Effects of reactive oxygen and nitrogen metabolites on MCP-1-induced monocyte chemotactic activity in vitro

Peroxynitrite, an oxidant generated by the interaction between superoxide and nitric oxide (NO), can nitrate tyrosine residues, resulting in compromised protein function. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine that attracts monocytes and has a tyrosine residue critical for function. We hypothesized that peroxynitrite would alter MCP-1 activity. Peroxynitrite attenuated MCP-1-induced monocyte chemotactic activity (MCA) in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05) but did not attenuate leukotriene B4 or complement-activated serum MCA. The reducing agents dithionite, deferoxamine, and dithiothreitol reversed the MCA inhibition by peroxynitrite, and exogenous L-tyrosine abrogated the inhibition by peroxynitrite. PAPA-NONOate, an NO donor, or superoxide generated by xanthine and xanthine oxidase did not show an inhibitory effect on MCA induced by MCP-1. The peroxynitrite generator 3-morpholinosydnonimine caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of MCA by MCP-1. Peroxynitrite reduced MCP-1 binding to monocytes and resulted in nitrotyrosine formation. These findings are consistent with nitration of tyrosine by peroxynitrite, with subsequent inhibition of MCP-1 binding to monocytes, and suggest that peroxynitrite may play a role in regulation of MCP-1-induced monocyte chemotaxis.