The domain structure of the cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450 from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria

A homogeneous cytochrome P-450scc preparation with a specific enzyme content of 18 nmol/1 mg protein has been obtained using affinity chromatography on adrenodoxin-Sepharose under optimal conditions of the protein adsorption onto and desorption from the affinity sorbent. The data on the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme, along with the results of electrophoretic and spectrophotometric analyses favoured the multistage cholesterol transformation to pregnenolone to be catalyzed by single species of cytochrome P-450scc consisting of one polypeptide chain. Limited proteolysis of cytochrome P-450scc with trypsin resulted, at the initial stages, in the formation (in an equimolar ratio) of two large polypeptide fragments, I and II, with Mr 27000 and 22000, respectively. Prolonged action of trypsin led to the digestion of fragment II and the formation of a stoichiometric amount of fragment III, Mr of about 14000. Cytochrome P-450scc converted by trypsin into equimolar mixtures of fragments I and II or I and III retained the major spectral and functional properties of the native protein. The aspartyl-prolyl linkages, sulphhydryl groups, and surface tyrosine residues are distributed nonuniformly among fragments I and II. These data, as well as a different resistance of the fragments to the action of trypsin, suggest that cytochrome P-450scc consists of two independently folded domains linked with a short loop of the polypeptide chain, the domains being rigidly associated under neutral conditions.     

Separation of cholesterol-specific cytochrome P-450 regions and their localization in the polypeptide chain

The separation of the two domains, disclosed by limited trypsinolysis in the cholesterol side chain cleavage cytochrome P-450, by covalent chromatography on thiopropyl-Sepharose 6B is described. The domains F1 (MW 27 000) and F2 (MW 22 000) are shown to belong to the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the polypeptide chain respectively.     

Immunochemical study of cholesterol-hydroxylating cytochrome P-450. Topology of the peptide chain of the heme protein in the phospholipid membrane

The topology of adrenocortical cytochrome P-450scc in inner mitochondrial membrane was studied. To determine the polypeptide chain parts exposed to matrix or cytosol, two approaches were used, i.e. i) limited proteolysis of membrane-bound cytochrome P-450scc followed by the detection of the peptides formed by immunoblotting; ii) binding of monospecific antibodies against cytochrome P-450scc as well as fragments F1 and F2 representing N- and C-terminal sequences of the hemeprotein, to membrane structures (mitoplasts and submitochondrial particles). The data obtained confirm the transmembrane orientation of cytochrome P-450scc molecule, since antibodies against the hemeprotein as well as fragments F1 and F2 were found to be bound both on the matrix and cytosol surfaces of the inner mitochondrial membrane. It was shown that region 250-257 in cytochrome P-450scc connecting domains F1 and F2 is exposed to the matrix. A model of molecular organization of cytochrome P-450scc in inner mitochondrial membranes is proposed.     

Primary structure of the cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450 from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria and some aspects of its functioning on a structural level

The primary structure of the cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450 (P-450scc) from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria has been determined. At the initial stage an exhaustive chymotryptic digestion of carboxymethylated P-450scc was performed, and the amino acid sequence of 66 peptides was determined. At the second stage an investigation of the amino acid sequence of individual fragments I (Mr 29 800) and II (Mr 26 600) of the limited trypsinolysis of P-450scc was carried out. Fragment I was digested with trypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase and thermolysin; fragment II was cleaved with trypsin and S. aureus V8 proteinase. In addition, the amino acid sequence of some CNBr peptides of P-450scc has been investigated. The primary structure of cytochrome P-450scc determined with protein chemistry methods proved the multistage cholesterol transformation to pregnenolone to be catalyzed by a single species of cytochrome P-450scc which consists of 481 amino acids. The results from protein sequencing of P-450scc are in good agreement with those obtained recently from nucleotide sequencing. The localization of peptide bonds cleaved under limited proteolysis of P-450 with trypsin to fragments I and II, I and III (Mr 16 800) is presented. It is shown that the transformation of P-450scc to P-420 is accompanied by the appearance of an additional trypsin-sensitive peptide bond in the N-terminal part of P-450scc.     

