Conformation inversion of bilirubin formed by reduction of the biliverdin-human serum albumin complex: evidence from circular dichroism

Effects of Heme Site (FA1) Ligands Bilirubin, Biliverdin, Hemin, and Methyl Orange on the Albumin Binding of Site I Marker Warfarin: Complex Allosteric Interactions

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant plasma protein in circulation. The three most important drug-binding sites on HSA are Sudlow's Site I (subdomain IIA), Sudlow's Site II (subdomain IIIA), and Heme site (subdomain IB). Heme site and Site I are allosterically coupled; therefore, their ligands may be able to allosterically modulate the binding affinity of each other. In this study, the effects of four Heme site ligands (bilirubin, biliverdin, hemin, and methyl orange) on the interaction of the Site I ligand warfarin with HSA were tested, employing fluorescence spectroscopic, ultrafiltration, and ultracentrifugation studies. Our major results/conclusions are the following. (1) Quenching studies indicated no relevant interaction, while the other fluorescent model used suggested that each Heme site ligand strongly decreases the albumin binding of warfarin. (2) Ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation studies demonstrated the complex modulation of warfarin-HSA interaction by the different Heme site markers; for example, bilirubin strongly decreased while methyl orange considerably increased the bound fraction of warfarin. (3) Fluorescence spectroscopic studies showed misleading results in these diligand-albumin interactions. (4) Different Heme site ligands can increase or decrease the albumin binding of warfarin and the outcome can even be concentration dependent (e.g., biliverdin and hemin).

Chiral recognition of bilirubin and biliverdin in liposomes and micelles

The structural formula of biologically important chiral pigments bilirubin and biliverdin differs only by one double bond. We showed that this results in dissimilar interactions with two models of membranes: cationic liposomes composed of 3β-[N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl]cholesterol and zwitterionic micelles from 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS). While the liposomes recognized the P-form of bilirubin, the micelles recognized its M-form. Both recognized the P-form of biliverdin. Our study also comprised ternary systems consisting of the pigments, model membranes and serum albumin (human and bovine). Bilirubin preferentially interacted with the albumins even in the presence of the liposomes. On the other hand, biliverdin preferred the liposomes. Remarkably, the presence of CHAPS completely changed the biliverdin binding to the protein. Because our study was oriented on different chiral interactions, a chiroptical method of electronic circular dichroism was chosen as the principal method to study our systems. As complementary methods, UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission were used.

Phycocyanobilin, a bioactive tetrapyrrolic compound of blue-green alga Spirulina, binds with high affinity and competes with bilirubin for binding on human serum albumin

High affinity, stereo-selective binding of phycocyanobilinM-conformer to HSA, and its competition with bilirubin, warfarin and hemin for the binding to protein.

The effect of pH on the initial rate kinetics of the dimeric biliverdin-IXalpha reductase from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803

Biliverdin-IXalpha reductase from Synechocystis PCC6803 (sBVR-A) is a stable dimer and this behaviour is observed under a range of conditions. This is in contrast to all other forms of BVR-A, which have been reported to behave as monomers, and places sBVR-A in the dihydrodiol dehydrogenase/N-terminally truncated glucose-fructose oxidoreductase structural family of dimers. The cyanobacterial enzyme obeys an ordered steady-state kinetic mechanism at pH 5, with NADPH being the first to bind and NADP(+) the last to dissociate. An analysis of the effect of pH on k(cat) with NADPH as cofactor reveals a pK of 5.4 that must be protonated for effective catalysis. Analysis of the effect of pH on k(cat)/K(m)(NADPH) identifies pK values of 5.1 and 6.1 in the free enzyme. Similar pK values are identified for biliverdin binding to the enzyme-NADPH complex. The lower pK values in the free enzyme (pK 5.1) and enzyme-NADPH complex (pK 4.9) are not evident when NADH is the cofactor, suggesting that this ionizable group may interact with the 2'-phosphate of NADPH. His84 is implicated as a crucial residue for sBVR-A activity because the H84A mutant has less than 1% of the activity of the wild-type and exhibits small but significant changes in the protein CD spectrum. Binding of biliverdin to sBVR-A is conveniently monitored by following the induced CD spectrum for biliverdin. Binding of biliverdin to wild-type sBVR-A induces a P-type spectrum. The H84A mutant shows evidence for weak binding of biliverdin and appears to bind a variant of the P-configuration. Intriguingly, the Y102A mutant, which is catalytically active, binds biliverdin in the M-configuration.

In situ circular dichroic electrochemical study of bilirubin and bovine serum albumin complex

The electrooxidation of bilirubin (BR) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) complexes was studied by in situ circular dichroism (CD) spectroelectrochemistry. The result showed that the mechanism of the whole electrooxidation process of this complex corresponded to electrochemical processes (EE mechanism) in aqueous solution. Some parameters of the process were obtained by double logarithm method, differential method and nonlinear regression method. In visible region, CD spectra of the two enantiomeric components of the complex and their fraction distribution against applied potentials were obtained by singular value decomposition least-square (SVDLS) method. Meanwhile, the distribution of the five components of secondary structure was also obtained by the same method in far-UV region. The peak potential gotten from EE mechanism corresponds to a turning point for the component transition, beyond which the whole reaction reaches a new equilibrium. Under applied positive potentials, the enantiomeric equilibrium between M and P form is broken and M form transfers to its enantiomer of P, while the fraction of alpha-helix increases and that improves the transition to P form.

Selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by C-phycocyanin, a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis

We report data from two related assay systems (isolated enzyme assays and whole blood assays) that C-phycocyanin a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis is a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with a very low IC(50) COX-2/IC(50) COX-1 ratio (0.04). The extent of inhibition depends on the period of preincubation of phycocyanin with COX-2, but without any effect on the period of preincubation with COX-1. The IC(50) value obtained for the inhibition of COX-2 by phycocyanin is much lower (180 nM) as compared to those of celecoxib (255 nM) and rofecoxib (401 nM), the well-known selective COX-2 inhibitors. In the human whole blood assay, phycocyanin very efficiently inhibited COX-2 with an IC(50) value of 80 nM. Reduced phycocyanin and phycocyanobilin, the chromophore of phycocyanin are poor inhibitors of COX-2 without COX-2 selectivity. This suggests that apoprotein in phycocyanin plays a key role in the selective inhibition of COX-2. The present study points out that the hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-arthritic properties of phycocyanin reported in the literature may be due, in part, to its selective COX-2 inhibitory property, although its ability to efficiently scavenge free radicals and effectively inhibit lipid peroxidation may also be involved.

C-phycocyanin: a potent peroxyl radical scavenger in vivo and in vitro

C-Phycocyanin (from Spirulina platensis) effectively inhibited CCl(4)-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver in vivo. Both native and reduced phycocyanin significantly inhibited peroxyl radical-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes and the inhibition was concentration dependent with an IC(50) of 11.35 and 12.7 microM, respectively. The radical scavenging property of phycocyanin was established by studying its reactivity with peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals and also by competition kinetics of crocin bleaching. These studies have demonstrated that phycocyanin is a potent peroxyl radical scavenger with an IC(50) of 5.0 microM and the rate constant ratios obtained for phycocyanin and uric acid (a known peroxyl radical scavenger) were 1.54 and 3.5, respectively. These studies clearly suggest that the covalently linked chromophore, phycocyanobilin, is involved in the antioxidant and radical scavenging activity of phycocyanin.

Spectroscopic probes of the individual and combined effects of Triton X-100 and chloroform on serum albumins and serum-albumin.bilirubin complexes

The effects of the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 on the biphasic induced CD spectra of bilirubin complexes of human and bovine serum albumins (HSA and BSA) are divergent. While Triton X-100 inverts the induced CD spectrum of HSA.bilirubin, this surfactant enhances the ellipticity values of induced CD of BSA.bilirubin without inversion. The effect of Triton X-100 on the characteristic ultraviolet-CD spectra of the albumins are similar; both the albumins are denatured from their native globular structures. The anionic surfactant SDS, unlike non-ionic Triton X-100, dislodges the ligand from its protein complexes, indicating that both electrostatic and hydrophobic forces are involved in binding of bilirubin to the albumins. The aprotic solvent chloroform inverts the biphasic induced CD spectra of HSA.bilirubin and BSA.bilirubin, whereas CHCl3 has relatively little effect on the ultraviolet CD spectra of the albumins. The combined effect of Triton X-100 and CHCl3 shows that the effect of CHCl3 predominates over that of Triton X-100. The perturbing effects of Triton X-100 and CHCl3 on the CD or induced CD spectra of the proteins or their bilirubin complexes are reversible, and independent of the order in which components were added. The observations suggest that the denaturation of the albumins by Triton X-100 or solvation of CHCl3 within albumins markedly alter the internal topography or dynamics of the receptor sites, triggering alterations of the chirality of the bound pigment in sign and/or magnitude.

Electrochemical reduction of the biliverdin-serum albumin complex as monitored by absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy

The cathodic reduction at the mercury electrode of a biliverdin IX alpha-serum albumin complex at physiological pH in an aqueous buffer containing percentages of DMSO ranging from 4% to 20% is studied by cyclic voltametry and controlled potential coulometry. The progression of pigment disappearance and the (stereochemical) nature of the product are monitored by chromatography, UV-visible absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Upon reduction, albumin-bound biliverdin IX alpha, with a slight preference for the P-helicity, affords the corresponding bound bilirubin IX alpha -with an M-chirality conformation. The complex is reduced at -0.64 V (vs. SCE; 8% DMSO), only a little shifted compared to reduction of free biliverdin IX alpha under the same conditions. In contrast, an analogous bilirubin IX alpha-serum albumin complex is essentially inert towards cathodic reduction under conditions where free bilirubin IX alpha is reduced, indicating a better shielding by the protein of the bilirubin IX alpha molecule from the electrode surface. The presence of relative position (as in the biliverdins IX alpha and XIII alpha) or absence (as in mesobiliverdin IX alpha) of vinyl groups in the pigment does not have a significant effect upon its electroreduction behaviour, indicating that the process is not sensitive to the subtle differences imposed by vinyl groups upon the structure of the corresponding biliverdin-albumin complexes.