Changes in hepatic enzyme activities of drug metabolism in rats exposed to normobaric oxygen

Exposure of adult rats to 1 ATA O2 during 55 hrs. decreased cytochrome P-450 in the homogenate supernatant of livers. Hepatic microsomal epoxide hydrolase and P-nitrophenol UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activities were also decreased. Histological and ultrastructural liver studies showed tissular and cellular modifications suggestive of hepatocyte hypoxia.     

Strain differences in the induction of soluble and microsomal enzymes by phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene

The ability of phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) to induce liver microsomal and soluble enzymes was compared in Sprague-Dawley and Long-Evans rats. 3MC increased the V for the aniline hydroxylase and stimulated the formation of the hemoprotein P₄₄₈ to a similar extent in the 2 strains of rats. On the other hand phenobarbital increased the V for the microsomal enzyme aniline hydroxylase and aminopyrine demethylase and enhanced the activity of the soluble enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase only in Sprague-Dawley rats. It induced a more marked increase of cytochrome P₄₅₀ in the Sprague-Dawley than in the Long-Evans strain.     

Effect of chronic treatment with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene on the male reproductive system in rats

Treatment of rats for 4 weeks with phenobarbital (PB) did not inhibit the growth of the seminal vesicles, nor did it affect the biosynthesis of testosterone by testis microsomes. Moreover, neither the concentration of cytochrome p-450 or the 17 α-hydroxylase activity in testis microsomes were affected. In contrast, treatment with 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) for 4 weeks markedly decreased the weights of the seminal vesicles. The decrease was probably related to an impairmant of testosterone formation in the gonads, since testosterone biosynthesis as well as the concentration of cytochrome p-450 and the activity of 17 α-hydroxylase in testis microsomes were significantly decreased in the 3-MC treated rats. No histopathological changes were seen in testes from any of the PB or 3-MC treated rats.     

Ethanol as an inducer of UDP-glucuronyltransferase: a comparison with phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene induction in rabbit hepatic microsomes

In this report we have examined the ability of ethanol to induce UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity in male rabbits using p-nitrophenol as substrate. The rabbit was found to be an excellent species for studies of ethanol induction since almost 3-fold increases in activity were observed relative to controls. Ethanol induction of p-nitrophenol UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity was even greater than induction by 3-methylcholanthrene, the prototypic inducer of this type of activity. Thus, the rabbit shows promise for studies of UDP-glucuronyltransferase isozymes that are induced by chronic ethanol consumption.     

Oxygen measurements in brain stem slices exposed to normobaric hyperoxia and hyperbaric oxygen.

We previously reported (J Appl Physiol 89: 807-822, 2000) that < or =10 min of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO(2); < or = 2,468 Torr) stimulates solitary complex neurons. To better define the hyperoxic stimulus, we measured PO(2) in the solitary complex of 300-microm-thick rat medullary slices, using polarographic carbon fiber microelectrodes, during perfusion with media having PO(2) values ranging from 156 to 2,468 Torr. Under control conditions, slices equilibrated with 95% O(2) at barometric pressure of 1 atmospheres absolute had minimum PO(2) values at their centers (291 +/- 20 Torr) that were approximately 10-fold greater than PO(2) values measured in the intact central nervous system (10-34 Torr). During HBO(2), PO(2) increased at the center of the slice from 616 +/- 16 to 1,517 +/- 15 Torr. Tissue oxygen consumption tended to decrease at medium PO(2) or = 1,675 Torr to levels not different from values measured at PO(2) found in all media in metabolically poisoned slices (2-deoxy-D-glucose and antimycin A). We conclude that control medium used in most brain slice studies is hyperoxic at normobaric pressure. During HBO(2), slice PO(2) increases to levels that appear to reduce metabolism.     

