Reactivity of HNO‐Induced Modifications and Its Relevance to Phospholamban Function

Abstract

HNO, a potential heart failure therapeutic, is known to post-translationally modify cysteine residues. Among reactive nitrogen oxide species, the modification of cysteine residues to sulfinamides [RS(O)NH2] is unique to HNO. Because this modification can alter protein structure and function, we have examined the reactivity of sulfinamides in several systems, including small organic molecules, peptides, and a protein. At physiological pH and temperature, relevant reactions of sulfinamides involve reduction to free thiols in the presence of excess thiol and hydrolysis to form sulfinic acids [RS(O)OH]. In addition to utilizing ESI-MS and other spectroscopic methods to study sulfinamide reduction, we have applied 15N-edited 1H-NMR techniques to sulfinamide detection and used this method to explore sulfinamide hydrolysis. We have also investigated the effect of local environment on the reactivity of HNO with C-terminal cysteines. Our findings indicate that the nature of HNO-derived modifications of C-terminal cysteines is influenced by the C-terminal carboxylate. HNO has been shown to enhance cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ cycling independent of the β-adrenergic pathway. In a collaborative project, the effects of HNO on the cardiac protein, phospholamban (PLN) are investigated using 15N-edited NMR methods and biochemistry protocols. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (CHE-1213438) and Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals.