Tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of dopa and related catechol(amine)s: a kinetic electron spin resonance investigation using spin-stabilization and spin label oximetry.

The oxidation of four catechol(amine)s by tyrosinase has been studied by electron spin resonance and optical methods. Rates of oxygen consumption and of dopaquinone and dopachrome formation during the oxidation of dopa have been measured, and compared with rates of dopasemiquinone production measured using spin-stabilization procedures. In the presence of spin-stabilizing metal ions, production of semiquinone is approximately quantitative. Time-dependent ESR spectra obtained from dopa and dopamine show a slow regeneration of semiquinone, suggesting that a semiquinone precursor is slowly reformed. In contrast, time-dependent spectra for 4-methylcatechol and N-acetyldopamine show decay of the primary semiquinone together with buildup of a secondary semiquinone apparently derived from the corresponding 6-hydroxy-catechol(amine). Thus, catecholamines that give rise to a cyclizable quinone show a pattern of behavior that differs from those that produce a non-cyclizable quinone. These results are discussed in terms of their possible significance to melanogenesis and the toxicity of catechol(amine)s, which has been attributed to production of semiquinones and/or other oxygen radicals.