Isolation and properties of cytochrome P-450 from rabbit liver microsomes]

A purified low-spin form of cytochrome P-450 was isolated from phenobarbital-induced rabbit liver microsomes. The preparation was functionally active and free from cytochromes b5 and P-420 and phospholipids. The specific content of the cytochrome was 18 nmoles per mg of protein. At the molecular weight of the hemoprotein of 50,000, it corresponds to 90% of purification. The purified hemoprotein binds substrates of type II and some substrates of type I. The complexes formed reveal spectral properties, similar to those for the complexes of these substrates with the microsomal form of cytochrome P-450.     

Catalytic properties of the human cytochrome P450 2E1 produced by cDNA expression in mammalian cells.

A full-length cDNA encoding human cytochrome P450 2E1 was expressed in mammalian cell lines using the vaccinia virus expression system. Immunoblot analysis showed that the expressed protein reacted with a polyclonal antibody against rat 2E1 and comigrated with P450 2E1 from human liver microsomes. P450 2E1 expressed in Hep G2 cells, a human cell line which contains both cytochrome b5 and NADPH:P450 oxidoreductase, was able to metabolize several known P450 2E1 substrates: N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBzA), p-nitrophenol, phenol, and acetaminophen. Apparent Km and Vmax values for NDMA demethylation were 22 microM and 173 pmol/min/mg microsomal protein, respectively. P450 2E1 expressed in TK-143 cells, which do not contain b5, displayed Km and Vmax values of 31 microM and 34 pmol/min/mg microsomal protein, respectively. Incorporation of purified rat liver b5 into TK-143 microsomes increased the Vmax 2.2-fold and decreased the Km to 22 microM. Addition of b5 to Hep G2 microsomes resulted in a 1.6-fold increase in Vmax, but showed no effect on the Km. P450 2E1 expressed in Hep G2 cells was shown to metabolize NMBzA with a Km of 47 microM and Vmax of 213 pmol/min/mg microsomal protein. Addition of b5 lowered the Km to 27 microM, but had no effect on Vmax. These results demonstrate conclusively that P450 2E1 is responsible for the low Km forms of NDMA demethylase and NMBzA debenzylase observed in liver microsomes and that these activities are affected by cytochrome b5.     

Expression of the human genes for steroid 21-hydroxylase and its C169R mutant in insect cells and functional analysis of the expression products

Steroid 21-hydroxylase (CYP21A2) is a key enzyme of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid biosynthesis in the adrenal cortex and belongs to the family of microsomal cytochrome P450. CYP21A2 deficiency is the most common cause of human congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Human CYP21A2 and its C169R mutant, observed in a patient with classic CAH, were expressed in Sf9 and Hi5 insect cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses. Functional CYP21A2 was produced to 28% of the total microsomal protein under optimal conditions. The C169R mutation did not affect the efficiency of CYP21A2 synthesis in insect cells, nor did it prevent CYP21A2 incorporation in membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. Functional analysis in vitro showed that the mutant enzyme almost completely lacked the catalytic activity towards two substrates, progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone.     

Expression of the human steroid 21-hydroxylase gene and its mutant variant C169R in insect cells and functional analysis of expression products

Steroid 21-hydroxylase is a key enzyme of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid biosynthesis in the adrenal gland that belongs to the family of microsomal cytochrome P450. The steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most frequent cause of the congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The human steroid 21-hydroxylase (CYP21 A) and its mutant variant (C 169R) found previously in patient with the classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia were synthesized for the first time in the insect cell lines Sf9 and Hi5 infected by recombinant baculoviruses. Under optimal conditions the level of CYP21A2 production in insect cells achieves 28% of the total microsomal protein. C169R mutation does not effect the synthesis of CYP21 A2 in insect cells and does not prevent the incorporation of the enzyme into the membranes of endoplasmic reticulum. Functional analysis of the mutant enzyme in vitro suggested the virtually complete lack of catalytic activity towards two substrates - progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone.     

