Effect of xenobiotics on monooxygenase activities in cultured human hepatocytes

The activity of human cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase can be increased by 3-methylcholanthrene, phenobarbital and ethanol in human hepatocytes maintained in primary culture. Total cytochrome P450 content increased two-fold after 48 hr of incubation with methylcholanthrene or phenobarbital and 1.5-fold after incubation with ethanol. The three chemicals elicited different effects on cytochrome P450 dependent activities. Addition of 3-methylcholanthrene caused a time- and concentration-dependent increase in both monooxygenase activities, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase, while phenobarbital and ethanol increased 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity but had no effect on aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase. Dexamethasone per se had little or no effect on either monooxygenase activities, but potentiated the effect of the three chemicals on 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase.     

Presence of hexobarbital in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes maintains cytochrome P-450 levels and drug metabolizing enzyme activities

Addition of hexobarbital (1 mM) to the culture medium of rat hepatocytes protected against the rapid decline in the level of cytochrome P-450 and the activities of various drug metabolizing enzymes. While the hepatocytes cultured for 72 hr without hexobarbital had only 30% of their original level of cytochrome P-450, the cells maintained with hexobarbital had 75% of the initial level of the hemoprotein. After 72 hr in culture, the activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase and biphenyl 4-hydroxylase were 22-24% of the original rate for the nontreated cells and 73-78% for the hexobarbital treated cells. The activities of 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in the cultures of treated cells were even higher than those of the freshly isolated hepatocytes. Additions of other substrates of hepatic mixed function oxidase to the culture medium did not protect against the loss of cytochrome P-450 and enzyme activities.     

Presence Of Hexobarbital in Primary Cultures of Rat Hepatocytes Maintains Cytochrome P-450 Levels and Drug Metabolizing Enzyme Activities

ABSTRACT

Addition of hexobarbital (1 mM) to the culture medium of rat hepatocytes protected against the rapid decline in the level of cytochrome P-450 and the activities of various drug metabolizing enzymes. While the hepatocytes cultured for 72 hr without hexobarbital had only 30% of their original level of cytochrome P-450, the cells maintained with hexobarbital had 75% of the initial level of the hemoprotein. After 72 hr in culture, the activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase and biphenyl 4-hydroxylase were 22-24% of the original rate for the nontreated cells and 73–78% for the hexobarbital treated cells. The activities of 7-ethoxycoumarin 0-deethylase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in the cultures of treated cells were even higher than those of the freshly isolated hepatocytes. Additions of other substrates of hepatic mixed function oxidase to the culture medium did not protect against the loss of cytochrome P-450 and enzyme activities.     

Identification of BVT.2938 metabolites by LC/MS and LC/MS/MS after in vitro incubations with liver microsomes and hepatocytes

The metabolism of the 5HT2c agonist BVT.2938, 1-(3-{2-[(2-ethoxy-3-pyridinyl)oxy]ethoxy}-2-pyrazinyl)-2(R)-methylpiperazine, was studied in vitro by incubation with rat, monkey and human liver microsomes as well as cryopreserved hepatocytes, followed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and LC/MS/MS analysis on a quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometer for structural elucidation. Deuterium exchange on column was used to differentiate between hydroxylation and N-oxidation. Liver microsomes were incubated in two different buffer systems with optimum conditions for cytochrome P450 activity or UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity. The major phase I metabolites of BVT.2938 originated from O-deethylation of the pyridine ring, O-dealkylation of the ethylene bridge, pyrazine ring hydroxylation, hydroxylation of pyridine ring and piperazine ring N-hydroxylation. When a hydrogen carbonate buffer system was supplemented with UDPGA, the piperazine carbamoyl-glucuronide from the parent compound was identified together with several glucuronides of the phase I metabolites. The metabolite pattern in hepatocytes was similar to microsomes except that the sulphate at the N-position of the piperazine ring of BVT.2938 was identified, while the carbamoyl-glucuronide was missing. Excellent correlation was obtained between radioactivity detection and the chemiluminescent nitrogen detector when the nitrogen content of the analytes was taken into account.     

