Vanadate-stimulated NADH oxidation in plasma membrane

Decavanadate (V10 O28 6-) and oxovanadates: oxometalates with many biological activities

The decameric vanadate species V(10)O(28)(6-), also referred to as decavanadate, impact proteins, lipid structures and cellular function, and show some effects in vivo on oxidative stress processes and other biological properties. The mode of action of decavanadate in many biochemical systems depends, at least in part, on the charge and size of the species and in some cases competes with the simpler oxovanadate species. The orange decavanadate that contains 10 vanadium atoms is a stable species for several days at neutral pH, but at higher pH immediately converts to the structurally and functionally distinct lower oxovanadates such as the monomer, dimer or tetramer. Although the biological effects of vanadium are generally assumed to derive from monomeric vanadate or the vanadyl cation, we show in this review that not all effects can be attributed to these simple oxovanadate forms. This topic has not previously been reviewed although background information is available [D.C. Crans, Comments Inorg. Chem. 16 (1994) 35-76; M. Aureliano (Ed.), Vanadium Biochemistry, Research Signpost Publs., Kerala, India, 2007]. In addition to pumps, channels and metabotropic receptors, lipid structures represent potential biological targets for decavanadate and some examples have been reported. Decavanadate interact with enzymes, polyphosphate, nucleotide and inositol 3-phosphate binding sites in the substrate domain or in an allosteric site, in a complex manner. In mitochondria, where vanadium was shown to accumulate following decavanadate in vivo administration, nM concentration of decavanadate induces membrane depolarization in addition to inhibiting oxygen consumption, suggesting that mitochondria may be potential targets for decameric toxicity. In vivo effects of decavanadate in piscine models demonstrated that antioxidant stress markers, lipid peroxidation and vanadium subcellular distribution is dependent upon whether or not the solutions administered contain decavanadate. The present review summarizes the reports on biological effects of decavanadate and highlights the importance of considering decavanadate in evaluations of the biological effects of vanadium.

Decavanadate interacts with microsomal NADH oxidation system and enhances cytochrome c reduction

Oxidation of NADH with accompanying oxygen consumption (NADH:O(2) = 1:1) was observed in the combined presence of metavanadate (MV), decavanadate (DV) and microsomes. Oxygen consumption was negligible in the absence of MV, but NADH was oxidized and DV was reduced to a form of vanadyl-V(IV), colored blue like vanadyl sulfate but differed from it in having a 23-fold higher absorbance at 700 nm. DV can interact with the NADH oxidation system of microsomes as an electron acceptor, in addition to the known ferricyanide and cytochrome c. DV enhances rate of cytochrome c reduction significantly at microM concentrations. These studies indicate potential of DV as a redox intermediate.

Mitochondria as a target for decavanadate toxicity in Sparus aurata heart

In a previous in vivo study we have reported that vanadium distribution, antioxidant enzymes activity and lipid peroxidation in Sparus aurata heart are strongly dependent on the oligomeric vanadate species being administered. Moreover, it was suggested that vanadium is accumulated in mitochondria, in particular when V10 was intravenously injected. In this work we have done a comparative study of the effects of V10 and monomeric vanadate (V1) on cardiac mitochondria from S. aurata. V10 inhibits mitochondrial oxygen consumption with an IC(50) of 400 nM, while the IC(50) for V1 is 23 microM. V10 also induced mitochondrial depolarization at very low concentrations, with an IC(50) of 196 nM, and 55 microM of V1 was required to induce the same effect. Additionally, up to 5 microM V10 did inhibit neither F(0)F(1)-ATPase activity nor NADH levels and it did not affect respiratory complexes I and II, but it induced changes in the redox steady-state of complex III. It is concluded that V10 inhibits mitochondrial oxygen consumption and induces membrane depolarization more strongly than V1, pointing out that mitochondria is a toxicological target for V10 and the importance to take into account the contribution of V10 to the vanadate toxic effects.

A useful marker for evaluating tissue-engineered products: gap-junctional communication for assessment of the tumor-promoting action and disruption of cell differentiation in tissue-engineered products

An in vitro system for evaluating the safety of tissue-engineered products is a convenient because of its rapidity and low cost. On the basis of recent studies, intercellular channels called gap-junctions are considered to play an important role on the tumor-promotion stage during the tumorigenesis induced by polyurethanes. Further, we also demonstrate the significance of the intercellular communication during neuronal cell differentiation. From these results, we propose a survey of the function of the gap-junctional communication as a probable useful marker for evaluating the safety of tissue-engineered products.

NADH-dependent decavanadate reductase, an alternative activity of NADP-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase protein

The well known NADP-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) obtained from pig heart was found to oxidize NADH with accompanying consumption of oxygen (NADH:O(2)=1:1) in presence of polyvanadate. This activity of the soluble IDH-protein has the following features common with the previously described membrane-enzymes: heat-sensitive, active only with NADH but not NADPH, increased rates in acidic pH, dependence on concentrations of the enzyme, NADH, decavanadate and metavanadate (the two constituents of polyvanadate), and sensitivity to SOD and EDTA. Utilizing NADH as the electron source the IDH protein was able to reduce decavanadate but not metavanadate. This reduced form of vanadyl (V(IV)) was similar in its eight-band electron spin resonance spectrum to vanadyl sulfate but had a 20-fold higher absorbance at its 700 nm peak. This decavanadate reductase activity of the protein was sensitive to heat and was not inhibited by SOD and EDTA. The IDH protein has the additional enzymic activity of NADH-dependent decavanadate reductase and is an example of "one protein--many functions".

