title: Susceptibility of glutathione peroxidase to proteolysis after oxidative alteration by peroxides and hydroxyl radicals.
abstract: Glutathione peroxidase is a key enzyme in the antioxidant system of the cells. This enzyme has been shown to be irreversibly inactivated by H2O2, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tert-BHP) and hydroxyl radicals when incubated without GSH. We observed that in our experimental conditions glutathione peroxidase was not degraded by trypsin or chymotrypsin while degraded by pronase, papaïn, pepsin, and lysosomal proteases. Hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions but not H2O2 or tert-BHP could also fragment the enzyme on their own. A former incubation with H2O2, tert-BHP, or hydroxyl radicals also increased the proteolytic susceptibility of glutathione peroxidase. Like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and other oxidatively denatured proteins, glutathione peroxidase inactivated by peroxides or free radicals seems to be degraded preferentially by proteases. As hydroxyl radicals can fragment the enzyme by themselves, the increased proteolytic susceptibility afterwards is easily understood while the increased susceptibility induced by H2O2 and tert-BHP seems to be more specific.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie Cellulaire, Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pigeolet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Remacle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005609:Free Radicals; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000737:chemistry*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D006878:Hydroxides; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010450:Endopeptidases