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Abstract
The oxidation and reduction (redox) of select protein cysteine thiols is an important interface that elicits changes in cell metabolism in response to fluctuations in nutrition status. Our group has previously shown that protein S-glutathionylation (PSSG), a protein redox modification, is a key regulatory mechanism for numerous mitochondrial flavin-dependent dehydrogenases in the coupling of nutrient oxidation with the genesis of H2O2, a nonradical reactive oxygen species (ROS) secondary messenger involved in cell signaling pathways. Two such enzymes include α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KGDH) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), both important sources of H2O2 that serve as entry points for metabolites into the Krebs cycle. Metabolic enzymes can also be subjected to protein S-nitrosylation (PSNO), a redox modification involving the addition and removal of nitric oxide (NO) from proteinaceous thiols.
The primary goal of this study was to determine whether H2O2 production by KGDH and PDH is regulated by protein S-nitrosylation. This included elucidating whether sex-differences or high-fat diets affect the PSNO status of KGDH and PDH. Our investigation was conducted in two different systems: an isolated liver mitochondrial system and a purified enzyme system. Using S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) in conjunction with well-established assays for measuring H2O2 production and enzyme activities, we discovered that S-nitrosylation does indeed impact KGDH and PDH. Moreover, we reveal for the first time sex-dimorphic differences in their redox modification in both a control and high-fat diet context. Combined, our findings demonstrate a novel mechanism for mediating mitochondria-to-cell signaling