Cytochrome P-450 of adrenal mitochondria. In vitro and in vivo changes in spin states.

Steroid-induced difference spectra have been used to examine the combination of cholesterol with adrenal mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 which participates in cholesterol side chain cleavage (P-450scc) and the depletion of cholesterol from the cytochrome which results from turnover of the enzyme system. Type I difference spectra-induced by cholest-5-ene-3beta, 25-diol (25-hydroxycholesterol) and cholest-5-ene-3beta, 20 alpha, 22R-triol (20alpha, 22R dihydroxycholesterol) have been used to quantitate binding of cholesterol to two sites (I and II) on cytochrome P-450scc. The action of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in vivo and the action of calcium or phosphate ions on isolated mitochondria stimulate the combination of cholesterol with site I but not site II. Cholesterol derived from lecithin-cholesterol micelles, however, binds to both sites. Malate-induced cholesterol depletion occurred at a comparable rate to the transfer of cholesterol from lecithin-cholesterol micelles. However, a residual proportion of cholesterol-cytochrome P-450scc complexes remained, even after 10 min of exposure to malate, and was of similar magnitude in mitochondria from both cycloheximide-treated and stressed rats. It is suggested that this reflects a less reactive form of cholesterol-cytochrome complex. Steroid-induced difference spectra indicate that sites I and II on cytochrome P-450scc are similarly depleted after metabolism of mitochondrial cholesterol in vitro and after inhibition of the action of ACTH in vivo. Anaerobiosis of adrenal cells after excision of the accumulation of cholesterol at cytochrome P-450cc. When anaerobiosis was prevented, cytochrome P-450scc in the freshly isolated mitochondria was apparently essentially free of complexed cholesterol, irrespective of the extent of ACTH action. For 30 min after suspension of the mitochondria in 0.25 M sucrose at 4 degrees, cholesterol combines with cytochrome P-450scc. The extent of this process was not affected by the presence of cycloheximide during ether stress treatment of the rats. It is concluded that there are at least two pools of mitochondrial cholesterol with access to cytochrome P-450scc but that ACTH stimulates only the pool which most readily interacts with the cytochrome.     

Apparent lack of correlation between the loss of cytochrome P-450 in hepatic parenchymal cell culture and the stimulation of haem oxygenase activity

The hypothesis that the stimulation of haem oxygenase activity in cultured adult rat liver parenchymal cells is intimately associated with the accelerated breakdown of the haemoprotein cytochrome P-450 was examined. Even though the time course of the loss of cytochrome P-450 and the stimulation of haem oxygenase activity were found to be compatible with this hypothesis, further work however showed that high levels of cytochrome P-450 could be maintained in liver cell culture in the face of high haem oxygenase activities.     

Cholesterol-hydroxylating cytochrome P-450 from bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria and human placenta: immunochemical properties and structural characteristics

An immunochemical comparison of components of cholesterol side chain cleavage system from bovine adrenocortical and human placental mitochondria has been carried out. Antibodies against cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria were shown to cross-react with corresponding antigens of human placental mitochondria. A highly sensitive immunochemical method for cytochrome P-450scc determination has been developed. Limited proteolysis of cytochrome P-450scc of human placental mitochondria was studied, and the products of trypsinolysis were identified using antibodies against cytochrome P-450scc and fragments of its polypeptide chain: F1, F2 and F3. Immunochemical relatedness of ferredoxins from bovine adrenocortical and human placental mitochondria allowed one to develop a fast and efficient method for cytochrome P-450scc purification from human placental mitochondria by affinity chromatography on adrenodoxin-Sepharose.     

