Metabolism Of Aniline Research Articles

Prenatal ethanol exposure induces dynamic changes of expression and activity of hepatic cytochrome P450 isoforms in male rat offspring

This study aimed at determining the effect of prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) on the expression and activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes at different life stages of male rat offspring. Pregnant Wistar rats were administered with ethanol (4 g/kg/d) intragastrically from gestational day (GD) 9–20. Male offspring’s gene and activity of CYP isozymes were analyzed on GD 20 (only expression), postnatal day (PD) 84 and 196. Using aniline as probe, we compared the enzyme kinetics of hepatic CYP2E1 between two groups. Expression of CYP isozymes was examined in rat primary hepatocytes and human hepatic cell lines treated with ethanol or/and glucocorticoid. Gene level of Cyp1a2, 2b1, 2d1, 2e1, 3a1 and aryl hydrocarbon receptor were increased in PEE group on GD 20 and PD 84 and Cyp2e1 still exhibited an increasing trend on PD 196 compared with the control. PEE inhibited CYP2D1 and 2E1 activities in male offspring on PD 84. CYP activities in two groups became the same level on PD 196. PEE induced an opposite change in gene and protein level of hepatic CYP2E1 before and after birth. In consistent with lower protein level, aniline metabolism in PEE was weaker in liver microsome. Both single and combined use of ethanol or/and glucocorticoid increased CYPs expression in vitro. In conclusion, PEE programmed a higher gene and lower protein level of CYPs in male offspring, which dwindled with age. Impairment of protein levels and enzyme activities of CYPs may affect individual metabolism of endogenous and exogenous substances in early adulthood.

New insights into aniline toxicity: Aniline exposure triggers envelope stress and extracellular polymeric substance formation in Rubrivivax benzoatilyticus JA2

Aniline is a major environmental pollutant of serious concern due to its toxicity. Although microbial metabolism of aniline is well-studied, its toxic effects and physiological responses of microorganisms to aniline are largely unexplored. Rubrivivax benzoatilyticus JA2, an aniline non-degrading bacterium, tolerates high concentrations of aniline and produces extracellular polymeric substance(EPS). Surprisingly, strain JA2 forms EPS only when exposed to aniline and other toxic compounds like organic solvents and heavy metals indicating that EPS formation is coupled to cell toxicity. Further, extensive reanalysis of the previous proteomic data of aniline exposed cells revealed up-regulation of envelope stress response(ESR) proteins such as periplasmic protein folding, envelope integrity, transmembrane complex, and cell-wall remodelling proteins. In silico analysis and molecular modeling of three highly up-regulated proteins revealed that these proteins were homologous to CpxARP proteins of ESR signalling pathway. Furthermore, EPS formation to known ESR activators(Triton-X-100, EDTA) suggests that envelope stress possibly regulating the EPS production. The present study suggests that aniline triggers envelope stress; to counter this strain JA2 activates ESR pathway and EPS production. Our study revealed the hitherto unknown toxic effects of aniline as an acute envelope stressor thus toxicity of aniline may be more profound to life-forms than previously thought.

Human metabolism and excretion kinetics of aniline after a single oral dose.

Aniline is an important source material in the chemical industry (e.g., rubber, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals). The general population is known to be ubiquitously exposed to aniline. Thus, assessment of aniline exposure is of both occupational and environmental relevance. Knowledge on human metabolism of aniline is scarce. We orally dosed four healthy male volunteers (two fast and two slow acetylators) with 5mg isotope-labeled aniline, consecutively collected all urine samples over a period of 2days, and investigated the renal excretion of aniline and its metabolites by LS-MS/MS and GC-MS. After enzymatic hydrolysis of glucuronide and sulfate conjugates, N-acetyl-4-aminophenol was the predominant urinary aniline metabolite representing 55.7-68.9% of the oral dose, followed by the mercapturic acid conjugate of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol accounting for 2.5-6.1%. Acetanilide and free aniline were found only in minor amounts accounting for 0.14-0.36% of the dose. Overall, these four biomarkers excreted in urine over 48h post-dose represented 62.4-72.1% of the oral aniline dose. Elimination half-times were 3.4-4.3h for N-acetyl-4-aminophenol, 4.1-5.5h for the mercapturic acid conjugate, and 1.3-1.6 and 0.6-1.2h for acetanilide and free aniline, respectively. Urinary maximum concentrations of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol were reached after about 4h and maximum concentrations of the mercapturic acid conjugate after about 6h, whereas concentrations of acetanilide and free aniline peaked after about 1h. The present study is one of the first to provide reliable urinary excretion factors for aniline and its metabolites in humans after oral dosage, including data on the predominant urinary metabolite N-acetyl-4-aminophenol, also known as an analgesic under the name paracetamol/acetaminophen.

