Oxidation of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane in rat liver microsomes is catalyzed primarily by cytochrome P-450IIE1.

1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R-134a), a nonozone-depleting alternative air-conditioning refrigerant and propellant for pharmaceutical preparations, is oxidatively defluorinated by rat hepatic microsomes. In this report we show that induction of cytochrome P-450IIE1 in rats, by pyridine administration, resulted in an 8-fold increase in the rate of R-134a metabolism by hepatic microsomes (Vmax 47 vs. 6 nmol F-/mg microsomal protein/15 min). Furthermore, when data were normalized for P-450 content, a 4-fold increase in R-134a metabolism was noted for IIE1-enriched microsome preparations. In contrast, phenobarbital and Aroclor 1254 decreased the specific activity of hepatic microsomes for this function. The microsomal content of P-450IIE1, as evaluated by Western blot, was elevated significantly only in microsomes from pyridine-treated rats. p-Nitrophenol and aniline, which are metabolized at high rates by rat P-450IIE1, decreased the rate of R-134a defluorination by hepatic microsomes; Dixon plot analysis indicated competitive inhibition with a Ki of 36 microM p-nitrophenol or 115 microM aniline. Pyridine also potently induced defluorination of R-134a catalyzed by rabbit liver microsomes. Studies with individual P-450 isozymes purified from rabbit liver showed that the phenobarbital- and polycyclic hydrocarbon-induced isozymes (IIB1 and IA2) defluorinated R-134a at negligible rates (1.9 and 0.4 nmol F-/nmol P-450/60 min, respectively). In contrast, P-450IIE1 catalyzed defluorination of R-134a at a relatively high rate (16.2 nmol F-/nmol P-450/60 min); isozyme IA1, which also is induced by nitrogen-containing heterocycles such as pyridine, was somewhat active (5.3 nmol F-/nmol P-450/60 min).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Rat liver microsomal NADPH-supported oxidase activity and lipid peroxidation dependent on ethanol-inducible cytochrome P-450 (P-450IIE1)

The liver microsomal ethanol-inducible cytochrome P-450 (P-450IIE1) form is known to exhibit a high rate of oxidase activity in the absence of substrate and it was therefore of interest to evaluate whether this form of P-450 could contribute to microsomal and liposomal NADPH-dependent oxidase activity and lipid peroxidation. The rate of microsomal NADPH-consumption, O2--formation, H2O2-production and generation of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substances correlated to the amount of P-450IIE1 in 28 microsomal samples from variously treated rats. Anti-P-450IIE1 IgG inhibited, compared to control IgG, microsomal H2O2-formation by 45% in microsomes from acetone-treated rats and by 22% in control microsomes. NADPH-dependent generation of TBA-reactive products was completely inhibited by these antibodies, whereas preimmune IgG was essentially without effect. Liposomes containing reductase and P-450IIE1 were peroxidized in a superoxide dismutase (SOD) sensitive reaction at a 5-10-fold higher rate than membranes containing 3 other forms of cytochrome P-450. Lipid peroxidation in reconstituted vesicles dependent on the presence of P-450IIB1 was by contrast not inhibited by SOD. Microsomal peroxidase activities, using 15-(S)-hydroperoxy-5-cis-8,11,13-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid as a substrate were high in microsomes from phenobarbital- or ethanol-treated rats but low in membranes from isoniazid-treated rats, having the highest relative level of P-450IIE1. It is suggested that the oxidase activity of P-450IIE1 contributes to microsomal NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation. The combined action of the oxidase activity by P-450IIE1 and the peroxidase activities by P-450IIB1 and other forms of P-450 may be important for the high rate of lipid peroxidation observed in e.g. microsomes from ethanol- or acetone-treated rats. The possible importance of cytochrome P-450IIE1-dependent lipid peroxidation in vivo after ethanol abuse is discussed.     