Kinetic constant determination of liver microsomal and purified UDP-glucuronosyltransferase after phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene treatments in rats

After induction by phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase involved mainly in the conjugation of planar substrates was purified. Compared to the microsomal enzyme, the purified protein exhibited less affinity towards the substrates, but the corresponding Vmaxs were increased. These results were attributed to a change in the lipid environment of the purified enzyme. The conjugation rate for 4-hydroxycoumarine was 15-45 times less than that measured for the 7-hydroxyisomer with the microsomal or the purified enzymes. Immunoprecipitation studies of the enzyme revealed that the two compounds were transformed by the same enzyme, or metabolized by two separate enzymes presenting the same antigenic site. The orientation of the hydroxyl group of planar aglycones in the active site is the determinant for the efficiency of catalysis.     

Demonstration of functional heterogeneity of hepatic uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activities after administration of 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital to rats.

After the administration of 3-methylcholanthrene to adult male rats, activities of hepatic UDP-glucuronosyltransferase towards six from a group of 12 substrates were stimulated by 250-350%. Activities towards the remaining six substrates were unaffected. Conversely, after phenobarbital administration, activities formerly stimulated by 3-methylcholanthrene remained unchanged, and the other six activities were stimulated by 160-280%. The relationship of these two groups of transferase activities to other evidence suggesting the same heterogeneity of the enzyme is discussed.     

Identification of molecular forms of cytochrome P-450 isolated from liver microsomes of rats induced with phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene

Eight electrophoretically homogeneous forms of cytochrome P-450 were isolated from liver microsomes of phenobarbital (PB)- and 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)-induced male Wistar rats, using chromatography on 1.8-diaminooctyl-Sepharose, SEAE-Sephacel and hydroxylapatite. These cytochrome forms were compared to those described in literature in terms of their ability to metabolize androstenedione (AD), benzphetamine (BP) and 7-ethoxyresorufin (7-ER). Cytochrome P-450b capable of catalyzing with a high specificity the 16-hydroxylation of AD and N-demethylation of BP, and cytochrome P-450e immunologically related to P-450b but incapable of catalyzing these reactions were isolated from PB-microsomes. Besides, a male-specific cytochrome P-450h catalyzing the 16 alpha-hydroxylation of AD was isolated from PB-microsomes. Cytochrome P-450c possessing a high 7-ER-O-deethylase activity, and a high spin cytochrome P-450d as well as cytochrome P-450a specifically catalyzing the 7 alpha-oxidation of AD were isolated from MC-microsomes. Two forms of cytochrome P-450 isolated from PB-microsomes possessed no such activities. Data from immunochemical analysis suggest that one of these forms can be identified as cytochrome P-450k. It is concluded that the specificity of metabolism and the molecular activity of Wistar rat liver cytochrome P-450 forms are comparable with the corresponding parameters of hemoproteins isolated from other rat species. At the same time, data from metabolic analysis are suggestive of differences in the levels of certain cytochrome P-450 forms, in particular P-450a.     

The role of vitamin K3 in the hydroxylation of benz(a)pyrene in rat liver mitochondria after induction with 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital

The "fast" phase reduction of microsomal cytochromes P-450 and P-448 and their benz(a)pyrene (BP) hydroxylase activity was investigated as a function of menadione concentrations. Within a narrow concentration range (1.5-3 microM) menadione activates cytochrome P-448 reduction and the BP hydroxylase activity. At higher concentrations menadione inhibits cytochromes P-450 and P-448 reduction and BP hydroxylation with participation of the both cytochromes. These data suggest that menadione molecules present in membrane lipids serve as an additional electron carrier to cytochrome P-448, the active site of which is embedded into lipids. The activating effect is unobserved is case of cytochrome P-450 with an active site localized in the aqueous phase. The number of different BP metabolites formed at low (3 microM) menadione concentrations in the microsomes of rats induced with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) and phenobarbital (PB) was compared. In PB-induced microsomes the amount of 7,8-dihydrodiol rises whereas the total content of BP metabolites decreases. Contrariwise, in MC-induced microsomes the synthesis of all BP metabolites is augmented. Menadione has a very weak effect on the ratio of different BP metabolites in PB- and MC-microsomes, but strongly inhibits the formation of more polar metabolites. This results in a marked reduction of the number of "dangerous" BP diolepoxides.     

