Cytochrome P-450C-M/F, a new constitutive form of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in male and female rat liver with estrogen 2- and 16 alpha-hydroxylase activity

A new cytochrome P-450 isozyme, P-450C-M/F, has been purified from untreated rat liver microsomes. The purified preparation was electrophoretically homogeneous and contained 12-15 nmol of P450/mg of protein and had a minimum molecular weight of 48,500. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of P-450C-M/F was different from that of other P-450's. Immunoblot analysis of microsomes demonstrated that P-450C-M/F was present in the liver of untreated male as well as female rats. Treatment of rats with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene, or beta-naphthoflavone did not induce P-450C-M/F. Cytochrome P-450C-M/F exhibited little activities of 7-ethoxycoumarin and 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation or hydroxylation of arylhydrocarbon, testosterone, androstenedione, and progesterone. In contrast, it was highly active in N-demethylation of ethylmorphine and benzphetamine and in 2- and 16 alpha-hydroxylation of estrogens, particularly that of estradiol. These studies establish that cytochrome P-450C-M/F is constitutively present in both male and female rats and suggest that it may be involved in the oxidative metabolism of estradiol, particularly in the formation of estriol, the uterotropic metabolite of estradiol.