In vivo nitration of tyrosine residues is a post-translational modification mediated by peroxynitrite that may be involved in a number of diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate possibilities for site-specific detection of tyrosine nitration by mass spectrometry. Angiotensin II and bovine serum albumin (BSA) nitrated with tetranitromethane (TNM) were used as model compounds. Three strategies were investigated: (i) analysis of single peptides and protein digests by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) peptide mass mapping, (ii) peptide mass mapping by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry and (iii) screening for nitration by selective detection of the immonium ion of nitrotyrosine by precursor ion scanning with subsequent sequencing of the modified peptides. The MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrum of nitrated angiotensin II showed an unexpected prompt fragmentation involving the nitro group, in contrast to ESI-MS, where no fragmentation of nitrated angiotensin II was observed. The ESI mass spectra showed that mono- and dinitrated angiotensin II were obtained after treatment with TNM. ESI-MS/MS revealed that the mononitrated angiotensin II was nitrated on the side-chain of tyrosine. The dinitrated angiotensin II contained two nitro groups on the tyrosine residue. Nitration of BSA was confirmed by Western blotting with an antibody against nitrotyrosine and the sites for nitration were investigated by peptide mass mapping after in-gel digestion. Direct mass mapping by ESI revealed that two peptides were nitrated. Precursor ion scanning for the immonium ion for nitrotyrosine revealed two additional partially nitrated peptides. Based on the studies with the two model compounds, we suggest that the investigation of in vivo nitration of tyrosine and identification of nitrated peptides might be performed by precursor ion scanning for the specific immonium ion at m/z 181.06 combined with ESI-MS/MS for identification of the specific nitration sites. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
酪氨酸残基的体内硝化作用是一种由过氧化
亚硝酸盐介导的翻译后修饰,可能与多种疾病有关。本研究的目的是评估通过质谱法对
酪氨酸硝化作用进行定点检测的可能性。以
四硝基甲烷(TNM)硝化的
血管紧张素II和
牛血清白蛋白(
BSA)作为模型化合物。研究了三种策略:(1)通过基质辅助激光解吸/电离(MALDI)肽图分析单肽和蛋白质消化产物;(2)通过电喷雾电离(ESI)质谱分析肽图;(3)通过前体离子扫描选择性检测硝基
酪氨酸的鎓离子,并随后对修饰肽进行测序,以筛选硝化作用。硝化
血管紧张素II的MALDI飞行时间质谱显示,硝基基团出现了意外的快速断裂,这与ESI-MS不同,在ESI-MS中未观察到硝化
血管紧张素II的断裂。ESI质谱显示,经TNM处理后,获得了单硝化和二硝化的
血管紧张素II。ESI-MS/MS显示,单硝化的
血管紧张素II在
酪氨酸侧链上被硝化。二硝化的
血管紧张素II在
酪氨酸残基上含有两个硝基基团。通过硝基
酪氨酸抗体进行蛋白质印迹实验,证实了
BSA的硝化作用,