Oxygen-dependent conjugation of dopa with cysteine catalysed by iron-EDTA complex

Cytotoxicity of catechols has been ascribed to their binding with proteins through sulfhydryl groups. The possibility that iron-protein complexes catalyse this type of covalent binding was studied with a model system. Reaction of dopa and cysteine catalysed by iron-EDTA complexes at physiological pH resulted in the formation of not only cystine but also conjugation products, cysteinyldopas among which 5-S-cysteinyldopa was the major product. The reaction required iron ion, EDTA, and molecular oxygen. Fe3+ and Fe2+ were equally effective, while other transition metal ions examined had no effect on the formation of cysteinyldopas. Catalase, superoxide dismutase, and scavengers of hydroxyl radical inhibited to some extents the formation of 5-S-cysteinyldopa. Addition of both catalase and superoxide dismutase resulted in approximately 60% inhibition. These results indicated that the iron-EDTA-catalysed conjugation of dopa with cysteine was mainly mediated by hydroxyl radical.