Procedure for Blood Glutathione Peroxidase Determination in Cattle and Swine

An improved testing system has been developed for direct measurement of glutathione peroxidase activity in heparinized whole blood at 37°C. Without loss in net yield the consumption of reagents has been found to be considerably lower with the new technique than with previously described techniques. Within the range 0–700 mKat/1 the GSH-Px activity in red cells may be measured with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility without preceding separation and washing. The stability of the enzyme in bovine and porcine whole blood at 22°C, 4°C, and —20°C was determined.     

The Relationship of Erythrocyte Glutathione Peroxidase to Blood Selenium in Swine

The erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity and blood selenium have been investigated in swine fed a Se deficient diet with, and without, selenium supplementation. A highly significant correlation (r = 0.90) between erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and blood selenium was found.     

植物谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶研究进展

氧化胁迫可诱导植物多种防御酶的产生,其中包括超氧化物歧化酶(SOD,EC1.15.L1)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX,EC1.11.1.11)、过氧化氢酶(CAT,E.C.1.11.1.6)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPXs,EC1.11.1.9).它们在清除活性氧过程中起着不同的作用.GPXs是动物体内清除氧自由基的主要酶类,但它在植物中的功能报道甚少.最近几年研究表明,植物体内也存在类似于哺乳动物的GPXs家族,并对其功能研究已初见端倪.本文综述了有关GPXs的结构以及植物GPXs功能的研究进展.     

植物谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶研究进展

氧化胁迫可诱导植物多种防御酶的产生, 其中包括超氧化物歧化酶(SOD, EC1.15.1.1)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX, EC1.11.1.11)、过氧化氢酶(CAT, E.C.1.11.1.6 )和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPXs,EC1.11.1.9)。它们在清除活性氧过程中起着不同的作用。GPXs是动物体内清除氧自由基的主要酶类,但它在植物中的功能报道甚少。最近几年研究表明, 植物体内也存在类似于哺乳动物的GPXs家族, 并对其功能研究已初见端倪。本文综述了有关GPXs的结构以及植物GPXs功能的研究进展。     

Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Porcine Blood

Determination of the seleno-enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in blood from Danish Landrace pigs was done using a quantitative, spectrophotometric method and a simple “spot test”. A close correlation between the net reaction rate measured spectrophotometrically (Δ A/min.) and time for defluores-cence (minutes) was obtained (r2 = 0.72—0.77, P < 0.0005). From these results the factors used for a conversion of defluorescence time to u/g hemoglobin were evaluated. The results further showed that the “spot test” can be used as a screening method for detection of subnormal GSH-Px levels in pigs. While red cell GSH-Px seems independent of the sex, an elevation of both plasma and red cell GSH-Px was found with increasing age of pigs. The normal range of red cell GSH-Px activity was wide, contrasting the small variations observed in the individual pig. Some evidence that porcine red cell GSH-Px is under genetical control was found and discussed in relation to the possible use of GSH-Px as an indicator of the pig's selenium status.     

Glutathione Peroxidase from Mucor hiemalis

Asymmetric epoxidation of cyclic enones was performed with 9-alkylfluorenyl peroxides under two-phase conditions in the presence of novel phase transfer catalysts derived from cinchona alkaloids. The observed enantiomeric excess ranged between 30~63%, from which it is shown that the fluorenyl group had a remarkable effect on the enhancement of enantioselectivity.     

亚硒酸钠对小麦幼苗中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶和谷胱甘肽转硫酶活性以及谷胱甘肽含量的影响

用1.0 mg·L-1的亚硒酸钠根施小麦幼苗,测定亚硒酸钠对谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶和谷胱甘肽转硫酶活性以及还原性谷胱甘肽含量的结果表明,外源亚硒酸钠对麦苗地上部的谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶和谷胱甘肽转硫酶活性均有诱导作用,使麦苗体内的谷胱甘肽含量水平增加.     

