Activation and Denitrosylation of Procaspase-3 in KA-induced Excitotoxicity

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that activation of glutamate kainate receptor subunit 2 (GluK2) subunit-containing glutamate receptors and the following Fas ligand(FasL) up-regulation, caspase-3 activation, result in delayed apoptosis-like neuronal death in hippocampus CA1 subfield after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Nitric oxide-mediated S-nitrosylation might inhibit the procaspase activation, whereas denitrosylation might contribute to cleavage and activation of procaspases.

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying procaspase-3 denitrosylation and activation following kainic acid (KA)-induced excitotoxicity in rat hippocampus.

METHODS

S-nitrosylation of procaspase-3 was detected by biotin-switch method. Activation of procaspase-3 was shown as cleavage of procaspase-3 detected by immunoblotting. FasL expression was detected by immunoblotting. Cresyl violets and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining were used to detect apoptosis-like neuronal death in rat hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subfields.

RESULTS

KA led to the activation of procaspase-3 in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and the activation was inhibited by KA receptor antagonist NS102. Procaspase-3 was denitrosylated at 3 h after kainic acid administration, and the denitrosylation was reversed by SNP and GSNO. FasL ASODNs inhibited the procaspase-3 denitrosylation and activation. Moreover, thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) inhibitor auranofin prevented the denitrosylation and activation of procaspase-3 in rat hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subfields. NS102, FasL AS-ODNs, and auranofin reversed the KAinduced apoptosis and cell death in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subfields.

CONCLUSIONS

KA led to denitrosylation and activation of procaspase-3 via FasL and TrxR. Inhibition of procaspase-3 denitrosylation by auranofin, SNP, and GSNO played protective effects against KA-induced apoptosis-like neuronal death in rat hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subfields. These investigations revealed that the procaspase-3 undergoes an initial denitrosylation process before becoming activated, providing valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms and possible treatment of excitotoxicity.

In vitro distribution of gold in serum proteins after incubation of sodium aurothiomalate and auranofin with human blood and its pharmacological significance

This study presents a comparative drug-protein, in vitro, binding profile of sodium aurothiomalate and auranofin. It was found that about 40% of total protein-bound gold is attached to albumin after incubation of aurothiomalate with whole blood for 24 h and about 29% of it was with alpha(1)-globulin and the least amount was found with gamma-globulin (6.1%). On the other hand, approximately 84% of the protein-bound auranofin gold attached to globulins of which 51% was found with beta-globulin band. It was almost equally distributed among albumin, alpha(2)-globulin and gamma-globulin, and showed least affinity for alpha(1)-globulin. The gold analyses were performed by standardless instrumental neutron activation method duly validated by use of an established atomic absorption method. The results of this study explain to some extent the difference in, in vivo, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the two drugs.

A mass spectrometric investigation of the binding of gold antiarthritic agents and the metabolite [Au(CN)2]- to human serum albumin

Electrospray ionisation (ESI) mass spectrometry was used to examine the reactions of the clinically used antiarthritic agent [Au(S2O3)2]3-, and AuPEt3Cl, a derivative of another clinically used agent auranofin, with human serum albumin (HSA) obtained from a human volunteer. Both compounds reacted readily with HSA to form complexes containing one or more covalently attached gold fragments. In the case of AuPEt3Cl, binding was accompanied by the loss of the chloride ligand, while for [Au(S2O3)2]3- the mass spectral data indicated binding of Au(S2O3) groups. Experiments performed using HSA with Cys34 blocked by reaction with iodoacetamide were consistent with reaction of both gold compounds with this amino acid. Separate blocking experiments using diethylpyrocarbonate and AuPEt3Cl also provided evidence for histidine residues acting as lower-affinity binding sites for this gold compound. ESI mass spectra of solutions containing [Au(S2O3)2]3- or [Au(CN)2]-, and HSA, provided evidence for the formation of protein complexes in which intact gold molecules were non-covalently bound. In the case of [Au(S2O3)2]3-, these non-covalent complexes proved to be transitory in nature. However, for [Au(CN)2]- a non-covalent complex containing a single gold molecule bound to HSA was found to be stable, and constituted the main adduct formed in solutions containing low-to-medium Au-to-HSA ratios. Evidence was also obtained for the formation of a covalent adduct in which a single Au(CN) moiety was bonded to Cys34 of the protein. AuPEt3Cl reacted to a much lower extent with HSA that had Cys34 modified by formation of a disulfide bond to added cysteine, than with unmodified HSA. This suggests that the extent of modification of the protein in vivo may have an important influence on the transport and bioavailability of gold antiarthritic drugs.

