Pig Liver Microsomes Research Articles

Carotenoid incorporation into microsomes: yields, stability and membrane dynamics

The carotenoids β-carotene (BC), lycopene (LYC), lutein (LUT), zeaxanthin (ZEA), canthaxanthin (CTX) and astaxanthin (ASTA) have been incorporated into pig liver microsomes. Effective incorporation concentrations in the range of about 1–6 nmol/mg microsomal protein were obtained. A stability test at room temperature revealed that after 3 h BC and LYC had decayed totally whereas, gradually, CTX (46%), LUT (21%), ASTA (17%) and ZEA (5%) decayed. Biophysical parameters of the microsomal membrane were changed hardly by the incorporation of carotenoids. A small rigidification may occur. Membrane anisotropy seems to offer only a small tolerance for incorporation of carotenoids and seems to limit the achievable incorporation concentrations of the carotenoids into microsomes. Microsomes instead of liposomes should be preferred as a membrane model to study mutual effects of carotenoids and membrane dynamics.

24-Hydroxycholesterol is a substrate for hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A)

(24S)-Hydroxycholesterol is formed from cholesterol in the brain and is important for cholesterol homeostasis in this organ. Elimination of (24S)-hydroxycholesterol has been suggested to occur in the liver but little is known about the metabolism of this oxysterol. In the present investigation, we report formation of 7α,24-dihydroxycholesterol in pig and human liver. 7α-hydroxylase activity toward both isomers of 24-hydroxycholesterol [(24S) and (24R)] was found in a partially purified and reconstituted cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A) enzyme fraction from pig liver microsomes. In contrast, a purified enzyme fraction of pig liver oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase with high activity toward 27-hydroxycholesterol did not show any detectable activity toward 24-hydroxycholesterol. 7α-Hydroxylation of 24-hydroxycholesterol was strongly inhibited by 7-oxocholesterol, a known inhibitor of CYP7A. Human CYP7A, recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli and in simian COS cells, showed 7α-hydroxylase activity toward both cholesterol and the two isomers of 24-hydroxycholesterol, with a preference for the (24S)-isomer. Our results show that 24-hydroxycholesterol is metabolized by CYP7A, an enzyme previously considered to be specific for cholesterol and cholestanol and not active toward oxysterols. Because CYP7A is the rate-limiting enzyme in the major pathway of bile acid biosynthesis, the possibility is discussed that at least part of the 24-hydroxycholesterol is converted into 7α-hydroxylated bile acids by the enzymes involved in the normal biosynthesis of bile acids.—Norlin, M., A. Toll, I. Björkhem, and K. Wikvall. 24-Hydroxycholesterol is a substrate for hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A). J. Lipid Res. 2000. 41: 1629–1639.

Evidence for the catalysis of Dextromethorphan O-demethylation by a CYP2D6-like enzyme in pig liver

The pig is increasingly being used in pharmacological and toxicological studies, and is the species of choice for future research into xenotransplantation, extracorporeal liver support and hepatocyte-based bioartificial liver. However, relatively little is known about xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in this species. In the present study, immunoblotting with polyclonal anti-rat and anti-human cytochrome P450 (CYP) antibodies revealed the presence of proteins in pig liver which cross-reacted with anti-human CYP1A2, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, and with anti-rat CYP2E1 antibodies. Northern blot analysis demonstrated the presence of mRNA which hybridized to cDNA probes for human CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4, and to an oligonucleotide probe for pig CYP3A29. As there is a lack of a good animal model for CYP2D6, the presence of a CYP2D6-related protein in pig liver was of particular interest. Pig hepatocytes also demonstrated CYP2D6 immunoreactive protein, and mRNA hybridizable to a CYP2D6 cDNA probe. We investigated the ability of pig liver microsomes to catalyse dextromethorphan O-demethylation, a widely-used marker enzyme activity for CYP2D6. This enzyme activity demonstrated biphasic kinetics, with a high affinity apparent K m1 =6.9±3.6 μ m and V max1 =10.5±6.1 nmol/min/nmol CYP. The reaction was sensitive to inhibition by the CYP2D6-selective inhibitors quinidine, quinine, lobeline and norfluoxetine, whereas chemical inhibitors selective for other CYP isoforms failed to affect the reaction. We conclude that dextromethorphan O-demethylation is catalysed by a CYP2D enzyme which is remarkably similar to human CYP2D6, suggesting potential value of the pig as a model for predicting human metabolism of xenobiotics which undergo CYP2D6-dependent biotransformation.

