title: Water-soluble organotellurium compounds: catalytic protection against peroxynitrite and release of zinc from metallothionein.
abstract: The antioxidant properties of a number of water-soluble diorganyl tellurides have been investigated. These organotellurium compounds efficiently protect against peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of dihydrorhodamine 123, hydroxylation of benzoate, and nitration of 4-hydroxyphenyl acetate. The peroxidation of the zinc storage protein, metallothionein, by tert-butyl hydroperoxide is also catalyzed by the water-soluble organotellurium compounds. As compared to selenium-containing compounds (e.g., ebselen and selenocystamine), some of the tellurides that were tested ¿e.g., 3-[4-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzenetellurenyl]propanesulfonic acid, sodium salt¿ exhibit a significantly higher reactivity in these assays, making them some of the most effective compounds tested thus far. The catalysis of destruction of zinc-sulfur clusters by water-soluble organotellurium compounds could have implications for the bioavailability of zinc in vivo. These compounds might be lead compounds for the development of a new class of water-soluble, tellurium-based antioxidant and zinc-releasing drugs.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physiologische Chemie I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, D-40001 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Arteel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Engman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sies
mesh_terms: D001565:Benzoates / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D006900:Hydroxylation; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000737:chemistry*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000737:chemistry*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000737:chemistry; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D016877:Oxidants / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000737:chemistry; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D016877:Oxidants; D010648:Phenylacetates; D012235:Rhodamines; D014867:Water; C058319:dihydrorhodamine 123; C039642:peroxynitric acid; C026246:4-hydroxyphenylacetate; D008668:Metallothionein; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide; D015032:Zinc; D013691:Tellurium