A molecular chromatographic approach to study the effects of OH and NO on acetylcholinesterase activity

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a serine protease that hydrolyzes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Here, the effects of hydroxyl radical (OH) and nitric oxide (NO) on AChE activity were studied using a biochromatographic process. The enzyme was immobilized on an ethylenediamine (EDA) monolithic convective interaction media (CIM) disk. The AChE enzymatic mechanism was demonstrated from the chromatographic peak shape. A decrease in AChE activity was observed for each concentration of NO, while OH radical formation led to an increase in the rate of enzymatic catalysis. Michaelis–Menten and Lineweaver–Burk plots were obtained in the presence or absence of the free radicals and their effects on Km and Vmax were evaluated. Our results indicated classical deactivation/activation kinetics without significant influence on the rate of substrate binding. The variation in transition state energies (ΔΔGES) induced by the free radicals indicated that a conformational change was occurring in the active site, while changes in the binding site were negligible. These results clearly demonstrate the direct role of OH and NO on AChE activity and confirm the role they may play in Alzheimerʹs disease.