Characteristics of two classes of azo dye reductase activity associated with rat liver microsomal cytochrome P450

Azo dyes are reduced to primary amines by the microsomal enzymes NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450. Amaranth, a highly polar dye, is reduced almost exclusively by rat liver microsomal cytochrome P450 and the reaction is inhibited almost totally by oxygen or CO. Activity is induced by pretreatment with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene. In contrast, microsomal reduction of the hepatocarcinogen dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB), a lipid soluble, weakly polar compound, is insensitive to both oxygen and CO. However, reconstitution of activity with purified NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and a partially purified cytochrome P450 preparation indicates that activity is catalyzed almost exclusively by cytochrome P450. Activity is induced by clofibrate but not phenobarbital, beta-naphthoflavone, 3-methylcholanthrene, isosafrol, or pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile. These observations suggest the existence of at least two classes of azoreductase activity catalyzed by cytochrome P450. To investigate this possibility, the reduction of a number of azo dyes was investigated using microsomal and partially purified systems and the characteristics of the reactions were observed. Microsomal reduction of azo dyes structurally related to DAB required a polar electron-donating substituent on one ring. Activity was insensitive to oxygen and CO if the substrates had no additional substituents on either ring or contained only electron-donating substituents. Introduction of an electron-withdrawing group into the prime ring conferred oxygen and CO sensitivity on the reaction. Substrates in the former group are referred to as insensitive and substrates in the latter group as sensitive. Inhibitors of cytochrome P450 activity depressed reduction of both insensitive and sensitive substrates. In a fully reconstituted system containing lipid, highly purified NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and a partially purified cytochrome P450 preparation, rates of reduction of various insensitive substrates varied several-fold, whereas rates of reduction of sensitive substrates varied by three orders of magnitude. Using purified enzymes, each of the insensitive substrates was shown to be reduced by reductase alone, but only at a fraction of the rate seen in the fully reconstituted system, implying that reducing electrons were transferred to the dyes mainly from cytochrome P450. Conversely, there was substantial, in some cases almost exclusive, reduction of sensitive substrates by purified reductase alone and almost no inhibition by CO. Their reduction, however, was inhibited by CO in microsomal systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

One-electron reduction of mitomycin c by rat liver: role of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase

1. The role of cytochrome P-450 in the one-electron reduction of mitomycin c was studied in rat hepatic microsomal systems and in reconstituted systems of purified cytochrome P-450. Formation of H2O2 from redox cycling of the reduced mitomycin c in the presence of O2 and the alkylation of p-nitrobenzylpyridine (NBP) in the absence of O2 were taken as parameters. 2. With liver microsomes from both 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)- and phenobarbital (PB)-pretreated rats, reverse type I difference spectra were observed, indicative of a weak interaction between mitomycin c and the substrate binding site of cytochrome P-450. Mitomycin c inhibited the oxidative dealkylation of aminopyrine and ethoxyresorufin in both microsomal systems. 3. Under aerobic conditions the H2O2 production in the microsomal systems was dependent on NADPH, O2 and mitomycin c, and was inhibited by the cytochrome P-450 inhibitors, metyrapone and SKF-525A. 4. Although purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was also effective in reduction of mitomycin c and the concomitant reduction of O2, complete microsomal systems and fully reconstituted systems of cytochrome P-450b or P-450c and the reductase were much more efficient. 5. Under anaerobic conditions in the microsomal systems both reduction of mitomycin c (measured as the rate of substrate disappearance) and the reductive alkylation of NBP were dependent on cytochrome P-450. 6. The relative rate of reduction of mitomycin c by purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was lower than that by a complete microsomal system containing both cytochrome P-450 and a similar amount of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. 7. It is concluded that although NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is active in the one-electron reduction of mitomycin c, the actual metabolic locus for the reduction of this compound in liver microsomes under a relatively low O2 tension is more likely the haem site of cytochrome P-450.     

