Is the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory putative new vitamin, PQQ, involved with nitric oxide in bone metabolism?

Our laboratory recently isolated free PQQ (2,7,9-tricarboxy-pyrroloquinoline quinone, methoxatin), a bacterial redox cofactor, from red cells, neutrophils, serum and milk and found free PQQ in CSF, synovial fluid and bile. The metabolism and functions of PQQ and ascorbate may be coupled. Physiologically, free PQQ catalyzes dioxygen-superoxide interconversion, and participates in both superoxide generation (respiratory burst) and scavenging (cell protection). Using a labeled aromatic o-diamine, superoxide formation by activated neutrophils was inhibited and the labeled phenazine adduct of PQQ could be isolated from the inhibited cells (Karnovsky et al., 1992). PQQ may convert xanthine oxidase to xanthine dehydrogenase (XD) and could be the physiological coenzyme of XD. PQQ plus copper, form a potent amine-oxidizing system. Shah et al., 1992 found that PQQ-Cu2+ catalyzes the oxidation of epsilon-amino groups in collagen and elastin. Rucker's lab (Smidt et al., 1991) has found that PQQ may be a vitamin for mouse pups. Watanabe et al., 1988 and Nishigori et al., 1989, showed that injected PQQ protects animals against oxidative stress injury. PQQ's in vivo antioxidant action, spares reduced glutathione. PQQ, as an actively transported organic anion, concentrates in cells. In other experiments (Aizenman et al., 1992), PQQ protected neurons against the neurotoxin action of the glutamate-receptor against NMDA. We shall consider possible roles for PQQ in the biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO, endothelium-derived relaxing factor, EDRF) from L-arginine and in NO removal by superoxide. NO has now been linked to the inhibition of osteoclastic bone resorption.