Inhibition of LDL oxidation and inflammasome assembly by nitroaliphatic derivatives. Potential use as anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic agents.

We have previously shown the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of several para-substituted arylnitroalkenes. Since oxidative stress and inflammation are key processes that drive the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, in the present work the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties of an extended library of aryl-nitroaliphatic derivatives, including several newly designed nitroalkanes, was explored. The antioxidant capacity of the nitroaliphatic compounds, measured using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay (ORAC) showed that the p-methylthiophenyl-derivatives were about three times more effective than Trolox to prevent fluorescein oxidation, independently of the presence or the absence of the double bond next to the nitro group. The peroxyl radical scavenger capacity of the p-dimethylaminophenyl-derivatives was even higher, being the reduced form of these compounds even more active. In fact, while the antioxidant capacity of 1-dimethylamino-4-(2-nitro-1Z-ethenyl)benzene and 1-dimethylamino-4-(2-nitro-1Z-propenyl)benzene was 4.2 ± 0.1 and 5.4 ± 0.1 Trolox Eq/mol, respectively; ORAC values obtained with the ethyl and the propyl derivatives were 10 ± 1 and 13 ± 2 Trolox Eq/mol, respectively. The p-dimethylamino-derivatives, especially the nitroalkanes, were also able to prevent LDL oxidation mediated by peroxyl radicals. Oxygen consumption due to the oxidation of fatty acids was delayed in the presence of the dimethylamino substituted compounds, only the alkanes interrupted the chain of lipid oxidations decreasing the rate of oxygen consumption. Although the formation of foam cells in the presence of oxidized-LDL (oxLDL) remained unaffected, the molecules containing the dimethylamino moiety were able to decrease the expression of IL-1β in LPS/INF-γ challenged macrophages.