Inactivation of Glutathione Peroxidase by Peroxynitrite

Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) is inactivated on exposure to peroxynitrite under physiologically relevant conditions. Stopped-flow kinetic studies show that the reaction between peroxynitrite and GSH-Px is first-order in each of the reactants, with an apparent second-order rate constant of 4.5 ± 0.2 × 10⁴M⁻¹s⁻¹per monomer unit of enzyme. In good agreement with this value, GSH-Px inactivation experiments afford an apparent second-order rate constant of 1.8 ± 0.1 × 10⁴M⁻¹s⁻¹per monomer unit of enzyme. The hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol, DMSO, and benzoate (at 100 mM) afford only 8–12% protection of the enzyme, while addition of 25 mM bicarbonate results in 55% protection. The minimal protection by hydroxyl radical scavengers indicates, as expected, that hydroxyl radicals are not involved in the inactivation. Protection by bicarbonate occurs because peroxynitrite is rapidly trapped by CO₂to form the adduct nitrosoperoxycarbonate (ONOOCO⁻₂), and/or other reactive species that preferentially decompose to nitrate rather than react with GSH-Px. The close agreement between the rate constants obtained from enzyme inactivation and from stopped-flow kinetics experiments suggests that the mechanism of the reaction between peroxynitrite and GSH-Px involves the oxidation of the ionized selenol of the selenocysteine residue in the enzyme's active site (E-Se⁻) by peroxynitrite. This reaction does not simply involve formation of the selenenic acid, E-SeOH, because E-SeOH is an intermediate in the catalytic cycle of the enzyme, and thus its formation cannot explain the inactivation we observe. Thus, the ionized selenol in the active site is transformed into a form of selenium that cannot easily be reduced back to the selenol.     

Serum Glutathione Peroxidase Activity and Blood Selenium in Pigs

Blood serum glutathione peroxidase activity and blood selenium concentration were measured in blood samples from pigs subjected to experimentally induced selenium deficiency and dietary selenium supplementation on graded levels. A highly significant correlation between blood selenium and serum GSH-Px activity in pigs, especially in selenium deficient pigs, was demonstrated. There was also a strong relationship between blood selenium concentration and serum GSH-Px activity in pigs receiving dietary selenium at graded levels. Serum GSH-Px activity exhibited an excellent close-response relationship to dietary selenium. Linear regression analysis showed that the increased serum GSH-Px activity was a function of the dietary selenium concentration. The fitness of serum in monitoring slight changes of the selenium status of pigs with help of the estimation of GSH-Px activity was discussed. The measurement of serum GSH-Px activity seems to provide a useful and rapid means for defining selenium requirements and for identifying selenium deficiency in growing pigs.     

Identification of the Binding Site of Methylglyoxal on Glutathione Peroxidase: Methylglyoxal Inhibits Glutathione Peroxidase Activity via Binding to Glutathione Binding Sites Arg 184 and 185

Methylglyoxal (MG), a physiological &#102 -dicarbonyl compound is derived from glycolytic intermediates and produced during the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction, a non-enzymatic reaction of ketones and aldehydes with amino group of proteins, contributes to the aging of proteins and to complications associated with diabetes. In our previous studies (Che, et al. (1997) "Selective induction of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor by MG and 3-deoxyglucosone in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. The involvement of reactive oxygen species formation and a possible implication for atherogenesis in diabetes". J. Biol. Chem., 272 , 18453-18459), we reported that MG elevates intracellular peroxide levels, but the mechanisms for this remain unclear. Here, we report that MG inactivates bovine glutathione peroxidase (GPx), a major antioxidant enzyme, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The use of BIAM labeling, it was showed that the selenocysteine residue in the active site was intact when GPx was incubated with MG. MALDI-TOF-MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry) and protein sequencing examined the possibility that MG modifies arginine residues in GPx. The results show that Arg 184 and Arg 185, located in the glutathione binding site of GPx was irreversively modified by treatment with MG. Reactive dicarbonyl compounds such as 3-deoxyglucosone, glyoxal and phenylglyoxal also inactivated GPx, although the rates for this inactivation varied widely. These data suggest that dicarbonyl compounds are able to directly inactivate GPx, resulting in an increase in intracellular peroxides which are responsible for oxidative cellular damage.     