Role of cytochrome P-450 IIE1 and catalase in the oxidation of acetonitrile to cyanide

Acetonitrile is a common industrial solvent and laboratory agent, which can be toxic if ingested. The toxicity of nitriles appears to be due to the production of cyanide, and detailed studies by Freeman and Hayes [(1988) Biochem. Pharmacol. 37, 1153-1159; (1987) Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 8, 263-271] have shown that microsomes oxidize acetonitrile to cyanide. Treatment of rats with inducers of cytochrome P-450 IIE1 such as pyrazole, 4-methylpyrazole, and ethanol resulted in a 4- to 5-fold increase in cyanide production from acetonitrile by isolated microsomes. Phenobarbital treatment had a small stimulatory effect, whereas 3-methylcholanthrene treatment decreased microsomal oxidation of acetonitrile. Pyrazole treatment increased Vmax per milligram of microsomal protein and per nanomole of P-450 but did not affect the apparent km for acetonitrile, whereas the 4-methylpyrazole treatment increased Vmax and the apparent affinity for acetonitrile. Cyanide production was inhibited by carbon monoxide as well as by substrates and compounds that interact with the P-450 IIE1 isozyme such as ethanol, 2-butanol, DMSO, and 4-methylpyrazole. Oxidation of acetonitrile to cyanide by microsomes from rats treated with pyrazole or 4-methylpyrazole was nearly completely inhibited by anti-P-450 3a IgG. These results implicate a role for P-450 in the oxidation of acetonitrile to cyanide and suggest that P-450 IIE1 may be an especially effective catalyst for this oxidation. Acetonitrile oxidation was not affected by hydroxyl radical scavengers or by desferrioxamine, indicating no role for hydroxyl radicals in the overall mechanism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Human hepatic cytochrome P-450 composition as probed by in vitro microsomal metabolism of warfarin

Human liver microsomal fractions from 27 renal donors (tissue obtained post mortem) and from six cancer patients (tissue obtained during surgery) were used to investigate human hepatic cytochrome P-450 isozyme compositions. In vitro microsomal metabolism of the R and S enantiomers of warfarin to dehydrowarfarin and 4'-, 6-, 7-, 8-, and 10-hydroxywarfarin is catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 isozymes and was used as the basis for evaluating similarities and differences between human cytochrome P-450 isozyme compositions. The mean hepatic cytochrome P-450 concentration from postmortem samples was not significantly different from that of surgical patients (0.51 +/- 0.16 vs. 0.35 +/- 0.14 nmol/mg protein), but the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity of the former was significantly higher than that of the latter (141 +/- 56 vs. 29 +/- 6 nmol cytochrome c reduced/min/mg protein). In general, the microsomal preparations were overall stereoselective for R warfarin metabolism. The stereoselectivities for formation of the individual metabolites of the R enantiomer were 6-, 8-, and 10-hydroxywarfarin and the S enantiomer were 4'- and 7-hydroxywarfarin. Of the 33 microsomal preparations, 21 exhibited qualitatively similar warfarin metabolite profiles with 6R- and 7S-hydroxywarfarin having the highest formation rates. Some of the preparations exhibited markedly different metabolite profiles, the most notable having 10R-hydroxywarfarin as the major metabolite. Based on the known warfarin metabolite profiles of five purified cytochrome P-450 isozymes, the isozyme composition of the microsomes can be estimated. The majority of the microsomal preparations apparently had similar isozyme compositions but some preparations were markedly different.     

Comparison of the form(s) of cytochrome P-450 induced by ethanol and glutethimide in cultured chick hepatocytes

In this study, using a combination of immunological and enzymatic characterizations, we compared the forms of cytochrome P-450 induced by ethanol and glutethimide in primary cultures of chicken embryo hepatocytes. Recently we purified a cytochrome P-450 of 50K molecular weight from chicken embryo liver using glutethimide as a prototypic inducer. Antibodies to both this chicken cytochrome P-450 and to rabbit cytochrome P-450 form 3a from the IIE subfamily detected microsomal proteins of 50K induced by either ethanol or glutethimide in cultured chick embryo hepatocytes, indicating the antigenic homology of these subfamilies of cytochromes P-450 among different animal species. However, the antibody to glutethimide-induced chick cytochrome P-450 of 50K inhibited p-nitrophenol hydroxylase and benzphetamine demethylase activities 85-90% in microsomes from both ethanol- and glutethimide-treated cells, indicating similar epitopes whose integrity is required for catalytic activity. In contrast, antibodies to rabbit cytochrome P-450 form 3a had little to no effect on these same microsomal activities. Both ethanol and glutethimide induced microsomal p-nitrophenol and aniline hydroxylase activities in cultured chick embryo hepatocytes. In microsomes from ethanol-treated cells, the turnover of p-nitrophenol per cytochrome P-450 was 2-fold greater than that induced by glutethimide treatment, suggesting that ethanol is inducing a form of cytochrome P-450 that has greater catalytic activity with this substrate than glutethimide-induced forms. Thus, in cultured chick embryo hepatocytes, ethanol may induce cytochromes P-450 from both the IIB and IIE subfamilies.     

