IgA2 m(2), a disulfide bond connects a cysteine residue in CH1 of the H chain with the L chains while human IgA2 m(1) has been reported to lack a covalent bond between the H and L chains. Here we have used site-directed mutagenesis to demonstrate that Cys133 is essential for the formation of the H-L disulfide bond in IgA1. However, IgA2 m(2) and the IgA2(n) but not IgA2 m(1) form an H-L disulfide in the absence of Cys133. IgA2 m(1) differs from IgA2 m(2) and the IgA2(n) at two positions in CH1; IgA2 m(1) has Pro212 and Pro221 whereas IgA2 m(2) and the IgA2(n) have Ser212 and Arg221. Our studies demonstrate that it is the presence of Pro221 in IgA2 m(1) that interferes with the H-L disulfide in the absence of Cys133. Contrary to what has been previously reported, protein purified from culture supernatants of IgA2 m(1) show some HL, H2L2, and H4L4J, suggesting that IgA2 m(1) can exist either as a form lacking H-L disulfide bonds or as a form with H-L disulfides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Assignment of the disulfide bonds in napin, a seed storage protein from Brassica napus, using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry.

The sites of the disulfide bonds in a napin protein isolated from Brassica napus have been identified by proteolytic cleavage and subsequent peptide mapping by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Napins consist of two polypeptide chains containing two and six cysteine residues, respectively, that are held together by disulfide bonds. Upon initial cleavage of native napin by Endo-Lys-C, a disulfide-linked core complex of four peptides was obtained. This core peptide was isolated by reversed-phase HPLC and further digested by thermolysin, and the resulting fragments were identified by MALDI-MS. In a separate set of experiments, intact napin was subjected to proteolysis by thermolysin, and an isolated disulfide-linked peptide of interest was subdigested again using thermolysin. The combined data resulting from these experiments allowed the assignment of the disulfide linkages in a relatively abundant napin isoform, BngNAP1, apart from an ambiguity concerning the adjacent cysteines at positions 14' and 15' of the long chain. Two intermolecular disulfide bonds link Cys10 (short chain) with Cys25' (long chain) and Cys23 with Cys14' (or Cys15'), respectively. The long chain of napin contains two intramolecular disulfide bonds connecting Cys27' with Cys80' and Cys14' (or Cys15') with Cys72'.

2S Albumins, Plant↗

PubMed1998

Role of the pro-alpha2(I) COOH-terminal region in assembly of type I collagen: disruption of two intramolecular disulfide bonds in pro-alpha2(I) blocks assembly of type I collagen.

Collagen biosynthesis is a complex process that begins with the association of three procollagen chains. A series of conserved intra- and interchain disulfide bonds in the carboxyl-terminal region of the procollagen chains, or C-propeptide, has been hypothesized to play an important role in the nucleation and alignment of the chains. We tested this hypothesis by analyzing the ability of normal and cysteine-mutated pro-alpha2(I) chains to assemble into type I collagen heterotrimers when expressed in a cell line (D2) that produces only endogenous pro-alpha1(1). Pro-alpha2(I) chains containing single or double cysteine mutations that disrupted individual intra- or interchain disulfide bonds were able to form pepsin resistant type I collagen with pro-alpha1(I), indicating that individual disulfide bonds were not critical for assembly of the pro-alpha2(I) chain with pro-alpha1(I). Pro-alpha2(I) chains containing a triple cysteine mutation that disrupted both intrachain disulfide bonds were not able to form pepsin resistant type I collagen with pro-alpha1(I). Therefore, disruption of both pro-alpha2(I) intrachain disulfide bonds prevented the production and secretion of type I collagen heterotrimers. Although none of the individual disulfide bonds is essential for assembly of the procollagen chains, the presence of at least one intrachain disulfide bond may be necessary as a structural requirement for chain association or to stabilize the protein to prevent intracellular degradation.

Alanine↗

PubMed2004

ERp57 is a multifunctional thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase.

The thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase ERp57 is a soluble protein of the endoplasmic reticulum and the closest known homologue of protein disulfide isomerase. The protein interacts with the two lectin chaperones calnexin and calreticulin and thereby promotes the oxidative folding of newly synthesized glycoproteins. Here we have characterized several fundamental structural and functional properties of ERp57 in vitro, such as the domain organization, shape, redox potential, and the ability to catalyze different thiol-disulfide exchange reactions. Like protein disulfide isomerase, we find ERp57 to be comprised of four structural domains. The protein has an elongated shape of 3.4 +/- 0.1 nm in diameter and 16.8 +/- 0.5 nm in length. The two redox-active a and a' domains were determined to have redox potentials of -0.167 and -0.156 V, respectively. Furthermore, ERp57 was shown to efficiently catalyze disulfide reduction, disulfide isomerization, and dithiol oxidation in substrate proteins. The implications of these findings for the function of the protein in vivo are discussed.

Catalysis↗

PubMed1998

Thiol-disulfide exchange systems in the liver of aging Fischer 344 rats.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the major thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase activities of the rat liver were altered as a consequence of aging, and whether the alterations had any consequences in terms of hepatic thiol concentrations. Liver fractions were prepared from male and female Fischer 344 rats at ages representing young adulthood (5 months), middle age (15 months) and old age (24-29 months), and the activities of the major thiol-disulfide exchange enzymes, together with protein and nonprotein sulfhydryl contents, were measured using spectrophotometric procedures. Thioltransferase, protein disulfide isomerase and thioredoxin reductase activities in livers of male and female rats were unchanged with aging, while glutathione disulfide (GSSG) reductase activity remained the same (in male livers) or increased (in female livers) as a consequence of aging. Both protein and nonprotein sulfhydryl concentrations were well maintained in old age. The absence of age-dependent alterations in the thiol-protein disulfide exchange enzymes and the lack of compromise in the glutathione GSSG reductase system suggest that aged livers retain their capacity to regulate their thiol-disulfide redox balance under normal physiological conditions.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1991

Reductive cleavage and regeneration of the disulfide bonds in Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI) as studied by the carbonyl 13C NMR resonances of cysteinyl residues.

Four enhanced carbonyl carbon resonances were observed when Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI) was labeled by incorporating specifically labeled [1-13C]Cys. The 13C signals were assigned by the 15N, 13C double-labeling method along with site-specific mutagenesis. Changes in the spectrum of the labeled protein ([C]SSI) were induced by reducing the disulfide bonds with various amounts of dithiothreitol (DTT). The results indicate that, in the absence of denaturant, the Cys71-Cys101 disulfide bond of each SSI subunit can be reduced selectively. This disulfide bond, which is in the vicinity of the reactive site scissile bond Met73-Val74, is more accessible to solvent than the other disulfide bond, Cys35-Cys50, which is embedded in the interior of SSI. This half-reduced SSI had 65% of the inhibitory activity of native SSI and maintained a conformation similar to that of the fully oxidized SSI. Reoxidation of the half reduced-folded SSI by air regenerates fully active SSI which is indistinguishable with intact SSI by NMR. In the presence of 3 M guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl), however, both disulfide bonds of each SSI subunit were readily reduced by DTT. The fully reduced-unfolded SSI spontaneously refolded into a native-like structure (fully reduced-folded state), as evidenced by the Cys carbonyl carbon chemical shifts, upon removing GuHCl and DTT from the reaction mixture. The time course of disulfide bond regeneration from this state by air oxidation was monitored by following the NMR spectral changes and the results indicated that the disulfide bond between Cys71 and Cys101 regenerates at a much faster rate than that between Cys35 and Cys50.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2002

Formation of methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide in crushed tissues of broccoli florets and their inhibition by freeze-thawing.

The formation of methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide in crushed, homogenized, and frozen-thawed tissues of broccoli florets was investigated. These volatile sulfur compounds were produced in crushed florets, but their formation was inhibited in frozen-thawed tissues. Only dimethyl disulfide was formed in homogenized tissues. High pH treatment triggered the release of dimethyl disulfide in frozen-thawed tissues and also enhanced the action of cysteine sulfoxide lyase in all disrupted tissues. Methyl methanethiosulfinate and methyl methanethiosulfonate were not detected in crushed florets; thus, the favored mechanism for the formation of methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide is the chemical disproportionation of methanesulfenic acid. In contrast, the formation of dimethyl disulfide in frozen-thawed and homogenized tissues occurs from the chemical disproportionation of methyl methanethiosulfinate that was detected in these tissues. The inhibition of dimethyl disulfide production during freeze-thawing must be caused by a sudden drop in the pH of the tissue, adherence of dimethyl disulfide on the tissue surfaces, and weakening of the cysteine sulfoxide lyase activity under acidic conditions.