Inactivation of glucose oxidase by diperoxovanadate-derived oxidants

Inactivation of glucose oxidase occurred in the presence of bromide, vanadate, H(2)O(2), and phosphate (the bromide system), and this was prevented by NADH or phenol red, a bromine acceptor. Glucose oxidase present during the reaction between diperoxovanadate and a reduced form of vanadate, vanadyl (the vanadyl system), but not added after mixing the reactants, was inactivated, and this was accompanied by a loss of binding of the dye, Coomassie blue, to the protein. The transient intermediate of the type OVOOV(O(2)), known to form in these reactions and used in the oxidation of bromide ion and NADH, appears to be responsible for inactivating glucose oxidase. In both systems, the inactivation of the enzyme was prevented by histidine and DTT, known to quench singlet-oxygen. By direct measurement of 1270-nm emission of singlet-oxygen, its generation was demonstrated in the bromide system, and in the reaction of hypohalous acids with diperoxovanadate, but not in the vanadyl system. By themselves both hypohalous acids, HOCl and HOBr inactivated glucose oxidase, and their prior reaction with H(2)O(2) during which singlet-oxygen was released, protected the enzyme. The results provide support for possible oxidative inactivation of glucose oxidase by diperoxovanadate-derived oxidants.

Diperoxovanadate participates in peroxidation reactions of H2O2 in presence of abundant catalase

Vanadate forms a stable complex with H2O2 at pH 7.0 in competition with catalase and the product, diperoxovanadate, resists scavenger action of catalase. Diperoxovanadate can act as a substrate in a H2O2-user reaction, horseradish peroxidase and can take the place of H2O2 far more effectively in oxidatively inactivating glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. By forming peroxo-complexes vanadate can provide a way of preserving cellular H2O2 in presence of abundant catalase and make it available for its functions.

Decavanadate possesses alpha-adrenergic agonist activity and a structural motif common with trans-beta form of noradrenaline

Decavanadate, an inorganic polymer of vanadate, produced contraction of rat aortic rings at a relatively high concentration compared to phenylephrine, an agonist of alpha-adrenergic receptor. This effect was blocked by two known alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists, prazosin and phenoxybenzamine. Decavanadate, formed by possible dimerization of V5 under acid conditions, possessed a structural feature of two pairs of unshared oxygen atoms at a distance of 3.12 A, not found in its constituents of V4 or V5. A structural motif of O..O..O using such oxygen atoms is recognized in decavanadate. This matches with a similar motif of N..O..O that uses the essential amino and hydroxyl groups of the side-chain and the m-hydroxyl group in trans-beta form of noradrenaline. The interaction of such a structural motif with the membrane receptor is likely to be the basis of the unusual noradrenaline-mimic action of decavanadate.

Arsenic and chromium enhance transformation of bovine papillomavirus DNA-transfected C3H/10T1/2 cells

Tumor promoters such as phorbol esters, teleocidin and okadaic acid increase the numbers of multilayered, transformed foci produced by BPV DNA-transfected C3H/10T1/2 cells. We questioned whether arsenic and chromium, which are known human carcinogens also enhance transformation of BPV DNA-transfected C3H/10T1/2 cells. Cr(III) potassium sulfate at 100 microM enhanced transformation by 1.4-fold, but Cr(VI) as potassium chromate did not enhance transformation, although toxicity of potassium chromate may have prevented enhancement of transformation. Sodium arsenite (As(III) at 5 microM and sodium arsenate (As(V)) at 25 microM both enhanced neoplastic transformation by 6-fold. By comparison, in previous studies, sodium orthovanadate (V(IV)) or vanadyl sulfate (V(IV)) at 4 microM enhanced numbers of transformed foci by 25-50-fold. The comparatively strong enhancement of transformation by vanadium and phorbol esters suggests that neoplastic transformation may occur by mechanisms that are common to these compounds including alteration of tyrosine phosphorylation.

Vanadium induced hemolysis of vitamin E deficient erythrocytes in Hepes buffer

Several vanadium compounds were tested for their ability to induce in vitro hemolysis of vitamin E-deficient hamster erythrocytes. Free vanadyl caused hemolysis in Hepes buffer but not in Tris or phosphate buffer, while hemolysis was inhibited by catalase, chelators such as deferoxamine mesylate and EDTA, and hydroxyl radical scavengers such as ethanol and D-mannitol. Although metavanadate itself could not induce hemolysis, metavanadate with NAD(P)H caused hemolysis in Hepes buffer only, and superoxide dismutase prevented it. Hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical and Hepes radical were involved in vanadyl-induced hemolysis, superoxide anion was further involved in metavanadate plus NAD(P)H-induced hemolysis. Vitamin E prevented hemolysis under both conditions.

