Subcellular Fractions Of Rat Liver Research Articles

Enzymatic and non-enzymatic link components of antioxidant defence in subcellular fractions of rat liver under the influence of diethyl phthalate

Background. The antioxidant system is one of the protective cell systems. Changes in its functioning, after the introduction of xenobiotics into the body, will determine the further course of the intensity of free radical processes. Among xenobiotics, a prominent place belongs to phthalates, in particular diethyl phthalate (DEP) – the most common group of synthetic substances that are widely used as plasticizers in various industries. Materials and Methods. For a series of experiments, white outbred rats were used, and cytosolic and microsomal fractions were isolated from the liver cells. The activity of such antioxidant enzymes as superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, EC 1.11.1.9), glutathione S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18), and the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined in the cytosolic fraction. GST activity was also studied in the microsomal fraction. Results and Discussion. The administration of different doses of DEP for 14 days promoted the activation of antioxidant enzymes, regardless of the dose of xenobiotic administration. The use of DEP for 21 days led to a multidirectional effect of the xenobiotic on the enzymes of the antioxidant system in liver cells. The inactivation of the studied enzymes and depletion of the GSH pool were observed when DEP was administered at a dose of 5.4 mg/kg of body weight. The activity of antioxidant enzymes in liver subcellular fractions remained at a high level compared to the control when DEP was administered at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg of body weight. It was established that the same trend of changes in GST enzyme activity was found in both the microsomal and cytosolic fractions of rat liver. The activity of the enzyme increased under the influence of both studied doses under the administration of DEP for 14 days. Administration of the xenobiotic for 21 days led to a decrease in GST activity when a high dose of DEP was administered. Conclusion. The activation of antioxidant system enzymes occurs in response to a short-term intake of DEP. With an increase in the dose and duration of administration of the studied xenobiotic, inactivation of antioxidant enzymes was detected.

Impact of valproic acid on busulfan pharmacokinetics: In vitro assessment of potential drug-drug interaction.

Busulfan (Bu) is an alkylating agent commonly used at high doses in the preparative regimens of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). It has been shown that such high doses of Bu are associated with generalized seizures which are usually managed by prophylactic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) such as valproic acid (VPA). Being a strong enzyme inhibitor, VPA may inhibit Bu metabolism and thus increase its potential toxicity. Despite its clinical relevance, the potential interaction between Bu and VPA has not yet been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to assess and evaluate the potential drug-drug interaction (DDI) between Bu and VPA. This study was carried out by incubating Bu in laboratory-prepared rat liver-subcellular fractions including S9, microsomes, and cytosol, alone or in combination with VPA. The liver fractions were prepared by differential centrifugation of the liver homogenate. Analysis of Bu was employed using a fully validated LC-MS/MS method. The validation parameters were within the proposed limits of the international standards guidelines. Bu metabolic stability was assessed by incubating Bu at a concentration of 8 μg/ml in liver fractions at 37°C. There were significant reductions in Bu levels in S9 and cytosolic fractions, whereas these levels were not significantly (P ˃ 0.05) changed in microsomes. However, in presence of VPA, Bu levels in S9 fraction remained unchanged. These results indicated, for the first time, the potential metabolic interaction of Bu and VPA being in S9 only. This could be explained by inhibiting Bu cytosolic metabolism by the interaction with VPA either by sharing the same metabolic enzyme or the required co-factor. In conclusion, the present findings suggest, for the first time, a potential DDI between Bu and VPA in vitro using rat liver fractions. Further investigations are warranted in human-derived liver fractions to confirm such an interaction.