CYP2E1 hydroxylation of aniline involves negative cooperativity

CYP2E1 plays a role in the metabolic activation and elimination of aniline, yet there are conflicting reports on its mechanism of action, and hence relevance, in aniline metabolism. Based on our work with similar compounds, we hypothesized that aniline binds two CYP2E1 sites during metabolism resulting in cooperative reaction kinetics and tested this hypothesis through rigorous in vitro studies. The kinetic profile for recombinant CYP2E1 demonstrated significant negative cooperativity based on a fit of data to the Hill equation (n=0.56). Mechanistically, the data were best explained through a two-binding site cooperative model in which aniline binds with high affinity (Ks=30μM) followed by a second weaker binding event (Kss=1100uM) resulting in a threefold increase in the oxidation rate. Binding sites for aniline were confirmed by inhibition studies with 4-methylpyrazole. Inhibitor phenotyping experiments with human liver microsomes validated the central role for CYP2E1 in aniline hydroxylation and indicated minor roles for CYP2A6 and CYP2C9. Importantly, inhibition of minor metabolic pathways resulted in a kinetic profile for microsomal CYP2E1 that replicated the preferred mechanism and parameters observed with the recombinant enzyme. Scaled modeling of in vitro CYP2E1 metabolism of aniline to in vivo clearance, especially at low aniline levels, led to significant deviations from the traditional model based on non-cooperative, Michaelis–Menten kinetics. These findings provide a critical mechanistic perspective on the potential importance of CYP2E1 in the metabolic activation and elimination of aniline as well as the first experimental evidence of a negatively cooperative metabolic reaction catalyzed by CYP2E1.

N-Acetyl-4-aminophenol (paracetamol), N-acetyl-2-aminophenol and acetanilide in urine samples from the general population, individuals exposed to aniline and paracetamol users

Epidemiological studies suggest associations between the use of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol (paracetamol) during pregnancy and increased risks of reproductive disorders in the male offspring. Previously we have reported a ubiquitous urinary excretion of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol in the general population. Possible sources are (1) direct intake of paracetamol through medication, (2) paracetamol residues in the food chain and (3) environmental exposure to aniline or related substances that are metabolized into N-acetyl-4-aminophenol. In order to elucidate the origins of the excretion of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol in urine and to contribute to the understanding of paracetamol and aniline metabolism in humans we developed a rapid, turbulent-flow HPLC-MS/MS method with isotope dilution for the simultaneous quantification of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol and two other aniline related metabolites, N-acetyl-2-aminophenol and acetanilide. We applied this method to three sets of urine samples: (1) individuals with no known exposure to aniline and also no recent paracetamol medication; (2) individuals after occupational exposure to aniline but no paracetamol medication and (3) paracetamol users. We confirmed the omnipresent excretion of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol. Additionally we revealed an omnipresent excretion of N-acetyl-2-aminophenol. In contrast, acetanilide was only found after occupational exposure to aniline, not in the general population or after paracetamol use. The results lead to four preliminary conclusions: (1) other sources than aniline seem to be responsible for the major part of urinary N-acetyl-4-aminophenol in the general population; (2) acetanilide is a metabolite of aniline in man and a valuable biomarker for aniline in occupational settings; (3) aniline baseline levels in the general population measured after chemical hydrolysis do not seem to originate from acetanilide and hence not from a direct exposure to aniline itself and (4) N-acetyl-2-aminophenol does not seem to be related to aniline nor to N-acetyl-4-aminophenol in man.