Functionality of cultured human hepatocytes from elective samples, cadaveric grafts and hepatectomies

The major possible sources of human liver for hepatocyte isolation are elective liver biopsies, cadaveric liver grafts and therapeutic liver resections. The suitability in terms of metabolic-competent hepatocyte cultures and risk/benefit of these resources has been comparatively studied. To this end, viability of isolated hepatocytes, yield of isolation procedure, hepatocyte survival during culture and CYP activities were the parameters analysed. The best results were found in hepatocytes prepared from elective biopsies, whereas a marked reduction in viability and functional competence was seen in hepatocytes from hepatectomy samples. Metabolic differences were observed in total CYP oxidative metabolism (7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation, total testosterone hydroxylation), as well as in CYP3A4, CYP2C9 or CYP2C19 activities (testosterone oxidations at 6β-, 16β- and 17-positions, respectively). Vascular control during the hepatectomy procedure influenced hepatocyte functionality: higher CYP activities were found in hepatocytes isolated from samples obtained under non-ischemic conditions or continuous vascular clamping than in those obtained under intermittent vascular clamping. In addition to cellular functionality, other criteria such as sample availability or ethical aspects should be considered. Elective biopsies have low, but not absent, surgical risk. However, the better functionality and the higher accessibility of elective liver samples in comparison to the other groups suggest this source of liver tissue as the most appropriate for cell harvesting purposes.     

Induction of the rat hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidases by 3 imidazole-containing antifungal agents: selectivity for the cytochrome P-450IIB and P-450III families of cytochromes P-450

Administration of the imidazole antifungal agents ketoconazole, miconazole and clotrimazole gave rise to increases in the microsomal cytochrome P-450 levels and the NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochrome c. Clotrimazole, and to a much lesser extent miconazole and ketoconazole, stimulated the dealkylation of pentoxyresorufin. All 3 agents gave rise to small, but significant increases in the O-deethylations of ethoxycoumarin and ethoxyresorufin. The antifungal-induced O-deethylation of ethoxycoumarin was much more sensitive to inhibition by metyrapone rather than by -naphthoflavone. The binding of metyrapone to reduced microsomes was enhanced by treatment of animals with the 3 antifungal agents, clotrimazole being clearly the most potent. Immunoquantitation of cytochrome P-450 proteins using an ELISA procedure and employing anti-cytochrome P-450c (P-450IA1, P-448 low spin) and P-450b (P-450IIB1) antisera revealed that clotrimazole and miconazole, but not ketoconazole, induced the levels of phenobarbital-induced cytochromes P-450, while none of the antifungal agents increased the levels of cytochrome of P-448 proteins. Similar results were obtained using Western blots employing the above antibodies.

On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis microsomes derived from animals pretreated with clotrimazole showed intensification of a band at 51 kDa which was identified by Western blotting as the PCN-inducible form of cytochrome P-450 (cytochrome P-450p, P-450III family). Similar, but less pronounced intensification was seen with microsomes from animals pretreated with miconazole and ketoconazole. Furthermore, microsomes from clotrimazole- and ketoconazole-treated animals interacted with erythromycin to yield type I spectra.

It is concluded that the imidazole-containing agents clotrimazole and miconazole, and to a much lesser extent ketoconazole, are potent inducers of the rat hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidases, displaying selectivity towards the P-450IIB (phenobarbital-inducible) and P-450III (PCN-inducible) families of cytochrome P-450 proteins.     

Effect of pretreatment with some mixed-function oxidase enzyme inducers on the acute hepatotoxicity of coumarin in the rat

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with saline, corn oil, sodium phenobarbitone (PB) (100 mg/kg body weight/day), 20-methylcholanthrene (20 MC) (20 mg/kg body weight/day) or Aroclor 1254 (ARO) (100 mg/kg body weight/day) by daily ip injections for 5 days. Animals were then given single oral doses of either 250 or 500 mg coumarin/kg body weight and hepatotoxicity was assessed after 24 hr. Coumarin produced hepatotoxicity, which comprised hepatocyte necrosis and elevation of plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, in all pretreated groups. Hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 levels were reduced after coumarin administration. In rats pretreated with saline, corn oil or PB, coumarin produced centrilobular hepatic necrosis, whereas in rats pretreated with 20 MC or ARO, coumarin produced periportal hepatic necrosis. These results demonstrate that mixed-function oxidase enzyme inducers can modulate acute coumarin-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat. As coumarin is known to be bioactivated by cytochrome P-450-dependent enzymes, the change in the lobular distribution of toxicity after pretreatment with 20 MC or ARO is presumably due to the induction of particular cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes in periportal hepatocytes.     

Maintenance of monooxygenase activities and detection of cytochrome P-450-mediated cytotoxicity in Mongolian gerbil hepatocyte cultures.