Brassica↗

PubMed2000

Carbon disulfide at a Chinese viscose factory external and internal exposure assessment.

This article presents the results of carbon disulfide exposure measurements in a Chinese viscose rayon factory. The objectives of the study were to identify the external exposure levels at a large factory and to investigate the 2-thiothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) concentrations in the urine of the subjects who were exposed to carbon disulfide in the working place atmosphere. The metabolism of carbon disulfide in the exposed subjects was also studied in order to demonstrate the best points in time for the internal exposure sampling. The measurement of the amount of personal exposure to carbon disulfide in the air of the workplace was performed by GC-FPD; the presence of TTCA in the workers urine was analyzed by use of a modified HPLC method. The kinetics of TTCA excretion was studied by analyses at different time-points both during and after exposure to carbon disulfide in the subjects. A total of 155 personal samples were obtained. The carbon disulfide concentration in the staple viscose hall was 13.72 +/- 1.12 mg m-3 in terms of the geometric mean +/- geometric standard deviation, and was 20.05 +/- 1.33 mg m-3 in the filament spinning hall. The TTCA values in the subjects who worked in the staple spinning hall were 1.18 +/- 0.43 mg g-1 creatinine and 1.07 +/- 0.38 mg g-1 creatinine for subjects working in the filament spinning hall. The best time for TTCA sampling is at the end of the working shift, the TTCA excretion was stable for a period of 4-12 h after exposure of the subjects to the carbon disulfide. It might be that the Chinese have different anthropometric characteristics; a sampling bias may therefore appear among different races.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Introduction of disulfide bonds into Bacillus subtilis neutral protease.

The effects of engineered disulfide bonds on autodigestion and thermostability of Bacillus subtilis neutral protease (NP-sub) were studied using site-directed mutagenesis. After modelling studies two locations that might be capable of forming disulfide bonds, both near previously determined autodigestion sites in NP-sub, were selected for the introduction of cysteines. Analysis of mutant enzymes showed that disulfide bonds were indeed formed in vivo, and that the mutant enzymes were fully active. The introduced disulfides did not alter the autodigestion pattern of the NP-sub. All mutant NP-subs exhibited decreased thermostability, which, by using reducing agents, was shown to be caused by the introduction of the cysteines and not by the formation of the disulfides. Mutants containing one cysteine exhibited intermolecular disulfide formation at elevated temperatures, which, however, was shown not to be the cause of the decreased thermostability. Combining the present data with literature data, it would seem that the introduction of disulfide bridges is unsuitable for the stabilization of proteases. Possible explanations for this phenomenon are discussed.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2006

Intrinsic stability and functional properties of disulfide bond-stabilized coagulation factor VIIIa variants.

BACKGROUND: The utility of purified coagulation factor (F)VIII for treatment of hemophilia A is limited in part by its instability following activation by thrombin, which is caused by spontaneous dissociation of the A2 domain from the activated FVIII (FVIIIa) heterotrimer. To prevent this A2 domain dissociation in FVIIIa, we previously engineered a cysteine pair (C664-C1826) in recombinant FVIII that formed a disulfide bond cross-linking the A2 domain in the heavy chain to the A3 domain in the light chain. This engineered disulfide bond resulted in a more stable FVIIIa. AIMS: Here, we characterize the functional parameters of C664-C1828 FVIII and of a new disulfide bond-stabilized FVIII (C662-C1828 FVIII). METHODS: In order to assess whether these FVIII variants might be good candidates for a new therapeutic agent to treat hemophilia A, we investigated a variety of functional parameters that might affect the in vivo properties of the variants, including half-life of disulfide bond-stabilized FVIII and FVIIIa and the potency of these FVIIIa molecules in the FXase complex. RESULTS: Both disulfide bond-stabilized variants had improved affinity for von Willebrand factor (VWF). In studies of FX activation by purified FIXa and FVIIIa, C662-C1828 FVIIIa had normal activity while C664-C1826 FVIIIa had reduced activity. Both C664-C1826 FVIIIa and C662-C1828 FVIIIa were inactivated by activated protein C (APC) but the rates of inactivation were different. CONCLUSION: Overall, the specific location of the disulfide bridge between the A2 and A3 domains appears to affect functional properties of FVIIIa. In summary, introduction of engineered interdomain disulfides results in FVIIIa variants that resist spontaneous loss of activity while retaining susceptibility to APC proteolytic inactivation and maintaining VWF binding.

