MRI of inflammatory spondyloarthropathy following traumatic cauda equina syndrome

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Spondyloarthropathy has been described radiographically in patients following paralysis from spinal cord trauma. Onset of these findings after cauda equina syndrome have not been reported previously. Furthermore, the magnetic resonance documentation of its early evolution has not been recorded.

PURPOSE

We report a case of early-onset spondyloarthropathy shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a patient with cauda equina syndrome due to bilateral sacral insufficiency fractures.

STUDY DESIGN

Unique case study review, one case.

METHODS

Review of the clinical case notes and imaging including initial and subsequent MR imaging.

RESULTS

The initial MRI of the lumbosacral spine showed bilateral sacral insufficiency fractures with a kyphotic deformity. The vertebral bodies were normal on the initial computed tomography and MRI studies, which did not reveal pre-existing features of sacroiliitis. The second MRI performed 5 months later clearly showed spondylitis at multiple vertebral levels with partial resolution 18 months post injury.

CONCLUSION

Spondyloarthropathy in patients with paralysis due to spinal cord injury is well documented in the English language literature, but until now this has not been demonstrated by MRI. It is a rare complication of traumatic cauda equina syndrome that commences soon after the traumatic event and can resolve spontaneously.

Quantitative chemoproteomics for site-specific analysis of protein alkylation by 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in cells

Protein alkylation by 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), an endogenous lipid derived electrophile, contributes to stress signaling and cellular toxicity. Although previous work has identified protein targets for HNE alkylation, the sequence specificity of alkylation and dynamics in a cellular context remain largely unexplored. We developed a new quantitative chemoproteomic platform, which uses isotopically tagged, photocleavable azido-biotin reagents to selectively capture and quantify the cellular targets labeled by the alkynyl analogue of HNE (aHNE). Our analyses site-specifically identified and quantified 398 aHNE protein alkylation events (386 cysteine sites and 12 histidine sites) in intact cells. This data set expands by at least an order of magnitude the number of such modification sites previously reported. Although adducts formed by Michael addition are thought to be largely irreversible, we found that most aHNE modifications are lost rapidly in situ. Moreover, aHNE adduct turnover occurs only in intact cells and loss rates are site-selective. This quantitative chemoproteomics platform provides a versatile general approach to map bioorthogonal-chemically engineered post-translational modifications and their cellular dynamics in a site-specific and unbiased manner.

Competition H(D) kinetic isotope effects in the autoxidation of hydrocarbons

Hydrogen atom transfer is central to many important radical chain sequences. We report here a method for determination of both the primary and secondary isotope effects for symmetrical substrates by the use of NMR. Intramolecular competition reactions were carried out on substrates having an increasing number of deuterium atoms at symmetry-related sites. Products that arise from peroxyl radical abstraction at each position of the various substrates reflect the competition rates for H(D) abstraction. The primary KIE for autoxidation of tetralin was determined to be 15.9 ± 1.4, a value that exceeds the maximum predicted by differences in H(D) zero-point energies (∼7) and strongly suggests that H atom abstraction by the peroxyl radical occurs with substantial quantum mechanical tunneling.

Free radical oxidation of cholesterol and its precursors: Implications in cholesterol biosynthesis disorders

Free radical oxidation of cholesterol and its precursors contribute significantly to the pathophysiology of a number of human diseases. This review intends to summarize recent developments and provide a perspective on the reactivities of sterols toward free radical oxidation, the free radical reaction mechanism, and the biological consequences of oxysterols derived from the highly oxidizable cholesterol precursor, 7-dehydrocholesterol. We propose that the rigid structures, additional substituents on the double bonds, and the well-aligned reactive C-H bonds in sterols make them more prone to free radical oxidation than their acyclic analogs found in unsaturated fatty acids. The mechanism of sterol peroxidation follows some well-established reaction pathways found in the free radical peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, but sterols also undergo some reactions that are unique to these compounds. Peroxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol gives arguably the most diverse set of oxysterol products that have been observed to date. The metabolism of these oxysterols in cells and the biological consequences of their formation will be discussed in the context of the pathophysiology of the human disease Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. Considering the high reactivity of sterols, we propose that a number of other cholesterol biosynthesis disorders may be associated with oxidative stress.

Tunneling in tocopherol-mediated peroxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol

The peroxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), a biosynthetic precursor to vitamin D3 and cholesterol, has been linked to the pathophysiology of Smith-Lemli-Optiz syndrome (SLOS), a devastating human disorder. In SLOS, 7-DHC plasma and tissue levels are elevated because of defects in the enzyme that convert it to cholesterol. α-Tocopherol can mediate the peroxidation of 7-DHC under certain circumstances and this prompted us to investigate the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) during this process. Thus, 9,14-d2-7-DHC was synthesized using a photochemical cyclization of deuterium-reinforced previtamin D3 (retro to its biosynthesis). Subsequently, we carried out co-oxidation of 9,14-h2-25,26,26,26,27,27,27-d7- and 9,14-d2-7-DHC in the presence of α-tocopherol under conditions that favor TMP. By monitoring the products formed from each precursor using mass spectrometry, the KIE for the hydrogen (deuterium) atom removal at C9 was found to be 21 ± 1. This large KIE value indicates that tunneling plays a role in the hydrogen atom transfer step in the tocopherol-mediated peroxidation of 7-DHC.

Assay of protein and peptide adducts of cholesterol ozonolysis products by hydrophobic and click enrichment methods

Cholesterol undergoes ozonolysis to afford a variety of oxysterol products, including cholesterol-5,6-epoxide (CholEp) and the isomeric aldehydes secosterol A (seco A) and secosterol B (seco B). These oxysterols display numerous important biological activities, including protein adduction; however, much remains to be learned about the identity of the reactive species and the range of proteins modified by these oxysterols. Here, we synthesized alkynyl derivatives of cholesterol-derived oxysterols and employed a straightforward detection method to establish secosterols A and B as the most protein-reactive of the oxysterols tested. Model adduction studies with an amino acid, peptides, and proteins provide evidence for the potential role of secosterol dehydration products in protein adduction. Hydrophobic separation methods—Folch extraction and solid phase extraction (SPE)—were successfully applied to enrich oxysterol-adducted peptide species, and LC-MS/MS analysis of a model peptide–seco adduct revealed a unique fragmentation pattern (neutral loss of 390 Da) for that species. Coupling a hydrophobic enrichment method with proteomic analysis utilizing characteristic fragmentation patterns facilitates the identification of secosterol-modified peptides and proteins in an adducted protein. More broadly, these improved enrichment methods may give insight into the role of oxysterols and ozone exposure in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and asthma.