Cytochrome P-450 isoforms in the liver of rats treated with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene and Aroclor 1254 studied by monoclonal antibodies

Seven types of monoclonal antibodies to cytochrome P-450 were obtained from the rat liver. Liver microsomal samples from intact rats and those pretreated with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene, Aroclor 1254, pregnenalone carbonitrile, beta-naphthoflavone and imidazole were stained with these antibodies using immunoblotting technique. The study made it possible to draw the following conclusions. Firstly, two types of these antibodies react with two cytochrome P-450 isoforms, P-450b and P-450 PB/PCN-E. Secondly, two types of antibodies react with three cytochrome P-450 isoforms: P-450a, P-450b and P-450PB/PCN-E. Antibodies of the latter three clones react with two cytochrome P-450 isoforms: P-450c and P-450d. Antibodies of all seven clones can be used for immunomorphological identification of cytochrome P-450 on rat liver paraffin sections.     

Differences in the binding of 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital to rat liver cytosolic and nuclear protein fractions

The inducers of cytochrome P-450c and P-450b, 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital, respectively, have been studied in their interaction with subcellular fractions from rat liver. 3-Methylcholanthrene bound to both nuclear and cytoplasmic components as demonstrated by DNA-cellulose chromatography. The binding of 3-methylcholanthrene to cytosolic proteins, on DNA-cellulose, was approximately 27 fmol/mg of applied protein, whereas the binding to nuclear proteins was 250–570 fmol/mg applied protein. Phenobarbital did not bind to proteins of rat serum, rat liver cytosol, or rat liver nuclei which could bind to DNA-cellulose. Further examination of the potential interaction of phenobarbital to rat liver cytosolic proteins was carried out using either DEAE A-50 Sephadex chromatography, charcoal dextran analysis, or sucrose density gradients. No binding of phenobarbital to rat liver cytosolic proteins was observed under these experimental conditions. In contrast, the binding of 3-methylcholanthrene to cytosolic proteins showed four peaks of radioactivity after DEAE A-50 Sephadex chromatography, two peaks by sucrose density gradient analysis, and specific binding (0.13 pmol/mg protein) was observed using the charcoal dextran technique. One of the peaks on sucrose gradients was labile in the presence of salt. The uptake and intranuclear distribution of 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital were markedly different after incubation with whole nuclei: 64% of the available 3-methylcholanthrene but only 3% of the available phenobarbital radioactivity became associated with nuclei. Of this radioactivity, the highest specific activity of the 3-methylcholanthrene radioactivity was associated with the 2 m KCl-resistant nuclear pellet and the highest specific activity of the phenobarbital radioactivity was associated with the nuclear fraction soluble in the absence of salt. These results are interpreted in regard to the induction of cytochrome P-450c.     

Effect of phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene treatment on NADPH- and NADH-dependent production of reactive oxygen intermediates by rat liver nuclei.

The effect of inducing the rat liver nuclear mixed-function oxidase system by phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene on NADPH- and NADH-dependent production of reactive oxygen intermediates was evaluated. The inducing agents produced a 2-fold increase in cytochrome P-450, a 50 to 70% increase in NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity, and a 20 to 30% increase in NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity. Associated with these increases was a corresponding increase in NADPH- and NADH-dependent production of hydroxyl radical (.OH)-like species and of H2O2. Rates of .OH production were inhibited by catalase and partially sensitive to superoxide dismutase. The increase in nuclear production of .OH-like species after drug treatment appears to be due a corresponding increase in H2O2 generation. In contrast to H2O2 and .OH generation, production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive material by nuclei was not increased by the phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene treatment. Redox cycling agents such as menadione and paraquat increased oxygen radical generation to similar extents in the control and the induced nuclei. These results indicate that induction of the nuclear mixed-function oxidase system by phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene can result in a subsequent increase in production of reactive oxygen intermediates in the presence of either NADPH or NADH.