ВПЛИВ ЗАМІЩЕННОГО НІКОТИНАМІДУ ТА ЙОГО МОЖЛИВИХ МЕТАБОЛІТІВ НА АКТИВНІСТЬ ФЕРМЕНТІВ ОБМІНУ ЕТАНОЛУ

To study the influence of N-phenyl-N-(1-cyclopropylethyl)nicotinamide and its possible metabolites: hydrochlorides of N-(1-cyclopropylethyl)amine and N-phenyl-N-(1-cyclopropylethyl)amine - on the activity of main ethanol oxidation enzymes in vitro and kinetic nature of their interaction. The studies were carried out using alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase of rat liver subcellular fractions, which were obtained by differential centrifugation. The enzyme activity was determined spectrophotometrically. The kinetic nature of alcohol dehydrogenase and isozyme form of aldehyde dehydrogenase interaction with substituted nicotinamide was investigated in the concentration range of 25-100 μM. The research results were processed by the Lineweaver-Burk method. Studies have shown that N-phenyl-N-(1-cyclopropylethyl)nicotinamide is able to reduce the rate of the reverse alcohol dehydrogenase reaction of acetaldehyde reduction to ethanol in the presence of NADH by 46% with an inhibition constant 53 μM. The activity of soluble mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase was suppressed by 50% with an inhibition constant 108 μM. The kinetic nature of the substituted nicotinamide interaction with enzymes at saturating concentrations of the reaction cofactors NADH and NAD+ is quite complex. Allosteric effects can play a significant role in enzymatic activity. Possible metabolites of the compound - hydrochlorides of N-(1-cyclopropylethyl)- and N-phenyl-N-(1-cyclopropylethyl)amine – didn`t significantly influence on ethanol metabolism enzymes activity. A new inhibitor of the rate of the reverse alcohol dehydrogenase reaction and the activity of soluble mitochondrial isozyme form of aldehyde dehydrogenase, which lead to the accumulation of acetaldehyde in the body, has been discovered. N-phenyl-N-(1-cyclopropylethyl)nicotinamide can be used as a potential antialcohol sensitizing drug after research in vivo.

Benoxacor is enantioselectively metabolized by rat liver subcellular fractions

This study investigated the enantioselective metabolism of benoxacor, an ingredient of herbicide formulations, in microsomes or cytosol prepared from female or male rat livers. Benoxacor was incubated for ≤30 min with microsomes or cytosol, and its enantioselective depletion was measured using gas chromatographic methods. Benoxacor was depleted in incubations with active microsomes in the presence and absence of NADPH, suggesting its metabolism by hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) and microsomal carboxylesterases (CESs). Benoxacor was depleted in cytosolic incubations in the presence of glutathione, consistent with its metabolism by glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). The depletion of benoxacor was faster in incubations with cytosol from male than female rats, whereas no statistically significant sex differences were observed in microsomal incubations. The consumption of benoxacor was inhibited by the CYP inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole, the CES inhibitor benzil, and the GST inhibitor ethacrynic acid. Estimates of the intrinsic clearance of benoxacor suggest that CYPs are the primary metabolic enzyme responsible for benoxacor metabolism in rats. Microsomal incubations showed an enrichment of the first eluting benoxacor enantiomer (E1-benoxacor). A greater enrichment occurred in incubations with microsomes from female (EF = 0.67 ± 0.01) than male rats (EF = 0.60 ± 0.01). Cytosolic incubations from female rats resulted in enrichment of E1-benoxacor (EF = 0.54 ± 0.01), while cytosolic incubations from male rats displayed enrichment of the second eluting enantiomer (E2-benoxacor; EF = 0.43 ± 0.01). Sex-dependent differences in the metabolism of benoxacor in rats could significantly impact ecological risks and mammalian toxicity. Moreover, changes in the enantiomeric enrichment of benoxacor may be a powerful tool for environmental fate and transport studies.

