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Protein damage, induced by small amounts of photodynamically generated singlet oxygen or hydroxyl radicals.

The influence of limited oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate:NAD+ oxidoreductase (phosphorylating), EC 1.2.1.12), alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.1) and myoglobin by singlet oxygen and by hydroxyl radicals was investigated. The intrinsic fluorescence of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase decreased rapidly during oxidation, indicating a conformational change of the protein molecules. The free energy of isothermal unfolding in urea solutions was increased by singlet oxygen, but decreased by hydroxyl radical attack. The velocity of refolding of the denatured protein after dilution of the denaturant was increased by exposure to either singlet oxygen or hydroxyl radicals, with one exception: the velocity of refolding of myoglobin, oxidized by singlet oxygen, was strongly decreased. Hydroxyl radicals produced covalently crosslinked protein aggregates and some fragmentation, whereas singlet oxygen produced only crosslinked aggregates with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. All oxidized proteins were more susceptible to proteolysis by elastase and proteinase K, as compared to the undamaged proteins. Singlet oxygen-induced crosslinked aggregates were degraded very rapidly by elastase. Hydroxyl radical-induced aggregates of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were also degraded very rapidly by this enzyme, but hydroxyl radical-induced aggregates of alcohol dehydrogenase were resistent to enzymatic degradation. The results indicate that limited protein oxidation may have a pronounced influence on several properties of the protein. The effects vary, however, with varying proteins and with the oxidizing species.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Catalysis of singlet oxygen production in the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid by 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO).

The kinetics of the singlet oxygen production in the hydrogen peroxide plus hypochlorous acid reaction were studied by measuring the time course of the singlet oxygen emission at 1268 nm. The addition of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) increased the peak intensity of the chemiluminescence, but decreased its duration. The increased rate of singlet oxygen production likely accounts for the enhancement of singlet oxygen dimol emission reported in 1976 by Deneke and Krinsky (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 98, 3041-3042). This phenomenon was not seen when singlet oxygen was generated with the reaction of hypobromous acid and hydrogen peroxide. Thus, the enhancement of red chemiluminescence by DABCO should not be regarded as a general test for the production of singlet oxygen in complex biochemical systems.

Catalysis↗

Singlet oxygen is part of a hyperoxidant state generated during spore germination.

We show that singlet oxygen is generated in asexual spores (conidia) from Neurospora crassa at the onset of germination. Oxidation of N. crassa catalase-1 (Cat-1) was previously shown to be caused by singlet oxygen (Lledías et al. J. Biol. Chem. 273, 1998). In germinating conidia, increased protein oxidation, decrease of total protein, Cat-1 oxidation and accumulation of cat-1 mRNA was detected. These changes were modulated in vivo by light intensity, an external clean source of singlet oxygen, and by carotene amount and content of coordinated double bonds. Conditions that stimulated singlet oxygen formation increased Cat-1 oxidation and accumulation of cat-1 mRNA. Germinating conidia from mutant strains altered in carotene synthesis showed increased levels of protein degradation, Cat-1 oxidation and accumulation of cat-1 mRNA. During germination Cat-1a was oxidized, oxidized Cat-1c-Cat-1e conformers disappeared and Cat-1a was synthesized de novo. Furthermore, spontaneous oxygen-dependent chemiluminescence increased as soon as conidia absorbed dissolved oxygen. Low-level chemiluminescence is due to photon emission from excited electrons in carbonyls and singlet oxygen as they return to their ground state. H2O2 added to conidia under Ar caused a peak of chemiluminescence and germination of 20% of conidia, suggesting that a hyperoxidant state suffices to start germination under anaerobic conditions. Taken together, these results show that singlet oxygen is part of a hyperoxidant state that develops at the start of germination of conidia, in consonance with our proposal that morphogenetic transitions occur as a response to a hyperoxidant state.

Catalase↗

Isolation and identification of singlet oxygen oxidation products of beta-carotene.

