Separation and analysis of immunochemical properties of multiple forms of cytochrome P-450 from the rat liver

Four cytochromes P-450 induced by phenobarbital (PB-1--PB-4) and two cytochromes P-450 induced by S-methylcholanthrene (MC-1, MC-2) were purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from rat liver microsomes. The purification procedure involved sequential chromatography on n-aminooctyl-Sepharose 4B, DEAE-Sephacel and hydroxylapatite columns. The spectral and immunochemical properties of the cytochromes P-450 were estimated. All, but MC-1, cytochromes P-450 were found to exist in a low spin state. Using the Ouchterlony double diffusion method, it was shown that all cytochromes P-450 under study can be divided into two groups, i. e., PB-1--PB-2 and PB-3--PB-4, sharing common antigenic determinants inside the groups. High performance liquid chromatography of PB-3 and MC-2 on anion-exchangers yielded two additional peaks from the PB-induced major cytochrome P-450 PB-3 and three peaks from the MC-induced major cytochrome P-450 MC-2. The multiplicity of cytochrome P-450 forms is discussed.     

Simultaneous purification of multiple forms of rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 by high-performance liquid chromatography

14 microsomal cytochromes P-450 were purified from the liver of untreated and phenobarbital- or 3-methylcholanthrene-treated male rats. Following solubilization of microsomes with sodium cholate, poly(ethylene glycol) fractionation and aminohexyl-Sepharose 4B chromatography, cytochromes P-450 were purified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), using a preparative DEAE-anion-exchange column. The pass-through fraction was further purified by HPLC using a cation-exchange column. Other fractions eluted on preparative DEAE-HPLC were further applied onto an HPLC using a DEAE-column. Five kinds (P-450UT-2-6), four kinds (P-450PB-1,2,4 and 5) and five kinds (P-450MC-1-5) of cytochromes P-450 were purified from untreated rats or rats treated with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene, respectively. HPLC profiles of tryptic peptides of cytochromes P-450UT-2 and P-450MC-2 were identical and the other profiles obtained from seven purified cytochromes P-450 were distinct from each other. Amino-terminal sequences of eight forms of cytochrome P-450 (UT-2, UT-5, PB-1, PB-2, PB-4, PB-5, MC-1 and MC-5) were distinct except for cytochromes P-450PB-4 and P-450PB-5.     

Synthesis of sex-specific forms of cytochrome P-450 in rat liver is transiently suppressed by hepatic monooxygenase inducers

The effects of phenobarbital (PB), 3-methylcholanthrene (MC), and alpha-naphthoflavone (alpha-NF) on the synthesis of drug-inducible forms of cytochrome P-450, P-450(PB-1), and P-450(MC-1), and sex-specific forms of cytochrome P-450, P-450(M-1), and P-450(F-1), in male and female rats were studied. Whereas P-450(PB-1) and P-450(MC-1) in liver microsomes were markedly induced in both sexes by treatment with PB and MC, respectively, the contents of P-450(M-1) and P-450(F-1) were significantly decreased by the treatments. alpha-NF, which is not a P-450 inducer, did not change the contents of sex-specific forms of cytochrome P-450. The translatable mRNAs of the P-450s were also determined by using an in vitro translation system. The mRNAs coding for P-450(PB-1) and P-450(MC-1) were increased by drug administrations. On the other hand, the mRNAs coding for P-450(M-1) and P-450(F-1) were transiently decreased by the drugs, and then returned to the normal levels. The time courses of the induction of the drug-inducible P-450s and the repression of the sex-specific P-450s showed no close correlation. alpha-NF had no effect on the synthesis of P-450(M-1) and P-450(F-1). We also found that the synthesis of P-450(M-1) in the livers of untreated rats showed no diurnal variations.     

Purification of cytochrome P-450 catalyzing 25-hydroxylation of vitamin D3 from rat liver microsomes

Cytochrome P-450 catalyzing 25-hydroxylation of cholecalciferol (cytochrome P-450 cc25 ) was purified from rat liver microsomes based on its catalytic activity at each purification step. The specific cytochrome P-450 content of the final preparation was 15.1 nmol/mg of protein. Reconstituted activity of 25-hydroxylation of cholecalciferol with the purified enzyme was 2.3 nmol/min/mg of protein, which was 4,300 times as high as that in microsomes. The minimum molecular weight of the enzyme was 50,000 based on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretogram. Amino terminal sequence of the P-450 cc25 was H2N-Met-Asp-Pro-Val-Leu-Val-. Immunochemical study showed that the purified P-450 cc25 was homogeneous and the cytochrome was immunochemically different from either cytochrome P-450(PB-1) or cytochrome P-448(MC-1).     

