Bis(L-cysteinato)gold(I): chemical characterization and identification in renal cortical cytoplasm

L-Cysteinatogold(I) was prepared by the reaction of L-cysteine with KAuBr4 in acidic media and its solubility determined from pH 4 to 10. The solubility at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C is 1 microM. In the presence of excess cysteine, the solubility increases because of formation of bis(L-cysteinato)gold(I). The equilibrium-constant for formation of the bis complex is 2.1 +/- 0.4 X 10(-3), which at pH 7.4 CORRESPONDs to an apparant formation constant of 4.4 X10(4). The formation of the bis adduct was confirmed by chromatographic separation of the products of the reaction between [35S]-L-cysteine and Na2AuTM. This complex elutes with Kav = 1.15 which allows it to be distinguished from other gold thiolates that might form in vivo. The bis(cysteinato)gold(I) complex is shown to be present in kidney cytosol isolated from rats given Na2AuTM in vivo. When additional cysteine is added to the cytosol in vitro, the peak at 1.15 is increased, but if glutathione is added, the low molecular weight gold elutes at Kav = 1.00, which is taken as evidence for the existence of bis(cysteinato)gold(I) in the cytosol preparation. The amount of gold present as bis(cysteinato)gold(I) after 4 different dose schedules has been measured and found to increase with the total cytosol gold concentration. L-Cysteinatogold(I) does not dissolve in the presence of bovine serum albumin to form an adduct.