An improved method for preparing rat small intestine microsomal fractions for studying drug metabolism.

Epithelial cells from isolated rat small intestine were harvested by vibration of the everted intestine in 0.14 m NaCl containing 5 mm EDTA. These cells, which were largely free of mucus contamination, were homogenized in hypotonic (74 mm) sucrose using a Potter-Elvehjem homogeniser. After successively sedimenting a “brush border plus nuclei” and a “mitochondrial” fraction, microsomes were prepared from the postmitochondrial supernatant by ultracentrifugation or by precipitation at pH 5.0. The isolation and fractionation procedure was validated by the distribution of marker enzymes and by light microscopy and found to be largely uncontaminated by other subcellular components or by haemoglobin. The usefulness of this preparation was demonstrated by determining drug-metabolising enzyme activity and by substrate- and metabolite-binding spectra to cytochrome P-450. A comparison of precipitated “acid” and “normal” intestinal microsomes indicated similar apparent K_m and V_max values for a number of drug-metabolising enzymes. The content of components of the microsomal electron transport system were also similar in both preparations while the “acid” microsomes contained approximately 50% more protein.     

Separation of acetanilide and its hydroxylated metabolites and quantitative determination of "acetanilide 4-hydroxylase activity" by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

A simple and very sensitive method for the separation of 4-hydroxyacetanilide, 3-hydroxyacetanilide, 2-hydroxyacetanilide, and acetanilide was developed with the use of high-pressure liquid chromagraphy. Each of these phenolic derivatives can be separated completely from acetanilide and from one another. A simple assay for “acetanilide 4-hydroxylase activity” is thus described. The limit of sensitivity for cytochrome P-450-mediated acetanilide 4-hydroxylase activity is estimated to be 1.0 pmol/min/mg microsomal protein, thereby allowing this assay to be useful in detecting monooxygenase activity in “low level” nonhepatic tissues. Hepatic acetanilide 4-hydroxylase activity is induced about fourfold in $\text{C57BL}\text{6N}$ mice by 3-methylcholanthrene. Although acetanilide 2-hydroxylase activity is about seven times lower than the 4-hydroxylase activity, the 2-hydroxylase is also induced about three- or fourfold in $\text{C57BL}\text{6N}$ mice by 3-methylcholanthrene. The “2-hydroxylase activity” cannot, however, be strictly quantitated under the conditions described herein. The K_m values of both the 3-methylcholanthrene-induced and control 4-hydroxylase activity are about 0.55 mm; V_max values for 3-methylcholanthrene-treated and control mice, respectively, are 4.9 ± 1.1 and 1.1 ± 0.31 nmol/min/mg microsomal protein. The 4-hydroxylase in the liver of both 3-methylcholanthrene-treated and control mice appears to represent two or more catalytic activities, i.e., two or more forms of P-450 having widely differing affinities for the substrate acetanilide.     

Studies of the unique nature of the cytochrome P-450 active site. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy as a probe of the hemin iron of cytochrome P-450: the influence of buffer composition, alcohols, and nitrogenous ligands.

The electron spin resonance (esr) spectra of the low-spin form of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 and of cytochrome P-450 isolated from Pseudomonas putida grown on d-camphor (P-450_cam) were studied in order to gain an understanding of the sensitivity of the hemin iron to changes in buffer. The shapes of the g_x and g_y esr signals of both the membrane-bound microsomal and soluble bacterial cytochromes P-450 were dependent upon buffer composition. With either system, the g_x and g_y signals were symmetric in some buffers and asymmetric in others. However, in potassium phosphate buffer, the esr spectra of low-spin cytochrome P-450 in microsomes isolated from phenobarbital (PB)- or 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC-induced rats and cytochrome P-450_cam are similar with symmetric g_x and g_y signals. The esr spectrum of the low-spin form of cytochrome P-450 in isolated hepatocytes is similar to that of the microsomal and bacterial enzyme, again with a symmetric g_x signal. The effects of alcohols and nitrogenous ligands on the esr spectrum of the low-spin form were also investigated. The data indicate that extreme care must be exercised when interpreting esr spectra with respect to possible cytochrome P-450 heterogeneity in the microsomal membrane. The conditions for studying substrate interactions with microsomal cytochrome P-450 must also take into account these changes in symmetry of the esr spectrum.     

