Definition of Haptens Derived from Sulfamethoxazole: In Vitro and in Vivo

Chem Res Toxicol. 2019 Oct 21;32(10):2095-2106. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00282. Epub 2019 Sep 11.

Abstract

Hypersensitivity reactions occur frequently in patients upon treatment with sulfamethoxazole (SMX). These adverse effects have been attributed to nitroso sulfamethoxazole (SMX-NO), the reactive product formed from auto-oxidation of the metabolite SMX hydroxylamine. The ability of SMX-NO to prime naïve T-cells in vitro and also activate T-cells derived from hypersensitive patients has illustrated that T-cell activation may occur through the binding of SMX-NO to proteins or through the direct modification of MHC-bound peptides. SMX-NO has been shown to modify cysteine residues in glutathione, designer peptides, and proteins in vitro; however, the presence of these adducts have not yet been characterized in vivo. In this study a parallel in vitro and in vivo analysis of SMX-NO adducts was conducted using mass spectrometry. In addition to the known cysteine adducts, multiple SMX-NO-derived haptenic structures were found on lysine and tyrosine residues of human serum albumin (HSA) in vitro. On lysine residues two haptenic structures were identified including an arylazoalkane adduct and a Schiff base adduct. Interestingly, these adducts are labile to heat and susceptible to hydrolysis as shown by the presence of allysine. Furthermore, SMX-modified HSA adducts were detected in patients on long-term SMX therapy illustrated by the presence of an arylazoalkane adduct derived from a proposed carboxylic acid metabolite of SMX-NO. The presence of these adducts could provide an explanation for the immunogenicity of SMX and the strong responses to SMX-NO observed in T-cell culture assays. Also, the degradation of these adducts to allysine could lead to a stress-related innate immune response required for T-cell activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cohort Studies
  • Haptens / chemistry
  • Haptens / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nitroso Compounds / chemistry*
  • Nitroso Compounds / immunology
  • Serum Albumin, Human / chemistry
  • Serum Albumin, Human / isolation & purification
  • Sulfamethoxazole / chemistry*
  • Sulfamethoxazole / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Haptens
  • Nitroso Compounds
  • Sulfamethoxazole
  • Serum Albumin, Human