Distinct pulmonary and hepatic forms of flavin-containing monooxygenase in sheep

1. Flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) in pulmonary and hepatic microsomes from sheep was analyzed by western blotting by probing with antibodies raised against FMO purified from rabbit lung and pig liver. 2. Pulmonary microsomes from sheep contain a single major protein which cross-reacts with the antibody to rabbit lung FMO, but no band can be observed when probed with the antibody to the pig liver enzyme. Likewise, sheep liver microsomes contain a protein which cross-reacts with the antibody to pig liver FMO, but no significant staining is observed following incubation with antibody to the lung enzyme. 3. Sheep pulmonary and hepatic microsomal FMO also display a difference in activity toward chlorpromazine and n-dodecylamine. 4. Preliminary evidence suggests that sheep FMO may be induced (liver) or repressed (lung) during pregnancy. 5. Sheep are similar to rodents (rat, mouse, guinea pig, hamster and rabbit) in having distinct forms of pulmonary and hepatic FMO. The immunochemical and catalytic difference between sheep liver and lung FMO is similar to that of rabbit.