Superoxide anion radical peroxynitrite generation

Two radicals that play predominant roles as initiators of lipid peroxidation are the hydroxyl radical (OH ) and the peroxynitrite radical (OONO ). The superoxide anion radical (0 ), which is generated during the electron transport process in mitochondria, is involved in the generation of both OH and OONO. Superoxide dis-mutase (MnSOD and Cu/ZnSOD) converts O2 to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is then converted to OH via the... 

Other postulated routes (Jourd heuil et al., 2003) to RSNO formation include the reaction between NO and 02 to yield N02 via a second-order reaction. NO and thiolate anion, RS, react giving rise to thiyl radical, (RS ) [e]. RS then reacts with NO to yield RSNO [f]. The reaction between RS and RS- can also be the source of non-enzymatic generation of superoxide anion (02 ) [g], [h]. 02 reacts with NO to produce peroxynitrite (ONOO ) [i] (Szabo, 2003). Thiols react with ONOOH to form RSNOs [k] (van der Vliet et al.,1998). 

XOR is a cytoplasmic enzyme and a ready source of electrons for transfer to molecular oxygen to form reactive oxygen species such as superoxide and peroxide. It is therefore thought to be involved in free radical-generated tissue injury and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemia-reperfusion damage. Moreover, it has recently been implicated in the production of peroxynitrite (89), and carbonate radical anion (92), both potent biological oxidants. Its exact role in lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and infection needs... 

Guanine is the most easily oxidizable natural nucleic acid base [8] and many oxidants can selectively oxidize guanine in DNA [95]. Here, we focus on the site-selective oxidation of guanine by the carbonate radical anion, COs , one of the important emerging free radicals in biological systems [96]. The mechanism of COs generation in vivo can involve one-electron oxidation of HCOs at the active site of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase [97, 98], and homolysis of the nitrosoperoxycarbonate anion (0N00C02 ) formed by the reaction of peroxynitrite with carbon dioxide [99-102]. 

In addition to oxidants that are generated by the Fenton reaction, superoxide radicals (-02 ) readily react with nitric oxide (NO-), generating peroxynitrite anion (ONOO ) in the following reaction ... 

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