Sensitivity of the rat liver microsomal oxidation of pyrazole to antibody raised against the ethanol-inducible rabbit liver cytochrome P-450 isozyme

Pyrazole is oxidized to 4-hydroxypyrazole by rat liver microsomes in a cytochrome P-450-dependent reaction and this oxidation can be increased by prior treatment of rats with pyrazole, 4-methylpyrazole, or chronic ethanol feeding. The induction pattern suggests that pyrazole may be an effective substrate for oxidation by P-450 IIE.1. This P-450 isozyme is recognized by antibody (anti-3a IgG) raised against the ethanol-inducible P-450 in rabbits. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the ability of anti-3a IgG to inhibit pyrazole oxidation by microsomes from controls and from rats treated with inducers of P-450 IIE.1. Immunoblots with anti-3a IgG or with the anti-pyrazole P-450 IgG were identical and indicated increased staining of the pyrazole P-450 with microsomes from rats treated with pyrazole, 4-methylpyrazole, or ethanol, relative to saline controls; very little staining occurred with microsomes from pair-fed controls or phenobarbital-treated rats. Rates of pyrazole oxidation were highest with microsomes from rats treated with the inducers of P-450 IIE.1 and lowest with pair-fed controls or rats treated with phenobarbital. Anti-3a IgG produced about a 60% decrease of pyrazole oxidation in microsomes from rats treated with inducers of P-450 IIE.1 and about a 25% decrease with the saline controls; no inhibition was found with microsomes from the phenobarbital-treated rats. The anti-3a IgG-resistant rate of pyrazole oxidation was similar with all the microsomal preparations, and was not due to interaction of pyrazole with hydroxyl radicals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Induction of cytochrome P-450 isozyme 3a (P-450IIE1) in rabbit olfactory mucosa by ethanol and acetone

Cytochrome P-450 isozyme 3a, the alcohol-inducible form of cytochrome P-450 (P-450IIE1), was previously identified in rabbit nasal microsomes with the use of immunochemical techniques; the occurrence of this cytochrome in the nasal mucosa was subsequently confirmed through RNA hybridization experiments. However, in contrast to the well established inducibility of isozyme 3a in liver and kidney by alcohol treatment of the animals, no induction was observed in the nasal tissue with the use of a polyclonal anti-3a antibody for immunochemical quantitation. Recently, two new P-450 isozymes, designated NMa and NMb, were identified in rabbit nasal microsomes, and were found to have overlapping substrate specificity with isozyme 3a. Moreover, the two new cytochromes cross-react with the polyclonal anti-3a antibody that was used in the earlier study for quantitation of nasal isozyme 3a. These recent findings invalidate our previous conclusion that isozyme 3a is not induced by ethanol treatment of rabbits. In the present study, immunoblot quantitation of isozyme 3a was performed with a monoclonal anti-3a antibody that does not recognize either NMa or NMb, and the nasal microsomal metabolism of butanol was examined at various substrate concentrations. We have found that the level of isozyme 3a protein in nasal mucosa is elevated about 2-fold after treatment of the animals with ethanol and about 6-fold after treatment with acetone. Furthermore, corresponding increases in the rate of microsomal butanol oxidation were observed at low substrate concentrations. Thus, we conclude that P-450 isozyme 3a is, in fact, inducible in the nasal tissues by ethanol or acetone treatment of rabbits.     

Evidence for the metabolism of N-nitrosodimethylamine and carbon tetrachloride by a common isozyme of cytochrome P-450

Carbon tetrachloride administration to rats produced a selective loss of hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent catalytic activities. Of the cytochrome P-450-dependent catalytic activities tested, the metabolism of carbon tetrachloride to phosgene and the low Km N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase were the most sensitive to destruction by carbon tetrachloride. A 50% or greater loss in these catalytic activities was observed 3 hr after giving 10 microliters carbon tetrachloride/kg. Related catalytic activities, such as the microsomal metabolism of carbon tetrachloride to chloroform and the high Km N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase, were diminished less than 20% 3 hr after giving 10 microliters carbon tetrachloride/kg. To investigate further the relationship between the metabolism of N-nitrosodimethylamine and carbon tetrachloride, the effect of pyrazole, a known inducer of the low Km N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase, on carbon tetrachloride metabolism was studied. Pyrazole treatment produced a 5.6-fold increase in the microsomal metabolism of carbon tetrachloride to phosgene and a 1.9-fold increase in the conversion of carbon tetrachloride to chloroform. The similarities between both the loss and the induction of the low Km N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase and the metabolism of carbon tetrachloride to phosgene suggest that these catalytic activities represent a common isozyme of cytochrome P-450. Analysis of cytochromes P-450 by HPLC provided evidence for an isozyme of cytochrome P-450 inducible by pyrazole and destroyed by carbon tetrachloride.     