(13)C, (31)P and (15)N NMR studies of the ligand exchange reactions of auranofin and chloro(triethylphosphine)gold(I) with thiourea

The interaction of thiourea (Tu) with auranofin (Et(3)PAuSATg) and its analogue, Et(3)PAuCl has been studied using (13)C, (31)P and (15)N NMR spectroscopy. It is observed that Tu is able to replace both the ligands, Et(3)P and SATg(-) simultaneously from gold(I) in auranofin, forming [Et(3)P-Au-Tu](+) and Tu-Au-SATg complexes. However, no separate resonances for these species were observed either due to their rapid exchange with auranofin and thus giving only the average resonances or because the chemical shifts of either two species are same so that they cannot be resolved. The displaced SATg(-) is oxidized to its disulfide, (SATg)(2). However, some of the displaced Et(3)P is oxidized to Et(3)PO while the remaining reacts with Tu to form Et(3)P-Tu species, characterized by delta 31P of 1.0 ppm, assigned after an independent reaction between Et(3)P and Tu. In an experiment using a 0.05 M solution of auranofin, the Et(3)PO resonance appeared in auranofin spectrum after 4 days of addition of 1.0 equivalent of Tu, showing that the reaction is slow. A resonance for free Et(3)P is also detected in 31P NMR on the addition of CN(-). It is also observed that Tu reacts with Et(3)PAuCl to form [Et(3)P-Au-Tu](+) via displacement of Cl(-), consistent with an upfield shift of 6.2 ppm in >C [double bond] S resonance of Tu in (13)C NMR. In (15)N NMR, a smaller downfield, instead of an upfield shift, in NH(2) resonance of Tu on its addition to auranofin and Et(3)PAuCl indicates that it is not binding to gold(I) through nitrogen.

Comparative (13)C and (31)P NMR studies of the ligand exchange reactions of auranofin with ergothionine, imidazolidine-2-thione and diazinane-2-thione

The interaction of auranofin (Et(3)PAuSATg) with ergothionine (ErS), imidazolidine-2-thione (Imt) and diazinane-2-thione (Diaz) has been studied using (13)C and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. It is observed that these thiones are able to replace both Et(3)P and SATg(-) ligands simultaneously from gold(I) in auranofin forming >C [double bond] S-Au-SATg and [Et(3)P-Au-S [double bond] C<](+) type complexes. The displaced SATg(-) is oxidized to its disulfide (SATg)(2). However, some of the displaced Et(3)P is oxidized to Et(3)PO while the remaining reacts with thiones to form Et(3)P-S [double bond] C< species characterized by delta (31)P NMR of 1.0-1.5 ppm. The Et(3)PO resonance appeared in the 31P NMR spectrum, after 10 days of the addition of ErS, after 19 days of the addition of Imt and after 6 days of the addition of Diaz, to auranofin solution showing that the thiones react with auranofin very slowly.

