BackgroundNitric oxide is a well-known gaseous signaling molecule and protein modifying agent. However, at higher concentrations or during oxidative stress nitric oxide may exert some deleterious effects on protein structure and function. Here we investigated the influence of nitric oxide and products of its oxidation on two glycolytic enzymes: GAPDH and LDH under in vitro nitrosative stress conditions. Secondly, we applied natural antioxidants: melatonin and resveratrol to examine their effects on the enzymes under studied conditions.MethodsBy means of UV–VIS and fluorescence spectroscopy methods we compared nitric oxide mediated changes of enzyme activities, amount of free sulfhydryl groups (-SH) and bis-ANS probe binding. Finally, we predicted potential cysteine residues modified by nitric oxide in studied proteins using GPS-SNO software.ResultsOur results indicated that nitric oxide reversibly inactivates GAPDH but does not affect the activity of LDH. Nitric oxide dependent GAPDH activity decline was accompanied by the reduction of the amount of free –SH groups and GAPDH-bound bis-ANS fluorescence. Reduction of the number of free –SH groups and protein-bound bis-ANS fluorescence was also observed in LDH treated with NO. Applied antioxidants increased inactivation of GAPDH and structural changes of GAPDH and LDH.ConclusionsNitric oxide modifies function and structure of thiol-dependent enzyme such as GAPDH and structure of LDH which function do not rely on cysteine thiols. Both resveratrol and melatonin exerted prooxidative properties in studied conditions.General significanceExtensively studied antioxidants: resveratrol and melatonin may function as a prooxidative species under in vitro nitrosative stress conditions. |