Incorporation of heme to microsomal cytochrome P-450 in the absence of protein biosynthesis

Determination of the heme and protein portions of phenobarbital (PB)-inducible and 3-methylcholanthrene inducible forms of cytochrome P-450, P-450(PB-1), and P-450(MC-1), in the liver microsomes of drug-treated animals indicated the presence of 20-30% of apo-cytochrome P-450 in both cases. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide injection to the rats did not significantly inhibit the incorporation of delta-amino[14C]levulinic acid (ALA) into the heme of P-450(PB-1) or P-450(MC-1) in the liver, indicating that the heme incorporation into microsomal cytochrome P-450 is not tightly coupled with the synthesis of the apo-cytochrome. When heme-labeled cytosol prepared from [14C]ALA-injected rats was incubated with non-radioactive microsomes in vitro, a significant amount of labeled heme was incorporated into microsomal P-450(PB-1), whereas the incorporation into P-450(MC-1) was much less. The in vitro transfer of heme from cytosol to microsome-bound cytochrome P-450 was stimulated by the addition of an NADPH-generating system to the incubation mixtures, and inhibited when the microsomes were solubilized with sodium cholate and Emulgen-913. Although the in vitro incubation of heme-labeled microsomes with non-radioactive cytosol resulted in some release of labeled heme from the microsomes, no reversible transfer of heme between cytochrome P-450 molecules bound to separate microsomal vesicles was detected when heme-labeled microsomes were incubated with non-radioactive microsomes in the presence and absence of cytosol.     

Isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for cytochromes P-450 immunochemically related to rat hepatic P-450 form PB-1

Rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 PB-1 is a prominent constitutive P-450 form whose levels increase approximately 2-3 fold upon phenobarbital administration. Antibodies raised against this protein recognized two major proteins in immunoblots of rat liver microsomal proteins and precipitated comparable amounts of two electrophoretically separable hepatic mRNA translation products. The levels of the two mRNAs encoding these polypeptides were increased substantially upon phenobarbital administration. The anti-PB-1 antibodies were used to screen a cDNA library, and two distinct cDNA clones, pTF-1 and pTF-2, were isolated. These clones contain inserts of 1227 and 410 base pairs, respectively, and show 80% nucleic acid sequence homology in their region of overlap. The DNA sequences of these clones show 54% sequence homology to the corresponding portions of the mRNA encoding P-450 PB-4, a major phenobarbital-inducible form of rat liver P-450, and can be optimally aligned with the PB-4 sequence without introducing insertions or deletions. The level of hepatic mRNA which hybridizes to clone pTF-2 increases approximately 2-4-fold after phenobarbital treatment, whereas mRNA which hybridizes to pTF-1 does not change in concentration after this treatment. mRNA, which hybridizes to pTF-1, is, however, 4-fold more abundant in livers of female rats than in livers of male rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The structure of phenobarbital-inducible rat liver cytochrome P-450 isoenzyme PB-4. Production and characterization of site-specific antibodies