Evidence for the interaction of peroxiredoxin-4 with the store-operated calcium channel activator STIM1 in liver cells

Ca2+ entry through store-operated Ca2+ channels (SOCs) in the plasma membrane (PM) of hepatocytes plays a central role in the hormonal regulation of liver metabolism. SOCs are composed of Orai1, the channel pore protein, and STIM1, the activator protein, and are regulated by hormones and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition to Orai1, STIM1 also interacts with several other intracellular proteins. Most previous studies of the cellular functions of Orai1 and STIM1 have employed immortalised cells in culture expressing ectopic proteins tagged with a fluorescent polypeptide such as GFP. Little is known about the intracellular distributions of endogenous Orai1 and STIM1. The aims are to determine the intracellular distribution of endogenous Orai1 and STIM1 in hepatocytes and to identify novel STIM1 binding proteins. Subcellular fractions of rat liver were prepared by homogenisation and differential centrifugation. Orai1 and STIM1 were identified and quantified by western blot. Orai1 was found in the PM (0.03%), heavy (44%) and light (27%) microsomal fractions, and STIM1 in the PM (0.09%), and heavy (85%) and light (13%) microsomal fractions. Immunoprecipitation of STIM1 followed by LC/MS or western blot identified peroxiredoxin-4 (Prx-4) as a potential STIM1 binding protein. Prx-4 was found principally in the heavy microsomal fraction. Knockdown of Prx-4 using siRNA, or inhibition of Prx-4 using conoidin A, did not affect Ca2+ entry through SOCs but rendered SOCs susceptible to inhibition by H2O2. It is concluded that, in hepatocytes, a considerable proportion of endogenous Orai1 and STIM1 is located in the rough ER. In the rough ER, STIM1 interacts with Prx-4, and this interaction may contribute to the regulation by ROS of STIM1 and SOCs.

Effect of commonly used organic solvents on Aldehyde oxidase-mediated Vanillin, Phthalazine and Methotrexate oxidation in human, rat and mouse liver subcellular fractions

1. Aldehyde oxidase (AOX) is a cytosolic molybdoflavoprotein enzyme widely distributed across many tissues. In this study, we report the effect of commonly used organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), acetonitrile (ACN), methanol and ethanol on AOX activity in human, rat and mouse liver S9 fractions using vanillin, phthalazine and methotrexate as probe substrates.2. Methanol was found to be the most potent solvent in inhibiting vanillic acid and 1-phthalazinone formation in comparison to DMSO, ACN and ethanol across the species tested, except 7-hydroxy methotrexate.3. Treatment with these solvents at approximate IC50 (% v/v) concentrations showed significant reduction in Clint and Vmax of the probe substrates and also resulted in different effects on Km across the species.4. Marked differences in the activity and affinity towards AOX were observed with different probe substrates with methotrexate showing least activity and affinity as compared to vanillin and phthalazine.5. Overall, AOX activity seemed to be more resilient to the presence of organic solvents at higher concentrations in human and rodent species. These results suggest that low concentrations of organic solvents are acceptable for in vitro incubations involving AOX-mediated metabolism.

Analysis of Enoyl-Coenzyme A Hydratase Activity and Its Stereospecificity Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Equipped with Chiral Separation Column

Enoyl-coenzyme A (CoA) hydratase catalyzes the hydration of trans-2-enoyl-CoA to yield 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA during fatty acid degradation (β-oxidation). Although much research has focused on the stereospecificities of 2-enoyl-CoA hydratases, a direct quantification of the production of 3(R)- and 3(S)-hydroxyacyl-CoA has not yet been established. Therefore, we developed a method of concurrently quantifying 3(R)- and 3(S)-hydroxyacyl-CoA using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a chiral separation column. The optimized conditions for the separation of 3(R)-, 3(S)-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-CoA and trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA, were determined to be as follows: mobile phase of 35/65 (v/v) of 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 5.0)/methanol; flow rate of 0.5 mL/min; detection at 260 nm; and column temperature of 25°C. This method was applied to subcellular fractions of rat liver; the results directly confirmed that 3(S)-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-CoA is the dominant product obtained from the heat-stable enoyl-CoA hydratase-catalyzed reaction of trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA. Finally, the stereospecificities of L-bifunctional protein (L-BP) and D-bifunctional protein (D-BP) were reinvestigated using this method, and it was confirmed that L- and D-BP yielded 3(S)- and 3(R)-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-CoA were yielded from trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA, respectively. 3(R)-Hydroxyacyl-CoA is a peroxisomal β-oxidation-specific intermediate. Therefore, this method is potentially useful not only studies regarding the stereochemistry of enoyl-CoA hydratase but also for the diagnosis of diseases caused by defects of peroxisomal enoyl-CoA hydratase.

