Superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase overexpression in wheat protoplast: photooxidative stress tolerance and changes in cellular redox state

In previous works, we have established a correlation between antioxidant system response and tolerance to drought, osmotic stress and photooxidative stress of different wheat cultivars with contrasting drought tolerance. In the present work, a protocol to obtain and transform wheat protoplasts was established. Transgenic protoplasts with Manganese Superoxide Dismutase (Mn-SOD) (E.C.: 1.15.1.1) and Glutathione Reductase (GR) (E.C.: 1.6.4.2) overexpression in chloroplasts were obtained, and their responses to photooxidative stress were characterized. Protoplasts with Mn-SOD or GR overexpression, showed different responses and tolerance to photooxidative stress. Protoplasts with Mn-SOD overexpression showed lower levels of oxidative damage, higher level of endogenous hydrogen peroxide and a great induction of total SOD and GR activities during photooxidative treatments. In protoplasts with GR overexpression the oxidative damage provoked by the photooxidative treatment was similar to control protoplasts, the GSH content and GSH/GSH + GSSG ratio were higher than control and Mn-SOD transformed protoplast, and total SOD and GR activities were not induced. Our results suggest that the differential responses and tolerance to photooxidative stress given by Mn-SOD or GR overexpression, also depend on the effects of these enzyme activities over the cellular redox state balance, which modulate the responses to photooxidative stress.     

Effects of glutathione reductase inhibition on cellular thiol redox state and related systems

Although inhibition of glutathione reductase (GR) has been demonstrated to cause a decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) and increase in glutathione disulfide (GSSG), a systematic study of the effects of GR inhibition on thiol redox state and related systems has not been noted. By employing a monkey kidney cell line as the cell model and 2-acetylamino-3-[4-(2-acetylamino-2-carboxy-ethylsulfanylthio carbonylamino)phenylthiocarbamoylsulfanyl]propionic acid (2-AAPA) as a GR inhibitor, an investigation of the effects of GR inhibition on cellular thiol redox state and related systems was conducted. Our study demonstrated that, in addition to a decrease in GSH and increase in GSSG, 2-AAPA increased the ratios of NADH/NAD⁺ and NADPH/NADP⁺. Significant protein glutathionylation was observed. However, the inhibition did not affect the formation of reactive oxygen species or expression of antioxidant defense enzyme systems [GR, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase] and enzymes involved in GSH biosynthesis [γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase].     

Modulation of the redox state of tubulin by the glutathione/glutaredoxin reductase system

Alterations in the redox status of proteins have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative diseases. We report that peroxynitrite-induced disulfides in porcine brain tubulin are repaired by the glutaredoxin reductase system composed of glutathione reductase, human or Escherichia coli glutaredoxin, reduced glutathione, and NADPH. Reduction of disulfide bonds between the alpha- and beta-tubulin subunits by the glutathione reductase system was assessed by Western blot. Tubulin cysteine oxidation and reduction was quantitated by monitoring the incorporation of 5-iodoacetamido-fluorescein, a thiol-specific labeling reagent. Tubulin disulfide bond reduction by the glutaredoxin reductase system restored tubulin polymerization activity that was lost following peroxynitrite addition. In support of redox modulations of tubulin by glutathione, thiol-disulfide exchange between tubulin and oxidized glutathione was detected and quantitated by HPLC. In addition, glutathionylation of tubulin was detected by dot blot using an anti-GSH antibody.     

Pea chloroplast glutathione reductase: purification and characterization

Glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) was purified from intact pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplasts by a method which includes affinity chromatography on ADP-agarose. Fractions from the affinity column which had glutathione reductase activity consisted of polypeptides of 60 and 32 kilodaltons. Separation of the proteins by electrophoresis on native gels showed that glutathione reductase activity was associated with 60 kilodalton polypeptides and not with the 32 kilodalton polypeptides. Antibodies to spinach whole leaf glutathione reductase (60 kilodaltons) cross-react with the chloroplast 60 kilodalton glutathione reductase but not the 32 kilodalton polypeptides. In the absence of dithiothreitol the 60 kilodalton polypeptides showed a shift in apparent molecular weight on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels to 72 kilodaltons. Dithiothreitol did not alter the activity of the chloroplast enzyme. Chloroplast glutathione reductase is relatively insensitive to NADPH.     

Sheep brain glutathione reductase: purification and general properties

Sheep brain glutathione reductase was purified about 11,000-fold with an overall yield of 40%. The method included ammonium sulphate fractionation, heat denaturation, 2',5'-ADP Sepharose 4B and Sephadex G-200 chromatography steps. Specific activity at the final step was 193 IU/mg. The Mr of the enzyme was found to be 116,000 by gel filtration chromatography. On SDS-PAGE, two identical subunits of Mr 64,000 were obtained. From the spectral data, about 2 mol FAD per mol of enzyme were calculated.     

