Esterification of the propionate groups promotes alpha/beta hemoglobin chain homogeneity of CN-hemin binding

This study examines the post-translational role of peripheral propionate groups in the incorporation of the Fe-protoporphryin IX heme into nascent alpha- and beta-globin chains. Human apohemoglobin (a heme-free alpha/beta dimer) in 0.05 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7, at 20 degrees C was titrated with either CN-protohemin (native heme with two peripheral propionate groups), or CN-dimethylester hemin (a modified heme with two methyl ester groups in place of the propionate groups). Soret spectrophotometric CN-hemin titrations confirmed that a spectral shift resulted upon binding of protohemin, but no spectral shift occurred upon binding the dimethylester derivative. Recent studies have correlated a Soret spectral shift with the preferential heme binding to the alpha subunit of apohemoglobin. The absence of a Soret wavelength shift (in conjunction with molecular modeling) presented here suggested that the modification of heme propionate groups prevented the formation of an alpha-heme/beta-globin intermediate, a requisite step in the normal assembly of functional hemoglobin.     

1H NMR study of the role of heme carboxylate side chains in modulating heme pocket structure and the mechanism of reconstitution of cytochrome b5

1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to assign the hyperfine-shifted resonances and determine the position of a side chain in the heme cavity of wild-type rat apocytochrome b5 reconstituted with a series of synthetic hemins possessing systematically perturbed carboxylate side chains. The hemins included protohemin derivatives with individually removed or pairwise shortened and lengthened carboxylate side chains, as well as (propionate)n(methyl)8-nporphine-iron(III) isomers with n = 1-3 designed to force occupation of nonnative propionate sites. The resonance assignments were effected on the basis of available empirical heme contact shift correlations and steady-state nuclear Overhauser effect measurements in the low-spin oxidized proteins. The failure to detect holoproteins with certain hemins dictates that the stable holoproteins, unlike the case of myoglobin, demand the axial iron-His bonds and cannot accommodate carboxylate side chains at interior positions in the binding pocket. Hence, the heme pocket interior in cytochrome b5 is judged much less polar and less sterically accommodating than that of myoglobin. The propionate occupational preference was greatest as the native 7-propionate site, but also possible at the nonnative crystallographic 5-methyl or 8-methyl positions. Only for a propionate at the crystallographic 8-methyl position was a significant perturbation of the native molecular/electronic structure observed, and this was attributed to an alternative propionate-protein hydrogen bond at the crystallographic 8-methyl position. The structures of the transient protein complexes detected only shortly after reconstitution reveal that the initial encounter complexes during assembly of holoprotein from apoprotein and hemin involve one of the two alternate propionate-protein links at either the 7-propionate or native 8-methyl position. In a monopropionate hemin, this leads to the characterization of a new type of heme orientational disorder involving rotation about a N-Fe-N axis.     

Crystal structural analysis of human serum albumin complexed with hemin and fatty acid

Background

Human serum albumin (HSA) is an abundant plasma protein that binds a wide variety of hydrophobic ligands including fatty acids, bilirubin, thyroxine and hemin. Although HSA-heme complexes do not bind oxygen reversibly, it may be possible to develop modified HSA proteins or heme groups that will confer this ability on the complex.

Results

We present here the crystal structure of a ternary HSA-hemin-myristate complex, formed at a 1:1:4 molar ratio, that contains a single hemin group bound to subdomain IB and myristate bound at six sites. The complex displays a conformation that is intermediate between defatted HSA and HSA-fatty acid complexes; this is likely to be due to low myristate occupancy in the fatty acid binding sites that drive the conformational change. The hemin group is bound within a narrow D-shaped hydrophobic cavity which usually accommodates fatty acid; the hemin propionate groups are coordinated by a triad of basic residues at the pocket entrance. The iron atom in the centre of the hemin is coordinated by Tyr161.

