Interaction of oxoferrylmyoglobin and dinitrosyl-iron complexes.

It is shown that dinitrosyl-iron complexes (DNIC) with glutathione can reduce oxoferrylmyoglobin forming on interaction of tert-butyl hydroperoxide and metmyoglobin. A rapid decrease in the DNIC concentration was observed under the conditions of production of tert-butyl free radicals; however, destruction of DNIC in the presence of oxoferrylmyoglobin alone was negligible. It is demonstrated that DNIC reduces oxoferrylmyoglobin more than an order more efficiently than S-nitrosoglutathione and glutathione. DNIC also inhibits formation of the thiyl radicals of glutathione in a medium containing metmyoglobin and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. A mechanism of the antioxidant action of DNIC based on regeneration of the nitrosyl complexes from the products of their interaction with oxoferrylheme is proposed.