Biological Monitoring of Aromatic Amines - Metabolism of aniline and elimination kinetics of its metabolites after controlled exposure

The aromatic amine aniline is an important base material in chemical industry. It is also an integral part of tobacco smoke. In Biological Monitoring exposure to aniline is regularly assessed by measuring urinary aniline after hydrolysis or in form of its covalent haemoglobin adducts. As data on metabolism and elimination kinetics is available from several animal species but lacks from humans we conducted a study under controlled exposure in an exposure chamber (ethics approval 4333-12, Ruhr-Universität Bochum). Four non-smoking slow acetylating volunteers (2 m, 2 f) were exposed to 2 ppm aniline for 8 hours. Spot urine specimen were taken prior to exposure and ad libitum up to 26 hours postexposure. In these samples N-acetyl-2-aminophenol, N-acetyl-4-aminophenol and N-acetylaniline were quantified using HPLC-MS/MS and aniline was quantified after acidic hydrolysis using GC-MS/MS. N-acetyl-4-aminophenol was the major urinary metabolite representing 23-54% of the total aniline dose. N-acetyl-4-aminophenol was eliminated into urine with a half-life between 6 and 12 hours. Urinary background concentrations of N-acetyl-2-aminophenol in the mg/L range hampered the evaluation of toxicokinetic data for this proposed phenolic aniline metabolite. The amount of aniline found after hydrolysis essentially originated from N-acetylaniline. N-acetylaniline showed an initial elimination half-life of about 3 hours. N-acetylaniline accounted for less than 0.5% of the dose which is considerably smaller than expected from animal data. If the acetylator phenotype has a significant impact on metabolite ratios or elimination velocity in humans will be studied in further experiments. The sources of the N-acetyl-2-aminophenol urinary background concentrations in humans are unknown so far.

Rapid determination of N-acetyl-4-aminophenol (paracetamol) in urine by tandem mass spectrometry coupled with on-line clean-up by two dimensional turbulent flow/reversed phase liquid chromatography

N-Acetyl-4-aminophenol (NAAP) is the major urinary metabolite of aniline. The general population is known to be ubiquitously exposed to aniline through various sources. Furthermore, NAAP, known under the trade name paracetamol (resp. acetaminophen), is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter analgesics. Recent studies suggest anti-androgenic properties of NAAP. Although NAAP has been used as a pain reliever over decades and its role in aniline metabolism is well known there is a lack of internal exposure data both in environmental and occupational settings. To determine the internal NAAP exposure of the general population, workers exposed to aniline and users of paracetamol we developed a fast on-line HPLC-MS/MS method with isotope dilution quantification of NAAP after enzymatic hydrolysis of its conjugates in urine. We achieved minimal sample pretreatment through on-line extraction and enrichment of the analyte by turbulent flow chromatography on a Waters Oasis HLB phase followed by back-flush transfer onto the analytical column. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.75 μg/L. In a pilot study, urine samples of 21 volunteers, not occupationally exposed to aniline, were analyzed for NAAP. NAAP was detected in all samples in a wide concentration range between 8.7 μg/L and 22100 μg/L (median 85.7 μg/L). The highest concentration was measured in a volunteer who took paracetamol one day ago. Half of the volunteers quoted to either never have taken paracetamol or at least not during several weeks before the study. Therefore, other routes of exposure than direct use of paracetamol, like aniline or paracetamol contaminated foodstuff, leading to the NAAP excretions have to be taken into account.

The influence of anaesthetic agents on the formation of methaemoglobin induced by aniline in cats.

Abstract Administration of anaesthetic agents modifies the methaemoglobin formation induced by aniline in cats. The maximum amount of methaemoglobin is reduced, so too is the rate at which the methaemoglobin disappears. Studies with phenylhydroxylamine indicate that these changes are due to anaesthetics modifying the metabolism of aniline to phenylhydroxylamine rather than modifying the action of phenylhydroxylamine on systems within the red blood cell. The microsomal metabolism inhibitor SKF 525A has no effect on methaemoglobin formation induced by aniline.

Effects of intravenous administration of lipopolysaccharide on cytochrome P450 isoforms and hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes in swine

