S-oxygenation of 7 alpha-thiomethylspironolactone by the flavin-containing monooxygenase

Liver microsomes and highly purified flavin-containing monooxygenase from uninduced hogs catalyze the NADPH and oxygen-dependent S-oxygenation of 7 alpha-thiomethylspironolactone (7 alpha-TMSL), the major urinary metabolite of spironolactone, an effective antimineralocorticoid in humans. Studies on the biochemical mechanism of S-oxygenation of 7 alpha-TMSL suggests that this reaction is catalyzed exclusively by the flavin-containing monooxygenase and not by cytochrome P-450. This conclusion is based on the effects of selective cytochrome P-450 inhibitors as well as positive effectors and alternate substrates for the flavin-containing monooxygenase. The modest degree of stereoselective S-oxygenation of 7 alpha-TMSL may suggest steric inhibition of oxidation by the flavin-containing monooxygenase.     

Enantioselective N-oxygenation of verapamil by the hepatic flavin-containing monooxygenase

The chemical and enzymatic N-oxygenation of verapamil was investigated. Verapamil N-oxide is readily synthesized by chemical means. It is not indefinitely stable, however, and undergoes Cope-type elimination to produce 3,4-dimethoxystyrene and a hydroxylamine. The major stable metabolite observed during the metabolism of verapamil with rat and hog liver microsomes and purified flavin-containing monooxygenase is 3,4-dimethoxystyrene. 3,4-Dimethoxystyrene is formed at a rate 4 times that of nor-verapamil. Studies suggest that N-oxygenation is catalyzed largely by the flavin-containing monooxygenase and N-demethylation is catalyzed by cytochrome P-450. This conclusion is based on the effects of cytochrome P-450 inhibitors and positive effectors for the flavin-containing monooxygenase as well as on studies with the purified enzyme. In the presence of rat and hog liver microsomes, significant stereoselectivity in N-oxygenation of verapamil is observed (S/R ratio of 3.1 and 4.1, respectively). With purified hog and rat hepatic flavin-containing monooxygenase, the stereoselectivity for verapamil N-oxygenation (S/R ratio of 10.1 and 6.6, respectively) suggests a role for this enzyme in the stereoselective first-pass metabolism of verapamil.     

Role of metabolism by flavin-containing monooxygenase in thioacetamide-induced immunosuppression

Thioacetamide has been known to cause immune suppression. The object of the present study is to investigate the role of metabolic activation by flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMO) in thioacetamide-induced immune response. To determine whether the metabolites of thioacetamide produced by FMO causes the immunosuppression, methimazole, an FMO inhibitor, was used to block the FMO pathway. Antibody-forming cell (AFC) response measured in BALB/c mice sensitized with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) was compared between the groups treated with thioacetamide in the presence or absence of methimazole pretreatment. The pretreatment abolished the decrease in AFC number observed in the mice treated with thioacetamide alone. In addition, when spleen cells isolated from untreated mice were exposed to thioacetamide with a drug-metabolizing system, liver microsome and NADPH, for 4 h in vitro prior to the stimulation with mitogens, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or concanavalin A (Con A), spleen cell proliferation was also decreased. The inhibitory effect of thioacetamide on cell growth was not detectable without the liver microsome. Moreover, the thioacetamide-suppressed proliferation of spleen cells in the presence of the metabolic activation system was prevented when coincubated with either SKF-525A, a cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibitor, or methimazole. We also found that the level of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in the culture supernatant was decreased by thioacetamide treatment and that the decrease of IL-2 level can be prevented by either SKF-525A or methimazole coincubation. Since IL-2 is one of the responsible factors that determine the proliferation level of lymphocytes, the change of IL-2 production was consistent with that of lymphoproliferation. In conclusion, thioacetamide-induced immunosuppression was, at least in part, due to the metabolites produced by FMO as well as by P450.     

