Heparin is essential for a single keratinocyte growth factor molecule to bind and form a complex with two molecules of the extracellular domain of its receptor.

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF or FGF-7) is a member of the heparin binding fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family and is a paracrine mediator of proliferation and differentiation of a wide variety of epithelial cells. To examine the stoichiometry of complexes formed between KGF and its receptor, we have utilized a soluble variant of the extracellular region of the KGF receptor containing two tandem immunoglobulin-like loops, loops II and III (sKGFR). Ligand-receptor complexes were examined by size exclusion chromatography, light scattering, N-terminal protein sequencing, and sedimentation velocity. In the presence of low-molecular mass heparin ( approximately 3 kDa), we demonstrate the formation of complexes containing two molecules of sKGFR and one molecule of KGF. In the absence of heparin, we were unable to detect any KGF-sKGFR complexes using the above techniques, and additional studies in which sedimentation equilibrium was used show that the binding is very weak (Kd >/= 70 microM). Furthermore, using heparin fragments of defined size, we demonstrate that a heparin octamer or decamer can promote formation of a 2:1 complex, while a hexamer does not. Utilizing the highly purified proteins and defined conditions described in this study, we find that heparin is obligatory for formation of a KGF-sKGFR complex. Finally, 32D cells, which appear to lack low-affinity FGF binding sites, were transfected with a KGFR-erythropoeitin receptor chimera and were found to require heparin to achieve maximal KGF stimulation. Our data are consistent with the previously described concept that cell- or matrix-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and FGF ligands participate in a concerted mechanism that facilitates FGFR dimerization and signal transduction in vivo.

Erythropoietin receptor and STAT5-specific pathways promote SKT6 cell hemoglobinization.

Erythrocyte production in mammals is known to depend on the exposure of committed progenitor cells to the glycoprotein hormone erythropoietin (Epo). In chimeric mice, gene disruption experiments have demonstrated a critical role for Epo signaling in development beyond the erythroid colony-forming unit (CFU-e) stage. However, whether this might include the possible Epo-specific induction of red blood cell differentiation events is largely unresolved. To address this issue, mechanisms of induced globin expression in Epo-responsive SKT6 cells have been investigated. Chimeric receptors containing an epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor extracellular domain and varied Epo receptor cytoplasmic domains first were expressed stably at physiological levels in SKT6 cells, and their activities in mediating induced hemoglobinization were assayed. While activity was exerted by a full-length chimera (EE483), truncation to remove 7 of 8 carboxyl-terminal tyrosine sites (EE372) markedly enhanced differentiation signaling. Moreover, mutation of a STAT5 binding site in this construct (EE372-Y343F) inhibited induced globin expression and SKT6 cell hemoglobinization, as did the ectopic expression of dominant-negative forms of STAT5 in parental SKT6 cells. As in normal CFU-e, SKT6 cells also were shown to express functional receptors for stem cell factor (SCF). To further define possible specific requirements for differentiation signaling, effects of SCF on SKT6 cell hemoglobinization were tested. Interestingly, SCF not only failed to promote globin expression but inhibited this Epo-induced event in a dose-dependent, STAT5-independent fashion. Thus, effects of Epo on globin expression may depend specifically on STAT5-dependent events, and SCF normally may function to attenuate terminal differentiation while promoting CFU-e expansion.

Altered cell surface expression and signaling of leptin receptors containing the fatty mutation.

Leptin and the leptin receptor are key players in the regulation of body weight. In an attempt to dissect the molecular mechanism of the Zucker fatty rat leptin receptor mutation (Gln269 --> Pro) we analyzed the effects of this mutation on leptin receptor signaling and expression in three different expression systems: 1) 32D cells expressing leptin/erythropoietin receptor chimeras, 2) COS-7 cells expressing a leptin receptor short form, and 3) 293 cells expressing soluble receptor forms. To determine if the Gln269 --> Pro mutation is critical for the observed phenotype, we made a similar Gln --> Pro mutation at a vicinal residue two amino acids upstream of the fatty mutation to see if it would have similar effects. Incorporation of either of the Gln --> Pro mutations into wild type receptor forms did not interfere with leptin binding, but it resulted in a signaling-incompetent receptor. In addition, the majority of the mutant receptor protein was localized intracellularly. Our results suggest that the obese phenotype resulting from the Gln269 --> Pro mutation in the leptin receptor of the Zucker fatty rat may be due not only to a reduced cell surface expression of this form of the leptin receptor, but also to a post-leptin binding malfunction of the receptor that interferes with subsequent signal transduction.

