title: Hydroxylation of D-phenylalanine as a novel approach to detect hydroxyl radicals: application to cardiac pathophysiology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research in the pathophysiology of ischemia/reperfusion or redox signaling is hindered by lack of simple methodology to measure short-lived oxygen radicals. In the presence of hydroxyl radical ((*)OH), d-phenylalanine (d-Phe) yields para-, meta- and ortho-tyrosine. We have previously demonstrated that d-Phe can accurately detect (*)OH formation in chemical, enzymatic and cellular systems by simple HPLC methodology [Anal Biochem 290:138;2001]. In the present study, we tested whether d-Phe hydroxylation can be used to detect (*)OH formation in intact organs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat hearts were perfused with buffer containing 5 mM d-Phe and subjected to 30 min of total global ischemia at 37 degrees C followed by 45 min of reperfusion. Quantitative analysis of the three hydroxytyrosine isomers was achieved by HPLC-based electrochemical detection of cardiac venous effluent, with the analytical cells operating in the oxidative mode. The detection limit of this assay was <10 fmol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Under baseline conditions, hydroxytyrosine release from the heart was very low ( congruent with0.8 nmol/min/g). However, a prominent tyrosine burst occurred immediately upon post-ischemic reflow. In cardiac effluent collected 40 s into reperfusion, the hydroxytyrosine concentration was more than 40 times greater than at baseline; hydroxytyrosine concentration then progressively declined, to return to pre-ischemic values by 5 min of reperfusion. In parallel experiments, formation of hydroxytyrosines was markedly reduced in hearts reperfused in the presence of the (*)OH scavenger mannitol. Inclusion of 5 mm d-Phe in the perfusion medium altered neither basal cardiac function nor coronary vascular tone, but it enhanced recovery of myocardial function during post-ischemic reperfusion, consistent with direct reaction with (*)OH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that d-Phe is a sensitive method for detection of (*)OH generation in the heart. Since d-Phe is not a substrate for endogenous enzymes, it can be exploited as a reliable method to measure (*)OH formation under a variety of pathophysiological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia School of Medicine, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: Tibaud
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liebgott
authors.forename: Arturo J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cardounel
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bettini
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tritto
authors.forename: Jay L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zweier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006900:Hydroxylation; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010477:Perfusion; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D008353:Mannitol; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine