Prostaglandin endoperoxides. 14. Solvent-induced fragmentation of prostaglandin endoperoxides. New aldehyde products from PGH2 and a novel intramolecular 1,2-hydride shift during endoperoxide fragmentation in aqueous solution

From MS/MS library implementation to molecular networks: Exploring oxylipin diversity with NEO-MSMS

Oxylipins, small polar molecules derived from the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), serve as biomarkers for many diseases and play crucial roles in human physiology and inflammation. Despite their significance, many non-enzymatic oxygenated metabolites of PUFAs (NEO-PUFAs) remain poorly reported, resulting in a lack of public datasets of experimental data and limiting their dereplication in further studies. To overcome this limitation, we constructed a high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) dataset comprising pure NEO-PUFAs (both commercial and self-synthesized) and in vitro free radical-induced oxidation of diverse PUFAs. By employing molecular networking techniques with this dataset and the existent ones in public repositories, we successfully mapped a wide range of NEO-PUFAs, expanding the strategies for annotating oxylipins, and NEO-PUFAs and offering a novel workflow for profiling these molecules in biological samples.

The rise and fall of anandamide: processes that control synthesis, degradation, and storage

Anandamide is an endocannabinoid derived from arachidonic acid-containing membrane lipids and has numerous biological functions. Its effects are primarily mediated by the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, and the vanilloid TRPV1 receptor. Anandamide is known to be involved in sleeping and eating patterns as well as pleasure enhancement and pain relief. This manuscript provides a review of anandamide synthesis, degradation, and storage and hence the homeostasis of the anandamide signaling system.

Highly Reactive Isolevuglandins Promote Atrial Fibrillation Caused by Hypertension

Oxidative damage is implicated in atrial fibrillation (AF), but antioxidants are ineffective therapeutically. The authors tested the hypothesis that highly reactive lipid dicarbonyl metabolites, or isolevuglandins (IsoLGs), are principal drivers of AF during hypertension. In a hypertensive murine model and stretched atriomyocytes, the dicarbonyl scavenger 2-hydroxybenzylamine (2-HOBA) prevented IsoLG adducts and preamyloid oligomers (PAOs), and AF susceptibility, whereas the ineffective analog 4-hydroxybenzylamine (4-HOBA) had minimal effect. Natriuretic peptides generated cytotoxic oligomers, a process accelerated by IsoLGs, contributing to atrial PAO formation. These findings support the concept of pre-emptively scavenging reactive downstream oxidative stress mediators as a potential therapeutic approach to prevent AF.

Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of repeated oral doses of 2-hydroxybenzylamine acetate in healthy volunteers: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

2-Hydroxybenzylamine (2-HOBA) is a selective dicarbonyl electrophile scavenger being developed as a nutritional supplement to help protect against the development of conditions associated with dicarbonyl electrophile formation, such as the cognitive decline observed with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer's disease.

METHODS

This study evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of repeated oral doses of 2-HOBA acetate (500 or 750 mg) administered to healthy volunteers every eight hours for two weeks. The effects of 2-HOBA on cyclooxygenase function and cerebrospinal fluid penetrance of 2-HOBA were also investigated.

RESULTS

Repeated oral administration of 2-HOBA was found to be safe and well-tolerated up to 750 mg TID for 15 days. 2-HOBA was absorbed within 2 h of administration, had a half-life of 2.10-3.27 h, and an accumulation ratio of 1.38-1.52. 2-HOBA did not interfere with cyclooxygenase function and was found to be present in cerebrospinal fluid 90 min after dosing.

CONCLUSIONS

Repeated oral administration of 2-HOBA was found to be safe and well-tolerated. These results support continued development of 2-HOBA as a nutritional supplement.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Studies are registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03555682 Registered 13 June 2018, NCT03554096 Registered 12 June 18).

Arachidonic Acid Kills Staphylococcus aureus through a Lipid Peroxidation Mechanism

Staphylococcus aureus infects every niche of the human host. In response to microbial infection, vertebrates have an arsenal of antimicrobial compounds that inhibit bacterial growth or kill bacterial cells. One class of antimicrobial compounds consists of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are highly abundant in eukaryotes and encountered by S. aureus at the host-pathogen interface. Arachidonic acid (AA) is one of the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids in vertebrates and is released in large amounts during the oxidative burst. Most of the released AA is converted to bioactive signaling molecules, but, independently of its role in inflammatory signaling, AA is toxic to S. aureus Here, we report that AA kills S. aureus through a lipid peroxidation mechanism whereby AA is oxidized to reactive electrophiles that modify S. aureus macromolecules, eliciting toxicity. This process is rescued by cotreatment with antioxidants as well as in a S. aureus strain genetically inactivated for lcpA (USA300 ΔlcpA mutant) that produces lower levels of reactive oxygen species. However, resistance to AA stress in the USA300 ΔlcpA mutant comes at a cost, making the mutant more susceptible to β-lactam antibiotics and attenuated for pathogenesis in a murine infection model compared to the parental methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain, indicating that resistance to AA toxicity increases susceptibility to other stressors encountered during infection. This report defines the mechanism by which AA is toxic to S. aureus and identifies lipid peroxidation as a pathway that can be modulated for the development of future therapeutics to treat S. aureus infections.IMPORTANCE Despite the ability of the human immune system to generate a plethora of molecules to control Staphylococcus aureus infections, S. aureus is among the pathogens with the greatest impact on human health. One class of host molecules toxic to S. aureus consists of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Here, we investigated the antibacterial properties of arachidonic acid, one of the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids in humans, and discovered that the mechanism of toxicity against S. aureus proceeds through lipid peroxidation. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which the immune system kills S. aureus, and by which S. aureus avoids host killing, will enable the optimal design of therapeutics that complement the ability of the vertebrate immune response to eliminate S. aureus infections.