Factor IXa↗

PubMed1989

Addition of high-mannose sugars must precede disulfide bond formation for proper folding of Sendai virus glycoproteins.

The role of glycosylation and of disulfide bonds in the formation of the native structure of the Sendai virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and fusion (F0) glycoproteins was studied. In contrast to the HN and F0 synthesized in vivo, the proteins made from pSP6 transcripts in reticulocyte lysates, whether glycosylated or not, were not recognized by monoclonal antibodies or polyclonal rabbit sera raised against the native proteins; they efficiently reacted only with rabbit antisera raised against the reduced sodium dodecyl sulfate-denatured proteins. These in vitro-made proteins, however, did not contain disulfide bonds. The proteins made in vivo in the presence of tunicamycin, which were also not recognized by the anti-native protein antibodies, did contain disulfide bonds, but they were mainly incorrect interchain disulfide bonds. Moreover, while F0 acquired proper disulfide bonds as soon as it was synthesized under normal conditions in vivo, the disulfides were formed in HN only after a lag of 10 to 30 min. This lag coincides with the delay observed in HN native structure formation. We therefore conclude that the maturation of the HN and F0 proteins depends on the formation of proper intramolecular disulfide bonds, which in turn depends on the previous addition of high-mannose sugars.

Cystine↗

PubMed1985

Kinetic study of hemoglobin Porto Alegre [beta 9(A6)Ser----Cys] disulfide polymer reduction.

The cleavage of HbPA disulfide polymer by GSH and its indirect cleavage by yeast glutathione reductase, via reduced glutathione is obtained. Decreasing the initial proportion of GSH in the hemolysate increases the formation of HbPA disulfide polymer. In the experimental conditions used, yeast glutathione reductase is unable to perform the direct cleavage of the mixed disulfide of HbPA and GSH, using it as substrate. The reduction of HbPA polymer to tetramers by DTE is analyzed by a pseudo-first-order kinetic and two rate constants are obtained. That of 265 X 10(-3) min-1 should be concerned with one disulfide of the closed ring and one of the open ring structure of dodecamer, while that of 38 X 10(-3) min-1 is related to disulfide reduction of the octamer. The enthalpy of activation values of 8.0 kcal.mol-1 an 17.4 kcal.mol-1 obtained, from the Arrhenius plot, for the "fast" and "slow" rate disulfide reduction, respectively, are indicative that a strong conformational strain of S--S bonds in the closed ring structure is maintained. The entropy of activation values of 24 e.u. and 52 e.u. are found for the activation of disulfides from dodecamers and octamers, respectively.

Brazil↗

PubMed1975

Biologic significance of disulfide bonds in human IgE molecules.

