S-Nitrosylation of Surfactant Protein-D Controls Inflammatory Function

The pulmonary collectins, surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D) have been implicated in the regulation of the innate immune system within the lung. In particular, SP-D appears to have both pro- and anti-inflammatory signaling functions. At present, the molecular mechanisms involved in switching between these functions remain unclear. SP-D differs in its quaternary structure from SP-A and the other members of the collectin family, such as C1q, in that it forms large multimers held together by the N-terminal domain, rather than aligning the triple helix domains in the traditional “bunch of flowers” arrangement. There are two cysteine residues within the hydrophobic N terminus of SP-D that are critical for multimer assembly and have been proposed to be involved in stabilizing disulfide bonds. Here we show that these cysteines exist within the reduced state in dodecameric SP-D and form a specific target for S-nitrosylation both in vitro and by endogenous, pulmonary derived nitric oxide (NO) within a rodent acute lung injury model. S-nitrosylation is becoming increasingly recognized as an important post-translational modification with signaling consequences. The formation of S-nitrosothiol (SNO)-SP-D both in vivo and in vitro results in a disruption of SP-D multimers such that trimers become evident. SNO-SP-D but not SP-D, either dodecameric or trimeric, is chemoattractive for macrophages and induces p38 MAPK phosphorylation. The signaling capacity of SNO-SP-D appears to be mediated by binding to calreticulin/CD91. We propose that NO controls the dichotomous nature of this pulmonary collectin and that posttranslational modification by S-nitrosylation causes quaternary structural alterations in SP-D, causing it to switch its inflammatory signaling role. This represents new insight into both the regulation of protein function by S-nitrosylation and NO's role in innate immunity

Kinetic and Cellular Characterization of Novel Inhibitors of S-Nitrosoglutathione Reductase*

S-Nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) is an alcohol dehydrogenase involved in the regulation of S-nitrosothiols (SNOs) in vivo. Knock-out studies in mice have shown that GSNOR regulates the smooth muscle tone in airways and the function of β-adrenergic receptors in lungs and heart. GSNOR has emerged as a target for the development of therapeutic approaches for treating lung and cardiovascular diseases. We report three compounds that exclude GSNOR substrate, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) from its binding site in GSNOR and cause an accumulation of SNOs inside the cells. The new inhibitors selectively inhibit GSNOR among the alcohol dehydrogenases. Using the inhibitors, we demonstrate that GSNOR limits nitric oxide-mediated suppression of NF-κB and activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase. Our findings reveal GSNOR inhibitors to be novel tools for regulating nitric oxide bioactivity and assessing the role of SNOs in vivo

High glucose attenuates protein S-nitrosylation in endothelial cells - Role of oxidative stress

ObjectiveHyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction, via a defect of nitric oxide (NO) bioactivity and overproduction of superoxide, is regarded as one of the most significant events contributing to the vascular lesions associated with diabetes. However, the mechanisms underlying such hyperglycemic injury remain undefined. We hypothesized that alterations in cellular protein S-nitrosylation may contribute to hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction.Research design and methodsWe exposed endothelial cells to high glucose in the presence and absence of reactive oxygen species inhibitors and used the biotin switch assay to analyze the alteration in the global pattern of protein S-nitrosylation compared with cells cultured under normal glucose conditions. We identified endogenous S-nitrosylated proteins by mass spectrometry and/or immunoblotting with specific antibodies.ResultsHigh-glucose treatment induced a significant reduction of endogenous S-nitrosylated proteins that include endothelial NO synthase, beta-actin, vinculin, diacylglycerol kinase-alpha, GRP78, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1, and transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Interestingly, these changes were completely reversed by inhibition of superoxide production, suggesting a key role for oxidative stress in the regulation of S-nitrosylation under hyperglycemic conditions. In addition, we found that in parallel with the restoration of decreased S-nitrosylation of NF-kappaB, high glucose-induced NF-kappaB activation was blocked by the superoxide inhibitors.ConclusionsThe alterations in protein S-nitrosylation may underlie the adverse effect of hyperglycemia on the vasculature, such as endothelial dysfunction and the development of diabetic vascular complications.Carol Wadham, Angela Parker, Lijun Wang and Pu Xi

Identification of protein nitrosothiols using phosphine-mediated selective reduction

Regulation of protein function by S-nitrosation of critical cysteines is known to be an important mechanism for nitric oxide signaling. Evidence for this comes from several different experimental approaches including the ascorbate-based biotin switch method. However technical problems with specificity and sensitivity of ascorbate reduction of S-nitrosothiols limit its usefulness and reliability. In the current study we report the use of triphenylphosphine ester derivatives to selectively reduce SNO bonds in proteins. After triphenylphosphine ester reduction thiols were tagged with biotin or fluorescently labeled maleimide reagents. Importantly we demonstrate that these compounds are specific reductants of SNO in complex biological samples and do not reduce protein disulfides or protein thiols modified by hydrogen peroxide. Reduction proceeds efficiently in cell extracts and in whole fixed cells. Application of this approach allowed us to demonstrate S-nitrosation of specific cellular proteins, label S-nitrosoproteins in whole fixed cells (especially the nuclear compartment) and demonstrate S-nitrosoprotein formation in cells expressing inducible nitric oxide synthase

HIF-1 alpha protein as a target for S-nitrosation.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) is a master regulator to sense decreased oxygen partial pressure. HIF-1 alpha stability regulation initiates a complex biological response that allows cells to act appropriately to meet patho-physiological situations of decreased oxygen availability. Recently, nitric oxide emerged as a messenger with the ability to stabilize HIF-1 alpha and to transactivate HIF-1 under normoxia. Considering that reactive nitrogen species are recognized for post-translation protein modifications, among others S-nitrosation, we asked whether HIF-1 alpha is a target for S-nitrosation. In vitro NO+ donating NO donors such as GSNO and SNAP provoked massive S-nitrosation of purified HIF-1 alpha. All 15 free thiol groups found in human HIF-1 alpha are subjected to S-nitrosation. Thiol modification is not shared by spermine-NONOate, a NO radical donating compound. However, spermine-NONOate in the presence of O(2)(-), generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase, regained S-nitrosation, most likely via formation of a N(2)O(3)-like species. In vitro, S-nitrosation of HIF-1 alpha was attenuated by the addition of GSH or ascorbate. In RCC4 and HEK293 cells GSNO or SNAP reproduced S-nitrosation of HIF-1 alpha, however with a significantly reduced potency that amounted to modification of three to four thiols, only. Importantly, endogenous formation of NO in RCC4 cells via inducible NO synthase elicited S-nitrosation of HIF-1 alpha that was sensitive to inhibition of inducible NO synthase activity with N-monomethyl-L-arginine. NO-stabilized HIF-1 alpha was susceptible to the addition of N-acetyl-cysteine that destabilized HIF-1 alpha in close correlation to the disappearance of S-nitrosated HIF-1 alpha. In conclusion, HIF-1 alpha is a target for S-nitrosation by exogenously and endogenously produced NO