S-Carboxymethyl-L-cysteine (CMC) is an antioxidant and mucolytic commonly prescribed to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In humans, CMC is rapidly metabolized to S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (CMCO). In this study, we assessed structural and functional similarities between CMC and CMCO. X-Ray diffraction analysis provided detailed structural information about CMCO, which exists as a 1:1 mixture of epimers, due to the emergence of a new chiral center at the sulfur atom. Both CMC and CMCO epimers protected model DNA from copper-mediated hydroxyl free radical damage. Using an insulated transposable construct for reporting activity of the cellular stress-responsive transcription factors Nrf2, p53, NF-κB, and AP-1, we demonstrate that CMCO, especially its (4R)-epimer, is comparable to CMC in their ability to mitigate the effects of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory stimuli in human alveolar (A549) and bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells. The results of these in vitro studies suggest that CMCO retains, at least partially, the antioxidant potential of CMC and may inform pharmacodynamics considerations of CMC use in clinics.
Keywords: COPD; carbocisteine; cigarette smoke extract; crystal structure; hydrogen peroxide; hydroquinone; tumor necrosis factor.