First-in-human study assessing safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of 2-hydroxybenzylamine acetate, a selective dicarbonyl electrophile scavenger, in healthy volunteers

Background

2-Hydroxybenzylamine (2-HOBA) is a selective scavenger of dicarbonyl electrophiles that protects proteins and lipids from being modified by these electrophiles. It is currently being developed for use as a nutritional supplement to help maintain good health and protect against the development of conditions associated with dicarbonyl electrophile formation, such as the cognitive decline associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

Methods

In this first-in-human study, the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of six ascending single oral doses of 2-HOBA acetate were tested in eighteen healthy human volunteers.

Results

Reported adverse events were mild and considered unlikely to be related to 2-HOBA. There were no clinically significant changes in vital signs, ECG recordings, or clinical laboratory parameters. 2-HOBA was fairly rapidly absorbed, with a t_max of 1–2 h, and eliminated, with a t_1/2 of approximately 2 h. Both t_max and t_1/2 were independent of dose level, while C_max and AUC increased proportionally with dose level.

Conclusions

2-HOBA acetate was safe and well-tolerated at doses up to 825 mg in healthy human volunteers, positioning it as a good candidate for continued development as a nutritional supplement.

Trial registration

This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03176940).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40360-018-0281-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Isolevuglandins and cardiovascular disease

Isolevuglandins are 4-ketoaldehydes formed by peroxidation of arachidonic acid. Isolevuglandins react rapidly with primary amines including the lysyl residues of proteins to form irreversible covalent modifications. This review highlights evidence for the potential role of isolevuglandin modification in the disease processes, especially atherosclerosis, and some of the tools including small molecule dicarbonyl scavengers utilized to assess their contributions to disease.

Total Synthesis Confirms the Molecular Structure Proposed for Oxidized Levuglandin D2

Levuglandins (LG)D₂ and LGE₂ are γ-ketoaldehyde levulinaldehyde derivatives with prostanoid side chains produced by spontaneous rearrangement of the endoperoxide intermediate PGH₂ in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins. Covalent adduction of LGs with the amyloid peptide Aβ_1-42 promotes formation of the type of oligomers that have been associated with neurotoxicity and are a pathologic hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Within 1 min of their generation during the production of PGH₂ by cyclooxygenation of arachidonic acid, LGs are sequestered by covalent adduction to proteins. In view of this high proclivity for covalent adduction, it is understandable that free LGs have never been detected in vivo. Recently a catabolite, believed to be an oxidized derivative of LGD₂ (ox-LGD₂), a levulinic acid hydroxylactone with prostanoid side chains, was isolated from the red alga Gracilaria edulis and detected in mouse tissues and in the lysate of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-treated THP-1 cells incubated with arachidonic acid. Such oxidative catabolism of LGD₂ is remarkable because it must be outstandingly efficient to prevail over adduction with proteins and because it requires a unique dehydrogenation. We now report a concise total synthesis that confirms the molecular structure proposed for ox-LGD₂. The synthesis also produces ox-LGE₂, which readily undergoes allylic rearrangement to Δ⁶-ox-LGE₂.

Molecular Structures of Isolevuglandin-Protein Cross-Links

Isolevuglandins (isoLGs) are stereo and structurally isomeric γ-ketoaldehydes produced through free radical-induced oxidation of arachidonates. Some isoLG isomers are also generated through enzymatic cyclooxygenation. Post-translational modification of proteins by isoLGs is associated with loss-of-function, cross-linking and aggregation. We now report that a low level of modification by one or two molecules of isoLG has a profound effect on the activity of a multi subunit protease, calpain-1. Modification of one or two key lysyl residues apparently suffices to abolish catalytic activity. Covalent modification of calpain-1 led to intersubunit cross-linking. Hetero- and homo-oligomers of the catalytic and regulatory subunits of calpain-1 were detected by SDS-PAGE with Western blotting. N-Acetyl-glycyl-lysine methyl ester and β-amyloid(11-17) peptide EVHHQKL were used as models for characterizing the cross-linking of protein lysyl residues resulting from adduction of iso[4]LGE₂. Aminal, bispyrrole, and trispyrrole cross-links of these two peptides were identified and fully characterized by mass spectrometry. Aminal and bispyrrole dimers were both detected. Furthermore, a complex mixture of derivatives of the bispyrrole cross-link containing one or more additional atoms of oxygen was found. Interesting differences are evident in the predominant cross-link type generated in the reaction of iso[4]LGE₂ with these peptides. More aminal cross-links versus bispyrrole are formed during the reaction of the dipeptide with iso[4]LGE₂. In contrast, more bispyrrole versus aminal cross-links are formed during the reaction of EVHHQKL with iso[4]LGE₂. It is tempting to speculate that the EVHHQKL peptide-pyrrole modification forms noncovalent aggregates that favor the production of covalent bispyrrole cross-links because β-amyloid(11-17) tends to spontaneously oligomerize.

Mass spectrometry detection of isolevuglandin adduction to specific protein residues

The aging process seems to be associated with oxidative stress and hence increased production of lipid peroxidation products, including isolevuglandins (isoLGs). The latter are highly reactive γ-ketoaldehydes which can form covalent adducts with primary amino groups of enzymes and proteins and alter the properties of these biomolecules. Yet little is currently known about amino acid-containing compounds affected by isoLG modification in different age-related pathological processes. To facilitate the detection of these biomolecules, we developed a strategy in which the purified enzyme (or protein) of interest is first treated with authentic isoLG in vitro to evaluate whether it contains reactive lysine residues prone to modification with isoLGs. The data obtained serve as a basis for making the "GO/NO GO" decision as to whether to pursue a further search of this isoLG modification in a biological sample. In this chapter, we describe the conditions for the in vitro isoLG modification assay and how to use mass spectrometry to identify the isoLG-modified peptides and amino acid residues. Our studies were carried out on cytochrome P450 27A1, an important metabolic enzyme, and utilized iso[4]levuglandin E2 as a prototypical isoLG. The isoLG-treated cytochrome P450 was subjected to proteolysis followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for peptide separation and analysis by Mascot, a proteomics search engine, for the presence of modified peptides. The developed protocol could be applied to characterization of other enzymes/proteins and other types of unconventional posttranslational protein modification.