Purification and characterization of a membrane-bound sialidase from pig liver.

A membrane-bound sialidase in pig liver microsomes was solubilized with a nonionic detergent, IGEPAL CA630, and purified to homogeneity by sequential chromatographies on SP-Toyopearl, Butyl-Toyopearl (1st), SuperQ-Toyopearl, Hydroxyapatite, Butyl-Toyopearl (2nd), GM1-Cellulofine affinity, and sialic acid-Cellulofine affinity columns. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 57 kDa on SDS-PAGE. The pH optimum was 4.8 for the activity measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-N-acetylneuraminic acid (4MU-Neu5Ac) as the substrate. The enzyme activity was inhibited by 2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid, iodoacetamide and p-chloromercuribenzoic acid. While the enzyme could effectively hydrolyze 4MU-Neu5Ac, it failed to significantly cleave a sialic acid residue(s) from sialyllactose, glycoproteins or gangliosides at pH 4.8. These results suggest that the purified enzyme is a novel sialidase with a substrate specificity distinct from those of known membrane-bound sialidases in mammalian tissues.

Isolation from pig liver microsomes, identification by tandem mass spectrometry and in vitro immunosuppressive activity of an SDZ-RAD 17,18,19,20,21,22-tris-epoxide.

Macrolide immunosuppressive drugs such as tacrolimus (FK506) and sirolimus (rapamycin) are compounds largely used in modern immunosuppressive therapy and considered as powerful immunosuppressive agents. Some of these molecules are still under clinical development as, for example, SDZ-RAD (40-O-(2-hydroxyethyl)rapamycin), an immunosuppressive drug closely related to rapamycin. SDZ-RAD has a molecular mass of 957.57 Da (C53H83NO14) and shares the same common intracellular receptor as tacrolimus, the FK-506 binding protein (FKBP-12). SDZ-RAD exerts its pharmacological effect by binding to a different effector protein, inhibits the S6p 70-kinase and interrupts a different signal transduction pathway than tacrolimus. Both SDZ-RAD and rapamycin are metabolized mainly by the cytochrome P-450 3A4-dependent mixed function oxygenase enzyme system to hydroxylated and demethylated metabolites. We describe here the isolation from pig liver microsomes of a novel SDZ-RAD metabolite identified by electrospray tandam mass spectrometry as a new SDZ-RAD 17,18,19,20,21,22-tris-epoxide metabolite. The in vitro immunosuppressive activity as measured by the mixed lymphocyte reaction is more or less comparable to that of SDZ-RAD, although its pharmacological mode of action may be different from that classically described for rapamycin.

Isolation from pig liver microsomes, identification by tandem mass spectrometry and in vitro immunosuppressive activity of an SDZ-RAD 17,18,19,20,21,22-tris-epoxide

Isolation from pig liver microsomes, identification by tandem mass spectrometry and in vitro immunosuppressive activity of an SDZ-RAD 17,18,19,20,21,22-tris-epoxide

Characterization of drug metabolizing activities in pig hepatocytes for use in bioartificial liver devices: comparison with other hepatic cellular models