ω-Alkynyl lipid surrogates for polyunsaturated fatty acids: free radical and enzymatic oxidations

Lipid and lipid metabolite profiling are important parameters in understanding the pathogenesis of many diseases. Alkynylated polyunsaturated fatty acids are potentially useful probes for tracking the fate of fatty acid metabolites. The nonenzymatic and enzymatic oxidations of ω-alkynyl linoleic acid and ω-alkynyl arachidonic acid were compared to that of linoleic and arachidonic acid. There was no detectable difference in the primary products of nonenzymatic oxidation, which comprised cis,trans-hydroxy fatty acids. Similar hydroxy fatty acid products were formed when ω-alkynyl linoleic acid and ω-alkynyl arachidonic acid were reacted with lipoxygenase enzymes that introduce oxygen at different positions in the carbon chains. The rates of oxidation of ω-alkynylated fatty acids were reduced compared to those of the natural fatty acids. Cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 did not oxidize alkynyl linoleic but efficiently oxidized alkynyl arachidonic acid. The products were identified as alkynyl 11-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid, alkynyl 11-hydroxy-8,9-epoxy-eicosatrienoic acid, and alkynyl prostaglandins. This deviation from the metabolic profile of arachidonic acid may limit the utility of alkynyl arachidonic acid in the tracking of cyclooxygenase-based lipid oxidation. The formation of alkynyl 11-hydroxy-8,9-epoxy-eicosatrienoic acid compared to alkynyl prostaglandins suggests that the ω-alkyne group causes a conformational change in the fatty acid bound to the enzyme, which reduces the efficiency of cyclization of dioxalanyl intermediates to endoperoxide intermediates. Overall, ω-alkynyl linoleic acid and ω-alkynyl arachidonic acid appear to be metabolically competent surrogates for tracking the fate of polyunsaturated fatty acids when looking at models involving autoxidation and oxidation by lipoxygenases.

Oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol and desmosterol by human cytochrome P450 46A1

Cytochrome P450 (P450 or CYP) 46A1 is expressed in brain and has been characterized by its ability to oxidize cholesterol to 24S-hydroxycholesterol. In addition, the same enzyme is known to further oxidize 24S-hydroxycholesterol to the 24,25- and 24,27-dihydroxy products, as well as to catalyze side-chain oxidations of 7α-hydroxycholesterol and cholestanol. As precursors in the biosynthesis of cholesterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol has not been found to be a substrate of P450 46A1 and desmosterol has not been previously tested. However, 24-hydroxy-7-dehydrocholesterol was recently identified in brain tissues, which prompted us to reexamine this enzyme and its potential substrates. Here we report that P450 46A1 oxidizes 7-dehydrocholesterol to 24-hydroxy-7-dehydrocholesterol and 25-hydroxy-7-dehydrocholesterol, as confirmed by LC-MS and GC-MS. Overall, the catalytic rates of formation increased in the order of 24-hydroxy-7-dehydrocholesterol < 24-hydroxycholesterol < 25-hydroxy-7-dehydrocholesterol from their respective precursors, with a ratio of 1:2.5:5. In the case of desmosterol, epoxidation to 24S,25-epoxycholesterol and 27-hydroxylation was observed, at roughly equal rates. The formation of these oxysterols in the brain may be of relevance in Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, desmosterolosis, and other relevant diseases, as well as in signal transduction by lipids.

Reactivities and products of free radical oxidation of cholestadienols

7-Dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) is the most oxidizable lipid molecule reported to date, with a propagation rate constant for free radical peroxidation that is 200 times that of cholesterol. To better understand the high reactivity of 7-DHC and elucidate the reaction mechanism, we synthesized conjugated and skipped nonconjugated cholestadienols that would give one of the two putative pentadienyl-radical intermediates formed in 7-DHC peroxidation. The additional dienols include 6,8(9)-dienol, 5,8(14)-dienol, 6,8(14)-dienol, and the biologically important 8-dehydrocholesterol (8-DHC; 5,8(9)-dienol). We found that all of the dienols are significantly (at least 40 times) more reactive than cholesterol. Among them, dienols leading to the formation of the pentadienyl radical in ring B (termed endo-B) of the sterol are more reactive than those leading to the pentadienyl radical spanning rings B and C (termed exo-B). By comparing the oxysterol profile formed from 7-DHC and those formed from 8-DHC and 5,8(14)-dienol, products formed from abstraction of the hydrogen atoms at C-9 and C-14 (H-9 or H-14 mechanism) were clearly differentiated. When the oxidation was carried out in the presence of the good hydrogen atom donor α-tocopherol, the oxysterol profile of 7-DHC peroxidation differed distinctly from the profile observed in the absence of the antioxidant and resembles more closely the profile observed in biological systems. This study suggests that oxidative stress and the accumulation of oxysterols should be considered as two key factors in cholesterol biosynthesis or metabolism disorders, where dienyl sterol intermediates are accumulated.

Alkylation damage by lipid electrophiles targets functional protein systems

Protein alkylation by reactive electrophiles contributes to chemical toxicities and oxidative stress, but the functional impact of alkylation damage across proteomes is poorly understood. We used Click chemistry and shotgun proteomics to profile the accumulation of proteome damage in human cells treated with lipid electrophile probes. Protein target profiles revealed three damage susceptibility classes, as well as proteins that were highly resistant to alkylation. Damage occurred selectively across functional protein interaction networks, with the most highly alkylation-susceptible proteins mapping to networks involved in cytoskeletal regulation. Proteins with lower damage susceptibility mapped to networks involved in protein synthesis and turnover and were alkylated only at electrophile concentrations that caused significant toxicity. Hierarchical susceptibility of proteome systems to alkylation may allow cells to survive sublethal damage while protecting critical cell functions.

Unusual kinetic isotope effects of deuterium reinforced polyunsaturated fatty acids in tocopherol-mediated free radical chain oxidations

Substitution of -CD2- at the reactive centers of linoleic and linolenic acids reduces the rate of abstraction of D by a tocopheryl radical by as much as 36-fold, compared to the abstraction of H from a corresponding -CH2- center. This H atom transfer reaction is the rate-determining step in the tocopherol-mediated peroxidation of lipids in human low-density lipoproteins, a process that has been linked to coronary artery disease. The unanticipated large kinetic isotope effects reported here for the tocopherol-mediated oxidation of linoleic and linolenic acids and esters suggests that tunneling makes this process favorable.

A highly sensitive method for analysis of 7-dehydrocholesterol for the study of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

We describe a highly sensitive method for the detection of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), the biosynthetic precursor of cholesterol, based on its reactivity with 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) in a Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction. Samples of biological tissues and fluids with added deuterium-labeled internal standards were derivatized with PTAD and analyzed by LC-MS. This protocol permits fast processing of samples, short chromatography times, and high sensitivity. We applied this method to the analysis of cells, blood, and tissues from several sources, including human plasma. Another innovative aspect of this study is that it provides a reliable and highly reproducible measurement of 7-DHC in 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (Dhcr7)-HET mouse (a model for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome) samples, showing regional differences in the brain tissue. We found that the levels of 7-DHC are consistently higher in Dhcr7-HET mice than in controls, with the spinal cord and peripheral nerve showing the biggest differences. In addition to 7-DHC, sensitive analysis of desmosterol in tissues and blood was also accomplished with this PTAD method by assaying adducts formed from the PTAD "ene" reaction. The method reported here may provide a highly sensitive and high throughput way to identify at-risk populations having errors in cholesterol biosynthesis.

Rational Design of Novel Pyridinol-Fused Ring Acetaminophen Analogues

Acetaminophen (ApAP) is an electron donor capable of reducing radicals generated by redox cycling of hemeproteins. It acts on the prostaglandin H synthases (cyclooxygenases; COXs) to reduce the protoporphyrin radical cation in the peroxidase site of the enzyme, thus preventing the intra-molecular electron transfer that generates the Tyr385 radical required for abstraction of a hydrogen from arachidonic acid to initiate prostaglandin synthesis. Unrelated to this pharmacological action, metabolism of ApAP by CYPs yields an iminoquinone electrophile that is responsible for the hepatotoxicity, which results from high doses of the drug. We synthesized novel heterocyclic phenols predicted to be electron donors. Two of these inhibited the oxygenation of arachidonic acid by PGHS-1 and myoglobin and also were shown to be more metabolically stable and exhibited less direct cytotoxicity than acetaminophen. They are leading candidates for studies to determine whether they are free of the metabolism-based hepatotoxicity produced by acetaminophen.