Multiple reactions in vanadyl-V(IV) oxidation by H2O2

Oxidation of vanadyl sulfate by H2O2 involves multiple reactions at neutral pH conditions. The primary reaction was found to be oxidation of V(IV) to V(V) using 0.5 equivalent of H2O2, based on the loss of blue color and the visible spectrum. The loss of V(IV) and formation V(V) compounds were confirmed by ESR and 51V-NMR spectra, respectively. In the presence of excess H2O2 (more than two equivalents), the V(V) was converted into diperoxovanadate, the major end-product of these reactions, identified by changes in absorbance in ultraviolet region and by the specific chemical shift in NMR spectrum. The stoichiometric studies on the H2O2 consumed in this reaction support the occurrence of reactions of two-electron oxidation followed by complexing two molecules of H2O2. Addition of a variety of compounds--Tris, ethanol, mannitol, benzoate, formate (hydroxyl radical quenching), histidine, imidazole (singlet oxygen-consumption that also used V(IV) as the reducing source. This reaction requires concomitant oxidation of vanadyl by H2O2, favoured at low H2O2:V(IV) ratio. Another secondary reaction of oxygen release was found to occur during vanadyl oxidation by H2O2 in acidic medium in which the end-product was not diperoxovanadate but appears to be a mixture of VO3+ (-546 ppm), VO3+ (-531 ppm) and VO2+ (-512 ppm), as shown by the 51V-NMR spectrum. This reaction also occurred in phosphate-buffered medium but only on second addition of vanadyl. The compounds that stimulated the oxygen-consumption reaction were found to inhibit the oxygen-release reaction. A combination of these reactions occur depending on the proportion of the reactants (vanadyl and H2O2), the pH of the medium and the presence of some compounds that affect the secondary reactions.

A novel phenomenon of burst of oxygen uptake during decavanadate-dependent oxidation of NADH

Oxidation of NADH by decavanadate, a polymeric form vanadate with a cage-like structure, in presence of rat liver microsomes followed a biphasic pattern. An initial slow phase involved a small rate of oxygen uptake and reduction of 3 of the 10 vanadium atoms. This was followed by a second rapid phase in which the rates of NADH oxidation and oxygen uptake increased several-fold with a stoichiometry of NADH: O2 of 1:1. The burst of NADH oxidation and oxygen uptake which occurs in phosphate, but not in Tris buffer, was prevented by SOD, catalase, histidine, EDTA, MnCl2 and CuSO4, but not by the hydroxyl radical quenchers, ethanol, methanol, formate and mannitol. The burst reaction is of a novel type that requires the polymeric structure of decavanadate for reduction of vanadium which, in presence of traces of H2O2, provides a reactive intermediate that promotes transfer of electrons from NADH to oxygen.

Polyvanadate-stimulated NADH oxidation by plasma membranes--the need for a mixture of deca and meta forms of vanadate

Polyvanadate solutions obtained by extracting vanadium pentoxide with dilute alkali over a period of several hours contained increasing amounts of decavanadate as characterized by NMR and ir spectra. Those solutions having a metavanadate:decavanadate ratio in the range of 1-5 showed maximum stimulation of NADH oxidation by rat liver plasma membranes. Reduction of decavanadate, but not metavanadate, was obtained only in the presence of the plasma membrane enzyme system. High simulation of activity of NADH oxidation was obtained with a mixture of the two forms of vanadate and this further increased on lowering the pH. Addition of increasing concentrations of decavanadate to metavanadate and vice versa increased the stimulatory activity, reaching a maximum when the metavanadate:decavanadate ratio was in the range of 1-5. Increased stimulatory activity can also be obtained by reaching these ratios by conversion of decavanadate to metavanadate by alkaline phosphate degradation, and of metavanadate to decavanadate by acidification. These studies show for the first time that both deca and meta forms of vanadate present in polyvanadate solutions are needed for maximum activity of NADH oxidation.

Interaction of rabbit muscle aldolase at high ionic strengths with vanadate and other oxoanions

Reductive, nonreductive, and photolytic interactions of vanadate with fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase were examined and used to explore the interactions of oxoanions with aldolase. Aldolase is known to interact strongly with oxoanions at low ionic strength and weakly at higher ionic strength. Oxoanions inhibit aldolase competitively with respect to fructose 1,6-bisphosphate although the location of the oxoanion binding site on aldolase remains elusive. In this work, the interaction of aldolase with a series of oxoanions was compared at ionic strength approaching physiologic levels. The size and shape of the anion were important for the effective binding to aldolase, and no significant increase in affinity for aldolase was observed by the addition of alkyl groups to the oxoanions. Vanadate competitively inhibits aldolase in a manner analogous to the other oxoanions. Since vanadate solutions contain a mixture of vanadate oxoanions, the nature of the inhibition was determined using a combination of enzyme kinetics and 51V NMR spectroscopy. Aldolase contains a significant number of thiol functionalities, and as expected, vanadate undergoes redox chemistry with them, generating an irreversibly inhibited aldolase. This oxidative chemistry was attributed to the vanadate tetramer, whereas vanadate dimer was a reversible inhibitor. Vanadate monomer does not significantly interact with aldolase reversibly or irreversibly. Vanadyl cation has the lowest inhibition constant under these high ionic strength conditions. Using Yonetani-Theorell analysis, it appears that phosphate, pyrophosphate, and sulfate bind to the same site on aldolase, whereas vanadate, arsenate, and molybdate bind to another site. UV light-induced photocleavage of aldolase by vanadate was examined, and the loss of aldolase activity was correlated with cleavage of the aldolase subunit. Further studies using vanadium as a probe should reveal details on the location of the vanadate and vanadyl cation binding sites. This study suggests several sites on aldolase will accommodate oxoanions, and one of these sites also accommodates vanadyl cation.