To investigate effects of bacteria-mediated inflammation on hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) in swine via a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge technique. 22 Poland China-Landrace crossbred barrows. In experiment 1, 10 market-weight swine were treated with LPS (20 microg/kg, IV [n = 5 swine]) or sham-injected (5) 24 hours before slaughter. In experiment 2, 12 growing and finishing swine were treated with LPS at 2 or 20 microg/kg, IV (n = 3 swine/age group/treatment) 24 hours before slaughter. Hepatic DMEs, cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms, and CYP-mediated reactions were measured. In experiment 1, LPS administered at 20 microg/kg decreased most hepatic DME components and inhibited enzymatic activities. In experiment 2, both doses reduced protein content in subcellular fractions and inhibited some DME- and CYP-mediated activities. In growing and finishing swine, CYP2A and CYP2B isoforms were not detected after treatment with LPS; the CYP1A2 isoform was eliminated in growing but not in finishing swine. Lipopolysaccharide also reduced CYP2D6 content in growing and finishing swine but increased CYP2E content. Lipopolysaccharide had no effect on swine CYP2C11, CYP2C13, or CYP3A content. The CYP2B-mediated 7-pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activity in growing and finishing swine was totally eliminated, and 7-ethoxyresorufin (indicating CYP1A activity) and aniline (mediated by CYP2E) metabolism was decreased. Effect of LPS treatment on swine CYPs appeared to be isoform specific; age-related metabolic status of the swine and the LPS dose modified this effect. Lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation may affect metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics in swine.

Functional analysis of a putative regulatory gene, tadR, involved in aniline degradation in Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9

Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9 contains the chromosomally encoded tad gene cluster responsible for the complete metabolism of aniline to TCA cycle intermediates. The tadQTA1A2B genes encode a multi-component aniline dioxygenase, the first enzyme of aniline metabolism, and the tadR gene directly downstream of this gene cluster encodes a putative LysR-type regulatory protein. Inactivation of tadR resulted in the inability to degrade aniline and to grow on aniline. Transcriptional assays using a tadQ promoter (P( tadQ ))-lacZ fusion revealed that the transcriptional activation of tadQ from P( tadQ ) was dependent on the presence of tadR and aniline, suggesting that tadR encodes a positive regulatory protein for the expression of at least six genes. Induction experiments using the same P( tadQ )-lacZ fusion showed that, of the 22 chemical compounds, aniline and monochloroanilines activated transcription from P( tadQ ) in wild-type AD9. Sequential deletions of a 1,003-bp region just upstream of tadQ showed that a 148-bp segment upstream of the transcription start site of tadQ, containing one inverted repeat named IR6, was essential for the transcriptional activation of tadQ. Moreover, gel shift assay confirmed the binding of the gene product to the tadQ promoter region. These results clarified the outline of the regulatory mechanism for aniline degradation in AD9.

A novel and complete gene cluster involved in the degradation of aniline by Delftia sp. AN3

A recombinant strain, Escherichia coli JM109-AN1, was obtained by constructing of a genomic library of the total DNA of Delftia sp. AN3 in E. coli JM109 and screening for catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity. This recombinant strain could grow on aniline as sole carbon, nitrogen and energy source. Enzymatic assays revealed that the exogenous genes including aniline dioxygenase (AD) and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C230) genes could well express in the recombinant strain with the activities of AD and C230 up to 0.31 U/mg wet cell and 1.92 U/mg crude proteins, respectively. The AD or C230 of strain AN3 could only catalyze aniline or catechol but not any other substituted substrates. This recombinant strain contained a recombinant plasmid, pKC505-AN1, in which a 29.7-kb DNA fragment from Delftia sp. AN3 was inserted. Sequencing and open reading frame (orfs) analysis of this 29.7 kb fragment revealed that it contained at least 27 orfs, among them a gene cluster (consisting of at least 16 genes, named danQTA1A2BRDCEFG1HIJKG2) was responsible for the complete metabolism of aniline to TCA-cycle intermediates. This gene cluster could be divided into two main parts, the upper sequences consisted of 7 genes (danQTAIA2BRD) were predicted to encode a multi-component aniline dioxygenase and a LysR-type regulator, and the central genes (danCEFGIHIJKG2) were expected to encode meta-cleavage pathway enzymes for catechol degradation to TCA-cycle intermediates. Unlike clusters tad from Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9 and tdn from Pseudomonas putida UCC22, in this gene cluster, all the genes were in the same transcriptional direction. There was only one set of C230 gene (danC) and ferredoxin-like protein gene (danD). The presence of only one set of these two genes and specificity of AD and C230 might be the reason for strain AN3 could only degrade aniline. The products of danQTAIA2BRDC showed 99%-100% identity to those from Delftia acidovorans 7N, and 50%-85% identity to those of tad cluster from D. tsuruhatensis AD9 in amino acid residues. Besides this dan cluster, the 29.7 kb fragment also contained genes encoding the trans-membrane transporter and transposases which might be needed for transposition of the gene cluster. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and plasmid curing experiments suggested that the dan cluster might be encoded on the chromosome of strain AN3. The GenBank accession number for the dan cluster of Delftia sp. AN3 is DQ661649.