One-electron reduction of mitomycin c by rat liver: Role of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase

1. The role of cytochrome P-450 in the one-electron reduction of mitomycin c was studied in rat hepatic microsomal systems and in reconstituted systems of purified cytochrome P-450. Formation of H₂O₂ from redox cycling of the reduced mitomycin c in the presence of O₂ and the alkylation of ρ-nitrobenzylpyridine (NBP) in the absence of O₂ were taken as parameters.

2. With liver microsomes from both 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)- and phenobarbital (PB)-pretreated rats, reverse type I difference spectra were observed, indicative of a weak interaction between mitomycin c and the substrate binding site of cytochrome P-450. Mitomycin c inhibited the oxidative dealkylation of aminopyrine and ethoxyresorufin in both microsomal systems.

3. Under aerobic conditions the H₂O₂ production in the microsomal systems was dependent on NADPH, O₂ and mitomycin c, and was inhibited by the cytochrome P-450 inhibitors, metyrapone and SKF-525A.

4. Although purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was also effective in reduction of mitomycin c and the concomitant reduction of O₂, complete microsomal systems and fully reconstituted systems of cytochrome P-450b or P-450c and the reductase were much more efficient.

5. Under anaerobic conditions in the microsomal systems both reduction of mitomycin c (measured as the rate of substrate disappearance) and the reductive alkylation of NBP were dependent on cytochrome P-450.

6. The relative rate of reduction of mitomycin c by purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was lower than that by a complete microsomal system containing both cytochrome P-450 and a similar amount of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.

7. It is concluded that although NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is active in the one-electron reduction of mitomycin c, the actual metabolic locus for the reduction of this compound in liver microsomes under a relatively low O₂ tension is more likely the haem site of cytochrome P-450.     

Purification and properties of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase from human liver microsomes.

Cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase were purified to 10.6 nmoles per mg of protein and 19.9 units per mg of protein, respectively, from human liver microsomes. The purified cytochrome was assumed to be in a low spin state as judged by the absolute spectrum. n-Octylamine and aniline produced type II difference spectra and SKF 525-A and benzphetamine type I spectra when bound to the purified cytochrome P-450. The purified human cytochrome P-450 catalyzed laurate oxidation as determined by NADPH oxidation but not aniline hydroxylation, benzphetamine N-demethylation and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation when reconstituted with the reductases purified from human and rat liver microsomes. The human cytochrome P-450, however, catalyzed drug oxidations when cumene hydroperoxide was used as the oxygen source. The purified human NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase contained FAD and FMN at a ratio of 1:0.76. The reductase was capable of supporting 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation activity of cytochrome P-448 purified from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rat liver microsomes.     

Interactions of diethylphenylphosphine with purified, reconstituted mouse liver cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase systems

Purified mouse liver cytochrome P-450 reconstituted with purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and phosphatidylcholine metabolized diethylphenylphosphine to diethylphenylphosphine oxide. NADPH was required for the reaction and the amount of oxide formed was time and cytochrome P-450 dependent. Purified phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 produced more oxide per nmole enzyme than any of the purified uninduced cytochrome P-450s. the phosphine oxide was also formed in lesser amounts in incubation mixtures containing only NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and NADPH. Diethylphenylphosphine bound to oxidized purified phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 and uninduced cytochrome P-450 with Ks values of 16 microM and 11-18 microM respectively. Diethylphenylphosphine was also a competitive inhibitor of p-nitroanisole O-demethylation catalyzed by a reconstituted phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase system, with a Ki value of 5 microM. The phosphine oxide produced no observable optical difference spectrum with oxidized phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 and caused no inhibition of p-nitroanisole O-demethylation.     