Fifteen peptides corresponding in sequence to segments of the major phenobarbital-inducible forms of rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 (termed P-450 PB-4 and P-450 PB-5) were chemically synthesized, conjugated to carrier proteins, and used to prepare site-specific rabbit and/or mouse antipeptide antibodies. Four of the synthetic peptides were recognized by rabbit heterosera raised against purified P-450 PB-4. The titer of these heterosera measured against P-450 PB-4 was only partially reduced upon complete adsorption of antipeptide activity suggesting that these peptides represent minor antigenic determinants. Each of the antipeptide antibodies recognized purified P-450 PB-4 and the highly homologous P-450 PB-5 as demonstrated by a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Although each antipeptide immunoprecipitated both purified 125I-labeled P-450 PB-4 and also in vitro-synthesized apo-P-450 PB-4, the yields of immunoprecipitation were low relative to that obtained using anti-P-450 heterosera. Only one of the antipeptide antibodies gave a good signal in an immunoblot analysis of either microsomal or purified P-450s PB-4 and PB-5. Three antipeptide antibodies raised against hydrophilic segments located in the amino-terminal one-third of P-450 PB-4 markedly inhibited the P-450 PB-4-catalyzed O-deethylation of the model substrate 7-ethoxycoumarin. Four of the antipeptide antibodies were found to cross-react with P-450 beta NF-B, the major aromatic hydrocarbon-inducible rat hepatic P-450, suggesting that certain amino acid sequences or regions of secondary structure are conserved between the major phenobarbital-induced and polycyclic-induced rat liver P-450 isoenzymes. These studies demonstrate the utility of antipeptide antibodies for evaluation of antigenic sites exposed in native P-450 PB-4, for identification of specific amino acid sequences important for the interaction of P-450 PB-4 with its substrate and/or with cytochrome P-450 reductase in a reconstituted system and for elucidation of structural and immunochemical homologies between P-450 PB-4 and other P-450 isoenzymes present in rat liver endoplasmic reticulum.     

Testosterone metabolism by microsomal cytochrome P-450 in liver of rats treated with some inducers

1. The stereoselective hydroxylation of testosterone by microsomal cytochrome P-450 and the changes in level of components participated in the microsomal electron transport system were observed in the microsomes induced unique P-450 isozymes. 2. Flavone- and hesperetin-inducible P-450 catalyzed the hydroxylation of testosterone more effectively than other chemicals-inducible ones. 3. The P-450 in all the microsomal preparations tested most rapidly oxidized testosterone to 6 beta-monohydroxy form. 4. Particularly, MC- and BNF-inducible P-450 showed high stereoselectivity on C6-position of testosterone, and PB-, flavone- and hesperetin-inducible one showed that on C2-position of this compound, respectively. 5. This specificity of two flavonoid-inducible P-450 for the formation of 2 alpha- and 2 beta-epimer of monohydroxytestosterone was opposite to each other. 6. The content of P-450 and the activity of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase were high in PB-, MC- and BNF-microsomes, whereas NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity was high in two flavonoid-microsomes and the content of cytochrome b5 was not changed except the PB-treated rats. 7. It is suggested that the increasing activities of testosterone hydroxylases in flavonoid-microsomes seems to be closely related to NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase.     

Purification and characterization of two constitutive cytochromes P-450 (F-1 and F-2) from adult female rats: identification of P-450F-1 as the phenobarbital-inducible cytochrome P-450 in male rat liver

Two hepatic microsomal cytochromes P-450, P-450F-1 and P-450F-2 were purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from untreated adult female rats by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with anion-exchange, cation-exchange, and hydroxyapatite columns. Cytochromes P-450F-1 and P-450F-2 were not adsorbed with the anion-exchange column, but were retained on a cation-exchange column and were separated poorly. These forms separated on hydroxyapatite HPLC. The molecular weights of cytochromes P-450F-1 and P-450F-2 were 50,000 and 49,000, respectively. The absolute spectrum of the oxidized forms indicated that they had the low-spin state of heme, and the CO-reduced spectral maxima of cytochromes P-450F-1 and P-450F-2 were at 450 and 448 nm, respectively. Both forms catalyzed the N-demethylation of benzphetamine and had low catalytic activity for 7-ethoxycoumarin. Cytochrome P-450F-1 had low 2 alpha-hydroxylation activity toward testosterone. Cytochrome P-450F-2 had low 15 alpha-hydroxylation activity. On the basis of these results and those of NH2-terminal sequence analysis, cytochrome P-450F-2 seemed to be the typical female-specific cytochrome P-450. The NH2-terminal sequence of cytochrome P-450F-1 was identical to that of cytochrome P-450PB-2 purified from hepatic microsomes of male rats treated with phenobarbital. Cytochromes P-450F-1 and P-450PB-2 had identical chromatographic properties, minimum molecular weight, spectral properties, and peptide maps. Furthermore, the antibody to phenobarbital-inducible cytochrome P-450PB-2 gave a single immunoprecipitin band with cytochrome P-450F-1 by Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis.     