Vanadium redox cycling, lipid peroxidation and co-oxygenation of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol

Mechanism of lipid peroxidation triggered by vanadium in human term placental microsomes was reinvestigated in vitro. Production of lipid peroxyl radicals was estimated from co-oxygenation of benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol. Vanadyl(IV), but not vanadate(V) caused a dose-dependent co-oxygenation. Vanadate(V) required the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate to trigger co-oxygenation of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol. To determine the role of pre-formed lipid hydroperoxides, the results obtained with partially peroxidized linoleic acid were compared with those of fresh linoleate. Superoxide dismutase inhibited the co-oxygenation of reaction when fresh linoleic acid was used. To further characterize the role of superoxide anion-radical in the vanadium redox cycling, the increase of optical density of vanadate(V) dissolved in Tris buffer was measured at 328 nm during the addition of KO2. The rate of this reaction producing peroxy-vanadyl complex was decreased by superoxide dismutase, especially, in the presence of catalase. It is suggested that vanadium catalyzes two separate processes, both leading to enhanced lipid peroxidation: (i) initiation, dependent on superoxide and triggered by peroxy-vanadyl; (ii) propagation, dependent on pre-formed lipid hydroperoxide not sensitive to superoxide dismutase. It is postulated that the vanadium-triggered initiation of lipid peroxidation may be crucial for toxicity in organs with limited endogenous lipid peroxidation.

Characterization of oxygen free radicals generated during vanadate-stimulated NADH oxidation

The oxidation of NADH and accompanying reduction of oxygen to H2O2 stimulated by polyvanadate was markedly inhibited by SOD and cytochrome c. The presence of decavanadate, the polymeric form, is necessary for obtaining the microsomal enzyme-catalyzed activity. The accompanying activity of reduction of cytochrome c was found to be SOD-insensitive and therefore does not represent superoxide formation. The reduction of cytochrome c by vanadyl sulfate was also SOD-insensitive. In the presence of H2O2, all the forms of vanadate were able to oxidize reduced cytochrome c, which was sensitive to mannitol, tris and also catalase, indicating H2O2-dependent generation of hydroxyl radicals. Using ESR and spin trapping technique only hydroxyl radicals, but not superoxide anion radicals, were detected during polyvanadate-dependent NADH oxidation.

Desferrioxamine enhances the reactivity of vanadium (IV) and vanadium (V) toward ferri- and ferrocytochrome c

Ligands, especially desferrioxamine, affect the rate at which vanadium reduces or oxidizes cytochrome c. Whether reduction or oxidation occurs, and how fast, depends on the nature of the ligand, the state of reduction of the vanadium, the pH (6.0, 7.0, or 7.4), and the availability of oxygen. In general, oxidation of ferrocytochrome c was favored by (1) low pH, (2) an oxidized state of the vanadium, (3) the presence of oxygen, and (4) more strongly binding ligands (desferrioxamine much greater than histidine = ATP greater than EDTA greater than albumin greater than aquo). Thus, at pH 6.0, desferrioxamine accelerated the V(V)-catalyzed ferrocytochrome c oxidation 160-fold aerobically, and 3500-fold anaerobically. In general, strongly binding ligands slowed oxidations, especially at higher pH. Desferrioxamine was unique among the five ligands in that it not only accelerated oxidation of ferrocytochrome c at pH 6.0, but at pH 7.4 the redox balance shifted to the point where it paradoxically reduced ferricytochrome c. V(V) is an improbable electron donor, but desferrioxamine will reduce cytochrome c, and V(V) accelerates this process. Oxidation of cytochrome c by V(V):desferrioxamine was faster anaerobically, and reduction by V(IV):desferrioxamine was faster aerobically. Although V(V) did not oxidize ferrocytochrome c at pH 7.4, V(IV) did, provided oxygen and desferrioxamine were both present. V(IV):desferrioxamine almost completely reduced ferricytochrome c, and this reduction was followed by a slow, progressive oxidation. This latter oxidation of cytochrome c is mediated by active species generated in the reaction between V(IV):desferrioxamine and oxygen, because none of these reagents alone can induce oxidation at a comparable rate. The mediating species were transient, and generated in reactions with oxygen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Stimulation of NADH oxidation by xanthine oxidase and polyvanadate in presence of some dehydrogenases and flavin compounds

The rates of NADH oxidation in presence of xanthine oxidase increase to a small and variable extent on addition of high concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase and other dehydrogenases. This heat stable activity is similar to polyvanadate-stimulation with respect to pH profile and SOD sensitivity. Isocitric dehydrogenase (NADP-specific) showed heat labile, SOD-sensitive polyvanadate-stimulated NADH oxidation activity. Polyvanadate-stimulated SOD-sensitive NADH oxidation was also found to occur with riboflavin, FMN and FAD in presence of a non-specific protein, BSA, suggesting that some flavoproteins may possess this activity.

Flavoenzymes reduce vanadium(V) and molecular oxygen and generate hydroxyl radical

ESR spectroscopic evidence is presented for the formation of vanadium(IV) in the reduction of vanadium(V) by three typical, NADPH-dependent, flavoenzymes: glutathione reductase, lipoyl dehydrogenase, and ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase. The vanadium(V)-reduction mechanism appears to be an enzymatic one-electron reduction process. Addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed that the generation of vanadium(IV) does not involve the superoxide (O2-) radical significantly. Measurements under anaerobic atmosphere showed, however, that the enzymes-vanadium-NADPH mixture can cause the reduction of molecular oxygen to generate H2O2. The H2O2 and vanadium(IV) thus formed react to generate hydroxyl (.OH) radical. The .OH formation is inhibited strongly by catalase and to a lesser degree by SOD, but it is enhanced by exogenous H2O2, suggesting the occurrence of a Fenton-like reaction. The inhibition of vanadium(IV) formation by N-ethylmaleimide indicates that the SH group on the flavoenzyme's cystine residue plays an important role in the enzyme's vanadium(V) reductase function. These results thus reveal a new property of the above-mentioned, NADPH-dependent flavoenzymes--their function as vanadium(V) reductases, as well as that as generators of .OH radical in the vanadium(V) reduction mechanism.