Spectral and catalytic properties of cytochrome P-450 from a diazinon-resistant housefly strain

Microsomes from the diazinon-resistant Rutgers strain of housefly contain amounts of cytochrome P-450 that are larger than those reported for rat liver, but the specific activity expressed as nmole of cytochrome P-450 per mg protein is much lower. The hemoprotein shows that spectral changes type I, II and IV are essentially in the low-spin form as judged by the n-octylamine and ethyl isocyanide difference spectra, and is unstable at pH below 6.5 and above 8.0. Cytochrome P-420 is also produced with time when CO-difference spectra are recorded. This is accelerated at pH above 8.0. The presence of contaminating amounts of cytochrome P-420, due to denaturation during spectral analysis or to the method used to isolate the microsomes, makes questionable the practice of characterizing the hemoprotein on the basis of the 455 nm peak in the ethyl isocyanide spectra, since a 434 nm peak is produced with concomitant decrease of the 455 nm peak. Microsomes hydroxylate naphthalene, aminopyrine and aniline, but the activity when expressed as nmole of product per nmole of cytochrome P-450 is the same or lower than that reported for other resistant housefly strains.     

Partial purification and properties of cytochromes P-450 and P-448 from rat liver microsomes

Cytochromes P-450 and P-448 in rat liver microsomes were solubilized with sodium cholate and were partially purified. The preparations contained 5.0–5.5 nmoles of cytochrome P-450 or P-448 per mg of protein; contamination with cytochrome P-420 and cytochrome b₅, was less than 10% of the total heme content. The absolute spectra of Cytochromes P-450 and P-448 differed only slightly; both hemoproteins had a Soret peak at 418–419 nm in the oxidized absolute spectra and at 448 and 450 nm in the reduced plus CO absolute spectra. Both hemoproteins showed typical type I (benzphetamine) and type II (aniline) binding spectra but differed in their binding of hexobarbital (another type I substrate). The total phospholipid content of the preparation (per mg protein) has been reduced by approximately 90% relative to microsomes and the hemoprotein has been purified 20–25 fold with respect to phospholipid. The partially purified hemoprotein fractions, after combination with a reductase and lipid fraction, were capable of oxidizing a variety of substrates inluding drugs, steroids, and chemical carcinogens.     

A spectrophotometric method to monitor the catalytic activity of microsomal cytochrome P-450 IIB1/2: comparison with fluorometric assay

A simple spectrophotometric method to monitor the catalytic activity of microsomal cytochrome P-450 IIB1/2 has been developed. The method employs measurement of utilization of NADPH, consumption of the substrate, pentoxyresorufin (PRF) and formation of the product, resorufin (RF) in the same reaction mixture containing hepatic microsomes from phenobarbital treated rats. The velocity of NADPH utilization (16.36 nmole/min/nmole P-450), PRF consumption (1.58 nmole/min/nmole P-450) and RF formation (1.57 nmole/min/nmole P-450) suggested a stoichiometry of 1:1 between the substrate and the product alongwith utilization of 10 molecules of NADPH. However, the Km for the enzyme activity (nmole RF formed/min/nmole P-450) using varying concentrations of PRF and NADPH as substrates were found to be 11.6 and 20.2 microM, respectively. The spectrophotometric method was compared with fluorometric method in terms of linearity with time, P-450 content and Vmax, Km values observed for the reaction. Inhibition studies with metyrapone and SKF 525A in the utilization of NADPH, consumption of PRF and formation of RF suggested that the method could be useful in monitoring the effect of various inhibitors on the P-450 IIB1/2 reaction.     