Studies on hydroperoxide-dependent substrate hydroxylation by purified liver microsomal cytochrome P-450.

Highly purified liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 catalyzes the hydroperoxide-dependent hydroxylation of a variety of substrates in the absence of NADPH, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, and molecular oxygen. The addition of phosphatidylcholine is necessary for maximal activity. The absence of flavoproteins and cytochrome b₅ from the cytochrome P-450 preparations rules out the involvement of other known microsomal electron carriers. The ferrous form of cytochrome P-450 is not involved in peroxide-dependent hydroxylation reactions, as indicated by the lack of inhibition by carbon monoxide. With cumene hydroperoxide present, a variety of substrates is attacked, including N-methylaniline, N,N-dimethylaniline, cyclohexane, benzphetamine, and aminopyrine. With benzphetamine as the substrate, cumene hydroperoxide may be replaced by other peroxides, including hydrogen peroxide, or by peracids or sodium chlorite. A study of the stoichiometry indicated that equimolar amounts of N-methylaniline, formaldehyde, and cumyl alcohol (α,α-dimethylbenzyl alcohol) are formed in the reaction of N,N-dimethylaniline with cumene hydroperoxide. Since H₂¹⁸O is incorporated only slightly into cyclohexanol in the reaction of cyclohexane with cumene hydroperoxide, it appears that the oxygen atom in cyclohexanol is derived primarily from the peroxide. The data obtained are in accord with a peroxidase-like mechanism for the action of cytochrome P-450.     

A simple and rapid procedure for the purification of phenobarbital-inducible cytochrome P-450 from rat liver microsomes.

A rapid and simple procedure has been developed for the purification of a phenobarbital-inducible form of cytochrome P-450 from the liver microsomes of phenobarbitalpretreated rats. Within 2 days approximately 1000–1500 nmol of highly purified cytochrome P-450 with a specific content of 16 nmol/mg protein can be recovered from 4 g of microsomal protein. The procedure consists of solubilization of microsomal protein with sodium cholate, fractionation with polyethylene glycol, and column chromatography at room temperature on DEAE-cellulose. The resulting DEAE-cellulose fraction electrophoreses on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate as a major protein band with a minimum molecular weight of 52,000 and a few faint bands. Further chromatography on QAE Sephadex A-25 essentially removes these faint bands and increases the specific content slightly to 17 nmol/mg protein. Relatively low amounts of this form of cytochrome P-450 appear to be present in microsomes of untreated rats since less than 1% can be recovered as the DEAE-cellulose fraction by this procedure. An identical form is inducible by phenobarbital in rats of different ages and sex. In a reconstituted system under optimal assay conditions, this form of cytochrome P-450 catalyses the N-demethylation of benzphetamine with a turnover number greater than 100 and hydroxylates testosterone at the 16α position but not at the 6β or 7α position.     

Induction of cytochrome P450 by toluene

At least six cytochrome P450 (P450) isoenzymes, including CYP1A1/2, CYP2A1, CYP2B1/2, CYP2C6, CYP2C11 and CYP2E1, are involved in the metabolism of toluene in rat liver. Toluene exposure induces CYP1A1/2, CYP2B1/2, CYP2E1 and CYP3A1, but decreases CYP2C11/6 and CYP2A1 in adult males. Both sex and age influence the induction of P450s by toluene: in general, the inductive effect is more prominent in younger than in older animals; in males than in females. Neonatal exposure to toluene causes significant changes in liver microsomal P450 dependent monooxygenase activities during the early stage of life, whereas the enects on the rats of more than 3 weeks of age are small. Although structurally related chemicals of toluene also influence similar hepatic P450 isoenzymes, the degree of CYP2B1/2 induction increases, whilst that of CYP2E1 decreases with increasing molecular weight and aliphatic moieties. Unlike liver, exposure to toluene does not influence the distribution of pulmonary or renal microsomal P450-related enzyme activity in rats. In humans, occupational exposure to toluene is so low that it could not lead to the induction of P450. However, the induction may be seen in toluene sniffers who are exposed to high concentrations.     

Characterization of three forms of rabbit microsomal cytochrome P-450 by peptide mapping utilizing limited proteolysis in sodium dodecyl sulfate and analysis by gel electrophoresis.

Limited proteolysis of three forms of rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 by Staphylococcus aureus V₈ protease, α-chymotrypsin, or papain in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate produces peptide fragments having a unique molecular weight distribution for each cytochrome. These differences are observed for the major cytochrome P-450 induced by phenobarbital and two forms induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Our results indicate that the primary structures of these three cytochromes are substantially different. In addition, the characteristic pattern of peptide fragments produced from each cytochrome facilitates the identification of the cytochromes in microsomal preparations when peptide mapping is utilized in conjunction with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Using this methodology, the occurrence and induction of the cytochromes in tissue preparations can be monitored.     

Neonatal phenobarbital administration results in increased cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase activity in adult male and female rats

The effects of neonatal exposure to phenobarbital during the first five days after birth on the enzymatic activity of the adult male and female rat liver P₄₅₀-dependent monooxygenase system were investigated. Although liver weight per 100 grams of body weight and total hepatic microsomal protein content were not altered in adult rats treated neonatally with phenobarbital, both sexes did show significant increases in cytochrome P₄₅₀ content, cytochrome P₄₅₀ reductase activity, cytochrome c reductase activity, ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activity and in the activity of a specific glucuronyl-transferase. Several of these activities were increased to a larger extent in the females, suggesting that females may be more sensitive to this phenomenon.     

Synthesis and degradation of 3-methylcholanthrene-inducible cytochromes P-450 and their mRNAs in primary monolayer cultures of adult rat hepatocytes

We used primary nonproliferating cultures of adult rat hepatocytes to investigate the regulation of P-450c and P-450d, immunochemically related protein products of separate cytochromes P-450 genes that are coinduced by 3-methylcholanthrene and related compounds. In cultures of hepatocytes prepared from untreated rats and incubated in media containing 3-methylcholanthrene, β-naphthoflavone, 3,4,3′,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl, and Aroclor 1254 (a mixture of chlorinated biphenyls) there was a 5-to 15-fold accumulation of P-450c protein (quantitated by immunoblotting), accompanied by an increased rate of P-450c synthesis (measured as incorporation of [³H]leucine into immunoprecipitable protein) and an increased amount of P-450c mRNA hybridizable to a specific cloned cDNA (p210). In contrast, there were no increases in the concentration of P-450d protein, its rate of synthesis, or the amount of P-450d mRNA hybridizable to its specific cDNA (p72). Similarly, when “preinduced” hepatocytes (isolated from rats treated with Aroclor 1254) were incubated for 4 days in culture medium, the amount of P-450c, its rate of synthesis, and the amount of P-450c mRNA remained elevated, whereas synthesis of P-450d and the amount of P-450d mRNA fell precipitously to less than 10% of the initial values despite the presence or absence of Aroclor 1254 or of isosafrole in the medium. However, the loss of P-450d protein in these cultures was almost completely prevented when isosafrole was added to the culture medium and was partially prevented when safrole, Aroclor 1254, and 3,4,5,2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl, but not 3-methylcholanthrene, β-naphthoflavone, or 3,4,3′4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl, were in the culture medium. Moreover, in similar cultures of “preinduced” hepatocytes that were pulse-labeled with [³H]leucine, the presence of isosafrole in the culture medium extended the apparent half-life for loss of radioactivity in immunoprecipitable P-450d to a value of 72 h (3-fold longer than in standard medium) but was without effect on the rate of disappearance of radiolabeled P-450c. We conclude that control of P-450d degradation is an important factor in the regulation of this hemoprotein and that induction of P-450c and P-450d proceed by separate pathways that are spontaneously divorced under standard conditions for primary culture of adult rat hepatocytes.     

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase of yeast microsomes.