Induction of mRNA coding for phenobarbital-inducible form of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in rat liver by administration of 1,1-Di(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethylene and phenobarbital

In the preceding paper (Yoshioka, H., et al. (1984) J. Biochem. 95, 937-947), we reported that 1,1-di(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloro-ethylene (DDE) induced the phenobarbital (PB)-inducible form of microsomal cytochrome P-450 (P-450(PB-1) in rat liver. In order to study more precisely the molecular events responsible for the induction of this particular form of cytochrome P-450 by the two chemical compounds, we determined the amounts of the mRNA coding for P-450(PB-1) in the liver of rats given a single dose of PB or DDE. RNA was extracted from the livers of the treated rats and the determination of the specific mRNA was carried out by using the rabbit reticulocyte lysate translation system and by a dot hybridization method using cloned P-450(PB-1) cDNA (Fujii-Kuriyama, Y., et al. (1982) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 79, 2793-2797) as the probe. The amounts of P-450(PB-1) mRNA determined by these two methods at various time points of the induction process showed good agreement. These observations further confirmed the induction of an identical form of cytochrome P-450 by DDE and PB. The maximum level of P-450(PB-1) mRNA, which was about 8-fold higher than the control level, was attained at 20-30 h and at 48-72 h after the administration of PB and DDE, respectively. The mRNA level showed a rapid decrease after the peak in the liver of PB-treated rats, but the decrease was much slower with DDE-treated rats. We conclude that DDE had a more persistent inducing effect on the mRNA level than PB, although these two compounds induced an identical form of cytochrome P-450 in the liver microsomes of the animals.     

Posttranslational modification of hepatic cytochrome P-450. Phosphorylation of phenobarbital-inducible P-450 forms PB-4 (IIB1) and PB-5 (IIB2) in isolated rat hepatocytes and in vivo

Phosphorylation of hepatic cytochrome P-450 was studied in isolated hepatocytes incubated in the presence of agents known to stimulate protein kinase activity. Incubation of hepatocytes isolated from phenobarbital-induced adult male rats with [32P]orthophosphate in the presence of N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP (diBtcAMP) or glucagon resulted in the phosphorylation of microsomal proteins that are immunoprecipitable by polyclonal antibodies raised to the phenobarbital-inducible P-450 form PB-4 (P-450 gene IIB1). Little or no phosphorylation of these proteins was observed in the absence of diBtcAMP or glucagon or in the presence of activators of Ca2+-dependent protein kinases. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that these 32P-labeled microsomal proteins consist of a mixture of P-450 PB-4 and the closely related P-450 PB-5 (gene IIB2), both of which exhibited heterogeneity in the isoelectric focusing dimension. Phosphorylation of both P-450 forms was markedly enhanced by diBtcAMP at concentrations as low as 5 microM. In contrast, little or no phosphorylation of P-450 forms reactive with antibodies to P-450 PB-1 (gene IIC6), P-450 2c (gene IIC11), or P-450 PB-2a (gene IIIA1) was detected in the isolated hepatocytes under these incubation conditions. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the 32P-labeled P-450 PB-4 + PB-5 immunoprecipitate revealed that these P-450s are phosphorylated on serine in the isolated hepatocytes. Peptide mapping indicated that the site of phosphorylation in hepatocytes is indistinguishable from the site utilized by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro, which was previously identified as serine-128 for the related rabbit protein P-450 LM2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Immunologic identification of the aromatase enzyme system in human endometrium

Confluent human endometrial stromal cells were cultured in medium with no hormone or supplemented with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), estradiol (E2), and porcine relaxin (RLX) for 5 days. These stromal cells were then labeled with [35S]methionine for 3 h. The radioactive proteins in the particulate fraction of cell homogenate were extracted by detergent and incubated with antisera to purified placental aromatase cytochrome P-450 (P-450arom) and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase to isolate the radio-labeled aromatase enzyme components. Analysis of the radio-labeled protein, isolated by antibody to the cytochrome P-450arom from different preparations (P45FBIII or R-8-2) showed a major band at molecular weight 54k on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The intensity of 54k band was stronger in hormone treated stromal cells than that of control in parallel with the increase of aromatase activity. The radio-labeled protein isolated by anti-NADPH cytochrome P-450 reductase, REDFBIV, showed a major band at the molecular weight 73k on SDS-PAGE with comparable intensity in control and hormone treated samples. Thus, the apparent molecular weights of endometrial cytochrome P-450arom and cytochrome P-450 reductase were identical to placental aromatase enzyme system. When a secretory endometrium and a decidua were labeled with [35S]methionine, the cytochrome P-450arom was detected only in the decidua. NADPH cytochrome P-450 reductase was detected both in the endometrium and the decidua. These results show that antisera to placental aromatase enzyme system cross reacts with the endometrial aromatase enzyme components. The synthesis of cytochrome P-450arom was stimulated by MPA, E2 and RLX while the synthesis of the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase aromatase component was not affected by the hormone.     