Purification and characterization of a cytochrome P-450 isozyme catalyzing bunitrolol 4-hydroxylation in liver microsomes of male rats.

A cytochrome P-450 isozyme, P-450 bunitrolol (BTL), catalyzing bunitrolol 4-hydroxylation was partially purified from liver microsomes of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by hydrophobic affinity chromatographic (omega-aminooctyl-Sepharose 4B) and high-performance liquid chromatographic (anion-exchange diethylaminoethyl-5PW) techniques. The specific content of the final preparation was 5.02 nmol/mg protein, which was 7.8-fold that of microsomes. It showed two protein bands of 49 and 32 kDa in sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. N-Terminal 20 amino acid sequence of the protein of a higher molecular mass (49 kDa) isolated by an electroblotting technique is 94% homologous with that of CYP2D2. In a reconstituted system including NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and an NADPH-generating system, the final preparation had the highest activity toward BTL and debrisoquine 4-hydroxylation among 12 isozymes of cytochrome P-450 examined. Kinetic parameters, KM and Vmax values, of P-450 BTL calculated for BTL 4-hydroxylation were 10.7 microM and 19.68 nmol/min/nmol P-450, respectively, whereas those values (mean +/- SE) of rat liver microsomes were 0.84 +/- 0.05 microM and 2.05 +/- 0.11 nmol/min/nmol P-450. When preincubated with rat liver microsomes, the antibody against the final P-450 BTL preparation suppressed bunitrolol and debrisoquine 4-hydroxylase activities dose-dependently and almost completely. These results suggest that cytochrome P-450 BTL and its immunochemically related P-450 isozyme(s) play a major role in debrisoquine 4-hydroxylation as well as in BTL 4-hydroxylation in rat liver microsomes.     

Acetone-dependent regulation of cytochrome P-450j (IIE1) and P-450b (IIB1) in rat liver

1. Concomitant changes in the concentration of P450 IIB1 (P-450b) and the rate of O-depentylation of 7-pentoxyresorufin was observed in rat liver microsomes after a single intragastric dose of acetone. 2. In contrast the concentration of P450 IIE1 (P-450j) did not coincide with changes in the rate of P450 IIE1-dependent p-nitrophenol hydroxylation or metabolic activation of carbon tetrachloride. 3. Quantification of the proteins in lysosomes indicated that both P450 IIB1 and P450 IIE1 are degraded via an autophagosomal/autolysosomal pathway. 4. It is concluded that P450 IIE1 is catalytically inactivated in microsomes prior to the degradation of this protein.     

Identification of cytochrome P-450IIB1 as a cocaine-bioactivating isoform in rat hepatic microsomes and in cultured rat hepatocytes.

Induction of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases with phenobarbital (PB) or other hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme inducers in the rat is associated with enhanced cocaine hepatotoxicity both in vivo and in cultured rat hepatocytes. To demonstrate whether the major PB-inducible P-450 subfamily (P-450IIB) could be involved in the metabolic activation of cocaine, rates of cocaine N-demethylation (the first step of cocaine bioactivation) and the rate of irreversible (covalent) binding of tritiated cocaine to hepatic microsomal proteins (a measure for the overall bioactivation) were determined in microsomes from saline or PB-pretreated rats. PB pretreatment augmented Vmax (6-fold), but not KM, of cocaine N-demethylation. Similarly, the rate of irreversible protein binding was 3-fold increased in microsomes from PB-pretreated rats as compared with those from saline controls. Addition of benzphetamine, a substrate of P-450IIB, markedly inhibited cocaine irreversible binding. In addition, various concentrations of cocaine inhibited microsomal pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase activity in a competitive-type pattern. A polyclonal antibody raised against purified rat P-450IIB1 markedly inhibited cocaine N-demethylation as compared with control incubations with preimmune IgG. Finally, pretreatment of rats with PB potentiated cocaine-induced cytotoxicity in primary, short-term cultured hepatocytes, assessed as lactate dehydrogenase release into the culture medium. This enhancing effect of PB became even more evident in glutathione-depleted cells. These results suggest that cocaine is metabolized and bioactivated by P-450IIB1 in the rat liver, and that induction of this isoform with various agents may be associated with enhanced lethal hepatocyte injury in the rat.     

