Nitric oxide-induced autoinhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the presence of the autoxidation-resistant pteridine 5-methyltetrahydrobiopterin.

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) catalysis results in formation of NO or superoxide (O(2)(-.)) depending on the presence or absence of the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4). In the absence of O(2)(-.) scavengers, net NO formation cannot be detected even at saturating BH4 concentrations, which is thought to be due to O(2)(-.) production by BH4 autoxidation. Because the N-5-methylated analogue of BH4 (5-Me-BH4) sustains NOS catalysis and is autoxidation-resistant, net NO formation by the neuronal isoform of NOS (nNOS) can be observed at saturating 5-Me-BH4 concentrations. Here we compare the effects of 5-Me-BH4 on L-citrulline formation, NADPH oxidation, H(2)O(2) production and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulation. All activities were stimulated biphasically (EC(50) approx. 0.2 microM and more than 1 mM), with an intermediate inhibitory phase at the same pterin concentration as that required for net NO generation and sGC stimulation (4 microM). Concomitantly with inhibition, the NADP(+)/L-citrulline stoichiometry decreased from 2.0 to 1.6. Inhibition occurred only at high enzyme concentrations (IC(50) approx. 10 nM nNOS) and was antagonized by oxyhaemoglobin and by BH4. We ascribe the first stimulatory phase to high-affinity binding of 5-Me-BH4. The inhibitory phase is due to low-affinity binding, resulting in fully coupled catalysis, complete inhibition of O(2)(-.) production and net NO formation. At high enzyme concentrations and thus high NO levels, this causes autoinhibition. NO scavenging by 5-Me-BH4 at concentrations above 1 mM, resulting in the antagonization of inhibition of NOS, explains the second stimulatory phase. In agreement with these assignments 5-Me-BH4 was found to stimulate formation of a haem-NO complex during NOS catalysis. The observation of inhibition with 5-Me-BH4 but not with BH4 implies that, unless O(2)(-.) scavengers are present, a physiological role for NO-induced autoinhibition is unlikely.