1. Hepatocytes were isolated from untreated and phenobarbitone (PB)-treated Mongolian gerbils by lobe perfusion. Yields were approx. 20 x 10(6) cells/g liver and viability was 95 +/- 1%. 2. PB treatment significantly increased the total cytochrome P-450 content, and the 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase, p-nitrophenol hydroxylase and coumarin 7-hydroxylase activities, relative to those of untreated gerbils, measured in homogenates of freshly isolated hepatocytes. 3. After 24 h in culture the cytochrome P-450 content of hepatocyte homogenates from both untreated and PB-treated gerbils was 40-45% that of the corresponding values of freshly isolated hepatocytes. This decrease was accompanied by selective losses of cytochrome P-450-dependent enzyme activities. 4. Erythromycin and benzphetamine N-demethylase, and p-nitrophenol hydroxylase, activities were well maintained over 24 h in culture, whilst 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and coumarin 7-hydroxylase activities were poorly maintained. In general, the stability of the monooxygenase activities measured was improved by BP treatment of gerbils. 5. The toxicity of coumarin, precocene I and precocene II to gerbil hepatocyte cultures was dose-dependent. Precocene II was significantly more toxic to hepatocytes cultured from PB-treated, compared with untreated, gerbils. 6. Gerbil hepatocyte cultures would seem to be appropriate for investigating species differences in metabolism-mediated cytotoxicity.     

Effect of tamoxifen treatment on liver, lung and intestinal mixed-function oxidases in male and female rats

Tamoxifen is a nonsteroidal antiestrogen which is used as an adjuvant form of chemotherapy for breast carcinomas containing estrogen receptors. Tamoxifen citrate (2 mg/rat/day) administration to male rats significantly decreased hepatic microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-de-ethylase activities and cytochrome P-450 content. These effects may be exerted through an antiandrogenic activity of tamoxifen, because plasma testosterone concentrations were also decreased. In male rats, tamoxifen treatment also depressed lung and intestinal microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-de-ethylase activities. Tamoxifen citrate treatment of female rats had no effect on hepatic, pulmonary, or intestinal microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase or 7-ethoxycoumarin O-de-ethylase activities or hepatic cytochrome P-450 content. The results support the contention that estrogens at physiologic levels do not exert a significant regulatory effect on xenobiotic metabolism. Furthermore, androgens are known to influence drug metabolism, and the results indicate that tamoxifen has some antiandrogenic activity.     

Acute and subacute effects of miconazole nitrate on hepatic styrene oxide hydrolase and cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase activities in male and female AKR/J mice

The imidazole-containing anti-fungal drug, miconazole nitrate, was shown to enhance hepatic microsomal styrene oxide hydrolase and inhibit several cytohrome P-450-dependent monoxygenase activities in the AKR/J mouse. Miconazole was a more potent inhibitor of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase activities in microsomes from male than female mice, and inhibitory potency also varied with substrate. When administered in vivo miconazole nitrate stimulated epoxide hydrolase activity, but had a substrate-dependent biphasic effect on cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase activities. Monooxygenase activities with benzo[a]pyrene and benzphetamine were inhibited to varying degrees in liver homogenate and hepatic microsomes from mice sacrificed 45 min after miconazole administration. After repeated administration of miconazole, liver weight, microsomal protein yield and cytochrome P-450 were increased, as were specific monooxygenase activities with ethoxycoumarin and ethoxyresorufin, but benzphetamine N-demethylase activity was decreased. These results suggested that a metabolite of miconazole was responsible for the inhibition of benzphetamine N-demethylase. It was of special interest that ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity was induced in the AKR/J mouse by miconazole, since the AKR/J mouse is not responsive to induction by aromatic hydrocarbons.     

Comparative cytotoxicity of the aqueous chlorination products of thiobencarb, a thiocarbamate herbicide, in cultured rat hepatocytes