In vitro biotransformation and investigation of metabolic enzymes possibly responsible for the metabolism of bisdesoxyolaquindox in the liver fractions of rats, chicken, and pigs

Bisdesoxyolaquindox is a reduced metabolite of olaquindox which is used as a medicinal feed additive in veterinary medicine. The relevant metabolism studies of bisdesoxyolaquindox have been carried out for the first time in rat, chicken, and pig liver subcellular fractions in order to understand the metabolic enzymes that are possibly responsible for the metabolism of olaquindox. The metabolites were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with hybrid ion trap/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The major metabolic pathways of bisdesoxyolaquindox in the three species were the oxidation of hydroxyl to bisdesoxyolaquindox-2′-carboxyl acid (O10) and the N-dealkylation of the side chain to 3-methylquinoxaline 2-carboxamide (O12). Other metabolic pathways were also proposed which involved the direct methyl oxidation and N-oxide on the quinoxaline ring in the three species as well as N-hydroxylation only in rat. The intrinsic clearance values in the liver microsomes for O10 and O12 were ranked in the order of chicken > pig ≫ rat and rat > pig ≫ chicken, respectively. Inhibition studies indicated that 8-methoxypsoralen, 4-methylpyrazole and α-naphthoflavone could inhibit the formations of O10 and O12 in all species. Quinidine, troleandomycin, diethyldithiocarbamate, and disulfiram showed an interspecies difference in the inhibition of the formation of two metabolites. In rat and pig liver cytosol, 4-methylpyrazole, menadione and chlorpromazine strongly inhibited the formation of O10. Both diethyldithiocarbamate and disulfiram were found to inhibit O10 formation in rat cytosol but not in pig cytosol. These results indicated the following: In rat liver microsomes, CYP2A might be involved in the formation of O10, and CYP1A, CYP2A and CYP2E would be involved in the O12 formation. In pig liver microsomes, CYP1A and CYP2E might catalyze the formations of O10 and O12. In rat cytosol, alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde oxidase and aldehyde dehydrogenase should catalyze the O10 formation. In pig cytosol, alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase might be involved in the formation of O10. In chicken, it was found that various CYP isoenzymes were capable of catalyzing the two reactions; none of the inhibitors of cytosol enzymes inhibited O10 formation in chicken cytosol.

Chemical synthesis of bile acid acyl-adenylates and formation by a rat liver microsomal fraction

In mammals, unconjugated bile acids formed in the intestine by bacterial deconjugation are reconjugated ( N-acylamidated) with taurine or glycine during hepatocyte transport. Activation of the carboxyl group of bile acids to form acyl-adenylates is a likely key intermediate step in bile acid N-acylamidation. To gain more insight into the process of bile acid adenylate formation, we first synthesized the adenylates of five common, natural bile acids (cholic, deoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, and lithocholic acid), and confirmed their structure by proton NMR. We then investigated adenylate formation by subcellular fractions of rat liver (microsomes, mitochondria, cytosol) using a newly developed LC method for quantifying adenylate formation. The highest activity was observed in the microsomal fraction. The reaction required Mg 2+ and its optimum pH was about pH 7.0. In term of maximum velocity ( V max) and the Michaelis constant ( K m), the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme under the conditions used was highest with cholic acid of the bile acids tested. The formation of cholyl-adenylate was strongly inhibited by lithocholic and deoxycholic acid, as well as by palmitic acid; ibuprofen and valproic acid were weak inhibitors. In cholestatic disease, such adenylate formation might lead to subsequent bile acid conjugation with glutathione or proteins.

Biotransformation of bisphenol F by human and rat liver subcellular fractions

Bisphenol F [4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl-methane] (BPF) has a broad range of applications in industry (liners lacquers, adhesives, plastics, coating of drinks and food cans). Free monomers of this bisphenol can be released into the environment and enter the food chain, very likely resulting in the exposure of humans to low doses of BPF. This synthetic compound has been reported to be estrogenic. A study of BPF distribution and metabolism in rats has demonstrated the formation of many metabolites, with multiple biotransformation pathways. In the present work we investigated the in vitro biotransformation of radio-labelled BPF using rat and human liver subcellular fractions. BPF metabolites were separated, isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and analysed by mass spectrometry (MS), MS(n), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Many of these metabolites were characterized for the first time in mammals and in humans. BPF is metabolised into the corresponding glucuronide and sulfate (liver S9 fractions). In addition to these phase II biotransformation products, various hydroxylated metabolites are formed, as well as structurally related apolar metabolites. These phase I metabolic pathways are dominant for incubations carried out with liver microsomes and also present for incubations carried out with liver S9 fractions. The formation of the main metabolites, namely meta-hydroxylated BPF and ortho-hydroxylated BPF (catechol BPF) is P450 dependent, as is the formation of the less polar metabolites characterized as BPF dimers. Both the formation of a catechol and of dimeric metabolites correspond to biotransformation pathways shared by BPF, other bisphenols and estradiol.

In vitro characterization of the enzymes involved in the metabolism of 1-Furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propenone, an anti-inflammatory propenone compound

Carbonyl reduction is a significant step in the phase I biotransformation of a great variety of aromatic, alicyclic and aliphatic carbonyl compounds. 1-Furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propenone (FPP-3) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity as it inhibits the production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-beta. In the present study, the metabolic fate and possible involvement of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) and carbonyl reductase (CBR) in the metabolism of FPP-3 were investigated in rat liver subcellular fractions. When FPP-3 was incubated with rat liver subcellular fractions in the presence of beta-NADPH, two major peaks were detected by reduction on the propenone: M1 (1-furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propan-1-one) and M2 (1-furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propan-1-ol). Inhibitors of CBR, such as quercitrin, ethacrynic acid and menadione, significantly increased the formation of M1, but effectively inhibited the formation of M2 in subcellular fractions. Meanwhile, 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, a selective inhibitor of 11beta-HSD, marginally inhibited the reduction of FPP-3 in microsomes. A good correlation was observed between the formation of M2 and CBR activity with either 4-pyridine carboxaldehyde (r=0.72) or D,L-glyceraldehyde (r=0.63) as substrates in the cytosol. These results indicated that FPP-3 might be metabolized by cytosolic CBR and uncharacterized microsomal reductase(s) in rat liver.

The Prediction of the Hepatic Clearance of Tanshinone IIA in Rat Liver Subcellular Fractions: Accuracy Improvement

The in vivo hepatic clearance of tanshinone IIA in the rat was predicted using microsome, cytosol and S9 fractions combined with two different cofactor systems, NADPH-regenerating and UDPGA system. Two different models, the well stirred model and the parallel-tube model, were used in predicting the in vivo clearance in the rat. The in vivo clearance of tanshinone IIA was acquired from a pharmacokinetic study in rat. The results show that the prediction accuracy acquired from the microsome combined with the NADPH is poor. The in vivo clearance in the rat is almost 32 fold higher than the clearance predicted in microsome. The predicted clearance of the S9 model combined with both NADPH and UDPGA system is about 4 fold lower than the in vivo clearance. The predicted clearance of the cytosol combined with the two cofactor system is about 7 fold lower than the in vivo clearance. Although the prediction accuracy acquired from the S9 and cytosol system is not perfect, the prediction accuracy is improved in these two incubation systems. Using S9 combined with both the phase I and phase II metabolism can improve the prediction accuracy.