Chromosome-encoded gene cluster for the metabolic pathway that converts aniline to TCA-cycle intermediates in Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9

Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9 was isolated as an aniline-degrading bacterium from the soil surrounding a textile dyeing plant. The gene cluster involved in aniline degradation was cloned from the total DNA of strain AD9 into Escherichia coli JM109. After shotgun cloning, two recombinant E. coli strains showing aniline oxidation activity or catechol meta-cleavage activity were obtained by simple plate assays. These strains contained 9.3 kb and 15.4 kb DNA fragments, respectively. Sequence analysis of the total 24.7 kb region revealed that this region contains a gene cluster (consisting of at least 17 genes, named tadQTA1A2BRD1C1D2C2EFGIJKL) responsible for the complete metabolism of aniline to TCA-cycle intermediates. In the gene cluster, the first five genes (tadQTA1A2B) and the subsequent gene (tadR) were predicted to encode a multi-component aniline dioxygenase and a LysR-type regulator, respectively, while the others (tadD1C1D2C2EFGIJKL) were expected to encode meta-cleavage pathway enzymes for catechol degradation. In addition, it was found that the gene cluster is surrounded by two IS1071 sequences, indicating that it has a class I transposon-like structure. PFGE and Southern hybridization analyses confirmed that the tad gene cluster is encoded on the chromosome of strain AD9 in a single copy. These results suggest that, in strain AD9, aniline is degraded via catechol through a meta-cleavage pathway by the chromosome-encoded tad gene cluster. The tad gene cluster showed significant similarity in nucleotide sequence and genetic organization to the plasmid-encoded aniline degradation gene cluster of Pseudomonas putida UCC22.

Genotoxic Activities of Aniline and its Metabolites and Their Relationship to the Carcinogenicity of Aniline in the Spleen of Rats

Aniline (in the form of its hydrochloride) has been shown to induce a rather rare spectrum of tumors in the spleen of Fischer 344 rats. The dose levels necessary for this carcinogenic activity were in a range where also massive effects on the blood and non-neoplastic splenotoxicity as a consequence of methemoglobinemia were to be observed. This review aimed at clarifying if aniline itself or one of its metabolites has a genotoxic potential which would explain the occurrence of the spleen tumors in rats as a result of a primary genetic activity. The database for aniline and its metabolites is extremely heterogeneous. With validated assays it ranges from a few limited Ames tests (o- and m-hydroxyacetanilide, phenylhydroxylamine, nitrosobenzene) to a broad range of studies covering all genetic endpoints partly with several studies of the same or different test systems (aniline, p-aminophenol, p-hydroxyacetanilide). This makes a direct comparison rather difficult. In addition, a varying number of results with as yet not validated systems are available for aniline and its metabolites. Most results, especially those with validated and well performed/documented studies, did not indicate a potential of aniline to induce gene mutations. In five different mouse lymphoma tests, where colony sizing was performed only in one test, aniline was positive. If this indicates a peculiar feature of a point mutagenic potential or does represent a part of the clastogenic activity for which there is evidence in vitro as well as in vivo remains to be investigated. There is little evidence for a DNA damaging potential of aniline. The clastogenic activity in vivo is confined to dose levels, which are close to lethality essentially due to hematotoxic effects. The quantitatively most important metabolites for experimental animals as well as for humans (p-aminophenol, p-hydroxyacetanilide) seem to have a potential for inducing chromosomal damage in vitro and, at relatively high dose levels, also in vivo. This could be the explanation for the clastogenic effects that have been observed after high doses/concentrations with aniline. They do not induce gene mutations and there is little evidence for a DNA damaging potential. None of these metabolites revealed a splenotoxic potential comparable to that of aniline in studies with repeated or long-term administration to rats. The genotoxicity database on those metabolites with a demonstrated and marked splenotoxic potential, i.e. phenylhydroxylamine, nitrosobenzene, is unfortunately very limited and does not allow to exclude with certainty primary genotoxic events in the development of spleen tumors. But quite a number of considerations by analogy from other investigations support the conclusion that the effects in the spleen do not develop on a primary genotoxic basis. The weight of evidences suggests that the carcinogenic effects in the spleen of rats are the endstage of a chronic high-dose damage of the blood leading to a massive overload of the spleen with iron, which causes chronic oxidative stress. This conclusion, based essentially on pathomorphological observations, and analogy considerations thereof by previous authors, is herewith reconfirmed under consideration of the more recently reported studies on the genotoxicity of aniline and its metabolites, on biochemical measurements indicating oxidative stress, and on the metabolism of aniline. It is concluded that there is no relationship between the damage to the chromosomes at high, toxic doses of aniline and its major metabolites p-aminophenol/p-hydroxyacetanilide and the aniline-induced spleen tumors in the rat.

