Glutathione peroxidase-like antioxidant activity of diaryl diselenides: a mechanistic study

Functional mimics of glutathione peroxidase: bioinspired synthetic antioxidants

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the biological system's ability to detoxify these reactive intermediates. Mammalian cells have elaborate antioxidant defense mechanisms to control the damaging effects of ROS. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), a selenoenzyme, plays a key role in protecting the organism from oxidative damage by catalyzing the reduction of harmful hydroperoxides with thiol cofactors. The selenocysteine residue at the active site forms a "catalytic triad" with tryptophan and glutamine, which activates the selenium moiety for an efficient reduction of peroxides. After the discovery that ebselen, a synthetic organoselenium compound, mimics the catalytic activity of GPx both in vitro and in vivo, several research groups developed a number of small-molecule selenium compounds as functional mimics of GPx, either by modifying the basic structure of ebselen or by incorporating some structural features of the native enzyme. The synthetic mimics reported in the literature can be classified in three major categories: (i) cyclic selenenyl amides having a Se-N bond, (ii) diaryl diselenides, and (iii) aromatic or aliphatic monoselenides. Recent studies show that ebselen exhibits very poor GPx activity when aryl or benzylic thiols such as PhSH or BnSH are used as cosubstrates. Because the catalytic activity of each GPx mimic largely depends on the thiol cosubstrates used, the difference in the thiols causes the discrepancies observed in different studies. In this Account, we demonstrate the effect of amide and amine substituents on the GPx activity of various organoselenium compounds. The existence of strong Se···O/N interactions in the selenenyl sulfide intermediates significantly reduces the GPx activity. These interactions facilitate an attack of thiol at selenium rather than at sulfur, leading to thiol exchange reactions that hamper the formation of catalytically active selenol. Therefore, any substituent capable of enhancing the nucleophilic attack of thiol at sulfur in the selenenyl sulfide state would enhance the antioxidant potency of organoselenium compounds. Interestingly, replacement of the sec-amide substituent by a tert-amide group leads to a weakening of Se···O interactions in the selenenyl sulfide intermediates. This modification results in 10- to 20-fold enhancements in the catalytic activities. Another strategy involving the replacement of tert-amide moieties by tert-amino substituents further increases the activity by 3- to 4-fold. The most effective modification so far in benzylamine-based GPx mimics appears to be either the replacement of a tert-amino substituent by a sec-amino group or the introduction of an additional 6-methoxy group in the phenyl ring. These strategies can contribute to a remarkable enhancement in the GPx activity. In addition to enhancing catalytic activity, a change in the substituents near the selenium moiety alters the catalytic mechanisms. The mechanistic investigations of functional mimics are useful not only for understanding the complex chemistry at the active site of GPx but also for designing and synthesizing novel antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.

Fine structures of 8-G-1-(p-YC6H4C identical with CSe)C10H6 (G = H, Cl, and Br) in crystals and solutions: ethynyl influence and Y- and G-dependences

Fine structures of 8-G-1-(p-YC₆H₄C ≡ CSe)C₁₀H₆ [1 (G = H) and 2 (G = Cl): Y = H (a), OMe (b), Me (c), F (d), Cl (e), CN (f), and NO₂ (g)] are determined by the X-ray analysis. Structures of 1, 2, and 3 (G = Br) are called A if each Se–C_sp bond is perpendicular to the naphthyl plane, whereas they are B when the bond is placed on the plane. Structures are observed as A for 1a–c bearing Y of nonacceptors, whereas they are B for 1e–g with Y of strong acceptors. The change in the structures of 1e–g versus those of 1a–c is called Y-dependence in 1. The Y-dependence is very specific in 1 relative to 1-(p-YC₆H₄Se)C₁₀H₇ (4) due to the ethynyl group: the Y-dependence in 1 is almost inverse to the case of 4 due to the ethynyl group. We call the specific effect “Ethynyl Influence.” Structures of 2 are observed as B: the A-type structure of 1b changes dramatically to B of 2b by G = Cl at the 8-position, which is called G-dependence. The structures of 2 and 3 are examined in solutions based on the NMR parameters.

Antioxidant activity of sulfur and selenium: a review of reactive oxygen species scavenging, glutathione peroxidase, and metal-binding antioxidant mechanisms

It is well known that oxidation caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a major cause of cellular damage and death and has been implicated in cancer, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases. Small-molecule antioxidants containing sulfur and selenium can ameliorate oxidative damage, and cells employ multiple antioxidant mechanisms to prevent this cellular damage. However, current research has focused mainly on clinical, epidemiological, and in vivo studies with little emphasis on the antioxidant mechanisms responsible for observed sulfur and selenium antioxidant activities. In addition, the antioxidant properties of sulfur compounds are commonly compared to selenium antioxidant properties; however, sulfur and selenium antioxidant activities can be quite distinct, with each utilizing different antioxidant mechanisms to prevent oxidative cellular damage. In the present review, we discuss the antioxidant activities of sulfur and selenium compounds, focusing on several antioxidant mechanisms, including ROS scavenging, glutathione peroxidase, and metal-binding antioxidant mechanisms. Findings of several recent clinical, epidemiological, and in vivo studies highlight the need for future studies that specifically focus on the chemical mechanisms of sulfur and selenium antioxidant behavior.

Synthesis of telluroamino acid derivatives with remarkable GPx like activity

A series of modular telluroamino acid derivatives with remarkable GPx-like behavior was prepared in an efficient and short two-step synthesis.

Antioxidant activity of the new thiosulfinate derivative, S-benzyl phenylmethanethiosulfinate, from Petiveria alliacea L

The antioxidant effects of the new thiosulfinate derivative, S-benzyl phenylmethanethiosulfinate (BPT), against the oxidation of cumene and methyl linoleate (ML) in chlorobenzene were studied in detail using HPLC. The results showed that BPT provided effective inhibition with a well-defined induction period under these oxidation conditions, and it was found that the stoichiometric factor (n), the number of peroxyl radicals trapped by one antioxidant molecule, of BPT is about 2. We then undertook a thorough investigation aimed at elucidating the active structural site of BPT. Various model compounds, such as diphenyl disulfide, dibenzyl disulfide, S-phenyl benzenethiosulfinate and S-ethyl phenylmethanethiosulfinate, were used which provided evidence that the benzylic hydrogen of BPT is mainly associated with the peroxyl radical scavenging. Moreover, we measured the rate constant for the reaction of BPT with peroxyl radicals derived from cumene and ML in chlorobenzene, and based on these measurements, BPT reacts with these peroxyl radicals with a rate constant of k(inh) = 8.6 x 10(3) and 6.2 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1), respectively.