Probing lipid-protein adduction with alkynyl surrogates: application to Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

Lipid modifications aid in regulating (and misregulating) protein function and localization. However, efficient methods to screen for a lipid's ability to modify proteins are not readily available. We present a strategy to identify protein-reactive lipids and apply it to a neurodevelopmental disorder, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS). Alkynyl surrogates were synthesized for polyunsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, cholesterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), and a 7-DHC-derived oxysterol. To probe for protein-reactive lipids, we used click chemistry to biotinylate the alkynyl tag and detected the lipid-adducted proteins with streptavidin Western blotting. In Neuro2a cells, the trend in amount of protein adduction followed known rates of lipid peroxidation (7-DHC >> arachidonic acid > linoleic acid >> cholesterol), with alkynyl-7-DHC producing the most adduction among alkynyl lipids. 7-DHC reductase-deficient cells, which cannot properly metabolize 7-DHC, exhibited significantly more alkynyl-7-DHC-protein adduction than control cells. Model studies demonstrated that a 7-DHC peroxidation product covalently modifies proteins. We hypothesize that 7-DHC generates electrophiles that can modify the proteome, contributing to SLOS's complex pathology. These probes and methods would allow for analysis of lipid-modified proteomes in SLOS and other disorders exhibiting 7-DHC accumulation. More broadly, the alkynyl lipid library would facilitate exploration of lipid peroxidation's role in specific biological processes in numerous diseases.

A perspective on free radical autoxidation: the physical organic chemistry of polyunsaturated fatty acid and sterol peroxidation

This Perspective describes advances from the author's laboratory on the free radical reactions of organic compounds with molecular oxygen. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and sterols are particularly prone to undergo radical chain oxidation, and evidence suggests that this process, known as lipid peroxidation, occurs in vivo under a variety of conditions that are the result of an oxidative stress. Cyclic peroxides, hydroperoxides, and epoxy alcohols are major products formed from peroxidation, and the basic mechanisms of product formation are now reasonably well understood. These mechanisms include reversible addition of oxygen to carbon radicals, rearrangement and cyclization of allyl and pentadienyl peroxyl radicals, and homolytic substitution of carbon radicals on the peroxide bond. A physical organic approach to the problem of free radicals in biology and medicine is highlighted in this Perspective with stereochemical, kinetic, and extrathermodynamic probes applied to the study of mechanism. A radical clock permits the determination of free radical propagation rate constants, and 7-dehydrocholesterol, the immediate biosynthetic precursor of cholesterol, is found by this clock to be one of the most oxidizable lipids known. The consequences of the extreme reactivity of 7-dehydrocholesterol on human health is the focus of a current research theme in the author's laboratory.

Cobalt carbonyl complexes as probes for alkyne-tagged lipids

Monitoring lipid distribution and metabolism in cells and biological fluids poses many challenges because of the many molecular species and metabolic pathways that exist. This study describes the synthesis and study of molecules that contain an alkyne functional group as surrogates for natural lipids in cultured cells. Thus, hexadec-15-ynoic and hexadec-7-ynoic acids were readily incorporated into RAW 264.7 cells, principally as phosphocholine esters; the alkyne was used as a "tag" that could be transformed to a stable dicobalt-hexacarbonyl complex; and the complex could then be detected by HPLC/MS or HPLC/UV(349nm). The 349 nm absorbance of the cobalt complexes was used to provide qualitative and quantitative information about the distribution and cellular concentrations of the alkyne lipids. The alkyne group could also be used as an affinity tag for the lipids by a catch-and-release strategy on phosphine-coated silica beads. Lipid extracts were enriched in the tagged lipids in this way, making the approach of potential utility to study lipid transformations in cell culture. Both terminal alkynes and internal alkynes were used in this affinity "pull-down" strategy. This method facilitates measuring lipid species that might otherwise fall below limits of detection.

Measuring electrophile stress

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are primary targets during oxidative stress. Diffusible electrophilic α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), have been shown to modify proteins that mediate cell signaling and modify gene expression pathways. We describe a global strategy for identifying the protein targets of HNE modification. A similar approach can be used for any electrophiles derived from an oxidized lipid.

Metabolism of oxysterols derived from nonenzymatic oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol in cells

Recent studies suggest that 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC)-derived oxysterols play important roles in the pathophysiology of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), a metabolic disorder that is caused by defective 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ(7)-reductase (DHCR7). Although 14 oxysterols have been identified as the primary products of 7-DHC autoxidation in organic solution, the metabolic fate of these oxysterols in a biological environment has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we incubated these primary 7-DHC oxysterols in control Neuro2a and control human fibroblast cells and identified metabolites of these oxysterols by HPLC-MS. We also incubated Dhcr7-deficient Neuro2a cells and fibroblasts from SLOS patients with isotopically labeled 7-DHC (d(7)-7-DHC). The observation of matching d(0)- and d(7) peaks in HPLC-MS confirmed the presence of true metabolites of 7-DHC after excluding the possibility of ex vivo oxidation. The metabolites of primary 7-DHC oxysterols were found to contribute to the majority of the metabolic profile of 7-DHC in cells. Furthermore, based on this new data, we identified three new 7-DHC-derived metabolites in the brain of Dhcr7-KO mice. Our studies suggest that 7-DHC peroxidation is a major source of oxysterols observed in cells and in vivo and that the stable metabolites of primary 7-DHC oxysterols can be used as markers of 7-DHC peroxidation in these biological systems.

Lipid biomarkers of oxidative stress in a genetic mouse model of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

7-Dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) accumulates in tissues and fluids of patients with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), which is caused by mutations in the gene encoding 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ(7)-reductase (DHCR7). We recently reported that 7-DHC is the most reactive lipid molecule toward free radical oxidation (lipid peroxidation) and 14 oxysterols have been identified as products of oxidation of 7-DHC in solution. As the high oxidizability of 7-DHC may lead to systemic oxidative stress in SLOS patients, we report here lipid biomarkers of oxidative stress in a Dhcr7-KO mouse model of SLOS, including oxysterols, isoprostanes (IsoPs), and neuroprostanes (NeuroPs) that are formed from the oxidation of 7-DHC, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, respectively. In addition to a previously described oxysterol, 3β,5α-dihydroxycholest-7-en-6-one (DHCEO), we provide evidence for the chemical structures of three new oxysterols in the brain and/or liver tissue of Dhcr7-KO mice, two of which were quantified. We find that levels of IsoPs and NeuroPs are also elevated in brain and/or liver tissues of Dhcr7-KO mice relative to matching WT mice. While IsoPs and NeuroPs have been established as a reliable measurement of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in vivo, we show that in this genetic SLOS mouse model, 7-DHC-derived oxysterols are present at much higher levels than IsoPs and NeuroPs and thus are better markers of lipid oxidation and related oxidative stress.

Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans-isomerase A1 (Pin1) is a target for modification by lipid electrophiles

Oxidation of membrane phospholipids is associated with inflammation, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer. Oxyradical damage to phospholipids results in the production of reactive aldehydes that adduct proteins and modulate their function. 4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), a common product of oxidative damage to lipids, adducts proteins at exposed Cys, His, or Lys residues. Here, we demonstrate that peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans-isomerase A1 (Pin1), an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of the peptide bond of pSer/pThr-Pro moieties in signaling proteins from cis to trans, is highly susceptible to HNE modification. Incubation of purified Pin1 with HNE followed by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry resulted in detection of Michael adducts at the active site residues His-157 and Cys-113. Time and concentration dependencies indicate that Cys-113 is the primary site of HNE modification. Pin1 was adducted in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells treated with 8-alkynyl-HNE as judged by click chemistry conjugation with biotin followed by streptavidin-based pulldown and Western blotting with anti-Pin1 antibody. Furthermore, orbitrap MS data support the adduction of Cys-113 in the Pin1 active site upon HNE treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells. siRNA knockdown of Pin1 in MDA-MB-231 cells partially protected the cells from HNE-induced toxicity. Recent studies indicate that Pin1 is an important molecular target for the chemopreventive effects of green tea polyphenols. The present study establishes that it is also a target for electrophilic modification by products of lipid peroxidation.

Assays of plasma dehydrocholesteryl esters and oxysterols from Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome patients

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ(7)-reductase and as a result of this defect, 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) and 8-dehydrocholesterol (8-DHC) accumulate in the fluids and tissues of patients with this syndrome. Both 7- and 8-DHC are susceptible to peroxidation reactions, and several biologically active DHC oxysterols are found in cell and animal models of SLOS. Ex vivo oxidation of DHCs can be a confounding factor in the analysis of these sterols and their esters, and we developed HPLC/MS methods that permit the direct analysis of cholesterol, 7-DHC, 8-DHC, and their esters in human plasma, thus avoiding ex vivo oxidation. In addition, three oxysterols were classified as endogenously formed products by the use of an isotopically-labeled 7-DHC (d(7)-7-DHC) added to the sample before workup, followed by MS analysis of products formed. Analysis of 17 SLOS plasma samples shows that 8-DHC linoleate correlates better with the SLOS severity score of the patients than other sterols or metabolites, including cholesterol and 7-DHC. Levels of 7-ketocholesterol also correlate with the SLOS severity score. 8-DHC esters should have utility as surrogate markers of severity in SLOS for prognostication and as endpoints in clinical trials.

Superoxide reaction with tyrosyl radicals generates para-hydroperoxy and para-hydroxy derivatives of tyrosine

Tyrosine-derived hydroperoxides are formed in peptides and proteins exposed to enzymatic or cellular sources of superoxide and oxidizing species as a result of the nearly diffusion-limited reaction between tyrosyl radical and superoxide. However, the structure of these products, which informs their reactivity in biology, has not been unequivocally established. We report here the complete characterization of the products formed in the addition of superoxide, generated from xanthine oxidase, to several peptide-derived tyrosyl radicals, formed from horseradish peroxidase. RP-HPLC, LC-MS, and NMR experiments indicate that the primary stable products of superoxide addition to tyrosyl radical are para-hydroperoxide derivatives (para relative to the position of the OH in tyrosine) that can be reduced to the corresponding para-alcohol. In the case of glycyl-tyrosine, a stable 3-(1-hydroperoxy-4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-yl)-L-alanine was formed. In tyrosyl-glycine and Leu-enkephalin, which have N-terminal tyrosines, bicyclic indolic para-hydroperoxide derivatives were formed ((2S,3aR,7aR)-3a-hydroperoxy-6-oxo-2,3,3a,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid) by the conjugate addition of the free amine to the cyclohexadienone. It was also found that significant amounts of the para-OH derivative were generated from the hydroxyl radical, formed on exposure of tyrosine-containing peptides to Fenton conditions. The para-OOH and para-OH derivatives are much more reactive than other tyrosine oxidation products and may play important roles in physiology and disease.

Small amounts of isotope-reinforced polyunsaturated fatty acids suppress lipid autoxidation

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) undergo autoxidation and generate reactive carbonyl compounds that are toxic to cells and associated with apoptotic cell death, age-related neurodegenerative diseases, and atherosclerosis. PUFA autoxidation is initiated by the abstraction of bis-allylic hydrogen atoms. Replacement of the bis-allylic hydrogen atoms with deuterium atoms (termed site-specific isotope-reinforcement) arrests PUFA autoxidation due to the isotope effect. Kinetic competition experiments show that the kinetic isotope effect for the propagation rate constant of Lin autoxidation compared to that of 11,11-D(2)-Lin is 12.8 ± 0.6. We investigate the effects of different isotope-reinforced PUFAs and natural PUFAs on the viability of coenzyme Q-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae coq mutants and wild-type yeast subjected to copper stress. Cells treated with a C11-BODIPY fluorescent probe to monitor lipid oxidation products show that lipid peroxidation precedes the loss of viability due to H-PUFA toxicity. We show that replacement of just one bis-allylic hydrogen atom with deuterium is sufficient to arrest lipid autoxidation. In contrast, PUFAs reinforced with two deuterium atoms at mono-allylic sites remain susceptible to autoxidation. Surprisingly, yeast treated with a mixture of approximately 20%:80% isotope-reinforced D-PUFA:natural H-PUFA are protected from lipid autoxidation-mediated cell killing. The findings reported here show that inclusion of only a small fraction of PUFAs deuterated at the bis-allylic sites is sufficient to profoundly inhibit the chain reaction of nondeuterated PUFAs in yeast.

Activity-based probes linked with laser-cleavable mass tags for signal amplification in imaging mass spectrometry: analysis of serine hydrolase enzymes in mammalian tissue

A novel functional imaging mass spectrometry technology is described that utilizes activity-based probes for imaging enzyme active sites in tissue sections. We demonstrate this technology using an activity-based probe (fluorophosphate) that is specific for serine hydrolases. A dendrimer containing multiple mass tags that is attached to the activity-based probe is used to analyze the binding sites of the probe through release and measurement of the mass tags on laser irradiation. A generation 8 poly(amido amine) dendrimer with 1024 amino groups was labeled with an azide group, and then, more than 900 mass tags were attached in order to achieve signal amplification of nearly 3 orders of magnitude. The experimental protocol first involves binding of the activity-based probe containing an alkyne group to serine hydrolases in the tissue section followed by attachment of the dendrimer labeled with mass tags to the bound probe by Click chemistry. On irradiation of the labeled tissue by the laser beam in a raster pattern, the mass tags are liberated and recorded by the mass analyzer; consequently, the ion image of the mass tag reveals the distribution of serine hydrolases in the tissue. This process was shown using rat brain and mouse embryo sections. Targeted imaging has the advantage of providing high spatial resolution and high sensitivity through the use of signal amplification chemistry with high target specificity through the use of an enzyme activity probe.