Isolevuglandin adducts in disease

SIGNIFICANCE

A diverse family of lipid-derived levulinaldehydes, isolevuglandins (isoLGs), is produced by rearrangement of endoperoxide intermediates generated through both cyclooxygenase (COX) and free radical-induced cyclooxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and their phospholipid esters. The formation and reactions of isoLGs with other biomolecules has been linked to alcoholic liver disease, Alzheimer's disease, age-related macular degeneration, atherosclerosis, cardiac arythmias, cancer, end-stage renal disease, glaucoma, inflammation of allergies and infection, mitochondrial dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, and thrombosis. This review chronicles progress in understanding the chemistry of isoLGs, detecting their production in vivo and understanding their biological consequences.

CRITICAL ISSUES

IsoLGs have never been isolated from biological sources, because they form adducts with primary amino groups of other biomolecules within seconds. Chemical synthesis enabled investigation of isoLG chemistry and detection of isoLG adducts present in vivo.

RECENT ADVANCES

The first peptide mapping and sequencing of an isoLG-modified protein present in human retina identified the modification of a specific lysyl residue of the sterol C27-hydroxylase Cyp27A1. This residue is preferentially modified by iso[4]LGE2 in vitro, causing loss of function. Adduction of less than one equivalent of isoLG can induce COX-associated oligomerization of the amyloid peptide Aβ1-42. Adduction of isoLGE2 to phosphatidylethanolamines causes gain of function, converting them into proinflammatory isoLGE2-PE agonists that foster monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Among the remaining questions on the biochemistry of isoLGs are the dependence of biological activity on isoLG isomer structure, the structures and mechanism of isoLG-derived protein-protein and DNA-protein cross-link formation, and its biological consequences.

Understanding the role of prostaglandin E2 in regulating human platelet activity in health and disease

The platelet thrombus is the major pathologic entity in acute coronary syndromes, and antiplatelet agents are a mainstay of therapy. However, individual patient responsiveness to current antiplatelet drugs is variable, and all drugs carry a risk of bleeding. An understanding of the complex role of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in regulating thrombosis offers opportunities for the development of novel individualized antiplatelet treatment. However, deciphering the platelet regulatory function of PGE2 has long been confounded by non-standardized experimental conditions, extrapolation of murine data to humans, and phenotypic differences in PGE2 response. This review synthesizes past and current knowledge about PGE2 effects on platelet biology, presents a rationale for standardization of experimental protocols, and provides insight into a molecular mechanism by which PGE2-activated pathways could be targeted for new personalized antiplatelet therapy to inhibit pathologic thrombosis without affecting hemostasis.

Reactive γ-ketoaldehydes promote protein misfolding and preamyloid oligomer formation in rapidly-activated atrial cells

Rapid activation causes remodeling of atrial myocytes resembling that which occurs in experimental and human atrial fibrillation (AF). Using this cellular model, we previously observed transcriptional upregulation of proteins implicated in protein misfolding and amyloidosis. For organ-specific amyloidoses such as Alzheimer's disease, preamyloid oligomers (PAOs) are now recognized to be the primary cytotoxic species. In the setting of oxidative stress, highly-reactive lipid-derived mediators known as γ-ketoaldehydes (γ-KAs) have been identified that rapidly adduct proteins and cause PAO formation for amyloid β1-42 implicated in Alzheimer's. We hypothesized that rapid activation of atrial cells triggers oxidative stress with lipid peroxidation and formation of γ-KAs, which then rapidly crosslink proteins to generate PAOs. To investigate this hypothesis, rapidly-paced and control, spontaneously-beating atrial HL-1 cells were probed with a conformation-specific antibody recognizing PAOs. Rapid stimulation of atrial cells caused the generation of cytosolic PAOs along with a myocyte stress response (e.g., transcriptional upregulation of Nppa and Hspa1a), both of which were absent in control, unpaced cells. Rapid activation also caused the formation of superoxide and γ-KA adducts in atriomyocytes, while direct exposure of cells to γ-KAs resulted in PAO production. Increased cytosolic atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and the generation of ANP oligomers with exposure to γ-KAs and rapid atrial HL-1 cell stimulation, strongly suggest a role for ANP in PAO formation. Salicylamine (SA) is a small molecule scavenger of γ-KAs that can protect proteins from modification by these reactive compounds. PAO formation and transcriptional remodeling were inhibited when cells were stimulated in the presence of SA, but not with the antioxidant curcumin, which is incapable of scavenging γ-KAs. These results demonstrate that γ-KAs promote protein misfolding and PAO formation as a component of the atrial cell stress response to rapid activation, and they provide a potential mechanistic link between oxidative stress and atrial cell injury.

Levuglandin forms adducts with histone h4 in a cyclooxygenase-2-dependent manner, altering its interaction with DNA

Inflammation and subsequent cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity has long been linked with the development of cancer, although little is known about any epigenetic effects of COX-2. A product of COX-2 activation, levuglandin (LG) quickly forms covalent bonds with nearby primary amines, such as those in lysine, which leads to LG-protein adducts. Here, we demonstrate that COX-2 activity causes LG-histone adducts in cultured cells and liver tissue, detectable through LC–MS, with the highest incidence in histone H4. Adduction is blocked by a γ-ketoaldehyde scavenger, which has no effect on COX-2 activity as measured by PGE₂ production. Formation of the LG-histone adduct is associated with an increased histone solubility in NaCl, indicating destabilization of the nucleosome structure; this is also reversed with scavenger treatment. These data demonstrate that COX-2 activity can cause histone adduction and loosening of the nucleosome complex, which could lead to altered transcription and contribute to carcinogenesis.