Thiobencarb (S-4-chlorobenzyl N, N-diethylthiocarbamate) has been widely used in the rice fields of Japan. This herbicide is reported to decompose in aqueous chlorination to the compounds 4-chlorotoluene, 4-chlorobenzyl chloride, 4-chlorobenzyl alcohol, 4-chlorobenzaldehyde and 4-chlorobenzoic acid. We compared their cytotoxicity and the inducibility of cytochrome P-450 (P450) in cultured rat hepatocytes. Of the six compounds including thiobencarb, 4-chlorobenzyl chloride was the most hepatotoxic (EC₅₀: 0.17 m ), followed by thiobencarb (0.69 m ) and 4-chlorotoluene (1.2 m ). 4-Chlorobenzyl alcohol (4.6 m ) and 4-chlorobenzaldehyde (4.6 m ) were less toxic than thiobencarb, and 4-chlorobenzoic acid was the least toxic ( > 6.0 m ). From the results of the TBARS (2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) assay, lipid peroxidation was shown to be involved in the hepatotoxicity of 4-chlorobenzyl chloride, and less probably in that of thiobencarb and 4-chlorobenzaldehyde. 4-Chlorobenzoic acid and 4-chlorobenzaldehyde induced hepatic ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase and pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase activities, respectively. The induction of enzyme activities was accompanied by the increase in the corresponding P-450 apoprotein. Furthermore, 4-chlorotoluene, 4-chlorobenzaldehyde and 4-chlorobenzoic acid also induced CYP2B1, which was not reflected in the enzyme activity. These results provide primary information on the toxicity of the thiobencarb degradation products in cultured rat hepatocytes.     

Sex difference in Aroclor 1254 induction of rat hepatocytes: Consequences for in vitro embryotoxicity and mutagenicity of cyclophosphamide

The sequential culture of rat hepatocytes and post-implantation rat embryos has been proposed as a model for the in vitro testing of pro-teratogens. Comparing this model with a model in which embryos and hepatocytes are cultured simultaneously a striking difference in sensitivity was noted. To address the question of whether this difference could be explained by different sex and/or Aroclor 1254 pretreatment of the rats providing the hepatocytes, an experiment was designed with four groups: male Aroclor 1254 pretreated (M₁), male untreated, pregnant female Aroclor 1254 pretreated (F₁) and pregnant female untreated rats. Hepatocytes were incubated in the presence of cyclophosphamide (CP) and rat embryos were cultured in the media derived from the hepatocyte culture (i.e. the sequential culture model). Additionally, the CP concentrations of the media were analysed and subsequently the media were tested in a bacterial mutagenicity test (Salmonella typhimurium TA1535). With a CP concentration of 300 μ , M₁ produced maximum embryotoxicity and mutagenicity after 4 hr of hepatocytes incubation. All other groups showed no or only a slight increase in embryotoxicity and mutagenicity for all hepatocyte incubations. M₁ was also quickest to eliminate CP from the medium. These results indicate that despite a strong increase in total cytochrome P-450 in both sexes as a result of Aroclor 1254 pretreatment, and in the absence of a significant difference in total cytochrome P-450 between M₁ and F₁, Aroclor 1254 pretreatment has a much more pronounced effect in male rats than in pregnant female rats with regard to the production of embryotoxic and mutagenic metabolites of CP.     

The effect of hypolipidaemic agents on peroxisomal beta-oxidation and mixed-function oxidase activities in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Relationship between induction of palmitoyl-CoA oxidation and lauric acid hydroxylation

A study was conducted of the effects of 10 hypolipidaemic agents on peroxisomal and microsomal enzyme activities in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Treatment with compounds such as Wy-14,643, tiadenol, nafenopin, BR-931, clofibrate and mono-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate induced cyanide-insensitive palmitoyl-CoA oxidation (a specific peroxisomal marker enzyme), a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 80,000 associated with peroxisome proliferation, and carnitine acetyltransferase activity, after 70 h of culture. These compounds also maintained hepatocyte cytochrome P-450 levels and markedly induced lauric acid hydroxylation, whereas little effect was observed on 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase. Studies with metyrapone, which also maintains cytochrome P-450, suggested that treatment with the hypolipidaemic agents resulted in the formation of different form(s) of cytochrome P-450 to those present in control cultures. Regression analysis demonstrated a high correlation between the induction of the peroxisomal parameters and lauric acid hydroxylation. The results indicate that hypolipidaemic agents which stimulate hepatic peroxisomal enzyme activities also induce novel form(s) of cytochrome P-450 with high specificity towards lauric acid hydroxylation. Both these processes may depend therefore on common receptor(s) which are retained in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes.     

Maintenance of monooxygenase activities and detection of cytochrome P-450-mediated cytotoxicity in Mongolian gerbil hepatocyte cultures

1. Hepatocytes were isolated from untreated and phenobarbitone (PB)-treated Mongolian gerbils by lobe perfusion. Yields were approx. 20 ± 10⁶ cells/g liver and viability was 95 ± 1%.