Mutation of Cys672 allows recombinant expression of activatible macrophage-stimulating protein.

We readily produced recombinant pro-macrophage stimulating protein in a mammalian expression system, but it was only weakly active after proteolytic activation. Active macrophage stimulating protein is a disulfide-bonded heterodimer, but in our hands, the subunits of recombinant macrophage stimulating protein were mostly not disulfide bonded. Molecular modeling of the serine proteinase domain of macrophage stimulating protein based on homology to human trypsin suggested that macrophage stimulating protein, but not plasminogen or hepatocyte growth factor, has a Cys residue (672) in close proximity to the Cys residue (578) that forms the intersubunit disulfide link with the other subunit. We hypothesized that Cys672 might interfere with intersubunit disulfide formation by forming an intrasubunit disulfide with Cys578 and therefore mutated Cys672 to Ala. After kallikrein activation, the subunits of Cys672 --> Ala macrophage stimulating protein were fully disulfide linked, and the mutant macrophage stimulating protein had 10-20-fold higher specific activity than the wild type recombinant macrophage stimulating protein.

Epo-induced hemoglobinization of SKT6 cells is mediated by minimal cytoplasmic domains of the Epo or prolactin receptors without modulation of GATA-1 or EKLF.

Interaction of erythropoietin with its type 1 receptor is essential to the development of late erythroid progenitor cells. Through the ectopic expression of receptor mutants in lymphoid and myeloid cell lines, insight has been gained regarding effectors that regulate Epo-induced proliferation. In contrast, effectors that regulate Epo-induced differentiation events (e.g. globin gene expression) are largely undefined. For in vitro studies of this pathway, erythroleukemic SKT6 cell sublines have been isolated which stably and efficiently hemoglobinize in response to Epo. Epo rapidly activated Jak2, STAT5 and detectably STATs 1 and 3, while no effects on GATA-1, EKLF or STAT5 expression were observed. Finally, efficient hemoglobinization of SKT6 cells was shown to be mediated by chimeric receptors comprised of the EGF receptor extracellular domain and truncated cytoplasmic subdomains of either the Epo receptor or the prolactin Nb2 receptor. This work further establishes SKT6 cells as an important model for studies of Epo-stimulated differentiation, and shows that this signaling pathway is promoted by a limited set of membrane-proximal receptor domains and effectors.

Transient adaptation of oxidative stress in mammalian cells.

We report a transient adaptation to the oxidative stress of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure in several mammalian cell lines: Chinese hamster ovary fibroblast (CHO) cells, HA-1 cells (a defined CHO subclone), C3H 10T1/2 cells (embryonic mouse fibroblasts), V79 cells (Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts), and Clone 9 liver cells (rat liver epithelial cells). Up to 40-fold adaptive increases in resistance to H2O2 challenge occurred following pretreatment with relatively low H2O2 "priming" doses, from as little as 1.9% cell viability for untreated cells to as much as 76.5% viability for H2O2 pretreated cells. Detailed studies with HA-1 cells revealed the following pattern of responses to H2O2: very low H2O2 concentrations of 0.1 to 0.5 mumol/10(7) cells (3 to 15 microM) stimulated cell growth by 25 to 45%; low H2O2 concentrations of 2-5 mumol/10(7) cells (120 to 150 microM) induced a temporary growth-arrest, a lengthening of cell cycle from 18 h to approximately 26 h, and marked adaptive increases in H2O2 resistance; intermediate H2O2 concentrations of 9 to 14 mumol/10(7) cells (250 to 400 microM) caused permanent growth-arrest (i.e., permanent loss of replicative or divisional competence) with no evidence of necrosis; high H2O2 concentrations of 30 mumol/10(7) cells or greater (> or = 1 mM) caused an apoptotic-like necrotic cell death and destruction. The adaptive response to low H2O2 concentrations of 2-5 mumol/10(7) (120 to 150 microM) was maximal 18 h after pretreatment of HA-1 cells, declined thereafter toward baseline sensitivity, and was observed with both 7-day fix and stain procedures and clonogenic viability assays. Transient adaptation following H2O2 pretreatment of 4.15 mumol/10(7) (150 microM) involved the de novo synthesis of at least 20 proteins and was blocked by the translation inhibitor, cycloheximide. During the 18-h adaptation in HA-1 cells proteins were synthesized in three phases; early (0-4 h), middle (4-8 h), and late (8-15 h). No H2O2 response proteins were synthesized beyond 18 h after pretreatment, by which time adaptation had already maximized. Selective translational inhibition of the early, middle, or late proteins revealed that all three sets were necessary for a maximal adaptive increase in H2O2 resistance. Northern blot and enzyme activity analyses revealed no significant increases in transcription or translation of the classical antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione peroxidase, phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase, or Mn superoxide dismutase in H2O2-adapted HA-1 cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Exposure of hydrophobic moieties promotes the selective degradation of hydrogen peroxide-modified hemoglobin by the multicatalytic proteinase complex, proteasome.

