Effect of triton X-100 on the conjugation of tetrahydrocortisone, in vitro

The detergent, Triton X-100, increased the conjugation of estrone, estradiol and tetrahydrocortisone (THE) by uridine diphosphate glucuronyl transferase (UDPGT) in rat liver microsomes; the maximal increase of the conjugation of these substrates was measured when the concentration of Triton in the incubation mixtures was 0.05 per cent. However, the magnitude of the increase and the effect seen with varying Triton concentration were substrate dependent, which is consistent with the hypothesis that multiple forms of UDPGT may be present in hepatic microsomes. The effects of various compounds which had previously been shown to either increase or decrease the conjugation of THE in non-activated enzyme preparations were re-examined in Triton-activated preparations. Compounds such as β-diethylaminoethyldiphenylpropylacetate (SKF-525A) and 7-hydroxychlorpromazine which inhibited conjugation in non-activated preparations also inhibited conjugation in Triton-activated preparations. Alternatively, the demethylated metabolites of chlorpromazine, which increased activity in non-treated preparations, decreased activity slightly in preparations maximally stimulated by Triton. Bisubstrate kinetic analysis of the THE conjugation of UDPGT also revealed differences between the properties of the non-treated and Triton-activated enzyme preparations. Triton activation caused an increase in the V_max of the reaction in the forward direction while having an insignificant effect on the dissociation constant for THE.