Oxidation of NADH by vanadium: kinetics, effects of ligands and role of H2O2 or O2

The mechanism of oxidation of NADH by either vanadium(V) or vanadium(IV) was examined in the presence of reducing agents, complexing agents, and hydrogen peroxide. Reducing agents that stimulate the oxidation of NADH by V(V) include: a variety of cysteine analogues, glutathione, beta-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, and ascorbate. Complexing agents which stimulate NADH oxidation by V(V) include cystine, glutathione disulfide, and dehydroascorbate. Vanadium(IV)-dependent systems which oxidize NADH include combinations of V(IV) with cysteine or air alone. Combination of either V(V) or V(IV) with hydrogen peroxide leads to NADH oxidation. Based on kinetic analysis and the use of the diagnostic inhibitors--superoxide dismutase, catalase, albumin, mannitol, ethanol, and anaerobic conditions--we have assigned two major mechanisms of NADH oxidation. One is the previously reported mechanism which involves V(V)-superoxide as the NADH oxidant. This reaction is inhibited by superoxide dismutase and anaerobic conditions but not by catalase or ethanol. This reaction is observed for V(V) in the presence of reducing agents and complexing agents. The second reaction mechanism operates when V(IV) comes in contact with hydrogen peroxide and involves V(III)-superoxide as the NADH oxidant. This reaction is inhibited by catalase (if unligated hydrogen peroxide is an intermediate) and superoxide dismutase but not anaerobic conditions or ethanol. This mechanism is observed for reactions of V(IV) with air or hydrogen peroxide.

Characterization of vanadate-dependent NADH oxidation stimulated by Saccharomyces cerevisiae plasma membranes

Plasma membrane-stimulated vanadate-dependent NADH oxidation has been characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This activity is specific for vanadate, because molybdate, a similar metal oxide, did not substitute for vanadate in the reaction. Vanadate-dependent plasma membrane-stimulated NADH oxidation activity was dependent on the concentrations of vanadate, NADH, and NADPH and required functional plasma membranes; no stimulation occurred in the presence of boiled membranes or bovine serum albumin. The dependence of membrane-stimulated vanadate-dependent NADH oxidation was not linearly dependent on added membrane protein. The activity was abolished by the superoxide anion scavenger superoxide dismutase and was stimulated by paraquat and NADPH. These data are consistent with the previously proposed chain reaction for vanadate-dependent NADH oxidation. The role of the plasma membrane appears to be to stimulate superoxide radical formation, which is coupled to NADH oxidation by vanadate. 51V-nuclear magnetic resonance studies are consistent with the hypothesis that a phosphovanadate anhydride is the stimulatory oxyvanadium species in the phosphate buffers used at pHs 5.0 and 7.0. In phosphate buffers, compared with acetate buffers, the single vanadate resonance was shifted upfield at both pH 5.0 and pH 7.0, which is characteristic of the phosphovanadate anhydride. Since the cell contains an excess of phosphate to vanadate, the phosphovanadate anhydride may be involved in membrane-mediated vanadate-dependent NADH oxidation in vivo.

Interaction of metals with brain calmodulin purified from normal and cadmium exposed rats

Chronic exposure of cadmium (Cd) to rats (6 mg/kg body weight/day) led to a significant accumulation of Cd in brain and other organs. Calmodulin (CaM) isolated from brains of Cd exposed rats showed a decreased ability to stimulate CaM-dependent phosphodiesterase (PDE) as compared to that purified from unexposed animals. There was a dose dependent inhibition of CaM activity when CaM (from normal and Cd exposed rats) was incubated with different molar ratios of aluminium (Al3+), lead (Pb2+), manganese (Mn2+) and vanadium (V5+). Regression analysis of rat brain CaM activity versus varying metal ion concentration demonstrated negative slopes. However, CaM from the brains of Cd exposed rats was less sensitive to these metals in comparison to the normal rat brain CaM. These data suggest that CaM inhibition may be used as a biological marker of neurotoxicity and for elucidating the possible mechanism by which neurotoxic metals manifest toxic effects.

Decavanadate acts like an alpha-adrenergic agonist in redistributing protein kinase C activity

Perfusion of rat livers with polyvanadate, but not metavanadate, was found to increase in plasma membrane and decrease in cytosol protein kinase C activity, similar to that obtained with phenylephrine, an alpha-adrenergic agonist. The effect was prevented by phenoxybenzamine, but not by propranolol implicating alpha-adrenergic receptor activation. Comparison of crystal structures of decavanadate and nonadrenaline revealed the occurrence of a structural feature of O-O-O(N) with distances of 5.5 A and 2.9 A.