Effect of purified cytochrome P450 incorporation into liposomal membranes on its properties]

The physico-chemical properties and hydroxylase activity of three forms of cytochrome P450, i. e. purified soluble hemoprotein, purified hemoprotein incorporated into the liposomal membrane and microsomal cytochrome P450, were studied. Soluble cytochrome P450 binds type I substrates in a lesser degree than does its microsomal form. The incorporation of hemoprotein into phosphatidyl choline liposomes restores the ability of purified cytochrome P450 to interact with these substrates. The soluble and lipid-bound forms of cytochrome P450 do not differ in their thermal stabilities and protease digestion. The liposome-bound cytochrome P450 has higher dimethylaniline, aniline and p-nitroanisol hydroxylase activities as compared to its soluble form. The aniline hydroxylase activity of microsomal, proteoliposomal and soluble forms of cytochrome P450 is inhibited by the tyrosinecopper complex with NADPH or cumole hydroperoxide as cosubstrates. The inhibiting effect of the complex on other hydroxylase activities depends on the type of cytochrome P450 and the cosubstrates and substrates used.     

Comparative study of monomeric reconstituted and membrane microsomal monooxygenase systems of the rabbit liver. I. Properties of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 (2B4) monomers.

Oligomers and monomers of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 (2B4) isolated from the liver microsomes of phenobarbital-treated rabbits were examined for physicochemical properties and catalytic activities. As measured using laser correlation spectroscopy the particle sizes of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers were 14.8 +/- 1.7 and 19.2 +/- 1.4 nm, respectively. Twenty-four-hour incubation with Emulgen 913 at 4 degrees C at a molar ratio of 1:100 led to the monomerization of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers, the particle sizes diminishing to 6.1 +/- 1.3 and 5.2 +/- 0.4 nm, respectively. The thermal stability of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase monomers was the same as that of oligomers, whereas cytochrome P450 LM2 monomers were less thermostable than oligomers and cytochrome P450 in microsomes. Similar to cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers and the microsomal hemoprotein, cytochrome P450 LM2 monomers formed complexes with type I and II substrates, but with Kd values higher than those of microsomes and cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers. Kinetic parameters (Vmax and Km) of H2O2- and cumene hydroperoxide-dependent oxidation of benzphetamine and aniline in the presence of cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers, monomers, and microsomes were determined. Peroxidase activities of the oligomers and monomers were the same, but were lower than those of microsomes. Thus the substitution of protein-protein interactions in cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers with protein-detergent interactions in the monomers did not influence the catalytic properties of the hemoprotein.     

Purification and characterization of recombinant human prostacyclin synthase

Prostacyclin synthase (PGIS), which catalyzes the conversion of prostaglandin (PG) H(2) to prostacyclin (PGI(2)), is a member of the cytochrome P-450 (P450) superfamily, CYP8A1. To study the enzymatic and protein characteristics of human PGIS, the enzyme was overexpressed in Spodoptera frugiperda 21 (Sf21) cells using the baculovirus expression system. PGIS was expressed in the microsomes of the infected Sf21 cells after culture in 5 microg/ml hematin-supplemented medium for 72 h. The holoenzyme was isolated from the solubilized microsomal fraction by calcium phosphate gel absorption and purified to homogeneity by DEAE-Sepharose and hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The K(m) and V(max) values of the purified human PGIS for PGH(2) were 30 microM and 15 micromol/min/mg of protein at 24 degrees C, respectively. The optical absorption and EPR spectra of the enzyme revealed the characteristics of a low-spin form of P450 in the oxidized state. The carbon monoxide-reduced difference spectrum, however, exhibited a peak at 418 nm rather than 450 nm. The addition of a PGH(2) analogue, U46619, to the enzyme produced an oxygen-ligand type of the difference spectrum with maximum absorption at 407 nm and minimum absorption at 430 nm. Treatment with another PGH(2) analogue, U44069, produced a peak at 387 nm and a trough at 432 nm in the spectrum (Type I), while treatment with tranylcypromine, a PGIS inhibitor, produced a peak at 434 nm and a trough at 412 nm (Type II). A Cys441His mutant of the enzyme possessed no heme-binding ability or enzyme activity. Thus, we succeeded in obtaining a sufficient amount of the purified recombinant human PGIS from infected insect cells for spectral analyses that has high specific activity and the characteristics of a P450, indicating substrate specificity.     

