Slaving the cytochrome P-450 dependent monooxygenase system by periodically applied light pulses

The light-induced enhancement of 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activity was measured in a reconstituted system consisting of the enzyme P-450 II B1 (P-450_PB-B) and the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. The phases of the catalytic cycle of 2 · 10¹² protein complexes were locked by periodic application of light pulses (0.1 s duration, 1.2–2.5 s repetition time, and 390–470 nm 0.27 Joule/nmol P-450). More than 80% of the active reconstituted enzyme complexes worked in phase if the repetition time (1.32 s) was slightly smaller than the catalytic cycle time of the free running enzyme (1.54 s). The percentage of synchronized enzyme complexes as a function of the repetition time is shown. It is shown that the lifetime of the product-enzyme complex is shortened by the light.Abbreviations P-450 liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 - PB phenobarbital Offprint requests to: H. Gruler     

Protein-protein and lipid-protein interactions in a reconstituted cytochrome P-450 dependent microsomal monooxygenase

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome P-450, both purified from liver microsomes of phenobarbital-treated rabbits, were incorporated into dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. The reduction of cytochrome P-450 by NADPH in the reconstituted vesicles proceeded in a biphasic fashion, and 70-80% of the absorbance change was associated with the fast phase. The Arrhenius plot of the apparent first-order rate constant of the fast-phase reduction showed a marked discontinuity around the phase transition temperature of the synthetic phospholipid; an almost 10-fold change in rate constant was associated with this discontinuity. It was, therefore, suggested that the reduction of cytochrome P-450 by reductase in this system was a diffusion-limited reaction controlled by the viscosity of the phospholipid membrane. The Arrhenius plot of overall drug monooxygenase activity catalyzed by the reconstituted vesicles showed a break but in a different way from that observed for the reduction of cytochrome P-450. This break was accompanied only by a change of the slope of the plot but not by a change in reaction rate. This difference in the two Arrhenius plots was attributed to that in the rate-limiting step of the two reactions. NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity of the reconstituted vesicles, an activity catalyzed by the reductase alone, and cumene hydroperoxide dependent N-methylaniline demethylation activity catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 alone did not show any break in the Arrhenius plots.     

TNF-alpha -induced endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression is cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase dependent

It is strongly suspected thatcytokine-induced gene expression in inflammation is oxidant mediated;however, the intracellular sources of signaling oxidants remaincontroversial. In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) proinflammatorycytokines, such as TNF-, trigger gene expression of endothelialadhesion molecules including mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1(MAdCAM-1). MAdCAM-1 plays an essential role in gut inflammation bygoverning the infiltration of leukocytes into the intestine. Severalgroups suggest that endothelial-derived reduced NADP (NADPH) oxidaseproduces signaling oxidants that control the expression of adhesionmolecules (E-selectin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1). In addition to NADPH oxidase,cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) monooxygenases have also beenshown to trigger cytokine responses. We found that in high endothelialvenular cells (SVEC4-10), multiple inhibitors of CYP450 monooxygenases(SKF-525a, ketoconazole, troleandomycin, itraconazole) attenuatedTNF- induction of MAdCAM-1, whereas NADPH oxidase inhibition (PR-39)did not. Conversely, E-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 inductionrequires both NADPH oxidase and CYP450-derived oxidants. We show herethat MAdCAM-1 induction may depend exclusively on CYP450-derivedoxidants, suggesting that CYP450 blockers might represent a possiblenovel therapeutic treatment for human IBD.

     

Microspectrophotometry of mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 in single adrenal cells

Synopsis The cytochrome P-450 is known to be a key enzymic component in steroid hydroxylation. Biochemically it is localized in adrenal cells, both in the mitochondrial and in the microsomal fractions. Owing to its characteristic light absorptivity, attempts were made at its localization and measurement in a microspectrophotometric system. Specific difference spectra were obtained in the cytoplasm of some cells from an adrenal cell suspension before and after saturation with carbon monoxide. Scanning at 450 nm showed slender absorption maxima after CO saturation randomly distributed in the cytoplasm. These may be attributed to mitochondria or larger cytoplasmic functional units including mitochondria.     

