Physicochemical properties of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-cytochrome P-450 reductase from bovine adrenocortical microsomes.

Adrenocortical NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase (EC. 1.6.2.4) was purified from bovine adrenocortical microsomes by detergent solubilization and affinity chromatography. The purified cytochrome P-450 reductase was a single protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, being electrophoretically homogeneous and pure. The cytochrome P-450 reductase was optically a typical flavoprotein. The absorption peaks were at 274, 380 and 45 nm with shoulders at 290, 360 and 480 nm. The NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was capable of reconstituting the 21-hydroxylase activity of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone in the presence of cytochrome P-45021 of adrenocortical microsomes. The specific activity of the 21-hydroxylase of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone in the reconstituted system using the excess concentration of the cytochrome P-450 reductase, was 15.8 nmol/min per nmol of cytochrome P-45021 at 37 degrees C. The NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, like hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, could directly reduce the cytochrome P-45021. The physicochemical properties of the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase were investigated. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 80 000 +/- 1000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and analytical ultracentrifugation. The cytochrome P-450 reductase contained 1 mol each FAD and FMN as coenzymes. Iron, manganese, molybdenum and copper were not detected. The Km values of NADPH and NADH for the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity and those of cytochrome c for the activity of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase were determined kinetically. They were 5.3 microM for NADPH, 1.1 mM for NADH, and 9-24 microM for cytochrome c. Chemical modification of the amino acid residues showed that a histidyl and cysteinyl residue are essential for the binding site of NADPH of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.     

Kinetic properties of guinea pig liver microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was purified to apparent homogeneity from detergent-solubilized guinea pig liver microsomes. The reductase had a mol. wt of 78,000 and contained one mole each of FAD and FMN. Electron transfer activity to cytochrome c was optimal at a pH of 8.0 and an ionic strength of 0.43. The results of kinetic experiments were consistent with a ternary-complex mechanism for the interaction of the reductase with cytochrome c and NADPH. Km values for NADPH and cytochrome c were 3.1 and 26.7 microM, respectively. Inhibition by NADP+ and 2'-AMP was competitive with respect to NADPH; Ki values were 12.1 microM for NADP+ and 46.7 microM for 2'-AMP.     

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.     

Involvement of FMN and phenobarbital cytochrome P-450 in stimulating a one-electron reductive denitrosation of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(cyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea catalyzed by NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase

Purified hepatic NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, which was reconstituted with dilauroylphosphatidylcholine, catalyzed a one-electron reductive denitrosation of 1-(2-[14C]-chloroethyl)-3-(cyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea ([14C]CCNU) to give 1-(2-[14C]-chloroethyl)-3-(cyclohexyl)urea at the expense of NADPH. Ambient oxygen or anoxic conditions did not alter the rates of [14C]CCNU denitrosation catalyzed by NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase with NADPH. Electron equivalents for reduction could be supplied by NADPH or sodium dithionite. However, the turnover number with NADPH was slightly greater than with sodium dithionite. Enzymatic denitrosation with sodium dithionite or NADPH was observed in anaerobic incubation mixtures which contained NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase with or without cytochrome P-450 purified from livers of phenobarbital (PB)-treated rats; PB cytochrome P-450 alone did not support catalysis. PB cytochrome P-450 stimulated reductase activity at molar concentrations approximately equal to or less than NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase concentration, but PB cytochrome P-450 concentrations greater than NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase inhibited catalytic denitrosation. Cytochrome c, FMN, and riboflavin demonstrated different degrees of stimulation of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase-dependent denitrosation. Of the flavins tested, FMN demonstrated greater stimulation than riboflavin and FAD had no observable effect. A 3-fold stimulation by FMN was not observed in the absence of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. These studies provided evidence which establish NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase rather than PB cytochrome P-450 as the enzyme in the hepatic endoplasmic reticulum responsible for CCNU reductive metabolism.     

Purification and characterization of the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 (cytochrome c) reductase from higher-plant microsomal fraction.

