Role of Nitric Oxide-Derived Metabolites in Reactions of Methylglyoxal with Lysine and Lysine-Rich Protein Leghemoglobin

Carbonyl stress occurs when reactive carbonyl compounds (RCC), such as reducing sugars, dicarbonyls etc., accumulate in the organism. The interaction of RCC carbonyl groups with amino groups of molecules is called the Maillard reaction. One of the most active RCCs is α-dicarbonyl methylglyoxal (MG) that modifies biomolecules forming non-enzymatic glycation products. Organic free radicals are formed in the reaction between MG and lysine or Nα-acetyllysine. S-nitrosothiols and nitric oxide (^•NO) donor PAPA NONOate increased the yield of organic free radical intermediates, while other ^•NO-derived metabolites, namely, nitroxyl anion and dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) decreased it. At the late stages of the Maillard reaction, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) also inhibited the formation of glycation end products (AGEs). The formation of a new type of DNICs, bound with Maillard reaction products, was found. The results obtained were used to explain the glycation features of legume hemoglobin-leghemoglobin (Lb), which is a lysine-rich protein. In Lb, lysine residues can form fluorescent cross-linked AGEs, and ^•NO-derived metabolites slow down their formation. The knowledge of these processes can be used to increase the stability of Lb. It can help in better understanding the impact of stress factors on legume plants and contribute to the production of recombinant Lb for biotechnology.

Reactivity of Nitric Oxide and Nitrosonium Ion with Copper(II/I) Schiff Base Complexes: Mechanistic Aspects of Imine C═N Bond Cleavage and Oxidation of Pyridine-2-aldehyde to Pyridine-2-carboxylic Acid

Four Schiff base ligands of the general formulas [6-(R)-2-pyridyl-N-(2'-methylthiophenyl)methylenimine] (^RL1) and 6-p-chlorophenyl-2-pyridyl-N-(2'-phenylthiophenyl)methylenimine (^RL2), where R = H, Me, p-ClPh, and their bis-ligand copper(II) and copper(I) complexes, 1-4 and 1'-4', respectively, were synthesized and characterized. The reactivities of 1-4 with nitric oxide (NO) gas and of 1'-4' with solid NOBF₄ (NO⁺) were examined in dry acetonitrile in the presence and absence of water (H₂O). The results revealed that, in the absence of H₂O, complexes 1-4 (or 1'-4') reacts with NO (or NOBF₄), leading to imine C═N bond cleavage of both (or one) Schiff base(s) that generates 2 (or 1) equiv of 2-(methyl/phenyl)thiobenzenediazonium perchlorates (5/6) and the corresponding picolaldehyde (^RPial) via a copper nitrosyl of a {CuNO}¹⁰-type intermediate. In the presence of H₂O, the in situ formed ^RPial get oxidized to the corresponding picolinic acid (^RPicH) via an in situ formed LCu^IOH intermediate (LCu^I + HO-NO → LCu^IOH + NO⁺; L = ^RL1/^RL2/^RPic^- and ν_O-H of Cu^IOH = 3650 cm^-1) and subsequently produces, with the aid of NO⁺ oxidant, the picolinate-ligated copper(II) complexes (i) [(^HPic)₂Cu] (7), [(^MePic)₄Cu₃(NO₃)₂]_n·H₂O (8·H₂O), or [(^ClPhPic)₂Cu] (9) when NO reacts with 1-4 or (ii) [(^RPic)Cu^II(^RL1/^RL2)]⁺ when NO⁺ reacts with 1'-4'. The Cu^II to Cu^I reduction of [(^RPic)Cu^II(^RL1/^RL2)]⁺ is essential for C═N cleavage of the remaining ^RL1/^RL2 Schiff base; excess NO can do it. The X-ray structures (1, 1', 3', 5, 7, and 8) and spectroscopic results revealed the role of Cu^II/I, NO, NO⁺, and H₂O, shedding light on the mechanism of C═N bond cleavage and the oxidation of pyridine-2-aldehyde to pyridine-2-carboxylic acid. The reaction of 1 with ¹⁵NO revealed that the terminal N of the N₂⁺ group of 5 originates from ¹⁵NO [ν_{¹⁴N¹⁴N-} = 2248 cm^-1 and ν_{¹⁵N¹⁴N-} = 2212 cm^-1].