7-Dehydrocholesterol-derived oxysterols and retinal degeneration in a rat model of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is a recessive disease characterized by markedly elevated levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) and reduced levels of cholesterol in tissues and fluids of affected individuals, due to defective 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ(7)-reductase (Dhcr7). Treatment of Sprague Dawley rats with AY9944 (an inhibitor of Dhcr7) leads to similar biochemical features as observed in SLOS. Eighteen oxysterols previously have been identified as oxidation products of 7-DHC (most of them distinct from cholesterol (Chol)-derived oxysterols) in solution, in cells, and in brains obtained from Dhcr7-KO mice and AY9944-treated rats, formed either via free radical oxidation (peroxidation) or P450-catalyzed enzymatic oxidation. We report here the identification of five 7-DHC-derived oxysterols, including 3β,5α-dihydroxycholest-7-en-6-one (DHCEO), 4α- and 4β-hydroxy-7-DHC, 24-hydroxy-7-DHC and 7-ketocholesterol (7-kChol, an oxysterol that is normally derived from Chol), in the retinas of AY9944-treated rats by comparing the retention times and mass spectrometric characteristics with corresponding synthetic standards in HPLC-MS analysis. Levels of 4α- and 4β-hydroxy-7-DHC, DHCEO, and 7-kChol were quantified using d(7)-DHCEO as an internal standard. Among the five oxysterols identified, only 7-kChol was observed in retinas of control rats, but the levels of 7-kChol in retinas of AY9944-rats were 30-fold higher. Intravitreal injection of 7-kChol (0.25μmol) into a normal rat eye induced panretinal degeneration within one week; by comparison, contralateral (control) eyes injected with vehicle alone exhibited normal histology. These findings are discussed in the context of the potential involvement of 7-DHC-derived oxysterols in the retinal degeneration associated with the SLOS rat model and in SLOS patients.

DHCEO accumulation is a critical mediator of pathophysiology in a Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome model

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by defective cholesterol biosynthesis. Mutations within the gene encoding 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7), the last enzyme in the pathway, lead to the accumulation of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in the brain tissue and blood of the SLOS patients. The objective of this study was to determine the consequences of the accumulation of an immediate cholesterol precursor, 7-DHC and its oxysterol metabolite, 3β,5α-dihydroxycholest-7-en-6-one (DHCEO), in the brain tissue of Dhcr7-KO mouse, a model for SLOS. We found that cholesterol, 7-DHC and DHCEO show region-specific distribution, suggesting that the midbrain and the cortex are the primary sites of vulnerability. We also report that neurons are ten fold more susceptible to a 7-DHC-derived oxysterol mixture than glial cells, and that DHCEO accelerates differentiation and arborization of cortical neurons. The overall results suggest that 7-DHC oxidative metabolites are critical contributors to altered neural development in SLOS. The future studies will test if antioxidant supplementation will ameliorate some of the clinical symptoms associated with this devastating disease.

Conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to 7-ketocholesterol is catalyzed by human cytochrome P450 7A1 and occurs by direct oxidation without an epoxide intermediate

7-Ketocholesterol is a bioactive sterol, a potent competitive inhibitor of cytochrome P450 7A1, and toxic in liver cells. Multiple origins of this compound have been identified, with cholesterol being the presumed precursor. Although routes for formation of the 7-keto compound from cholesterol have been established, we found that 7-dehydrocholesterol (the immediate precursor of cholesterol) is oxidized by P450 7A1 to 7-ketocholesterol (k(cat)/K(m) = 3 × 10(4) m(-1) s(-1)). P450 7A1 converted lathosterol (Δ(5)-dihydro-7-dehydrocholesterol) to a mixture of the 7-keto and 7α,8α-epoxide products (~1:2 ratio), with the epoxide not rearranging to the ketone. The oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol occured with predominant formation of 7-ketocholesterol and with the 7α,8α-epoxide as only a minor product; the synthesized epoxide was stable in the presence of P450 7A1. The mechanism of 7-dehydrocholesterol oxidation to 7-ketocholesterol is proposed to involve a Fe(III)-O-C-C(+) intermediate and a 7,8-hydride shift or an alternative closing to yield the epoxide (Liebler, D. C., and Guengerich, F. P. (1983) Biochemistry 22, 5482-5489). Accordingly, reaction of P450 7A1 with 7-[(2)H(1)]dehydrocholesterol yielded complete migration of deuterium in the product 7-ketocholesterol. The finding that 7-dehydrocholesterol is a precursor of 7-ketocholesterol has relevance to an inborn error of metabolism known as Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) caused by defective cholesterol biosynthesis. Mutations within the gene encoding 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase, the last enzyme in the pathway, lead to the accumulation of 7-dehydrocholesterol in tissues and fluids of SLOS patients. Our findings suggest that 7-ketocholesterol levels may also be elevated in SLOS tissue and fluids as a result of P450 7A1 oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol.

Novel oxysterols observed in tissues and fluids of AY9944-treated rats: a model for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

Treatment of Sprague-Dawley rats with AY9944, an inhibitor of 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ(7)-reductase (Dhcr7), leads to elevated levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) and reduced levels of cholesterol in all biological tissues, mimicking the key biochemical hallmark of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS). Fourteen 7-DHC-derived oxysterols previously have been identified as products of free radical oxidation in vitro; one of these oxysterols, 3β,5α-dihydroxycholest-7-en-6-one (DHCEO), was recently identified in Dhcr7-deficient cells and in brain tissues of Dhcr7-null mouse. We report here the isolation and characterization of three novel 7-DHC-derived oxysterols (4α- and 4β-hydroxy-7-DHC and 24-hydroxy-7-DHC) in addition to DHCEO and 7-ketocholesterol (7-kChol) from the brain tissues of AY9944-treated rats. The identities of these five oxysterols were elucidated by HPLC-ultraviolet (UV), HPLC-MS, and 1D- and 2D-NMR. Quantification of 4α- and 4β-hydroxy-7-DHC, DHCEO, and 7-kChol in rat brain, liver, and serum were carried out by HPLC-MS using d(7)-DHCEO as an internal standard. With the exception of 7-kChol, these oxysterols were present only in tissues of AY9944-treated, but not control rats, and 7-kChol levels were markedly (>10-fold) higher in treated versus control rats. These findings are discussed in the context of the potential involvement of 7-DHC-derived oxysterols in the pathogenesis of SLOS.

Free radical oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids: New mechanistic insights and the development of peroxyl radical clocks

The peroxidation of lipids in biological membranes has been implicated in both the onset and development of most degenerative diseases. The primary products of this autoxidation process are usually lipid hydroperoxides. They form as a consequence of a free radical chain reaction: lipid peroxyl radicals propagate the chain by rate-limiting H-atom abstraction from another lipid. Studies of the mechanism of lipid peroxidation are a specific part of a wider effort to understand the more general phenomenon of hydrocarbon autoxidation, which dates back some 70 years. However, the autoxidation of lipids is generally much more complicated than that of other hydrocarbons because of additional reaction pathways afforded by a variety of uniquely positioned unsaturated bonds. Indeed, polyunsaturation is an important aspect of many of the most relevant of physiological lipids, such as linoleate and arachidonate. In this Account, we present our current understanding of the mechanism of unsaturated lipid peroxidation, effectively updating our Account on the same topic published 25 years ago. Our more recent work has, in large part, been stimulated by the discovery of the nonconjugated linoleate hydroperoxide as a product under certain autoxidation conditions. The identification of this long-elusive bis-allylic hydroperoxide prompted our kinetic characterization of the reaction leading to its formation. The product distributions obtained from autoxidations of newly synthesized model compounds, which vary in either the substitution of the bis-allylic moiety or the configuration of the double bonds, have provided key insights into the overall mechanism. These insights have in turn been reinforced by the results of theoretical calculations. The picture that emerges is one wherein the delocalized carbon-centered radicals, which arise as intermediates in these reactions, first associate with dioxygen to form pre-reaction complexes. These complexes then collapse through transition state structures that maximize the orbital interactions between the delocalized radical SOMO and dioxygen. The energies of these transition states are influenced by steric effects; thus, there are distinct changes in product distribution in the autoxidation of dienes having different substitution patterns. The radical-dioxygen complexes are also intermediates in the isomerization of allylperoxyl and pentadienylperoxyls, helping explain the high regio- and stereochemical fidelity of these processes. We have taken advantage of the rapid fragmentation of nonconjugated peroxyl radicals to develop a powerful peroxyl radical clock methodology, which can be used to determine rate constants for reactions of peroxyl radicals with molecules having rate constants ranging from 1 to 10(7) M(-1) s(-1). We can make use of this methodology to address various questions, both fundamental and applied, relating to lipid peroxidation and its inhibition by radical-trapping antioxidants.