Conclusion

The structure of the HSA-hemin-myristate complex (PDB ID 1o9x) reveals the key polar and hydrophobic interactions that determine the hemin-binding specificity of HSA. The details of the hemin-binding environment of HSA provide a structural foundation for efforts to modify the protein and/or the heme molecule in order to engineer complexes that have favourable oxygen-binding properties.

     

Evidence for cytochrome involvement in fumarate reduction and adenosine 5'-triphosphate synthesis by Bacteroides fragilis grown in the presence of hemin.

Growth of Bacteroides fragilis subsp. fragilis on glucose was very much stimulated by the addition of hemin (2 mg/liter) to the medium. The generation time decreased from 8 to 2 h, and the molar growth yield increased from YM = 17.9 to YM = 47 g (dry weight) of cells per mol of glucose. In the absence of hemin, glucose was fermented to fumarate, lactate, and acetate. The cells did not contain detectable amounts of cytochromes or fumarate reductase. In the presence of hemin, the major products of fermentation were succinate, propionate, and acetate. A b-type cytochrome, possibly a c-type cytochrome, and a very active fumarate reductase were present in the cells. It is concluded from these results that hemin is required by B. fragilis to synthesize a functional fumarate reductase and that the hemin-dependent, enormous increase of the growth yield may be due to adenosine 5'-triphosphate production during reduction of fumarate to succinate.     

Desferrioxamine protects human red blood cells from hemin-induced hemolysis

Hemin binding to red cell membranes, its effect on red cell hemolysis, and it interaction with desferrioxamine (DFO) in these processes were investigated. DFO interacted with hemin via the iron moiety. Blockage of the binding groups in DFO prevented interaction of DFO with hemin, implying the importance of the hydroxamic acid groups in DFO-hemin interactions. Since hemolysis is a result of hemin association with the membrane components, its binding in the presence and absence of DFO was studied. DFO strongly inhibited hemin-induced lysis in a concentration-dependent manner. With 50 microM hemin, 1 mM DFO completely inhibited lysis. Preincubation of ghost membranes with DFO (1 mM) inhibited binding of hemin (50 microM) to membranes by 42%. After ghost membranes were preincubated with hemin (50 microM), the addition of DFO (1 mM) removed 20% of the membrane-bound hemin. It is suggested that DFO may have an important role in alleviating the hemin-induced deleterious effects on the red cell membrane, especially in hemolytic anemias associated with unstable, autoxidized hemoglobins.     

Structural analysis of fish versus mammalian hemoglobins: effect of the heme pocket environment on autooxidation and hemin loss

The underlying stereochemical mechanisms for the dramatic differences in autooxidation and hemin loss rates of fish versus mammalian hemoglobins (Hb) have been examined by determining the crystal structures of perch, trout IV, and bovine Hb at high and low pH. The fish Hbs autooxidize and release hemin approximately 50- to 100-fold more rapidly than bovine Hb. Five specific amino acid replacements in the CD corner and along the E helix appear to cause the increased susceptibility of fish Hbs to oxidative degradation compared with mammalian Hbs. Ile is present at the E11 helical position in most fish Hb chains whereas a smaller Val residue is present in all mammalian alpha and beta chains. The larger IleE11 side chain sterically hinders bound O(2) and facilitates dissociation of the neutral superoxide radical, enhancing autooxidation. Lys(E10) is found in most mammalian Hb and forms favorable electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions with the heme-7-propionate. In contrast, Thr(E10) is present in most fish Hbs and is too short to stabilize bound heme, and causes increased rates of hemin dissociation. Especially high rates of hemin loss in perch Hb are also due to a lack of electrostatic interaction between His(CE3) and the heme-6 propionate in alpha subunits whereas this interaction does occur in trout IV and bovine Hb. There is also a larger gap for solvent entry into the heme crevice near beta CD3 in the perch Hb (approximately 8 A) compared with trout IV Hb (approximately 6 A) which in turn is significantly higher than that in bovine Hb (approximately 4 A) at low pH. The amino acids at CD4 and E14 differ between bovine and the fish Hbs and have the potential to modulate oxidative degradation by altering the orientation of the distal histidine and the stability of the E-helix. Generally rapid rates of lipid oxidation in fish muscle can be partly attributed to the fact that fish Hbs are highly susceptible to oxidative degradation.     