Singlet oxygen is a highly reactive form of oxygen produced by many toxic photosensitizers. beta-Carotene quenches singlet oxygen catalytically through a very efficient physical reaction. However, concomitant chemical reactions during photosensitized oxidations consume beta-carotene. To investigate the hypothesis that chemical reactions with singlet oxygen consume beta-carotene, we characterized products of the photosensitized oxidation of beta-carotene. beta-Carotene and the photosensitizer rose bengal were dissolved in toluene/methanol (85:15 v/v), which was bubbled with O2 and illuminated with a quartz-halogen lamp for 30 min at 5 degrees C. Reaction products were analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC, UV-vis spectrophotometry, and mass spectrometry. beta-Carotene oxidation products were identified as beta-ionone, beta-apo-14'-carotenal, beta-apo-10'-carotenal, beta-apo-8'-carotenal, and beta-carotene 5,8-endoperoxide. Formation of these products was dependent on the presence of the photosensitizer. The products apparently were formed from the action of singlet oxygen rather than by photochemically-initiated beta-carotene autoxidation, since suppression of autoxidation by equimolar alpha-tocopherol did not diminish product formation. beta-Carotene autoxidation initiated by 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), which generates peroxyl radicals, yielded a different product distribution than that from photosensitized oxidation. Specific products formed by singlet oxygen oxidation of beta-carotene may serve as markers for singlet oxygen quenching in biological systems.

Carotenoids↗

An unusual pathway of excitation energy deactivation in carotenoids: singlet-to-triplet conversion on an ultrafast timescale in a photosynthetic antenna.

Carotenoids are important biomolecules that are ubiquitous in nature and find widespread application in medicine. In photosynthesis, they have a large role in light harvesting (LH) and photoprotection. They exert their LH function by donating their excited singlet state to nearby (bacterio)chlorophyll molecules. In photosynthetic bacteria, the efficiency of this energy transfer process can be as low as 30%. Here, we present evidence that an unusual pathway of excited state relaxation in carotenoids underlies this poor LH function, by which carotenoid triplet states are generated directly from carotenoid singlet states. This pathway, operative on a femtosecond and picosecond timescale, involves an intermediate state, which we identify as a new, hitherto uncharacterized carotenoid singlet excited state. In LH complex-bound carotenoids, this state is the precursor on the reaction pathway to the triplet state, whereas in extracted carotenoids in solution, this state returns to the singlet ground state without forming any triplets. We discuss the possible identity of this excited state and argue that fission of the singlet state into a pair of triplet states on individual carotenoid molecules constitutes the mechanism by which the triplets are generated. This is, to our knowledge, the first ever direct observation of a singlet-to-triplet conversion process on an ultrafast timescale in a photosynthetic antenna.

Carotenoids↗

Comparison of killing of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria by pure singlet oxygen.

Gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria were found to display different sensitivities to pure singlet oxygen generated outside of cells. Killing curves for Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli strains were indicative of multihit killing, whereas curves for Sarcina lutea, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus lactis, and Streptococcus faecalis exhibited single-hit kinetics. The S. typhimurium deep rough strain TA1975, which lacks nearly all of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide coat and manifests concomitant enhancement of penetration by some exogenous substances, responded to singlet oxygen with initially faster inactivation than did the S. typhimurium wild-type strain, although the maximum rates of killing appeared to be quite similar. The structure of the cell wall thus plays an important role in susceptibility to singlet oxygen. The outer membrane-lipopolysaccharide portion of the gram-negative cell wall initially protects the bacteria from extracellular singlet oxygen, although it may also serve as a source for secondary reaction products which accentuate the rates of cell killing. S. typhimurium and E. coli strains lacking the cellular antioxidant, glutathione, showed no difference from strains containing glutathione in response to the toxic effects of singlet oxygen. Strains of Sarcina lutea and Staphylococcus aureus that contained carotenoids, however, were far more resistant to singlet oxygen lethality than were both carotenoidless mutants of the same species and other gram-positive species lacking high levels of protective carotenoids.

Carotenoids↗

Measurement of 1268 nm emission for comparison of singlet oxygen (1 delta g) production efficiency of various dyes.

Singlet oxygen generation from laser-excited photosensitive dyes was measured directly using a sensitive near-infrared emission spectrometer to monitor the O2(1 delta g)-->O2(3 sigma -g) transition at 1268 nm. The emission intensity was proportional to both the laser power and the concentration of the dyes. The singlet oxygen producing ability of the dyes was compared with that of eosin YS as a standard in methanol. The relative efficiencies of singlet oxygen generation were determined for rose bengal, erythrosine B, phloxine B and eosin YS as 2.39, 1.73, 1.38, 1.00, respectively, while uranine showed no emission in this spectral region. Using rose bengal, erythrosine B, phloxine B and eosin YS, the efficiency of singlet oxygen generation correlated with the photobleaching reaction rate of azo-dyes by these dyes, suggesting singlet oxygen to be a species responsible for causing the photobleaching of azo-dyes. The halogen substituent effect on the efficiency of singlet oxygen generation from laser-excited photosensitive dyes was also examined systematically.