Oxidation of ethylene glycol to formaldehyde by rat liver microsomes. Role of cytochrome P-450 and reactive oxygen species.

Rat liver microsomes oxidized ethylene glycol to formaldehyde in a NADPH-dependent, carbon monoxide-sensitive manner. Formaldehyde production was inhibited by substrates and ligands for cytochrome P-450 such as aniline, p-nitrophenol, pyrazole, and 4-methylpyrazole, and inhibitors such as tryptamine, cimetidine, and miconazole. The apparent Km for ethylene glycol was about 25 mM and the apparent Vmax was about 6 nmol/min/mg protein. Microsomes isolated from rats treated with pyrazole or 4-methylpyrazole to induce cytochrome P-450IIE1 oxidized ethylene glycol at rates which were about twice those found with control microsomes or microsomes isolated from rats treated with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene, although significant rates were found with all microsomal preparations. Antibody raised against the pyrazole-induced P-450IIE1 inhibited formaldehyde production from ethylene glycol in microsomes from pyrazole-treated rats. H2O2 itself did not oxidize ethylene glycol to formaldehyde; however, the microsomal reaction was inhibited by catalase or glutathione plus glutathione peroxidase and was stimulated by added H2O2 in the presence of NADPH. Nonheme iron also appeared to be required for ethylene glycol oxidation in view of the inhibition of formaldehyde production by desferrioxamine, EDTA, and DTPA. Microsomal oxidation of ethylene glycol was not sensitive to superoxide dismutase, hydroxyl radical scavengers, or Trolox, suggesting that the oxidant derived from H2O2 and iron and responsible for the production of formaldehyde from ethylene glycol was not superoxide, hydroxyl radical, or lipid hydroperoxide. These results suggest that ethylene glycol is oxidized to formaldehyde by an oxidant derived from H2O2 and nonheme iron, and that cytochrome P-450 may function to generate the H2O2 and to catalyze reduction of the nonheme iron.     

Hydroxylation of chlorzoxazone as a specific probe for human liver cytochrome P-450IIE1

Human cytochrome P-450IIE1 has been implicated in the oxidation of a number of substrates, including protoxins and -carcinogens. To date, no drugs have been identified that are exclusive substrates for the protein and are applicable for use as noninvasive probes of the in vivo function of the enzyme in humans. Chlorzoxazone was found to be oxidized only to 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone in human liver microsomes. Results of steady-state kinetics are consistent with the view that only a single enzyme catalyzes the reaction. The microsomal reaction was strongly inhibited by rabbit anti-P-450IIE1 and, in a competitive manner, by known P-450IIE1 substrates. Rates of chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation in different human liver microsomal preparations were well correlated with levels of immunochemically measured P-450IIE1 and rates of (CH3)2NNO oxidation. Chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation was also found to be catalyzed by purified human liver P-450IIE1. These results provide strong evidence that P-450IIE1 is the primary catalyst of chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation in human liver. Rates of chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation vary considerably among human liver samples, and chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation may have potential use as a noninvasive probe in estimating the in vivo expression of human P-450IIE1 and its significance as a risk factor in the toxicity and carcinogenicity of a number of solvents, nitrosamines, and drugs.     

Induction of cytochrome P-450 isozymes in liver microsomes of rats treated with the cardiotonic agent sulmazole

Pretreatment of adult male rats with sulmazole (AR-L 115 BS) results in a 2-6-fold increase of the liver microsomal scoparone O-demethylation and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation activity. The change in the ratio of the demethylation products scopoletin to isoscopoletin from 1 : 1.8 +/- 0.1 in control microsomes to 1: 2.5 +/- 0.1 in microsomes from sulmazole pretreated rats is statistically significant. Sulmazole produces a modified type II difference spectrum when added to microsomes of control or sulmazole-pretreated rats. Immunoquantitation of seven cytochromes P-450 showed that two forms, namely P-450 beta NF/ISF-G and P-450 beta NF-B, are increased 3-4-fold in the microsomes of sulmazole-pretreated rats.     