Background/Aims: The pig is considered the best donor of hepatocytes for bioartificial liver devices, but little is known about the metabolic capability of pig hepatocytes. Therefore, we have evaluated drug metabolizing activities in pig hepatocytes and liver microsomes and compared the results with those of man and other animal hepatic cellular models that are potential sources of cells for bioreactors, such as rat, rabbit and dog hepatocytes and hepatoma cell lines. Methods: Total cytochrome P450 levels, six phase 1 activities representative of the most relevant cytochrome P450 enzymes (7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase, 7-ethoxy-, 7-methoxy- and 7-benzoxyresorufin O-dealkylases, coumarin 7-hydroxylase and pnitrophenol hydroxylase), two phase 2 activities (glutathione S-transferase and UDP-glucuronyltransferase) and CYP-dependent regioselective testosterone metabolism were evaluated in in vitro models of different species. Results: The pattern of specific cytochrome P450 activities and the metabolic profile of testosterone in intact hepatocytes were essentially the same as those measured in liver microsomes. Relatively low ethoxy-, methoxy-, and benzoxyresorufin O-dealkylation rates were found in pig liver microsomes and hepatocytes as compared to hepatic in vitro human models. However, in contrast with the other species studied, stereoselective testosterone oxidation profiles were practically identical in human and pig models. Finally, the metabolic capability of hepatoma cell lines was very limited in comparison with that of hepatocytes. Conclusions: Pig hepatocytes are able to maintain in culture the phase 1 and phase 2 activities found in liver microsomes. The high metabolic similarities found between pig and human hepatocytes lend support to the use of pig hepatocytes in bioartificial liver devices.

Total synthesis of an antioxidant isolated from yeast via palladium-catalyzed coupling and its application for related compounds

A total synthesis of an antioxidant ( 1) having a benzofuran skeleton was achieved in four steps via the palladium(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction. We also prepared several related compounds bearing a variety of aromatic or heterocyclic rings. Some of these compounds demonstrate more potent than 1 for antioxidative activity using guinea pig liver microsomes.

Oxidative metabolism of the mammalian lignans enterolactone and enterodiol by rat, pig, and human liver microsomes.

Hepatic microsomes from aroclor-treated male Wistar rats biotransform enterolactone to 12 metabolites, six of which carry an additional hydroxy group at the aromatic and six at the aliphatic moiety according to HPLC/MS and GC/MS analysis. The aromatic hydroxylation products were identified with the help of synthesized reference compounds as enterolactone monohydroxylated in the para position and in both ortho positions of the original phenolic hydroxy group of either aromatic ring. The synthesis of the reference compounds and their spectroscopic characterization is described. Enterodiol is metabolized by hepatic microsomes from aroclor-treated male rats to three aromatic and four aliphatic monohydroxylated metabolites. Aromatic hydroxylation occurs in the para position and the two ortho positions of the original phenolic hydroxy group. Most of the metabolites of enterolactone and enterodiol were also formed with microsomes from uninduced rat, pig, and human liver, suggesting that oxidative metabolism is a common feature in the disposition of these lignans in the mammalian organism.

Isolation from pig liver microsomes, identification by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and in vitro immunosuppressive activity of a rapamycin tris-epoxide metabolite.

It was demonstrated that rapamycin is metabolized in vitro by pig liver microsomes under the influence of the cytochrome P450-dependent mixed function oxygenase system to a rapamycin tris-epoxide metabolite, as demonstrated by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. The in vitro immunosuppressive activity of this metabolite was found to be lower than that of rapamycin, probably because the rapamycin effector sector was structurally modified. The effector region of rapamycin was recognized to include the conjugated double bonds of this compound and metabolic reactions affecting this region may change the binding affinity of the rapamycin-FKBP binary complex towards another pharmacological receptor bound to the binary complex. Moreover, metabolic modifications in the effector region are probably able to induce a change in the binding affinities of the rapamycin-FKBP binary complex, including the pipecolic acid moiety and the lactone function of the parent drug.