Inhibition of erythrocyte selenium-glutathione peroxidase by auranofin analogues and metabolites

The effect of gold ligation on the inhibition of bovine erythrocyte selenium-glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was examined. The anti-arthritic drug auranofin [2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranosato-S)(triethylp hosphine) gold(I)] (Et3PAuSATg) and its analogue, Et3PAuCl, exhibited experimentally equivalent Ki values (11.6+/-0.8 and 10.8+/-0.5 microM, respectively), despite the greatly disparate affinities of their ligands for gold(I): 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thiolato-beta-D-glucopyranose (ATgS-) >> Cl-. This similarity reflects ligand exchange reactions that generate the glutathione complex Et3PAuSG from the excess glutathione (GSH, 1 mM) used in the assay. The Ki values for bis(glutathionato)gold(l) (Au(SG)2-) and gold(I) thioglucose (AuSTg) were also found to be equal (2.8+/-0.4 and 2.4+/-0.5 microM, respectively). This confirms the previous postulate of Chaudiere and Tappel (J Inorg Biochem 20: 313-325, 1984) that Au(SG)2- is generated from AuSTg in the presence of excess glutathione. Since auranofin metabolites accumulate in red blood cells, the inhibition of intracellular GSH-Px was examined by using intact erythrocytes. There was greater inhibition of the reaction when the cells were resuspended in isotonic buffer than in whole blood, because serum albumin in the latter competes for the auranofin and decreases the uptake by erythrocytes. After correction for the extent of gold uptake, the Ki values were determined to be the same as those observed for Au(SG)2- in the extracellular assay, indicating loss of both the Et3P and ATgS- ligands from auranofin. Thus, the inhibition of GSH-Px by gold complexes is dependent on their ligation, and the ultimate gold(I) compound that interacts with erythrocyte GSH-Px in intact red cells, Au(SG)2-, is radically different from the original auranofin molecule.

1H NMR of albumin in human blood plasma: drug binding and redox reactions at Cys34

1H NMR methods are described which allow direct studies of the Cys34 binding site of albumin in intact human blood plasma in vitro. Antiarthritic gold drugs and the alcohol-aversive drug disulfiram induce a structural transition detectable via H epsilon 1 and H delta 2 resonances of His3 of albumin, and reactions of cystine, glutathione and captopril in plasma have also been investigated. Contrary to most assumptions, little of the albumin in normal plasma appears to be blocked at Cys34 as a cystine disulfide.

Determination of gold-based antiarthritis drugs and their metabolites in urine by reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography with ICP-MS detection

A sensitive method for the determination of gold-based drugs auranofin, myochrysine, and their metabolites has been developed. These gold-containing compounds were separated by reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography with tetrabutylammonium chloride as the ion-pairing agent. Gold-specific on-line detection utilized inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The separation conditions of pH, methanol content, concentration of the ion-pairing agent and ionic strength have been investigated. The detection limit for auranofin, the last peak in the chromatogram, was 0.3 ng. These methods were applied to the analysis of gold-containing species in urine from arthritis patients on auranofin, myochrysine or solganol therapy. The recovery of the total gold-containing species from urine was greater than 90%. Dicyanogold(I) anion, [Au(CN)2]-, was detected in the urine of several patients.

Cellular interactions of auranofin and a related gold complex with RAW 264.7 macrophages

Auranofin (AF) is an orally active chrysotherapeutic agent whose precise mechanism of action with its putative target cell, the macrophage, is not known. In a previous paper, we described a sequential thiol exchange mechanism that explained auranofin's molecular mechanism of interaction with RAW 264.7 cells. To further understand the mode of action of AF and to test the validity of the thiol exchange model, we have continued to study the interactions with macrophages of AF and a related gold complex, triethylphosphine gold chloride (TEPG). Evaluation of the effects of AF and TEPG on RAW 264.7 cells demonstrated that: more gold from TEPG than AF associated with cells over time and with a variety of concentrations; and cellular association of AF and TEPG was temperature dependent. The energy of activation for cell association, the rate-limiting step in the thiol exchange process, was lower for TEPG than AF; cellular association and uptake of both compounds did not require metabolic energy; and efflux of both AF and TEPG was time, temperature, and thiol dependent. Based on these and previous data, we conclude that sequential thiol exchange may be a generic phenomenon for cellular uptake and distribution of thiol reactive gold compounds and that the rate-limiting step is the exchange of either tetraacetylthioglucose (TATG) or chloride for a membrane-localized sulfhydryl group.