The phenobarbital-type induction of rat liver microsomal monooxygenases by perfluorodecalin

Induction of perfluorodecalin (PFD) of the liver microsomal system of metabolism of xenobiotics has been studied and compared with the inductions by phenobarbital (PB) and 3-methylcholanthrene (MC). It has been shown that PFD increases the content of cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. Like PB, PFD induces the activities of benzphetamine-N-demethylase, aldrine-epoxidase, 16 beta-androstendion-hydroxylase. Using specific antibodies against cytochromes P-450b and P-450c (which are the main isoenzymes of cytochrome P-450 in the PB- and MC-microsomes respectively), an immunological identity of the cytochrome P-450 isoforms during PFD and PB induction has been found. According to the rocket immunoelectrophoresis the content of cytochrome P-450 in PFD-microsomes, which is immunologically indistinguishable from P-450b, was approximately 70% of the total cytochrome P-450. Two forms of cytochrome P-450 were isolated from the liver microsomes of PFD-induced rats and purified to homogeneity. A comparison of these forms with cytochromes P-450b and P-450e obtained from the PB-induced rat liver microsomes revealed their similarity in a number of properties, e.g., chromotographic behavior on DEAE-Sephacel column, molecular weight determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, immunoreactivity, peptide mapping, catalytic activity. The data presented demonstrate that PFD induced in rat liver microsomes the cytochrome P-450 forms whose immunological properties and substrate specificity correspond to those of the PB-type cytochrome P-450. These findings suggest that PFD and PB, which differ in their chemical structure, induce in the rat liver microsomes identical forms of cytochrome P-450.     

Genetic polymorphism of human cytochrome P-450 (S)-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylase. Studies with human autoantibodies suggest a functionally altered cytochrome P-450 isozyme as cause of the genetic deficiency

The metabolism of the anticonvulsant mephenytoin is subject to a genetic polymorphism. In 2-5% of Caucasians and 18-23% of Japanese subjects a specific cytochrome P-450 isozyme, P-450 meph, is functionally deficient or missing. We have accumulated evidence that autoimmune antibodies observed in sera of patients with tienilic acid induced hepatitis (anti-liver kidney microsome 2 or anti-LKM2 antibodies) specifically recognize the cytochrome P-450 involved in the mephenytoin hydroxylation polymorphism. This is demonstrated by immunoinhibition and immunoprecipitation of microsomal (S)-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylation activity and by the recognition by anti-LKM2 antibodies of a single protein band on immunoblots of human liver microsomes after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or isoelectric focusing. The cytochrome P-450 recognized by anti-LKM2 antibodies was immunopurified from microsomes derived from livers of extensive (EM) or poor metabolizers (PM) of (S)-mephenytoin. Comparison of the EM-type cytochrome P-450 to that isolated from PM livers revealed no difference in regard to immuno-cross-reactivity, molecular weight, isoelectric point, relative content in microsomes, two-dimensional tryptic peptide maps, one-dimensional peptide maps with three proteases, amino acid composition, and amino-terminal protein sequence. Finally, the same protein was precipitated from microsomes prepared from the liver biopsy of a subject phenotyped in vivo as a poor metabolizer of mephenytoin. These data strongly suggest that the mephenytoin hydroxylation deficiency is caused by a minor structural change leading to a functionally altered cytochrome P-450 isozyme.     

