Ferritin-catalyzed consumption of hydrogen peroxide by amine buffers causes the variable Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry of iron deposition in horse spleen ferritin.

Ferritin catalyzes the oxidation of Fe2+ by O2 to form a reconstituted Fe3+ oxy-hydroxide mineral core, but extensive studies have shown that the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry changes with experimental conditions. At Fe2+ to horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) ratios greater than 200, an upper limit of Fe2+ to O2 of 4 is typically measured, indicating O2 is reduced to 2H2O. In contrast, a lower limit of Fe2+ to O2 of approximately 2 is measured at low Fe2+ to HoSF ratios, implicating H2O2 as a product of Fe2+ deposition. Stoichiometric amounts of H2O2 have not been measured, and H2O2 is proposed to react with an unknown system component. Evidence is presented that identifies this component as amine buffers, including 3-N-morpholinopropanesulfonic acid (MOPS), which is widely used in ferritin studies. In the presence of non-amine buffers, the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry was approximately 4.0, but at high concentrations of amine buffers (0.10 M) the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry is approximately 2.5 for iron loadings of eight to 30 Fe2+ per HoSF. Decreasing the concentration of amine buffer to zero resulted in an Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry of approximately 4. Direct evidence for amine buffer modification during Fe2+ deposition was obtained by comparing authentic and modified buffers using mass spectrometry, NMR, and thin layer chromatography. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, MOPS, and N-methylmorpholine (a MOPS analog) were all rapidly chemically modified during Fe2+ deposition to form N-oxides. Under identical conditions no modification was detected when amine buffer, H2O2, and O2 were combined with Fe2+ or ferritin separately. Thus, a short-lived ferritin intermediate is required for buffer modification by H2O2. Variation of the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry versus the Fe2+ to HoSF ratio and the amine buffer concentration are consistent with buffer modification.