The apparent pKa for the active site thiol of human thioltransferase (TTase) is about 3.5, but the pH dependence of TTase-catalyzed rates of glutathione (GSH)-dependent reduction of disulfide substrates displays an inflection point near pH 8.5. The similarity of the pH-rate profile with the titration of the GSH thiol moiety suggested rate-limiting nucleophilic attack by the glutathionyl thiolate species to regenerate reduced TTase from the TTase-SSG intermediate. To test this hypothesis pH-rate profiles for TTase-catalyzed dethiolation of the glutathionyl mixed disulfide of bovine serum albumin ([35S]BSA-SSG) were measured according to release of radiolabeled GS-equivalents. Various thiol compounds, whose thiol pKa values range on both sides of the pKa of GSH (pKa = 8.7), were used as reducing substrates, e.g., trifluoroethanethiol (pKa = 7.5) and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (pKa = 10.3). The pH-rate profiles paralleled the titration of the respective thiol groups of the reducing substrates, consistent with the hypothesis. In addition, second-order rate constants (k) were determined for the nonenzymatic and TTase-catalyzed reactions of the various thiols with BSA-SSG. A simple linear free energy relationship (log k vs pKa) was displayed for the nonenzymatic reactions. In contrast, the relationship for the enzymatic reactions revealed GSH to be different from the other thiol substrates, i.e., GSH gave a second-order rate constant greater than expected for its thiol pKa. This result suggests a special interaction of GSH with the TTase enzyme in the transition state that enhances the nucleophilicity of GSH.

Hypoxic injury provokes inflammation of many tissues including the ocular surface. In rabbit corneal epithelial cells, both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-inducible cytochrome P450 4B1 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNAs were increased by hypoxia. PPAR ␣ and ␤ but not ␥ mRNAs were detected in these cells. The PPAR activator, WY-14,643 increased COX-2 expression. Similarly, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with the ability to activate PPARs induced COX-2 independently of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition. COX-2 protein overexpression by hypoxia and PPAR activation was not associated with a parallel increase in prostaglandin E 2 accumulation. However, the enzyme regained full catalytic activity when: 1) hypoxic cells were re-exposed to normoxic conditions in the presence of heme and arachidonic acid, and 2) WY-14,643-treated cells were depleted of intracellular GSH. Consistent with previous observations showing that the corneal production of cytochrome P450-derived inflammatory eicosanoids is elevated by hypoxia and inflammation, the current data suggest that hypoxic injury is a model of inflammation in which molecules other than COX-derived arachidonic acid metabolites play a major proinflammatory role. This study also suggests that increased cellular GSH may be the mechanism responsible for the characteristic dissociation of PPAR-induced COX-2 expression and activity. Moreover, we provide new insights into the commonly observed lack of efficacy of classical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of hypoxia-related ocular surface inflammation.

and increases guanosine 3Ј,5Ј-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) levels. We transfected rat-lung pulmonary endothelial cells with a retrovirus-mediated human heme oxygenase (hHO)-1 gene. Pulmonary cells that expressed hHO-1 exhibited a fourfold increase in HO activity associated with decreases in the steady-state levels of heme and cGMP without changes in soluble GC (sGC) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) proteins or basal nitrite production. Heme elicited significant increases in CO production and intracellular cGMP levels in both pulmonary endothelial and pulmonary hHO-1-expressing cells. N -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NOS, significantly decreased cGMP levels in heme-treated pulmonary endothelial cells but not heme-treated hHO-1-expressing cells. In the presence of exogenous heme, CO and cGMP levels in hHO-1-expressing cells exceeded the corresponding levels in pulmonary endothelial cells. Acute exposure of endothelial cells to SnCl2, which is an inducer of HO-1, increased cGMP levels, whereas chronic exposure decreased heme and cGMP levels. These results indicate that prolonged overexpression of HO-1 ultimately decreases sGC activity by limiting the availability of cellular heme. Heme activates sGC and enhances cGMP levels via a mechanism that is largely insensitive to NOS inhibition. guanosine 3Ј,5Ј-cyclic monophosphate; retroviral vector; soluble guanylate cyclase; heme oxygenase CELLULAR LEVELS OF HEME are regulated by the rates of heme synthesis and degradation. Heme catabolism occurs by oxidative cleavage of the ␣-methene bridge of the tetrapyrrole, which eventually leads to the formation of equimolar amounts of biliverdin and carbon monoxide (CO) and the release of the contained iron atom. Biliverdin is then rapidly reduced to form bilirubin (3). The heme oxygenase (HO) system controls the rate-limiting step in heme catabolism (3). To date, three HO isoforms have been identified: HO-1, HO-2, and HO-3. HO-1 is a 32-kDa heat shock protein (29,34) that is inducible by numerous noxious stimuli (8,21,23,30); HO-2 is a constitutively synthesized 36-kDa protein that is abundant in the brain and testis (26,35); and HO-3 exhibits 90% homology to

1 NO-and prostaglandin-independent, endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses to bradykinin are attributed to release of a hyperpolarizing factor. Therefore, the contribution of K+ channels to the renal vasodilator effect of bradykinin was examined in rat perfused kidneys that were preconstricted with phenylephrine and treated with N -nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) and indomethacin to inhibit NO and prostaglandin synthesis.

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