Constitutive testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylase in rat liver

The cytochrome P-450 that was purified from hepatic microsomes of male rats treated with phenobarbital and designated P450 PB-1 (Funae and Imaoka (1985) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 842, 119-132) had high testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylation activity (turnover rate, 13.5 nmol of product/min/nmol of P-450) in a reconstituted system consisting of cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, cytochrome b5, and a 1:1 mixture of lecithin and phosphatidylserine in the presence of sodium cholate. In ordinary conditions in the reconstituted system with cytochrome P-450, reductase, and dilauroylphosphatidylcholine, P450 PB-1 had little 6 beta-hydroxylase activity. The catalytic activities toward testosterone of two major constitutive forms, P450 UT-2 and P450 UT-5, were not affected by cytochrome b5, phospholipid, or sodium cholate. P450 PB-1 in rat liver microsomes was assayed by immunoblotting with specific antibody to P450 PB-1. P450 PB-1 accounted for 24.4 +/- 5.6% (mean +/- SD) of the total spectrally-measured cytochrome P-450 in hepatic microsomes of untreated adult male rats, and was not found in untreated adult female rats. P450 PB-1 was induced twofold with phenobarbital in male rats. P450 PB-1 was purified from untreated male rats and identified as P450 PB-1 from phenobarbital-treated rats by its NH2-terminal sequence, peptide mapping, and immunochemistry. These results showed that P450 PB-1 is a constitutive male-specific form in rat liver. There was a good correlation (r = 0.925) between the P450 PB-1 level and testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylase activity in rat liver microsomes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Phenobarbital-induced rat liver cytochrome P-450. Purification and characterization of two closely related isozymic forms

The "major" phenobarbital (PB)-induced cytochrome P-450 species present in livers of male Sprague-Dawley rats was resolved into two catalytically active heme-protein fractions on diethylaminoethyl cellulose. The two species, P-450 PB-4 (Mr = 49,000) and P-450 PB-5 (Mr = 51,000), were purified to homogeneity, and their chromatographic, spectral, catalytic, and structural properties were compared. P-450 BP-5 eluted earlier on hydroxylapatite and exhibited a more significant cholate-induced Type I spectral shift than P-450 BP-4. Very similar substrate specificity profiles were evident when the two isozymes were reconstituted with lipid, cytochrome P-450 reductase, and cytochrome b5 for oxidative metabolism of several xenobiotics, although P-450 PB-4 exhibited a higher specific catalytic activity (greater than or equal to 5-fold) with all substrates tested. Marked differences were also observed in the sensitivities of both isozymes to several P-450 inhibitors. In addition, P-450 PB-4 was greater than or equal to 10-fold more susceptible than P-450 PB-5 to suicide inactivation by two allyl-containing compounds, allylisopropylacetamide and secobarbital, providing a possible explanation of the previously observed partial inactivation by such compounds of phenobarbital-induced P-450 activity in liver microsomes. One-dimensional peptide maps of the two isoenzymes were highly similar. Antibody raised against purified Long Evans rat liver P-450b (Thomas, P. E., Korzeniowski, D., Ryan, D., and Levin, W. (1979) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 192, 524-532) cross-reacted with P-450 PB-4 and P-450 PB-5. NH2-terminal sequence analysis demonstrated that the first 31 residues of both PB-4 and PB-5 were identical. These sequences indicated that a highly hydrophobic terminal segment, observed previously for other P-450s as well, is followed by a cluster of basic residues, suggesting that the NH2-terminal portion of these P-450s might be involved in membrane anchoring. Although it is unclear whether P-450 PB-4 and P-450 PB-5 are separate gene products or are related by post-translational modifications, this present demonstration of closely related isozymic forms suggests the possible added complexity of microheterogeneity for this family of microsomal monooxygenases.     

Androgen hydroxylation catalysed by a cell line (SD1) that stably expresses rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 PB-4 (IIB1).