Isolation from pig liver microsomes, identification by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry andin vitro immunosuppressive activity of a rapamycin tris-epoxide metabolite

Isolation from pig liver microsomes, identification by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry andin vitro immunosuppressive activity of a rapamycin tris-epoxide metabolite

Triple marker screening, Japanese experience

In order to provide evidence that a cytochrome P450 belonging to the IIB subfamily is expressed as a constitutive form in the guinea pig, we tried to purify an isozyme from liver microsomes of untreated guinea pigs by assessing its reactivity with anti-P450b antibody in the present study. One form of cytochrome P450, named P450GP-1, was obtained. The minimum molecular weight of this isozyme was estimated to be 52,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The amino terminal sequence up to the 33rd amino acid of P450GP-1 was determined. As expected, comparison of the amino acid sequence with those of cytochrome P450 isozymes from other species reported so far indicated that P450GP-1 was highly homologous to P450s categorized in the IIB subfamily; that is, 67% similarity to rat P450b, 82% to rabbit LM2, 76% to dog PBD-2, 70% to mouse pf 346, and 73% to human IIB1. On the other hand, P450GP-1 showed only low similarity, less than 41%, to other cytochrome P450s of the II subfamily and those of the I, III, and IV families. Affinity of P450GP-1 to anti-P450b immunoglobulin G was confirmed to be comparable with that of a principal antigen, P450b. Immunoblot analysis revealed that P450GP-1 in the guinea pig liver microsomes was induced by phenobarbital treatment, but the increase was not as large as in the rat. P450GP-1 efficiently catalyzed benzphetamine N-demethylation, strychnine 2-hydroxylation, and testosterone 16β-hydroxylation, all of which are also catalyzed by P450b. Based on these results, it was strongly suggested that the IIB-type of cytochrome P450 in guinea pigs, at least one of them, is a constitutive form which is moderately induced by phenobarbital.

Phospholipid fatty acid and lipid peroxidation in liver microsomes from guinea pigs fed oil related to the toxic oil syndrome

The potential effects of oil specimens both related and unrelated to cases of Toxic Oil Syndrome (TOS) on the phospholipid fatty acid composition, some antioxidant enzyme activities, and lipid peroxidation in guinea pig liver microsomes were investigated. For 4 weeks, animals were fed diets supplemented with either oil related to cases of TOS or control oil, previously heated or not. In all cases, the fat diet produced the incorporation of ∼7% of linoleic acid exclusively in the phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) of liver microsomes. A pronounced increase in lipid peroxidation products, measured as malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxyalkenals, was detected in animals fed nonheated control oil. Heated oil diets produced significant increases in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities with concomitant decreases in the lipid peroxidation status. Heated oils also increased the oleic/stearic acid ratio in the phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol (PS+PI) fraction. This ratio was also increased in the same fraction from animals fed non heated case oil. The study shows that case oil produces a decrease in the lipid peroxidation products with minimal alterations in phospholipid fatty acid composition of liver microsomes, which is dependent rather on the composition of dietary fat than on toxic effects.

Isolation and identification of a C39 demethylated metabolite of rapamycin from pig liver microsomes and evaluation of its immunosuppressive activity

We studied in vitro metabolism of rapamycin using pig liver microsomes. After extraction of the metabolites from the incubation medium, the crude metabolite extract was submitted to normal and subsequently to reversed-phase HPLC chromatography. We describe in the current study a metabolite of retention time 23.2 min collected from reversed-phase HPLC and identified by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (MS) and electrospray MS-MS as a C39 demethylated rapamycin metabolite. In vitro immunosuppressive activity of this metabolite, determined by the mixed lymphocyte reaction, was negligible compared with that of the parent compound. The decrease of in vitro immunosuppressive activity compared with the parent compound is likely to be attributed to important structural modifications of the rapamycin binding region to the FK-506 binding protein.

Biochemical characterization of the 7α-hydroxylase activities towards 27-hydroxycholesterol and dehydroepiandrosterone in pig liver microsomes