Denaturation of cytochrome P-450 by cyclophosphamide metabolites

Cyclophosphamide (CP) metabolites, acrolein and 4-hydroxy-CP, were found to denature rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, whereas another metabolite, phosphoramide mustard, CP $\text{per}\text{se}$ or its analog Ifosfamide had no effect. The denaturation produced by CP metabolites could be blocked by cysteine, suggesting an interaction between CP metabolite(s) and sulfhydryl groups in cysteine and probably in cytochrome P-450. These studies might explain the biochemical basis of the specific depression of various microsomal mixed function oxygenase activities produced by high doses of CP.     

Inhibition of cytochrome P-450-linked monooxygenase systems by naphthoquinones

Several naphthoquinones, except 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, were found to inhibit microsomal cytochrome P-450-linked monooxygenase activities in rabbit liver and human placenta. In particular, 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone inhibited placental estrogen biosynthesis more effectively than it did hepatic drug oxidation reactions. There was little contribution by superoxide radicals to these enzyme inhibitions by naphthoquinones. Spectrophotometric studies revealed that naphthoquinones bind to the cytochrome P-450 component of the monooxygenase complex in both microsomal systems, suggesting that the inhibition is caused by direct interaction of these compounds with the heme.     

Arachidonic acid metabolism by dioxin-induced cytochrome P-450: a new hypothesis on the role of P-450 in dioxin toxicity

Dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, TCDD) is a highly potent inducer of cytochrome P-450. The role of the induced P-450 in TCDD toxicity has been obscure as P-450 neither detoxifies TCDD nor activates it to genotoxic or cytotoxic metabolites. We show, using a chick embryo model, that TCDD causes major increases in the NADPH dependent metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA), a predominant cell membrane fatty acid, that it does so with extremely high potency (ED50, 6.3 pmol per egg) and that this metabolism is catalyzed by TCDD-induced cytochrome P-450 species. Thus, TCDD treatment increased by six to ten fold the P-450 mediated hepatic microsomal metabolism of AA to epoxides and monohydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, products whose diverse biological activities suggest links to TCDD's toxic effects. In contrast only x and x-1 hydroxy AA, inactive products, were significantly formed by the controls. These findings open a new perspective on how P-450 induction could be related to the diverse toxic effects of TCDD. They lead to the novel hypothesis that TCDD-induced cytochrome P-450 metabolizes an endogenous fatty acid to reactive products that in turn mediate or modulate varied manifestations of TCDD toxicity.     

Maximizing the expression of mammalian cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase activities in yeast cells

Cytochrome P-450s constitute a superfamily of mono-oxygenases which require the association with specific redox enzymes bound to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane for their activity. Conditions for the functional expression of these mammalian enzymes in yeast cells and the respective merits and limitations of currently used P-450 expression systems, are considered. The dependence of the mouse P-450 IA1 specific activity on the cytochrome expression level in yeast microsomes is studied and results demonstrate that the low amounts of endogenous NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome b5 which are naturally present, are limiting for the heterologous monooxygenase activities. The sequences encoding human liver cytochrome b5, the native and a modified form of the yeast NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase were cloned by making use of PCR techniques, over-expressed in yeast as functional forms, and characterized. New vectors allowing a high level of mammalian P-450 expression upon induction were also constructed and tested. A strategy for the construction of a co-expression system allowing maximal activity of mammalian cytochrome P-450s is discussed.     

