Formation of the paramagnetic complex [Cr(OH)5O2]5- in the reaction between chromium(VI) oxide, and hydrogen peroxide or superoxide anion radicals studied by EPR spectroscopy.

Hydrogen peroxide or superoxide anion radicals form a paramagnetic complex in the reaction with chromium(VI) oxide in an alkaline water solution at room temperature. The complex [Cr(OH)5O2]5- with the g-value equal to 1.9734 is believed to contain hydroxyl groups derived from the alkaline solution and dioxygen derived from hydrogen peroxide or superoxide anion radicals.

Estimation of nitrite ions by the formation of aryl nitroanion radicals in the reaction with the aminoarene 3,5-dibromo-4-amino-benzenesulfonic acid by EPR spectroscopy. The use of 15N-nitrite as an internal standard.

The reaction between the aminoarene 3,5-dibromo-4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid (Na-salt) and nitrite ions gives rise to the corresponding nitroanion radical. In the reaction the amino group of the parent substance was replaced by NO2 from the nitrite ions. This leads to two different EPR spectra when the reaction was made with 14N and 15N nitrite. Furthermore, the two spectra were completely separated with no overlaps, a property which was utilised for a quantitative evaluation of samples of 14N nitrite by means of the addition of a known amount of 15N nitrite as an internal standard. Variation of the concentration of the nitroanion radicals was eliminated since the variation will affect the 14N and 15N products to the same extent. The amplitudes of the spectral components M1 = +1 of the 14N spectrum and M1 = +1/2 of the 15N spectrum were used for the evaluation of the 14N nitrite content of the sample.

Spin trapping of methyl radicals by the acyl nitroso compound Ph--C(= O)NO formed in the photochemical reaction between benzohydroxamic acid, dimethyl sulfoxide and hydrogen peroxide. An EPR study.

By the use of EPR spectroscopy, it has been shown that acyl nitroso compounds can act as spin traps for short-lived radicals with the formation of acyl aminoxyl radicals. The reaction was studied for the system benzohydroxamic acid [Ph--C(= O)N(H)]-dimethyl sulfoxide-hydrogen peroxide. The acyl aminoxyl radicals appeared almost immediately when the reaction mixture was irradiated in situ in the EPR cavity with UV light. The trapping reaction involved two photochemical reactions, i.e. the oxidation of the hydroxamic acid to the acyl nitroso compound Ph--C(= O)NO, and the formation of methyl radicals from dimethyl sulfoxide. The EPR spectra are superpositions of the spectra of two species of acyl aminoxyl radicals, i.e. the radicals Ph--C(= O)N(O.)H formed by oxidation of the parent benzohydroxamic acid, and the radical Ph--C(= O)N(O.)CH3, formed by trapping of methyl radicals.

Spin trapping of nitric oxide (NO.) as aminoxyl radicals by its reaction with two species of short-lived radicals derived from azo compounds such as 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile and some aliphatic alcohols.

Aminoxyl radicals of the type R1N(O.)R2 are formed in the photochemical reaction between nitric oxide (NO.) and carbon-centered radicals R1. and R2.. R1. was formed from azo compounds such as 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN): R1. = NC-C(CH3)2, 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN): R1. = CH3-CH(CH3)-CH2-C(CN)CH3, or 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid) (ACVA): R1. = HOOC-(CH2)2-C(CN) CH3. R2. was derived from aliphatic substances such as methanol, ethanol, or 2-propanol by homolytic abstraction of a hydrogen atom brought about by R1. from the azo compounds.

Formation of aminoxyl radicals in the reaction between penicillins and hydrogen peroxide.

Aminoxyl radicals are formed in high yield in the reaction between penicillins and hydrogen peroxide in water solutions in the pH range between 7 and 8. The nine-line EPR spectrum, 3 x 3 (1:2:1), indicated an interaction of the unpaired electron with one 14N nucleus (aN = 1.44 mT) and two equivalent hydrogen nuclei (aH = 2.00 mT). The reaction involves an oxidative cleavage of the beta-lactam ring of the penicillins with the formation of a cyclic aminoxyl radical, in which the thiazolidine ring carries the nitroxide group (= N-O.). It is suggested that the reaction with the formation of aminoxyl radicals can also take place in vivo in the deactivation of penicillins by metabolically formed hydrogen peroxide.

