In addition to their role in bacterial killing, reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) produced by the NADPH oxidase may participate in the regulation of intracellular pathways. We have recently demonstrated that ROI produced by the oxidase regulate tyrosine phosphorylation in neutrophils, possibly by alterations in the cellular redox state. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the identities of certain of the redox-sensitive tyrosine-phosphorylated substrates and the significance of the increased phosphorylation. As a prominent 42-44-kDa phosphorylated band was noted in oxidant-treated cells, we investigated the possible phosphorylation and activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase under these conditions. Immunoprecipitation of MAP kinase followed by immunoblotting with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies indicated that a 42-44-kDa polypeptide was tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to treatment of cells, either with the oxidizing agent diamide or with H2O2 in cells where catalase was inhibited. Using an in vitro renaturation assay with myelin basic protein as the substrate, oxidant-induced stimulation of kinase activity of a 42-44-kDa band was observed in both whole cell extracts and in MAP kinase immunoprecipitates. The mechanism of redox-sensitive activation of MAP kinase was examined. First, exposure of cells to oxidants caused a significant increase in the activity of MEK (the putative activator of MAP kinase), as determined by an in vitro kinase assay using recombinant catalytically inactive glutathione S-transferase-MAP kinase as the substrate. Additionally, oxidant treatment of cells resulted in inhibition of the activity of CD45, a protein tyrosine phosphatase known to dephosphorylate and inactivate MAP kinase. We conclude that oxidant treatment of neutrophils can activate MAP kinase by stimulating its tyrosine and (presumably) threonine phosphorylation via MEK activation, a response that may be potentiated by inhibition of MAP kinase dephosphorylation by phosphatases such as CD45.