Organic and Biological Chemistry of Nitrated Lipids

Living organisms are continually challenged by highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS).  In many cases ROS and RNS are destructive, but in some cases their chemistry has been channeled into biologically useful purposes. 

Nitrated lipids are produced by the action of ROS/RNS on lipids--such lipids have recently been demonstrated to be a new source of the signaling molecule nitric oxide and to be potent signaling molecules themselves.  Bioorganic approaches to studying nitrated lipids include examining the synthesis of nitrated lipids and their intrinsic chemical reactivity. Chemical-biological approaches prepare chemically-modified nitrated lipids as probes of the biological chemistry of this medically significant new class of endogenous biomolecules. 

U.S. Patent Application No. 11/568,377.