Nitrosative stress affects the interaction of integrin alphaIIbbeta3 with its ligands

Binding of integrin alphaIIbbeta3 (αiibβ3) to its ligands is a highly restricted and regulated mechanism. Any modification of the protein structure yields a dysfunctional role, especially in a redox environment. Here, we examine the effect of nitrosative stress on the αiibβ3 reconstituted into nanodiscs. Using single molecule force spectroscopy, we measured the interaction between αiibβ3 and its ligand RGD and found that in the presence of exogenous nitric oxide (NO[rad]) two force regimes are generated: a low force regime of ~100pN indicating the presence of integrin in a normal status, and a broad spectrum of high force regime (~210–450pN) suggesting the protein modification/aggregation. By high resolution atomic force microscopy imaging, we demonstrate that both NO[rad] and nitrite (a stable product formed from NO[rad]) are involved in destabilizing the transmembrane protein complex leading to release of αiibβ3 from the lipid bilayer and protein aggregation. Our experimental setup opens new ways for testing in a membrane environment the effect of radical species on integrins under clinically relevant conditions.