Open AccessPeroxynitrite rapidly permeates phospholipid membranes
Author(s) -
Sudhakar S. Marla,
Jinbo Lee,
John T. Groves
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.94.26.14243
Subject(s) - peroxynitrite , chemistry , phospholipid , membrane , superoxide , biophysics , biological membrane , biochemistry , effector , biology , enzyme
Peroxynitrite (ONOO-) is a potent oxidant implicated in a number of pathophysiological processes. The activity of ONOO- is related to its accessibility to biological targets before its spontaneous decomposition (t1/2 approximately 1 s at pH 7.4, 37 degrees C). Using model phospholipid vesicular systems and manganese porphyrins as reporter molecules, we demonstrated that ONOO- freely crosses phospholipid membranes. The calculated permeability coefficient for ONOO- is approximately 8.0 x 10(-4) cm.s-1, which compares well with that of water and is approximately 400 times greater than that of superoxide. We suggest that ONOO- is a significant biological effector molecule not only because of its reactivity but also because of its high diffusibility.
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