Oscillations and Complex Dynamics in the Peroxidase−Oxidase Reaction Induced by Naturally Occurring Aromatic Substrates

On the mechanism of oscillations in neutrophils

We have investigated the regulation of the oscillatory generation of H(2)O(2) and oscillations in shape and size in neutrophils in suspension. The oscillations are independent of cell density and hence do not represent a collective phenomena. Furthermore, the oscillations are independent of the external glucose concentration and the oscillations in H(2)O(2) production are 180 degrees out of phase with the oscillations in NAD(P)H. Cytochalasin B blocked the oscillations in shape and size whereas it increased the period of the oscillations in H(2)O(2) production. 1- and 2-butanol also blocked the oscillations in shape and size, but only 1-butanol inhibited the oscillations in H(2)O(2) production. We conjecture that the oscillations are likely to be due to feedback regulations in the signal transduction cascade involving phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K). We have tested this using a simple mathematical model, which explains most of our experimental observations.

Oscillations in peroxidase-catalyzed reactions and their potential function in vivo

The peroxidase-oxidase reaction has become a model system for the study of oscillations and complex dynamics in biochemical systems. In the present paper we give an overview of previous experimental and theoretical studies of the peroxidase-oxidase reaction. Recent in vitro experiments have raised the question whether the reaction also exhibits oscillations and complex dynamics in vivo. To investigate this possibility further we have undertaken new experimental studies of the reaction, using horseradish extracts and phenols which are widely distributed in plants. The results are discussed in light of the occurrence and a possible functional role of oscillations and complex dynamics of the peroxidase-oxidase reaction in vivo.

Horseradish peroxidase embedded in polyacrylamide nanoparticles enables optical detection of reactive oxygen species

We have synthesized and characterized new nanometer-sized polyacrylamide particles containing horseradish peroxidase and fluorescent dyes. Proteins and dyes are encapsulated by radical polymerization in inverse microemulsion. The activity of the encapsulated enzyme has been examined and it maintains its ability to catalyze the oxidation of guaiacol with hydrogen peroxide as the electron acceptor, although at a slightly lower rate compared to that of the free enzyme in solution. The embedded enzyme is also capable of catalyzing the peroxidase-oxidase reaction. However, the rate is decreased by a factor of 2-3 compared to that of the free enzyme. The reduced rate is probably due to limitation of diffusion of substrates and products into and out of the particles. The catalytic activity of horseradish peroxidase in the polyacrylamide matrix demonstrates that the particles have pores which are large enough for substrates to enter and products to leave the polymer matrix containing the enzyme. The polymer matrix protects the embedded enzyme from proteolytic digestion, which is demonstrated by treating the particles with a mixture of the two proteases trypsin and proteinase K. The particles allow for quantification of hydrogen peroxide and other reactive oxygen species in microenvironments, and we propose that the particles may find use as nanosensors for use in, e.g., living cells.

Feedback loops for Shil’nikov chaos: The peroxidase-oxidase reaction

Special structures in a chemical reaction network can give rise to bistability, oscillations, and chaos. It has been shown recently [A. Sensse and M. Eiswirth, J. Chem. Phys. 122, 044516 (2005)] that the introduction of an additional species in a supplementary feedback loop to a minimal autocatalytic oscillator gives rise to chaotic dynamics in a certain range of parameters, independent of the particular realization of the additional loop. This provides a possibility to decide if chaos may occur just by analyzing the network structure of an existing model. Here, we apply this concept to analyze the complex dynamics in several essential subsystems of the peroxidase-oxidase reaction system. The aim of the present paper is to determine the nature of the occurring chaos and its location in the parameter space by numerical bifurcation analysis and simulations.

Human myeloperoxidase catalyzes an oscillating peroxidase-oxidase reaction

We have studied the peroxidase-oxidase reaction catalyzed by human myeloperoxidase in an open system where both substrates-molecular oxygen and NADH-are supplied continuously to the reaction mixture. The reaction shows oscillatory kinetics at pH values around 5, provided that the reaction medium in addition to the enzyme and the substrates also contains an aromatic electron mediator such as melatonin or 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and chloride ions at concentrations >1mM. The experimental findings can be simulated by a detailed model of the reaction. The results are important for our understanding of oxidant production in neutrophils.

