Ras regulation by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

Biochemistry. 2006 Feb 21;45(7):2200-10. doi: 10.1021/bi051872m.

Abstract

Ras GTPases cycle between inactive GDP-bound and active GTP-bound states to modulate a diverse array of processes involved in cellular growth control. We have previously shown that both NO/O(2) (via nitrogen dioxide, (*)NO(2)) and superoxide radical anion (O(2)(*)(-)) promote Ras guanine nucleotide dissociation. We now show that hydrogen peroxide in the presence of transition metals (i.e., H(2)O(2)/transition metals) and peroxynitrite also trigger radical-based Ras guanine nucleotide dissociation. The primary redox-active reaction species derived from H(2)O(2)/transition metals and peroxynitrite is O(2)(*)(-) and (*)NO(2), respectively. A small fraction of hydroxyl radical (OH(*)) is also present in both. We also show that both carbonate radical (CO(3)(*)(-)) and (*)NO(2), derived from the mixture of peroxynitrite and bicarbonate, facilitate Ras guanine nucleotide dissociation. We further demonstrate that NO/O(2) and O(2)(*)(-) promote Ras GDP exchange with GTP in the presence of a radical-quenching agent, ascorbate, or NO, and generation of Ras-GTP promotes high-affinity binding of the Ras-binding domain of Raf-1, a downstream effector of Ras. S-Nitrosylated Ras (Ras-SNO) can be formed when NO serves as a radical-quenching agent, and hydroxyl radical but not (*)NO(2) or O(2)(*)(-) can further react with Ras-SNO to modulate Ras activity in vitro. However, given the lack of redox specificity associated with the high redox potential of OH(*), it is unclear whether this reaction occurs under physiological conditions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Copper / pharmacology
  • Ferrous Compounds / pharmacology
  • Guanosine Diphosphate / metabolism
  • Guanosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Peroxynitrous Acid / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / metabolism
  • Reactive Nitrogen Species / pharmacology*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / pharmacology*
  • ras Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / metabolism
  • ras Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Ferrous Compounds
  • Reactive Nitrogen Species
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • ras Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • Guanosine Diphosphate
  • Peroxynitrous Acid
  • Copper
  • Guanosine Triphosphate
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf
  • ras Proteins