Immunochemical characteristics of cholesterol-hydroxylating cytochrome P-450 from adrenal cortex mitochondria

Highly specific antibodies against hemeprotein were obtained by immunizing rabbits with a highly purified cholesterol-hydroxylating cytochrome P-450scc from adrenocortical mitochondria. The antibodies do not specifically interact with other components of the adrenocortical electron transport chain, e. g., adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin. Using double immunodiffusion technique (Ouchterlony method), it was shown that the antibodies did not precipitate the microsomal cytochromes P-450 LM2 and LM4, cytochrome b5 and 11 beta-hydroxylating cytochrome P-450 from adrenocortical mitochondria. Antibodies against cytochrome P-450scc inhibited the cholesterol side chain cleavage activity of cytochrome P-450scc in a reconstituted system. Limited proteolysis with trypsin and immunoelectrophoresis in the presence of specific antibodies revealed that antigenic determinants are present of the heme-containing catalytic domain of cytochrome P-450scc (F1) as well as on the domain responsible for the interaction with the phospholipid membrane (F2).     

Cytochrome P-450 of adrenal mitochondria. Spin states as detected by difference spectroscopy.

Adrenal mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 which functions in cholesterol side chain cleavage (P-450scc) exhibited type I (lambdamax 385, lambdamin 420 nm) and inverse type I (lambdamin 385, lambdamax 420 nm) difference spectra with several steroids. The magnitude and type of response were dependent on the particular steroid and on the extent to which cholesterol was bound to the cytochrome in the intact mitochondrion. the inverse type I difference spectrum induced by 3beta-hydroxy-pregn-5-ene-20-one (pregnenolone) was dependent on the proportion of high spin cholesterol-cytochrome P-450scc complexes. With rat adrenal mitochondria cholest-5-ene-3beta, 20alpha-diol (20alpha-hydroxycholesterol) invariably induced a smaller inverse type I response and, under conditions where cytochrome P-450scc was nearly free of cholesterol, even produced a small type I response. Two distinct steroid binding sites on cytochrome P-450scc were detected by, respectively, the slow type I response to cholest-5-ene-3beta, 25-diol (25-hydroxycholesterol) and the rapid type I response to a subsequent addition of cholest-5-ene-3beta, 20alpha, 22 R-triol (20alpha, 22R-dihydroxycholesterol). The relative proportions of the spectral responses to these steroids were dependent on the previous extent of adrenal activation by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), because this stimulatory process altered the combination of mitochondrial cholesterol with cytochrome P-450scc. It is proposed that the two steroid binding sites on cytochrome P-450scc interact with steroids in the following way: site I binds cholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, and 20alpha, 22R-dihydroxycholesterol with formation of a partially high spin cytochrome; site II binds both pregnenolone and 20alpha-OH cholesterol resulting in a low spin cytochrome. Interactions between sites I and II are not competitive, and occupancy of site II ensures a low spin state irrespective of the occupancy of site I. A second mode of interaction by 20alpha, 22R-dihydroxycholesterol stabilizes a high spin cytochrome and is competitive with site II binding by 20alpha-hydroxycholesterol or pregnenolone. Formation of a maximally high spin cytochrome follows occupancy by 20alpha, 22R-dihydroxycholesterol at both sites.     

Interaction of a spin-labelled cholesterol derivative with the cytochrome P-450scc active site

The cholesterol analogue 25-doxyl-27-nor-cholesterol (CNO), was found to be a substrate for cytochrome P-450scc. Upon incubation with the cytochrome P-450scc electron transfer system, CNO is transformed to pregnenolone (Km = 33 microM, Vmax = 0.32 min-1). The pregnenolone formation from endogenous cholesterol is strongly inhibited by CNO (50% at 5 microM). It binds tightly to cytochrome P-450scc as evidenced by a reversed type I spectral absorbance change (Kd = 5.9 microM) which is paralleled by a greater hyperfine splitting of the room-temperature CNO ESR spectrum due to an enhanced probe immobilization (Kd = 1.9 microM). This finding is in accord with a rotational correlation time of about 10(-7) s, which is close to the tumbling rate of the protein. At 110 K the CNO-bound cytochrome P-450scc displays the ESR g-values gx = 2.404/2.456, gy = 2.245 and gz = 1.916; these are different from those of cholesterol-liganded cytochrome P-450scc and may thus serve as a marker for cytochrome P-450scc. Our data indicate that the stereospecificity of the cytochrome P-450scc side-chain-cleaving activity is not dependent on the nature of the cholesterol side-chain termination (C25 to C27). The substrate binding site is however rather sensitive to a modification of the side chain. The doxyl ring confers a stronger affinity of the substrate to the enzyme. Upon binding it becomes embedded in the protein matrix, and we estimate that its final position is 0.6-1.0 nm from the heme moiety.     