Microsomal cytochrome P450 catalyzing the 7α-hydroxylation of 27-hydroxycholesterol and dehydroepiandrosterone was partially purified from pig liver. This enzyme fraction also catalyzed 7α-hydroxylation of 25-hydroxycholesterol and pregnenolone but did not 7α-hydroxylate cholesterol or testosterone. Studies with extrahepatic tissues have suggested the possibility of one common enzyme responsible for the 7α-hydroxylation of 27-hydroxycholesterol and dehydroepiandrosterone. A series of experiments was performed to study if there are one or several enzymes 7α-hydroxylating these steroids in the liver. The activities towards the two substrates copurified but the ratio between 27-hydroxycholesterol and dehydroepiandrosterone 7α-hydroxylation varied considerably in different purification steps and between different preparations. The enzyme inhibitors disulfiram, N-bromosuccinimide, ketoconazole, metyrapone and α-naphthoflavone affected the activities in a similar way. Dehydroepiandrosterone inhibited 27-hydroxycholesterol 7α-hydroxylation whereas 27-hydroxycholesterol had almost no inhibitory effect on dehydroepiandrosterone 7α-hydroxylation. Experiments to examine the nature of inhibition by dehydroepiandrosterone indicated that the two steroids did not compete for the same active site. The results of this study do not rule out the possibility of one single enzyme catalyzing 7α-hydroxylation of the two steroids. However, taken together the data suggest that hepatic microsomal 7α-hydroxylation of 27-hydroxycholesterol and dehydroepiandrosterone involves at least two, probably closely related, enzymes.

In vitro metabolism of clenbuterol and bromobuterol by pig liver microsomes

1. Clenbuterol (CBL) and bromobuterol (BBL) were both extensively metabolized by hepatic microsomes of swine to only one polar metabolite which was separated by hplc and purified to perform mass analysis. 2. LC-MS analysis by direct infusion into an ion trap system and after reverse-phase chromatograpy into a triple quadrupole system showed that the metabolites were the hydroxylamine-derivatives of CBL and BBL. GC-MS analysis by the CI and EI modes confirmed that the hydroxyl group was bound to the aniline nitrogen. The chemical instability of those metabolites probably as a consequence of spontaneous oxidation and reduction gave rise during the analysis to the corresponding nitroso and nitro derivatives, together with the original compound. 3. Thermal inactivation and CO complex formation were used selectively to inactivate flavin monooxygenase and cytochrome P450, respectively. Both inactivation procedures significantly reduced the formation of the hydroxyl metabolite.

Novobiocin inhibits both UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and cytochrome P450-mediated enzyme activities in pig liver microsomes.

The effects of novobiocin (range 0.0125-2 mmol/L) on the hydroxylation of testosterone, the N-demethylation of erythromycin, and the glucuronidation of alpha-naphthol and paracetamol were studied using pig hepatic microsomes, pooled from five animals. The final concentrations of these substrates in the incubation mixtures were selected to meet Vmax conditions. Novobiocin caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the glucuronidation of paracetamol; the formation of alpha-naphthol-glucuronide was reduced to a lesser degree. These results confirm and extend earlier findings in laboratory animal species that novobiocin inhibits UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UDPGTs). Moreover, novobiocin strongly inhibited 6 beta-hydroxylation of testosterone. The microsomal N-demethylation of erythromycin and hydroxylation of testosterone at the 15 alpha position were less affected by novobiocin. These results suggest that novobiocin inhibits not only UDPGTs, but also cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme activities, probably those belonging to the CYP3A subfamily. More research is needed to reveal which CYPs and UDPGTs are affected by novobiocin in vivo, in order to improve the understanding the probably the predictability of potential drug interactions with this antibiotic.

Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase Activity in Adipose Tissues and Liver of Growing Large White and Meishan Pigs

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity was measured in adipose tissue (backfat and neckfat) and liver microsomes of Large White and Meishan pigs. Preliminary assays have shown that Δ9-desaturase activity cannot be measured on frozen tissues, because freezing involves a loss in activity of 40–50%. The specific activity of liver Δ9-desaturase was much lower than that of the adipose tissues in both breeds, indicating that the liver is not a major site of oleate synthesis in the pig. The hepatic Δ9-desaturase activity was higher in Meishan than in Large White pigs. However, Δ9-desaturase activity in the adipose tissue of Large White pigs was much higher than that of Meishan pigs, even though the percentage of oleate was slightly higher in the adipose tissues of the latter. This investigation has demonstrated that differences in fatty acid composition of adipose tissues between Large White and Meishan pigs cannot be attributed to differences in Δ9-desaturase activity at this stage of maturity. These results suggest that the higher oleate percentage in Meishan adipose tissues would result from a higher Δ9-desaturase activity at an earlier age.

