The protective effects of selenoorganic compounds against peroxynitrite-induced changes in plasma proteins and lipids

Many selenoorganic compounds play an important role in biochemical processes and act as antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors or drugs. The effects of a new selenocompound — bis(2-aminophenyl)-diselenide on oxidative/nitrative changes in human plasma proteins induced by peroxynitrite (ONOO−) were studied in vitro and compared with the those of ebselen, a well-known antioxidant. We also studied the role of the tested selenocompounds in peroxynitrite-induced plasma lipid peroxidation. Exposure of the plasma to peroxynitrite (0.1 mM) resulted in an increase in the level of carbonyl groups and nitrotyrosine residues in plasma proteins (estimated using the ELISA method and Western blot analysis). In the presence of different concentrations (0.025–0.1 mM) of the tested selenocompounds, 0.1 mM peroxynitrite caused a distinct decrease in the level of carbonyl group formation and tyrosine nitration in plasma proteins. Moreover, these selenocompounds also inhibited plasma lipid peroxidation induced by ONOO−1 (0.1 mM). The obtained results indicate that in vitro bis(2-aminophenyl)-diselenide and ebselen have very similar protective effects against peroxynitrite-induced oxidative/nitrative damage to human plasma proteins and lipids.