Isolevuglandin-modified phosphatidylethanolamine is metabolized by NAPE-hydrolyzing phospholipase D

Lipid aldehydes including isolevuglandins (IsoLGs) and 4-hydroxynonenal modify phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to form proinflammatory and cytotoxic adducts. Therefore, cells may have evolved mechanisms to degrade and prevent accumulation of these potentially harmful compounds. To test if cells could degrade isolevuglandin-modified phosphatidylethanolamine (IsoLG-PE), we generated IsoLG-PE in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells and human umbilical cord endothelial cells and measured its stability over time. We found that IsoLG-PE levels decreased more than 75% after 6 h, suggesting that IsoLG-PE was indeed degraded. Because N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD) has been described as a key enzyme in the hydrolysis of N-acyl phosphatidylethanoamine (NAPE) and both NAPE and IsoLG-PE have large aliphatic headgroups, we considered the possibility that this enzyme might also hydrolyze IsoLG-PE. We found that knockdown of NAPE-PLD expression using small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly increased the persistence of IsoLG-PE in HEK293 cells. IsoLG-PE competed with NAPE for hydrolysis by recombinant mouse NAPE-PLD, with the catalytic efficiency (V(max)/K(m)) for hydrolysis of IsoLG-PE being 30% of that for hydrolysis of NAPE. LC-MS/MS analysis confirmed that recombinant NAPE-PLD hydrolyzed IsoLG-PE to IsoLG-ethanolamine. These results demonstrate that NAPE-PLD contributes to the degradation of IsoLG-PE and suggest that a major physiological role of NAPE-PLD may be to degrade aldehyde-modified PE, thereby preventing the accumulation of these harmful compounds.

Identification of novel oxidized levuglandin D2 in marine red alga and mouse tissue

In animals, the product of cyclooxygenase reacting with arachidonic acid, prostaglandin(PG)H(2), can undergo spontaneous rearrangement and nonenzymatic ring cleavage to form levuglandin(LG)E(2) and LGD(2). These LGs and their isomers are highly reactive γ-ketoaldehydes that form covalent adducts with proteins, DNA, and phosphatidylethanolamine in cells. Here, we isolated a novel oxidized LGD(2) (ox-LGD(2)) from the red alga Gracilaria edulis and determined its planar structure. Additionally, ox-LGD(2) was identified in some tissues of mice and in the lysate of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-treated THP-1 cells incubated with arachidonic acid using LC-MS/MS. These results suggest that ox-LGD(2) is a common oxidized metabolite of LGD(2). In the planar structure of ox-LGD(2), H8 and H12 of LGD(2) were dehydrogenated and the C9 aldehyde was oxidized to a carboxylic acid, which formed a lactone ring with the hydrated ketone at C11. These structural differences imply that ox-LGD(2) is less reactive with amines than LGs. Therefore, ox-LGD(2) might be considered a detoxification metabolite of LGD(2).

Generation and detection of levuglandins and isolevuglandins in vitro and in vivo

Levuglandins (LGs) and isolevuglandins (isoLGs), formed by rearrangement of endoperoxide intermediates generated through the cyclooxygenase and free radical induced oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), are extraordinarily reactive, forming covalent adducts incorporating protein lysyl ε-amino groups. Because they accumulate, these adducts provide a dosimeter of oxidative injury. This review provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the generation of LG/isoLG in vitro and in vivo and the detection methods for the adducts of LG/isoLG and biological molecules in vivo.

Determination of 3-methoxysalicylamine levels in mouse plasma and tissue by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: application to in vivo pharmacokinetics studies

We report the development of a sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric assay to quantitate 3-methoxysalicylamine (3-MoSA) in biological samples. Derivatization with 1,1'-thiocarbonyldiimidazole followed by C(18) reverse-phase chromatography allowed the detection of both analyte and internal standard (hexylsalicylamine) using electrospray ionization and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in positive ion mode. We monitored the transitions from m/z 196.7 to 65.1 and from m/z 250.1 to 77.1 for 3-MoSA and HxSA, respectively. The method is validated with respect to linearity (r(2)=0.995), precision (<17% RSD), recovery (100% for 3-MoSA and HxSA), and stability (77% after storage up to 7 month at -80°C). The LOD and LOQ were 16.12 and 48.87 μg/l, respectively and the LLOQ of 1 pg/ml. In addition, we used this assay to analyze the pharmacokinetics of 3-MoSA in mouse plasma and tissues following both intraperitoneal and oral administration, providing new information regarding the distribution of this compound in vivo.

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for measurement of N-modified phosphatidylethanolamines

N-Acyl phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) are synthesised in response to stress in a variety of organisms from bacteria to humans. More recently, nonenzymatic modification of the ethanolamine headgroup of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) by various aldehydes, including levuglandins/isoketals (which are gamma-ketoaldehydes [gammaKAs] derived from arachidonic acid), has also been demonstrated. The levels of these various N-modified PEs formed during stress and their biological significance remain to be fully characterized. Such studies require an accurate, facile, and cost-effective method for quantifying N-modified PEs. Previously, NAPE and some of the nonenzymatically N-modified PE species have been quantified by mass spectrometry after hydrolysis to their constituent N-acylethanolamine by enzymatic hydrolysis, most typically with Streptomyces chromofuscus phospholipase D. However, enzymatic hydrolysis is not cost-effective for routine analysis of a large number of samples, and hydrolytic efficiency may vary for different N-modified PEs, making quantitation more difficult. Therefore, we sought a robust and inexpensive chemical hydrolysis approach. Methylamine (CH(3)NH(2))-mediated deacylation has previously been used in headgroup analysis of phosphatidylinositol phosphates. Therefore, we developed an accurate assay for NAPEs and gammaKA-PEs using CH(3)NH(2)-mediated deacylation and quantitation of the resulting glycerophospho-N-modified ethanolamines by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Determination of the Pharmacokinetics and Oral Bioavailability of Salicylamine, a Potent γ-Ketoaldehyde Scavenger, by LC/MS/MS

Levels of reactive γ-ketoaldehydes derived from arachidonate increase in diseases associated with inflammation and oxidative injury. To assess the biological importance of these γ-ketoaldehydes, we previously identified salicylamine as an effective γ-ketoaldehyde scavenger in vitro and in cells. To determine if salicylamine could be administered in vivo, we developed an LC/MS/MS assay to measure salicylamine in plasma and tissues. In mice, half-life (t_1/2) was 62 minutes. Drinking water supplementation (1-10 g/L) generated tissue concentrations (10-500 μM) within the range previously shown to inhibit γ-ketoaldehydes in cells. Therefore, oral administration of salicylamine can be used to assess the contribution of γ-ketoaldehydes in animal models of disease.