2. PB treatment significantly increased the total cytochrome P-450 content, and the 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase, p-nitrophenol hydroxylase and coumarin 7-hydroxylase activities, relative to those of untreated gerbils, measured in homogenates of freshly isolated hepatocytes.

3. After 24?h in culture the cytochrome P-450 content of hepatocyte homogenates from both untreated and PB-treated gerbils was 40–45% that of the corresponding values of freshly isolated hepatocytes. This decrease was accompanied by selective losses of cytochrome P-450-dependent enzyme activities.

4. Erythromycin and benzphetamine N-demethylase, and p-nitrophenol hydroxylase, activities were well maintained over 24?h in culture, whilst 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and coumarin 7-hydroxylase activities were poorly maintained. In general, the stability of the monooxygenase activities measured was improved by PB treatment of gerbils.

5. The toxicity of coumarin, precocene I and precocene II to gerbil hepatocyte cultures was dose-dependent. Precocene II was significantly more toxic to hepatocytes cultured from PB-treated, compared with untreated, gerbils.

6. Gerbil hepatocyte cultures would seem to be appropriate for investigating species differences in metabolism-mediated cytotoxicity.     

Dependence of the induction of cytochrome P-450 by phenobarbital in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes on the composition of the culture medium

A chemically defined medium developed for the maintenance of differentiated adult rat hepatocytes (T1) was compared with two commercially available media (Waymouth 752/1 and Leibovitz L-15) for maintenance of cytochrome P-450 metabolic activity in cultured hepatocytes. Specific metabolic activities of initially isolated cells and 72-hr control and phenobarbital-treated cultures were determined with 7-ethoxycoumarin, 7-ethoxyresorufin, and 7-pentoxyresorufin as substrates. Control and phenobarbital-treated cultures in T1 medium had a higher metabolic activity towards each of the three substrates than comparable cultures in the other media. These studies indicated that the metabolic activity and the response to phenobarbital of the major isozyme of the phenobarbital-inducible family of cytochrome P-450 were maintained in hepatocytes in T1 medium. However, there was anomalous expression and induction by phenobarbital of the major 3-methylcholanthrene-inducible isozyme, cytochrome P-450c, in cultured hepatocytes in each of the three media tested, but this response was more pronounced in T1 medium. In conclusion, the regulation of cytochrome P-450 metabolic activity in cultured hepatocytes was shown to be dependent on the composition of the culture medium.     

Benoxaprofen induced toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes

The toxicity of benoxaprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compound was investigated using rat hepatic microsomal and isolated hepatocyte suspensions. In microsomes, benoxaprofen produced a Type I binding spectra and competitively inhibited (k_i 380 μM) the oxidative metabolism of aminopyrine. Marked toxicity was observed following incubation of benoxaprofen with isolated hepatocytes from either untreated, phenobarbitone (PB) or 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) pretreated male rats. In untreated hepatocytes increases in the intracellular lactate/pyruvate (L/P) ratio and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) release were related to the benoxaprofen concentration and duration of incubation. Alterations in L/P ratio preceded the release of cytosolic ALT and at 4 h a well defined dose-response relationship existed between the benoxaprofen concentration and the observed increases in the L/P ratio and ALT release. Pretreatment of animals with either PB or 3-MC did not affect the temporal nature nor the magnitude of the hepatocyte response to benoxaprofen. In addition, inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 isozymes (SKF-525A, metyrapone and -napthoflavone) were ineffective with regard to modifying the observed toxicity. The results of this study suggest that hepatic cytochrome P-450 mediated metabolism may not be implicated in the toxicity of benoxaprofen in isolated hepatocytes. However, alterations in the cellular redox state and evidence of plasma membrane bleb formation suggest that benoxaprofen may uncouple oxidative phosphorylation and disturb intracellular calcium ion homeostasis.     

