Maurice E. Veronese

Tolbutamide hydroxylation by human liver microsomes: Kinetic characterisation and relationship to other cytochrome P-450 dependent xenobiotic oxidations

Tolbutamide hydroxylation has been investigated in human liver microsomes. Anti-human liver NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase IgG inhibited hydroxytolbutamide formation and this metabolite was not formed when NADPH-generating system was omitted from microsomal incubations. Tolbutamide hydroxylation followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, consistent with the involvement of a single form of cytochrome P-450 in this reaction. Mean apparent Km and Vmax values for hydroxytolbutamide formation were 120 +/- 41 microM and 0.273 +/- 0.066 nmol min-1 mg-1, respectively. A range of clinically used drugs and xenobiotics used as probes for cytochrome P-450 activity in laboratory animals was screened for inhibitory effects on hydroxytolbutamide formation. Caffeine, paraxanthine, theophylline, theobromine, debrisoquine, erythromycin, phenacetin, propranolol, aminopyrine, benzo(a)pyrene and 7-ethoxycoumarin were all found not to inhibit tolbutamide hydroxylation. In contrast, sulphaphenazole, phenylbutazone, nifedipine, verapamil, cimetidine, aniline, dextropropoxyphene and mephenytoin were competitive inhibitors of tolbutamide hydroxylation. The respective apparent Ki values for these compounds were 0.12 microM, 11 microM, 15 microM, 118 microM, 140 microM, 182 microM, 225 microM and 375 microM. Sulphinpyrazone inhibited tolbutamide hydroxylation with atypical kinetics. The in vitro data is in good agreement with in vivo drug interactions with tolbutamide. The data also confirm that tolbutamide hydroxylation is not associated with the cytochromes P-450 responsible for methylxanthine metabolism or with the form responsible for the polymorphic oxidation of debrisoquine.

Tolbutamide and phenytoin hydroxylations by cDNA-expressed human liver cytochrome P4502C9☆

A human cytochrome P4502C9 cDNA clone has been isolated from a human liver bacteriophage Lambda gt11 library using oligonucleotide probes. Expression of the 1762 base pair cDNA in COS cells demonstrated that the encoded enzyme has a molecular mass of 55 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The expressed enzyme catalysed the methylhydroxylation of tolbutamide with an apparent Km of 131.7 microM, similar to that observed in human liver microsomes. P4502C9 also catalysed the 4-hydroylation of phenytoin, and inhibition experiments demonstrated that phenytoin was a competitive inhibitor of tolbutamide hydroxylation with an apparent Ki of 19.1 microM. Sulphaphenazole was a potent inhibitor of the expressed enzyme with respect to both tolbutamide and phenytoin hydroxylations. These data demonstrate that a single isozyme can catalyse the hydroxylations of both tolbutamide and phenytoin, and suggest that both reactions are mediated by the same isozyme(s) of cytochrome P450 in human liver.

Caffeine metabolism by human hepatic cytochromes p450: Contributions of 1A2, 2E1 and 3A isoforms