Isolevuglandins covalently modify phosphatidylethanolamines in vivo: detection and quantitative analysis of hydroxylactam adducts

Levuglandins (LGs) and isolevuglandins (isoLGs, also called "isoketals" or "isoKs") are extraordinarily reactive products of cyclooxygenase- and free radical-induced oxidation of arachidonates. We now report the detection in vivo and quantitative analysis of LG/isoLG adducts that incorporate the amino group of phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) into LG/isoLG-hydroxylactams. Notably, LC-MS/MS detection of these hydroxylactams is achieved with samples that are an order of magnitude smaller and sample processing is much simpler and less time consuming than required for measuring protein-derived LG/isoLG-lysyl lactams. A key feature of our protocol is treatment of biological phospholipid extracts with phospholipase A(2) to generate mainly 1-palmitoyl-2-lysoPE-hydroxylactams from heterogeneous mixtures of phospholipids with a variety of acyl groups on the 2 position. Over 160% higher mean levels of LG/isoLG-PE-hydroxylactam (P<0.001) were detected in liver from chronic ethanol-fed mice (32.4+/-6.3 ng/g, n=6) compared to controls (12.1+/-1.5 ng/g, n=4), and mean levels in plasma from patients with age-related macular degeneration (5.2+/-0.4 ng/ml, n=15) were elevated approximately 53% (P<0.0001) compared to those of healthy volunteers (3.4+/-0.1 ng/ml, n=15). Just as LG/isoLG-protein adducts provide a dosimeter of oxidative injury, this study suggests that LG/isoLG-PE-hydroxylactams are potential biomarkers for assessing risk for oxidative stress-stimulated diseases.

Isoketals form cytotoxic phosphatidylethanolamine adducts in cells

Levuglandins and their stereo- and regio-isomers (termed isolevuglandins or isoketals) are gamma-ketoaldehydes (IsoK) that rapidly react with lysines to form stable protein adducts. IsoK protein adduct levels increase in several pathological conditions including cardiovascular disease. IsoKs can induce ion channel dysfunction and cell death, potentially by adducting to cellular proteins. However, IsoKs also adduct to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in vitro, and whether PE adducts form in cells or contribute to the effects of IsoKs is unknown. When radiolabeled IsoK was added to HEK293 cells, 40% of the radiolabel extracted into the chloroform lower phase suggesting the possible formation of PE adducts. We therefore developed methods to measure IsoK-PE adducts in cells. IsoK-PE was quantified by LC/MS/MS after hydrolysis to IsoK-ethanolamine by Streptomyces chromofuscus phospholipase D. In HEK293 and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), IsoK dose-dependently increased PE adduct concentrations to a greater extent than protein adduct. To test the biological significance of IsoK-PE formation, we treated HUVEC with IsoK-PE. IsoK-PE dose dependently induced cytotoxicity (LC(50) 2.2 muM). These results indicate that cellular PE is a significant target of IsoKs, and that formation of PE adducts may mediate some of the biological effects of IsoKs relevant to disease.

Characterization of covalent adducts of nucleosides and DNA formed by reaction with levuglandin

Enhanced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is associated with development of several cancers. The product of COX-2, prostaglandin H(2) (PGH(2)), can undergo spontaneous rearrangement and nonenzymatic ring cleavage to form the highly reactive levuglandin E(2) (LGE(2)) or D(2) (LGD(2)). Incubation with LGE(2) causes DNA-protein cross-linking in cultured cells, suggesting that levuglandins can directly react with DNA. We report the identification by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of a stable levuglandin-deoxycytidine (LG-dC) adduct that forms upon reaction of levuglandin with DNA. We found that LGE(2) reacted with deoxycytidine, deoxyadenosine, or deoxyguanosine in vitro to form covalent adducts with a dihydroxypyrrolidine structure, as deduced from selective ion fragmentation. For LG-deoxycytidine adducts, the initial dihydroxypyrrolidine structure converted to a pyrrole structure over time. Reaction of LG with DNA yielded a stable LG-dC adduct with a pyrrole structure. These results describe the first structure of levuglandinyl-DNA adducts and provide the tools with which to evaluate the potential for LG-DNA adduct formation in vivo.

On the mechanism of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase type-2--a theoretical study of endoperoxide reaction with MeS(-)

The reaction pathways of deprotonation versus nucleophilic substitution involving mPGES-2 enzyme catalysis were investigated by ab initio molecular orbital theory calculations for the reaction of methylthiolate with the endoperoxide core of PGH(2) and by the combined quantum mechanical molecular mechanical methods. The calculations showed that deprotonation mechanism is energetically more favorable than the nucleophilic substitution pathway.

Modulation of protein function by isoketals and levuglandins

Oxidative stress, defined as an increase in reactive oxygen species, leads to peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and generates a vast number of biologically active molecules, many of which might contribute in some way to health and disease. This chapter will focus on one specific class of peroxidation products, the levuglandins and isoketals (also called isolevuglandins). These gamma-ketoaldehydes are some of the most reactive products derived from the peroxidation of lipids and exert their biological effects by rapidly adducting to primary amines such as the lysyl residues of proteins. The mechanism of their formation and remarkable reactivity will be described, along with evidence for their increased formation in disease conditions linked with oxidative stress and inflammation. Finally, the currently known effects of these gamma-ketoaldehydes on cellular function will then be discussed and when appropriate compared to the effects of alpha,beta-unsaturated fatty aldehydes, in order to illustrate the significant differences between these two classes of peroxidation products that modify proteins.

