Regulation of microsomal enzymes by phospholipids VI. Abnormal enzyme-lipid interactions in liver microsomes from gunn rats

The rates of synthesis of some glucuronides by liver microsomes from the Gunn strain of rat are abnormally low, but previous investigators of the activity of the p-nitrophenol metabolizing form of UDPglucuronyltransferase (UDPglucuronate glucuronyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.17) have reported normal levels of activity in these animals. Data presented in this paper indicate, however, that this enzyme is abnormal in Gunn rats. Thus, treatment of liver microsomes from normal Wistar rats with phospholipase A (EC 3.1.1.4) or Triton X-100 increases the activity of the p-nitrophenol metabolizing form of UDPglucuronyltransferase 10- and 20-fold, respectively, but these agents do not alter activity in microsomes from homozygous Gunn rats. Similarly, phospholipase A and Triton X-100 activate the o-aminophenol and o-aminobenzoate metabolizing forms of UDPglucuronyltransferase in microsomes from normal rats, but are without effect on the enzyme in microsomes from Gunn rats. In contrast, the rates of synthesis of o-aminophenyl- and o-aminobenzoylglucuronides are increased several fold by addition of diethylnitrosamine to microsomes from Gunn rats indicating that the maximum potential activities of UDPglucuronyltransferases are constrained in liver microsomes from both normal and Gunn rats.These data indicate that assays of UDPglucuronyltransferase in native microsomes are not sufficient for delineating the full extent of the defect in the Gunn rat, that there are defects in the function of at least two proteins in liver microsomes from these animals, and that there are abnormal interrelations between some forms of microsomal UDPglucuronyltransferase and their phospholipid environments.