Functional identification of gene cluster for the aniline metabolic pathway mediated by transposable element

A convenient and widely applicable method has been developed to clone aniline metabolic gene cluster in this study. Three positive recombinant plasmids pDA1, pDB2 and pDB11 were cloned from genomic library of aniline degradation strain AD9. The result of aniline dioxygenase (AD) activity and catechol 2,3-oxygenase (C23O) activity assay showed that pDA1 and pDB11 contain aniline dioxy- genase genes and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase genes, respectively. The sequence analysis of the total 24.7-kb region revealed that this region contains 25 ORFs, of which 17 genes involve metabolism of aniline. In the gene cluster, the first five genes (tadQTA1A2B) and the subsequent gene (tadR1) were pre- dicted to encode a multi-component aniline dioxygenase and a LysR-type regulator, respectively, while the others (tadD1C1D2C2EFGIJKL) were expected to encode meta- cleavage pathway enzymes for catechol degradation. The gene cluster was surrounded by two IS1071 sequences.

Comparative biodegradation studies of pre-emergence broadleaf and grass herbicides in aqueous medium

Abstract The biodegradation of the herbicides hexazinone, metribuzin, metobromuron and propachlor was evaluated in liquid cultures of an adapted and a non-adapted mixed microbial culture obtained from a wastewater treatment plant. All herbicides were poorly degraded after 50 days ( 50 % ) . The adaptation of microbial culture prior to the biodegradation test shortened only the lag-time in degradation of hexazinone. The level of biodegradation correlated with the log K ow values of the molecules tested ( R 2 = 0.970 ). Metobromuron at 100 mg L - 1 inhibited the metabolism of aniline by the mixed culture.

Cloning and functional analysis of aniline dioxygenase gene cluster, from Frateuria species ANA-18, that metabolizes aniline via an ortho-cleavage pathway of catechol.

Genes encoding an aniline dioxygenase of Frateuria sp. ANA-18, which metabolizes aniline via the ortho-cleavage pathway of catechol, were cloned and named tdn genes. The tdn genes were located on the chromosomal DNA of this bacterium and weren't clustered with catechol-degrading gene clusters. These results show that the ANA-18 aniline-degrading gene cluster is constructionally different from Pseudomonas tdn and Acinetobacter atd gene clusters, which degrade aniline via the meta-cleavage pathway of catechol and organize catechol-metabolic genes in the gene clusters. When cloned tdnQTA1A2B genes were expressed in Eschherichia coli, aniline dioxygenase activity was observed. Southern blot analysis revealed that homologues of the tdnA1A2B genes didn't exist in strain ANA-18. Disruption of the tdnA1A2 genes gave the parent strain ANA-18 a defect in aniline metabolism. On the basis of these results, we concluded that only the cloned tdn genes function as genes encoding aniline dioxygenase in strain ANA-18 although this bacterium had two catechol-degrading gene clusters.

Propranolol as an inhibitor of some cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase activities in native and induced rat liver microsomes.