Incorporation of haemoglobin haem into the rat hepatic haemoproteins tryptophan pyrrolase and cytochrome P-450.

After its administration to intact rats, haemoglobin haem was incorporated into hepatic tryptophan pyrrolase as shown by the marked increase in functional constitution of this enzyme. Incorporation of haemoglobin haem into cytochrome P-450 was demonstrated in intact rats and in the isolated rat liver perfused with haemoglobin-free medium. In both systems, haemoglobin haem restored cytochrome P-450 content and its dependent mixed-function-oxidase activity after substrate-induced destruction of the cytochrome P-450 haem moiety. Further confirmation that haemoglobin haem could be incorporated prosthetically into cytochrome P-450 was achieved by administration of [3H]haemoglobin to rats and subsequent isolation and characterization of radiolabelled substrate-alkylated products of cytochrome P-450 haem. Our findings indicate that, although hepatic uptake of parenteral haemoglobin is slower than that of haem, it appears to serve as an effective haem donor to the intrahepatic 'free' haem pool. Thus parenteral haemoglobin may warrant consideration as a therapeutic alternative to haem in the acute hepatic porphyrias.     

Immunochemical characteristics of cholesterol-hydroxylating cytochrome P-450. Monospecific antibodies against domains F1 and F2

Highly specific antibodies to adrenocortical cytochrome P-450scc as well as fragments F1 and F2 representing the N- and C-terminal sequences of the hemoprotein obtained by limited trypsinolysis were raised in rabbits. Antibodies to cytochrome P-450scc as demonstrated by the Ouchterlony diffusion analysis, immunoelectrophoresis and immunoblotting techniques interact with the hemoprotein and both fragments. Antibodies to cytochrome P-450scc fragments interact with the hemoprotein and corresponding antigens, but do not cross-react. To determine the localization of antigenic determinants in the polypeptide chain of cytochrome P-450scc, the interaction of antibodies to the hemoprotein and to its fragments F1 and F2 with limited trypsinolysis products was studied. All antibodies were found to effectively inhibit cholesterol transformation into pregnenolone in a reconstituted system. Using SDS electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting, the cross-reactivity of antibodies to cytochrome P-450scc and to its fragments with microsomal cytochromes P-450scc LM2 and LM4 as well as with mitochondrial cytochrome P-45027 was revealed. This finding testifies to the presence of common antigenic determinants in the hemoproteins.     

The catalytic cycle of cytochrome P-450scc and intermediates in the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone

Cytochrome P-450scc as isolated is a cholesterol-depleted low-spin haemoprotein; addition of cholesterol results in formation of a high-spin complex. Cytochrome P-450scc--cholesterol is a one-electron acceptor on titration with NADPH. Cytochrome P-450scc--cholesterol can be anaerobically reduced to the ferrous state which, on oxygenation, forms an oxygenated cytochrome P-450scc--cholesterol complex. This oxygenated complex in the absence of adrenodoxin autoxidises to ferric cytochrome P-450scc--cholesterol without oxidation of cholesterol. The decay of the oxygenated complex is first-order, k = 9.3 X 10(-3) S-1 at 4 degrees C. The rate of autoxidation is influenced by pH, ionic strength and the chemical nature of bound sterol. The activation energy of autoxidation is 75 kJ mol-1. Addition of equimolar amounts of adrenodoxin to cytochrome P-450scc--cholesterol followed by stoichiometric reduction under anaerobic conditions and subsequent oxygenation, allows single catalytic turnover cycles of cytochrome P-450scc to be observed. This has led to detection of intermediates in the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone and a precursor/product sequence of cholesterol----22-hydroxycholesterol----20,22-dihydroxy-cholesterol ----pregnenolone has been established. Addition of oxidised adrenodoxin to oxygenated cytochrome P-450scc--cholesterol results in formation of 22-hydroxycholesterol.     