Ketogenic Diet Increases Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Rat Hippocampus

Ketogenic diets have been used in the treatment of refractory childhood epilepsy for almost 80 years; however, we know little about the underlying biochemical basis of their action. In this study, we evaluate oxidative stress in different brain regions from Wistar rats fed a ketogenic diet. Cerebral cortex appears to have not been affected by this diet, and cerebellum presented a decrease in antioxidant capacity measured by a luminol oxidation assay without changes in antioxidant enzyme activities—glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. In the hippocampus, however, we observed an increase in antioxidant activity accompanied by an increase of glutathione peroxidase (about 4 times) and no changes in lipoperoxidation levels. We suggest that the higher activity of this enzyme induced by ketogenic diet in hippocampus might contribute to protect this structure from neurodegenerative sequelae of convulsive disorders.     

Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase is a Seleno-Enzyme Distinct from the Classical Glutathione Peroxidase as Evident from Cdna and Amino Acid Sequencing

The primary structure of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) was partially elucidated by sequencing peptides obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage and tryptic digestion and by isolating and sequencing corresponding cDNA fragments covering about 75% of the total sequence. Based on these data PHGPx can be rated as a selenoprotein homologous, but poorly related to classical glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Peptide loops constituting the active site in GPx are, however, strongly conserved in PHGPx. This suggests that the mechanism of action involving an oxidation/reduction cycle of a selenocysteine residue is essentially identical in PHGPx and GPx.     

Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase is a Seleno-Enzyme Distinct from the Classical Glutathione Peroxidase as Evident from Cdna and Amino Acid Sequencing

The primary structure of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) was partially elucidated by sequencing peptides obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage and tryptic digestion and by isolating and sequencing corresponding cDNA fragments covering about 75% of the total sequence. Based on these data PHGPx can be rated as a selenoprotein homologous, but poorly related to classical glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Peptide loops constituting the active site in GPx are, however, strongly conserved in PHGPx. This suggests that the mechanism of action involving an oxidation/reduction cycle of a selenocysteine residue is essentially identical in PHGPx and GPx.     

水稻谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶基因OsGPX3 和OsGPX4的分子特性研究

植物谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(glutathione peroxidase,GPX)是清除体内活性氧的一种关键酶,在植物抗逆反应中发挥重要作用.本研究从水稻中克隆到2个GPX基因,分别为OsGPX3和OsGPX4.OsGPX3和OsGPX4分别编码238和234个氨基酸组成的蛋白质,预测分子量分别是25.84 kD和25.07 kD.两个基因都包含5个内含子,但是两个基因所对应的内含子长度具有较大变异.组织表达谱分析发现这2个基因在根、茎、叶和叶鞘中均表达,是组成型表达基因.在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化了这2个基因的重组蛋白,酶活性分析显示OsGPX3和OsGPX4蛋白对底物H₂O₂、tBOOH和COOH具有较高活性,但是OsGPX3对3种底物的活性均高于OsGPX4,蛋白质酶活性的差异预示着这2个基因可能存在功能上的分化.     

Selenium-dependent Glutathione Peroxidase Activity is Increased in Healthy Post-menopausal Women

Selenium helps protect against peroxidation during aging as part of the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) antioxidant system. Selenium status, however, is often low in elderly persons who have low selenium intake, live in institutions, and have certain chronic diseases. In addition, a relationship has been observed between the female reproductive hormone, estrogen, and selenium status, with blood selenium and GPx activity coinciding with fluctuations in estrogen during the menstrual cycle. These findings suggest that the decrease in estrogen following menopause may cause a decrease in selenium status, and thus accelerate the process of aging and increase the risk of certain diseases. The current study compared selenium status in healthy premenopausal (n = 13, 21 to 43 years) and postmenopausal (n = 10, 57 to 86 years) women. Selenium intakes of both groups were similar and greater than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 55 μg/day for adult women. Although neither plasma nor RBC selenium concentrations were significantly different between groups, postmenopausal women had significantly greater plasma (p < 0.02), and RBC (p < 0.05) GPx activities compared to premenopausal women possibly in response to oxidative processes associated with aging. These results indicate that the selenium status of healthy postmenopausal women did not decline with menopause and that their antioxidant capability, as measured by GPx activity, was preserved with dietary intake of selenium greater than the RDA. Presented in part at the Experimental Biology 2000, April 2000, San Diego, CA [Smith AM, Ha EJ, Medeiros LC. Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity is increased in healthy post-menopausal women. FASEB J 2000;14:A513.].     