The in vitro effect of propranolol (10(-3) M and 10(-4) M), a nonselective and extensively metabolized beta-adrenergic blocking agent, on rat liver drug metabolism in native and induced (with phenobarbital and beta-naphthoflavone [beta-NF]) microsomes was studied. The type of inhibition and the inhibitory constants of some cytochrome P450-dependent microsomal enzyme reactions (hexobarbital oxidation [HBO], ethylmorphine-N-demethylation [EMND], aniline hydroxylation [AH], ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylation [ECOD], ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylation [EROD] and penthoxyresorufin-O-dealkylation [PROD]) were estimated. The results showed that propranolol competitively inhibited AH activity in native microsomes. The type of inhibition was changed from competitive to noncompetitive in all other enzyme activities studied. This inhibition was more pronounced after phenobarbital induction in PROD (Ki = 0.11 +/- 0.01 mM), ECOD (Ki = 0.40 +/- 0.09 mM) and EMND (Ki = 0.59 +/- 0.1 mM), and after beta-NF induction in AH (Ki = 0.28 +/- 0.05 mM) and in HBO (Ki = 0.35 +/- 0.1 mM) in native microsomes. It was assumed that the noncompetitive type of inhibition is due to the covalent binding of reactive metabolites derived from propranolol to hepatic microsomal proteins. The competitive type of inhibition of AH suggested a common P450 isoenzyme in the metabolism of propranolol and aniline. Thus, in this study, propranolol has been found to be not only a selective inhibitor of CYP2D6 isoenzyme-dependent reactions, but also a nonspecific inhibitor of other cytochrome P450 isoenzymes.

In vitro hepatic microsomal metabolism of N-benzyl- N-methylaniline

In the present study, the in vitro microsomal metabolism of a tertiary aniline, N-benzyl- N-methylaniline (NBNMA) was studied to determine whether this compound produces an amide derivative (benzoyl) together with N-dealkylation and C- and N-oxidation products as metabolites. The preparations of the corresponding potential metabolites were undertaken and were separated using TLC and HPLC. Incubations were performed using rat microsomal preparations fortified with NADPH. The substrate and its potential metabolites were extracted into dichloromethane in the presence of NaCl and examined by TLC and HPLC–UV. The results indicated that NBNMA did not produce the corresponding amide (benzoyl derivative) or N-oxide metabolite but was dealkylated to the corresponding secondary amine. Two p-hydroxylated phenolic metabolites were also observed. These findings support the concept that nitrones are essential intermediate metabolites for the formation of amides from secondary aromatic amines (chemical rearrangement to amide via an oxaziridine intermediate). The carbinolamine produced from NBNMA does not seem stable enough to allow further oxidation to the amide and therefore this intermediate is broken down to the dealkylation products. N-Dealkylations and p-hydroxylations are major metabolic reactions following in vitro hepatic microsomal metabolism of the benzylic tertiary aniline, NBNMA.

Studies on the metabolism of 4-fluoroaniline and 4-fluoroacetanilide in rat: formation of 4-acetamidophenol (paracetamol) and its metabolites via defluorination and N-acetylation

1. The urinary metabolic fate of 4-fluoroaniline (4-FA) and 1-\\[C]-4-fluoroacetanilide (4-FAA) has been studied using NMR-based methods after 50 and 100 mg kg i.p. doses respectively to the male Sprague-Dawley rat. 2. 4-FA was both ortho- and para-hydroxylated. The major metabolite produced by ortho-hydroxylation was 2-amino-5-fluorophenylsulphate accounting for 30% of the dose. Of the dose, 10% was excreted via para-hydroxylation and the resulting defluorinated metabolites were N-acetylated and excreted as sulphate (major), glucuronide (minor) and N-acetyl-cysteinyl (minor) conjugates of 4-acetamidophenol (paracetamol). 3. The major route of metabolism of 1-\\[C]-4-FAA was N-deacetylation and the metabolites excreted in the urine were qualitatively identical to 4-FA. The paracetamol metabolites produced via para-hydroxylation were also a product of N-deacetylation and reacetylation, as the \\[C]-label was not retained. 4. These studies demonstrate the value of \\[C]-labelling in understanding the contribution of N-acetylation, and futile deacetylation-reacetylation reactions, in aniline metabolism. In addition, this work sheds new light on the metabolic lability of certain aromatic fluorine substituents.

Biotransformation of hepatic xenobiotics in rats with various resistance to hypoxia exposure to after cold

Hepatic monooxygenase activity was studied in rats with various resistance to hypoxia during adaptation to cold. Cold-induced change in the concentrations of cytochromes P-450 and b5 and the activity of microsomals metabolism of amidopyrine and aniline were shown to be associated with individual resistance to hypoxia. The content of microsomal cytochromes in highly resistant rats did not change on the fifth day of cold exposure. However, the intensity of metabolic reactions decreased. In low-resistance rats, a cold-induced decrease in the concentration of the cytochromes was not accompanied by significant changes in metabolic rates of amidopyrine and aniline.