The protective effect of hypotaurine and cysteine sulphinic acid on peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative reactions.

The protective activity of hypotaurine (HTAU) and cysteine sulphinic acid (CSA) on peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative damage has been assessed by monitoring different target molecules, i.e. tyrosine, dihydrorhodamine-123 (DHR) and glutathione (GSH). The inhibition of tyrosine oxidation exerted by HTAU and CSA both in the presence and the absence of bicarbonate can be ascribed to their ability to scavenge hydroxyl ((OH)-O-center dot) and carbonate (CO3 center dot-) radicals. HTAU and CSA also reduce tyrosyl radicals, suggesting that this repair function of sulphinates might operate as an additional inhibiting mechanism of tyrosine oxidation. In the peroxynitrite-dependent oxidation of DHR, the inhibitory effect of HTAU was lower than that of CSA. Moreover, while HTAU and CSA competitively inhibited the direct oxidation of GSH by peroxynitrite, HTAU was again poorly effective against the oxidation of GSH mediated by peroxynitrite-derived radicals. The possible involvement of secondary reactions, which could explain the difference in antioxidant activity of HTAU and CSA, is discussed.