The effect of Habrobracon hebetor venom on the activity of the prophenoloxidase system, the generation of reactive oxygen species and encapsulation in the haemolymph of Galleria mellonella larvae.

The cellular and humoral immune reactions in haemolymph of the wax moth Galleria mellonella larvae naturally injected by venom of ectoparasitic wasp Habrobracon hebetor were analyzed. A strong decline of phenoloxidase (PO) activity in the haemolymph and the number of haemocytes with PO activity of envenomated wax moth was observed. In addition, it has been shown that the rate of capsule melanization in the envenomated larvae was half that of the control. Also production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the haemolymph of envenomated larvae decreased. The obtained data casts light on the suppression of the main immune reactions in G. mellonella larvae during natural envenomation by H. hebetor.

[Generation of reactive oxygen species and activity of antioxidants in larva hemolymph of galleria mellonella (L.) (lepidoptera: piralidae) at development of process of encapsulation].

Activities of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, and catalase) have been determined in hemocytes and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been studied in lymph of larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella at development of the process of encapsulation of nylon implants. It has been established that as soon as 15 min after piercing of cuticle with implant the capsule is formed on its surface. The active melanization of the capsule has been shown to last for 4 h. There have been shown a statistically significant increase of the ROS generation in lymph and a decrease of activities of enzymatic antioxidants in hemocytes of the insects after the implant incorporation. The authors suggest that the key role in maintenance of the oxidation-reduction balance in hemolymph at development of the incapsulation process is played by the lymph non-enzymatic antioxidants.

Effect of selenolipoic acid on peroxynitrite-dependent inactivation of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase.

Seleno-organic compounds are known as efficient "scavengers" of peroxynitrite (PN). Here we studied the protective effect of selenolipoic acid (SeLA), the seleno-containing analogue of lipoic acid, on peroxynitrite-dependent inactivation of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. 3-Morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride (SIN-1) was used as a source of peroxynitrite. The reductase was irreversibly inactivated by PN generated from SIN-1. The inactivation occurred with the rate constant of about 3 x 10(4) M-1 s-1. The presence of SeLA at low concentration (0.5 microM) led to synergistic increase of the reductase inactivation by PN. Our results suggest the formation of a reactive derivative of SeLA in the reaction of SeLA with PN, probably selenolseleninate, that mediates the aggravation of reductase inactivation. In the presence of SeLA, the inactivation was reversible under the action of thiols, allowing us to conclude that the observed action of SeLA may be considered as protective.

EPR detection of reactive oxygen species in hemolymph of Galleria mellonella and Dendrolimus superans sibiricus (Lepidoptera) larvae.

The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hemolymph and hemocytes of Galleria mellonella and Dendrolimus superans sibiricus larvae was studied by ESR spectroscopy using spin-trap 1-hydroxy-3-carboxy-pyrrolidine (CP-H). The background level of ROS formation was detected in the intact hemolymph. The addition of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) into free cells of the hemolymph increased CP-H oxidation about two times for G. mellonella and about four times for D. superans sibiricus. This increase was completely inhibited by a specific inhibitor of phenoloxidase, phenylthiourea. The presence of exogenous superoxide dismutase (SOD) did not change CP-H oxidation in the hemolymph. The data obtained in hemocytes showed only a DOPA-induced increase in CP-H oxidation. Phagocytosis activators did not affect ROS formation in hemocytes of both insect species. SOD decreased DOPA-induced CP-H oxidation 20-30% in suspension of hemocytes of D. superans sibiricus only. Our results are in agreement with the contribution of superoxide radical and DOPA-derived quinones/semiquinones in the immune response of insects.

Reversible inhibition of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase by alpha-lipoic acid.

NADPH-cytochrome-P450 reductase both purified from rat hepatic microsomes and involved in microsomal fraction was inactivated by treatment with alpha-lipoic acid. Since alpha-lipoic acid contains disulfide bond, it reacts with SH-groups of the reductase via the reaction of thiol-disulfide exchange resulting in the loss of the enzyme reducing activity. NADP+ completely protected reductase from the inactivation. The modification of reductase was reversible: the modified enzyme was partially reactivated with dithiothreitol and dihydrolipoic acid in the case when cytochrome c was used as a substrate of reductase. In the case when inorganic substrate, K3Fe(CN)6, was used for assay the activity of modified reductase no reactivation was observed. It was found that the order of the reaction of inactivation of membrane-bound microsomal reductase is equal to 1.2 +/- 0.2, which is in an agreement with pseudo-first order kinetics, and the second-order-rate constant of 26 M-1min-1. The results have shown that well known therapeutic agent alpha-lipoic acid is an efficient inhibitor of both purified and microsomal reductase.

Reversible modification of cysteine residues of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.

A reversible chemical modification of SH-groups of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is the subject of the present study. The enzyme was modified using first biradical RS-SR (R being the imidazolidine derivative) and a new affinity reductase inhibitor beta-cystamine adenosine diphosphate (ANSSN). These reagents were shown to be covalently bound to reductase SH-groups via the reaction of thiol-disulfide exchange resulting in the loss of reducing activity for cytochrome c. NADP+ protected reductase from inactivation and decreased the extent of the modification by RS-SR. The modification of reductase was reversible: the modified enzyme was partially reactivated with glutathione and dithiothreitol. The method proposed can be used to study both the reductase structure and the reversible inhibition of microsomal monooxygenase systems.