Spin trapping by use of N-tert-butylhydroxylamine. Involvement of Fenton reactions.

Spin trapping of short-lived R. radicals is done by use of N-tert-butylhydroxylamine (1) and H2O2. The hydroxylamine is oxidized to the radical t-BuN(O)H (2) which is converted into the spin trap 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (3). Simultaneously, hydroxyl radicals .OH are formed from H2O/. The latter radical species abstracts hydrogen atoms from suitable molecules HR to give R. radicals, which are trapped with the formation of aminooxyl radicals, i.e., t-BuN(O)R (4), detectable by EPR spectroscopy. The reaction is enhanced by the presence of iron ions. The cleavage of H2O2 into .OH radicals is considered to involve both a radical-driven (t-BuN(O)H 2) and an iron-driven Fenton reaction.

Hyposmolar entrapping of a spin label into aged red cells.

The aging of human erythrocytes stored in vitro at 4 degrees C was studied by the entrapping method. Erythrocytes were subjected to a sudden hyposmolar stress by suspension in solutions of varying osmolarity in the presence of the spin label tempocholine. The curves obtained when the amount of the spin label entrapped in the ghosts after resealing was plotted against the osmolarity of the buffer solutions exhibited an entrapping which increased with time of the in vitro storage of the erythrocytes (40-60 and 80-100 days). Rejuvenation of the aged erythrocytes by addition of glucose-adenine restored the entrapping curves to shapes nearly similar to those obtained with erythrocytes collected 30-35 days earlier.

The pKa and pH dependence of the formation of nitroxide radicals from some drug substances with an aliphatic secondary amino group by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. An Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) Study.

The pKa and pH dependence of the formation of nitroxide radicals from the following drugs that contain an aliphatic secondary amino group, by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, have been studied by ESR spectroscopy: Ephedrine, (1R,2S)-1-phenyl-2-methyl-aminopropanol, timolol, (S)-1-(tert-butyl-amino)-3-[(4-morpholino-1,2,3-thiadiazol-3-yl)ox y]-2- propanol, metoprolol, 1-[4-(2-methoxyethyl)phenoxy]-3-[(1-methylethyl)amino]-2-propanol and terodiline, N-tert-butyl-3,3-diphenyl-1-methylpropylamine. Radicals were formed from the non-ionized base only. Therefore, the pKa value of the amine and the pH of the reaction mixture is of crucial importance for the yield of nitroxide radical. At 37 degrees C the pKa values of 1-3 are about 9.2, and of 4 about 9.6, which means that 1.5% of 1-3, and 0.6% of 4, are present in the reactive base form at the physiological pH of 7.4. Horse-radish peroxidase was found both to enhance radical production and to decrease the life-time of the radicals formed in the reaction with hydrogen peroxide.

Stereoselective binding of 3-acetoxy-, and 3-hydroxy-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-ones to human serum albumin. Selective allosteric interaction with warfarin enantiomers.

Stereoselective binding of oxazepam, lorazepam, temazepam and methyl lorazepam as well as of their acetates to human serum albumin was investigated by different techniques. The 2'-chlorine and the N(1)-methyl substitution exert opposite effects on the antipodes. Enantiomers of oxazepam acetate (OAc) and lorazepam acetate (LAc) displace diazepam. Allosteric interactions with warfarin were manifested by either mutually increased or decreased binding depending on the structure of benzodiazepine and on the configuration of both benzodiazepine and warfarin. The most remarkable effect could be observed in the simultaneous binding of (S)-lorazepam acetate and (S)-warfarin.

Entrapping of the spin label tempocholine into human erythrocytes by resealing after hyposmolar stress. Comparison with haemolysis. The effects of some membrane-active substances.