The physiologically relevant stress of a flux of H2O2 increased hemoglobin (Hb) degradation in red blood cells (RBC) and increased the proteolytic susceptibility of Hb in vitro. After exposure to low H2O2 flux rates (6-32 microM/min) Hb exhibited increased exposure of hydrophobic (Trp, Met) and basic (Lys) amino acid R groups, increased hydrophobicity, and increased proteolytic susceptibility during subsequent incubation with RBC extracts, a partially purified preparation called Fraction II (which retains all of the proteolytic activities of RBC extracts), or the purified 670-kDa RBC multicatalytic proteinase complex proteasome. Hydrophobicity was measured by butyl-Sepharose hydrophobic interaction chromatography, by the free energy of transfer from water to ethanol, and by heat denaturation assays. Proteolytic susceptibility was measured by release of free alanine, by fluorescamine-reactive free amino groups, and by release of acid-soluble radioactivity from radiolabeled Hb. Low H2O2 flux rates also caused significant charge changes in Hb (isoelectric focusing gels) and extensive noncovalent aggregation (presumably due to increased hydrophobic interactions) but only limited covalent cross-linking (comparison of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and nondenaturing PAGE). Exposure to higher H2O2 flux rates (56-120 microM/min) caused progressive oxidative destruction of exposed hydrophobic amino acids, decreased hydrophobicity as judged by butyl-Sepharose chromatography and heat denaturation assays, increased hydrophilicity as judged by measurements of the free energy of transfer (delta G') from water to ethanol, and decreased proteolytic susceptibility during incubation with RBC extracts, Fraction II, or purified proteasome. High H2O2 flux rates also caused further charge changes and the extensive formation of covalently cross-linked Hb molecules. Linear regression analyses revealed correlations of 0.8-0.99 for the relationship between Hb hydrophobicity and proteolytic susceptibility for both Fraction II and proteasome. Inhibitor studies and SDS activation experiments indicate that proteasome is responsible for most of the Hb degradation during exposure of RBC to H2O2. Previous work yielded essentially identical conclusions for Hb exposed to hydroxyl radicals (R. E. Pacifici, Y. Kono, and K. J. A. Davies, J. Biol. Chem. 268, 15405-15411, 1993). Thus, nonspecific oxidation by .OH and site-specific (metal-catalyzed) oxidation by H2O2 both yield a more hydrophobic Hb molecule with increased proteolytic susceptibility. We propose that increased exposure of hydrophobic, and perhaps basic, amino acids is the general common cause for degradation of oxidized proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Hybrid tyrosine kinase/cytokine receptors transmit mitogenic signals in response to ligand.

While much is known about the mechanisms by which members of the receptor tyrosine kinase family effect mitogenic signal transduction, much less is known about such mechanisms for members of the hematopoietic cytokine receptor family. In an effort to determine the extent to which the signal transduction mechanisms of these two receptor families may be related, we constructed and tested interfamily hybrid receptors. Two hybrid receptors consisting of the ligand-binding domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) fused to the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR), as well as the parental EPOR or EGFR, were introduced into interleukin-3-dependent 32D cells. Part of the EPOR extracellular region containing a conserved WSXWS amino acid motif was present in one of the hybrid receptors but not in the other. Cells expressing EGFR grew only poorly in response to EGF, whereas cells expressing either of the EGFR/EPOR hybrid receptors or EPOR grew robustly in epidermal growth factor or erythropoietin, respectively. This is the first demonstration of a chimera between these two unrelated receptor families that responds to ligand stimulation. The results indicate that the mechanisms by which receptor tyrosine kinases and cytokine receptors propagate mitogenic signals are sufficiently similar to allow interchange of their ligand binding domains and that generation of an efficient mitogenic signal by a cytokine receptor depends primarily on its cytoplasmic and/or transmembrane regions.