The interaction between two forms of cytochrome P-450 during drug oxidation in the reconstituted system containing limited amount of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase

The activities of drug oxidation in a reconstituted system which contains two forms of cytochrome P-450 and a limiting amount of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase were determined. Cytochrome P-450 (termed MC P-4481 and MC P-4482) purified from liver microsomes of 3-methyl-cholanthrene-treated rats was active in both 2- and 4-hydroxylation of biphenyl but cytochrome P-450 (termed PB P-450) purified from liver microsomes of phenobarbital-treated rats was active in 4-hydroxylation of biphenyl only. PB P-450, MC P-4481 and MC P-4482 were most active toward benzphetamine N-demethylation, aniline hydroxylation and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation, respectively. PB P-450 inhibited the activity of biphenyl 2-hydroxylation supported by MC P-4481 or MC P-4482. On the contrary, no inhibition of PB P-450 supported benzphetamine N-demethylation was observed when MC P-4481 or MC P-4482 was added to the system containing PB P-450 and limited amount of the reductase. The apparent Km of PB P-450 for the reductase obtained from double reciprocal plot of the reductase concentration and the activity of biphenyl hydroxylase or benzphetamine N-demethylation was lower than that of MC P-4481 or MC P-4482. These and other results suggest that there is a certain hierarchy among the cytochrome P-450 species for receiving electrons from reductase.     

Role of hepatic microsomal and purified cytochrome P-450 in one-electron reduction of two quinone imines and concomitant reduction of molecular oxygen

The possible role of cytochrome P-450 in one-electron reduction of quinoid compounds as well as in the formation of reduced oxygen species was investigated in hepatic microsomal and reconstituted systems of purified cytochrome P-450 and purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase using electron spin resonance (ESR) methods. Two compounds were selected as model compounds: N-acetyl-parabenzoquinone imine (NAPQI) and 3,5-dimethyl-N-acetyl-para-benzoquinone imine (3,5-dimethyl-NAPQI). Both compounds could be reduced by oxyhaemoglobin, the semiquinones formed were detectable by ESR and did not reduce molecular oxygen. Both NAPQI and 3,5-dimethyl-NAPQI underwent one-electron reduction in microsomal systems and in fully reconstituted systems of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. In both incubation systems the semiquinone formation was diminished under aerobic circumstances and concomitant reduction of oxygen occurred, leading to the formation of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl free radicals. Both the reduction of the quinone imines and the reduction of oxygen were found to be cytochrome P-450 dependent. Both activities of cytochrome P-450 may also be involved in the bioactivation of other compounds with quinoid structural elements, like many chemotherapeutic agents.     

Oxidative N-demethylation of N,N-dimethylaniline by purified isozymes of cytochrome P-450

The metabolism of N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) by rabbit liver microsomes results in the formation of N-methylaniline (NMA) and formaldehyde. The N-oxide of DMA (DMA N-oxide) has been suggested as an intermediate in the cytochrome P-450-catalyzed demethylation reaction. The role of DMA N-oxide as an intermediate in demethylation has been investigated in a reconstituted system consisting of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, phospholipid, and several different purified isozymes of cytochrome P-450. The abilities of several cytochrome P-450 isozymes from rabbit liver (P-450 form 2 and P-450 form 4) and rat liver (P-450b and P-450c) to catalyze N-oxide formation and their abilities to catalyze demethylation of the N-oxide were determined and compared with their abilities to catalyze the demethylation of DMA. The metabolism of DMA by the purified isozymes of cytochrome P-450 in the reconstituted system did not result in the formation of measurable amounts of the N-oxide. The turnover numbers for the metabolism of DMA and DMA N-oxide to formaldehyde by the reconstituted system containing cytochrome P-450 form 2 were 25.6 and 3.4 nmol/min/nmol cytochrome P-450, respectively. The three other isozymes (P-450 form 4, P-450b, and P-450c) also exhibited significantly greater rates for the demethylation of DMA than for the N-oxide. If the N-oxide were an intermediate in the demethylation reaction, it should be metabolized at a rate greater than or at least equal to DMA. Therefore, these data, along with the inability to detect N-oxide formation during the cytochrome P-450-catalyzed demethylation of DMA, suggest that the N-oxide of DMA is not an intermediate in demethylation of DMA by these forms of cytochrome P-450 and that DMA N-oxidase activity is not associated with these isozymes.     