Caffeine (CA) N1-, N3- and N7-demethylase, CA 8-hydroxylase and phenacetin O-deethylase activities were measured in microsomes from 18 separate human livers which had been characterized previously for a range of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoform-specific activities and immunoreactive CYP protein contents. Correlations between the high affinity components of the three separate CA N-demethylations were highly significant (r = 0.77-0.91, P < 0.001) and each of the three high affinity CA N-demethylations correlated significantly (r = 0.64-0.93, P < 0.05-0.001) with the high affinity phenacetin O-deethylase, 2-acetylaminofluorene N-hydroxylation and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) mutagenicity (all predominantly CYP1A2-mediated reactions). Consistent with these observations, cDNA-expressed human CYP1A2 catalyzed the N1-, N3- and N7-demethylation of CA and apparent Km values were similar (0.24-0.28 mM) for all three reactions and comparable to those observed previously with human liver microsomes. The low affinity components of CA N1- and N7-demethylation correlated significantly (r = 0.55-0.85, P < 0.05-0.001) with immunoreactive CYP2E1 content and the CYP2E1-specific activities 4-nitrophenol and chlorzoxazone hydroxylation. Diethyldithiocarbamate, a selective inhibitor of CYP2E1, inhibited the low affinity CA N1- and N7-demethylation, with IC50 values of 23 microM and 11 microM, respectively. The apparent Km values for CA N1- and N7-demethylation by cDNA-expressed CYP2E1 (namely 28 and 43 mM, respectively) were of a similar order to those calculated for the low affinity microsomal activities. Significant correlations (r = 0.87-0.97, P < 0.001) were observed between CA 8-hydroxylation and immunoreactive CYP3A content and the CYP3A-mediated reactions benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation, omeprazole sulfoxidation and aflatoxin B1 mutagenesis. Effects of alpha-naphthoflavone, erythromycin, troleandomycin and nifedipine on microsomal CA 8-hydroxylation were generally consistent with CYP3A involvement. Taken together with previous data, the results indicate a major involvement of CYP1A2 in the high affinity component of all three human hepatic CA N-demethylations. In contrast, CYP2E1 appears to be the main enzyme involved in the low affinity components of CA N1- and N7-demethylation while CA 8-hydroxylation is catalysed predominantly by a CYP3A isoform(s).

Validation of 4-nitrophenol as an in vitro substrate probe for human liver CYP2E1 using cDNA expression and microsomal kinetic techniques

The involvement of human cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2E1 in the hydroxylation of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) to 4-nitrocatechol (4NC) has been investigated using cDNA expression and liver microsomal kinetic and inhibitor techniques. 4NP hydroxylation by human liver microsomes and cDNA-expressed human CYP2E1 exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics; the respective apparent Km values were 30 +/- 7 and 21 microM. Mutual competitive inhibition was observed for 4NP and chlorzoxazone (CZ) (an alternative human CYP2E1 substrate) in liver microsomes, with close similarities between the calculated apparent Km and Ki values for each individual compound. 4NP and CZ hydroxylase activities in microsomes from 18 liver donors varied to a similar extent (3.3- and 3.0-fold, respectively) and 4NP hydroxylase activity correlated significantly (rs > or = 0.75, P < 0.005) with both CZ hydroxylation and immunoreactive CYP2E1 content. The prototypic CYP2E1 inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamate, was a potent inhibitor of 4NC formation and decreased 4NP hydroxylation by cDNA-expressed CYP2E1 and human liver microsomes in parallel. Probes for other human CYP isoforms namely (alpha-naphthoflavone, coumarin, sulphaphenazole, quinidine, troleandomycin and mephenytoin) caused < 15% inhibition of liver microsomal 4NP hydroxylation. These data confirm that, as in animal species, 4NP hydroxylation is catalysed largely by CYP2E1 in human liver and 4NP may therefore be used as an in vitro substrate probe for the human enzyme.

Validation of the tolbutamide metabolic ratio for population screening with use of sulfaphenazole to produce model phenotypic poor metabolizers

The present study has validated kinetically a convenient method to measure tolbutamide hydroxylation capacity in human beings by use of urinary metabolic ratios. The known in vivo and in vitro inhibitory properties of sulfaphenazole were used to convert control phase subjects to phenotypically “poor” metabolizers of tolbutamide. Six healthy subjects were given a single 500 mg oral dose of tolbutamide with and without sulfaphenazole, 500 mg every 12 hours. Tolbutamide, hydroxytolbutamide, and carboxytolbutamide in urine were determined by newly developed HPLC procedures. Plasma tolbutamide clearance and half‐life were measured, as were the metabolic ratio (hydroxytolbutamide + carboxytolbutamide/tolbutamide) in successive 6‐hour urine collections. The mean tolbutamide plasma clearance decreased from 0.196 ± 0.026 ml/min/kg without sulfaphenazole to 0.039 ± 0.009 ml/min kg with sulfaphenazole, and the mean half‐life of tolbutamide increased from 7.28 ± 0.89 hours to 38.76 ± 13.30 hours. The metabolic ratio determined in the 6 to 12 hour urine collection period decreased from 794.0 ± 86.6 to 126.0 ± 79.3, and this collection period also gave the best separation of subjects between phases. There was a good correlation between tolbutamide plasma clearance and metabolic ratio (rs = 0.853, p < 0.01, n = 12) and between the percentage decrease in plasma tolbutamide clearance and the percentage decrease in metabolic ratio (r = 0.932, p < 0.01, n = 6). The tolbutamide urinary metabolic ratio therefore effectively distinguishes tolbutamide hydroxylase activity in “normal” subjects and in those converted to model phenotypically “poor” metabolizers by sulfaphenazole.