Stereoselective N-oxygenation of zimeldine and homozimeldine by the flavin-containing monooxygenase

The metabolism of (Z)- and (E)-zimeldine and (Z)- and (E)-homozimeldine in hepatic rat and hog microsomes is described. The major metabolite observed in all cases examined was the tertiary amine N-oxide and it was formed at a rate 7-20 times that of norzimeldine or homonorzimeldine. N-Oxygenation requires NADPH and is stimulated by n-octylamine. Thiobenzamide and methimazole significantly inhibit N-oxide formation whereas heat pretreatment of microsomes completely abolishes N-oxide formation, strongly suggesting that zimeldine N-oxygenation if solely dependent on the flavin-containing monooxygenase. Hog liver microsomes N-oxygenate the Z-allylic and homoallylic tertiary amines in marked preference to the E-isomers, whereas rat liver microsomes N-oxygenate E-isomers to a greater extent than Z-isomers. Thus, opposite stereoselectivity for zimeldine N-oxygenation occurs in rat liver and hog liver microsomes.     

Ascorbic acid deficiency and the flavin-containing monooxygenase

Activity of the flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) was reduced significantly in ascorbic acid deficient guinea pigs. Reduction in oxidation of dimethylaniline (DMA) and of thiobenzamide was associated with a decrease in the activity of the FMO. In both ascorbate supplemented and deficient guinea pig hepatic 12,000 g supernatant fractions, SKF-525A and n-octylamine did not inhibit DMA N-oxidation. Phenobarbital pretreatment did not increase the rate of N-oxidation of DMA. In addition, hepatic supernatant fractions thermally treated at 50 degree were unable to N-oxidize DMA, but 80% of the cytochrome P-450 activity was retained. Also, N-oxidation of DMA was reduced by 53% at pH 7.0, while oxidation of cytochrome P-450 specific substrates was inhibited by only 19%. Kinetic studies of DMA N-oxidation indicate no significant change in the apparent Km in ascorbate supplemented or deficient animals. The in vitro addition of ascorbic acid had no effect on the activity of the FMO. The toxicological implications of the reduction in FMO activity in ascorbic acid deficiency are discussed.     

黄素单加氧酶3在药物代谢中的作用

黄素单加氧酶(FMO,E.C.1.14.13.8)是重要的Ⅰ相代谢酶,由于与细胞色素P450(CYP450,E.C.1.14.14.1)具有相同的单加氧药物和异物代谢功能,其重要性被明显低估。本文在与CYP450进行对比的基础上,重点对FMO3的功能、变异、调控及应用等方面的最新进展进行了综述,并提出了进行FMO研究的未来策略。     

Enantioselective N-oxygenation of chlorpheniramine by the flavin-containing monooxygenase from hog liver.

1. The metabolism of racemic, (D)- and (L)-chlorpheniramine, a widely used antihistamine, was studied in microsomes and with highly purified flavin-containing monooxygenase from hog liver. 2. Although some N-demethylation was observed, the major metabolite of chlorpheniramine in hog liver microsomes was the aliphatic nitrogen N-oxide. Chlorpheniramine was extensively N-oxygenated by the highly purified flavin-containing monooxygenase from hog liver. 3. N-Oxygenation of chlorpheniramine in both microsomes and highly purified flavin-containing monooxygenase from hog liver was enantioselective. The Km for (D)-chlorpheniramine N-oxygenation was markedly lower than that for (L)-chlorpheniramine. 4. Molecular modelling studies were performed to investigate the nature of the substrate binding region.     

Suppression of flavin-containing monooxygenase by overproduced nitric oxide in rat liver.