Ring- and N-Hydroxylation of 2-acetylaminofluorene by reconstituted mouse liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 enzyme system

The N- and ring-hydroxylation of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) are examined with a reconstituted cytochrome P-450 enzyme system from liver microsomal fractions from both control and 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)-pretreated mice. Partial purification of cytochrome P-450 fraction is achieved by bacterial protease treatment of microsomes followed by Triton X-100 solubilization and ammonium sulfate precipitation. Both cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase fractions are required for optimum oxidative activity. Hydroxylation activity is determined by the source of cytochrome P-450 fraction; cytochrome P-450 fraction from MC-pretreated mice is several fold more active than that from controls.     

One-electron reductive bioactivation of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzoquinone by cytochrome P450.

Bioreductive activation of quinones in mammalian liver has generally been attributed to NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. However, in view of the 20-30-fold molar excess of cytochrome P450 over NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase on the endoplasmic reticulum of the rat liver cell and the capability of cytochrome P450 to bind and reduce xenobiotics, it was considered of interest to investigate the possible role of cytochrome P450 in the bioreduction of quinones. In the present study, 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-benzoquinone (TMQ) was chosen as a model quinone. First, TMQ was found to bind at the metabolic active site of phenobarbital (PB)-inducible cytochrome P450s of rat liver microsomes, indicating that TMQ is a potential substrate for cytochrome P450-mediated biotransformation. Second, with electron spin resonance, one-electron reduction of TMQ to a semiquinone free radical (TMSQ) was found to occur in these microsomal fractions. SK&F 525-A, a well-known inhibitor of cytochrome P450, strongly inhibited TMSQ formation in these subcellular fractions without affecting NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase activity. One-electron reductive bioactivation of TMQ was further investigated with purified NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase alone and in reconstituted systems of purified cytochrome P450-IIB1 and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. As measured by ESR, purified cytochrome P450-IIB1 in the presence of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase was able to reduce TMQ to TMSQ at a much greater rate than in the presence of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase alone. Reduction of TMQ was also investigated by measuring the initial rate of NADPH oxidation by TMQ under anaerobic conditions. Inhibitors of cytochrome P450, namely SK&F 525-A and antibodies against PB-inducible cytochrome P450s, caused a substantial decrease in reductive metabolism in PB-treated microsomes. These antibodies were also effective in the inhibition of TMQ-induced NADPH oxidation in a complete reconstituted system of equimolar concentrations of cytochrome P450-IIB1 and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, indicating that the reaction was specific for cytochrome P450-IIB1. Finally, initial rates of NADPH oxidation were determined in reconstituted systems containing varying amounts of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450-IIB1 to determine the contribution of either enzyme in the reduction of TMQ. As expected, NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase was able to reduce TMQ to a small extent. However, reconstitution in the presence of increasing amounts of cytochrome P450-IIB1 (relative to NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase) resulted in increasing rates of TMQ-induced NADPH oxidation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Immunohistochemical localization and quantitation of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase in human liver