Total syntheses of (+)- and (-)-peribysin E

A convergent, stereocontrolled route to either antipode of the cell adhesion inhibitor, peribysin E, has been achieved from carvone. Highlights of the synthesis include a Diels-Alder reaction to generate a cis-decalin framework, followed by semipinacol-type ring contraction to secure the stereochemistry of the C7 quaternary center. Potential mechanistic pathways for the critical ring contraction were studied through deuterium incorporation studies. In addition, an optimized olefin isomerization/Saegusa oxidation protocol is described for the conversion of [4+2] cycloadducts of 2-(trialkylsilyloxy)-1,3-dienes to 1,6(2H,7H)-naphthalenediones, having stereochemical arrangements not accessible via conventional Robinson annulation protocols. Finally, the ability to independently prepare either enantiomer of peribysin E from the corresponding antipode of carvone led to a reassignment of the absolute configuration of peribysin E.

Beyond prostaglandins--chemistry and biology of cyclic oxygenated metabolites formed by free-radical pathways from polyunsaturated fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are important constituents in all organisms. They fulfil many functions, ranging from modulating the structure of membranes to acting as precursors of physiologically important molecules, such as the prostaglandins, which for a long time were the most prominent cyclic PUFA metabolites. However, since the beginning of the 1990s a large variety of cyclic metabolites have been discovered that form under autoxidative conditions in vivo to a much larger extent than do prostaglandins. These compounds--isoprostanes, neuroprostanes, phytoprostanes, and isofurans--proved subsequently to be ubiquitous in nature. They display a wide range of biological activities, and isoprostanes have become the currently most reliable indicators of oxidative stress in humans. In a relatively short time, the structural variety, properties, and applications of the autoxidatively formed cyclic PUFA derivatives have been uncovered.

HTRF-Based Assay for Microsomal Prostaglandin E2 Synthase-1 Activity

Microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1) catalyzes the formation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) from the endoperoxide prostaglandin H 2 (PGH2). Expression of this enzyme is induced during the inflammatory response, and mouse knockout experiments suggest it may be an attractive target for antiarthritic therapies. Assaying the activity of this enzyme in vitro is challenging because of the unstable nature of the PGH 2 substrate. Here, the authors present an mPGES-1 activity assay suitable for characterization of enzyme preparations and for determining the potency of inhibitor compounds. This plate-based competition assay uses homogenous time-resolved fluorescence to measure PGE2 produced by the enzyme. The assay is insensitive to DMSO concentration up to 10% and does not require extensive washes after the initial enzyme reaction is concluded, making it a simple and convenient way to assess mPGES-1 inhibition. ( Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2008:619-625)

F2-isoprostanes are not just markers of oxidative stress

F(2)-isoprostanes are not just markers of oxidative stress. The discovery of F(2)-isoprostanes (F(2)-IsoPs) as specific and reliable markers of oxidative stress in vivo is briefly summarized here. F(2)-IsoPs are also agonists of important biological effects, such as the vasoconstriction of renal glomerular arterioles, the retinal vessel, and the brain microcirculature. In addition to the F(2)-IsoPs, E(2)- and D(2)-IsoPs can be formed by rearrangement of H(2)-IsoP endoperoxides and can give rise to cyclopentenone IsoPs, which are very reactive alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. The same type of reactivity is also shown by acyclic gamma-ketoaldehydes formed as products of the IsoP pathway. Because previous studies suggested a relation between oxidative stress and collagen hyperproduction, it was investigated whether collagen synthesis is induced by F(2)-IsoPs, the most proximal products of lipid peroxidation. In contrast to aldehydes, F(2)-IsoPs act through receptors able to elicit definite signal transduction pathways. In a rat model of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis, plasma F(2)-IsoPs were markedly elevated for the entire experimental period; hepatic collagen content was also increased. When hepatic stellate cells from normal liver were cultured up to activation (expression of smooth muscle alpha-actin) and then treated with F(2)-IsoPs in the concentration range found in the in vivo studies (10(-9) to 10(-8) M), a striking increase in DNA synthesis, cell proliferation, and collagen synthesis was observed. Total collagen content was similarly increased. All these stimulatory effects were reversed by the specific antagonist of the thromboxane A(2) receptor, SQ 29 548, whereas the receptor agonist, I-BOP, also had a stimulatory effect. Therefore F(2)-IsoPs generated by lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes may mediate hepatic stellate cell proliferation and collagen hyperproduction seen in hepatic fibrosis.

Measurement of chronic oxidative and inflammatory stress by quantification of isoketal/levuglandin γ-ketoaldehyde protein adducts using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Measurement of F(2)-isoprostanes (F(2)-IsoPs) has been independently verified as one of the most reliable approaches to assess oxidative stress in vivo. However, the rapid clearance of F(2)-IsoPs makes the timing of sample collection critical for short-lived oxidative insults. Isoketals (IsoKs) are gamma-ketoaldehydes formed via the IsoP pathway of lipid peroxidation that rapidly react with lysyl residues of proteins to form stable protein adducts. Oxidative stress can also activate cyclooxygenases to produce prostaglandin H(2), which can form two specific isomers of IsoK-levuglandin (LG) D(2) and E(2). Because adducted proteins are not rapidly cleared, IsoK/LG protein adduct levels can serve as a dosimeter of oxidative and inflammatory damage over prolonged periods of time as well as brief episodes of injury. Quantification of IsoK/LG protein adducts begins with liquid-phase extraction to separate proteins from lipid membranes, allowing measurement of both IsoK/LG protein adducts and F(2)-IsoP from the same sample if desired. IsoK/LG-lysyl-lactam adducts are measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry after proteolytic digestion of extracted proteins, solid-phase extraction and preparative HPLC.

Oxidized phospholipids: From molecular properties to disease

Oxidized lipids are generated from (poly)unsaturated diacyl- and alk(en)ylacyl glycerophospholipids under conditions of oxidative stress. The great variety of reaction products is defined by the degree of modification, hydrophobicity, chemical reactivity, physical properties and biological activity. The biological activities of these compounds may depend on both, the recognition of the particular molecular structures by specific receptors and on the unspecific physical and chemical effects on their target systems (membranes, proteins). In this review, we aim at highlighting the molecular features that are essential for the understanding of the biological actions of pure oxidized phospholipids. Firstly, their chemical structures are described as a basis for an understanding of their physical and (bio)chemical properties in membrane- and protein-bound form. Secondly, the biological activities of oxidized phospholipids are discussed in terms of their unspecific effects on the membrane level as well as their potential interactions with specific targets (receptors) affecting a large set of (signaling) molecules. Finally, the role of oxidized phospholipids as important mediators in pathophysiology is discussed with emphasis on atherosclerosis.