Chemical modification of the histidine residues of purified hepatic cytochrome P-450: influence on substrate binding and the haemoprotein spin state

A hepatic cytochrome P-450 isolated in an electrophoretically homogeneous form from phenobarbital-treated rats, exists predominantly in the low spin configuration (82% at 20 degrees C). The addition of saturating amounts of the substrate benzphetamine to this haemoprotein shifted the spin equilibrium to the high spin form, resulting in a doubling of the spin equilibrium constant from 0.220 to 0.539 at 20 degrees C. The histidine residues of this low spin, substrate-free cytochrome P-450 were modified in a time- and concentration-dependent manner with diethylpyrocarbonate, and progressive histidine modification resulted in a decrease of both the affinity and extent of substrate interaction with the haemoprotein. Although the histidine-modified haemoprotein maintained the capacity to undergo a temperature-dependent spin transition of the haem iron in the presence of saturating amounts of substrate, this capability was substantially decreased in comparison to the unmodified cytochrome. These results indicate that a histidine residue(s) is involved in the binding of substrate to cytochrome P-450 and hence interferes with the substrate-bound spin equilibrium. Our results further imply that histidine is probably not the sixth ligand of the substrate-free ferric form of the rat liver cytochrome P-450.     

Brain mitochondrial cytochrome P-450scc: spectral and catalytic properties

The cytochrome P-450-dependent cholesterol side chain cleavage system of the brain has been studied using nonsynaptic mitochondria as the source of enzymatic activity. The system has been found to bind cholesterol and 11-deoxycorticosterone, producing type I difference spectra, whereas the binding of pregnenolone induced a reverse type I difference spectrum. Inhibitors of cytochrome P-450-linked monooxygenase activities produced type II spectra. The formation of labeled pregnenolone after incubation of brain mitochondria with [4-14C]cholesterol has been obtained, and this formation was inhibited by glutethimide, a specific inhibitor of cytochrome P-450scc. The functional significance of this enzymatic activity is discussed.     

Functional reconstitution of cytochrome P-450scc with hemin activated with Woodward's reagent K. Formation of a hemeprotein cross-link.

In order to evaluate structure-function relationships of heme moiety in cytochrome P-450scc, we carried out the reconstitution of apoprotein with Fe-protoporphyrin IX, one carboxyl group of which was converted to reactive enol ester by Woodward's reagent K (N-ethyl-5-phenylisoxazolium-3'-sulfonate). Woodward's reagent K can be used as a cross-linking reagent, since amino groups can apparently react with the enol ester. Treatment of cytochrome P-450scc with H2O2 was used to obtain the apoprotein. Functional reconstitution of the hemin derivative with apocytochrome P-450scc was achieved. The reconstituted hemeprotein was purified, and the resulting preparation contained no P-420 form and had the same cholesterol-hydroxylating activity as a control preparation. 30% of the reconstituted hemin was covalently bound to protein. Heme-linked peptide (Gly177-Phe194) was isolated. Its possible role in the active site formation of cytochrome P-450scc is discussed.     

Prolonged induction of hepatic haem oxygenase and decreases in cytochrome P-450 content by organotin compounds.

The administration of organotin compounds to rats in single doses causes a significant and prolonged induction of haem oxygenase and a sustained decrease in haemoprotein content in the liver. The extent of induction of hepatic haem oxygenase varied between 3 and 5-fold at 72h after a single injection of water-insoluble organotins of differing structure. The alterations in haem metabolism produced by tricyclohexyltin hydroxide were studied in detail. The effects were dose-dependent, with doses as low as 3.75 mg/kg body wt. resulting in significant induction of haem oxygenase and a decrease in cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b5 contents at 72h in the liver. The effects with time of a single dose of tricyclohexyltin on various parameters of liver haem metabolism were also examined. The organotin produced a substantial and very prolonged induction of haem oxygenase accompanied by a steady decline in cytochrome P-450 content for periods up to 8 days. The long duration of action of these organotins with respect to induction of haem oxygenase and depletion of cellular haemoprotein content provides a highly sensitive metabolic system with which to define further the toxic potential of organometals as well as to study the adaptive responses in liver to long-term perturbations of haem metabolism by foreign chemicals.     