Effects of flavonoid phytochemicals on cortisol production and on activities of steroidogenic enzymes in human adrenocortical H295R cells

Inhibitory effects of flavonoid phytochemicals, flavones, flavonols and isoflavones on cortisol production were examined in human adrenal H295R cells stimulated with di-buthylyl cAMP. In addition, the inhibitory effects of these chemicals on the activity of P450scc, 3beta-HSD type II (3beta-HSD II), P450c17, P450c21 and P45011beta, steroidogenic enzymes involved in cortisol biosynthesis, were examined in the same cells. Exposure to 12.5 microM of the flavonoids 6-hydroxyflavone, 4'-hydroxyflavone, apigenin, daidzein, genistein and formononetin significantly decreased cortisol production (by 6.3, 69.6, 47.5, 26.6, 13.8 and 11.3%, respectively), and biochanin A significantly decreased cortisol production (by 47.3%) at a concentration of 25 microM without any significant cytotoxic effects or changes in cell number. Daidzin, the 7-glucoside of daidzein, did not alter cortisol production by H295R cells at concentrations over 10 microg/ml (24 microM). Daidzein-induced reduction of cortisol production by H295R cells was not inhibited by the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780. The flavonoids 6-hydroxyflavone, daidzein, genistein, biochanin A and formononetin strongly and significantly inhibited microsomal 3beta-HSD II activity at concentrations from 1 to 25 microM, and I(50) values were estimated to be 1.3, 2, 1, 0.5 and 2.7 microM, respectively. In addition, these flavonoids significantly inhibited microsomal P450c21 activity at 12.5 and/or 25 microM. In addition, 6-hydroxyflavone inhibited activity of microsomal P450c17 and mitochondrial P45011beta at 12.5 and/or 25 microM. Results of Lineweaver-Burk's plot analysis indicate that daidzein is a competitive inhibitor of the activity of 3beta-HSD II and P450c21. K(m) and V(max) values of 3beta-HSD II for DHEA were estimated to be 6.6 microM and 328pmol/minmg protein, respectively. K(m) and V(max) values of P450c21 for progesterone were estimated to be 2.8 microM and 16pmol/minmg protein, respectively. K(i) values of 3beta-HSD II and P450c21 for daidzein were estimated to be 2.9 and 33.3 microM, respectively.     

Characterization of the consequence of a novel Glu-380 to Asp mutation by expression of functional P450c21 in Escherichia coli

P450c21 catalyzes an important step in steroid synthesis. Its deficiency leads to symptoms of steroid imbalance. To obtain enough P450c21 for structure and function studies, we developed a method to express P450c21 in Escherichia coli. The 5'-region of the human P450c21 cDNA was modified to ensure efficient translation and the C terminus of the protein was extended with four His residues for easy purification. Mutant proteins with substitutions at residues 172 and 281 exhibited decreased enzymatic activities similar to those found in mammalian cells. One new mutation changing Glu-380 to Asp (D380) caused 3-fold reduction in enzymatic activity. The amount of apoprotein production detected by immunoblotting and the affinity of the mutant protein towards substrate as measured by Km were normal. The defect lies in the decreased ability of the apoprotein to bind heme, which was measured by CO difference and substrate-binding spectra. The D380 mutant protein had 3-fold reduction in peak heights in both spectra. This reduced heme binding resulted in 3-fold lower enzymatic activity.     

Biochemical properties of short- and long-chain rat liver microsomal trans-2-enoyl coenzyme A reductase