Azo Compounds↗

Inability of chemically generated singlet oxygen to break the DNA backbone.

The capacity of a photodynamic and a chemical source of singlet molecular oxygen to cause DNA strand breakage at pH 7.8 was compared in the following systems: (1) dissolved rose bengal plus light (400-660 nm), (2) a novel water-soluble naphthalene-derived endoperoxide showing temperature-dependent singlet oxygen release, in the absence of light. Covalently closed circular DNA was efficiently converted to the open (relaxed) form upon exposure to dissolved rose bengal plus light in a time-dependent reaction, showing that this system was capable of causing DNA strand breakage at pH 7.8. The reaction was greatly reduced under hypoxic conditions (less than 5 p.p.m. O2), was stimulated when using D2O instead of H2O as a solvent and was not inhibitable by superoxide dismutase, indicating that singlet oxygen was a critical intermediate. However, comparatively large fluxes of singlet oxygen generated by the endoperoxide completely failed to produce DNA strand breaks. We conclude that, although singlet oxygen seems to play a role in DNA strand breakage by rose bengal plus light, singlet oxygen per se is very inefficient if not completely incapable of causing DNA strand breakage.

DNA Damage↗

Oxidation of human catalase by singlet oxygen in myeloid leukemia cells.

Catalases are oxidized by singlet oxygen giving rise to more acidic conformers detected in zymograms after electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. This shift in catalase mobility can be indicative of singlet oxygen production in vivo. Catalase from human cells, as from many organisms, is susceptible to in vitro modification by singlet oxygen. Human myeloid leukemia (U937) cells were treated under different stress conditions and catalase activity and its electrophoretic mobility was monitored. The U937 cells were found to have high levels of catalase activity, as compared to cultured fibroblasts, and to be very resistant to oxidative stress. Hydrogen peroxide did not modify the electrophoretic mobility of catalase, even at doses that produced cell damage. Conditions that primarily generate superoxide, such as treatment with paraquat or heat shock, also failed to modify the enzyme. In contrast, photosensitization reactions using rose Bengal gave rise to a more acidic conformer of catalase. Singlet oxygen quenchers prevented catalase modification by rose Bengal and light. The growth medium had a photosensitizing activity. Catalase was not modified in cells illuminated in phosphate buffer but was modified in cells illuminated in phosphate buffer containing riboflavin. Intense light per se also generated a slight shift in the electrophoretic mobility of catalase. Ultraviolet light (350 or 366 nm) did cause a change in catalase, but to a less acidic catalase conformer, indicating other modifications of the enzyme. The main effect of photosensitization with methylene blue was crosslinking of the enzyme, although some shift to acidic conformers was observed at a low concentration of the photoactive compound. Results indicate that catalase can be modified by singlet oxygen generated intracellularly, even though the enzyme is predominantly inside peroxisomes. Under some photosensitization conditions, catalase modification can be used as a marker to detect intracellular singlet oxygen.

Animals↗

Effects of singlet oxygen on human lens crystallins in vitro.

We have recently demonstrated that singlet oxygen-mediated photooxidation can cause an increase in blue fluorescence and covalent cross-linking in bovine lens crystallins in vitro. Because these changes closely parallel modifications known to occur in human crystallins during aging and cataractogenesis, it was suggested that singlet oxygen may play an important role in these processes in vivo. to confirm these results, obtained with photosensitizers free in solution, we now report results from experiments with a polymer-bound photosensitizer and with photophysically generated singlet oxygen. Singlet oxygen photodynamically generated by polymer-immobilized rose bengal produced the following modifications to human lens crystallins in vitro: covalent cross-linking, increased blue fluorescence, yellow pigmentation, and formation of heavy-molecular-weight aggregates. Singlet oxygen generated photophysically was shown to cause an increase in blue fluorescence and covalent cross-linking in human crystallins. These findings substantiate the hypothesis that singlet oxygen may play an important role in the changes seen in human lens proteins during aging and cataractogenesis.