Chemical modification of cysteine residues of cholesterol-hydroxylating cytochrome P-450. Identification of the cysteine residue participating in the formation of a proximal ligand

A chemical modification of cysteine residues in mitochondrial cytochrome P-450scc from adrenal cortex has been carried out. Cysteine residues in this hemoprotein were shown to form two pools: one available to the chemical modification, which does not affect spectral and functional properties of the cytochrome and another accessible for the modification only after the protein inactivation and the heme removal. The proximal ligand in the polypeptide chain of cytochrome P-450scc was localized. Cys422 was shown to be involved in the heme coordination and Cys264 was found to be exposed and accessible to sulfhydryl reagents. The data obtained are discussed in terms of the functional role of cysteine residues in monooxygenase catalysis.     

Role of haem in the induction of cytochrome P-450 by phenobarbitone. Studies in chick embryos in ovo and in cultured chick embryo hepatocytes.

The role of haem synthesis during induction of hepatic cytochrome P-450 haemoproteins was studied in chick embryo in ovo and in chick embryos hepatocytes cultured under chemically defined conditions. 1. Phenobarbitone caused a prompt increase in the activity of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme of haem biosynthesis, and in the concentration of cytochrome P-450. This induction response occurred without measurable initial destruction of the haem moiety of cytochrome P-450. 2. When intracellular haem availability was enhanced by exogenous haem or 5-aminolaevulinate, phenobarbitone-medicated induction of cytochrome P-450 was not affected in spite of the well known repression of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase by haem. These data are consistent with the concept that haem does not regulate the synthesis of cytochrome P-450 haemoproteins. 3. Acetate inhibited haem biosynthesis at the level of 5-aminolaevulinate formation. When intracellular haem availability was diminished by treatment with acetate, phenobarbitone-medicated induction was decreased. 4. This inhibitory effect of acetate on cytochrome P-450 induction was reversed by exogenous haem or its precursor 5-aminolaevulinate. These data suggest that inhibition of haem biosynthesis does not decrease synthesis of apo-cytochrome P-450. Moreover, they indicate that exogenous haem can be incorporated into newly formed aop-cytochrome P-450.     

The interaction of a homologous series of hydrocarbons with hepatic cytochrome P-450. Molecular orbital-derived electronic and structural parameters influencing the haemoprotein spin state

The spectral interaction of a homologous series of alkyl-substituted benzenes and related compounds with purified mammalian cytochrome P-450 has been investigated. Each of the 10 hydrocarbons produced a Type I spectral change, indicative of a low to high spin transition of the haem iron of cytochrome P-450. The extent of perturbation of the cytochrome P-450 spin equilibrium varied for each compound and was used to quantify the spin shifts of the haemoprotein and consequently the substrate-bound spin equilibrium constant, K2. Molecular orbital calculations were utilised to determine the electronic structural parameters of the 10 hydrocarbons investigated, including the electrophilic and nucleophilic super-delocalizabilities summed over all atoms (sigma SE and sigma SN, respectively), the sum of the absolute values of net atomic charge (sigma QT) and the energy levels of both the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (E (HOMO) and E (LUMO) respectively). Multiple regression analyses were then utilized to generate quantitative structure-activity relationships between the above structural parameters and the substrate-bound spin equilibrium constant, K2. Good correlations were observed between sigma SE, sigma SN and sigma QT, indicating the importance of hydrophobicity and steric factors in the perturbation of the haemoprotein spin equilibrium. In addition, the electron-accepting potential of the hydrocarbons was an important structural feature and exhibited better correlations with K2 than the electron donating parameter. Taken collectively, our data show the importance of the hydrophobic and charge transfer characteristics of hydrocarbon substrates in dictating the position of the cytochrome P-450 spin equilibrium, and as such, provides a rational molecular explanation based on sound chemical principles for the differential interaction of hydrocarbons with cytochrome P-450.