Affinity modification of microsomal flavoproteins by NAD(P) 2',3'-dialdehydes.

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase (FP1) and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (FP2) involved in the microsomal fraction of rat liver have been modified chemically by periodate-oxidized NADP+ and NAD+ (o-NAD(P]. Despite its low Ki values (approximately 30 microM) o-NADP is not covalently bound with FP1, although o-NAD with Ki greater than 100 microM chemically modifies FP1 by suppressing its activity. The protective effect of NADP+ against FP1 inactivation indicates that FP1 is modified in the NADP+ binding site. An active centre of FP2 is modified by o-NAD in the same manner as FP1 (NAD+ prevents FP2 from inactivation). FP2 is slightly inactivated when the concentration of o-NADP is one order of magnitude higher than that of o-NAD. As found, the o-NAD-modified microsomal FP1 inhibits the oxidation of cytochrome P-450 substrates (acetanilide and p-nitroanisole).

Affinity modification of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.

The active centre of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase contains the lysine residue essential for catalytic activity. Chemical modification of epsilon-amino group of this lysine residue is the subject of the present study. To modify the epsilon-amino group, we have employed the periodate-oxidized NADP+ and NAD+ (o-NAD(P]. The both reagents have appeared to be the competitive inhibitors of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase (Ki for o-NADP approximately 10 microM, Ki for o-NAD greater than 100 microM). However, o-NADP has not a covalency bond with reductase, whilst o-NAD modifies the reductase at the binding site of NADPH. A protective effect of NADP+ and the labeling extent close to unity (0.7) at deep reductase inactivation indicate the affinity type of this modification. Different results of reductase modification by either o-NADP or o-NAD may be due to the difference in the structures of the analogs bound to the enzyme active site.

[The study of the structure of active center of membrane-bound cytochrome p-450 using 1-naphthoxyalcanthiols]. / Izuchenie stroeniia aktivnogo tsentra membranosviazannogo tsitokhroma P450 s pomoshch'iu 1-naftoksialkantiolov.

Homologous 1-naphtoxyalcanthiols of the type 1-C10H7O(CH2)nSH (n = 2-7) are used for structural studies of the microsomal cytochrome P450 active centre. It was found that the strongest complex of thiol with P450 is formed for n = 3. Microsomal oxidation of P450 substrates aminopyrine and benz(a) pyrene is inhibited by the 1-naphtoxyalcanthiols studied. A non-monotonous dependence of pI50 on n was found, the compound with a chain length n = 3 appeared to be the most effective inhibitor. The interaction of this thiol (n = 3) with both the heme group of P450 and the hydrophobic substrate zone is supposed and the distance between these points was estimated. It is possible to employ this approach for structural studies on the active centers of different isoforms of P450.

[Interaction of RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli with substrate by affinity labeling and NMR with nuclear 31P]. / Izuchenie vzaimodeistviia RNK-polimerazy Escherichia coli s substratom metodami affinnoi modifikatsii i IaMR na iadrakh 31P.

The affinity labeling of E. coli RNA polymerase by periodate oxidized uridine triphosphate was carried out without and with the template (polydeoxynucleotides poly(dA) and poly(dT) ), and under the conditions of poly(dA) and poly(dT) transcription. The extent of RNA polymerase labeling was nearly the same in the presence of poly(dA) and poly(dT) (0.9 and 0.7). However, during the transcription of poly(dA) the extent of RNA polymerase labeling proved to be more than twice as high as that in the case of poly(dT) (0.75 and 0.3). The longitudinal relaxation times (T1) for phosphorus of ATP and dinucleotide pUpU in the complexes of RNA polymerase with the template (poly(dA) and poly(dT) in the presence of MnCl2 were determined. The distance from the phosphorus of enzyme-bound ATP and pUpU and the Mn2+ ion coordinated at the active center on RNA polymerase were calculated using the Solomon - Blombergen formula. According to the results of the affinity labeling of RNA polymerase and the NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) experiments it can be inferred that the template influences the formation of the working conformation of the enzyme active center, specific with respect to the true substrate, in the stage of RNA elongation.

Interaction of polynucleotides with natural and model membranes.

Polynucleotides adsorb on natural and model phospholipid membranes in the presence of Mg2+-cations. Adsorption of nucleic acids on membranes results in a considerable change of their secondary structure. The presence of model phosphatidylcholine membranes greatly stimulates the rate of the synthesis of RNA by E. coli RNA-polymerase on DNA template.

Detection of nucleoside triphosphate binding sites of two types in Escherichia coli RNA-polymerase by affinity labeling.

The affinity labeling of E. coli RNA polymerase by periodate-oxidized uridin triphosphate (o-UTP) has been carried out under the conditions of poly(dA) and poly(dT) transcription. The extent of RNA polymerase labeling proved to be 2.5 times higher under the transcription of poly(dA) as compared to poly(dT). The amount of o-UTP attached to beta beta'-subunits has been found to decrease if RNA polymerase is labeled in the transcribed complex with poly(dT). These results as well as those obtained in our previous study (1), suggest that there are two types of binding sites for nucleoside triphosphates and their analogs in E. coli RNA polymerase.