An oxysterol biomarker for 7-dehydrocholesterol oxidation in cell/mouse models for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

The level of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) is elevated in tissues and fluids of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) patients due to defective 7-DHC reductase. Although over a dozen oxysterols have been identified from 7-DHC free radical oxidation in solution, oxysterol profiles in SLOS cells and tissues have never been studied. We report here the identification and complete characterization of a novel oxysterol, 3β,5α-dihydroxycholest-7-en-6-one (DHCEO), as a biomarker for 7-DHC oxidation in fibroblasts from SLOS patients and brain tissue from a SLOS mouse model. Deuterated (d₇)-standards of 7-DHC and DHCEO were synthesized from d₇-cholesterol. The presence of DHCEO in SLOS samples was supported by chemical derivatization in the presence of d₇-DHCEO standard followed by HPLC-MS or GC-MS analysis. Quantification of cholesterol, 7-DHC, and DHCEO was carried out by isotope dilution MS with the d₇-standards. The level of DHCEO was high and correlated well with the level of 7-DHC in all samples examined (R = 0.9851). Based on our in vitro studies in two different cell lines, the mechanism of formation of DHCEO that involves 5α,6α-epoxycholest-7-en-3β-ol, a primary free radical oxidation product of 7-DHC, and 7-cholesten-3β,5α,6β-triol is proposed. In a preliminary test, a pyrimidinol antioxidant was found to effectively suppress the formation of DHCEO in SLOS fibroblasts.

Structure-activity analysis of diffusible lipid electrophiles associated with phospholipid peroxidation: 4-hydroxynonenal and 4-oxononenal analogues

Electrophile-mediated disruption of cell signal-ing is involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases including atherosclerosis and cancer. Diffusible and membrane bound lipid electrophiles are known to modify DNA and protein substrates and modulate cellular pathways including ER stress, antioxidant response, DNA damage, heat shock, and apoptosis. Herein we report on a structure−activity relationship for several electrophilic analogues of 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and 4-oxononenal (ONE) with regard to toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity. The analogues studied were the oxidation products of HNE and ONE, HNEA/ONEA, the in vivo hydrolysis products of oxidized phosphatidylcholine, COOH-HNE/COOH-ONE, and their methyl esters, COOMe-HNE/ONE. The reactivity of each compound toward N-acetylcysteine was determined and compared to the toxicity toward a human colorectal carcinoma cell line (RKO) and a human monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1). Further analysis was performed in differentiated THP-1 macrophages to assess changes in macrophage activation and pro-inflammatory signaling in response to each lipid electrophile. HNE/ONE analogues inhibited THP-1 macrophage production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNFα, after lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/IFNγ activation. Inhibition of cytokine production was observed at submicromolar concentrations of several analogues with as little as 30 min of exposure. Phagocytosis of fluorescent beads was also inhibited by lipid electrophile treatment. Lipid electrophiles related to HNE/ONE are both toxic and anti-inflammatory, but the anti-inflammatory effects in human macrophages are observed at nontoxic concentrations. Neither toxicity nor anti-inflammatory activity are strongly correlated to the reactivity of the model nucleophile, N-acetylcysteine.

Preparation and investigation of vitamin B6-derived aminopyridinol antioxidants

3-Pyridinols bearing amine substitution para to the hydroxylic moiety have previously been shown to inhibit lipid peroxidation more effectively than typical phenolic antioxidants, for example, α-tocopherol. We report here high-yielding, large-scale syntheses of mono- and bicyclic aminopyridinols from pyridoxine hydrochloride (i.e., vitamin B(6)). This approach provides straightforward, scaleable access to novel, potent, molecular scaffolds whose antioxidant properties have been investigated in homogeneous solutions and in liposomal vesicles. These molecular aggregates mimic cell membranes that are the targets of oxidative damage in vivo.

Formation of 4-hydroxynonenal from cardiolipin oxidation: Intramolecular peroxyl radical addition and decomposition

We report herein that oxidation of a mitochondria-specific phospholipid tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin (L(4)CL) by cytochrome c and H(2)O(2) leads to the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) via a novel chemical mechanism that involves cross-chain peroxyl radical addition and decomposition. As one of the most bioactive lipid electrophiles, 4-HNE possesses diverse biological activities ranging from modulation of multiple signal transduction pathways to the induction of intrinsic apoptosis. However, where and how 4-HNE is formed in vivo are much less understood. Recently a novel chemical mechanism has been proposed that involves intermolecular dimerization of fatty acids by peroxyl bond formation; but the biological relevance of this mechanism is unknown because a majority of the fatty acids are esterified in phospholipids in the cellular membrane. We hypothesize that oxidation of cardiolipins, especially L(4)CL, may lead to the formation of 4-HNE via this novel mechanism. We employed L(4)CL and dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) as model compounds to test this hypothesis. Indeed, in experiments designed to assess the intramolecular mechanism, more 4-HNE is formed from L(4)CL and DLPC oxidation than 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoylphosphatydylcholine. The key products and intermediates that are consistent with this proposed mechanism of 4-HNE formation have been identified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Identical products from cardiolipin oxidation were identified in vivo in rat liver tissue after carbon tetrachloride treatment. Our studies provide the first evidence in vitro and in vivo for the formation 4-HNE from cardiolipin oxidation via cross-chain peroxyl radical addition and decomposition, which may have implications in apoptosis and other biological activities of 4-HNE.

Tyrosine-lipid peroxide adducts from radical termination: para coupling and intramolecular Diels-Alder cyclization

Free radical co-oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids with tyrosine or phenolic analogues of tyrosine gave rise to lipid peroxide-tyrosine (phenol) adducts in both aqueous micellar and organic solutions. The novel adducts were isolated and characterized by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy as well as by mass spectrometry (MS). The spectral data suggest that the polyunsaturated lipid peroxyl radicals give stable peroxide coupling products exclusively at the para position of the tyrosyl (phenoxy) radicals. These adducts have characteristic (13)C chemical shifts at 185 ppm due to the cross-conjugated carbonyl of the phenol-derived cyclohexadienone. The primary peroxide adducts subsequently undergo intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) cyclization, affording a number of diastereomeric tricyclic adducts that have characteristic carbonyl (13)C chemical shifts at ~198 ppm. All of the NMR HMBC and HSQC correlations support the structure assignments of the primary and Diels-Alder adducts, as does MS collision-induced dissociation data. Kinetic rate constants and activation parameters for the IMDA reaction were determined, and the primary adducts were reduced with cuprous ion to give a phenol-derived 4-hydroxycyclohexa-2,5-dienone. No products from adduction of peroxyls at the phenolic ortho position were found in either the primary or cuprous reduction product mixtures. These studies provide a framework for understanding the nature of lipid-protein adducts formed by peroxyl-tyrosyl radical-radical termination processes. Coupling of lipid peroxyl radicals with tyrosyl radicals leads to cyclohexenone and cyclohexadienone adducts, which are of interest in and of themselves since, as electrophiles, they are likely targets for protein nucleophiles. One consequence of lipid peroxyl reactions with tyrosyls may therefore be protein-protein cross-links via interprotein Michael adducts.