Caffeine as a probe for human cytochromes P450: validation using cDNA-expression, immunoinhibition and microsomal kinetic and inhibitor techniques.

The molecular basis for the use of caffeine (CA; 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) as a probe for specific human cytochromes P450 has been investigated. The CA 1-, 3- and 7-demethylations (to form theobromine, paraxanthine and theophylline, respectively) all followed biphasic kinetics in human liver microsomes. Mean apparent Km values for the high- and low-affinity components of the demethylations ranged from 0.13-0.31 nM and 19.2-30.0 mM, respectively. cDNA-expressed CYP1A2 catalysed all three CA demethylations, and the apparent Km for CA 3-demethylation (the major metabolic pathway in humans) by the expressed enzyme was similar to the Km for the high-affinity liver microsomal CA 3-demethylase. IC50 values for inhibition of the CA demethylations by alpha-naphthoflavone were similar for both expressed CYP1A2 and the high-affinity microsomal demethylases. Moreover, CA was a competitive inhibitor of expressed CYP1A2 catalysed phenacetin O-deethylation, with the apparent Ki (0.080 mM) closely matching the apparent Km (0.082 mM) for CA 3-demethylation by the expressed enzyme. Expressed CYP1A1 was additionally shown to catalyse the 3-demethylation of CA, although activity was lower than that observed for CYP1A2. While these data indicate that CYP1A2 is responsible for the high-affinity component of human liver CA 3-demethylation, two limitations associated with the use of CA as an in vitro probe for CYP1A2 activity have been identified: (i) CA 3-demethylation reflects hepatic CYP1A2 activity only at appropriately low substrate concentrations; and (ii) CA is a non-specific CYP1A substrate and CYP1A1 may therefore contribute to CA 3-demethylase activity in tissues in which it is expressed. An anti-CYP3A antibody essentially abolished the 8-hydroxylation of CA to form trimethyluric acid, suggesting formation of this metabolite may potentially serve as a marker of CYP3A isozyme(s) activity.

Cytochromes P450, 1A2, and 2C9 are responsible for the human hepatic O-demethylation of R- and S-naproxen

A preliminary report implicated cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 in the human liver microsomal O-demethylation of S-naproxen, suggesting that this pathway may be suitable for investigation of human hepatic CYP2C9 in vitro. Kinetic and inhibitor studies with human liver microsomes and confirmatory investigations with cDNA-expressed enzymes were undertaken here to define the role of CYP2C9 and other isoforms in the O-demethylation of R- and S-naproxen. All studies utilised a newly developed sensitive and specific HPLC assay that measured the respective O-desmethyl metabolites of R- and S-naproxen in incubations of human liver microsomes and in COS cell lysates. Microsomal R- and S-naproxen O-demethylation kinetics followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with respective mean apparent Km values of 123 microM and 143 microM. Sulfaphenazole, a specific inhibitor of CYP2C9, reduced the microsomal O-demethylation of R- and S-naproxen by 43% and 47%, respectively, and the CYP1A2 inhibitor furafylline decreased R- and S-naproxen O-demethylation by 38% and 28%, respectively. R,S-Mephenytoin was a weak inhibitor of R- and S-naproxen O-demethylation, but other CYP isoform specific inhibitors (e.g., coumarin, diethyldithiocarbamate, quinidine, troleandomycin) had little or no effect on these reactions. cDNA-expressed CYP2C9 and CYP1A2 were both shown to O-demethylate R- and S-naproxen. Apparent Km values (92-156 microM) for the reactions catalysed by the recombinant enzymes were similar to those observed for human liver microsomal R- and S-naproxen O-demethylation. The data demonstrate that CYP2C9 and CYP1A2 together account for the majority of human liver R- and S-naproxen O-demethylation, precluding the use of either R- or S-naproxen as a CYP isoform-specific substrate in vitro and in vivo.

