title: Cyclooxygenase competitive inhibitors alter tyrosyl radical dynamics in prostaglandin H synthase-2.
abstract: Reaction of prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS) isoforms 1 or 2 with peroxide forms a radical at Tyr385 that is required for cyclooxygenase catalysis and another radical at Tyr504, whose function is unknown. Both tyrosyl radicals are transient and rapidly dissipated by reductants, suggesting that cyclooxygenase catalysis might be vulnerable to suppression by intracellular antioxidants. Our initial hypothesis was that the two radicals are in equilibrium and that their proportions and stability are altered upon binding of fatty acid substrate. As a test, we examined the effects of three competitive inhibitors (nimesulide, flurbiprofen, and diclofenac) on the proportions and stability of the two radicals in PGHS-2 pretreated with peroxide. Adding nimesulide after ethyl peroxide led to some narrowing of the tyrosyl radical signal detected by EPR spectroscopy, consistent with a small increase in the proportion of the Tyr504 radical. Neither flurbiprofen nor diclofenac changed the EPR line width when added after peroxide. In contrast, the effects of cyclooxygenase inhibitors on the stability of the preformed tyrosyl radicals were dramatic. The half-life of total tyrosyl radical was 4.1 min in the control, >10 h with added nimesulide, 48 min with flurbiprofen, and 0.8 min with diclofenac. Stabilization of the tyrosyl radicals was evident even at substoichiometric levels of nimesulide. Thus, the inhibitors had potent, structure-dependent, effects on the stability of both tyrosyl radicals. This dramatic modulation of tyrosyl radical stability by cyclooxygenase site ligands suggests a mechanism for regulating the reactivity of PGHS tyrosyl radicals with cellular antioxidants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ah-Lim
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Kulmacz
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D002384:Catalysis / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004795:Enzyme Stability / Q000187:drug effects; D005480:Flurbiprofen / Q000494:pharmacology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D005609:Free Radicals; D013449:Sulfonamides; C408694:tyrosine radical; D004008:Diclofenac; D014443:Tyrosine; D005480:Flurbiprofen; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; C012655:nimesulide