In Vitro Metabolism Study of Combretastatin A-4 in Rat and Human Liver Microsomes

The phase I biotransformation of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) 1, a potent tubulin polymerization inhibitor with antivascular and antitumoral properties, was studied using rat and human liver subcellular fractions. The metabolites were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography and detected with simultaneous UV and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. The assignment of metabolite structures was based on ESI-tandem mass spectrometry experiments, and it was confirmed by comparison with reference samples obtained by synthesis. O-Demethylation and aromatic hydroxylation are the two major phase I biotransformation pathways, the latter being regioselective for phenyl ring B of 1. Indeed, incubation with rat and human microsomal fractions led to the formation of a number of metabolites, eight of which were identified. The regioselectivity of microsomal oxidation was also demonstrated by the lack of metabolites arising from stilbenic double bond epoxidation. Alongside the oxidative metabolism, Z-E isomerization during in vitro study was also observed, contributing to the complexity of the metabolite pattern. Moreover, when 1 was incubated with a cytosolic fraction, metabolites were not observed. Aromatic hydroxylation at the C-6' of phenyl ring B and isomerization led to the formation of M1 and M2 metabolites, which were further oxidized to the corresponding para-quinone (M7 and M8) species whose role in pharmacodynamic activity is unknown. Metabolites M4 and M5, arising from O-demethylation of phenyl ring B, did not form the ortho-quinones. O-Demethylation of phenyl ring A formed the metabolite M3 with a complete isomerization of the stilbenic double bond.

Specificity of Procaine and Ester Hydrolysis by Human, Minipig, and Rat Skin and Liver

The capacity of human, minipig, and rat skin and liver subcellular fractions to hydrolyze the anesthetic ester procaine was compared with carboxylesterase substrates 4-methylumbelliferyl-acetate, phenylvalerate, and para-nitrophenylacetate and the arylesterase substrate phenylacetate. Rates of procaine hydrolysis by minipig and human skin microsomal and cytosolic fractions were similar, with rat displaying higher activity. Loperamide inhibited procaine hydrolysis by human skin, suggesting involvement of human carboxylesterase hCE2. The esterase activity and inhibition profiles in the skin were similar for minipig and human, whereas rat had a higher capacity to metabolize esters and a different inhibition profile. Minipig and human liver and skin esterase activity was inhibited principally by paraoxon and bis-nitrophenyl phosphate, classical carboxylesterase inhibitors. Rat skin and liver esterase activity was inhibited additionally by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and the arylesterase inhibitor mercuric chloride, indicating a different esterase profile. These results have highlighted the potential of skin to hydrolyze procaine following topical application, which possibly limits its pharmacological effect. Skin from minipig used as an animal model for assessing transdermal drug preparations had similar capacity to hydrolyze esters to human skin.

Identification of 1-furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propenone, an anti-inflammatory agent, and its metabolites in rat liver subcellular fractions

1-Furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propenone (FPP-3) has been characterized to have an anti-inflammatory activity through the inhibition of the production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In the present studies, the phase 1 metabolism of FPP-3 was investigated in rat liver microsomes and cytosols. When FPP-3 was incubated with rat liver microsomes and cytosols in the presence of NADPH, 2 major peaks were detected on a liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Two metabolites (i.e., M1 and M2) were characterized as reduced forms on propenone: M1 (1-furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propan-1-one) was the initial metabolite and M2 (1-furan-2-yl-3-pyridin-2-yl-propan-l-ol) was a secondary alcohol believed to be formed from M1.