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 (cytochrome c) reductase (EC 1.6.2.4) was solubilized by detergent from microsomal fraction of wounded Jerusalem-artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) tubers and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. The purification was achieved by two anion-exchange columns and by affinity chromatography on 2',5'-bisphosphoadenosine-Sepharose 4B. An Mr value of 82,000 was obtained by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme exhibited typical flavoprotein redox spectra and contained equimolar quantities of FAD and FMN. The purified enzyme followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with Km values of 20 microM for NADPH and 6.3 microM for cytochrome c. In contrast, with NADH as substrate this enzyme exhibited biphasic kinetics with Km values ranging from 46 microM to 54 mM. Substrate saturation curves as a function of NADPH at fixed concentration of cytochrome c are compatible with a sequential type of substrate-addition mechanism. The enzyme was able to reconstitute cinnamate 4-hydroxylase activity when associated with partially purified tuber cytochrome P-450 and dilauroyl phosphatidylcholine in the presence of NADPH. Rabbit antibodies directed against plant NADPH-cytochrome c reductase affected only weakly NADH-sustained reduction of cytochrome c, but inhibited strongly NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and NADPH- or NADH-dependent cinnamate hydroxylase activities from Jerusalem-artichoke microsomal fraction.     

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase from rat liver: purification by affinity chromatography and characterization.

(NADPH)-cytochrome P-450 reductase was purified to apparent homogeneity by a procedure utilizing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The purified flavoprotein has a molecular weight of 79 700 and catalyzes cytochrome P-450 dependent drug metabolism, as well as reduction of exogenous electron acceptors. Aerobic titration of cytochrome P-450 reductase with NADPH indicates that an air-stable reduced form of the enzyme is generated by the addition of 0.5 mol of NADPH per mole of flavin, as judged by spectral characteristics. Further addition of NADPH causes no other changes in the absorbance spectrum. A Km value for NADPH of 5 micron was observed when either cytochrome P-450 or cytochrome c was employed as electron acceptor. A Km value of 8 +/- 2 micron was determined for cytochrome c and a Km of 0.09 +/- 0.01 micron was estimated for cytochrome P-450.     

Studies on NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. II. Steady-state kinetic properties of the crystalline enzyme from ale yeast

From a study of the steady-state kinetics (at pH 7.6, 30 degrees C) of the reduction of cytochrome c, a 'ping-pong' mechanism may be postulated for the crystalline NADPH-cytochrome c reductase from ale yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae [1], a result derivable from a three-substrate ordered system with a rapid equilibrium random sequence in substrates, NADPH and FAD, followed by reactions of the third substrate, Cyt C3+. On this basis, estimates for the kinetic parameters were made together with the inhibitor dissociation constants for NADP+ (competitive with respect to NADPH as variable substrate, but noncompetitive with respect to cytochrome c3+ as the variable substrate). A noncompetitive type of inhibition was also found for cytochrome c2+ with NADPH as variable substrate, in confirmation of the proposed mechanism. With 2,6-dichloroindophenol as the acceptor, in place of cytochrome c3+, a value for KNADPH could be estimated which agreed with that estimated above, with cytochrome c3+ as the acceptor, again, in confirmation of the postulated mechanism. The reactions with molecular O2 catalyzed by the enzyme with NADPH as the reductant have been studied polarographically, and its Km for O2 estimated to be about 0.15 mmol/l at pH 7.6, 25 degrees C. The product of the reaction appears to be H2O2, which acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor for NADPH (Ki = 0.5 mmol/l), and tentatively an enzyme ternary complex containing oxygen and FADoh (semiquinone of FAD) may be assumed to be the kinetically important intermediate, which may be postulated to be in quasi-equilibrium with an enzyme ternary complex containing Oo2 (superoxide) and FAD.     

Mechanism of inactivation of rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450c by 2-bromo-4'-nitroacetophenone