E myeloma protein, PS, was reduced in different concentrations of dithiothreitol (DTT) for 1 hr followed by alkylation with 14C-iodoacetamide. The affinity of the reduced-alkylated molecules for target cells was evaluated by their ability 1) to sensitize primate skin in a reversed P-K reaction, 2) to sensitize human basophils in a reversed-type histamine release and 3) to block passive sensitization with reaginic antibody. Antibody-epsilon0 antibody was employed for reversed type reactions to avoid participation of cell-bound normal IgE in the reactions. The sensitizing activity of IgE did not change following reduction in 1 mM DTT, which split inter-heavy-light chain disulfide bond. The activity of IgE significantly diminished after reduction in 2 mM DTT followed by alkylation. This treatment resulted in the cleavage of two intra-epsilon-chain disulfide bonds, which are present between the hinge and the Fd portion of the molecules. The reduced-alkylated protein was capable of sensitizing primate skin and human basophils, however, a much higher concentration of the reduced-alkylated protein than the native protein was required for passive sensitization. The optimal sensitization period for the reversed P-K reaction was 3 hr with the reduced-alkylated protein. The protein had the ability to block passive sensitization with reaginic antibody. The reduced-alkylated protein and the native protein were labeled with 125I, and binding of these proteins with human basophils was examined by autoradiography. The results showed that affinity of the reduced-alkylated protein for basophils was less than that of native protein. Since the disulfide bonds split by 2 mM DTT were not included in the Fc portion of the molecules, the Fc fragment was obtained from the reduced-alkylated protein and was tested for affinity for basophils. It was found that the Fc fragment had higher affinity than the reduced-alkylated protein. Recovery of the affinity by papain digestion strongly suggested that cleavage of disulfide bonds in the Fab portion of the molecules induced conformational changes in the Fc portion which is involved in binding to the target cells. Reduction of IgE with 10 mM DTT followed by alkylation resulted in cleavage of 5 disulfide bonds, which is accompanied by a loss of both sensitizing and blocking activities. The fifth disulfide bond which was cleaved by 10 mM DTT, but not by 2 mM DTT, appears to be an inter-heavy chain disulfide bond in the Fc portion of the epsilon-chains. Neither epsilon1 nor epsilon2 determinants in the Fc portion of epsilon-chains were degraded by this treatment.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Reaction of malate thiokinase with methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide. Evidence for half-of-the-sites reactivity.

Reaction of the active site-directed sulfhydryl reagent methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide with malate thiokinase follows pseudo-first order kinetics and leads to a complete loss in enzyme activity as measured by the overall reaction. The rate of inactivation of enzyme in buffer alone shows a linear dependence on the methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide concentration. In the presence of the substrate phosphate or the substrate analog sulfate, the rate of enzyme inactivation displays a hyperbolic response with respect to methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide. Anions such as chloride and fluoride decrease the rate of enzyme inactivation. Low concentrations of succinyl-CoA protect the enzyme against inactivation, while L-malate protection of the enzyme is observed only in the absence of added sulfate. Protection of the enzyme by ATP can be attributed to phosphorylation of the enzyme and a decrease in reactivity of the phosphoenzyme relative to the native enzyme. Enzyme reacted with excess methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide, although inactive with respect to turnover, catalyzes ATP-ADP exchange at one-half the rate of the native enzyme. The inactive enzyme can be phosphorylated by ATP, but only to 50% the extent of native enzyme. Titration of the enzyme with methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide shows that the enzyme exhibits all-of-the-sites reactivity with respect to this reagent. A correlation of titration of the enzyme with methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide with the loss in phosphorylation site shows that reaction of methoxycarbonyl-CoA disulfide produces half-of-the-sites reactivity with respect to enzyme phosphorylation.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1999

Probing the disulfide folding pathway of insulin-like growth factor-I.

The crucial step of folding of recombinant proteins presents serious challenges to obtaining the native structure. This problem is exemplified by insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I which when refolded in vitro produces the native three-disulfide structure, an alternative structure with mispaired disulfide bonds and other isomeric forms. To investigate this phenomenon we have examined the refolding properties of an analog of IGF-I which contains a 13-amino acid N-terminal extension and a charge mutation at position 3 (Long-[Arg3]IGF-I). Unlike IGF-I, which yields 45% of the native structure and 24% of the alternative structure when refolded in vitro, Long-[Arg3]IGF-I yields 85% and 10% of these respective forms. To investigate the interactions that affect the refolding of Long-[Arg3]IGF-I and IGF-I, we acid-trapped folding intermediates and products for inclusion in a kinetic analysis of refolding. In addition to non-native intermediates, three native-like intermediates were identified, that appear to have a major role in the in vitro refolding pathway of Long-[Arg3]IGF-I; a single-disulfide Cys18-Cys61 intermediate, an intermediate with Cys18-Cys61 and Cys6-Cys48 disulfide bonds and another with Cys18-Cys61 and Cys47-Cys52 disulfide bonds. Furthermore, from our kinetic analysis we propose that the Cys18-Cys61, Cys6-Cys48 intermediate forms the native structure, not by the direct formation of the last (Cys47-Cys52) disulfide bond, but by rearrangement via the Cys18-Cys61 intermediate and a productive Cys18-Cys61, Cys47-Cys52 intermediate. In this pathway, the last disulfide bond to form involves Cys6 and Cys48. Finally, we apply this pathway to IGF-I and conclude that the divergence in the in vitro folding pathway of IGF-I is caused by non-native interactions involving Glu3 that stabilize the alternative structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Catalysis of the oxidative folding of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A by protein disulfide isomerase.