Impaired insulin action but normal insulin receptor activity in diabetic rat liver: effect of vanadate

In vivo insulin resistance is a characteristic of the liver and peripheral tissues in 10-wk-old female rats with non-insulin-dependent diabetes induced by streptozotocin given on day 5 after birth. Oral administration of vanadate (0.2 mg/ml) for 20 days in the diabetic rats lowered their plasma glucose levels to normal values without affecting their basal plasma insulin levels. In the basal state as well as after submaximal or maximal hyperinsulinemia (euglycemic clamp studies), peripheral glucose utilization and hepatic glucose production in vivo were normalized in the diabetic rats after the vanadate treatment. In wheat germ agglutinin purified receptors, 125I-labeled porcine insulin binding, basal and insulin-stimulated insulin receptor kinase activities for both the autophosphorylation of the beta-subunit and the phosphorylation of the artificial substrate poly (Glu-Tyr) 4:1, were found identical in diabetic and control rats, treated or not with vanadate. Liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity was significantly enhanced in untreated diabetic rats (P less than 0.01) as compared with control rats and returned to normal values after the 20-day vanadate treatment. Thus, in that model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes, 1) oral vanadate exerts a corrective insulin-like effect on impaired insulin action both at the level of liver and peripheral tissues, 2) impaired insulin action with no alteration of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase is observed in the liver of untreated rats, and 3) corrective effect of vanadate on liver glucose metabolism is probably distal to the insulin receptor kinase activity.

An assessment of the genotoxicity of vanadium

The activities of vanadium oxide (V2O3), vanadyl sulfate (VOSO4) and ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) in inducing sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations (CAb) were assayed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The toxic concentrations (TC50) for these compounds were found to be 25, 23 and 16 micrograms elemental vanadium/ml, respectively. At does 1/50-1/4 TC50, vanadium compounds were able to induce significant increases (P less than 0.01) in the SCE frequency with or without the addition of rat hepatic S9 mix. These compounds also induced CAb in the cells at doses closely equivalent to the TC50.

Superoxide-driven NAD(P)H oxidation induced by EDTA-manganese complex and mercaptoethanol

A purely chemical system for NAD(P)H oxidation to biologically active NAD(P)+ has been developed and characterized. Suitable amounts of EDTA, manganous ions and mercaptoethanol, combined at physiological pH, induce nucleotide oxidation through a chain length also involving molecular oxygen, which eventually undergoes quantitative reduction to hydrogen peroxide. Mn2+ is specifically required for activity, while both EDTA and mercaptoethanol can be replaced by analogs. Optimal molar ratios of chelator/metal ion (2:1) yield an active coordination compound which catalyzes thiol autoxidation to thiyl radical. The latter is further oxidized to disulfide by molecular oxygen whose one-electron reduction generates superoxide radical. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibits both thiol oxidation and oxygen consumption as well as oxidation of NAD(P)H if present in the mixture. A tentative scheme for the chain length occurring in the system is proposed according to stoichiometry of reactions involved. Two steps appear of special importance in nucleotide oxidation: (a) the supposed transient formation of NAD(P). from the reaction between NAD(P)H and thiyl radicals; (b) the oxidation of the reduced complex by superoxide to keep thiol oxidation cycling.

Hydroxyl radicals is not a significant intermediate in the vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NAD(P)H by O2

The vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NADH by an enzymatic flux of O2- is inhibited by superoxide dismutase, but not by catalase. Keller et al. (1989, Free Radical Biol. Med. 6, 15-22) observed inhibition by catalase presumably because they used a commercial preparation contaminated with superoxide dismutase. Their proposal, that H2O2 and hydroxyl radical play significant roles in vanadate-stimulation of NAD(P)H oxidation, may be discounted on the basis of these and of previously reported results.

Stimulation of tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation and phosphatidylinositol phosphorylation by orthovanadate in rat liver plasma membrane

Orthovanadate stimulated the incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP by Triton X-100-solubilized rat liver plasma membrane into endogenous, trichloroacetic acid-precipitable materials as well as added (Glu4:Tyr1) copolymers. Extraction of incubation mixture with chloroform-methanol-HCl revealed that the increase in 32P incorporation by vanadate was predominantly into endogenous phospholipids. [32P]Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns-4-P) was identified by thin-layer chromatography as the major phosphorylated product of vanadate stimulation, which also resulted in elevated 32P, predominantly in P-Tyr in endogenous membrane proteins. Vanadate effects on protein tyrosine and phosphatidylinositol phosphorylation were concomitant and exhibited similar sensitivity. These effects of vanadate were enhanced by the presence of either dithiothreitol or NAD(P)H. Phosphatidylinositol phosphorylation could also be stimulated by a substrate of and inhibited by a synthetic inhibitory copolymer of tyrosine kinase. These results suggest that vanadate, an oxygen radical producer, stimulates a tyrosine kinase-PtdIns kinase coupled system much like those described for a number of growth factors and oncogene encoded products.

Vanadate-mediated oxidation of NADH: description of an in vitro system requiring ascorbate and phosphate

Oxidation of NADH has been observed in an in vitro system requiring NADH, vanadate, ascorbate, and phosphate. Similar results were observed with NADPH. Ascorbate provides the reducing equivalents necessary to reduce vanadate to vanadyl. Vanadyl autoxidizes producing superoxide which initiates a free radical chain reaction resulting in oxidation of NADH. Oxidation is inhibited by superoxide dismutase but not by catalase or ethanol. Ascorbate functions to initiate the free radical chain reaction but is not required in stoichiometric concentrations. At higher concentrations, ascorbate inhibits NADH oxidation. Inorganic phosphate was required for NADH oxidation. Dialysis of phosphate buffers against solutions containing apoferritin or conalbumin or addition of transition metal cations or chelators to the reaction medium did not alter dependence on phosphate. Phosphate and vanadate were interchangeable in their effects on kinetic parameters of NADH oxidation except that vanadate was 100 times more potent than phosphate. Vanadate participates directly in the initiating and propagating redox reactions of NADH oxidation. Phosphate may be important in lowering the energy of activation for the necessary transfer of hydronium ion and water in the transition state between vanadate anion and vanadyl cation.