Effects of excessive nitric oxide (NO) produced in vivo by an i.p. injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on hepatic microsomal drug oxidation catalyzed by flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) were determined. At 6 and 24 h after the LPS injection, liver microsomes were isolated and FMO activities were determined by using FMO substrates like thiobenzamide, trimethylamine, N,N-dimethylaniline, and imipramine. Liver microsomal FMO activities of LPS-treated rats were decreased significantly for all these substrates. Microsomal content of FMO1 (the major form in rat liver) in LPS-treated rats as determined by immunoblotting, was severely decreased as well. In support of this, hepatic content of FMO1 mRNA was decreased by 43.6 to 67.3%. However, the hepatic content of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA was increased by 2.6- to 5.4-fold and the plasma nitrite/nitrate concentration was increased by about 30-fold in the LPS-treated rats. When this overproduction of NO in the LPS-treated rats was inhibited in vivo by a single or repeat doses of either a general NOS inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine or a specific iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine, the FMO1 mRNA levels were not severely depressed (70-85% of the control level). Attendant with the reduction of plasma nitrite/nitrate concentration by single and repeated doses of NOS inhibitors, activity and content of FMO1 in liver microsomes isolated from these NOS inhibitor cotreated rats were restored partially (in single-dose inhibitors) or completely (in repeat doses). In contrast to these NO-mediated in vivo suppressive effects on the mRNA and enzyme contents of FMO1 as well as the FMO activity, the NO generated in vitro from sodium nitroprusside did not inhibit the FMO activities present in microsomes of rat and rabbit liver as well as those present in rabbit kidney and lung. Combined, the excessive NO produced in vivo (caused by the LPS-dependent induction of iNOS) suppresses the FMO1 mRNA and enzyme contents as well as the FMO activities without any direct in vitro effect on the activities of premade FMO enzyme. These findings suggest that NO is an important mediator involved in the suppression of FMO1 activity in vivo. Thus, together with the previously reported suppression on the cytochrome P-450 activities, the overproduced NO in the liver caused by induction of iNOS under conditions of endotoxemia or sepsis suppresses FMO and appears to be responsible for the decreased drug oxidation function observed generally under conditions of systemic bacterial or viral infections.     

Functional assessment of rat pulmonary flavin-containing monooxygenase activity

1. The expression of flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) varies extensively between human and commonly used preclinical species such as rat and mouse. The aim of this study was to investigate the pulmonary FMO activity in rat using benzydamine. Furthermore, the contribution of rat lung to the clearance of benzydamine was investigated using an in vivo pulmonary extraction model.

2. Benzydamine N-oxygenation was observed in lung microsomes and lung slices. Thermal inactivation of FMO and CYP inhibition suggested that rat pulmonary N-oxygenation is predominantly FMO mediated while any contribution from CYPs is negligible.

3. The predicted lung clearance (CL_lung) estimated from microsomes and slices was 16?±?0.6 and 2.1?±?0.3?mL/min/kg, respectively. The results from in vivo pulmonary extraction indicated no pulmonary extraction following intravenous and intra-arterial dosing to rats. Interestingly, the predicted CL_lung using rat lung microsomes corresponded to approximately 35% of rat CL_liver suggesting that the lung makes a smaller contribution to the whole body clearance of benzydamine.

4. Although benzydamine clearance in rat appears to be predominantly mediated by hepatic metabolism, the data suggest that the lung may also make a smaller contribution to its whole body clearance.

     

Species, organ and cellular variation in the flavin-containing monooxygenase

The distribution of the flavin-containing monooxygenase (EC1.14.13.8) (FMO) between species, organs and cell types is summarized with particular reference to the organ specific forms present in mammalian lung and liver. The role of the FMO relative to cytochrome P-450 in the oxidation of the sulfur atoms of organosulfur compounds is considered with particular reference to the hepatatoxicant thiobenzamide, the insecticide phorate and the drug, thioridazine. Of special interest is the relative role of these enzymes in complex metabolic pathways of xenobiotics.     

Genetic polymorphisms of flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO)

Mammalian flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) exists as six gene families and metabolizes a plethora of drugs and xenobiotics. The major FMO in adult human liver, FMO3, is responsible for trimethylamine (TMA) N-oxygenation. A number of FMO3 mutant alleles have been described and associated with a disease termed trimethylaminuria (TMAU). The TMAU patient excretes large amounts of TMA in urine and sweat. A more recent ethnically related polymorphism in expression of the major FMO in lung, FMO2, has been described. All Caucasians and Asians genotyped to date are homozygous for a CAG --> TAG amber mutation resulting in a premature stop codon and a nonfunctional protein truncated at AA 472 (wildtype FMO2 is 535 AA). This allele has been designated hFMO2*2A. Twenty-six percent of individuals of African descent and 5% of Hispanics genotyped to date carry at least one allele coding for full-length FMO2 (hFMO2*1 allele). Preliminary evidence indicates that FMO2.1 is very active toward the S-oxygenation of low MW thioureas, including the lung toxicant ethylene thiourea. Polymorphic expression of functional FMO2 in the individuals of African and Hispanic descent may markedly influence drug metabolism and/or xenobiotic toxicity in the lung.     