Structural requirements for porphyrin inhibition of the hemin-controlled protein kinase and maintenance of protein synthesis in reticulocytes

The role of hemin in the maintenance of protein synthesis in reticulocyte lysates was examined by comparing the effects of various porphyrins and metalloporphyrins on the protein kinase activity of the hemin-controlled repressor and on protein synthesis. The porphyrin requirements for maintenance of protein synthesis were relatively specific. Iron and cobalt metalloporphyrins sustained protein synthesis whereas other metalloporphyrins, metal-deficient porphyrins, and non-porphyrin precursor and degradation products of protoporphyrin IX were ineffective. These same compounds were examined for their effectiveness in inhibiting the protein kinase activity of the hemin-controlled repressor with initiation factor 2 (eIF-2). Most of the metalloporphyrins and porphyrins tested were inhibitory. The presence of the iron atom in the porphyrin was not essential for inhibition, but the maintenance of the integrity of the porphyrin ring was imperative. The porphyrins which inhibited the hemin-regulated protein kinase contained vinyl groups or ethyl groups, or were protonated in the 2- and 4-positions of the porphyrin ring, whereas those with bulky or acidic groups in these positions were ineffective. Precursor and degradation products of protoporphyrin IX and synthetic porphyrins modified at other positions had no effect on the enzyme. Both hemin and protoporphyrin IX inhibited phosphorylation of eIF-2 exogenously added to a reticulocyte lysate; however, hemin sustained protein synthesis in the lysate, whereas protoporphyrin IX did not. These results suggest that regulation of the protein kinase phosphorylating the alpha subunit of eIF-2 is not the only point at which hemin modulates protein synthesis in reticulocytes and reticulocyte lysates, since a correlation between inhibition of protein synthesis, inhibition of protein kinase activity, and phosphorylation of eIF-2 is not observed with all porphyrins.     

血红素对人脐静脉内皮细胞氧化应激损伤的保护作用

采用过氧化氢作用于人脐静脉内皮细胞 ,成功地制作了氧化应激损伤的细胞模型 ,将培养的细胞分为 3组 :正常对照组 ,损伤组 (给予过氧化氢 )和血红素组 (同损伤组的制备 ,预先加入血红素 ) .观察各组细胞在光、电镜下形态学和蛋白质电泳的改变 ,用MTT法检测了各组细胞的生长状态 .结果表明 :在血红素组 ,细胞生长状态、MTT水平和蛋白质电泳结果与损伤组相比有明显好转且差异显著 ,证明血红素对人脐静脉内皮细胞氧化应激损伤有明显的保护作用 .     

Heme oxygenase-1-mediated CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells suppress allergic airway inflammation

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has anti-inflammatory effects in asthma. CD4+CD25(high) regulatory T cells (Treg) are a potent immunoregulator that suppresses the immune response. We studied the effects of HO-1-mediated CD4+CD25(high) Treg on suppression of allergic airway inflammation by comparing mice treated with hemin, OVA, Sn-protoporphyrin (SnPP), and hemin plus SnPP. Airway responsiveness, airway eosinophil infiltration, the level of OVA-specific IgE, and the numbers of cells in general and eosinophils in particular in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid were lower in the hemin group than in the OVA, SnPP, and hemin plus SnPP groups. The expressions of HO-1 mRNA and protein in the lung were increased by repeated administrations of hemin and SnPP. However, the activity of HO-1 was highest in hemin mice. The percentage and suppressive function of CD4+CD25(high) Treg and the expression of Foxp3 mRNA were obviously enhanced after treatment with hemin. This increase was diminished by the administration of SnPP. The concentration of serum IL-10 was higher in the hemin group than in the other groups, whereas the level of serum TGF-beta did not significantly differ across groups. Furthermore, the ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 mRNA in the lung was higher in hemin-treated mice than in OVA and SnPP mice. The suppressive capacity of CD4+CD25(high) Treg was not enhanced in the IL-10-deficient mice treated with hemin. In conclusion, our experiments in the animal model demonstrated that HO-1 has anti-inflammatory effects, probably via enhancement of the secretion of IL-10 and promotion of the percentage of CD4+CD25(high) Treg.     

