Glutathione depletion reveals impairment of antigen processing and inhibition of cathepsin activity by nitric oxide in antigen-presenting cells.

Nitric oxide has been shown to induce immunosuppression by inhibiting class II MHC molecule expression and T-lymphocyte proliferation. However, much less is known about the ability of NO to interfere with antigen processing and presentation. So we questioned whether B lymphoma cells exposed to NO could be impaired in their ability to process lysozyme and to stimulate proliferation of a syngeneic T-cell hybridoma. As immunosuppressive pathological conditions are often associated with a pro-oxidative milieu, we also examined the influence of intracellular GSH levels on NO responsiveness. Exposure of GSH-depleted B cells to NO-releasing compounds lowered their capacity to present a reduced and alkylated lysozyme (TAP-HEL), although presentation of a lysozyme-derived peptide was unaffected. Cells with a normal GSH content were protected from this inhibition. Fluid phase endocytosis, protein synthesis and expression of class II molecules remained normal in GSH-depleted cells. However, proteolysis of a dye conjugate of ovalbumin was strongly inhibited, suggesting that protease inhibition might be involved. Cathepsin B activity, which was necessary to TAP-HEL processing, was inhibited by the NO-donors. The inhibition was higher in GSH-depleted cells and reproduced by treatment of A20 B cells by two cathepsin inhibitors. These results show that, in addition to cytostasis and reduction in class II expression, NO-induced immunosuppression could also implicate inhibition of antigen processing under oxidative stress conditions.

Nitration of the tyrosyl radical in ribonucleotide reductase by nitrogen dioxide: a gamma radiolysis study.

Nitrogen dioxide is a product of peroxynitrite homolysis and peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of nitrite. It is of great importance in protein tyrosine nitration because most nitration pathways end with the addition of *NO2 to a one-electron-oxidized tyrosine. The rate constant of this radical addition reaction is high with free tyrosine-derived radicals. However, little is known of tyrosine radicals in proteins. In this paper, we have used *NO2 generated by gamma radiolysis to study the nitration of the R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase, which contains a long-lived tyrosyl radical on Tyr122. Most of the nitration occurred on Tyr122, but nonradical tyrosines were also modified. In addition, peptidic bonds close to nitrated Tyr122 could be broken. Nitration at Tyr122 was not observed with a radical-free metR2 protein. The estimated rate constant of the Tyr122 radical reaction with *NO2 was of 3 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1), thus several orders of magnitude lower than that of a radical on free tyrosine. Nitration rate of other tyrosine residues in R2 was even lower, with an estimated value of 900 M(-1) s(-1). This study shows that protein environment can significantly reduce the reactivity of a tyrosyl radical. In ribonucleotide reductase, the catalytically active radical residue is very efficiently protected against nitrogen oxide attack and subsequent nitration.

Depletion of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools in tumor cells by nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide displays pro- and anti-tumor activities, prompting further studies to better understand its precise role. Nitric oxide inhibits ribonucleotide reductase (RnR), the limiting enzyme for de novo dNTP synthesis. We report here the first detailed analysis of dNTP variations induced in tumor cells by NO. NO prodrugs induced a depletion in dNTP pools and an activation of the pyrimidine salvage pathway, as did hydroxyurea, the prototypic RnR inhibitor. In the presence of dipyridamole, which blocked salvaged dNTP synthesis, depletion of dNTP pools was also observed in tumor cells cocultured with macrophages expressing the high-output iNOS activity. This effect was rapid, reversible, blocked by NO scavengers, and cGMP independent. It was quantitatively correlated to iNOS activity. In the absence of dipyridamole, NO still induced a decrease in dATP concentration in tumor cells cocultured with macrophages, whereas surprisingly, concentrations of dCTP and dTTP expanded considerably, resulting in a strong imbalance in dNTP pools. NO prodrugs did not cause such an increase in pyrimidine dNTP, suggesting that pyrimidine nucleosides were released by NO-injured macrophages. Altered dNTP levels have been reported to promote mutagenesis and apoptosis. It is suggested that abnormal changes in dNTP pools in tumors might contribute to NO-dependent toxicity.