Aging↗

Singlet oxygen is the major species participating in the induction of DNA strand breakage and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine adduct by lead acetate.

To investigate DNA damage induced by Pb2+ and its prevention by scavengers, we determined DNA strand breakage and the formation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA using plasmid relaxation assay and HPLC with electrochemical detection, respectively. Lead acetate induced DNA strand breakage in 10 mM of Hepes buffer, pH 6.8, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Compared with lead, zinc acetate did not significantly induce DNA breakage. The singlet oxygen scavengers NaN3 and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone (TEMP) inhibited lead-induced DNA breakage more efficiently than the hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol and DMPO. Deuterium oxide (D2O), a singlet oxygen enhancer, potentiated lead-induced DNA breakage. At low ratios to Pb2+, NADPH, glutathione, and 2-mercaptoethanol enhanced lead-induced DNA breakage, whereas high ratios of these agents protected it. Catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) did not protect DNA breaks induced by Pb2+. Lead-induced DNA breakage was markedly enhanced by H2O2, and this induction was inhibited by NaN3, TEMP, EDTA, catalase, BSA, and glutathione. In contrast, mannitol and SOD potentiated Pb2+/H2O2-induced DNA breaks. The results indicate that singlet oxygen, lead, and H2O2 are all involved in the reaction system, whereas hydroxyl radical and superoxide did not. Lead could cause a small amount of 8-OHdG formation in calf thymus DNA and dose-dependently induced the formation of this adduct in the presence of H2O2. Singlet oxygen scavengers were more effective than hydroxyl radical scavengers in protection from lead/H2O2-induced 8-OHdG adducts. Taken together, these results suggest that lead may induce DNA damage through a Fenton-like reaction and that singlet oxygen is the principal species involved.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗

Singlet oxygen-induced mutations in M13 lacZ phage DNA.

The mutagenic consequences of damages to M13 mp19 RF DNA produced by singlet oxygen have been determined in a forward mutational system capable of detecting all classes of mutagenic events. When the damaged M13 mp19 RF DNA is used to transfect competent E. coli JM105 cells, a 16.6-fold increase in mutation frequency is observed at 5% survivors when measured as a loss of alpha-complementation. The enhanced mutagenicity is largely due to single-nucleotide substitutions, frameshift events and double-mutations. The single-nucleotide substitutions occur in the regulatory and in the structural part of the lacZ gene under the predominant form of a G:C to T:A transversion. The spectrum of mutations detected among the M13 lacZ phages surviving the singlet oxygen treatment is totally different from those appearing spontaneously. SOS induction mediated through u.v.-irradiation of bacteria leads to an increase of the mutation frequency in the M13 surviving to the singlet oxygen treatment. The mutation spectrum in this case is a mixture between those observed with the spontaneous mutants and the mutants induced by singlet oxygen. Lesions introduced in the M13 mp19 RF DNA can be partly repaired by the enzymatic machinery of the bacteria. It turns out that excision-repair and SOS repair are probably involved in the removal of these lesions by singlet oxygen.

Base Sequence↗

Caspase-8 mediates caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release during singlet oxygen-induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells.

We reported previously that singlet oxygen, generated by irradiation of rose bengal with visible light, induced apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. However, the mechanism of apoptosis caused by this reactive oxygen species is unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that singlet oxygen induced caspase-3 activation and Z-DEVD-FMK, a caspase-3 inhibitor, blocked apoptosis induction, while caspase-1 activity was not detectable and the caspase-1 inhibitor Z-YVAD-FMK had a very limited effect on apoptosis. This suggests that the activation of caspase-3 by singlet oxygen is essential for the commitment of cells to undergo apoptosis. Further studies showed that singlet oxygen induced an increase in caspase-8 activity and a reduction in mitochondrial cytochrome c. Time course analysis indicated that the cleavage of caspase-8 precedes that of caspase-3. In addition, blockade of caspase-8 by Z-IETD-FMK inhibited cleavage of pro-caspase-3 and prevented loss of mitochondrial cytochrome c. These results suggest that caspase-8 mediates caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release during singlet oxygen-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

Apoptosis↗

Singlet oxygen production by biological systems.