Mechanism of melatonin-induced oscillations in the peroxidase-oxidase reaction

Melatonin induces oscillations in the peroxidase-oxidase (PO) reaction catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase. We present here studies of the effect of pH, enzyme concentration, and concentration of melatonin on the oscillation frequency. We also present a mechanistic model to explain the experimentally observed changes in oscillation frequency. Using the data obtained here we are able to predict that oscillations will also occur in the PO reaction catalyzed by myeloperoxidase. Myeloperoxidase is an important protein in activated neutrophils and we provide evidence that the oscillations of NAD(P)H, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in these cells may involve this enzyme. Thus, our experimental system can be considered a model system for the nonrespiratory oxygen metabolism in activated neutrophils and other similar cells participating in the defence against invading pathogens.

A model of the oscillatory metabolism of activated neutrophils

We present a two-compartment model to explain the oscillatory behavior observed experimentally in activated neutrophils. Our model is based mainly on the peroxidase-oxidase reaction catalyzed by myeloperoxidase with melatonin as a cofactor and NADPH oxidase, a major protein in the phagosome membrane of the leukocyte. The model predicts that after activation of a neutrophil, an increase in the activity of the hexose monophosphate shunt and the delivery of myeloperoxidase into the phagosome results in oscillations in oxygen and NAD(P)H concentration. The period of oscillation changes from >200 s to 10-30 s. The model is consistent with previously reported oscillations in cell metabolism and oxidant production. Key features and predictions of the model were confirmed experimentally. The requirement of the hexose monophosphate pathway for 10 s oscillations was verified using 6-aminonicotinamide and dexamethasone, which are inhibitors of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. The role of the NADPH oxidase in promoting oscillations was confirmed by dose-response studies of the effect of diphenylene iodonium, an inhibitor of the NADPH oxidase. Moreover, the model predicted an increase in the amplitude of NADPH oscillations in the presence of melatonin, which was confirmed experimentally. Successful computer modeling of complex chemical dynamics within cells and their chemical perturbation will enhance our ability to identify new antiinflammatory compounds.

Melatonin activates the peroxidase-oxidase reaction and promotes oscillations

We have studied the peroxidase-oxidase reaction with NADH and O2 as substrates and melatonin as a cofactor in a semibatch reactor. We show for the first time that melatonin is an activator of the reaction catalyzed by enzymes from both plant and animal sources. Furthermore, melatonin promotes oscillatory dynamics in the pH range from 5 to 6. The frequency of the oscillations depends on the pH such that an increase in pH was accompanied by a decrease in frequency. Conversely, an increase in the flow rate of NADH or an increase in the average concentration of NADH resulted in an increase in oscillation frequency. Complex dynamics were not observed with melatonin as a cofactor. These results are discussed in relation to observations of oscillatory dynamics and the function of melatonin and peroxidase in activated neutrophils.

Principal component analysis of dynamical features in the peroxidase-oxidase reaction

Inherent variance due to oscillations in the peroxidase-oxidase (PO) reaction was studied using principal component analysis (PCA). The substrates were oxygen and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalyzed the reaction. The concentration of a cofactor, methylene blue (MB), was varied, and 2,4-dichlorophenol was kept constant. Increase in the NADH influx was used to change the reaction dynamics from periodic to chaotic. The reaction space was abstracted to the most significant, mutually independent, pairs of absorption and kinetic basis vectors (principal components). Typically, two significant principal components were extracted from the periodic time series and three from the chaotic data. The PCA models accounted for 70-97% of experimental variance. The greatest fraction of the total variance was accounted for in experiments exhibiting periodic dynamics and less than 25 nM MB. More MB induced an increased contribution of NADH to the PO oscillator variance, as did increased NADH influx. A simulated absorption time series, computed from a mass-action model of the chemistry, was analyzed by PCA as well. The comparison of simulation with experiment indicates that the chemical model renders the time series for HRP oxidation forms with fidelity, but incompletely represents NADH chemistry and other salient processes underlying the observed dynamics.

The role of naturally occurring phenols in inducing oscillations in the peroxidase-oxidase reaction

The influence of a series of naturally occurring phenolic compounds on the dynamics of the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of NADH by oxygen (the peroxidase-oxidase reaction) was investigated. Various types of dynamic behaviors are induced in the peroxidase-oxidase reaction upon addition of low concentrations of different phenols. The identity of the particular phenol determines the type of dynamics shown (inhibition of the reaction, monotonic reaction, damped oscillations, sustained oscillations, and complex oscillations). The kind of behavior that a given phenolic compound is able to induce is governed by the reduction potentials for the formation of the phenoxyl radical. The phenolic compounds are shown not to be consumed during the reaction. Mechanistic considerations are made on the basis of the reduction potentials of the different reactants present in the peroxidase-oxidase system. We interpret the role of the phenols as electron mediators of the electron transfer between some enzyme intermediates or O2- and NADH.