The major oxidative folding pathways of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A at pH 8.0 and 25 degrees C involve a pre-equilibrium steady state among ensembles of intermediates with zero, one, two, three and four disulfide bonds. The rate-determining steps are the reshuffling of the unstructured three-disulfide ensemble to two native-like three-disulfide species, des-[65-72] and des-[40-95], that convert to the native structure during oxidative formation of the fourth disulfide bond. Under the same regeneration conditions, with oxidized and reduced DTT, used previously for kinetic oxidative-folding studies of this protein, the addition of 4 microM protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) was found to lead to catalysis of each disulfide-formation step, including the rate-limiting rearrangement steps in which the native-like intermediates des-[65-72] and des-[40-95] are formed. The changes in the distribution of intermediates were also determined in the presence and absence of PDI at three different temperatures (with the DTT redox system) as well as at 25 degrees C (with the glutathione redox system). The results indicate that the acceleration of the formation of native protein by PDI, which we observed earlier, is due to PDI catalysis of each of the intermediate steps without changing the overall pathways or folding mechanism.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Protein disulfide isomerase: a multifunctional protein of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is a resident enzyme of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that was discovered over three decades ago. Contemporary biochemical and molecular biology techniques have revealed that it is present in all eukaryotic cells studied and retained in the ER via a -KDEL or -HDEL sequence at its C-terminus. However, evidence is accumulating that in certain cell types, PDI can be found in other subcellular compartments, despite possessing an intact retention sequence. A wide range of studies has established that in presence of a redox pair, PDI acts catalytically to both form and reduce disulfide bonds, therefore acting as a disulfide isomerase. Recent studies have focused on the mechanism of the isomerization process and the precise role of the two active site sequences (-CGHC-) in the process. In addition, prokaryotes have been shown to possess a set of proteins that function in a similar fashion, being able to generate disulfide bonds on polypeptides translocated into the periplasmic space. Following the recent discovery that PDI binds peptides, coupled with earlier findings that PDI is a subunit of at least two enzymatic complexes (prolyl 4-hydroxylase and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein), it seems that it may serve functions other than merely that of a disulfide isomerase. In fact, it is now clear that PDI can facilitate protein folding independently of its disulfide isomerase activity. A major challenge for the future is to define mechanistically how it accomplishes isomerization and the relationship between this process and the protein folding steps that culminate in the final, fully mature protein.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed1982

Membrane thiol-disulfide status in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient red cells. Relationship to cellular glutathione.

The behavior of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient red cell membrane proteins upon treatment with diamide, the thiol-oxidizing agent (Kosower, N.S. et al. (1969) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 37, 593-596), was studied with the aid of monobromobimane, a fluorescent labeling agent (Kosower, N.S., Kosower, E.M., Newton, G.L. and Ranney, H.M. (1979) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 3382-3386) convenient for following membrane thiol group status. In diamide-treated G6PD-deficient red cells (and in glucose deprived normal cells), glutathione (GSH) is oxidized to glutathione disulfide (GSSG). When cellular GSH is absent, membrane protein thiols are oxidized with the formation of intrachain and interchain disulfides. Differences in sensitivity to oxidation are found among membrane thiols. In diamide-treated normal red cells, GSH is regenerated in the presence of glucose and membrane disulfides reduced. In G6PD-deficient cells, GSSG is not reduced, and the oxidative damage (disulfide formation) in the membrane not repaired. Reduction of membrane disulfides does occur after the addition of GSH to these membranes. A direct link between the thiol status of the cell membrane and cellular GSH is thereby established. GSH serves as a reductant of membrane protein disulfides, in addition to averting membrane thiol oxidation.

Diamide↗