Human erythrocytes were subjected to a sudden hyposmolar stress by suspension in solutions of varying salt concentrations in the presence of the spin label tempocholine. The enlarged pores in the erythrocyte membranes produced by the influx of water, followed by stretching, allowed the passage of the spin label, so that a certain amount of tempocholine was entrapped when the erythrocytes spontaneously resealed with closing of the pores. The excess of spin label in the external solution was then reduced to a diamagnetic species by the addition of ascorbic acid. The positively charged tempocholine and the ascorbic acid did not penetrate properly resealed erythrocytes, so that the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal from the entrapped spin label constituted a measure of the effective resealing of the pores and rifts in the membrane subsequent to hyposmolar stress. Some drug substances were found to influence the entrapping curves obtained when the amount of entrapped spin label was plotted against the osmolarity. Chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, nicardipine, amperozide and haloperidol gave rise to a dose-dependent decrease of the entrapping of tempocholine, especially at low osmolarities. The exclusion of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions from the solutions increased the action of chlorpromazine. The protective action against haemolysis brought about by a number of membrane-active substances at low concentrations [2] had its counterpart in the entrapping curve observed with chlorpromazine at 0.1 mM. It is suggested that the substances in this series exerted their action on the resealing process by interaction with the calmodulin system.

The efflux of spin label entrapped in human erythrocyte ghosts when suspended in hyposmolar solutions. The effect of chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, nicardipine and some other membrane active substances.

Human erythrocyte ghosts were loaded with the spin label tempocholine . Once entrapped in the ghosts, this spin label, carrying a positive charge, is not able to penetrate through intact ghost membranes. The ghosts were loaded with spin label to a concentration high enough to introduce exchange broadening of the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal with a relatively small signal amplitude. The efflux of the spin label brought about by hyposmolar stress was studied. The appearance of the label in the relatively large external volume gave rise to an increase of the ESR signal amplitude since the concentration of the spin label outside the ghosts was in the range in which exchange broadening can be excluded. The duration of the efflux following hyposmolar stress was less than half a minute. After this time, the ghosts resealed spontaneously and without restoration of the normal osmolarity. A number of membrane active substances were studied for possible influence on the efflux of spin label induced by hyposmolar stress. The drug substances chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine and nicardipine were found to increase the hyposmolar efflux of spin label. It was suggested that these substances, classified as calcium-antagonists and inhibitors of the calmodulin system, exert their action on the efflux of spin label by interaction with membrane proteins which maintain shape and tension of the erythrocytes.

Comparative studies of the binding of some ligands to human serum albumin non-covalently attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue, or covalently immobilized on Sepharose, by column affinity chromatography.

A comparative study of the ligand-binding properties of human serum albumin was performed by the technique of affinity chromatography with the protein attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue F3GA (Blue Sepharose), or covalently immobilized on Sepharose. The binding strength of octanoate, decanoate and dodecanoate is much weaker when human serum albumin is attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue, indicating that the binding sites for fatty acids are involved in the attachment of human serum albumin to immobilized Cibacron Blue. The results revealed additional alterations of the ligand binding when human serum albumin was attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue, involving sites outside of the binding domains of fatty acids. Thus the stereoselective binding of L-tryptophan was abolished, and the resolution of the warfarin enantiomers was impaired. However, the binding strength of warfarin and salicylic acid was rather close to the values observed with human serum albumin covalently immobilized on Sepharose. It is suggested that the availability of the binding sites for L-tryptophan, warfarin and salicylic acid is partially blocked by the complex between albumin and the dye without direct participation in the complex-formation. An alternative interpretation involves an allosteric mechanism brought about by complex-formation between serum albumin and the immobilized Cibacron Blue.

Spatial separation of the two essential thiol groups and the binding site of the exchangeable GTP in brain tubulin. A spin label study.