PGH2-derived levuglandin adducts increase the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta1-42

The body of evidence indicating that oligomers of amyloid beta(1-42) (Abeta(1-42)) produce toxicity to neurons, together with our demonstration that prostaglandin H(2) (PGH(2)) oligomerizes amyloid beta(1-42), led to the examination of the neurotoxicity of amyloid beta(1-42) treated with PGH(2). The neurotoxic effects of Abeta(1-42) incubated with PGH(2) was examined in primary cultures of cerebral neurons of mice, monitoring the reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) as an indicator of cell toxicity. Whereas Abeta(1-42) itself, incubated for 24 h, has little or no effect on MTT reduction, Abeta(1-42) 24 h after exposure to PGH(2) produced a marked inhibition of MTT reduction, comparable with the inhibition resulting from Abeta(1-42) that has been oligomerized by incubation for 6 days. Similar results were obtained when Abeta(1-42) was incubated with levuglandin E(2) (LGE(2)), a reactive aldehyde formed by spontaneous rearrangement of PGH(2). The oligomers formed from reaction of Abeta(1-42) with LGE(2) exhibit immunochemical similarity with amyloid-derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs), as determined by analysis of the products of reaction of Abeta(1-42) with LGE(2) using western blotting with an antibody that is selective for ADDLs.

Oxidized phospholipids, isolevuglandins, and atherosclerosis

Autoxidation of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines (PCs) generates isolevuglandins (isoLGs) through rearrangements of isoprostanoid endoperoxides. Within seconds, isoLGs are sequestered by covalent adduction with proteins. Murine plasma isoLG-protein levels increased at least 2.5-fold in response to inflammation. IsoLG-protein adducts accumulate in vivo providing a convenient dosimeter of oxidative stress. Elevated blood isoLG-protein levels present in atherosclerosis (AS) patients point to an independent defect that is not associated with total cholesterol levels, which results in an abnormally high level of oxidative injury in AS. Protein adduction and cross-linking caused by isoLGs can obstruct protein function. For example, it interferes with proteosomal degradation of proteins and, consequently, may result in apoptotic death of smooth muscle cells and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. Phospholipid autoxidation also generates biologically active oxidatively truncated PCs through fragmentation of dihydroperoxydienes that can be promoted by alpha-tocopherol. The oxidatively truncated PCs in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) contribute to the etiology of AS by inhibiting enzymatic activities required for normal processing of oxLDL by macrophages. They promote interactions of monocytes with endothelial cells that may foster migration of monocytes into the subendothelial space. They are also ligands for unregulated receptor-mediated uptake of oxLDL by monocyte macrophages leading to foam cell formation.

Prostaglandin H2-derived adducts of proteins correlate with Alzheimer's disease severity

The formation of cyclooxygenase-derived lipid adducts of protein in brains of patients who had Alzheimer's disease has been investigated. The enzymatic product of the cyclooxygenases, prostaglandin H2, rearranges in part to highly reactive gamma-ketoaldehydes, levuglandin (LG) E(2) and LGD(2). These gamma-ketoaldehydes react with free amines on proteins to yield a covalent adduct. Utilizing analysis of the levuglandinyl-lysine adducts by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we now find that this post-translational modification is increased significantly in the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease. The magnitude of the increase correlates with the pathological evidence of severity.

Cyclooxygenase-dependent lipid-modification of brain proteins

Substantial evidence indicates that both beta-amyloid and cyclooxygenase activity contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. The immediate product of the cyclooxygenases, prostaglandin H2, rapidly rearranges in aqueous solution, with approximately 20% being converted to levuglandins E2 and D2. These gamma-ketoaldehydes are highly reactive and rapidly adduct to accessible amine groups on macromolecules, particularly the epsilon-amine of lysine residues on proteins. The immediate LG-lysine adducts are themselves reactive, and can covalently crosslink proteins. PGH2, acting via LGs, accelerates the formation of the type of oligomers of amyloid beta that has been associated with neurotoxicity. In this review, we discuss the cyclooxygenase-dependent lipid-modification of proteins by levuglandins in vitro, in cells in culture and in vivo in transgenic mice over-expressing COX in the brain.

The biochemistry of the isoprostane, neuroprostane, and isofuran Pathways of lipid peroxidation

Isoprostanes are prostaglandin-like compounds that are formed non-enzymatically by free radical-catalyzed peroxidation of arachidonic acid (C20:4omega6). Intermediates in the pathway of the formation of isoprostanes are labile prostaglandin H2-like bicyclic endoperoxides (H2-isoprostanes). H2-isoprostanes are reduced to form F-ring isoprostanes (F2-isoprostanes), but they also undergo chemical rearrangement in vivo to form E2- and D2-isoprostanes, isothromboxanes, and highly reactive acyclic y-ketoaldehdyes (isoketals). E2- and D2-isoprostanes also undergo dehydration in vivo to form cyclopentenone A2- and J2-isoprostanes. Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6omega3) is highly enriched in neurons in the brain and is highly susceptible to oxidation. Free radical-catalyzed oxidation of docosahexaenoic acid results in the formation of isoprostane-like compounds (neuroprostanes). F4-, D4-, E4-, A4-, and J4-neuroprostanes and neuroketals have all been shown to be produced in vivo. In addition, we recently discovered a new pathway of lipid peroxidation that forms compounds with a substituted tetrahydrofuran ring (isofurans). Oxygen concentration differentially modulates the formation of isoprostanes and isofurans. As oxygen concentrations increase, the formation of isofurans is favored whereas the formation of isoprostanes becomes disfavored.