Affinity purification and characterization of glucosidase II from pig liver.

Glucosidase II has been purified from crude pig liver microsomes by a convenient procedure involving DEAE-Sephacel, Con A-Sepharose and affinity chromatography on N-5-carboxypentyl-1-deoxynojirimycin-AH-Sepharose. Specific binding of glucosidase II to the affinity matrix required its prior separation from glucosidase I, which was accomplished by fractional Con A-Sepharose chromatography. The three-step procedure yielded, with approximately 15% enzyme recovery, a > 190-fold enriched glucosidase II, consisting of two proteins (107 kDa and 112 kDa). Both polypeptides are N-glycosylated with probably one glycan chain, in line with their binding to Con A-Sepharose. Immunological cross-reactivity and other experimental data indicate that the 107 kDa N-glycoprotein is derived from the 112 kDa species by partial proteolysis. The occasional presence of a 60 kDa peptide co-eluting with the catalytic activity suggests that glucosidase II may be associated with other protein subunit(s) in a heteromeric membrane complex. Glucosidase II hydrolyzes the alpha1,3-glucosidic linkages in Glc(2-1)-Man9-GlcNAc2, as well as synthetic alpha-glucosides, efficiently but does not remove the distal alpha1,2-linked glucose in Glc3-Man9-GlcNAc2. The enzyme has a pH optimum close to 6.5 and is not metal ion-dependent. Catalytic activity is strongly inhibited by basic sugar analogues including 1-deoxynojirimycin (dNM; app. Ki approximately 7.0 microM), N-5-carboxypentyl-dNM (app. Ki approximately 32 microM) and castanospermine (app. Ki approximately 40 microM). Substitution of the 3-OH or 6-OH group in dNM by a fluoro group reduces the inhibitory potential drastically. We conclude from these observations that the two hydroxy groups are essential for inhibitor/substrate binding due to their ability to interfere as hydrogen bond donors. A polyclonal antibody raised against the 107 kDa polypeptide reacted specifically with two proteins from different cell types on Western blots. Their molecular masses were identical with those from pig liver microsomes, pointing to a highly conserved amino acid sequence of glucosidase II. This suggests that the variance in molecular mass for glucosidase II reported for the enzyme from other tissues and species may be due to partial proteolysis.

Detoxication of tyramine by the flavin-containing monooxygenase: stereoselective formation of the trans oxime.

In the presence of pig or adult human liver microsomes, tyramine was metabolized to the corresponding trans oxime through the intermediacy of the hydroxylamine. The requisite intermediate, (4-hydroxyphenethyl)hydroxylamine, was retroreduced to tyramine or converted stereoselectively to the trans oxime in the presence of pig or adult human liver microsomes. Studies of the effect of metabolic inhibitors suggested that formation of the trans oxime and retroreduction of the hydroxylamine were largely dependent on NADPH and the flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) and cytochrome P450, respectively. The conclusion that FMO was predominantly responsible for trans oxime formation in human liver microsomes was based on the effect of incubation conditions on tyramine N-oxygenation and the observation that cDNA-expressed human FMO3 also N-oxygenated tyramine to give exclusively the trans oxime. The synthetic hydroxylamine and oxime metabolites of tyramine were examined for affinity to human and animal dopamine and serotonin receptors and the human dopamine transporter. For all of the receptors and for the transporter examined, the avidity of the hydroxylamine and oximes was greater than 10 microM and beyond the effective concentration for physiological relevance. The results suggested that tyramine was sequentially N-oxygenated in the presence of pig and human liver microsomes and cDNA-expressed FMO3 to the hydroxylamine and then to the di-N-hydroxylamine that was spontaneously dehydrated to the trans oxime. This may be facilitated by FMO through a nondissociative substrate-enzyme interaction. Based on the biogenic amine receptor or transporter affinity for the hydroxylamine and oxime metabolites of tyramine, N-oxygenation of tyramine by pig or human liver FMO may represent a detoxication reaction that terminates the pharmacological activity of tyramine.