NADPH-cytochrome c reductase of yeast microsomes was purified to apparent homogeneity by solubilization with sodium cholate, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and chromatography with hydroxylapatite and diethylaminoethyl cellulose. The purified preparation exhibited an apparent molecular weight of 83,000 on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The reductase contained one molecule each of flavin-adenine dinucleotide and riboflavin 5′-phosphate, though these were dissociative from the apoenzyme. The purified reductase showed a specific activity of 120 to 140 μmol/min/mg of protein for cytochrome c as the electron acceptor. The reductase could reduce yeast cytochrome P-450, though with a relatively slow rate. The reductase also reacted with rabbit liver cytochrome P-450 and supported the cytochrome P-450-dependent benzphetamine N-demethylation. It can, therefore, be concluded that the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase is assigned for the cytochrome P-450 reductase of yeast. The enzyme could also reduce the detergent-solubilized cytochrome b₅ of yeast. So, this reductase must contribute to the electron transfer from NADPH to cytochrome b₅ that observed in the yeast microsomes.     

Cytochrome P-450 from mitochondria of bovine adrenal cortex Comparison of cholesterol side-chain cleavage P-450 with steroid 11β-hydroxylation P-450 and immunochemical cross-reactivity between adrenal mitochondrial and liver microsomal cytochromes P-450

Adrenocortical mitochondrial cytochrome P?450 specific to the cholesterol side-chain cleavage (desmolase) reaction differs from that for the 11β-hydroxylation reaction of deoxycorticosterone. The former cytochrome appears to be more loosely bound to the inner membrane than the latter. Upon ageing at 0°C or by aerobic treatment with ferrous ions, the desmolase P-450 was more stable than the 11β-hydroxylase P-450. By utilizing artificial hydroxylating agents such as cumene hydroperoxide, H₂O₂, and sodium periodate, the hydroxylation reaction of deoxycorticosterone to corticosterone in the absence of NADPH was observed to a comparable extent with the reaction in the presence of adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin and NADPH. However, the hydroxylation reaction of cholesterol to pregnenolone was not supported by these artificial agents.Immunochemical cross-reactivity of bovine adrenal desmolase P-450 with rabbit liver microsomal P-450_LM4 was also investigated. We found a weak but significant cross-reactivity between the adrenal mitochondrial P-450 and liver microsomal P-450_LM4, indicating to some extent a homology between adrenal and liver cytochromes P-450.     

Comparative study of two highly purified forms of liver microsomal cytochrome P-450: circular dichroism and other properties.

The two major forms of rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, P-450_LM2 and P-450_LM4, which were previously shown to differ in their absorption spectra, electrophoretic and immunochemical properties, and substrate specificities, have been further characterized by several methods, (a) The two cytochromes have different CD spectra in the ferric state but similar spectra when reduced. Upon conversion of P-450_LM2 to P-420 by treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate, the CD spectrum is greatly diminished except in the far ultraviolet region, whereas the conversion of P-450_LM4 toP-420 with this detergent results in a spectrum with a new positive band in the visible region, (b) Although P-450_LM4 has a much higher tryptophan content than P-450_LM2, the fluorescence spectra of these proteins are similar in magnitude. Upon denaturation, the fluorescence of P-450_LM4 increases, thereby indicating a large quenching effect in the native protein, (c) Studies on the interaction of dilauroylglyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine with the cytochromes showed that P-450_LM2 gives a much stronger Type I difference spectrum than does P-450_LM4. This phospholipid has no significant effect on the state of aggregation of these cytochromes as judged by calibrated gel filtration. The CD spectra of P-450_LM2 and P-450_LM4 are unchanged in the visible region but are enhanced in the far ultraviolet region upon the addition of phosphatidylcholine. The results appear to indicate an increase in α-helical content, particularly with P-450_LM4, in the presence of the phospholipid.     