The mechanism by which 2-bromo-4'-nitroacetophenone (BrNAP) inactivates cytochrome P-450c, which involves alkylation primarily at Cys-292, is shown in the present study to involve an uncoupling of NADPH utilization and oxygen consumption from product formation. Alkylation of cytochrome P-450c with BrNAP markedly stimulated (approximately 30-fold) its rate of anaerobic reduction by NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, as determined by stopped flow spectroscopy. This marked stimulation in reduction rate is highly unusual in that Cys-292 is apparently not part of the heme- or substrate-binding site, and its alkylation by BrNAP does not cause a low spin to high spin state transition in cytochrome P-450c. Under aerobic conditions the rapid oxidation of NADPH catalyzed by alkylated cytochrome P-450c was associated with rapid reduction of molecular oxygen to hydrogen peroxide via superoxide anion. The intermediacy of superoxide anion, formed by the one-electron reduction of molecular oxygen, established that alkylation of cytochrome P-450c with BrNAP uncouples the catalytic cycle prior to introduction of the second electron. The generation of superoxide anion by decomposition of the Fe2+ X O2 complex was consistent with the observations that, in contrast to native cytochrome P-450c, alkylated cytochrome P-450c failed to form a 430 nm absorbing chromophore during the metabolism of 7-ethoxycoumarin. Alkylation of cytochrome P-450c with BrNAP did not completely uncouple the catalytic cycle such that 5-20% of the catalytic activity remained for the alkylated cytochrome compared to the native protein depending on the substrate assayed. The uncoupling effect was, however, highly specific for cytochrome P-450c. Alkylation of nine other rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 isozymes with BrNAP caused little or no increase in hydrogen peroxide formation in the presence of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and NADPH.     

Collagenolytic activity of rabbit V2-carcinoma growing at multiple sites.

Interaction between lanosterol and cytochrome P-450 purified from microsomes of anaerobically-grown Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied. Lanosterol (4,4,14α-trimethyl-5α-cholesta-8,24-dien-3β-ol) stimulated the oxidation of NADPH by molecular oxygen in the presence of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase both purified from S. cerevisiae microsomes. Lanosterol stimulated the reduction of cytochrome P-450 by NADPH with the cytochrome P-450 reductase, and induced Type I spectral change of cytochrome P-450. These observations suggest that lanosterol interacts to the substrate region of cytochrome P-450 of S. cerevisiae. Based on these facts, possible role of cytochrome P-450 in lanosterol metabolism in yeast cell is discussed.     

Redox cycling of resorufin catalyzed by rat liver microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase

The O-dealkylation of 7-alkoxyresorufins to the highly fluorescent compound, resorufin (7-hydroxyphenoxazone), provides a rapid, sensitive, and convenient assay of certain forms of liver microsomal cytochrome P450. The results of this study indicate that NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase catalyzes the reduction of resorufin (and the 7-alkoxyresorufins) to a colorless, nonfluorescent compound(s). The reduction of resorufin by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase was supported by NADPH but not NADH, and was not inhibited by dicumarol, which established that the reaction was not catalyzed by contaminating DT-diaphorase (NAD[P]H-quinone oxidoreductase). In addition to the rate of reduction, the extent of reduction of resorufin was dependent on the concentration of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. The maintenance of steady-state levels of reduced resorufin required the continuous oxidation of NADPH, during which molecular O2 was consumed. When NADPH was completely consumed, the spectroscopic and fluorescent properties of resorufin were fully restored. These results indicate that the reduction of resorufin by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase initiates a redox cycling reaction. Stoichiometric measurements revealed of 1:1:1 relationship between the amount of NADPH and O2 consumed and the amount of H2O2 formed (measured fluorometrically). The amount of O2 consumed during the redox cycling of resorufin decreased approximately 50% in the presence of catalase, whereas the rate of O2 consumption decreased in the presence of superoxide dismutase. These results suggest that, during the reoxidation of reduced resorufin, O2 is converted to H2O2 via superoxide anion. Experiments with acetylated cytochrome c further implicated superoxide anion as an intermediate in the reduction of O2 to H2O2. However, the ability of reduced resorufin to reduce acetylated cytochrome c directly (i.e., without first reducing O2 to superoxide anion) precluded quantitative measurements of superoxide anion formation. Superoxide dismutase, but not catalase, increased the steady-state level of reduced resorufin and considerably delayed its reoxidation. This indicates that superoxide anion is not only capable of reoxidizing reduced resorufin, but is considerably more effective than molecular O2 in this regard. Overall, these results suggest that NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase catalyzes the one-electron reduction of resorufin (probably to the corresponding semiquinoneimine radical) which can either undergo a second, one-electron reduction (presumably to the corresponding dihydroquinoneimine) or a one-electron oxidation by reducing molecular O2 to superoxide anion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Preparation of homogenous NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase from house flies using affinity chromatography techniques.

NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase (EC 1.6.2.4) was purified to apparent homogeneity from microsomes of house flies, Musca domestica L. The purification procedure involves column chromatography on three different resins. The key step in the purification scheme is the chromatography of the enzyme mixture on an affinity column of agarose-hexane-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. The enzyme has an estimated molecular weight of 83,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and contains 1 mol each of FAD and FMN per mol of enzyme. The enzyme exhibited a Bi Bi ping-pong kinetic mechanism with NADPH and cytochrome c. The Vmax and Km for cytochrome c were 42.3 mumol min-1 mg-1 and 12.7 muM, respectively. Turnover numbers based on micromoles of enzyme were 2,600 min-1. NADP+ and 2'-AMP both inhibited the reductases with apparent Ki values of 6.9 and 187 muM, respectively. These preparations of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase were found to reduce purified house fly cytochrome P-450 in the presence of NADPH.     

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is not a component of the liver microsomal steroid 5-alpha reductase

Liver microsomal steroid 5-alpha-reduction is catalyzed by a NADPH-dependent enzyme system. The requirement of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase to shuttle reduction equivalents from NADPH to steroid 5-alpha-reductase was investigated using an inhibitory antibody against NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. This antibody preparation inhibited cytochrome c reduction in microsomes from female rat liver with an I50 of 0.75 mg antibody/mg of microsomal protein. Benzphetamine N-demethylation and testosterone 6-beta-hydroxylation, two cytochrome P-450-mediated oxidative reactions, were inhibited by the antibody. On the other hand, testosterone 5-alpha-reductase was not affected by the antibody. These results suggest that NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is not an obligatory component of the liver microsomal steroid 5-alpha-reduction.     

Studies on the microsomal mixed function oxidase system: redox properties of detergent-solubilized NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.

Hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was solubilized from rabbit liver microsomes in the presence of detergents and purified to homogeneity by column chromatography. The purified reductase had a molecular weight of 78 000 and contained 1 mol each of FAD and FMN per mol of enzyme. On reduction with NADPH in the presence of molecular oxygen, an 02-stable semiquinone containing one flavin free radical per two flavins was formed, in agreement with previous work on purified trypsin-solubilized reductase. The reduction of oxidized enzyme by NADPH, and autoxidation of NADPH-reduced enzyme by air, proceeded by both one-electron equivalent and two-electron equivalent mechanisms. The reductase reduced cytochrome P-450 (from phenobarbital-treated rabbits) and cytochrome P-448 (from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rabbits). The rate of reduction of cytochrome P-450 increased in the presence of a substrate, benzphetamine, but that of cytochrome P-448 did not.     

Modification of a lysine residue of adrenodoxin reductase, essential for complex formation with adrenodoxin

The NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity of NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase from NADPH to cytochrome c via adrenodoxin was inhibited by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and other reagents that modified the lysine residues. However, the NADPH-ferricyanide reductase activity was not affected. Loss of the cytochrome c reductase activity could be prevented by adrenodoxin, but not by NADP+. One lysine residue of the adrenodoxin reductase could be protected from the modification with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate by complex formation with adrenodoxin. Loss of the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity was not due to the conformational change of the modified adrenodoxin reductase, judging from circular dichroism spectrometric studies.     

Effect of divalent cations on NADH-dependent and NADPH-dependent cytochrome b5 reduction by hepatic microsomes

The effect of Ca2+ or Mg2+ on cytochrome b5 reduction by porcine liver microsomes was examined using trypsin-solubilized cytochrome b5 as a substrate. The reduction of exogenous cytochrome b5 by microsomes was low at 1.2 microM cytochrome b5 (3.9 or 2.7 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively, with NADH or NADPH). The addition of CaCl2 greatly enhanced either NADH-dependent or NADPH-dependent cytochrome b5 reduction. At 2 mM CaCl2, the reduction rate was increased to 23- or 18-fold of control, respectively with NADH or NADPH. The concentration for half-maximal effect (EC50) was 0.5 or 0.6 mM in the NADH or NADPH systems, respectively. MgCl2 also stimulated cytochrome b5 reduction with a EC50 value of 1.0 mM in the NADH system or 0.6 mM in the NADPH system. The comparison with the result with KCl indicated that the activation by CaCl2 or MgCl2 is caused mainly by their divalent cation moiety. The Km value for cytochrome b5 was decreased and the Vmax was increased by calcium with either the NADH- or the NADPH-dependent system. NADH-ferricyanide reductase activity was not affected by calcium, but NADPH-ferricyanide reductase activity was stimulated as well as NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. In the presence of Triton X-100, divalent cations were inhibitory in NADH-dependent cytochrome b5 reduction, and in contrast, stimulative in NADPH-dependent reaction. These findings suggest that the activation of cytochrome b5 reduction by divalent cations in the NADH system is mainly due to an increasing accessibility of the substrate, and in the NADPH system, in addition to this, a direct effect of divalent cations on NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase is also involved.     

