Cystine, cyanide reaction with

Hydrogen cyanide is metabolized through several pathways. In the major metabolic pathway (60-80% of absorbed cyanide), cyanide is converted to thiocyanate in a reaction that is catalyzed by rhodanase or 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfur transferase (Baumann et al. 1934 Himwich and Saunders 1948 Wood and Cooley 1956 Singh et al. 1989). Minor pathways include the oxidation of hydrogen cyanide or thiocyanate to carbon dioxide, reaction with cystine to form 2-aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid and 2-imnothizolidine-4-carboxylic acid, reaction with hydroxocobalamine to form cyanocobalamin, and conversion of hydrogen cyanide to formic acid, which enters one-carbon metabolism in the body (Wood and Cooley 1956 Boxer and Rickards 1952 Ansell and Lewis 1970 Baumeister et al. 1975). 

Figure 2-4 illustrates the minor pathway for metabolism of cyanide in mammalian systems in which cyanide chemically combines with the amino acid cystine. This chemical reaction yields cysteine and B-thiocyanoalanine that is further converted to form 2-aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid and its tautomer, 2-iminothiazolidiene-4-carboxylic acid. 

The second and minor metabolic pathway consists of the reaction of cyanide with cystine to yield cysteine and B-thiocyanoalanine (Wood and Cooley 1955). The latter is then converted to 2-imino-4-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid and excreted in urine. Cystine has not been used for the purpose of mitigation of cyanide effects because its contribution to detoxification via this pathway is minor. 

The cyanide nitroprusside test determines the presence of free sulfhydryl or disulfide compounds in urine samples [1, 3,4]. During the first step of the assay, cyanide reduces any disulfides that are present to free sulfhydryl compounds. In the second step, a reddish color reaction results when the free sulfhydryl groups complex with nitroprusside. A positive result is most usually due to cystine in the urine. Familial cystinuria is among the most common aminoacidurias. Disulfides are also excreted in other metabolic disorders such as homo cystinuria and ji-m e reap lol ac la le - cy s lei ne disulfiduria. Both will also produce positive results according to the following reaction RSH + Na2Fe(CN)5NO (sodium nitroprusside) — chromophore + NO. 

Cleavage of cystine residues with cyanides (nitriles) is of interest since the thiocyanate formed in the reaction is cyclized to a 2-iminothiazolidine derivative with cleavage of the N-acyl bond ... 

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