The differentiation of rat liver endoplasmic reticulum membranes: Apo–cytochrome P450 as a membrane protein

The proteins of washed microsomal membranes from adult rat liver were solubilized by 2% SDS and electrophoresed on polyacrylamide gels. Confirming earlier reports, a large Coomassie-Blue staining band in the ～50,000 MW region was identified as cytochrome P₄₅₀ by four criteria: similar electrophoretic mobility to a purified cytochrome P₄₅₀ preparation, an increase in this band after in vivo phenobarbital administration, a decrease in this band after in vivo allylisopropylacetamide administration, and direct specific binding of added purified heme to this region of a washed, unfixed gel. Although cyt P₄₅₀ is not spectrally evident until just at the time of birth of the rats, a large band in this region was detectable in gels of microsomal membrane protein at all times, from three days before birth onward; this band also bound added heme after membrane proteins from fetal rat liver microsomes were electrophoresed on the gels. The conclusion was that apo-cyt P₄₅₀ is present in microsomal membranes at these times during differentiation, and that, regarding this protein, during differentiation heme is bound to the apo-protein already there, concomitant with a synthesis of more cyt P₄₅₀ molecules. The process of differentiation of this membrane type is also discussed.     

Expression and subcellular distribution of mouse cytochrome P1-450 mRNA as determined by molecular hybridization with cloned P1-450 DNA

Cytochrome P₁-450 (P₁-450) is defined as that cytochrome most closely associated with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)-induced aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity. Recently a cloned DNA sequence (clone 46) was shown to represent a portion of the P₁-450 structural gene [Negishi $\text{et}\text{al.}\text{,}\text{Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.}\text{78}$: 800–804 (1981)]. Poly(A⁺)-enriched RNA was isolated from total liver homogenate, membrane-bound polysomes and from free polysomes at various times after MC treatment of $\text{Ah}$-responsive $\text{C57BL}\text{6N}$ (B6) and $\text{Ah}$-nonresponsive $\text{DBA}\text{2N}$ (D2) inbred mice. The poly(A⁺)-enriched RNA was separated by methylmercury-agarose gel electrophoresis and hybridized to nick-translated [³²P]DNA from clone 46. By means of this RNA-DNA hybridization, only 6% of total polysomal P₁-450 mRNA exists in free polysomes after 24 h of MC treatment. The data indicate that the endoplasmic reticulum is the principal site of synthesis for this integral microsomal protein.Studies of induction kinetics following MC treatment provided the evidence of the rapid increase of total liver and membrane bound P₁-450 mRNA preceding the synthesis of apo-P₁-450 and the increase of AHH activity.     

Interaction of purified microsomal cytochrome P-450 with cytochrome b5

The interactions between purified microsomal cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b₅ has been demonstrated by aqueous two-phase partition technique. Major forms of cytochrome P-450 induced by phenobarbital (P-450_LM2) and β-naphthoflavone (P-450_LM4) are almost exclusively distributed in the dextran-rich bottom phase (partition coefficient, K = 0.06), whereas NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome b₅ are mainly distributed in the polyethylene glycol-rich top phase (K = 3.5 and 2.5, respectively), when these enzymes were partitioned separately in the dextran-polyethylene glycol two-phase system. The mixing of P-450_LM with cytochrome b₅ changes the partition coefficients of both P-450_LM and cytochrome b₅ indicating that molecular interaction between P-450_LM and cytochrome b₅ occurred. Complex formation was also confirmed by optical absorbance difference spectral titration, and the stimulation of the P-450_LM-dependent 7-ethoxycoumarin and p-nitrophenetole O-deethylase activities by equal molar quantity of detergent-solubilized cytochrome b₅, but not trypsin-solubilized enzyme, in the reconstituted system. Cytochrome b₅ decreases the K_m's of both substrates for P-450_LM2-dependent O-deethylations and increases the V's of both reactions by two- to three-fold. This stimulatory effect requires the presence of phospholipid in the reconstituted enzyme system. These results suggest that cytochrome b₅ plays a role in some reconstituted drug oxidation enzyme systems and that molecular interactions among cytochrome P-450, reductase, and cytochrome b₅ are catalytically competent in the electron transport reactions.     