An antibody raised in a goat against the human liver NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase (EC 1.6.2.4.) enzyme has been used to: 1) immunoquantify the level of this enzyme in human liver microsomes, and 2) study the distribution of the reductase across the human liver acinus. Employing the Western blot procedure, anti-human reductase IgG recognized a single band in human liver microsomes which corresponded in molecular weight to the purified reductase. The content of the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase in six normal human livers varied from 87 to 121 pmol/mg of microsomal protein. NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity of the same microsomes ranged from 107 to 222 nmol of cytochrome c reduced per min per mg of protein. The correlation between reductase content and activity (r = 0.54) was not statistically significant (p greater than 0.1). The total cytochrome P-450 content (cytochrome P-450 and P-420) of the same microsomes varied from 423 to 1413 pmol/mg of microsomal protein. The average ratio of cytochrome P-450 to NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was 7.1:1 +/- 3.1 (mean +/- SD) in the human liver microsomal preparations studied. The reductase was found to be nonuniformly distributed across the human liver acinus. Although all hepatocytes stained positively for NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, the staining intensity was highest in zone 3 and in some cases also in zone 1 hepatocytes. These results show that human liver contains a gross excess of cytochrome P-450 molecules to NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase molecules. Furthermore, the differential distribution of the reductase within the human liver acinus may lead to a better understanding of the mechanism underlining site-specific drug hepatotoxicity.     

Cytochrome P-450-dependent oxidase activity and hydroxyl radical production in micellar and membranous types of reconstituted systems

In view of conflicting results in the literature regarding the contribution of cytochrome P-450 to hydrogen peroxide production and formation of hydroxyl radicals in the microsomal electron transport chain, experiments were undertaken to evaluate this problem using reconstituted micellar and membranous systems containing NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome P-450 LM2 purified from rabbit liver. It was found that P-450 LM2 increased the rate of NADPH consumption in the vesicular system, reconstituted with microsomal phospholipids, much more than in the micellar system, based on dilauroylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) under otherwise similar conditions. At small amounts of Fe(III)-EDTA (1-5 microM), the enhanced oxidase activity was manifested in a much higher dependency on P-450 LM2 for the production of hydroxyl radicals, as determined by the oxidation of dimethylsulphoxide (Me2SO) or 2-keto-4-thiomethylbutyric acid (KMBA), in the vesicular than in the micellar system. In the presence of high amounts of Fe(III)-EDTA (10-50 microM), the relative increase due to P-450 LM2 was less pronounced in both types of reconstituted systems, although the increase in absolute terms was about the same as at small Fe(III)-EDTA concentrations. The data indicate that in the presence of no or small amounts of chelated iron in negatively-charged membranous systems, most of the hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions necessary for generation of hydroxyl radicals, are produced by cytochrome P-450 LM2. This appears to be due to a higher affinity between the reductase and P-450 LM2 in this system. In reconstituted micellar systems or in the presence of high amounts of chelated iron, "uncoupling" at the level of the reductase appears to take place, with a resulting production of hydroxyl radicals and other forms of reactive oxygen species.     

Cytochrome P-450 dependent metabolic activation of 1-naphthol to naphthoquinones and covalent binding species

1-Naphthol was metabolised by a fully reconstituted cytochrome P-450 system in the presence of NADPH to methanol-soluble and covalently bound products. The formation of 1,4-naphthoquinone, the major methanol-soluble product at early time points, showed an almost total dependence on cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and NADPH, and to a lesser extent on dilauroylphosphatidylcholine. The metabolism was rapid and detectable levels of 1,4-naphthoquinone were formed within 30 sec. 1,4-Naphthoquinone formation was dependent on the concentration of both cytochrome P-450 (0.05-0.04 microM) and 1-naphthol (5-50 microM). Whereas 1,4-naphthoquinone was the major product observed at early time points, additional products were observed after prolonged incubation. In the absence of NADPH and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, 1-naphthol was metabolised, in a cumene hydroperoxide- and cytochrome P-450-dependent reaction, to 1,2- and 1,4-naphthoquinone and covalently bound products. Glutathione and ethylenediamine inhibited both the NADPH- and cumene hydroperoxide-dependent formation of covalently bound products. These data show that cytochrome P-450 catalyses the activation of 1-naphthol to naphthoquinone metabolites and covalently bound species, the latter most likely being derived from naphthoquinones.     