Acetone-dependent regulation of cytochrome P-450j (IIE1) and P-450b (IIB1) in rat liver

1. Concomitant changes in the concentration of P450 IIB1 (P-450b) and the rate of O-depentylation of 7-pentoxyresorufin was observed in rat liver microsomes after a single intragastric dose of acetone.

2. In contrast the concentration of P450 IIE1 (P-450j) did not coincide with changes in the rate of P450 IIE1-dependent p-nitrophenol hydroxylation or metabolic activation of carbon tetrachloride.

3. Quantification of the proteins in lysosomes indicated that both P450 IIB1 and P450 IIE1 are degraded via an autophagosomal/autolysosomal pathway.

4. It is concluded that P450 IIE1 is catalytically inactivated in microsomes prior to the degradation of this protein.     

Hydroxylation of p-nitrophenol by rabbit ethanol-inducible cytochrome P-450 isozyme 3a

The hydroxylation of p-nitrophenol to 4-nitrocatechol was investigated using rabbit hepatic microsomes and six purified isozymes of cytochrome P-450. The microsomal activity was maximal at pH 6.8 and at 100 microM p-nitrophenol. At higher substrate concentrations inhibition was observed. At pH 6.8 and 100 microM p-nitrophenol, isozyme 3a exhibited the highest activity of the purified isozymes: 3.4-fold more active than isozyme 6, and 8-fold more active than isozymes 2 and 4. The isozyme 3a-catalyzed hydroxylation reaction was stimulated 2.4-fold by the addition of a 4:1 ratio of cytochrome b5/P-450. At optimal concentrations of cytochrome b5, isozyme 3a was 8- to 9-fold more active than isozymes 2 and 6 and 20-fold more active than isozyme 4. Under the same conditions, isozyme 3a-catalyzed butanol oxidation was inhibited 40%. Antibodies to isozyme 3a inhibited greater than 95% of the p-nitrophenol hydroxylase activity of microsomes from untreated or from ethanol- or acetone-treated rabbits. The microsomal hydroxylase activity was linearly correlated with the microsomal concentration of isozyme 3a (correlation coefficient of 0.94) and had an intercept near zero. The results from reconstitution, antibody inhibition, and correlation experiments indicate that isozyme 3a is the principal catalyst of rabbit microsomal p-nitrophenol hydroxylation. The ability of the ethanol-inducible isozyme to catalyze catechol formation may be important in the ethanol-enhanced toxicity of aromatic compounds such as benzene.     

Cytochrome P-450-dependent formation of reactive oxygen radicals: isozyme-specific inhibition of P-450-mediated reduction of oxygen and carbon tetrachloride

1. Ethanol-inducible P450 IIE1 exhibits a high rate of oxygen consumption and oxidase activity. The enzyme is selectively distributed in the liver centrilobular area, the acinar region specifically destroyed after treatment with P450 IIE1 substrates/inducers such as ethanol, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, N-nitrosodimethylamine and paracetamol. 2. Twenty substrates and ligands for cytochrome P450 IIB4 and P450 IIE1 were evaluated for their ability to inhibit microsomal and reconstituted NADPH-dependent oxidase activity, and the P450 IIE1-catalysed reduction of carbon tetrachloride to chloroform. Type I ligands and substrates did not inhibit the processes whereas nitrogen-containing compounds such as octylamine, cimetidine, imidazole and tryptamine inhibited NADPH oxidation and H2O2 formation in microsomes from starved and acetone-treated rats by around 50%. 3. Tryptamine, octylamine, isoniazid and p-chloroamphetamine inhibited reconstituted P450 IIE1-dependent oxidase activity with half maximal effects at 14-170 microM. 4. Isoniazid, cimetidine and tryptamine inhibited the P450 IIE1-dependent reduction of carbon tetrachloride, whereas acetone was without effect. 5. The oxygen dependency of microsomal oxidase activity exhibited high-affinity and low-affinity phases, with partial saturation at 20 microM of O2. 6. It is concluded that microsomal oxidase activity takes place at physiological concentrations of O2 and that isozyme-specific type II ligands compete with oxygen or carbon tetrachloride for reduction by P-450 haem.     