Purification of human liver cytochrome P-450 and comparison to the enzyme isolated from rat liver

Human liver cytochrome P-450 was isolated from autopsy samples using cholate extraction and chromatography on n-octylamino-Sepharose 4B, hydroxylapatite, and DEAE-cellulose gels. Purified preparations contained as much as 14 nmol cytochrome P-450 mg^?1 protein, were free of other hemoproteins, and were active in the mixed-function oxidation of d-benzphetamine and 7-ethoxycoumarin when coupled with either rat or human liver NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. Some of the preparations were apparently homogeneous as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; apparent subunit M_rs estimated for several preparations were 53,000 or 55,500. The amino acid composition of one preparation was determined and found to resemble those of rat liver cytochromes P-450, although some variations were noted. Rabbit antibodies raised to phenobarbital-treated rat liver cytochrome P-450 were more effective in inhibiting d-benzphetamine N-demethylase activity in human liver microsomes than were antibodies raised to 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rat liver cytochrome P-450. These antibodies also inhibited benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation in human liver microsomes, although the inhibition patterns did not follow a general pattern as in the case of benzphetamine demethylase activity. Microsomes prepared from three different human liver samples were more effective in eliciting complement fixation with antibodies raised to phenobarbitalthan to 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rat liver cytochrome P-450. Complement fixation in such systems appears to result from similarity of certain rat and human liver cytochrome P-450 antigenic determinants, as fixation could be inhibited by removal of cytochrome P-450-directed antibodies from the total immunoglobulin population and purified human cytochrome P-450 was more effective (on a protein basis) than liver microsomes in producing fixation. Human liver microsomes prepared from five different individuals all produced ≥ 90% complement fixation, but variations were observed in the fixation curves plotted either versus microsomal protein or versus spectrally detectable microsomal cytochrome P-450.These results indicate that human liver microsomal cytochromes P-450 can be isolated using modifications of techniques developed for laboratory animals and that human and rat liver cytochromes P-450 share certain features of structural, functional, and immunological similarity. The available data suggest the existence of multiple forms of human liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, but possible artifacts associated with the use of autopsy samples suggest caution in advancing such a conclusion.     

Destruction of cytochrome P-450 by 2-isopropyl-4-pentenamide and methyl 2-isopropyl-4-pentenoate: mass spectrometric characterization of prosthetic heme adducts and nonparticipation of epoxide metabolites.

Incubation of hepatic microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rats with methyl 2-isopropyl-4-pentenoate results in rapid destruction of the microsomal cytochrome P-450. The destruction does not occur in the absence of NADPH or with methyl 2-isopropylpentanoate. Administration of methyl 2-isopropyl-4-pentenoate to phenobarbital-pretreated rats leads to hepatic accumulation of a “green” pigment which, after methylation and purification, yields an abnormal porphyrin chromatographically and spectroscopically indistinguishable from that similarly obtained with 2-isopropyl-4-pentenamide (allylisopropylacetamide). Field desorption mass spectrometry showed that both abnormal porphyrins exhibited molecular ions at $\text{m}\text{e}$ 730. The mass spectrum of the zinc and copper complexes confirmed this value. Esterification in deuterated methanol of the amide-derived porphyrin showed that only two methyl esters were formed. Finally, methyl 4,5-epoxy-2-isopropylpentanoate and the known metabolites of 2-isopropyl-4-pentenamide were shown not to destroy cytochrome P-450. These results clearly establish that the carbonyl groups of the two destructive substrates are intimately involved in formation of the isolated porphyrin adducts, and exclude participation of the corresponding epoxide metabolites in the destruction of cytochrome P-450.     

Sodium periodate, sodium chlorite, and organic hydroperoxides as hydroxylating agents in steroid hydroxylation reactions catalyzed by adrenocortical microsomal and mitochondrial cytochrome P450.