Hydrophobicity as the signal for selective degradation of hydroxyl radical-modified hemoglobin by the multicatalytic proteinase complex, proteasome.

Red blood cells (RBC) and many other cell types exhibit increased rates of proteolysis during exposure to oxygen radicals and other activated oxygen species (oxidative stress). One of the major RBC proteins modified and proteolytically degraded during oxidative stress is hemoglobin (Hb). We now show that Hb undergoes a partial unfolding (or denaturation) during exposure to hydroxyl radicals (.OH), with an increase in hydrophobicity (hydrophobic interaction chromatography). At low .OH/Hb molar ratios, oxidatively modified Hb exhibits increased proteolytic susceptibility during incubation with RBC lysates, cell-free extracts, Fraction II, a 40-80% (NH4)2SO4 fraction, and purified proteasome (the 670-kDa RBC multicatalytic proteinase complex that we have previously called macroxyproteinase. At higher .OH/Hb molar ratios covalent cross-linking between Hb tetramers, and decreased proteolytic susceptibility are observed. The selective degradation of .OH-modified Hb is an ATP- and ubiquitin-independent process (in fact ATP is slightly inhibitory), and antibody precipitation studies, as well as inhibitor studies, indicate that proteasome is responsible for at least 60-70% of the activity in RBC. We propose that the mechanism of oxidation-induced proteolysis involves exposure of hydrophobic amino acid R groups during the partial Hb unfolding (or partial denaturation) that occurs at relatively low .OH/Hb molar ratios. Peptide bonds flanked by hydrophobic residues are preferred substrates for the proteasome complex, which degrades .OH-modified Hb in a processive process involving apparent serine-protease, sulfhydryl-protease, and metallo-peptidase activities. Highly denatured and covalently cross-linked Hb molecules, produced at high .OH/Hb molar ratios, are poorly degraded in RBC lysates and at all stages of proteasome purification. These cross-linked Hb tetramers have molecular sizes of 120-180 kDa and are presumably too large to fit in the proteasome active site(s). Recognition of exposed hydrophobic amino acid R groups provides a simple, energy-independent, and universal explanation for the proteasome-dependent proteolysis that accompanies oxidative stress.

Protein, lipid and DNA repair systems in oxidative stress: the free-radical theory of aging revisited.

Aerobic organisms are constantly exposed to oxygen radicals and related oxidants. The antioxidant compounds and enzymes they have evolved remove most of the potentially damaging radicals/oxidants; however, damage to cellular proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and carbohydrates can be observed even under normal physiological conditions. Re-reduction of cellular components (direct repair) may be important for some biomolecules. In most cases studied to date, however, enzymatic degradation (by proteases, lipases, nucleases) appears to release damaged elements for excretion and conserve undamaged components for reutilization (indirect repair). In addition, the removal of damaged components appears to prevent or diminish the potential cytotoxicity of oxidized macromolecules. Several studies have reported an accumulation of oxidatively damaged cellular components with age (e.g., cataract formation, lipofuscin). Such reports are evidence that oxidant damage is one of several factors which contribute to the aging process, and provide at least partial support for the free-radical theory of aging. Studies of age-related changes in the activities, or levels of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant compounds, however, have not provided complete understanding of the putative role of free radicals/oxidants in the aging process. In this review, we present the hypothesis that decreased activities or constitutive levels of oxidant repair enzymes may contribute to a progressive accumulation of oxidant damage with aging. Furthermore, the ability to mount an effective response to oxidative stress (induction of oxidant stress genes and proteins) may decline with age, thus predisposing older cells and organisms to oxidant damage.

Superoxide dismutase undergoes proteolysis and fragmentation following oxidative modification and inactivation.