Vanadate-dependent NAD(P)H oxidation by microsomal enzymes

Vanadate-dependent NAD(P)H oxidation, catalyzed by rat liver microsomes and microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (P450 reductase) and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (b5 reductase), was investigated. These enzymes and intact microsomes catalyzed NAD(P)H oxidation in the presence of either ortho- or polyvanadate. Antibody to P450 reductase inhibited orthovanadate-dependent NADPH oxidation catalyzed by either purified P450 reductase or rat liver microsomes and had no effect on the rates of NADH oxidation catalyzed by b5 reductase. NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase catalyzed orthovanadate-dependent NADPH oxidation five times faster than NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase catalyzed NADH oxidation. Orthovanadate-dependent oxidation of either NADPH or NADH, catalyzed by purified reductases or rat liver microsomes, occurred in an anaerobic system, which indicated that superoxide is not an obligate intermediate in this process. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibited orthovanadate, but not polyvanadate-mediated, enzyme-dependent NAD(P)H oxidation. SOD also inhibited when pyridine nucleotide oxidation was conducted anaerobically, suggesting that SOD inhibits vanadate-dependent NAD(P)H oxidation by a mechanism independent of scavenging of O2-.

In vivo insulin resistance in streptozotocin-diabetic rats--evidence for reversal following oral vanadate treatment

Hepatic glucose production and peripheral glucose utilisation were measured in vivo with the euglycaemic-hyper-insulinaemic clamp technique in rats rendered severely diabetic with streptozotocin (45 mg/kg) and in control rats. The rats were studied in the post-absorptive state while anaesthetised. The basal glucose production and glucose utilisation were significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in diabetic rats 9 days after streptozotocin administration. During the clamp studies, suppression of glucose production by the liver induced by submaximal or maximal insulin levels was significantly less (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.001 respectively) effective in diabetic rats as compared to control rats. Glucose utilisation was significantly lower following both submaximal (p less than 0.01) or maximal (p less than 0.001) hyperinsulinaemia as compared to control rats. Oral administration of vanadate (0.2 mg/ml in drinking water) for a 20-day period in diabetic rats lowered their plasma glucose levels to normal near values within 4 days, normalised plasma insulin levels, and increased pancreatic insulin stores. The rate of glucose disappearance (K value) and in vivo glucose-induced insulin secretion as estimated during an i.v. glucose tolerance test were not significantly improved. In control rats, vanadate treatment did not significantly affect any of the above parameters. In vanadate treated diabetic rats, basal glucose production was normalised. Following submaximal or maximal hyperinsulinaemia, glucose production was suppressed normally. Basal glucose utilisation was restored and returned to normal values during submaximal hyperinsulinaemia. However, during maximal hyperinsulinaemia, glucose utilisation still remained significantly lower (p less than 0.05) as compared to vanadate-treated control rats. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mechanisms that produce rapid damage to myofilaments of amphibian skeletal muscle

The system causing myofilament damage is separate from the phospholipase A2 pathway, Ca activation of which ultimately causes sarcolemma breakdown in muscle cells. Mitochondrial agents cause myofilament damage in saponin-skinned frog pectoris cutaneous muscle when [Ca] = 0. There are parallels with other systems that generate oxygen radicals. However, a variety of protectors against oxygen radicals, or anoxia, failed to protect; Ca-activated damage was not augmented by diethylthiocarbamate, nor was it accompanied by a respiratory burst. Thus, there is no firm evidence implicating oxygen radicals in myofilament damage. Thiol-oxidizing agents cause contraction damage in skinned muscle that resembles the quasirigor induced in myosin by N-ethylmaleimide. Activation of transmembrane dehydrogenases and electron flow produced damage and increased Ca sensitivity in skinned muscle, and it is suggested that this enzyme system may be implicated in characteristic damage to the myofilaments via redox cycling and modification of sulphydryl groups; its possible location on the sarcoplasmic reticulum is discussed.

Effects of vanadate on the oxidation of NADH by xanthine oxidase

Vanadate (V(V)) stimulates the oxidation of NADH by xanthine oxidase and superoxide dismutase eliminates the effect of V(V). Paraquat stimulates both the oxidation of NADH by xanthine oxidase and the V(V) enhancement of that oxidation. Xanthine, which is a better substrate for xanthine oxidase than is NADH, causes a V(V)-dependent co-oxidation of NADH which is transient and eliminated by SOD. Urate inhibits the V(V)-stimulated oxidation of NADH by xanthine oxidase or by Rose Bengal plus light. Measurement of rates of both O2- production and V(V)-stimulated NADH oxidation showed that many molecules of NADH were oxidized per O2-. These chain lengths were an inverse function of overall reaction rate. Minimum chain lengths, calculated on the basis of 100% univalent reduction of O2 to O2-, were smaller than measured average chain lengths by a factor of five. All of these results are in accord with the view that V(V) does not directly affect the activity of the enzyme, but rather catalyzes the free radical chain oxidation of NADH by O2-. It was further shown that phosphate was not involved and that the active form of V(V) was orthovanadate, rather than decavanadate.

