Kinetic and structural analysis of the early oxidation products of dopamine: analysis of the interactions with alpha-synuclein.
Oxidative stress appears to be directly involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. Nigral dopaminergic neurons are particularly exposed to oxidative stress because a pathological accumulation of cytosolic dopamine gives rise to various toxic molecules, including free radicals and reactive quinones. These latter species can react with proteins preventing them from exerting their physiological functions. Among the possible targets of quinones, alpha-synuclein is of primary interest because of its direct involvement in dopamine metabolism. Contrary to the neurotoxic processes, neuromelanin synthesis seems to play a protective role by its ability to sequester a variety of potentially damaging substances. In this study, we carried out a kinetic and structural analysis of the early oxidation products of dopamine. Specifically, considering the potential high toxicity of aminochrome for both cells and mitochondria, we focused our attention on its rearrangement to 5,6-dihydroxyindole. After the spectroscopic characterization of the products derived from the oxidation of dopamine, the structural information obtained was used to analyze the reactivity of quinones toward alpha-synuclein. Our results suggest that indole-5,6-quinone, rather than dopamine-o-quinone or aminochrome, is the reactive species. We propose that the observed reactivity could represent a general reaction pathway whenever cysteinyl residues are absent in proteins or if they are sterically protected.
Bisaglia
Marco
M
Departments of Chemical Sciences and Biology, University of Padova, and Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
Mammi
Stefano
S
Bubacco
Luigi
L
D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007181:Inclusion Bodies, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D045563:Indolequinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D007700:Kinetics; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011809:Quinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D005609:Free Radicals; D045563:Indolequinones; D008543:Melanins; D011809:Quinones; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; C014121:neuromelanin; C091584:aminochrome 1; D004298:Dopamine