Inhibition of the multicatalytic proteinase (proteasome) by 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal cross‐linked protein

Oxidative modification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Glu-6-PDH), as observed for other proteins, increases the susceptibility of the protein to degradation by the multicatalytic proteinase/proteasome (MCP). Oxidized Glu-6-PDH is, however, more prone to cross-linking reactions by the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), processes which render the protein resistant to proteolysis. In addition, HNE cross-linked protein inhibits the degradation of oxidatively modified glutamine synthetase by the MCP. In contrast to oxidized Glu-6-PDH, which inhibits the proteolysis of GS in a competitive manner, HNE cross-linked protein acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor. As judged by binding of the hydrophobic fluorescent probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, a common structural feature of both macromolecular substrates and inhibitors of the MCP is an increased accessibility of hydrophobic regions on the protein.