Possible involvement of arachidonic acid metabolites of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase pathway in vasopressin-stimulated glycogenolysis in isolated rat hepatocytes

Arachidonic acid (AA) is reported to be metabolized by three major pathways, i.e., cyclooxygenase (CO), lipoxygenase (LO), and NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (MO) pathways. Monooxygenase metabolites of AA have been proposed to play an important role in hormone action in various cells. Recently it was reported that the MO pathway may exist in rat liver. The present study was carried out to investigate the role of MO metabolites in vasopressin-induced glycogenolysis in isolated rat hepatocytes. The pretreatment of isolated rat hepatocytes with eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA), an inhibitor of CO, LO, and MO pathways, and ketoconazole and SKF 525A, inhibitors of the MO pathway, dose-dependently reduced vasopressin-induced phosphorylase activation, while the pretreatment with indomethacin, an inhibitor of the CO pathway, had no effect. The increment of cytosolic calcium concentration in vasopressin-stimulated hepatocytes was also dose-dependently decreased by ETYA, ketoconazole, and SKF 525A. In vitro addition of epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) dose-dependently increased both phosphorylase a activity and cytosolic calcium concentration. 14,15-EET was the most potent among four regioisomeric EETs. These results suggest that MO metabolites of AA, most likely EETs, may be involved in vasopressin-induced glycogenolysis probably via the activation of phosphorylase by increasing the cytosolic calcium concentration.     

The orientation of bovine adrenal cortex cytochrome P-450 in submitochondrial particle multilayers.

Angular electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of cytochrome P-450 in oriented multilayers from bovine adrenal cortex Submitochondrial particles have been obtained. Both high- and low-spin forms are present. Analysis of the spectra allows the orientation of the cytochrome P-450 to be determined relative to the membrane plane. The quality of the orientation of the cytochrome P-450 is estimated by use of a computer simulation program. Cytochrome P-450, unlike other cytochromes and porphyrins previously studied, has its heme plane parallel to the membrane plane.     

Chemical synthesis of cytochrome P-450-dependent metabolites of arachidonic acid]

Approaches to the chemical synthesis of cytochrome P-450-dependent metabolites of arachidonic acid and the biological role of novel metabolites in the arachidonic acid cascade are discussed.     

Presence of cytochrome P-450- and cytochrome P-448-dependent monooxygenase functions in hepatoma cell lines

Cell lines derived from Reuber H-4-II-E hepatoma cells and their hybrids that differ in the expression of liver-specific functions are shown to contain different forms of monooxygenases. According to 1) the specificity toward the substrates benzo(a)pyrene, aldrin and chenodexycholic acid, 2) the kinetics of the epoxidation of aldrin, 3) the response to inducers, such as benz(a)anthracene and dexamethasone, and 4) the $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$ modifier 7,8-benzoflavone, the monooxygenases predominating in differentiated cell lines belong to the cytochrome P-450-dependent enzyme(s), those in the less differentiated lines belong to the cytochrome P-448-dependent form(s).     

Immunochemical studies on cytochrome P-450 in adrenal microsomes

An antibody was prepared against electrophoretically homogeneous cytochrome P-450C21 purified from bovine adrenal microsomes. This antibody was used to compare various cytochromes P-450 in bovine and guinea pig adrenal microsomes. In an Ouchterlony double diffusion test, a spur formation was observed between the precipitin lines of the purified bovine cytochrome P-450C21 and guinea pig adrenal microsomes against anti-cytochrome P-450C21 IgG. Anti-cytochrome P-450C21 IgG inhibited 21-hydroxylation both of bovine and guinea pig adrenal microsomes but the inhibition was much more effective in the bovine microsomes than in the guinea pig microsomes. These results suggest that the 21-hydroxylase in the guinea pig microsomes has some molecular similarities to the bovine cytochrome P-450C21 and a part of the antibodies cross-reacts with the 21-hydroxylase in the guinea pig microsomes. Anti-cytochrome P-450C21 IgG did not inhibit the activities of 17 alpha-hydroxylase and C17,20-lyase in the bovine and guinea pig microsomes but stimulated these activities. This result shows that different species of cytochrome P-450 other than cytochrome P-450C21 catalyzes the 17 alpha-hydroxylation and C17,20 bond cleavage. The stimulation of 17 alpha-hydroxylation and C17,20 bond cleavage by blocking 21-hydroxylation indicates that the electron transfer systems for various cytochromes P-450 are intimately linked in adrenal microsomes.     

