Production of hydroxyl free radical in the xanthine oxidase system with addition of 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine.

We have examined the mechanism of 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced gastric cancer with respect to the production of hydroxyl free radical (OH). Nucleophilic attack by H2O2 on the nitroso group of MNNG produces 1-methyl-3-nitroguanidine (MNG) and the intermediate peroxynitric acid (ONOOH), which splits into hydroxyl free radical (OH) and nitrogen dioxide leading to the formation of nitric and nitrate ions in water. Xanthine oxidase (XO) induces the production of O2.- or H2O2 from molecular oxygen, depending on the overall level of enzyme reduction. In this study, we examined OH production by the reaction of MNNG with H2O2 derived from the XO-HX system containing XO and the purine substrate hypoxanthine by ESR using the spin trapping reagent 5,5'-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). OH was produced in the XO-HX-DMPO system with addition of MNNG (the MNNG-XO-HX-DMPO system) under aerobic conditions, but was not in the XO-HX-DMPO system, and production of OH was inhibited by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase, suggesting that OH was produced by the reaction of MNNG with H2O2 derived from the XO-HX system. The production of OH was significantly increased with increase in the reducing activity of XO, though that of O2.- was not, also suggesting the O2(.-)-independent .OH production. The productions of nitrite ion and MNG in the MNNG-XO-HX system were determined by the colorimetric method and HPLC, respectively. Based on these findings, we conclude that .OH was produced by homolytic split of the intermediate ONOOH formed by nucleophilic attack of H2O2 derived from the XO-HX system on MNNG.