We investigated the generation of nitric oxide (NO) by H2O2-dependent peroxidation of hydroxyurea in the presence of copper-containing proteins such as Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) or ceruloplasmin as a catalyst. In the reaction mixture of hydroxyurea, CuZn-SOD, and H2O2, NO generation was identified by measuring the specific electron spin resonance (ESR) signal of 2-phenyl-4, 4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide (PTIO). The ESR signal of the NO-hemoglobin adduct was also detected in human red blood cells during copper-catalyzed peroxidation of hydroxyurea. The NO production during peroxidation of hydroxyurea was quantified as NO2- formation, measured by using the Griess assay, the amount of NO2- was dependent on the concentrating of hydroxyurea of the reaction mixture. ESR spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) showed hydroxy radical (OH) generation in the reaction of H2O2 with either Cu,Zn-SOD or ceruloplasmin. Several OH scavengers, such as ethanol, thiourea, DMPO, and dimethylsulfoxide, and the metalchelating agent diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid significantly inhibited NO generation from hydroxyurea. This indicates that NO release from hydroxyurea may be mediated by OH derived from the copper-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction. Incubation of hydroxyurea and Cu,Zn-SOD with xanthine oxidase and hypoxanthine in a system forming O2- -->H2O2 also resulted in appreciable NO production. These results suggest that NO production from hydroxyurea catalyzed by copper-containing proteins may be the molecular basis of the pharmacological and antitumor action of hydroxyurea.