Age-related changes in the glutathione redox system

The effect of aging on the glutathione redox system was evaluated in this study. For this purpose, we determined reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in whole blood, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GSSGR) in erythrocytes and selenium (Se) in plasma in 176 healthy individuals. We also calculated GSH/GSSG molar ratios. These subjects were divided into five groups: group 1 (n=25; 0.2-1 years old); group 2 (n=28; 2-11 years old); group 3 (n=23; 12-24 years old); group 4 (n=40; 25-40 years old); group 5 (n=60; 41-69 years old). GSH levels in groups 1 and 5 were significantly lower than the other groups (p<0.001). Conversely, GSSG levels were significantly high in these periods (p<0.001). The GSH/GSSG molar ratio was found to be low both in the first year of life and in the oldest group (p<0.001, respectively). GPx activity in group 5 was increased as compared to the other groups (p<0.001). GSSGR activity was significantly lower in the oldest groups than in the other groups (p<0.001). Se levels were found to be low in the oldest group (p<0.001). Selenium levels of women in group 5 were significantly high as compared to the men (p<0.01). We found negative correlations between age and GSH levels (r=0.402; p<0.001), selenium levels (r=0.454; p<0.001), GSH/GSSG molar ratio (r=0.557; p<0.001) and GSSGR activity (r=0.556; p<0.001). There were positive correlations between age and GPx (r=0.538; p<0.001) and GSSG level (r=0.551; p<0.001). In conclusion, our findings show that the glutathione redox system is affected by age. Oxidative stress increases during the aging process. There is no effect of aging on the glutathione redox system according to sex except for the Se level.     

Human erythrocyte glutathione reductase: chemical mechanism and structure of the transition state for hydride transfer

Kinetic parameters and primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects for NADH and five pyridine nucleotide substrates have been determined at pH 8.1 for human erythrocyte glutathione reductase. DV/KNADH and DV are equal to 1.4 and are pH independent below pH 8.1, but DV decreases to 1.0 at high pH as a group exhibiting a pK of 8.6 is deprotonated. This result suggests that as His-467' is deprotonated, the rate of the isotopically insensitive oxidative half-reaction is specifically decreased and becomes rate-limiting. For all substrates, equivalent V and V/K primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects are observed at pH values below 8.1. The primary deuterium kinetic isotope effect on V, but not V/K, is sensitive to solvent isotopic composition. The primary tritium kinetic isotope effects agree well with the corresponding value calculated from the primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects by using the Swain-Schaad relationship. This suggests that the primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects observed in these steady-state experiments are the intrinsic primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects for hydride transfer. The magnitude of the primary deuterium kinetic isotope effect is dependent on the redox potential of the pyridine nucleotide substrate used, varying from approximately 1.4 for NADH and -320 mV reductants to 2.7 for thioNADH to 4.2-4.8 for 3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide (3APADH). The alpha-secondary tritium kinetic isotope effects also increase as the redox potential of the pyridine nucleotide substrate becomes more positive. Together, these data indicate that the transition state for hydride transfer is very early for NADH and becomes later for thioNADH and 3APADH, as predicted by Hammond's postulate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The redox interconversion mechanism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae glutathione reductase

The changes undergone by pure yeast glutathione reductase during redox interconversion have been studied. Both the active and inactive forms of the enzyme had similar molecular masses, suggesting that the inactivation is probably due to intramolecular modification(s). The glutathione reductase and transhydrogenase activities were similarly inactivated by NADPH and reactivated by GSH, while the diaphorase activity remained unaltered during redox interconversion of glutathione reductase. These results suggest that the inactivation site could be located far from the NADPH-binding site, although interfering with transhydrogenase activity, perhaps by conformational changes. The inactivation of glutathione reductase by 0.2 mM NADPH at pH 8 was paralleled by a gradual decrease in the absorbance at 530 nm and a simultaneous increase in the absorbance at 445 nm, while the reactivation promoted by GSH was initially associated with reversal of these spectral changes. The inactive enzyme spectrum retained some absorbance between 500 nm and 700 nm, showing a shoulder at 580-600 nm. Upon treatment of the enzyme with NADPH at pH 6.5 the spectrum remained unchanged, while no redox inactivation was observed under these conditions. It is suggested that the redox inactivation could be associated with the disappearance of the charge-transfer complex between the proximal thiolate and oxidized FAD in the two-electron-reduced enzyme. The inactive enzyme was reactivated by low GSSG concentrations, moderate dithiol concentrations, and high monothiol concentrations. These results and the spectral changes described above support the hypothesis attributing the redox interconversion to formation/disappearance of an erroneous disulfide between one of the half-cystines located at the GSSG-binding site and another cysteine nearby.     