Red blood cells (RBC) are thought to be well protected against oxidative stress by the antioxidant, cu-pro-zinc enzyme superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD) which dismutates O2- to H2O2. CuZn SOD, however, is irreversibly inactivated by its product H2O2. Exposure of intact RBC to H2O2 resulted in the inactivation (up to 50%) of endogenous SOD in a concentration-dependent manner. When RBC were exposed to O2- and H2O2, generated by xanthine + xanthine oxidase, an even greater loss of SOD activity (approximately 75%) was observed. Intracellular proteolysis was markedly increased by exposure to these same oxidants; up to a 12-fold increase with H2O2 and a 50-fold increase with xanthine oxidase plus xanthine. When purified SOD was treated with H2O2, inactivation of the enzyme also occurred in a concentration-dependent manner. Accompanying the loss of SOD activity, the binding of the copper ligand to the active site of the enzyme diminished with H2O2 exposure, as evidenced by an increase in accessible copper. Significant direct fragmentation of SOD was evident only under conditions of prolonged exposure (20 h) to relatively high concentrations of H2O2. Gel electrophoresis studies indicated that under most experimental conditions (i.e. 1-h incubation) H2O2, O2-, and H2O2 + O2- treated SOD experienced charge changes and partial denaturation, rather than fragmentation. The proteolytic susceptibility of H2O2-modified SOD, during subsequent incubation with (rabbit, bovine or human) red cell extracts also increased as a function of pretreatment with H2O2. Both enzyme inactivation and altered copper binding appeared to precede the increase in proteolytic susceptibility (whether measured as an effect of H2O2 concentration or as a function of the duration of H2O2 exposure). These results suggest that SOD inactivation and modification of copper binding are prerequisites for increased protein degradation. Proteolytic susceptibility was further enhanced by H2O2 exposure under alkaline conditions, suggesting that the hydroperoxide anion is the damaging species rather than H2O2 itself. In RBC extracts, the proteolysis of H2O2-modified SOD was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, serine reagents, transition metal chelators, and ATP; suggesting the existence of an ATP-independent proteolytic pathway of sulfhydryl, serine, and metalloproteases, and peptidases. The proteolytic activity was conserved in a "Fraction II" of both human and rabbit RBC, and was purified from rabbit reticulocytes and erythrocytes to a 670-kDa proteinase complex, for which we have suggested the trivial name macroxyproteinase. In erythrocytes macroxyproteinase may prevent the accumulation of H2O2-modified SOD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Macroxyproteinase (M.O.P.): a 670 kDa proteinase complex that degrades oxidatively denatured proteins in red blood cells.

Erythrocytes and reticulocytes are shown to undergo rapid rates of protein degradation following exposure to oxidative stress. Experiments with ATP depletion revealed that, unlike the proteolysis of many other abnormal proteins, the degradation of oxidatively modified proteins is an ATP-independent process. Ion exchange chromatography (DEAE Sepharose CL-6B), ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration chromatography (Sephacryl S-300 or Sepharose CL-6B), and a second ion exchange step were used to resolve the activity responsible for degrading oxidatively modified proteins from (dialyzed) cell-free extracts of erythrocytes and reticulocytes. Gel filtration studies revealed that some 70-80% of the activity in erythrocytes, and some 60-70% of the activity in reticulocytes, is expressed by a 670 kDa proteinase complex that is not stimulated by ATP (in fact, ATP is slightly inhibitory). This proteinase complex is inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, serine reagents, and transition metal chelators, and has a pH optimum of 7.8. We propose the trivial name "macroxyproteinase" or "M.O.P." (abbreviated from Macro-Oxy-Proteinase) for the complex because of its large size, substrate preference (oxidatively modified proteins), and inhibitor profile (which indicates multiple catalytic sites). Electrophoresis studies of the 670 kDa M.O.P. complex revealed the presence of 8 distinct polypeptide subunits with the following apparent molecular sizes: 21.5, 25.3, 26.2, 28.1, 30.0, 31.9, 33.3, and 35.7 kDa. The large molecular size of the M.O.P. complex, its ATP- and ubiquitin-independence, its inhibitor profile, its distinctive subunit banding pattern in denaturing electrophoresis gels, its pH optimum, and its proteolytic profile with fluorogenic peptide substrates all indicate that M.O.P. is identical to 600-700 kDa neutral/alkaline proteinase complexes that have been isolated from a wide variety of eucaryotic cells and tissues, but for which no function has previously been clear. We propose that macroxyproteinase is responsible for catalyzing most of the selective degradation of oxidatively denatured proteins in red blood cells. We further suggest that M.O.P. may perform the same function in other eucaryotic cells and tissues.