Distinguishing levuglandins produced through the cyclooxygenase and isoprostane pathways

The cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway generates enantiomerically pure levuglandin (LG) E(2) by a rearrangement of the prostaglandin (PG) endoperoxide PGH(2). The isoprostane pathway generates racemic LGE(2) together with stereoisomers, designated collectively as isoLGE(2), through free radical-induced lipid oxidation. Within seconds, both LGs and isoLGs are rapidly sequestered by protein adduction. In theory, the diastereomeric purity of LGE(2)-protein adduct-derived lysyl lactams can reveal the relative contributions of the COX and isoprostane pathways to LGE(2) stereoisomer production in vivo. Notably, however, the detection of LGE(2)-protein adducts does not provide a basis for inferring their formation through the isoprostane pathway in vivo unless the COX pathway can be rigorously excluded. In contrast, LGE(2)structural isomers, designated collectively as iso[n]LGE(2)s, are produced exclusively through the isoprostane pathway. Immunoassays that selectively recognize iso[n]LGE(2)-protein adducts are the only tools available to unambiguously detect and quantify the production of isolevuglandins in vivo through free radical-induced oxidation of arachidonates.

Levuglandins and isolevuglandins: stealthy toxins of oxidative injury

Inspired by a reaction discovered through basic research on the chemistry of the bicyclic peroxide nucleus of the prostaglandin endoperoxide PGH2, we postulated that levulinaldehyde derivatives with prostaglandin side chains, levuglandins (LGs), and structurally isomeric analogues, isolevuglandins (iso[n]LGs), would be generated by nonenzymatic rearrangements of prostanoid and isoprostanoid endoperoxides. Two decades of subsequent studies culminated in our discoveries of the LG and isoLG pathways, branches of the cyclooxygenase and isoprostane pathways, respectively. In cells, PGH2 rearranges nonenzymatically to LGs even in the presence of enzymes that use PGH2 as a substrate. IsoLGs, also known as isoketals or neuroketals, are generated in vivo through free radical-induced autoxidation of polyunsaturated phospholipid esters. Hydrolysis occurs after rapid adduction of isoLG phospholipids to proteins. The proclivity of these reactive species to avidly bind covalently with and cross-link proteins and nucleic acids complicated the hunt for LGs and isoLGs in vivo. The extraordinary reactivity of these "stealthy toxins" underlies much, if not all, of the biological consequences of LG and isoLG generation. They interfere with protein function and are among the most potent neurotoxic products of lipid oxidation known. Because they can accumulate over the lifetimes of proteins, iso[n]LG-protein adducts represent a convenient dosimeter of oxidative stress.

Metabolite-initiated protein misfolding may trigger Alzheimer's disease

Anfinsen showed that a protein's fold is specified by its sequence. Although it is clear why mutant proteins form amyloid, it is harder to rationalize why a wild-type protein adopts a native conformation in most individuals, but it misfolds in a minority of others, in what should be a common extracellular environment. This discrepancy suggests that another event likely triggers misfolding in sporadic amyloid disease. One possibility is that an abnormal metabolite, generated only in some individuals, covalently modifies the protein or peptide and causes it to misfold, but evidence for this is sparse. Candidate metabolites are suggested by the recently appreciated links between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and atherosclerosis, known chronic inflammatory metabolites, and the newly discovered generation of ozone during inflammation. Here we report detection of cholesterol ozonolysis products in human brains. These products and a related, lipid-derived aldehyde covalently modify Abeta, dramatically accelerating its amyloidogenesis in vitro, providing a possible chemical link between hypercholesterolemia, inflammation, atherosclerosis, and sporadic AD.

Isoketals: highly reactive γ-ketoaldehydes formed from the H2-isoprostane pathway

Oxidation of arachidonic acid leads to the formation of highly reactive gamma-ketoaldehydes now termed isoketals. Isoketals react with proteins at a rate that far exceeds other well studied products of lipid peroxidation such as 4-hydroxynonenal and demonstrate a remarkable proclivity to crosslink these proteins. For these reasons, isoketals have the potential to significantly alter protein function and contribute to disease processes. This article reviews the chemistry of isoketal formation, of their adduction to proteins, and of their proclivity to crosslink proteins, as well as their effects on protein function, and their potential role in diseases associated with oxidative injury.

The biochemistry of the isoprostane, neuroprostane, and isofuran pathways of lipid peroxidation

F2-isoprostanes are prostaglandin F2-like compounds that are formed nonenzymatically by free radical mediated peroxidation of arachidonic acid. Intermediate in the pathway of the formation of isoprostanes are labile prostaglandin H2-like bicyclic endoperoxides (H2-isoprostanes), which are reduced to F2-isoprostanes and also undergo rearrangement in vivo to form E-ring and D-ring isoprostanes, isothromboxanes, and highly reactive acyclic gamma-ketoaldehdyes (isoketals). Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6omega3) is highly enriched in neurons in the brain and is highly susceptible to oxidation. Free radical mediated oxidation of docosahexaenoic acid results in the formation of isoprostane-like compounds (neuroprostanes). F4- and E4/D4-neuroprostanes as well as neuroketals have been shown to be produced in vivo. Finally, we recently discovered a new pathway of lipid peroxidation that forms compounds with a substituted tetrahydrofuran ring (isofurans). Oxygen concentrations differentially modulate the formation of isoprostanes and isofurans; at elevated oxygen concentrations, the formation of isofurans is favored whereas the formation of isoprostanes is disfavored.

Prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) accelerates formation of amyloid beta1-42 oligomers

Epidemiologic evidence implicates cyclooxygenase activity in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, in which amyloid plaques have been found to contain increased levels of dimers and higher multimers of the amyloid beta peptide. The product of the oxygenation of arachidonic acid by the cyclooxygenases, prostaglandin H2 (PGH2), rearranges non-enzymatically to several prostaglandins, including the highly reactive gamma-keto aldehydes, levuglandins E2 and D2. We demonstrate that PGH2 markedly accelerates the formation of dimers and higher oligomers of amyloid beta1-42. This is associated with the formation of levuglandin adducts of the peptide. These findings provide the molecular basis for a hypothesis linking cyclooxygenase activity to the formation of oligomers of amyloid beta.