P74: Novel human mitochondrial enzyme can transform nitrite into nitric oxide

Abstract

Endogenous metabolism of nitrate to nitrite to nitric oxide (NO) affects numerous biological events in humans, such as blood pressure control and hypoxic vasodilation, yet the molecular mechanism of this transformation remains uncertain and controversial. Nitrate and nitrite conversion to NO are reductive processes, requiring electron and proton transfer reactions, suggesting that oxidoreductase enzymes are involved. Nitrate reduction may occur through a combination of endogenous (i.e. human enzymes) and exogenous (i.e. commensal bacteria) nitrate reductase enzymes, while nitrite reduction to nitric oxide is likely catalyzed by endogenous nitrite reductase enzymes. Several mechanisms have been investigated, yet no conclusive data are available to support a single enzyme as an indispensable component for reduction of nitrite to NO in human tissue. It is likely that different enzyme systems are active in specific tissues under differential hypoxia, pH and co-factor regulatory control. We have identified a novel human nitrite reductase enzyme, which we hypothesize may contribute to mitochondrial reduction of nitrite to NO. The mitochondria amidoxime reducing component (mARC) enzyme is widely expressed in human tissue, but has an undefined physiological function. We hypothesize that mARC catalyzes the NADH-dependent reduction of nitrite to NO. To test this hypothesis the kinetics of nitrite reduction to NO by human mARC was investigated. Recombinant mARC was generated using standard molecular biology techniques, and then isolated using metal affinity chromatography. Site directed mutagenesis was used to change the active site cysteine into alanine. Human cytochrome b5 and cytochrome b5 reductase were also isolated to determine if mARC can utilize NADH as an electron source in conjunction with these enzymes. Nitric oxide chemiluminescence spectroscopy was used to measure NO-formation rates under anaerobic conditions. Our study established that mARC can generate NO from nitrite in the presence of NADH, cytochrome b5, and cytochrome b5 reductase at pH 7.4. The maximum velocity (Vmax) of NO-formation measured was 5 nmoles NO s−1 mg−1 protein. Moreover, mutation of the putative active site cysteine residue to alanine, and substitution of tungsten for molybdenum, completely abolished enzyme activity. The kinetic data supports our hypothesis and establishes that human mARC is capable of catalyzing reduction of nitrite to NO. Moreover, these data suggest that cysteine 270 and molybdenum are important in the transformation of nitrite to NO. Disclosure Supported by institution training grant (T32).