Myeloperoxidase
Also known as: MPO
Function
Peroxidase that plays a central role in the host defense system of polymorphonuclear leukocytes by mediating both (1) formation of neutrophil extracellular trap (NETs) and (2) microbicidal activity. Promotes NET formation by mediating chromatin disassembly: translocates to the nucleus and specifically binds to nucleosomes, both as monomer and homodimer, leading to nucleosome unstacking and initial chromatin decondensation. Homodimers clash with one end of the nucleosomal DNA, leading to DNA unwrapping, initiating complete disassembly of nucleosomes and chromatin transformation into NETs in an ATP-independent manner. NETs, which are mainly composed of DNA fibers and globular proteins, are then extruded into the extracellular space by neutrophils to trap pathogens and release antimicrobial proteins to destroy them. Participates to the microbicidal activity against a wide range of organisms by acting as a peroxidase that catalyzes the formation of oxidants in presence of hydrogen peroxide. Mediates the formation of hypohalous acids, mainly hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in physiologic situations, that greatly enhance polymorphonuclear leukocyte microbicidal activity. In addition to hypochlorous acid, catalyzes formation of hypobromous acid (HOBr), hypoiodous acid (HOI) and hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN). Also catalyzes oxidation of nitrite into the highly reactive nitrogen dioxide radical. Formation of oxidants are widely believed to be responsible for much of the anti-bactericidal activity of neutrophils. Oxidants, such as hypochlorous acid or nitrogen dioxide radical, can also oxidize amino acid residues on proteins and generate chlorination and nitration post-translational modifications, respectively. Chlorination and nitration of the lipid-free form of APOA1 impairs cholesterol transport. Superoxides generated by MPO can also promote dioxygenation of tryptophan residues on proteins. Also able to oxidize melatonin into N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine either in presence of hydrogen peroxide or superoxide. Oxidizes urate into 5-hydroxyisourate. Functions as a nitric oxide (NO) oxidase during inflammation, by catalytically consuming NO, impairing NO's ability to maintain vascular tone and function. May also mediate the proteolytic cleavage of alpha-1-microglobulin to form t-alpha-1-microglobulin, which potently inhibits oxidation of low-density lipoprotein particles and limits vascular damage.
Classification
- Family (Pfam)
- PF03098 An_peroxidase
- InterPro
- Haem_peroxidase_animal, Haem_peroxidase_sf, Haem_peroxidase_sf_animal
- Functional cluster
- Secreted Hydrolases & Toxins
Experimental structures · PDB · 49
- 1CXP X-ray 1.80A
- 1D2V X-ray 1.75A
- 1D5L X-ray 1.90A
- 1D7W X-ray 1.90A
- 1DNU X-ray 1.85A
- 1DNW X-ray 1.90A
- 1MHL X-ray 2.25A
- 1MYP X-ray 3.00A
- 3F9P X-ray 2.93A
- 3ZS0 X-ray 2.30A
- 3ZS1 X-ray 2.60A
- 4C1M X-ray 2.00A
- … and 37 more
A predicted model is available from AlphaFold.
Gene Ontology · 33
- GO:0042582 azurophil granule
- GO:0035578 azurophil granule lumen
- GO:0070062 extracellular exosome
- GO:0005576 extracellular region
- GO:0005615 extracellular space
- GO:0005764 lysosome
- GO:0140644 neutrophil extracellular trap
- GO:0005634 nucleus
- GO:0045335 phagocytic vesicle
- GO:0097013 phagocytic vesicle lumen
- GO:0030141 secretory granule
- GO:0003682 chromatin binding
- GO:0020037 heme binding
- GO:0008201 heparin binding
- GO:0046872 metal ion binding
- GO:0031491 nucleosome binding
- GO:0004601 peroxidase activity
- GO:0140776 protein-containing complex destabilizing activity
- GO:0006952 defense response
- GO:0042742 defense response to bacterium
- GO:0042744 hydrogen peroxide catabolic process
- GO:0034374 low-density lipoprotein particle remodeling
- GO:0043066 negative regulation of apoptotic process
- GO:0140645 neutrophil extracellular trap formation
- GO:0070944 neutrophil-mediated killing of bacterium
- GO:0070947 neutrophil-mediated killing of fungus
- GO:0070943 neutrophil-mediated killing of symbiont cell
- GO:0006337 nucleosome disassembly
- GO:0032094 response to food
- GO:1990268 response to gold nanoparticle
- GO:0032496 response to lipopolysaccharide
- GO:0009612 response to mechanical stimulus
- GO:0006979 response to oxidative stress
Disease associations
- myeloperoxidase deficiency MONDO:0009694
Drugs targeting this protein · 1
- VERDIPERSTAT inhibitor
Related proteins · sequence + function similarity
- Myeloperoxidase 0.98
- Eosinophil peroxidase 0.96
- Eosinophil peroxidase 0.96
- Eosinophil peroxidase 0.95
- Eosinophil peroxidase 0.94
- Lactoperoxidase 0.91
- Lactoperoxidase 0.91
- Lactoperoxidase 0.91
- Lactoperoxidase 0.91
- Lactoperoxidase 0.90
- Lactoperoxidase 0.88
- Thyroid peroxidase 0.86
Co-cited proteins · studied together in the literature
- Apolipoprotein A-I 5 shared papers
- Myeloperoxidase inhibitor SPIN 3 shared papers
- Neutrophil elastase 4 shared papers
- Lactoperoxidase 1 shared papers
- Myeloperoxidase inhibitor SPIN 2 shared papers
- Thyroid peroxidase 1 shared papers
- Lactotransferrin 2 shared papers
- Acyltransferase PGAP2 1 shared papers
- Neutrophil elastase 1 shared papers
- Unconventional myosin-XVI 1 shared papers
- Ceruloplasmin 1 shared papers
- Protein AMBP 1 shared papers
Literature · 75 cited papers
- Myeloperoxidase transforms chromatin into neutrophil extracellular traps. Nature · 2025
- Dioxygenation of tryptophan residues by superoxide and myeloperoxidase. J. Biol. Chem. · 2025
- De novo MCM6 variants in neurodevelopmental disorders: a recognizable phenotype related to zinc binding residues. Hum. Genet. · 2023
- The staphylococcal inhibitory protein SPIN binds to human myeloperoxidase with picomolar affinity but only dampens halide oxidation. J. Biol. Chem. · 2022
- Hyper-truncated Asn355- and Asn391-glycans modulate the activity of neutrophil granule myeloperoxidase. J. Biol. Chem. · 2021
- Thrombus NET content is associated with clinical outcome in stroke and myocardial infarction. Neurology · 2020
- Neutrophil myeloperoxidase harbors distinct site-specific peculiarities in its glycosylation. J. Biol. Chem. · 2019
- A structurally dynamic N-terminal region drives function of the staphylococcal peroxidase inhibitor (SPIN). J. Biol. Chem. · 2018
- Immune evasion by a staphylococcal inhibitor of myeloperoxidase. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. · 2017
- Diverse stimuli engage different neutrophil extracellular trap pathways. Elife · 2017
- Structure of human promyeloperoxidase (proMPO) and the role of the propeptide in processing and maturation. J. Biol. Chem. · 2017
- A1M/alpha1-microglobulin is proteolytically activated by myeloperoxidase, binds its heme group and inhibits low density lipoprotein oxidation. Front. Physiol. · 2015
- … and 63 more in the literature graph