Endoplasmic reticulum resident proteins of normal human dermal fibroblasts are the major targets for oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide.

The membrane-permeable fluorescein-labelled tyramine conjugate (acetylTyrFluo) was used to identify the proteins of normal human dermal fibroblasts most susceptible to oxidation by hydrogen peroxide [Van der Vlies, Wirtz and Pap (2001) Biochemistry 40, 7783-7788]. By exposing the cells to H(2)O(2) (0.1 mM for 10 min), TyrFluo was covalently linked to target proteins. TyrFluo-labelled and [(35)S]Met-labelled cell lysates were mixed and subjected to two-dimensional PAGE. After Western blotting the (35)S-labelled proteins were visualized by autoradiography and the TyrFluo-labelled proteins by using anti-fluorescein antibody. The TyrFluo-labelled proteins were matched with the (35)S-labelled proteins and identified by comparison with our mastermap of proteins. Protein disulphide isomerase (PDI), IgG-binding protein (BiP), calnexin, endoplasmin and glucose-regulated protein 58 (endoplasmic reticulum protein 57/GRP58) were identified as targets of oxidation. All these proteins reside in the endoplasmic reticulum and are part of the protein folding machinery. In agreement, confocal laser scanning microscopy showed co-localization of TyrFluo-labelled proteins and the KDEL receptor ERD-2, a marker for the endoplasmic reticulum.