Characterization of the Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate-Nitrate Reductase of Aspergillus nidulans

The reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-nitrate oxidoreductase (EC 1.6.6.2) from Aspergillus nidulans was purified over 200-fold by use of salt fractionation, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme was specific for NADPH and catalyzed reduction of nitrate, cytochrome c from isolated mitochondria of Aspergillus, and mammalian cytochrome c. An S(0.725) (20, w) of 7.8 was derived with sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and a Stokes radius of 6.4 nm was derived by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. From these values, a molecular weight of 197,000 was computed, assuming v = 0.725 cm(3)/g. The spectral properties of the purified enzyme suggested a flavine component was present but revealed no pattern indicative of a hemoprotein. A cytochrome c, similar to the cytochrome c from isolated mitochondria, was found unassociated with the nitrate reductase after ion-exchange chromatography. No NADPH-nitrate reductase activity was detected in isolated mitochondria. Spectrally discernable reduction of the flavine component of the enzyme at 450 nm was noted after reaction with NADPH. This reduction was inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate but not by KCN. The addition of nitrate to NADPH reduced enzyme caused a reoxidation of the flavine component via a reaction which was inhibited by KCN but not by p-chloromercuribenzoate. The half-life of the purified enzyme at 37 C was 20 min for NADPH-nitrate reductase and 35 min for NADPH-cytochrome c reductase.     

Ethanol and drug metabolism in mouse liver microsomes subsequent to lipid peroxidation-induced destruction of cytochrome P-450

Preincubation of mouse liver microsomes with NADPH resulted in malondialdehyde formation, destruction of cytochrome P-450, and decreased rates of aniline hydroxylation and N-demethylation of aminopyrine and ethylmorphine. These phenomena were more pronounced in phosphate than in Tris buffer. No reduction in rates of NADPH-linked oxidation of ethanol or in the activities of NADPH oxidase and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was observed. While addition of EDTA to preincubation mixtures prevented lipid peroxidation, loss of cytochrome P-450, and inactivation of the drug-metabolizing capacity of microsomes, it did not alter ethanol oxidation rates and the activities of NADPH oxidase and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. These findings argue against the involvement of cytochrome P-450 in the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system.     

Properties of purified kidney microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase

NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, solubilized by lipase digestion of microsomes prepared from perfused porcine kidney cortex, was purified about 3600-fold to give a turnover number of 1230 nmoles cytochrome c reduced per min per nmole flavin. The kinetic determination of K_m and V with respect to NADPH, cytochrome c, and NADH, resulted in values similar to those obtained with purified liver reductase. The kidney microsomal enzyme also exhibited a ping-pong kinetic mechanism for NADPH-mediated cytochrome c reduction.Spectrofluorometric measurements demonstrated the presence of equimolar amounts of FAD and FMN per mole of reductase. The molecular weight was estimated by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be 68,000 and 71,000 g per mole, respectively.Immunochemical techniques, including Ouchterlony double-diffusion studies and inhibition of catalytic activity by antibody to the liver microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, established the similarity of the purified liver and kidney reductases.     

Characterization of microsomal NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase from rat brain

An NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase was purified from rat brain microsomes to electrophoretic homogeneity. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of 75,000 and reduced long chain fatty aldehydes such as octanal and hexadecanal with higher affinity (Km values of 0.21 mM and 0.03 mM, respectively) than for various artificial carbonyl compounds such as p-nitrobenzaldehyde and p-nitroacetophenone (Km values of 0.31 mM and 1.4 mM, respectively). The purified microsomal aldehyde reductase also showed NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity, and it could not be distinguished from NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in molecular weight (75,000), chromatographic behavior, electrophoretic mobility, or immunological properties. The solubilized microsomal fraction treated with steapsin lost the reductase activity for hexadecanal but not that for cytochrome c. These results suggest that the aldehyde reductase in brain microsomes is identical to NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and that a hydrophobic portion of the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase is required for the reduction of hexadecanal.