Title
Redox Reactivity of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Induces the Formation of Disulfide Bridges in Thiol-Containing Biomolecules
Author
Francoise Rollin-Genetet, Caroline Seidel, Ester Artells, Mélanie Auffan, Alain Thiéry, Claude Vidaud
Year
2015
Journal
Chemical Research in Toxicology
Abstract
The redox state of disulfide bonds is implicated in many redox control systems, such as the cysteine–cystine couple. Among proteins, ubiquitous cysteine-rich metallothioneins possess thiolate metal binding groups susceptible to metal exchange in detoxification processes. CeO2NPs are commonly used in various industrial applications due to their redox properties. These redox properties that enable dual oxidation states (Ce(IV)/Ce(III)) to exist at their surface may act as oxidants for biomolecules. The interaction among metallothioneins, cysteine, and CeO2NPs was investigated through various biophysical approaches to shed light on the potential effects of the Ce4+/Ce3+ redox system on the thiol groups of these biomolecules. The possible reaction mechanisms include the formation of a disulfide bridge/Ce(III) complex resulting from the interaction between Ce(IV) and the thiol groups, leading to metal unloading from the MTs, depending on their metal content and cluster type. The formation of stable Ce3+ disulfide complexes has been demonstrated via their fluorescence properties. This work provides the first evidence of thiol concentration-dependent catalytic oxidation mechanisms between pristine CeO2 NPs and thiol-containing biomolecules.
Instrument
J-810
Keywords
Circular dichroism, Coordination chemistry, Toxicology