The assembly of microtubules from tubulin prepared without glycerol was inhibited by blocking the two most reactive sulfhydryl groups of the eight free sulfhydryl groups present per tubulin dimer. The assembly was also inhibited by Cu2+ ions in a redox-reaction with the two most reactive sulfhydryl groups. These two sulfhydryl groups had almost the same reactivity towards N-ethylmaleimide and p-chloromercuribenzoate, in spite of the fact that they are located on different subunits of tubulin. It was not possible to label just one single sulfhydryl group at a time by N-ethylmaleimide, and it was not possible to decide whether one or two free sulfhydryl group(s) are needed for assembly. The EPR technique based on the interaction of spin labels with transition metals was used for the study of the distance between the two most reactive sulfhydryl groups and the sites of exchangeable GTP and Mg2+, respectively. The sulfhydryl groups were spin labelled with a nitroxide derivative of N-ethylmaleimide. Cr(III)GTP was used as a paramagnetic substitute for GTP, and Mn2+ for Mg2+. It was found that: a. The exchange of GTP and the total content of GTP were not affected by modification of the sulfhydryl groups. b. The binding sites of the exchangeable GTP and Mg2+ are located 10 A, at least, from the two most reactive sulfhydryl groups. c. The distance between the spin labels introduced on the two most reactive sulfhydryl groups was larger than 17 A. The findings indicate that there is no direct interaction between exchangeable GTP and the two most reactive sulfhydryl groups.

The effect of ruthenium red on the assembly and disassembly of microtubules and on rapid axonal transport.

The assembly of microtubules was found to decrease in proportion to the mount of added ruthenium red, indicating a high affinity of ruthenium red for the microtubule system. An equimolar amount of ruthenium red per tubulin dimer inhibited the microtubule assembly completely and disassembled existing microtubules. Binding of ruthenium red to tubulin is accompanied by a shift in the absorption maximum fro 535 to 538 nm. The binding is very strong, as shown by the finding that ruthenium red could not be displaced from tubulin by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-25, or by the addition of Ca2+ or Mg2+. The binding of ruthenium red to tubulin did not affect the single colchicine site, nor the Mg2+ site(s), as shown by use of Mn2+ as an EPr probe. Ruthenium red also interfered with microtubules in an intact cell system, as it inhibited rapid axonal transport in the frog sciatic nerve, measured by the accumulation of [3H]leucine-labelled proteins in front of a ligature.

Synthesis and binding to tubulin of an allocolchicine spin probe.

A spin probe for the colchicine binding site on tubulin has been synthesized from allocolchicine. The probe is competitive to colchicine with an apparent inhibition constant of 11 microM while allocolchicine has an inhibition constant of 2 microM. Microtubule assembly is inhibited to 50% by 7 microM of the spin probe. As a mitotic poison the spin probe is less potent than colchicine. These data suggest that the probe binds to the same site on tubulin as colchicine and in spite of the somewhat lower efficiency, it seems to be a valuable tool for the study of the microtubule system.

Metal analysis by energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence of bovine brain tubulin and microtubule-associated proteins prepared by phosphocellulose chromatography.

It has been shown by trace metal analysis that tubulin isolated from bovine brain does not contain strongly bound transition metal ions. The traces of zinc and iron found in the fraction of microtubule-associated proteins might originate from previously reported phosphatase activity (Larsson, H., Wallin, M. and Edström, A. (1979) J. Neurochem. 32, 155--161).

Quantitative studies on competitive ligand binding to bovine serum albumin by use of the spin label 5-doxyl dodecanoic acid.

The binding of the spin label 5-doxyl dodecanoic acid to bovine serum albumin in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 was studied by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Free label and label bound to serum albumin could be quantitatively measured and evaluated from the superposition spectra of these two species with no previous separation. The efficiency relative to the spin label as competitors for binding to serum albumin was studied with salicylic acid and some fatty acids of medium length. The results were represented both by the stoichiometric model involving equilibrium constants Ki, by binding isotherms constructed from the Ki values, and by a purely graphical representation of the experimental data points without connection with any special binding model.