This study has investigated the mechanism of steroid hydroxylation in bovine adrenocortical microsomes and mitochondria by employing NaIO₄, NaClO₂, and various organic hydroperoxides as hydroxylating agents and comparing the reaction rates and steroid products formed with those of the NADPH-dependent reaction. In the microsomal hydroxylating system, progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and androstenedione were found to act as substrates. Progesterone was chosen as the model substrate and was converted mainly to the 21-hydroxylated derivative in the presence of microsomal fractions fortified with hydroxylating agent. Using saturating levels of hydroxylating agent, NaIO₄ was found to be the most effective in promoting progesterone hydroxylation followed by cumene hydroperoxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, NADPH, NaClO₂, and pregnenolone 17α-hydroperoxide. Evidence for cytochrome P₄₅₀ involvement included a marked inhibition of the activity by substrates and modifiers of cytochrome P₄₅₀ and by reagents that convert cytochrome P₄₅₀ to cytochrome P₄₂₀. Steroid hydroxylation was studied in adrenocortical mitochondria that had been previously depleted of endogenous pyridine nucleotides by aging for 1 h at 30 dgC in a phosphate-supplemented medium. Androstenedione was converted to its respective 6β-, 11β-, 16β-, and 19-hydroxylated derivatives when incubated with aged mitochondrial fractions fortified with hydroxylating agent whereas progesterone was hydroxylated in the 1β-, 6β-, and 15β- positions. These hydroxylations were completely abolished by preheating the mitochondria for 5 min at 95 dgC prior to assay, indicating the enzymic nature of the reactions. Deoxycorticosterone and deoxycortisol were effective substrates for NADPH-dependent enzymic 11β-hydroxylation but were extensively degraded nonenzymically to unidentified products in the presence of NaIO₄ and hydroxylating agents other than NADPH and consequently could not be utilized as substrates in these reactions. Using androstenedione as substrate, NaIO₄ was the most effective hydroxylating agent, followed by cumene hydroperoxide, NaClO₂, t-butyl hydroperoxide, and NADPH. These hydroxylations were inhibited by substrates and modifiers of cytochrome P₄₅₀ and by reagents that convert cytochrome P₄₅₀ to cytochrome P₄₂₀. A mechanism for steroid hydroxylation in adrenocortical microsomes and mitochondria is proposed in which the ferryl ion (compound I) of cytochrome P₄₅₀ functions as the common “activated oxygen” species.     

Properties of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase purified from rabbit liver microsomes.

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from rabbit liver microsomes by a procedure that may be used in conjunction with the isolation of the major forms of cytochrome P-450. The purified reductase is active in a reconstituted hydroxylation system containing P-450LM₂ or P-450LM₄. The enzyme contains one molecule each of FMN and FAD per polypeptide chain having an apparent minimal molecular weight of 74,000. Immunological techniques provided evidence for only a single form of the reductase; lower molecular weight forms occasionally seen are believed to be due to degradation by contaminating microsomal or bacterial proteases. Upon anaerobic photochemical reduction, the rabbit liver reductase undergoes spectral changes highly similar to those previously described by Vermilion and Coon for the rat liver enzyme; the fully reduced rabbit liver enzyme is converted to the three-electron-reduced form by the addition of NADP and then to the stable one-electron-reduced form by exposure to oxygen. The CD spectra of the fully oxidized enzyme, one-electron-reduced form (air-stable semiquinone), three-electron-reduced form, and fully reduced form are presented. The results obtained provide evidence that the FMN and FAD are in highly different environments in the enzyme, as also indicated by the different redox potentials and oxygen reactivities of the flavins.     

Absorption spectral studies on heme ligand interactions of P-450nor

Heme-external ligand interactions of P-450_nor were examined spectrophotometrically and compared with those of other P-450s. Most nitrogenous ligands induced type II spectral changes on binding to ferric P-450_nor, as did other P-450s. In contrast with other P-450s, 2-methylpyridine and 1-butanol induced type I changes in the spectrum of P-450_nor. No spectral interaction of ferrous P-450_nor with these ligands was observed. The absorption spectra of the alkyl isocyanide complexes of ferrous P-450_nor exhibited the Soret peak at 427 nm with a slight shoulder at around 455 nm at neutral pH, and this shoulder was intensified as the pH was increased, suggesting that the isocyanide complexes of P-450_nor existed in two states (the 430 and 455 nm states) which were in pH-dependent equilibrium in a similar manner to microsomal P-450s. However, the equilibrium was shifted mostly to the 430 nm state in the complexes of P-450_nor. The findings suggest that P-450_nor, especially its ferrous form, has some distinct features from P-450_cam and microsomal P-450s in the distal heme environment.