Tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency increases neuronal vulnerability to hypoxia

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an essential co-factor for nitric oxide synthases (NOS). The aim of the present work was to study whether BH4 deficiency affects the vulnerability of neurones in primary culture to hypoxia. Intracellular BH4 levels were depleted by pre-incubating neurones with 5 mm 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP) for 18 h, after which cells were exposed for 1 h to normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Our results showed that whereas neurones were resistant to hypoxia-induced cellular damage, BH4 deficiency in neurones led to oxidative stress, mitochondrial depolarization, ATP depletion and necrosis after 1 h of hypoxia. Indeed, hypoxia specifically inhibited mitochondrial complex IV activity in BH4-deficient neurones. All these effects were counteracted when neuronal BH4 levels were restored by incubating cells with exogenous BH4 during the hypoxic period. Moreover, hypoxia-induced damage in BH4-deficient neurones was prevented when Nomega-nitro-l-arginine monomethyl ester (NAME), haemoglobin or superoxide dismutase plus catalase were present during the hypoxic period, suggesting that peroxynitrite might be involved in the process. In fact, BH4 deficiency elicited neuronal NO dysfunction, resulting in an increase in peroxynitrite generation by cells, as shown by the enhancement in tyrosine nitration; this was prevented by supplements of BH4, NAME, haemoglobin or superoxide dismutase plus catalase during hypoxia. Our results suggest that BH4 deficiency converts neuronal NOS into an efficient peroxynitrite synthase, which is responsible for the increase in neuronal vulnerability to hypoxia-induced mitochondrial damage and necrosis.