A method for detection of overoxidation of cysteines: peroxiredoxins are oxidized in vivo at the active-site cysteine during oxidative stress.

Peroxiredoxins are often encountered as double spots when analysed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The quantitative balance between these two spots depends on the physiological conditions, and is altered in favour of the acidic variant by oxidative stress for all the peroxiredoxins we could analyse. Using HeLa cells as a model system, we have further analysed the two protein isoforms represented by the two spots for each peroxiredoxin. The use of selected enzyme digestion and MS demonstrated that the acidic variant of all the peroxiredoxins analysed is irreversibly oxidized at the active-site cysteine into cysteine sulphinic or sulphonic acid. Thus, this acidic variant represents an inactivation form of the peroxiredoxins, and provides a useful marker of oxidative damage to the cells.