The measurement of protein degradation in response to oxidative stress.

This paper briefly outlines several different systems in which radical/oxidant effects on protein degradation can be studied. Erythrocytes, reticulocytes, skeletal muscles, bacteria, mitochondria, cell lysates, cell-free extracts, and isolated proteases are all useful systems, each of which has different advantages and limitations. It is hoped that dissemination of these techniques and approaches will stimulate further study of protein degradation, both as a result and as an index of oxidative stress.

Superoxide dismutase is preferentially degraded by a proteolytic system from red blood cells following oxidative modification by hydrogen peroxide.

The cupro-zinc enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) undergoes an irreversible (oxidative) inactivation when exposed to its product, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Recent studies have shown that several oxidatively modified proteins (e.g., hemoglobin, albumin, catalase, etc.) are preferentially degraded by a novel proteolytic pathway in the red blood cell. We report that bovine SOD is oxidatively inactivated by exposure to H2O2, and that the inactivated enzyme is selectively degraded by proteolytic enzymes in cell-free extracts of bovine erythrocytes. For example, 95% inactivation of SOD by 1.5 mM H2O2 was accompanied by a 106 fold increase in the proteolytic susceptibility of the enzyme during (a subsequent) incubation with red cell extract. Both SOD inactivation and proteolytic susceptibility increased with H2O2 concentration and/or time of exposure to H2O2. Pre-incubation of red cell extracts with metal chelators, serine reagents, or sulfhydryl reagents inhibited the (subsequent) preferential degradation of H2O2-modified SOD. Furthermore, a slight inhibition of degradation was observed with the addition of ATP. We suggest that H2O2-inactivated SOD is recognized and preferentially degraded by the same. ATP-independent, metallo- serine- and sulfhydryl- proteinase pathway which degrades other oxidatively denatured red cell proteins. Related work in this laboratory suggests that this novel proteolytic pathway may actually consist of a 700 kDa enzyme complex of proteolytic activities. Mature red cells have no capacity for de novo protein synthesis but do have extremely high concentrations of SOD. Red cell SOD generates (and is, therefore, exposed to) H2O2 on a continuous basis, by dismutation of superoxide (from hemoglobin autooxidation and the interaction of hemoglobin with numerous xenobiotics).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Protein damage and degradation by oxygen radicals. IV. Degradation of denatured protein.

Proteolytic degradation of oxidatively damaged [3H] bovine serum albumin [( 3H]BSA) was studied during incubation with cell-free erythrocyte extracts and a wide variety (14) of purified proteases. [3H]BSA was pretreated by exposure (60Co radiation) to the hydroxyl radical (.OH), the superoxide anion radical (O2-), or the combination of .OH + O2- + oxygen. Treated (and untreated) samples were dialyzed and then incubated with erythrocyte extract or proteases for measurements of proteolytic susceptibility (release of acid-soluble counts). Both .OH and .OH + O2- + caused severalfold increases in proteolytic susceptibility (with extract and proteases), but O2- alone had no effect. Proteolytic susceptibility reached a maximum at 15 nmol of .OH/nmol of BSA and declined thereafter. In contrast, proteolytic susceptibility was still increasing at an .OH + O2-/BSA molar ratio of 100 (50% .OH + 50% O2-). Degradation in erythrocyte extracts was conducted by a novel ATP- and Ca2+-independent pathway, with maximal activity at pH 7.8. Inhibitor profiles indicate that this pathway may involve metalloproteases and serine proteases. Comparisons of proteolytic susceptibility with multiple modifications to BSA primary, secondary, and tertiary structure revealed a high correlation (r = 0.98) with denaturation/increased hydrophobicity by low concentrations of .OH. Covalent aggregation reactions (BSA cross-linking) may explain the declining proteolytic susceptibility observed at .OH/BSA molar ratios greater than 20. Protein denaturation may also have caused the increased proteolytic susceptibility induced by .OH + O2- + O2, but no simple correlation could be obtained. Results with .OH + O2- + O2 appear to have been complicated by direct BSA fragmentation reactions involving (.OH-induced) protein radicals and oxygen. These data indicate a direct and quantitative relationship between protein damage by oxygen radicals and increased proteolytic susceptibility. Oxidative denaturation may exemplify a simple, yet effective inherent mechanism for intracellular proteolysis.