This study describes the biochemical properties of the rat hepatic microsomal NADPH-specific short-chain enoyl CoA reductase and NAD(P)H-dependent long-chain enoyl CoA reductase. Of the substrates tested, crotonyl CoA and trans-2-hexenoyl CoA are reduced by the short-chain reductase only in the presence of NADPH. The trans-2-octenoyl CoA and trans-2-decenoyl CoA appear to undergo reduction to octanoate and decanoate, respectively, catalyzed by both enzymes; 64% conversion of the C8:1 is catalyzed by the short-chain reductase, while 36% conversion is catalyzed by the long-chain enzyme. For the C10:1 substrate, 45% is converted by the short-chain reductase, while 55% is reduced by the long-chain reductase. trans-2-Hexadecenoyl CoA is a substrate for the long-chain enoyl CoA reductase only. Reduction of C4 and C6 enoyl CoA's was unaffected by bovine serum albumin (BSA), whereas BSA markedly stimulated the conversion of C10 and C16 enoyl CoA's to their respective saturated product. Reduction rates as a function of microsomal protein concentration, incubation time, pH, and cofactors are reported including the apparent Km and Vmax for substrates and cofactors. In general, the apparent Km's for the substrates ranged from 19 to 125 microM. The apparent Vmax for the short-chain enoyl CoA reductase was greatest with trans-2-hexenoyl CoA, having a turnover of 65 nmol/min/mg microsomal protein, while the apparent Vmax for the long-chain enzyme was greatest with trans-2-hexadecenoyl CoA, having a turnover of 55 nmol/min/mg microsomal protein. With respect to electron input, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, either alone, mixed with phospholipid, or incorporated into phospholipid vesicles, possessed no enoyl CoA reductase activity. Cytochrome c did not affect the NADPH-dependent conversion of the trans-2-enoyl CoA. In addition, anti-NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase IgG did not inhibit the reduction of trans-2-hexadecenoyl CoA in hepatic microsomes. Finally, the NADPH-specific short-chain and NAD(P)H-dependent long-chain enoyl CoA reductases were solubilized and completely separated from NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase by employing DE-52 column chromatography. These studies demonstrate the noninvolvement of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase in either the short-chain (13) or long-chain enoyl CoA reductase system. Thus, the role of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase in the microsomal elongation of fatty acids appears to be at the level of the first reduction step.     

Steroid hydroxylations: a paradigm for cytochrome P450 catalyzed mammalian monooxygenation reactions

The present article reviews the history of research on the hydroxylation of steroid hormones as catalyzed by enzymes present in mammalian tissues. The report describes how studies of steroid hormone synthesis have played a central role in the discovery of the monooxygenase functions of the cytochrome P450s. Studies of steroid hydroxylation reactions can be credited with showing that: (a) the adrenal mitochondrial enzyme catalyzing the 11beta-hydroxylation of deoxycorticosterone was the first mammalian enzyme shown by O18 studies to be an oxygenase; (b) the adrenal microsomal enzyme catalyzing the 21-hydroxylation of steroids was the first mammalian enzyme to show experimentally the proposed 1:1:1 stoichiometry (substrate:oxygen:reduced pyridine nucleotide) of a monooxygenase reaction; (c) application of the photochemical action spectrum technique for reversal of carbon monoxide inhibition of the 21-hydroxylation of 17alpha-OH progesterone was the first demonstration that cytochrome P450 was an oxygenase; (d) spectrophotometric studies of the binding of 17alpha-OH progesterone to bovine adrenal microsomal P450 revealed the first step in the cyclic reaction scheme of P450, as it catalyzes the "activation" of oxygen in a monooxygenase reaction; (e) purified adrenodoxin was shown to function as an electron transport component of the adrenal mitochondrial monooxygenase system required for the activity of the 11beta-hydroxylase reaction. Adrenodoxin was the first iron-sulfur protein isolated and purified from mammalian tissues and the first soluble protein identified as a reductase of a P450; (f) fractionation of adrenal mitochondrial P450 and incubation with adrenodoxin and a cytosolic (flavoprotein) fraction were the first demonstration of the reconstitution of a mammalian P450 monooxygenase reaction.     