Immunolocalization of cholesterol side-chain-cleavage cytochrome P-450 and 17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450 in bovine ovarian follicles

Follicles were collected from cows and processed for electron microscopy and for immunofluorescent staining at the light microscope level. Key regulatory steroidogenic enzymes cholesterol side-chain-cleavage cytochrome P-450 (P-450scc) and 17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450 (P-45017 alpha) were immunolocalized using specific IgG fractions raised against these enzymes. In larger follicles in which the theca interna had differentiated, positive staining for cytochromes P-450scc and P-450(17) alpha was observed in the cells of the theca interna. Electron microscopic examination showed that these cells were rich in endoplasmic reticulum, mainly rough, and had moderate numbers of mitochondria with tubular and lamellar cristae. Positive staining was also present in the theca of follicles undergoing atresia. Positive staining for cytochrome P-450(17) alpha was not observed in the membrana granulosa but cytochrome P-450scc was present in the membrana granulosa in some follicles, particularly in the larger antral follicles. By contrast, positive staining for both enzymes was not observed in stroma, surface epithelium or in small preantral follicles in which the theca interna had not differentiated. These results indicate good agreement between the type(s) of steroidogenic enzyme(s) present in tissues and the type(s) of steroid hormone(s) produced. It is concluded that regulation of steroid hormone production involves, at least in part, regulation of the levels of steroidogenic enzymes.     

A human cytochrome P-450 characterized by inhibition studies as the sparteine-debrisoquine monooxygenase

The present study compares the debrisoquine monooxygenase and the sparteine monooxygenase activities of human liver microsomes. In the presence of 14 competitive inhibitors, apparent inhibition constants (Ki) as determined by these two activities ranged over four orders of magnitude with a correlation coefficient 0.99. These in vitro results represent the strongest evidence to date that the debrisoquine monooxygenase and the sparteine monooxygenase are identical and involve a single isozyme of cytochrome P-450.     

Effect of monooxygenase reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 on the microsomal membrane

Hydroxylation of dimethylaniline in rabbit liver microsomes is accompanied by inactivation of cytochrome P-450 and the formation of products inhibiting the catalytic activity of non-inactivated cytochrome P-450. Other enzymes and electron carriers of microsomal membrane (cytochrome b5, NADH-ferricyanide reductase, NADPH-cytochrome c and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductases) as well as glucose-6-phosphatase were not inactivated in the course of the monooxygenase reactions. Phospholipids and microsomal membrane proteins were also unaffected thereby. Consequently, the changes in the microsomal membrane during cytochrome P-450 dependent monooxygenase system functioning are confined to the inactivation of cytochrome P-450.     

Studies on the stimulation of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase activity by dilauroylphosphatidylcholine

Steady-state kinetic and deuterium isotope effect studies have been conducted to determine the influence of the phospholipid dilauroylphosphatidylcholine on the catalytic activity of a reconstituted monooxygenase system composed of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase. Addition of this lipid up to a concentration equivalent to its CMC resulted in an increase in V for benzphetamine N-demethylation. Above the CMC, no further change in V was observed. In contrast, the K_m was not affected throughout the entire lipid concentration range. Furthermore, the deuterium isotope effect for 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation was not affected by the lipid concentration indicating that the contribution of the carbon-hydrogen bond cleavage step to V was also not affected. These data are consistent with the mass-action model proposed earlier (G. T. Miwa, S. B. West, M. T. Huang, and A. Y. H. Lu, (1979), J. Biol. Chem.254, 5695–5700) for cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase association during catalysis. The lipid concentration, below its CMC, appears to decrease the apparent dissociation constant for the cytochrome P-450-reductase complex thus causing an increase in the steady-state concentration of this catalytically active complex.