Quantitative assays for esterified oxylipins generated by immune cells

Phospholipid-esterified oxylipins include newly described families of bioactive lipids generated by lipoxygenases in immune cells. Until now, assays for their quantitation were not well developed or widely available. Here, we describe a mass spectrometric protocol that enables accurate measurement of several esterified oxylipins--in particular hydro(pero)xyeicosatetraenoic acids, hydroxyoctadecadienoic acids, hydroxydocosahexaenoic acids and keto-eicosatetraenoic acids--attached to either phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylcholine. Lipids are isolated from cells or tissue using a liquid-phase organic extraction, then analyzed by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) in multiple reaction-monitoring mode. The protocol can simultaneously monitor up to 23 species. Generation of standards takes ∼2 d. Following this, extraction of 30 samples takes ∼3 h, with LC/MS/MS run time of 50 min per sample.

Ex vivo oxidation in tissue and plasma assays of hydroxyoctadecadienoates: Z,E/E,E stereoisomer ratios

The primary products from peroxidation of linoleate in biological tissues and fluids are the hydroperoxy octadecadienoates, and the products normally assayed, after reduction of the hydroperoxides, are the corresponding hydroxy octadecadienoates (HODEs). The HODEs are found in tissues and fluids as a mixture of Z,E and E,E stereoisomers. Two regioisomeric sets of Z,E and E,E stereoisomers are normally observed with substitution at the 9- and 13-positions of the 18-carbon chain. The Z,E/E,E product ratio has proved to be a useful means for assessing the reducing capacity of the medium undergoing peroxidation. The HODE Z,E/E,E product ratios previously reported for tissues such as liver and brain vary from 0.5 to 2.0, and plasma ratios are somewhat higher, between 2.0 and 3.0. The reported literature protocols for HODE assay in tissues involve homogenization, reduction with sodium borohydride in the presence of BHT, and ester hydrolysis with KOH to give the free HODEs. This is followed by either reverse-phase HPLC of the free acid HODEs or by conversion to TMS derivatives and GC-MS. When sodium borohydride is replaced in the protocol by triphenylphosphine, a gentler reducing agent, HODE Z,E/E,E product ratios are much higher, and lower total HODE levels of are found. It is proposed that inclusion of sodium borohydride in the isolation procedures leads to ex vivo reactions that are avoided if triphenylphosphine is used as the reducing agent. Modified protocols for HODE analyses (tissue and plasma methods #2) are described that should be used for assays of tissues and fluids.

Biological activities of 7-dehydrocholesterol-derived oxysterols: implications for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is a metabolic and developmental disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding the enzyme 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (Dhcr7). This reductase catalyzes the last step in cholesterol biosynthesis, and levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), the substrate for this enzyme, are elevated in SLOS patients as a result of this defect. Our group has previously shown that 7-DHC is extremely prone to free radical autoxidation, and we identified about a dozen different oxysterols formed from oxidation of 7-DHC. We report here that 7-DHC-derived oxysterols reduce cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, some of the compounds showing activity at sub-micromolar concentrations. The reduction of cell survival is caused by a combination of reduced proliferation and induced differentiation of the Neuro2a cells. The complex 7-DHC oxysterol mixture added to control Neuro2a cells also triggers the gene expression changes that were previously identified in Dhcr7-deficient Neuro2a cells. Based on the identification of overlapping gene expression changes in Dhcr7-deficient and 7-DHC oxysterol-treated Neuro2a cells, we hypothesize that some of the pathophysiological findings in the mouse SLOS model and SLOS patients might be due to accumulated 7-DHC oxysterols.

Action of 6-amino-3-pyridinols as novel antioxidants against free radicals and oxidative stress in solution, plasma, and cultured cells

Free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Lipid peroxidation products are cytotoxic and they modify proteins and DNA bases, leading eventually to degenerative disorders. Various synthetic antioxidants have been developed and assessed for their capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress induced by free radicals. In this study, the capacity of novel 6-amino-2,4,5-trimethyl-3-pyridinols for scavenging peroxyl radicals, inhibiting plasma lipid peroxidation in vitro, and preventing cytotoxicity induced by glutamate, 6-hydroxydopamine, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridium (MPP(+) ), and hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid was assessed. It was found that they exerted higher reactivity toward peroxyl radicals and more potent activity for inhibiting the above oxidative stress than alpha-tocopherol, the most potent natural antioxidant, except against the cytotoxicity induced by MPP(+). These results suggest that the novel 6-amino-3-pyridinols may be potent antioxidants against oxidative stress.

Oxysterols from free radical chain oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol: product and mechanistic studies

Free radical chain oxidation of highly oxidizable 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), initiated by 2,2'-azobis(4-methoxy-2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), was carried out at 37 degrees C in benzene for 24 h. Fifteen oxysterols derived from 7-DHC were isolated and characterized with 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. A mechanism that involves abstraction of hydrogen atoms at C-9 and/or C-14 is proposed to account for the formation of all of the oxysterols and the reaction progress profile. In either the H-9 or H-14 mechanism, a pentadienyl radical intermediate is formed after abstraction of H-9 or H-14 by a peroxyl radical. This step is followed by the well-precedented transformations observed in peroxidation reactions of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as oxygen addition, peroxyl radical 5-exo cyclization, and S(H)i carbon radical attack on the peroxide bond. The mechanism for peroxidation of 7-DHC also accounts for the formation of numerous oxysterol natural products isolated from fungal species, marine sponges, and cactaceous species. In a cell viability test, the oxysterol mixture from 7-DHC peroxidation was found to be cytotoxic to Neuro2a neuroblastoma cells in the micromolar concentration range. We propose that the high reactivity of 7-DHC and the oxysterols generated from its peroxidation may play important roles in the pathogenesis of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, X-linked dominant chondrodysplasia punctata, and cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis, all of these being metabolic disorders characterized by an elevated level of 7-DHC.

Capture and release of alkyne-derivatized glycerophospholipids using cobalt chemistry

Alkyne-modified phospholipids can be unambiguously identified and differentiated from native species in complex mixtures by formation of dicobalthexacarbonyl complexes. This reaction is specific for alkynes and is unaffected by other glycerophospholipid-related moieties. Enrichment of cells with alkyne-derivatized fatty acids or glycerophospholipids followed by solid-phase sequestration and release is a promising new method for unequivocally monitoring individual glycerophospholipids following incorporation into cells. This technique also facilitates lipidomic analysis of substrates and products.