Inhibition of human lymphocyte ferrochelatase activity by hemin

Ferrochelatase activity in human lymphocytes was found to be 50% inhibited by 10.5 microM hemin under maximal velocity conditions. The inhibition was not prevented by dithiothreitol or glutathione, suggesting that the hemin was not interacting with the sulphydryl groups of ferrochelatase. Human serum albumin, but not bovine serum albumin was able to prevent the inhibition consistent with the known formation of the tightly bound methemalbumin complex with human albumin. Kinetic studies performed under initial velocity conditions with hemin concentrations ranging from 2 to 8 microM revealed the inhibition to be non-competitive with respect to the metal substrate (zinc) and competitive with respect to the porphyrin substrate (mesoporphyrin). The kinetic analysis indicated that hemin binds to both the enzyme and enzyme-metal complex at a site normally occupied by the porphyrin substrate, and a second molecule of hemin could bind to the enzyme-metal complex but with a much lower affinity than the first molecule. We conclude that the product inhibition of ferrochelatase by hemin should be considered as a possible site of regulation of heme biosynthesis.     

内源性一氧化碳参与呼吸节律调节

本文旨在探讨内源性一氧化碳（carbon monoxide,CO）对呼吸节律的调节作用。采用新生Sprague—Dawley大鼠,制备离体延髓脑片标本,分别灌流CO、血红素氧合酶（heme oxygenase,HO）底物高铁血红素（hemin）和HO抑制剂ZnPP-9,观察舌下神经根呼吸样传出放电节律的变化。实验分为5组：单纯人工脑脊液（artificial cerebrospinal fluid,ACSF）对照组、ZnPP-9组、外源性CO组、Hemin组和ZnPP-9＋Hemin组。结果如下：在ZnPP-9组,舌下神经根节律性放电频率（discharge frequency,DF）增快（P〈0．05）;在外源性CO组,舌下神经根节律性DF减慢（P〈0.05）;在Hemin组和ZnPP-9＋Hemin组,舌下神经根节律性DF增快（P〈0．05）。结果表明,内源性CO对呼吸节律可能具有调节作用。     

Long-term intercalation of residual hemin in erythrocyte membranes distorts the cell

The effect of long-term incubation of residual globin-free hemin on whole red blood cell and isolated cytoskeletal proteins was studied. Hemin at concentrations found in pathological red cells was inserted to fresh erythrocytes. Increased hemolysis developed in the hemin-containing cells after a few days at 37 degrees C and after about four weeks at 4 degrees C. Since lipid and hemoglobin peroxidation did not depend on the presence of hemin, time-dependent effects on the cytoskeleton proteins were studied. Observations were: (1) spectrin and protein 4.1 exhibited a time-dependent increasing tendency to undergo hemin-induced peroxidative crosslinking. (2) The ability of the serum proteins, albumin and hemopexin, to draw hemin from spectrin, actin and protein 4.1 decreased with time of incubation with hemin. These results were attributed to time-dependent hemin-induced denaturation of the cytoskeletal proteins. Albumin taken as a control for physiological hemin trap was unaffected by hemin. Small amounts of hemo-spectrin (2-5%) were analyzed in circulating normal cells, and this in vivo hemo-spectrin also failed to release hemin. It was concluded that slow accumulation of hemin, a phenomenon increased in pathological cells, is a toxic event causing erythrocyte destruction.     

