S-Nitrosylation of Sulfhydryl Groups in Albumin by Nitrosating Agents

The reaction of sulfhydryl groups in human serum ablumin with bacteriostatic and hypotensive notrosating agents such as sodium nitorprusside and sodium nitrite has been examined. The low reactivity of sodium nitroprusside to sulfhydral groups in albumin has been observed and the sterical inaccessilibility of the agent site which sulfhydryl group resides was implicated. The reaction of sodium nitrite with albumin was highly influenced by pH and little reactivity was observed at physiological pH. On the other hand, the reaction between albumin and S-nitrosoglutatione, an intermediate induced from the reaction of glutathione and nitrosating agents, resulted in the rapid decrease of free sulfhydryl groups in albumin. S-Nitrosylation of the sulfhydryl group by S-nitrosoglutathione and the subsequent production of mixed disulfide is the probable route of modification. In the physiological system, S-nitroso-glutathione may act as an active intermediate in expressing reacivity of nitrosating agents to sulfhydryl groups in albumin.