Importance of hydroxyl radical in the vanadium-stimulated oxidation of NADH

Vanadium compounds are known to stimulate the oxidation of NAD(P)H, but the mechanism remains unclear. This reaction was studied spectrophotometrically and by electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) using vanadium in the reduced state (+4, vanadyl) and the oxidized state (+5, vanadate). In 25 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.4, vanadyl was slightly more effective in stimulating NADH oxidation than was vanadate. Addition of a superoxide generating system, xanthine/xanthine oxidase, resulted in a marked increase in NADH oxidation by vanadyl, and to a lesser extent, by vanadate. Decreasing the pH with superoxide present increased NADH oxidation for both vanadate and vanadyl. Addition of hydrogen peroxide to the reaction mixture did not change the NADH oxidation by vanadate, regardless of concentration or pH. With vanadyl however, addition of hydrogen peroxide greatly enhanced NADH oxidation which further increased with lower pH. Use of the spin trap DMPO in reaction mixtures containing vanadyl and hydrogen peroxide or a superoxide generating system resulted in the detection by ESR of hydroxyl. In each case, the hydroxyl radical signal intensity increased with vanadium concentration. Catalase was able to inhibit the formation of the DMPO--OH adduct formed by vanadate plus superoxide. These results show that the ability of vanadium to act in a Fenton-type reaction is an important process in the vanadium-stimulated oxidation of NADH.

Vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NAD(P)H

Vanadate stimulates the oxidation of NAD(P)H by biological membranes because such membranes contain NAD(P)H oxidases which are capable of reducing dioxygen to O2- and because vanadate catalyzes the oxidation of NAD(P)H by O2-, by a free radical chain mechanism. Dihydropyridines, such as reduced nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMNH), which are not substrates for membrane-associated NAD(P)H oxidases, are not oxidized by membranes plus vanadate unless NAD(P)H is present to serve as a source of O2-. When [NMNH] greatly exceeds [NAD(P)H], in such reaction mixtures, one can observe the oxidation of many molecules of NMNH per NAD(P)H consumed. This reflects the chain length of the free radical chain mechanism. We have discussed the mechanism and significance of this process and have tried to clarify the pertinent but confusing literature.

Occurrence of lipid peroxidation in brain microsomes in the presence of NADH and vanadate

Oxidation of NADH by rat brain microsomes was stimulated severalfold on addition of vanadate. During the reaction, vanadate was reduced, oxygen was consumed, and H2O2 was generated with a stoichiometry of 1:1 for NADH/O2, as in the case of other membranes. Extra oxygen was found to be consumed over that needed for H2O2 generation specifically when brain microsomes were used. This appears to be due to the peroxidation of lipids known to be accompanied by a large consumption of oxygen. Occurrence of lipid peroxidation in brain microsomes in the presence of NADH and vanadate has been demonstrated. This activity was obtained specifically with the polymeric form of vanadate and with NADH, and was inhibited by the divalent cations Cu2+, Mn2+, and Ca2+, by dihydroxyphenolic compounds, and by hemin in a concentration-dependent fashion. In the presence of a small concentration of vanadate, addition of an increasing concentration of Fe2+ gave increasing lipid peroxidation. After undergoing lipid peroxidation in the presence of NADH and vanadate, the binding of quinuclidinyl benzylate, a muscarinic antagonist, to brain membranes was decreased.

Superoxide is responsible for the vanadate stimulation of NAD(P)H oxidation by biological membranes

Vandate augments the oxidation of NAD(P)H, but not of NMNH, by rat liver microsomes. Paraquat increases the vanadate effect on NADPH, but not on NADH, oxidation. Substoichiometric levels of NADPH caused the co-oxidation of NADH or NMNH and SOD inhibited in all cases. The ratio of NADH or NMNH co-oxidized per NADPH added allowed estimation of average chain length, which increased as the pH was lowered from 8.0 to 7.1. The initial rate of this co-oxidation of NMNH was a saturating function of the concentration of microsomes, reflecting a decrease in chain length with an increase in number of concomitant reaction chains, and due to increasing radical-radical termination reactions. Mitochondrial outer membranes behaved like the microsomal membranes, but mitochondrial inner membranes catalyzed a rapid oxidation of NADH which could be augmented by vanadate, whose action was enhanced by paraquat and inhibited by antimycin or rotenone. These and related observations support the view that vanadate stimulates NAD(P)H oxidation by biological membranes, not by virtue of interacting with enzymes, but rather by interacting with O-2.

A study on the mechanism of the vanadate-dependent NADH oxidation

The mechanism of the vanadate (V(V]-dependent oxidation of NADH was different in phosphate buffers and in phosphate-free media. In phosphate-free media (aqueous medium or HEPES buffer) the vanadyl (V(IV] generated by the direct V(V)-dependent oxidation of NADH formed a complex with V(V). In phosphate buffers V(IV) autoxidized instead of forming a complex with V(V). The generated superoxide radical (O2-) initiated, in turn, a high-rate free radical chain oxidation of NADH. Phosphate did not stimulate the V(V)-dependent NADH oxidation catalyzed by O2--generating systems. Monovanadate proved to be a stronger catalyzer of NADH oxidation as compared to polyvanadate.