Proteomic-scale approaches for identifying reversible and irreversible cysteine redox post-translational modifications in myocardial ischemia / reperfusion (#009)
Redox post-translational modifications (PTM) are
emerging as important regulatory mechanisms in signaling and pathogenesis.
Cysteine (Cys) is the most redox active amino acid and is a target for these
PTM, some
of which are biologically reversible (e.g. disulfides, sulfenic acid) while
others (sulfinic [Cys-SO2H] and sulfonic [Cys-SO3H]
acids) are considered irreversible. We have developed enrichment
methods to examine these PTM on a proteome-wide scale. Rapid and specific
alkylation of free Cys, followed by thiol-based reduction and resin capture by
thiol-disulfide exchange chemistry was applied to isolate reversibly modified
Cys-containing peptides. The method was applied to a complex protein lysate
generated from rat myocardial tissue and 6559 unique Cys-containing peptides
from 2694 proteins were identified by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). We next developed an
enrichment method to isolate Cys-SO2H/SO3H-containing
peptides from complex tissue lysates. The method is based on electrostatic
repulsion of Cys-SO2H/SO3H-containing peptides from
cationic resins (i.e. ‘negative’ selection) followed by ‘positive’ selection
using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). We identified 181
Cys-SO2H/SO3H sites from rat myocardial tissue subjected
to physiologically relevant concentrations of H2O2 (<100
µM) or to ischemia / reperfusion (I/R) injury via Langendorff perfusion. I/R significantly increased Cys-SO2H/SO3H-modified
peptides from proteins involved in energy utilization and contractility, as
well as those involved in oxidative damage and repair. Finally, we have
combined these methods to enable multiplexed quantitative analysis of reversible/irreversible
Cys redox PTM in response to I/R and in the presence of a broad-spectrum antioxidant
(N-2-mercaptopropionyl glycine, MPG).
We quantified >1350 Cys sites that are reversibly and/or irreversibly
oxidized by I/R, including many sites that are protected by MPG. This technique
allows for the quantitative profiling of reversible/irreversible Cys PTMs in
response to oxidant / antioxidant stimulus, and their delineation within the
context of protein abundance, during I/R injury and cardioprotection.