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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Simultaneous Measurement of Superoxide/Hydrogen Peroxide and NADH Production by Flavin-containing Mitochondrial Dehydrogenases
Published on: February 24, 2018
Lens thiol depletion by peroxynitrite. Protective effect of pyruvate
Shambhu D Varma1, Kavita R Hegde
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, MSTF, 5-00A, 10 South Pine Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. svarma2384@aol.com
Abstract:
Pyruvate (PY) is known to be a potent scavenger of H(2)O(2 )by undergoing its peroxidative decarboxylation. While doing so, it also inhibits .OH generation, in addition to its direct .OH scavenging effect. We now hypothesize that PY would also be decarboxylated by cleaving the -O-O- bond in peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) (PN), with the effect of protecting tissues against NO(x )induced damage. We have verified this by measuring (14)CO(2) formation on incubation of 1-(14)C-PY with 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1). Its protective effect against PN induced thiol depletion was initially assessed by determining its ability to inhibit oxidation of pure GSH. This was further evaluated by incubating lens homogenate with SIN-1 with or without PY. As conceived, PY did inhibit PN induced loss of protein as well as non-protein -SH. The findings therefore appear potentially useful to protect against nitrite induced damage to the lens and other tissues known to occur with aging and certain diseases such as diabetes.
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