Covalent binding between nitric oxide (NO) and a protein's free thiol group (SH) is termed protein S-nitrosylation. Protein S-nitrosylation is involved in cellular regulation mechanisms that underlie a wide range of critical functions, such as apoptosis, alteration of enzyme activities, and transcription-factor stability. Impaired protein S-nitrosylation is associated with a growing list of pathophysiological conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, and sickle cell disease. The enzyme paraoxonase 1 (PON1) binds to high-density lipoprotein to provide many of its antiatherogenic properties. The enzyme has a strong antioxidant capacity, which protects fats, lipids, and lipoproteins from oxidation, in addition to breaking down oxidized fats. We investigated the effect of S-S transnitrosylation on PON1 activities. Incubation of recombinant PON1 (rePON1) with nitrosylated human serum albumin (HSA-NO) resulted in S-nitrosylation of about 70% of the rePON1, as measured by Q-TOF LC/MS. S-nitrosylation significantly increased rePON1 hydrolytic activities. It also increased rePON1's ability to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation induced by Cu2+. Finally, it increased the enzyme's penetration into macrophage cells by 31%. Our findings suggest that S-nitrosylation of rePON1 improves its biological functions which may positively affect atherosclerosis disease progression.
Keywords: HSA-NO; S-nitrosylation; atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; rePON1.