Perturbation of subcellular acyl‐CoA metabolism by methoxy acetic acid

Toxicity of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether is mediated by 2-methoxy acetic acid (MAA, 3-oxabutanoic acid). Impact of MAA on enzymes critical to normal lipid metabolism (acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS), acyl-CoA hydrolase (ACH), carnitine acyltransferase (CAT), diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), glycine N-acyltransferases, and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases) is evaluated with subcellular rat liver fractions. For ACS, MAA was compared with physiologic butanoic acid; mitochondrial ACS activity was 60% greater (376.9 nmol/min/mg vs 234.7) with MAA. For other assays, synthetic MAA-CoA and butanoyl-CoA were used. Peroxisomal ACH hydrolyzed MAA-CoA at 22% the rate of butanoyl-CoA (0.26 vs 1.16 nmol/min/mg). Reactivity of MAA-CoA with mitochondrial and peroxisomal CAT was 20% and 28% that of control. MAA-CoA was more reactive with UDP-glucuronosyltransferases compared to butanoyl-CoA (13.5 vs 8.90 nmol/min/mg). Decreased hydrolysis and membrane transport of MAA-CoA, compared with its facile synthesis, may sequester CoA in subcellular compartments. Decreased glycine conjugation of MAA-CoA suggests that MAA is not effectively eliminated by this route; thus MAA-CoA may accumulate in detrimental amounts and possibly interfere with other mitochondrial metabolic reactions. (Supported by Oakland University REF.)

In Vitro Metabolism of (Nitrooxy)butyl Ester Nitric Oxide-Releasing Compounds: Comparison with Glyceryl Trinitrate

We investigated the in vitro metabolism of two (nitrooxy)butyl ester nitric oxide (NO) donor derivatives of flurbiprofen and ferulic acid, [1,1'-biphenyl]-4-acetic acid-2-fluoro-alpha-methyl-4-(nitrooxy)butyl ester (HCT 1026) and 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid 4-(nitrooxy)butyl ester (NCX 2057), respectively, in rat blood plasma and liver subcellular fractions compared with (nitrooxy)butyl alcohol (NOBA) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). HCT 1026 and NCX 2057 undergo rapid ubiquitous carboxyl ester hydrolysis to their respective parent compounds and NOBA. The nitrate moiety of this latter is subsequently metabolized to inorganic nitrogen oxides (NOx), predominantly in liver cytosol by glutathione S-transferase (GST) and to a lesser extent in liver mitochondria. If, however, in liver cytosol, the carboxyl ester hydrolysis is prevented by an esterase inhibitor, the metabolism at the nitrate moiety level does not occur. In blood plasma, HCT 1026 and NCX 2057 are not metabolized to NOx, whereas a slow but sustained NO generation in deoxygenated whole blood as detected by electron paramagnetic resonance indicates the involvement of erythrocytes in the bioactivation of these compounds. Differently from NOBA, GTN is also metabolized in blood plasma and more quickly metabolized by different GST isoforms in liver cytosol. The cytosolic GST-mediated denitration of these organic nitrates in liver limits their interaction with other intracellular compartments to possible generation of NO and/or their subsequent availability and bioactivation in the systemic circulation and extrahepatic tissues. We show the possibility of modulating the activity of hepatic cytosolic enzymes involved in the metabolism of (nitrooxy)butyl ester compounds, thus increasing the therapeutic potential of this class of compounds.

Chiral inversion of RS‐8359: A selective and reversible MAO‐A inhibitor via oxido‐reduction of keto‐alcohol