Androgen hydroxylation catalysed by Chinese hamster fibroblast SD1 cells, which stably express cytochrome P-450 form PB-4, the rat P450IIB1 gene product, was assessed and compared to that catalysed by purified cytochrome P-450 PB-4 isolated from rat liver. SD1 cell homogenates catalysed the NADPH-dependent hydroxylation of androstenedione and testosterone with a regioselectivity very similar to that purified by P-450 PB-4 (16 beta-hydroxylation/16 alpha-hydroxylation = 6.0-6.8 for androstenedione; 16 beta/16 alpha = 0.9 for testosterone). Homogenates prepared from the parental cell line V79, which does not express detectable levels of P-450 PB-4 or any other cytochrome P-450, exhibited no androgen 16 beta- or 16 alpha-hydroxylase activity. The hydroxylase activities catalysed by the SD1 cell homogenate were selectively and quantitatively inhibited (greater than 90%) by a monoclonal antibody to P-450 PB-4 at a level of antibody (40 pmol of antibody binding sites/mg of SD1 homogenate) that closely corresponds to the P-450 PB-4 content of the cells (48 pmol of PB-4/mg of SD1 homogenate). Fractionation of cell homogenates into cytosol and microsomes revealed that the P-450 PB-4-mediated activities are associated with the membrane fraction. Although the P-450 PB-4-specific content of the SD1 microsomes was 15% of that present in phenobarbital-induced rat liver microsomes, the P-450 PB-4-dependent androstenedione 16 beta-hydroxylase activity of the SD1 membrane fraction was only 2-3% of that present in the liver microsomes. This activity could be stimulated several-fold, however, by supplementation of SD1 microsomes with purified rat NADPH P-450 reductase. These studies establish that a single P-450 gene product (IIB1) can account for the hydroxylation of androgen substrates at multiple sites, and suggest that SD1 cells can be used to assess the catalytic specificity of P-450 PB-4 with other substrates as well.     

Changes in the amount of cytochrome P450s in rat hepatic microsomes with starvation

The effects of starvation on the composition of 12 different cytochrome P450s in rat hepatic microsomes were studied with a specific antibody. Changes in the metabolic activity of the microsomes were studied at the same time. P450 DM (P450j) was induced 2.5-fold by a 48-h starvation and its increase reflected the increase of metabolic activity of hepatic microsomes toward aniline, 7-ethoxycoumarin, and N-nitrosodimethylamine. P450 K-5, the major renal cytochrome P450 in untreated male rat, was also induced 2.5-fold by a 48-h starvation. P450 UT-2 (P450h) and P450 UT-5 (P450g), typical male-specific forms, decreased with starvation. P450 UT-2 had high testosterone 2 alpha- and 16 alpha-hydroxylation activities. These activities of hepatic microsomes were reduced with the decrease in P450 UT-2. P450 PB-1, testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylase, was increased time-dependently by starvation. P450 UT-4 (RLM2), a minor male-specific form, was not changed by starvation. P450 PB-2 (P450k), present in both sexes, was changed little by starvation. P450 PB-4 (P450b) and P450 PB-5 (P450e) are strongly induced in rat liver by phenobarbital in coordinate fashion. Starvation increased P450 PB-4 12-fold but reduced P450 PB-5 to 22% of the control level. P450 MC-1 (P450d) was decreased by starvation. P450 MC-5 (P450c) was barely detected in control rats and was not changed by starvation. P450 IF-3 (P450a), rich in immature rats, was increased by starvation, accompanied by an increase in testosterone 7 alpha-hydroxylation activity in the hepatic microsomes. We further investigated whether new cytochrome P450s appeared upon starvation by comparison of chromatographic profiles of cytochrome P450 from starved rats with those of cytochrome P450 from control rats using HPLC. Three new cytochrome P450s were detected in the starved rats. These cytochrome P450s were purified to homogeneity. One of them was P450 DM, judging from spectral properties, catalytic activity, and the NH2-terminal sequence. The two other forms were designated P450 3b and 4b. The minimum molecular weights of P450 3b and 4b were 53,000 and 52,000, respectively, and their CO-reduced absorption maxima were at 449 and 452 nm, respectively. P450 3b metabolized aminopyrine, N-nitrosodimethylamine, 7-ethoxycoumarin, and lauric acid, but with low activity. P450 4b was efficient in lauric acid omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxylation only. The spectral properties, catalytic activity, peptide map, and NH2-terminal sequence of P450 4b agreed with those of P450 K-5. P450 3b was a new cytochrome P450, judged by these criteria.     

Purification and characterization of cytochrome P-450 isozymes from phenobarbital-induced adult hen liver

1. Two cytochrome P-450 isozymes (P-450 PB-A, PB-B) and cytochrome b5 were purified from livers of phenobarbital-treated adult hens. 2. Both the enzymes exhibited the same apparent molecular weight (54,000). 3. They could be distinguished on the basis of immunochemical properties, spectral properties, peptide pattern after partial proteolysis, tryptic peptide pattern, and N-terminal sequence. 4. The antibodies raised against P-450 PB-A and PB-B did not cross-react with microsomal P-450s of rat, mice, cat, or catfish species by immunoblotting.