The initial stage of oxidation of high density lipoproteins (HDL) is accompanied by the lipid hydroperoxidedependent, selective oxidation of two of the three Met residues of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) to Met sulfoxides (Met(O)). Formation of such selectively oxidized apoA-I (i.e. apoA-I ؉32 ) may affect the antiatherogenic properties of HDL, because it has been suggested that Met 86 and Met 112 are important for cholesterol efflux and Met 148 is involved in the activation of lecithin:cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT). We therefore determined which Met residues were oxidized in apoA-I ؉32 and how such oxidation of apoA-I affects its secondary structure, the affinity for lipids, and its ability to remove lipids from human macrophages. We also assessed the capacity of discoidal reconstituted HDL containing apoA-I ؉32 to act as substrate for LCAT, and the dissociation of apoA-I and apoA-I ؉32 from reconstituted HDL. Met 86 and Met 112 were present as Met(O), as determined by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry of isolated peptides derived from apoA-I ؉32 . Selective oxidation did not alter the ␣-helicity of lipid-free and lipid-associated apoA-I as assessed by circular dichroism, and the affinity for LCAT was comparable for reconstituted HDL containing apoA-I or apoA-I ؉32 . Cholesteryl ester transfer protein mediated the dissociation of apoA-I more readily from reconstituted HDL containing apoA-I ؉32 than unoxidized apoA-I. Also, compared with native apoA-I, apoA-I ؉32 had a 2-to 3-fold greater affinity for lipid (as determined by the rate of clearance of multilamellar phospholipid vesicles) and its ability to cause efflux of [ 3 H]cholesterol, [ 3 H]phospholipid, and [ 14 C]␣-tocopherol from lipid-laden human monocyte-derived macrophages was significantly enhanced. By contrast, no difference was observed for cholesterol and ␣-tocopherol efflux to lipid-associated apolipoproteins. Together, these results suggest that selective oxidation of Met residues enhances rather than diminishes known antiatherogenic activities of apoA-I, consistent with the overall hypothesis that detoxification of lipid hydroperoxides by HDL is potentially antiatherogenic.