RS-8359, (+/-)-4-(4-cyanoanilino)-5,6-dihydro-7-hydroxy-7H-cyclopenta[d]-pyrimidine is a selective and reversible MAO-A inhibitor. The (S)-enantiomer of RS-8359 has been demonstrated to be inverted to the (R)-enantiomer after oral administration to rats. In the current study, we investigated the chiral inversion mechanism and the properties of involved enzymes using rat liver subcellular fractions. The 7-hydroxy function of RS-8359 was oxidized at least by the two different enzymes. The cytosolic enzyme oxidized enantiospecifically the (S)-enantiomer with NADP as a cofactor. On the other hand, the microsomal enzyme catalyzed more preferentially the oxidation of the (S)-enantiomer than the (R)-enantiomer with NAD as a cofactor. With to product enantioselectivity of reduction of the 7-keto derivative, it was found that only the alcohol bearing (R)-configuration was formed by the cytosolic enzyme with NADPH and the microsomal enzyme with NADH at almost equal rate. The reduction rate was much larger than the oxidation rate of 7-hydroxy group. The results suggest that the chiral inversion might occur via an enantioselectivity of consecutive two opposing reactions, oxidation and reduction of keto-alcohol group. In this case, the direction of chiral inversion from the (S)-enantiomer to the (R)-enantiomer is governed by the enantiospecific reduction of intermediate 7-keto group to the alcohol with (R)-configuration. The enzyme responsible for the enantiospecific reduction of the 7-keto group was purified from rat liver cytosolic fractions and identified as 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3alpha-HSD) via database search of peptide mass data obtained by nano-LC/MS/MS.

Immunochemical detection of flucloxacillin adduct formation in livers of treated rats

Flucloxacillin is a semi-synthetic penicillin widely used in the prophylaxis and treatment of staphylococcal infections. Severe liver reactions, characterised by delayed cholestatic hepatitis and a prolonged course of recovery, are associated with flucloxacillin therapy. Clinical findings are suggestive of an immune mediated reaction but there exists little supporting experimental evidence. The formation of drug modified hepatic protein adducts has been proposed to play an important role in the hepatotoxicity of many drugs. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether flucloxacillin treatment results in adduct formation in vivo. Flucloxacillin was conjugated to rabbit serum albumin by formation of a penicilloyl determinant and used as an immunogen to raise a polyclonal antiserum specific for flucloxacillin-modified proteins. Antibody specificity was confirmed by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with free drug. The antiserum was used in combination with western blotting to detect adduct formation in the livers of flucloxacillin treated rats. Western blot analysis of rat liver subcellular fractions revealed the formation of six flucloxacillin adducts in various subcellular fractions. These studies demonstrate for the first time that treatment with flucloxacillin results in the formation of hepatic protein adducts.

In Vitro Conjugation of Ethanolamine with Fatty Acids by Rat Liver Subcellular Fractions

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown the enzymic formation of fatty acid (FA) conjugates of xenobiotic alcohols and amines. In the present study, the formation of FA conjugates of a bifunctional compound, ethanolamine was investigated by incubating [1-14C]oleic acid (1 mM) with ethanolamine (25 mM) at 37°C in the presence of various rat liver subcellular fractions. The resultant product (or products) was separated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and the radioactivity corresponding to the relative flow of fatty acid amide was determined. Under similar conditions, formation of ethanolamides of palmitic, stearic, linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids were also examined. The formation of ethanolamine conjugate with oleic acid was found to be 16.3 nmol/h/mg protein as compared to 6.7, 6.2, 8.1, 8.3, and 7.6 nmol/h/mg protein for palmitic, stearic, linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids, respectively. The formation of oleoyl ethanolamide was found to be 18.9, 40.1, 65.9, and 0.3 nmol/h/mg protein in postnuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytosolic fractions, respectively. Mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic data of the TLC-purified product confirm the formation of oleoyl ethanolamide, and amidation appeared to be a preferred reaction over esterification. The results of this study suggest that the enzyme responsible for the amidation of fatty acids resides mainly in the microsomal fraction of the liver, and that oleic acid is a better substrate than other fatty acids used in the present study.This work was supported by grants ES 04815 from National Institute of Health and Environmental Health Sciences (G.A.S.A.) and AA13171 from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (B.S.K.), and its contents are solely the responsibility of authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIEHS or NIAAA. The authors thank Drs. Richard Hodge and Alex Kurosky of NIEHS Center, supported by the grant P30ES06676, for the NMR and mass spectral analysis.