Metals are directly involved in the redox interconversion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae glutathione reductase

Summary Redox inactivation of glutathione reductase involves metal cations, since chelators protected against NADPH-inactivation, 3 µM EDTA or 10 µM DETAPAC yielding full protection. Ag⁺, Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ potentiated the redox inactivation promoted by NADPH alone, while Cr³⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Cu⁺, and Cu²⁺ protected the enzyme. The Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ effect was time-dependent, unlike conventional inhibition. Glutathione reductase interconversion did not require dioxygen, excluding participation of active oxygen species produced by NADPH and metal cations. One Zn²⁺ ion was required per enzyme subunit to yield full NADPH-inactivation, the enzyme being reactivated by EDTA. Redox inactivation of glutathione reductase could arise from the blocking of the dithiol formed at the active site of the reduced enzyme by metal cations, like Zn²⁺ or Cd²⁺.The glutathione reductase activity of yeast cell-free extracts was rapidly inactivated by low NADPH or moderate NADH concentrations; NADP⁺ also promoted rapid inactivation in fresh extracts, probably after reduction to NADPH. Full inactivation was obtained in cell-free extracts incubated with glucose-6-phosphate or 6-phosphogluconate; the inactivating efficiency of several oxidizable substrates was directly proportional to the specific activities of the corresponding dehydrogenases, confirming that redox inactivation derives from NADPH formed in vitro.Abbreviations DETAPAC diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid - 2,5-ADP-Sepharose-N⁶-(6-aminohexyl) adenosine 2,5-bisphosphateSepharose     

Microinjected glutathione reductase crystals as indicators of the redox status in living cells

The flavoenzyme glutathione reductase catalyses electron transfer reactions between two major intracellular redox buffers, namely the NADPH/NADP+ couple and the 2 glutathione/glutathione disulfide couple. On this account, microcrystals of the enzyme were tested as redox probes of intracellular compartments. For introducing protein crystals into human fibroblasts, different methods (microinjection, particle bombardment and optical tweezers) were explored and compared. When glutathione reductase crystals are present in a cytosolic environment, the transition of the yellow Eox form to the orange-red 2-electron reduced charge transfer form, EH2, is observed. Taking into account the midpoint potential of the Eox/EH2 couple, the redox potential of the cytosol was found to be < -270 mV at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C. As a general conclusion, competent proteins in crystalline--that is signal-amplifying--form are promising probes for studying intracellular events.     

High-yield extraction and purification of glutathione reductase from baker's yeast.

Glutathione reductase was extracted from toluene-treated baker's yeast cells by a two-stage buffer autolysis method. The yeast cells were treated with toluene for 1 h at 40 degrees C. After removal of the toluene, the cells were then allowed to autolysis in buffer for 72 h at 4 degrees C. The cells were collected and resuspended in buffer. A second stage autolysis was carried out for another 96 h at 4 degrees C. The enzyme was purified to 786-fold from the second stage cell autolysate by using two steps of affinity chromatography with triazine dyes (Yellow H-E4G and Yellow H-E6G) coupled to Sepharose CL-4B. By using this simplified method, 1.44 mg (165 units/mg) of glutathione reductase was obtained from 65 g (wet weight) of yeast cells, equivalent to 80% enzyme recovery.     

Human erythrocyte glutathione reductase: pH dependence of kinetic parameters

Human erythrocyte glutathione reductase catalyzes the pyridine nucleotide dependent reduction of oxidized glutathione (GSSG). The pH dependence of the kinetic parameters V and V/K for three reduced pyridine nucleotide substrates, the Ki's for three competitive inhibitors (versus NADPH), and the temperature dependence of the V pH profile have been determined. Below pH 8, V and V/K for NADPH, 2',3'-cyclic-NADPH, and NADH are pH independent. In the basic pH region, both V and V/K for the three substrates are pH dependent. All three of the V profiles decrease with increasing pH as a group with a pKa of approximately 9.2 is titrated. The V/K profiles for NADPH, 2',3'-cyclic-NADPH, and NADH decrease at high pH as a group with a pKa of greater than 9.8, 8.9, and 8.8, respectively, is deprotonated. The Ki's for ATP-ribose and 2',5'-ADP are pH independent below pH 8 but increase in the basic region as a group with a pKa of about 8.8 and 8.5, respectively, is deprotonated. The Ki of AADP is pH independent between pH 6 and 9. These studies suggest that binding interactions between the 2'-phosphate of NADPH and the enzyme are predominately nonionic. The temperature dependence of the pK observed in all V pH profiles allows the calculation of an enthalpy of ionization of 3.2 kcal/mol for this group. The high pK and low enthalpy of ionization suggest that the protonation state of the His-467'-Glu-472' ion pair observed in the structure of human erythrocyte glutathione reductase influences proton-transfer steps occurring in the oxidative half-reaction.     

