Recently, we demonstrated that the control of mitochondrial redox balance and oxidative damage is one of the primary functions of mitochondrial NADP Ű -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPm). Because cysteine residue(s) in IDPm are susceptible to inactivation by a number of thiol-modifying reagents, we hypothesized that IDPm is likely a target for regulation by an oxidative mechanism, specifically glutathionylation. Oxidized glutathione led to enzyme inactivation with simultaneous formation of a mixed disulfide between glutathione and the cysteine residue(s) in IDPm, which was detected by immunoblotting with anti-GSH IgG. The inactivated IDPm was reactivated enzymatically by glutaredoxin2 in the presence of GSH, indicating that the inactivated form of IDPm is a glutathionyl mixed disulfide. Mass spectrometry and site-directed mutagenesis further confirmed that glutathionylation occurs to a Cys 269 of IDPm. The glutathionylated IDPm appeared to be significantly less susceptible than native protein to peptide fragmentation by reactive oxygen species and proteolytic digestion, suggesting that glutathionylation plays a protective role presumably through the structural alterations. HEK293 cells and intact respiring mitochondria treated with oxidants inducing GSH oxidation such as H 2 O 2 or diamide showed a decrease in IDPm activity and the accumulation of glutathionylated enzyme. Using immunoprecipitation with anti-IDPm IgG and immunoblotting with anti-GSH IgG, we were also able to purify and positively identify glutathionylated IDPm from 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-treated mice, a model for Parkinson's disease. The results of the current study indicate that IDPm activity appears to be modulated through enzymatic glutathionylation and deglutathionylation during oxidative stress.The initial cellular response to oxidative stress is often a reduction in the levels of GSH, which represents the major low molecular weight antioxidant in mammalian cells, and a corresponding increase of GSSG, the oxidized form of GSH (1-3). It is well established that GSH plays a central role in the cellular defense against oxidative damage (4). Thus, the oxidation of a limited amount of GSH to GSSG can dramatically change this ratio and affect the redox status within the cell.Under these conditions of moderate oxidative stress, thiol groups of intracellular proteins can be modified by the reversible formation of mixed disulfides between protein thiols and low molecular mass thiols such as GSH, a process known as S-glutathionylation (5). Glutathionylation, which is reversible by the actions of the enzyme glutaredoxin (thioltransferase) (6, 7), may serve as a means of protection by preventing the irreversible oxidation of cysteine to cysteine sulfinic and sulfonic acid.One proposed mechanism leading to protein glutathionylation in vivo is the thiol/disulfide exchange mechanism (8), which occurs when an oxidative insult changes the GSSG/GSH ratio and induces GSSG to bind to protein thiols. GSSG/GSH ratio is an indicator of...