Oxidation of ranitidine by isozymes of flavin-containing monooxygenase and cytochrome P450

Rat and human liver microsomes oxidized ranitidine to its N-oxide (66-76%) and S-oxide (13-18%) and desmethylranitidine (12-16%). N- and S-oxidations of ranitidine were inhibited by metimazole [flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) inhibitor] to 96-97% and 71-85%, respectively, and desmethylation of ranitidine was inhibited by SKF525A [cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibitor] by 71-95%. Recombinant FMO isozymes like FMO1, FMO2, FMO3 and FMO5 produced 39, 79, 2180 and 4 ranitinine N-oxide and 45, 0, 580 and 280 ranitinine S-oxide pmol x min(-1) x nmol(-1) FMO, respectively. Desmethyranitinine was not produced by recombinant FMOs. Production of desmethylranitidine by rat and human liver microsomes was inhibited by tranylcypromine, a-naphthoflavon and quinidine, which are known to inhibit CYP2C19, 1A2 and 2D6, repectively. FMO3, the major form in adult liver, produced both ranitidine N- and S-oxides at a 4 to 1 ratio. FMO1, expressed primarily in human kidney, was 55- and 13-fold less efficient than the hepatic FMO3 in producing ranitidine N- and S-oxides, respectively. FMO2 and FMO5, although expressed slightly in human liver, kidney and lung, were not efficient producers of ranitidine N- and S-oxides. Thus, urinary contents of ranitidine N-oxide can be used as the in vivo probe to determine the hepatic FMO3 activity.     

In vitro drug metabolism by C-terminally truncated human flavin-containing monooxygenase 3

Human flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (hFMO3) is a microsomal drug-metabolizing monooxygenase that catalyzes the NADPH-dependent oxygenation of a wide range of drugs and xenobiotics which contain a soft-nucleophiles, usually sulfur or nitrogen. As the release from the microsomal membranes can facilitate the in vitro experimental determination of drug metabolism by hFMO3, in this work we identified and eliminated the membrane anchoring sequence without affecting the activity of the enzyme and producing a soluble active enzyme. The truncated hFMO3 carrying a C-terminal deletion of 17 amino acids (tr-hFMO3) was expressed and purified from the cytosolic fraction. The tr-hFMO3 proves to be detached from the membrane, properly folded and fully active towards well-known marker substrates such as benzydamine and sulindac sulfide with measured apparent K(m) values of 45 ± 8 μM and 25 ± 4 μM, respectively. Its activity was further tested with newly discovered Aurora kinase inhibitors, Tozasertib and Danusertib, and compared to those of the wild type enzyme. The use of this soluble form of the hFMO3 enzyme as opposed to the usual microsomal preparations is advantageous for in vitro drug metabolism studies that are a requirement in the early phases of drug development by pharmaceutical industry.     

The role of flavin-containing monooxygenase in the N-oxidation of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid senecionine

The pyrrolizidine alkaloid, senecionine, is N-oxidized by purified pig liver flavin-containing monooxygenase but not by purified rabbit lung flavin-containing monooxygenase. The activity of the pig liver enzyme toward senecionine was linear with time and amount of enzyme. The oxygenation was not due to some indirect mechanism, such as O2- release from the enzyme, as scavengers of activated oxygen had no effect on product formation. The Km of purified pig liver flavin-containing monooxygenase for senecionine was 0.3 mM. Although senecionine is a substrate for the pig liver enzyme, studies performed with rat liver microsomes suggest that, in this species, cytochromes P-450 catalyze the majority of senecionine-N-oxidation. These experiments included inhibition by chemical inhibitors of P-450, treatment of the microsomes with elevated temperatures, inhibition by anti-NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase antibody, the effect of dexamethasone on N-oxidation, and relative amounts of flavin-containing monooxygenase determined by immunoquantitation. These results demonstrate that flavin-containing monooxygenase can be involved in the detoxication of pyrrolizidine alkaloids via N-oxidation, but the relative contribution of flavin-containing monooxygenase and cytochromes P-450 may be species and tissue dependent.     

Size limits of thiocarbamides accepted as substrates by human flavin-containing monooxygenase 1.