Regional Distribution of Glutathione Peroxidase in the Adult Rat Brain

Glutathione peroxidase activity was measured in 10 areas of perfused adult rat brain with the use of a fluorometric assay coupled to NADPH oxidation. The caudate-putamen and the substantia nigra had the highest activities. Cortical areas and several nuclear areas had somewhat lower activity. Activity was lowest in a white matter structure (corpus callosum). High activity of glutathione peroxidase may be related to the need to reduce hydrogen peroxide arising in the course of monoamine metabolism.     

人肝谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶纯化及性质研究

经硫酸铵分级沉淀,离子交换层析和凝胶过滤等步骤,从人肝中获得了ＰＡＧＥ单一条带的谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶,比活提高１２０倍,得率为２５％。凝胶过滤法测得分子量为９０９８０,ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ测定亚基分子量为２２４２３．原子吸收法测得每分子酶含有四个硒原子。等电聚焦显示该酶等电点为５．０．酶活力的最适ｐＨ为８．５,最适温度为３７℃。动力学实验提示该酶作用机理属于乒乓机制型。     

Characterization of a Selenium-Independent Glutathione Peroxidase From Euglena gracilis

Light or dark grown Euglena gracilis strains contain similar levels of glutathione (GSH) peroxidase. Cells in midstationary phase of growth contained the highest level of the enzyme. The enzyme was purified 280-fold to homogeneity from the permanently bleached strain, E. gracilis var bacillaris W₃BUL. The native enzyme has a molecular weight of 130,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography, and contains four subunits (mol wt 31,500) as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. A variable amount of a higher molecular weight form of the enzyme (approximate mol wt 250,000) was detected but not further characterized. The enzyme has an isoelectric point of 4.7. No selenium could be detected in the purified enzyme. The enzyme is active with H₂O₂ and a variety of organic hydroperoxides, including 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid, and is specific for GSH as the thiol substrate. Apparent K_m values for H₂O₂, t-butyl hydroperoxide, and GSH were 0.03, 1.5, and 0.7 millimolar, respectively. A comparison of selenium-dependent and selenium-independent GSH peroxidases from various eukaryotic sources is presented.     

Role of Glutathione Peroxidase 4 in Glutamate-Induced Oxytosis in the Retina

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) in glutamate-induced oxytosis in the retina.

Methods

For in vitro studies, an immortalized rat retinal precursor cell line R28 was used. Cells were transfected with siRNA specifically silencing GPx4 or with scrambled control siRNA. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) immunostaining. Cytotoxicity and cell death were evaluated using an LDH activity assay and annexin V staining, respectively. Cells transfected with GPx4 siRNA or control siRNA were treated with glutamate (1 or 2 mM), and the cytotoxicity was evaluated using the LDH activity assay. For in vivo studies, retinal ganglion cell damage was induced by intravitreal injection of 25-mM N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA, 2 μL/eye) in GPx4^+/+ and GPx4^+/− mice. The evaluation of lipid peroxidation (4-HNE immunostaining), apoptosis (TUNEL staining), and cell density in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) were performed at 12 h, 1 day, and 7 days after the NMDA injection.

Results

GPx4 knockdown significantly increased LDH activity by 13.9-fold (P < 0.01) and increased peroxidized lipid levels by 3.2-fold in R28 cells (P < 0.01). In cells transfected with scrambled control siRNA, treatment with glutamate at 1 or 2 mM did not increase LDH activity; whereas, in cells transfected with GPx4 siRNA, glutamate treatment significantly increased LDH activity (1.52-fold, P < 0.01). GPx4^+/− mice exhibited higher levels of lipid peroxidation in retinas treated with NMDA than GPx4^+/+ mice (1.26-fold, P < 0.05). GPx4^+/− mice had more TUNEL-positive cells induced by NMDA in GCL (1.45-fold, P < 0.05). In addition, the cell density in GCL of GPx4^+/− mice was 19% lower than that in GPx4^+/+ mice after treatment with NMDA (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

These results suggest that defective GPx4 expression is associated with enhanced cytotoxicity by glutamate-induced oxytosis in the retina.