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for 4-nitrophenol hydroxylation, a putative cytochrome P-4502E1 activity, in human liver microsomes

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method which measures formation of product 4-nitrocatechol (4NC) has been developed and applied to the study of human liver microsomal 4-nitrophenol (4NP) hydroxylation. Following diethyl ether extraction, 4NC and the assay internal standard (salicylamide) were separated by reversed-phase (C18) liquid chromatography. Extraction efficiencies of 4NC and internal standard were both > 90%. The assay, which has a limit of detection of 15 pmol injected (or an incubation 4NC concentration of 0.25 microM), is accurate, reproducible and straightforward. With a chromatographic time of 12 min, 40-50 samples may be analyzed per day. Rates of 4NC formation were linear with time and protein concentration to 50 min and 0.5 mg/ml, respectively. Preliminary studies of 4NP hydroxylation showed that this reaction followed single enzyme Michaelis-Menten kinetics in human liver microsomes.

cDNA cloning and expression of a new form of human aryl sulfotransferase

To date, four human cytosolic sulfotransferases have been cloned and characterised. The aim of the present study was to identify new forms of these enzymes using molecular cloning techniques. Two full length human aryl sulfotransferase (HAST) cDNAs were cloned from a lambda gt10 liver cDNA library. The COS cell expression system was used to express the cDNAs and to determine the ability of the encoded proteins to metabolise the model substrates p-nitrophenol and dopamine. The two cDNAs were 1036 bp (HAST4) and 1060 bp (HAST4v) in length, and encoded proteins that differed by two amino acids (Thr-7 to Ile and Thr-235 to Asn). The coding domains of HAST4 and HAST4v were 97 and 94% homologous to previously reported phenol (HAST1) and monoamine (HAST3) sulfonating forms of sulfotransferase, respectively. On expression of these cDNAs in COS cells the encoded proteins were capable of sulfonating p-nitrophenol with markedly different affinities: the K(m)s for HAST4 and HAST4v being 73.7 and 7.75 microM, respectively. For the same reaction HAST1 and HAST3 have K(m)s of 0.7 and 2200 microM, respectively. Unlike HAST1 and HAST3, the expressed HAST4/4v proteins could not sulfonate dopamine. In addition to having markedly different K(m)s for p-nitrophenol as a substrate, the expressed HAST4/4 proteins also differed significantly in their affinity for the cofactor 3-phosphoadenosine-5-phosphosulfate. This report on the functional dissimilarity between two allelic variants of HAST4 highlights that substitution at two residues, Thr-7 and -235, markedly alters their substrate specificities and provides insight into the domains that determine these characteristics.

Tolbutamide hydroxylation in humans: lack of bimodality in 106 healthy subjects.

The tolbutamide hydroxylation capacity was studied in 106 healthy unrelated volunteers from the Australian population. Following a 500 mg oral dose of tolbutamide, the ratio of metabolites (hydroxytolbutamide plus carboxytolbutamide) to unchanged tolbutamide excreted in urine from 6 to 12 h post-dose (urinary metabolic ratio, MR) was determined. Metabolic ratio values did not appear bimodally distributed, even following various transformations of the data (i.e. Log10, inverse, Log10 inverse). A poor metabolizer (PM) subject from a previous clinical study, however, could be distinguished (MR value 159) from the above subjects (MR value range 324-3033), particularly from the histogram plot of inverse tolbutamide metabolic ratio. The poor metabolizers parents had metabolic ratio values (526 and 478) that were at the lower end of the range of metabolic ratios obtained from the population study, and may indicate that they both have a heterozygous genotype and that a recessive form of inheritance is most likely. As the hydroxylations of tolbutamide and phenytoin are closely linked, the incidence of slow tolbutamide metabolizers is likely to be similar to that for phenytoin (about 1:500) and this is consistent with the failure to detect a single poor tolbutamide metabolizer in our random sample of 106 individuals.