Distinction of thioredoxin transnitrosylation and denitrosylation target proteins by the ICAT quantitative approach

S-Nitrosylation is a reversible PTM for regulating protein function. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx1) catalyzes either transnitrosylation or denitrosylation of specific proteins, depending on the redox status of the cysteines within its conserved oxidoreductase CXXC motif. With a disulfide bond formed between the two catalytic cysteines, Trx1 is not only inactive as a denitrosylase, but it may also be nitrosylated at Cys73 and serve as a transnitrosylating agent. Identification of Trx1-mediated transnitrosylation or denitrosylation targets will contribute to a better understanding of Trx1's function. Previous experimental approaches based on the attenuation of CXXC oxidoreductase activity cannot readily distinguish Trx1 transnitrosylation targets from denitrosylation targets. In this study, we used the ICAT method in conjunction with the biotin switch technique to differentiate Trx1 transnitrosylation targets from denitrosylation target proteins from neuroblastoma cells. We demonstrate that the ICAT approach is effective for quantitative identification of putative Trx1 transnitrosylation and denitrosylation target peptides. From these analyses, we confirmed reports that peroxiredoxin 1 is a Trx1 transnitrosylation, but not a denitrosylation target, and we found several other proteins, including cyclophilin A to be modulated in this manner. Unexpectedly, we found that many nitrosylation sites are reversibly regulated by Trx1, suggesting a more prominent role for Trx1 in regulating S-nitrosylation.

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► Thioredoxin 1 can function as a de- or transnitrosylation agent.
► We coupled biotin switch with ICAT technology to quantify protein S-nitrosylation.
► Thioredoxin 1 can de- and transnitrosylate proteins often at the same target sites.
► A subset of proteins are transnitrosylated but not denitrosylated by thioredoxin 1.
► Thioredoxin 1 is a potential master regulator of protein S-nitrosylation status.