N-alkylaminobenzotriazoles as isozyme-selective suicide inhibitors of rabbit pulmonary microsomal cytochrome P-450

To produce potent, isozyme-selective suicide inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 (P-450), a series of N-alkylated 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT) derivatives was synthesized; these included the N-methyl, N-butyl (BuBT), N-benzyl (BBT), and N-alpha-methylbenzyl (alpha MB) analogues of ABT. The suicide inhibitors showing the greatest potency and isozyme selectivity were BBT and alpha MB, compounds which included molecular features for P-450 inactivation (the ABT moiety) and similarity to benzphetamine. ABT and its N-alkylated derivatives were tested as suicide inhibitors in rabbit lung microsomes, whose P-450 monooxygenase system has been well characterized in both untreated and beta-naphthoflavone- or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-treated animals. ABT (10 mM) destroyed up to 99% of the total P-450 content of lung microsomes of untreated rabbits. At equimolar concentrations (10 microM), ABT was less effective than the N-alkylated compounds for the inhibition of P-450 isozyme 2-catalyzed benzphetamine N-demethylation (BND); in fact, BuBT, BBT, and alpha MB completely inhibited BND activity at this concentration and destroyed less than 40% of total pulmonary P-450. However, these compounds also inactivated 69-85% of isozyme 6-catalyzed 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation. The most potent and isozyme-selective suicide inhibitor prepared was alpha MB: at 1 microM this compound inhibited approximately 80% of isozyme 2-catalyzed and 20% of isozyme 6-catalyzed monooxygenase activity but spared P-450 isozyme 5; at 2.5 microM it caused a near-complete loss (96 +/- 2%) of BND activity. The partition ratio of alpha MB, i.e., the molar ratio of inhibitor present to that of the P-450 destroyed, was 11 +/- 2, further demonstrating the potency of this compound. Experiments with BBT- and sodium phenobarbital-treated rats showed that the mechanism for suicidal inactivation of P-450 by this N-alkylated compound was by benzyne release, the same mechanism demonstrated earlier for the parent compound ABT.     

Ascorbic acid deficiency decreases specific forms of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes of guinea pigs

Ascorbic acid (VC) deficiency resulted in a decrease in the activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase, aniline hydroxylase, and p-nitroanisole O-demethylase and in the content of cytochrome P-450, as spectrally determined, whereas it caused an increase in the activities of 6 beta-hydroxylases for testosterone and progesterone in liver microsomes of guinea pigs. Western blot analysis of liver microsomes with antibodies to rat P-448-H (P-4501A2), P-450j (P-450IIE), P-450 PB-1 (P-450IIIA), and P-450b (P-450IIB1) showed that VC deficiency decreased the amount of cytochrome P-450 immunochemically related to P-450IA2 and P-450IIE but did not change the amount of the form that was cross-reactive with antibodies to P-450IIB1 and tended to slightly increase (not statistically significantly) the amount of the form of the cytochrome immunochemically related to P-450IIIA. The larger decrease by VC deficiency in the amount of cytochrome P-450 that was cross-reactive to the rat P-450IA2 resulted in a lower capacity of liver microsomes to activate promutagens, such as 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo(4,5-f)quinoline and aflatoxin B1. These results indicate that VC deficiency in guinea pigs differentially affects the content of individual forms of cytochrome P-450.     

Cimetidine interaction with liver microsomes in vitro and in vivo. Involvement of an activated complex with cytochrome P-450

The O-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin was inhibited in a mixed type manner by cimetidine in vitro and in microsomes isolated from rats treated with cimetidine in vivo. It was found that the inhibition was even greater if cimetidine was preincubated with the microsomal suspension in the presence of an NADPH-generating system prior to the addition of substrate. In vitro the decrease in activity was accompanied by a decrease in cytochrome P-450 content. This decrease was unaffected by the addition of EDTA to the microsomal suspensions, eliminating the possibility that free radical production was responsible for the decrease in cytochrome P-450. The decrease in activity and cytochrome P-450 content following preincubation of microsomal suspensions with cimetidine could be attenuated if potassium ferricyanide was added to the suspensions. The deethylation activity and cytochrome P-450 content of liver microsomes prepared from cimetidine-treated rats was decreased compared to control animals. The activity and cytochrome P-450 content of microsomes from cimetidine-treated rats could also be restored if microsomes were washed with potassium ferricyanide prior to incubation with substrate. It is proposed that an intermediate complex of cimetidine and cytochrome P-450 could be involved in the inhibition of microsomal metabolism by cimetidine.