Photoelectron Quantum Yields of Hemin, Hemoglobin, and Apohemoglobin: Possible Applications to Photoelectron Microscopy of Heme Proteins in Biological Membranes

Hemoglobin is examined as a model system for intrinsic photoelectron labeling experiments. The absolute photoelectron quantum yields of hemin, hemoglobin, and apohemoglobin thin films were measured in the 180-230 nm wavelength region. Hemin exhibits a quantum yield of approximately 6 × 10^-4 electrons per incident photon at 180 nm, 9 × 10^-5 electrons per incident photon at 210 nm, and 2 × 10^-6 electrons per incident photon at 230 nm. At all wavelengths the hemin curve lies approximately a factor of 20 above that of hemoglobin and two orders of magnitude above that of apohemoglobin. High image contrast is observed between hemin and apohemoglobin in low magnification photoelectron micrographs, suggesting the feasibility of intrinsic labeling studies involving heme proteins. The quantum yield of hemoglobin is discussed in terms of linear contributions from heme groups and protein weighted by their relative surface areas. The fractional surface areas based on the known structure of hemoglobin are consistent with values derived from the quantum yields of hemin and apohemoglobin.     

Disintegration of red cell membrane cytoskeleton by hemin

Spectrin and actin were isolated and their oligomeric state after association with hemin at various conditions was studied. Intact cytoskeletons were prepared by Triton X-100 extraction of red blood cells and incubated with hemin and their stability analyzed by the appearance of dissociated proteins in the supernatant. The cytoskeletons dissociated in a time, temperature and hemin concentration-dependent manner. Following 18 hours incubation in the presence of 0.3 mM hemin there was no dissociation at 4 degrees C, while at the same hemin concentration after 2 hours complete dissociation of the cytoskeletons occurred at 37 degrees C. Microscopy indicated that the cytoskeletons incubated with hemin lost their "cell like" shapes in a time dependent manner. Hemin applied to intact cells also caused dissociation of their cytoskeletons as judged by the failure to separate integer cytoskeletons from red cells treated with hemin. From hemin-induced dissociation profiles of separated actin, spectrin and whole cytoskeletons under various conditions, a mechanism of cytoskeleton breakdown was analyzed, as a release of band 4.1 in the first step which is followed by spectrin dimerization and eventually dissociation of the entire cytoskeletons.     

Apolipoprotein B binds ferritin by hemin-mediated binding: evidence of direct binding of apolipoprotein B and ferritin to hemin

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) is known to be a ferritin-binding protein. Here we show that apoB binds to ferritin through hemin-mediated binding. Human apoB bound to bovine spleen, horse spleen, and canine liver ferritins, but did not bind to bovine apoferritin, even after incorporation of iron into it. Incubation of apoferritin with hemin resulted in apoB binding with apoferritin at the same level as with holoferritin. In contrast, hemin inhibited binding of apoB to ferritin. Bovine spleen apoferritin bound biotinylated hemin, and hemin inhibited the binding between the apoferritin and biotinylated hemin, suggesting that ferritin binds hemin directly. ApoB and LDL containing apoB bound biotinylated hemin, and their bindings were also inhibited by hemin, but not protoporphyrin IX. These data demonstrate that binding of apoB to ferritin is mediated through ferritin’s binding to hemin, and also that apoB binds hemin directly.     

Sequential changes in propionate metabolism during the development of cobalt/vitamin B12 deficiency in sheep

The changes in propionate metabolism that accompany cobalt deficiency in sheep are described. Two groups of sheep, fed either a cobalt sufficient or deficient diet, were given an iv propionate load at intervals during a 14 w experiment. There was a tendency towards increased propionate half-life as the animals became cobalt deficient. However, significant changes in the area under the plasma methylmalonic acid-time curve occurred very early, indicating significant impairment of propionate metabolism. Despite this, the area under the plasma glucose-time curve was unaffected by cobalt deficiency, suggesting that the impairment of propionate metabolism, although significant, is not extensive.     

