Covalent association of protein disulfide isomerase with recombinant human interleukin 2 in vitro

Protein disulfide isomerase has broad specificity in the catalysis of the formation and rearrangement of native disulfide bonds in proteins. This enzyme has two independent thioredoxin-like active sites (-CGHC-) and a peptide binding site. However, the mechanisms involving the catalytic processes are not clearly understood. It was reported that the enzyme associates with scrambled pancreatic ribonuclease A in vitro, and with misfolded human lysozyme in vivo. In the present study, recombinant human interleukin 2 has been chosen to probe the reaction intermediate in the reaction with the enzyme. We have identified and characterized a covalent associate formed in vitro by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. This associate has a molecular weight of 71-72 kDa, the approximate sum of the molecular weights of the enzyme and the substrate. Western blot analysis confirmed that it formed via an intermolecular disulfide bond. Upon treatment with 2-mercaptoethanol, this bond was cleaved.