Generation and release of nitrotyrosine O-sulfate by HepG2 human hepatoma cells upon SIN-1 stimulation: identification of SULT1A3 as the enzyme responsible

In addition to serving as a biomarker of oxidative/nitrative stress, elevated levels of nitrotyrosine have been shown to cause DNA damage or trigger apoptosis. Whether the body is equipped with mechanisms for protecting against the potentially harmful nitrotyrosine remains unknown. The present study was designed to investigate the possibility that sulfation serves as a pathway for the metabolism/regulation of nitrotyrosine. Using metabolic labelling, nitrotyrosine O-35S]sulfate was found to be produced and released into the medium of HepG2 human hepatoma cells labelled with 35S]sulfate in the presence of nitrotyrosine. To identify the enzyme(s) responsible for nitrotyrosine sulfation, a systematic study of all eleven known human cytosolic SULTs (sulfotransferases) was performed. Of the 11 enzymes tested, only SULT1A3 displayed sulfating activity toward nitrotyrosine. The pH-dependence and kinetic constants of SULT1A3 with nitrotyrosine or dopamine as substrate were determined. To examine whether the sulfation of nitrotyrosine occurs in the context of cellular physiology, HepG2 cells labelled with 35S]sulfate were treated with SIN-1 (morpholinosydnonimine), a peroxynitrite generator. Increments of nitrotyrosine O-35S]sulfate were detected in the medium of HepG2 cells treated with higher concentrations of SIN-1. To gain insight into the physiological relevance of nitrotyrosine sulfation, a time-course study was performed using 3H]tyrosine-labelled HepG2 cells treated with SIN-1. The findings confirm that the bulk of free 3H]nitrotyrosine inside the cells was present in the unconjugated form. The proportion of sulfated 3H]nitrotyrosine increased dramatically in the medium over time, implying that sulfation may play a significant role in the metabolism of free nitrotyrosine.