Free radical oxidation of (E)-retinoic acid by prostaglandin H synthase

Cooxidative metabolism of all-trans (E)-retinoic acid (RA) by prostaglandin H synthase was investigated employing ram seminal vesicle microsomes (RSVM) or purified, RSVM-derived enzyme. RA was shown to undergo hydroperoxide [H2O2 or 5-phenyl-4-penten-1-yl hydroperoxide (PPHP)]- or arachidonic acid-dependent cooxidation by microsomal prostaglandin H (PGH) synthase as evidenced by UV spectroscopic analysis of reaction mixtures. Cooxidation of RA by microsomal or purified PGH synthase, using PPHP as substrate, was characterized by uptake of dioxygen which was first order with respect to enzyme concentration. Dioxygen uptake was inhibited by the peroxidase reducing substrate 2-methoxyphenol. In addition, O2 uptake was inhibited by the spin trap nitrosobenzene. ESR spin trapping studies, using alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) as the spin trap, demonstrated the formation of RA-PBN adducts, characterized by hyperfine coupling constants of alpha H = 3.2 G and alpha N = 15.8 G. Reverse phase HPLC analysis of reaction mixtures demonstrated the formation of 4-hydroxy-RA, 5,6-epoxy-RA, 4-oxo-RA, (13Z)-retinoic acid, and other geometric isomers which were identified on the basis of cochromatography with synthetic standards, UV spectroscopy, and/or mass spectrometry. Mechanisms are proposed for the hydroperoxide-dependent, PGH synthase-catalyzed oxidation of RA that are consistent with these results.