Nitroalkenes confer acute cardioprotection via adenine nucleotide translocase

Electrophilic nitrated lipids (nitroalkenes) are emerging as an important class of protective cardiovascular signaling molecules. Although species such as nitro-linoleate (LNO ₂) and nitro-oleate can confer acute protection against cardiac ischemic injury, their mechanism of action is unclear. Mild uncoupling of mitochondria is known to be cardioprotective, and adenine nucleotide translocase 1 (ANT1) is a key mediator of mitochondrial uncoupling. ANT1 also contains redox-sensitive cysteines that may be targets for modification by nitroalkenes. Therefore, in this study we tested the hypothesis that nitroalkenes directly modify ANT1 and that nitroalkene-mediated cardioprotection requires ANT1. Using biotin-tagged LNO ₂ infused into intact perfused hearts, we obtained mass spectrometric (MALDI-TOF-TOF) evidence for direct modification (nitroalkylation) of ANT1 on cysteine 57. Furthermore, in a cell model of ischemia-reperfusion injury, siRNA knockdown of ANT1 inhibited the cardioprotective effect of LNO ₂. Although the molecular mechanism linking ANT1-Cys ⁵⁷ nitroalkylation and uncoupling is not yet known, these data suggest that ANT1-mediated uncoupling may be a mechanism for nitroalkene-induced cardioprotection.