Effects of age and caloric restriction on glutathione redox state in mice

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether the aging process in the mouse is associated with a pro-oxidizing shift in the redox state of glutathione and whether restriction of caloric intake, which results in the extension of life span, retards such a shift. Amounts of reduced and oxidized forms of glutathione (GSH and GSSG, respectively) and protein-glutathione mixed disulfides (protein-SSG) were measured in homogenates and mitochondria of liver, kidney, heart, brain, eye, and testis of 4, 10, 22, and 26 month old ad libitum-fed (AL) mice and 22 month old mice fed a diet containing 40% fewer calories than the AL group from the age of 4 months. The concentrations of GSH, GSSG, and protein-SSG vary greatly (approximately 10-, 30-, and 9-fold, respectively) from one tissue to another. During aging, the ratios of GSH:GSSG in mitochondria and tissue homogenates decreased, primarily due to elevations in GSSG content, while the protein-SSG content increased significantly. Glutathione redox potential in mitochondria became less negative, i.e., more pro-oxidizing, as the animal aged. Caloric restriction (CR) lowered the GSSG and protein-SSG content. Results suggest that the aging process in the mouse is associated with a gradual pro-oxidizing shift in the glutathione redox state and that CR attenuates this shift.     

BCL-2 and glutathione: alterations in cellular redox state that regulate apoptosis sensitivity

The importance of intracellular glutathione (GSH) in the pathology of disease, particularly cancer, has long been appreciated. However the ubiquitous nature of GSH has made it difficult to ascribe to a specific molecular mechanism in disease fulfillment. In addition, in all but a few cases, the underlying genetic regulation of the cellular redox state disrupted in disease has not been well described. Early identification of the importance of intracellular GSH to detoxification reactions has now led to investigating the potential importance that glutathione chemistry has on signal transduction and molecular regulation of cellular physiology. Here new relationships between the cellular redox state and the apoptotic regulatory protein BCL-2 will be described with emphasis on potential mechanisms by which GSH can alter cellular physiology in addition to its role in detoxification.     

Autofluorescence-activated cell sorting of pancreatic islet cells: purification of insulin-containing B-cells according to glucose-induced changes in cellular redox state

Autofluorescence-activated cell sorting can be employed for the subfractionation of insulin-containing islet B-cells according to their responsiveness to their physiologic stimulus, glucose. The method utilizes a flow cytometric detection of the rapid variations in endogenous NAD (P) H - and FAD - fluorescence after exposure to 20 mM glucose. Under these conditions, a two-fold increase in NAD (P) H and a 40% decrease in FAD was observed in more than 75% of B-cells isolated from fed normal rats. The technique makes it possible to study the metabolic behaviour of the B-cell population in (physio)pathological conditions of impaired glucose-induced insulin release; the availability of functionally homogenous B-cell preparations facilitates studies on stimulus-secretion coupling. In view of the universal role of the cellular metabolic redox state in cell regulation, it is suggested that similar techniques can be developed for the metabolic analysis of other cell types and for their purification according to their responsiveness to specific stimuli.     

Redox environment of the cell as viewed through the redox state of the glutathione disulfide/glutathione couple

Redox state is a term used widely in the research field of free radicals and oxidative stress. Unfortunately, it is used as a general term referring to relative changes that are not well defined or quantitated. In this review we provide a definition for the redox environment of biological fluids, cell organelles, cells, or tissue. We illustrate how the reduction potential of various redox couples can be estimated with the Nernst equation and show how pH and the concentrations of the species comprising different redox couples influence the reduction potential. We discuss how the redox state of the glutathione disulfide-glutathione couple (GSSG/2GSH) can serve as an important indicator of redox environment. There are many redox couples in a cell that work together to maintain the redox environment; the GSSG/2GSH couple is the most abundant redox couple in a cell. Changes of the half-cell reduction potential (E(hc)) of the GSSG/2GSH couple appear to correlate with the biological status of the cell: proliferation E(hc) approximately -240 mV; differentiation E(hc) approximately -200 mV; or apoptosis E(hc) approximately -170 mV. These estimates can be used to more fully understand the redox biochemistry that results from oxidative stress. These are the first steps toward a new quantitative biology, which hopefully will provide a rationale and understanding of the cellular mechanisms associated with cell growth and development, signaling, and reductive or oxidative stress.