We examined the ability of oxidation products of dopamine, DOPA, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) to inhibit proteasomal activity. Dopamine, DOPA, and DOPAC underwent tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation to generate aminochrome, dopachrome, and furanoquinone, respectively. In these studies, the oxidation of dopamine by tyrosinase generated product(s) that inhibited the proteasome, and prote...