Rate constants for peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and sterols in solution and in liposomes

Rate constants for autoxidation propagation of several unsaturated lipids in benzene solution at 37 degrees C and in phosphatidylcholine liposomes were determined by a linoleate radical clock. This radical clock is based on competition between hydrogen atom abstraction by an intermediate peroxyl radical derived from linoleic acid that leads to a trans,cis-conjugated hydroxyoctadecadienoic product and beta-fragmentation of the same peroxyl that gives the trans,trans-product hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid. Rate constants determined by this approach in solution relative to linoleic acid (k(p) = 62 M(-1) s(-1)) were: arachidonic acid (k(p) = 197 +/- 13 M(-1) s(-1)), eicosapentaenoic acid (k(p) = 249 +/- 16 M(-1) s(-1)), docosahexaenoic acid (k(p) = 334 +/- 37 M(-1) s(-1)), cholesterol (k(p)= 11 +/- 2 M(-1) s(-1)), and 7-dehydrocholesterol (k(p)= 2260 +/- 40 M(-1) s(-1)). Free radical oxidations of multilamellar and unilamellar liposomes of various mixtures of glycerophosphatidylcholine molecular species were also carried out. In some experiments, cholesterol or 7-dehydrocholesterol was incorporated into the lipid mixture undergoing oxidation. A phosphatidylcholine bearing a linoleate ester at sn-2 was a component of each liposome peroxidation reaction and the ratio of trans,cis/trans,trans (t,c/t,t)-conjugated diene oxidation products formed from this phospholipid was determined for each oxidation reaction. This t,c/t,t-product ratio from linoleate was used to "clock" liposome constituents as hydrogen atom donors in the lipid bilayer. Application of this lipid bilayer radical clock gives relative autoxidation propagation rate constants of arachidonate (20:4), eicosapentaenoate (20:5), docosahexaenoate (22:6), and 7-dehydrocholesterol to be 115 +/- 7, 145 +/- 8, 172 +/- 13, and 832 +/- 86, respectively, a reactivity trend that parallels the one in solution. We also conclude from the liposome oxidations that linoleate peroxyl radicals at different positions on the eighteen-carbon chain (at C-9 and C-13) have different kinetic properties. This is in contrast to the results of solution oxidations of linoleate in which the C-9 and C-13 peroxyl radicals have similar reactivities. We suggest that peroxyl radical beta-scission depends on solvent polarity and the polarity of the local environment of peroxyl radicals in liposomal oxidations depends on the position of the peroxyl radical on the 18-carbon chain.

Simultaneous analysis of multiple lipid oxidation products in vivo by liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)

Free radical-induced oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs) has been linked to a number of human diseases including atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative disorders. Oxidation of PUFAs generates hydroperoxides and cyclic peroxides that are reduced to lipid alcohol, such as hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETEs), and isoprostanes (IsoPs) respectively. The IsoPs are isomers of prostaglandins that are generated from autoxidation of arachidonic acid (C20:4). Quantification of F(2)-IsoPs has been regarded as the "gold standard" to assess oxidative stress status in various human diseases. We herein report the protocol of analyzing HETEs and F(2)-IsoPs using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled to reverse phase liquid chromatography. The selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode selects the parent ion of interest in the first Quad (m/z 319 for HETE and m/z 353 for F(2)-IsoPs) and fragments it in the second while an ion characteristic of the analyte of interest is monitored in the third Quad. This highly selective technique permits the simultaneous analysis of multiple oxidation products such as the HETEs and F(2)-IsoPs. This LC-MS technique can be applied to study the free radical oxidation mechanism in vitro and assess the oxidative stress status in biological tissues and fluids.

Continuous enzymatic treatment of 4-bromophenol initiated by UV irradiation

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) can be used for the treatment of halogenated phenolic substances. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide phenols are oxidized to form polymers which undergo partial dehalogenation. However, when immobilized, the peroxidase is subject to inactivation due to blockage of the active sites by the growing polymers and to deactivation by elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide. When HRP immobilized on a novel glass-based support incorporating titanium dioxide is subjected to UV irradiation, hydrogen peroxide is produced and the nascent polymer is removed. In this work a reactor was constructed that utilized HRP immobilized on the novel support and the in situ production of hydrogen peroxide to treat 4-bromophenol as a model substrate. The system was operated for almost 17 hours with no apparent decline in activity.

Pyridine and pyrimidine analogs of acetaminophen as inhibitors of lipid peroxidation and cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase catalysis

Herein we report an investigation of the efficacy of pyridine and pyrimidine analogs of acetaminophen (ApAP) as peroxyl radical-trapping antioxidants and inhibitors of enzyme-catalyzed lipid peroxidation by cyclooxygenases (COX) and lipoxygenases (LOX). In inhibited autoxidations we find that ApAP, the common analgesic and antipyretic agent, is a very good antioxidant with a rate constant for reaction with peroxyl radicals (k(inh) = 5 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1)) that is higher than many widely-used phenolic antioxidants, such as the ubiquitous butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). This reactivity is reduced substantially upon incorporation of nitrogen into the phenolic ring, owing to an increase in the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy of pyridinols and pyrimidinols with respect to phenols. Incorporation of nitrogen into the phenolic ring of ApAP was also found to decrease its efficacy as an inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis by ovine COX-1 (oCOX-1). This is explained on the basis of an increase in its oxidation potential and its reduced reactivity as a reducing co-substrate of the peroxidase protoporphyrin. In contrast, the efficacy of ApAP as an inhibitor of lipid hydroperoxide biosynthesis by soybean LOX-1 (sLOX-1) increased upon incorporation of nitrogen into the ring, suggesting a different mechanism of inhibition dependent on the acidity of the phenolic O-H which may involve chelation of the catalytic non-heme iron atom. The greater stability of the 3-pyridinols and 5-pyrimidinols to air oxidation as compared to phenols allowed us to evaluate some electron-rich pyridinols and pyrimidinols as inhibitors of oCOX-1 and sLOX-1. While the pyridinols had the best combination of activities as antioxidants and inhibitors of oCOX-1 and sLOX-1, they were found to be more toxic than ApAP in preliminary assays in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell culture. The pyrimidinols, however, were up to 17-fold more reactive to peroxyl radicals and up to 25-fold better inhibitors of prostaglandin biosynthesis than ApAP, with similar cytotoxicities to HepG2 cells at high levels of exposure.

Dietary supplementation of omega-3 fatty acid-containing fish oil suppresses F2-isoprostanes but enhances inflammatory cytokine response in a mouse model of ovalbumin-induced allergic lung inflammation

Epidemiological and clinical evidence has suggested that increased dietary intake of fish oil containing omega-3 fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may be associated with a reduced risk of asthma. However, interventional studies on these effects have been equivocal and controversial. Free radical oxidation products of lipids and cyclooxygenases-derived prostaglandins are believed to play an important role in asthma, and fish oil supplementation may modulate the levels of these critical lipid mediators. We employed a murine model of allergic inflammation produced by sensitization to ovalbumin (OVA) to study the effects of fish oil supplementation on airway inflammation. Our studies demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids were dose dependently incorporated into mouse lung tissue after dietary supplementation. We examined the oxidative stress status by measuring the levels of isoprostanes (IsoPs), the gold standard for oxidative stress in vivo. OVA challenge caused significant increase of F(2)-IsoPs in mouse lung, suggesting an elevated level of oxidative stress. Compared to the control group, fish oil supplementation led to a significant reduction of F(2)-IsoP (from arachidonic acid) with a concomitant increase of F(3)-IsoPs (from EPA) and F(4)-IsoPs (from DHA). Surprisingly, however, fish oil supplementation enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokine IL-5 and IL-13. Furthermore, fish oil supplementation suppressed the production of pulmonary protective PGE(2) in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) while the level of urinary metabolites of the PGE(2) was increased. Our data suggest that augmented lung inflammation after fish oil supplementation may be due to the reduction of PGE(2) production in the lung and these dichotomous results bring into question the role of fish oil supplementation in the treatment of asthma.