Influence of hemin on the conformation of cyanogen bromide-cleaved peptides of apomyoglobin

The complexes of the three BrCN-cleaved fragments of sperm whale apomyoglobin with hemin were studied by circular dichroism (CD). In native myoglobin, the heme is located in the middle fragment; the isolated peptide (residues 56–131), however, produces little extrinsic Cotton effects by the addition of hemin, although about four molecules of hemin are bound to this peptide. In marked contrast, the COOH-terminal peptide (residues 132–153), which binds three hemin molecules, shows strong Cotton effects in the Soret bands and drastically changes its conformation from unordered to highly helical. The Arg-modified or Lys-deaminated peptide no longer undergoes conformational changes by the addition of hemin, suggesting that the two propionic acid groups of one hemin molecule interact with the Arg residue and one of the Lys residues, which stabilizes the induced helical conformation. The NH₂-terminal peptide (residues 1–55) binds one hemin molecules, and the helicity of this fragment is slightly enhanced by the addition of hemin. Both the CD and difference absorption spectra indicate that the mode of interaction between the peptides and hemin are different for the three apomyoglobin fragments.     

Interaction of hemin with placental glutathione transferase

To verify a possible involvement of glutathione transferase pi in intracellular transport of hemin the interaction between the protein and the ligand was studied using three different spectroscopic techniques: intrinsic fluorescence quenching, kinetic measurements in the visible range and circular dichroism. From fluorescence experiments two binding sites for the hemin were found with Kd values of about 20 nM (high-affinity site) and 400 nM (low-affinity site). In the presence of glutathione or S-methylglutathione the high-affinity site further increased its affinity, while the second site reduced its affinity for hemin. The effect of hemin on the catalytic activity of the glutathione transferase pi was studied using two different glutathione concentrations. With 1 mM glutathione a non-linear Dixon plot was obtained, while decreased hemin inhibition and a linear pattern was observed with 2.5 mM glutathione. The Ki calculated was 4 microM and the inhibition appeared to be non-competitive with respect to 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. CD spectra of the bilirubin-glutathione-transferase complex (350-600 nm region) at different hemin concentrations showed a common binding site for bilirubin and hemin. In conclusion, the presence of a high-affinity site for the hemin and the fact that glutathione at physiological concentrations increased the affinity of this site, suggest the involvement of glutathione transferase pi in the hemin transport.     

木犀草素预处理对缺血/再灌注大鼠肝脏的保护作用

本研究用Sprague-Dawley大鼠建立肝脏缺血/再灌注损伤模型,探讨木犀草素预处理对大鼠肝脏缺血/再灌注损伤的保护作用及其机制,并观察血红素氧合酶-1(heme oxygenase-1,HO-1)活性变化对肝缺血/再灌注损伤的影响.将火鼠随机分为正常组、模犁组、木犀草素组、木犀草素+锌原卟啉(HO-1抑制剂)组及...     

Horseradish peroxidase. XXXVII. Compound I formation from reconstituted enzyme lacking free carboxyl groups as heme side chains

Recombination of apo horseradish peroxidase with 2,4 dimethyldeutero hemin and its mono- and dimethyl esters was performed. The number of free carboxyl side chains in these three hemins is 2, 1 and 0 respectively. Despite such a difference, all of these three reconstituted enzymes can react with H₂O₂ to produce compound I. The second order rate constants for compound I formation are 1.3 × 10⁷ M^?1s^?1, 8.5 × 10⁶ M^?1s^?1 and 5.9 × 10⁶ M^?1s^?1. Therefore the propionate side chain of hemin has no direct role in compound I formation.