Singlet oxygen (1 delta g) is a highly reactive, short-lived intermediate which readily oxidizes a variety of biological molecules. The biochemical production of singlet oxygen has been proposed to contribute to the destructive effects seen in a number of biological processes. Several model biochemical systems have been shown to produce singlet oxygen. These systems include the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidations of halide ions, the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidations of indole-3-acetic acid, the lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxidation of unsaturated long chain fatty acids and the bleomycin-catalyzed decomposition of hydroperoxides. Results from these model systems should not be uncritically extrapolated to living systems. Recently, however, an intact cell, the human eosinophil, was shown to generate detectable amounts of singlet oxygen. This result suggests that singlet oxygen may be shown to be a significant biochemical intermediate in a few biological processes.

Bleomycin↗

Photosensitized production of singlet oxygen.

Photosensitization is a simple and controllable method for the generation of singlet oxygen in solution and in cells. Methods are described for determining the yield of singlet oxygen in solution, for measurement of the rate of reaction between singlet oxygen and a substrate, and for comparing the effectiveness of singlet oxygen generated by different photosensitizers in cells. These quantitative measurements can lead to better understanding of the interaction of singlet oxygen with biomolecules.

Animals↗

Detection of singlet oxygen and its role in dye-sensitized photooxidation in aqueous and micellar solutions.

Indirect methods for the detection of singlet oxygen in dye-sensitized photooxidation based on its interception by some singlet oxygen acceptors in aqueous and micellar solutions are discussed. Mechanistic aspects and some applications of a very sensitive method using p-nitrosodimethylaniline in the presence of imidazole (RNO + imidazole method) are also treated. The technique of competition kinetics with a singlet oxygen quencher N-3 which can serve for the determination of the role of singlet oxygen is discussed as well. Such competition with tryptophan and guanosine shows that these substrates react exclusively or predominantly via the singlet oxygen mechanism in the presence of hematoporphyrin as sensitizing dye.

Benzofurans↗

Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase protects against singlet oxygen-induced cell damage of photodynamic therapy.

Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PhGPx) is an important enzyme in the removal of lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs) from cell membranes. Cancer treatments such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) induce lipid peroxidation in cells as a detrimental action. The photosensitizers used produce reactive oxygen species such as singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)). Because singlet oxygen introduces lipid hydroperoxides into cell membranes, we hypothesized that PhGPx would provide protection against the oxidative stress of singlet oxygen and therefore could interfere with cancer treatment. To test this hypothesis, human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were stably transfected with PhGPx cDNA. Four clones with varying levels of PhGPx activity were isolated. The activities of other cellular antioxidant enzymes were not influenced by the overexpression of PhGPx. Cellular PhGPx activity had a remarkable inverse linear correlation to the removal of lipid hydroperoxides in living cells (r = -0.85), and correlated positively with cell survival after singlet oxygen exposure (r = 0.94). These data demonstrate that PhGPx provides significant protection against singlet oxygen-generated lipid peroxidation via removal of LOOH and suggest that LOOHs are major mediators in this cell injury process. Thus, PhGPx activity could contribute to the resistance of tumor cells to PDT.

Blotting, Northern↗

Protein oxidation and proteolysis by the nonradical oxidants singlet oxygen or peroxynitrite.

Exposure of proteins to oxidants leads to increased oxidation followed by preferential degradation by the proteasomal system. The role of the biologically occurring oxidants singlet oxygen and peroxynitrite in oxidation of proteins in living cells and enhanced degradation of these proteins was examined in this study. Subsequent to treatment of an isolated model protein, ferritin, with singlet oxygen or peroxynitrite, there was enhanced degradation by the isolated 20S proteasome. Treatment of clone 9 liver cells (normal liver epithelia) with two different singlet oxygen-generating systems or peroxynitrite leads to a concentration-dependent increase in cellular protein turnover. At high concentrations of these oxidants, the protein turnover decreases without significant loss of cell viability and proteasome activity. To compare the increase of intracellular protein turnover with that obtained with other oxidants, cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide or xanthine/xanthine oxidase. The maximal increase in protein turnover was similar with the various oxidants. The oxidized protein moieties were removed by enhanced protein turnover. Removal of singlet oxygen- or peroxynitrite-damaged proteins is dependent on the proteasomal system, as suggested by the sensitivity to lactacystin. Our results provide evidence that the proteasomal system is able to selectively recognize and degrade proteins modified by singlet oxygen or peroxynitrite in vitro as well as in living cells.

Acetylcysteine↗