Stimulation of translation by reactive oxygen species in a cell-free system

Mining the thiol proteome for sulfenic acid modifications reveals new targets for oxidation in cells

Oxidation of cysteine to sulfenic acid has emerged as a biologically relevant post-translational modification with particular importance in redox-mediated signal transduction; however, the identity of modified proteins remains largely unknown. We recently reported DAz-1, a cell-permeable chemical probe capable of detecting sulfenic acid modified proteins directly in living cells. Here we describe DAz-2, an analogue of DAz-1 that exhibits significantly improved potency in vitro and in cells. Application of this new probe for global analysis of the sulfenome in a tumor cell line identifies most known sulfenic acid modified proteins: 14 in total, plus more than 175 new candidates, with further testing confirming oxidation in several candidates. The newly identified proteins have roles in signal transduction, DNA repair, metabolism, protein synthesis, redox homeostasis, nuclear transport, vesicle trafficking, and ER quality control. Cross-comparison of these results with those from disulfide, S-glutathionylation, and S-nitrosylation proteomes reveals moderate overlap, suggesting fundamental differences in the chemical and biological basis for target specificity. The combination of selective chemical enrichment and live-cell compatibility makes DAz-2 a powerful new tool with the potential to reveal new regulatory mechanisms in signaling pathways and identify new therapeutic targets.

Glutathione depletion in immortalized midbrain-derived dopaminergic neurons results in increases in the labile iron pool: implications for Parkinson's disease

Glutathione depletion is one of the earliest detectable events in the Parkinsonian substantia nigra (SN), but whether it is causative for ensuing molecular events associated with the disease is unknown. Here we report that reduction in levels of glutathione in immortalized midbrain-derived dopaminergic neurons results in increases in the cellular labile iron pool (LIP). This increase is independent of either iron regulatory protein/iron regulatory element (IRP/IRE) or hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) induction but is both H(2)0(2) and protein synthesis-dependent. Our findings suggest a novel mechanistic link between dopaminergic glutathione depletion and increased iron levels based on translational activation of TfR1. This may have important implications for neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson's disease in which both glutathione reduction and iron elevation have been implicated.

Sustained Hydrogen Peroxide Induces Iron Uptake by Transferrin Receptor-1 Independent of the Iron Regulatory Protein/Iron-responsive Element Network

Local and systemic inflammatory conditions are characterized by the intracellular deposition of excess iron, which may promote tissue damage via Fenton chemistry. Because the Fenton reactant H(2)O(2) is continuously released by inflammatory cells, a tight regulation of iron homeostasis is required. Here, we show that exposure of cultured cells to sustained low levels of H(2)O(2) that mimic its release by inflammatory cells leads to up-regulation of transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), the major iron uptake protein. The increase in TfR1 results in increased transferrin-mediated iron uptake and cellular accumulation of the metal. Although iron regulatory protein 1 is transiently activated by H(2)O(2), this response is not sufficient to stabilize TfR1 mRNA and to repress the synthesis of the iron storage protein ferritin. The induction of TfR1 is also independent of transcriptional activation via hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha or significant protein stabilization. In contrast, pulse experiments with (35)S-labeled methionine/cysteine revealed an increased rate of TfR1 synthesis in cells exposed to sustained low H(2)O(2) levels. Our results suggest a novel mechanism of iron accumulation by sustained H(2)O(2), based on the translational activation of TfR1, which could provide an important (patho) physiological link between iron metabolism and inflammation.

Effects of H2O2 on the growth, secretion, and metabolism of hybridoma cells in culture

The effect of low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (5 x 10(-7)-9.5 x 10(-7) M) on cell growth and antibody production was investigated with murine hybridoma cells (Mark 3 and anti-hPL) in culture. Cell growth, measured by flow cytometry with morphological parameters, was significantly stimulated by H2O2 (8 x 10(-7) M) but H2O2 concentration of 7 x 10(-6) M and above increased cell death. H2O2 stimulation of antibody production was nonsignificant. The metabolism of cells treated with 8 x 10(-7) or 1 x 10(-5) M H2O2 was similar to that of the control in terms of glucose and glutamine consumption, lactate and ammonia production, and amino acid concentrations in the medium. The concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase, a marker of cell death, in test and control cells were similar. However, concentrations of intracellular free radicals measured by flow cytometry with dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR 123) and dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) as fluorochromes were different. The reactive oxygen species content of cells in 8 x 10(-7) M H2O2 was similar to that of the controls, but there was a sudden, marked production of superoxide anions (detected with DHR 123) and H2O2 or peroxides (detected with DCFH-DA) by cells incubated with 1 x 10(-5) M H2O2 which increased with increasing H2O2 until cell death.