title: Characterization of and mechanism for copper-induced thioureation of serum albumin.
abstract: Thioureas (Tus) are widely used in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This study demonstrated that copper induced the disulfide-linkage between Tus, such as alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) and fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate cadaverine (FTC), with albumin (Alb), a major carrier protein in plasma with multiple functions. This reaction was absolutely copper-dependent, whereas cobalt, nickel, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and manganese ions could not induce the same reaction. The reaction was substrate dose-dependent, and occurred optimally at pH 6.5. The resulting conjugated product was heat-labile, but stable in pH 6.0-8.0 buffer at 25 degrees C. The linkage could be reduced by Cu(I) (in acidic pH) and thiol-reducing agents. The mechanism of albumin thioureation was concluded: (i) the binding of Cu(II) with albumin is not necessary for the reaction, while the formation of Tus-Cu(II) complex is essential; (ii) thioureation resulted from the attack of Tus-Cu(II) at Alb-Cys(34)-SH to form the Alb-Cys(34)-S-S-Tus complex accompanied by the release of Cu(I); (iii) the released Cu(I) would back inhibit the reaction because of its competition with Cu(II) for Tus binding. These phenomenons may have important implications for the pharmacokinetics of thiourea-based drugs in plasma.
authors: Graduate Institute of Pharmacy and Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yu-Wei
authors: YW
authors: Wu
authors: Yu-Hui
authors: YH
authors: Tsai
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013890:Thiourea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D012709:Serum Albumin; D003300:Copper; D013890:Thiourea; D003545:Cysteine