Microsomes isolated from Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf)9 cells infected with human flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO)1 recombinant baculovirus catalyzed the NADPH- and O2-dependent oxidation of methimazole, thiourea, and phenylthiourea. However, there was no detectable activity with 1,3-diphenylthiourea or larger thiocarbamides. Microsomes from control Sf9 cells were devoid of methimazole or thiourea S-oxygenase activity. Trimethylamine up to 1.0 mM had no detectable effect on the oxidation of 10 microM methimazole (Km = 5 microM) but 1.0 mM N,N-dimethylaniline or chlorpromazine inhibited the oxidation of 1.0 mM methimazole 50 and 70%, respectively. Although products were not isolated, the pronounced inhibition of methimazole S-oxygenation suggests that these amines are alternate substrates for human FMO1. Because 1,3-diphenylthiourea is apparently completely excluded from the catalytic site, tricyclic amine drugs are probably approaching the upper size limits of xenobiotics accepted by human FMO1. The substrate specificity of this isoform in humans appears considerably more restricted than that of pig or guinea pig FMO1. Differences in the size of nucleophiles accepted must be considered in attempting to extrapolate the extensive structure-activity studies available for pig FMO1 to this FMO isoform in humans.     

S-oxygenation of the thioether organophosphate insecticides phorate and disulfoton by human lung flavin-containing monooxygenase 2

Phorate and disulfoton are organophosphate insecticides containing three oxidizable sulfurs, including a thioether. Previous studies have shown that only the thioether is oxygenated by flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) and the sole product is the sulfoxide with no oxygenation to the sulfone. The major FMO in lung of most mammals, including non-human primates, is FMO2. The FMO2*2 allele, found in all Caucasians and Asians genotyped to date, codes for a truncated, non-functional, protein (FMO2.2A). Twenty-six percent of individuals of African descent and 5% of Hispanics have the FMO2*1 allele, coding for full-length, functional protein (FMO2.1). We have here demonstrated that the thioether-containing organophosphate insecticides, phorate and disulfoton, are substrates for expressed human FMO2.1 with Km of 57 and 32 microM, respectively. LC/MS confirmed the addition of oxygen and formation of a single polar metabolite for each chemical. MS/MS analysis confirmed the metabolites to be the respective sulfoxides. Co-incubations with glutathione did not reduce yield, suggesting they are not highly electrophilic. As the sulfoxide of phorate is a markedly less effective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor than the cytochrome P450 metabolites (oxon, oxon sulfoxide or oxon sulfone), humans possessing the FMO2*1 allele may be more resistant to organophosphate-mediated toxicity when pulmonary metabolism is an important route of exposure or disposition.     

Human flavin-containing monooxygenase: substrate specificity and role in drug metabolism

The human flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO3) is a prominent enzyme system that converts nucleophilic heteroatom-containing chemicals, drugs and xenobiotics to more polar materials that are more efficiently excreted in the urine. The substrate specificity for FMO 3 is distinct from that of FMO1. Human FMO3 N-oxygenates primary, secondary and tertiary amines whereas human FMO1 is only highly efficient at N-oxygenating tertiary amines. Both human FMO1 and FMO3 S-oxygenate a number of nucleophilic sulfur-containing substrates and in some cases, does so with great stereoselectivity. Human FMO3 is sensitive to steric features of the substrate and aliphatic amines with linkages between the nitrogen atom and a large aromatic group such as a phenothiazine of at least five carbons are N-oxygenated significantly more efficiently than those substrates with two or three carbons. For amines with smaller aromatic substituents such as phenethylamines, often these compounds are efficiently N-oxygenated by human FMO3. Currently, the most promising non-invasive probe of in vivo human FMO3 functional activity is the formation of trimethylamine N-oxide from trimethylamine that comes from dietary choline. (S)-Nicotine N-1'-oxide formation can also be used as a highly stereoselective probe of human FMO3 function for adult humans that smoke cigarettes. Finally, cimetidine S-oxygenation or ranitidine N-oxidation can also be used as a functional probe of human FMO3. With the recent observation of human FMO3 genetic polymorphism and poor metabolism phenotype in certain human populations, variant human FMO3 may contribute to adverse drug reactions or exaggerated clinical response to certain medications. Knowledge of the substrate specificity for human FMO3 may aid in the future design of more efficacious and less toxic drugs.