Rapid hydrolysis and slow alpha,beta-dicarbonyl cleavage of an agent proposed to cleave glucose-derived protein cross-links.

The putative protein glycation cross-link cleaving agent N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB) underwent hydrolysis and cyclic hemithioacetal formation under physiological conditions to form two isomeric 2,3-dihydro-4-formyl-2-hydroxy-2-phenyl-1,4-thiazines: at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees, the rate constant k(Hydrolysis) was (2.6+/-0.1) x 10(-4) sec and the chemical half-life was ca. 44 min. The alpha,beta-dicarbonyl cleavage reaction only competed effectively with the hydrolysis when the alpha,beta-dicarbonyl substrate was at nonphysiological high levels. The high concentrations of PTB (10-30 mM) used previously to demonstrate chemical and biochemical activity also lead to acidification of incubation media. The mechanism of action of PTB now requires reappraisal.