The mechanism of superoxide generation by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was investigated by the electron spin resonance spin-trapping technique using 5-diethoxyphosphoryl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide. In the absence of calcium͞calmodulin, eNOS produces low amounts of superoxide. Upon activating eNOS electron transfer reactions by calcium͞calmodulin binding, superoxide formation is increased. Heme-iron ligands, cyanide, imidazole, and the phenyl(diazene)-derived radical inhibit superoxide generation. No inhibition is observed after addition of L-arginine, N G -hydroxy-L-arginine, L-thiocitrulline, and L-N G -monomethyl arginine to activated eNOS. These results demonstrate that superoxide is generated from the oxygenase domain by dissociation of the ferrous-dioxygen complex and that occupation of the L-arginine binding site does not inhibit this process. However, the concomitant addition of L-arginine and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4 ) abolishes superoxide generation by eNOS. Under these conditions, L-citrulline production is close to maximal. Our data indicate that BH 4 fully couples L-arginine oxidation to NADPH consumption and prevents dissociation of the ferrous-dioxygen complex. Under these conditions, eNOS does not generate superoxide. The presence of f lavins, at concentrations commonly employed in NOS assay systems, enhances superoxide generation from the reductase domain. Our data indicate that modulation of BH 4 concentration may regulate the ratio of superoxide to nitric oxide generated by eNOS.

Microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is one of only two mammalian enzymes known to contain both FAD and FMN, the other being nitric-oxide synthase. CPR is a membrane-bound protein and catalyzes electron transfer from NADPH to all known microsomal cytochromes P450. The structure of rat liver CPR, expressed in Escherichia coli and solubilized by limited trypsinolysis, has been determined by x-ray crystallography at 2.6 Å resolution. The molecule is composed of four structural domains:

Nitric oxide, a key signaling molecule, is produced by a family of enzymes collectively called nitric oxide synthases (NOS). Here, we report the crystal structure of the heme domain of endothelial NOS in tetrahydrobiopterin (H4B)-free and -bound forms at 1.95 A and 1.9 A resolution, respectively. In both structures a zinc ion is tetrahedrally coordinated to pairs of symmetry-related cysteine residues at the dimer interface. The phylogenetically conserved Cys-(X)4-Cys motif and its strategic location establish a structural role for the metal center in maintaining the integrity of the H4B-binding site. The unexpected recognition of the substrate, L-arginine, at the H4B site indicates that this site is poised to stabilize a positively charged pterin ring and suggests a model involving a cationic pterin radical in the catalytic cycle.

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibers is primarily particulate in contrast to its greater solubility in brain. Immunohistochemistry shows nNOS localized to the sarcolemma, with enrichment at force transmitting sites, the myotendinous junctions, and costameres. Because this distribution is similar to dystrophin, we determined if nNOS expression was affected by the loss of dystrophin. Significant nNOS immunoreactivity and enzyme activity was absent in skeletal muscle tissues from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Similarly, in dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscles from mdx mice both soluble and particulate nNOS was greatly reduced compared with C57 control mice. nNOS mRNA was also reduced in mdx muscle in contrast to mRNA levels for a dystrophin binding protein, cal-syntrophin. nNOS levels increased dramatically from 2 to 52 weeks of age in C57 skeletal muscle, which may indicate a physiological role for NO in aging-related processes. Biochemical purification readily dissociates nNOS from the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Thus, nNOS is not an integral component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex and is not simply another dystrophin-associated protein since the expression of both nNOS mRNA and protein is affected by dystrophin expression.