Drug Metabolism Activities of Isolated Rat Hepatocytes in Monolayer Culture

Abstract: The levels of cytochrome P-450 in hepatocytes cultured as monolayers for 22 hrs in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium supplemented with serum and insulin was reduced to approximately 40% of initial values of freshly isolated hepatocytes. In correspondance with this the activities of the cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases aryl hydrocarbon (benzo(a)pyrene) hydroxylase (AHH) and ethylmorphine (EM) N-demethylase were reduced to 40 and 22% of their initial activities, respectively. Modifying the culture medium through omission of cysteine and cystine, and adding dexamethazone and delta-amino levulinic acid, increased the content of cytochrome P-450 to 59 % and EM N-demethylase to 46 % of initial values, but was without effect on AHH activity. However, further modifications by adding high concentrations of asparagine and leucine increased AHH activity to 62% of initial values, but did not further enhance the total content of cytochrome P-450 or the EM N-demethylase activity. The activities of cytochrome P-450 reductase, flavin containing monooxygenase, epoxide hydrolase and glutathione S-transferase decreased less (to about 70–80% of initial values) than cytochrome P-450 associated monooxygenase activities, whereas UDP-glucuronyl transferase decreased to about 50% of initial values. In contrast to what was observed regarding cytochrome P-450 and associated monooxygenase activities, modification of the incubation conditions did not affect the non-cytochrome P-450 enzymatic activities.     

Effect of sex hormone status on chloroform nephrotoxicity and renal mixed function oxidases in mice

In mice, only makes are susceptible to chloroform (CHCl₃) nephrotoxicity and the susceptibility appears to be related to renal mixed function oxidase activity. There were sex-related differences of renal cytochrome P-450 and b₅ concentrations and of ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity in mouse kidneys; in all cases activity was higher in males. Castration of male mice eliminated susceptibility to ChCl₃ nephrotoxicity and reduced renal mixed function oxidases to concentrations observed in female mice. Treatment of male and female mice with testosterone increased the susceptibility to ChCl₃ nephrotoxicity and increased renal mixed function oxidases to similar activities in both sexes. Previous data have suggested that CHCl₃ is metabolized in situ by the kidney, possibly by a mechanism similar to that occurring in the liver. The data from this investigation are consistent with the concept that CHCl₃ is metabolized by a cytochrome P-450-dependent mechanism in the kidney.     

Localization and identification of cytochrome P-450 in differentiating rat embryo cells in vitro and in foetal tissue in vivo by immunocytochemistry

The presence of the isoenzymes b, e and c of cytochrome P-450 in foetal rat limb-bud and mid-brain tissue has been investigated in vivo and in micromass cell cultures of limb-bud and mid-brain cells derived from rat embryos by a sensitive immunocytochemical technique. The cytochromes could not be detected by antibody staining at the start of the culture nor in 13-day-old embryos from which cultures were prepared. Two different antibodies directed against cytochrome P-450 revealed the ontogenic profile of the phenobarbitone-inducible b and e forms, which appeared at an earlier stage of development, day 1 of culture (equivalent to day 14 of gestation), than did the 3-methylcholanthrene-inducible c form, which appeared on day 3 of culture (equivalent to day 16 of gestation). These isoenzymes were not tissue specific. Comparison of the localization and intensity of staining of cells cultured in vitro for 5 days with tissue from the equivalent foetal developmental stage (day 18) in vivo revealed the presence of cytochrome P-450 in corresponding areas. In day 18 limb sections, cytochrome P-450 was localized in the perichondrial and myogenic tissue, which corresponded to the cells in the periphery of the chondrogenic foci in vitro. In mid-brain whole tissue, the enzyme was located in connective tissue and neurofibrils, corresponding to cells in the periphery of the foci of neurones in vitro. The correlation between in vitro and in vivo observations from time course, location and quantitative aspects, illustrated that the micromass culture technique is a valid model for metabolism studies with these specific isoenzymes.     

Coumarin 7-hydroxylase activity in human liver microsomes. Properties of the enzyme and interspecies comparisons.

Coumarin 7-hydroxylation and other cytochrome P-450-associated enzyme activities were studied in human liver biopsy homogenates and compared with activities in livers of other species. Coumarin 7-hydroxylation is extraordinarily active in human liver biopsy samples in vitro. Activity is lower in mouse, rabbit or guinea pig liver and essentially absent in rat liver. Cytochrome P-450 content and other associated enzyme activities were higher in animals. Coumarin 7-hydroxylation is induced by phenobarbitone in mouse liver, but no significant increase was seen in human or rat liver after exposure to inducers. Correlations amongst coumarin 7-hydroxylase, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and cytochrome P-450 are statistically significant (r values from 0.56 to 0.73), but do not permit the conclusion, that the same P-450 form catalyzes all the reactions studied. The correlations between coumarin hydroxylation and antipyrine half-life or clearance are statistically significant, but not good enough for predictive purposes. Coumarin 7-hydroxylase in human liver is inhibited by alpha-naphthoflavone, SKF 525A, metyrapone and aniline.