Microsomal cytochrome P-450 from neonatal pig testis. Purification and properties of A C21 steroid side-chain cleavage system (17 alpha-hydroxylase-C17,20 lyase)

A cytochrome P-450 from neonatal pig testicular microsomes was purified to homogeneity as judged by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and by double diffusion on agar against antiserum raised in rabbits against the protein. The enzyme shows both 17 alpha-hydroxylase (Vmax = 4.6 nmol of product/min/nmol of P-450, Km = 1.5 microM) and C17,20 lyase (Vmax = 2.6 nmol of product/min/nmol of P-450, Km = 2.4 microM) activities. Both activities require NADPH and a flavoprotein P-450 reductase; microsomal P-450 reductase from pig and rat livers was used in these studies. The enzyme possesses a single subunit of molecular weight 59,000 +/- 1,000 as determined by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide with sodium dodecyl sulfate and by chromatography on sodium dodecyl sulfate-Sephadex. The enzyme is a glycoprotein and contains 8 nmol of heme/mg of protein and 40 nmol of phospholipid/mg of protein. All heme detected by pyridine hemochromogen is accounted for as P-450 by difference spectroscopy of the reduced P-450.carbon monoxide complex. This complex shows an absorbance maximum at 448 nm with no evidence of P-420. These studies raise the possibility that one microsomal protein (cytochrome P-450) may possess two enzymatic activities (hydroxylase and lyase).     

3,4,5,3',4'-Pentachlorobiphenyl as a useful inducer for purification of rat liver microsomal cytochrome P448.

An easy purification of rat liver microsomal cytochrome P448 was performed by using 3,4,5,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl as an inducer. The cytochrome P448, a high spin form, was purified to 18.1 nmoles/mg protein with a good yield by ω-aminooctyl Sepharose 4B column chromatography followed by a hydroxyapatite column chromatography. This hemoprotein cross-reacted with antibody to cytochrome P448 from β-naphthoflavone-treated rats, but not with antibody to cytochrome P450 from phenobarbital-treated rats at all. The results of amino acid analyses suggested that this cytochrome P448 is similar to cytochrome P448 of 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats.     

Toxicological significance of dog liver cytochrome P-450: examination with the enzyme expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using recombinant expression plasmid.

A complementary DNA (cDNA) coding for a form of beagle dog cytochrome P-450 (Dah1), which is the orthologue to the CYP1A1 cDNA of rat, mouse and human, was inserted between the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) promoter and terminator regions of the yeast expression vector pAAH5. On introduction of the resulting recombinant plasmid pDC-1, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain AH22 cells synthesized up to 1.5 x 10(5) molecules per cell of cytochrome P-450 protein (P-450(Dah1)). The carbon monoxide-bound reduced form of P-450(Dah1) showed an absorption peak at 447 nm and specific content of P-450(Dah1) was about 0.1 nmole P-450 per mg of microsomal protein. P-450(Dah1) cross-reacted with antibodies to rat P-448-H (CYP1A2) and dog P-450-D2 (CYP1A2). P-450(Dah1) activated 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ) most efficiently in the umu test and exhibited a high activity of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase toward benzo[a]pyrene.     

Expression of human 21-hydroxylase (P450c21) in bacterial and mammalian cells: a system to characterize normal and mutant enzymes

Cytochrome P450c21 (steroid 21-hydroxylase) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of cortisol, whose deficiency is the cause of a common genetic disease, congenital adrenal hyperplasia. We have expressed P450c21 (steroid 21-hydroxylase) in E. coli and mammalian cells. In E. coli, P450c21 cDNA was cloned into a T7 expression vector to produce a large amount of P450c21 fusion protein, which enabled antiserum production. In mammalian cells, a plasmid containing full-length P450c21 cDNA (phc21) was constructed and transfected into COS-1 cells to produce active P450c21, which was detected by immunoblotting and 21-hydroxylase activity assay. This system was used to assay mutations involved in the disease. Ile172 of phc21 corresponding to the site of mutation in some cases of the disease was mutagenized to become Asn, Leu, His, or Gln. Mutant as well as normal P450c21 was produced when their cDNAs were transfected into COS-1 cells. The mutant proteins, however, had greatly reduced 21-hydroxylase activities. Therefore, missense mutation at Ile172 resulted in inactivation of the enzyme, but not in repression of enzyme synthesis. The Leu for Ile substitution at amino acid 172 did not result in partial restoration of enzymatic activity, indicating that hydrophobicity at this residue may not play a role in its function.