Polyamines as modulators of drug oxidation reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 from liver microsomes

The effect of polyamines on the activity of the mixed-function oxidase (MFO) system from human, rat and rabbit liver microsomes was investigated in detail. It was shown that polyamine (spermine) stimulates NADPH-dependent activity of the MFO system several-fold whatever the substrate (foreign drug or natural), not only with microsomes but also with the reconstituted system consisting of highly purified cytochrome P-450 (LM₂ isozyme), cytochrome P-450 NADPH reductase and dilauroylphosphorylcholine. Stimulation (extent and concentration dependence) appeared to be dependent on a number of parameters such as ionic strength, pH, animal species and treatment, nature of the substrate, and was stereospecific (different effect on 6β-and 16α-testosterone hydroxylation). Further, the spermine effect was evaluated on some elementary steps of the cytochrome P-450 reaction cycle, like substrate binding, P-450 reduction and second electron transfer. Finally, it was shown that the organic peroxide dependent activity was not stimulated by spermine with microsomes nor with the purified P-450 LM₂ isozyme.On the basis of this study, it was concluded that the locus of polyamine action is cytochrome P-450 and that stimulation could result either from increased stability of the oxyferrous intermediate of P-450 or from an increased rate of second electron transfer from reductase to P-450.     

Drug oxidation activities of horseradish peroxidase, myoglobin and cytochrome P-450cam reconstituted with synthetic hemes

Drug oxidations by horseradish peroxidase (HRP), myoglobin (Mb) and cytochrome P-450cam (P-450cam) reconstituted with synthetic hemes were studied in comparison with a form of cytochrome P-450 purified from liver microsomes of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-treated rats. N,N-Dimethylaniline (DMA) and 7-isopropoxycoumarin were hardly dealkylated by the heme-substituted proteins in the presence of NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase and NADPH, while substantial activity of this kind was observed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide or cumene hydroperoxide as oxygen donors. Specific activity varied, depending on the substrates, oxygen donors, heme derivatives and apoproteins employed. Very high levels of activity were observed in hydrogen peroxide-dependent DMA N-demethylation with HRP substituted with certain hemes. The highest level of activity was about two hundred times as high as that of rat liver cytochrome P-450. The relationship between such activity and the chemical structure of heme derivatives was discussed.     

Effects of cytochrome b5 on cytochrome P-450-catalyzed reactions. Studies with manganese-substituted cytochrome b5

The effects of cytochrome b5 with manganese-protoporphyrin IX substituted for heme were compared with those of native cytochrome b5 and the apoenzyme on the oxygenation of substrates in the reconstituted system containing liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, and phosphatidylcholine. Mn-b5, unlike b5, remains essentially fully oxidized in the presence of NADPH and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase under aerobic conditions. The effects of various concentrations of b5 and its derivatives were determined at constant P-450 and reductase concentrations. Cytochrome b5 inhibits benzphetamine demethylation by isozyme 2, the effect increasing up to the highest concentrations tested, and stimulates 7-ethoxycoumarin deethylation by isozyme 2 and acetanilide p-hydroxylation by isozyme 4, the optimal b5:P-450 molar ratio being about 2. In contrast, Mn-b5 inhibits all three reactions and apo-b5 is either inactive or slightly inhibitory. The activities of the three substrates as well as testosterone were determined with P-450 isozymes 2, 3b, 3c, and 4 in the reconstituted system with no additions or with b5 or Mn-b5 present. Cytochrome b5 is stimulatory, inhibitory, or without any effect, the result depending on both the substrate and P-450 isozyme present, whereas Mn-b5 is inhibitory in most instances. Both b5 and its manganese derivative alter the rates of testosterone 6 beta- or 16 alpha-hydroxylation by most of the P-450 cytochromes. The activities are influenced by the molar ratio of reductase to P-450. The Km values of benzphetamine, ethoxycoumarin, and acetanilide are, with one exception, significantly decreased in the presence of b5 or Mn-b5. We conclude that some of the effects of b5 on the oxygenase system are not accounted for by its role as an electron donor to cytochrome P-450.     

