Publication
Title
Transport of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species across aquaporin : a molecular level picture
Author
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane proteins that conduct not only water molecules across the cell membrane but also other solutes, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), produced (among others) by cold atmospheric plasma (CAP). These RONS may induce oxidative stress in the cell interior, which plays a role in cancer treatment. The underlying mechanisms of the transport of RONS across AQPs, however, still remain obscure. We apply molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the permeation of both hydrophilic (H2O2 and OH) and hydrophobic (NO2 and NO) RONS through AQP1. Our simulations show that these RONS can all penetrate across the pores of AQP1. The permeation free energy barrier of OH and NO is lower than that of H2O2 and NO2, indicating that these radicals may have easier access to the pore interior and interact with the amino acid residues of AQP1. We also study the effect of RONS-induced oxidation of both the phospholipids and AQP1 (i.e., sulfenylation of Cys191) on the transport of the above-mentioned RONS across AQP1. Both lipid and protein oxidation seem to slightly increase the free energy barrier for H2O2 and NO2 permeation, while for OH and NO, we do not observe a strong effect of oxidation. The simulation results help to gain insight in the underlying mechanisms of the noticeable rise of CAP-induced RONS in cancer cells, thereby improving our understanding on the role of AQPs in the selective anticancer capacity of CAP.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
Publication
2019
ISSN
1942-0900
1942-0994
DOI
10.1155/2019/2930504
Volume/pages
2019 (2019) , 11 p.
Article Reference
2930504
ISI
000492999000001
Pubmed ID
31316715
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Plasma-based cancer treatment: Atomic level simulations.
CalcUA as central calculation facility: supporting core facilities.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 20.06.2019
Last edited 24.11.2024
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