Biochem/physiol Actions

CORM-401 (Mn(CO)4(S2CNMe(CH2CO2H))) is a manganese-containing carbon monoxide-releasing molecule (CORM) that generates at least three molar equivalents of CO. Due to reversible binding of CO, CORM-401 is relatively stable in solution (0.33 mol eq of CO loss after 4 h in PBS; [CORM-401] = 1 mM at time zero), while increased CO release occurs in the presence of a CO receptor or a ligand to prevent the rebinding of CO (3.2 mol eq of CO transferred to iron with a t1/2 of 0.8 min in the presence of 44 μM myoglobin; [CORM-401] = 10 μM at time zero). CO administration by CORM-401 is reported to uncouple mitochondrial respiration and inhibit glycolysis in human endothelial cells (10-100 μM), and relax isolated rat aortic rings (25 μM) pre-contracted with phenylephrine.