The apparent loss of cytochrome P-450 associated with metabolic activation of carbon tetrachloride.

Carbon monoxide inhibited the carbon tetrachloride-induced NADPH oxidation rate. The addition of methylviologen to the incubation mixture under the atmosphere of nitrogen resulted in the enhancement of the reductase activity of microsomes for carbon tetrachloride, as determined by chloroform formation. The addition of methylviologen also enhanced the carbon tetrachloride-induced loss of cytochrome P-450, while the apparent content of cytochrome b5 and the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase remained unchanged. Under a strong inhibition of lipid peroxidation by addition of EDTA, carbon tetrachloride induced a clear loss of cytochrome P-450 to the extent similar to that seen in the absence of EDTA. These results indicate that cytochrome P-450 is directly degraded in association with the reductive metabolism of carbon tetrachloride by cytochrome P-450.     

Benzo[a]pyrene metabolism by purified cytochrome P-450 from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats

The metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene in reconstituted pulmonary mono-oxygenase systems has been studied. Metabolites formed by pulmonary cytochrome P450MC, a major form of pulmonary cytochrome P-450 isolated from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, were analysed by h.p.l.c. The profiles of benzo[a]pyrene metabolites formed by the reconstituted P-450MC systems were different from that obtained with rat-lung microsomes, indicating the presence of several unknown metabolites in the reconstituted systems containing NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and epoxide hydrolase. 3-Hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene was a major product formed by pulmonary cytochrome P-450MC, in the absence or presence of epoxide hydrolase. The addition of purified epoxide hydrolase to the reconstituted systems increased the formation of dihydrodihydroxy-benzo[a]pyrenes, particularly 7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene. The 9,10-dihydro-9,10-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene was the major dihydrodiol formed by pulmonary cytochrome P-450MC. By the addition of epoxide hydrolase the total amount of phenols decreased in parallel with an increased production of dihydrodiol, but the amount of quinones was not changed. Similar results concerning the related production of phenols and dihydrodiols, in the absence and presence of epoxide hydrolase, were obtained in reconstituted systems of hepatic cytochrome P-450MC, the major form of hepatic cytochrome P-450 from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats.     

Specificity of a phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 for metabolism of carbon tetrachloride to the trichloromethyl radical

Evidence is presented which demonstrates that the first polypeptide to disappear in liver microsomes of phenobarbital-induced rats treated with CCl₄ was the 52,000 dalton P-450 cytochrome. Data are also presented which show that this form of cytochrome P-450 was capable of generating the trichloromethyl radical from CCL₄ in a reconstituted system containing the purified cytochrome, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, NADPH, CCl₄, and the spin-trapping agent, phenyl-t-butyl nitrone. Other cytochrome P-450 fractions not containing the 52,000 dalton form did not produce this radical. The formation of this highly reactive radical may have resulted in localized damage to the cytochrome, causing the cytochrome either to be released from the microsomal membrane or to form large aggregates which did not migrate in the gel electrophoretic procedures employed.     

Oxidation of pesticides by purified cytochrome P-450 isozymes from mouse liver

5 cytochrome P-450 isozymes were purified from the livers of uninduced mice and reconstituted with purified NADPH cytochrome P-450 reductase and phospholipid. The pesticides parathion, fonofos, DEF, Mocap and profenofos were oxidized by the reconstituted monooxygenase system to form acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. The bioactivation varied with the pesticide substrate and the cytochrome P-450 isozyme. Aldrin epoxidation occurred with all 5 isozymes, with cytochrome P-450 A1 being the most active. All fraction metabolized the pesticide synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) to form an inhibitory cytochrome P-450-PBO-metabolite complex. The reduced complex produced a spectrum in the Soret region which was characteristic for each of the cytochrome P-450 isozymes. Inhibition of aldrin epoxidation by PBO was found to be unrelated to the nature of the Soret spectrum.