Concentration Of UDP-glucuronic Acid Research Articles

Changes in the amount of nucleotide sugars in aged mouse tissues.

Aging affects tissue glycan profiles, which may alter cellular functions and increase the risk of age-related diseases. Glycans are biosynthesized by glycosyltransferases using the corresponding nucleotide sugar, and the availability of nucleotide sugars affects glycosylation efficiency. However, the effects of aging on nucleotide sugar profiles and contents are yet to be elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of aging on nucleotide sugars using a new LC-MS/MS method. Specifically, the new method was used to determine the nucleotide sugar contents of various tissues (brain, liver, heart, skeletal muscle, kidney, lung, and colon) of male C57BL/6NCr mice (7- or 26-month-old). Characteristic age-associated nucleotide sugar changes were observed in each tissue sample. Particularly, there was a significant decrease in UDP-glucuronic acid content in the kidney of aged mice and a decrease in the contents of several nucleotide sugars, including UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine, in the brain of aged mice. Additionally, there were variations in nucleotide sugar profiles among the tissues examined regardless of the age. The kidneys had the highest concentration of UDP-glucuronic acid among the seven tissues. In contrast, the skeletal muscle had the lowest concentration of total nucleotide sugars among the tissues; however, CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid and CDP-ribitol were relatively enriched. Conclusively, these findings may contribute to the understanding of the roles of glycans in tissue aging.

Development of a microplate method for the determination of hepatic UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Hepatic glucuronidation represents an important phase II biotransformation reaction in both mammals and fish. The kinetic characteristics of uridine 5′-diphosphate (UDP) glucuronosyltransferases (UDPGTs) in rainbow trout liver microsomes were examined using p-nitrophenol (p-NP) as an aglycone and UDP-glucuronic acid (UDPGA) as a glucuronyl donor according to an existing protocol. The kinetic data obtained with varying concentrations of p-NP best fit the Hill equation and UDPGT activity was successfully induced following an i.p. injection of β-naphthoflavone (β-NF). The assay was subsequently adapted to a microplate method for determination of UDPGT activity in microsomal samples obtained from rainbow trout as well as Nile tilapia. In contrast to rainbow trout, UDPGT activity of Nile tilapia was best described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Based on the linearity of p-NP glucuronide formation, a p-NP concentration of 0.60 mM and a UDPGA concentration of 6.89 mM were determined to be suitable for assaying UDPGT activity in samples from rainbow trout and Nile tilapia. The microplate method offers several advantages over the historical assay; most notably it enables the observation of successive kinetics which ensures that enzyme activity is calculated in the most linear (initial) rate of the reaction. It also provides practical advantages in terms of ease-of-use and efficiency. This may be relevant to researchers investigating exposure of wild or farmed fish to environmental or feed-borne contaminants which are substrates of UDPGTs.

The effects of UDP-sugars, UDP and Mg2+on uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity in human liver microsomes

1. The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes are important in the metabolism, elimination and detoxification of many xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. As extrapolation of in vitro kinetics of drug metabolizing enzymes to predict in vivo clearance rates becomes more sophisticated, it is important to ensure proper optimization of enzyme assays. The luminal location of the enzyme active site (i.e. latency), and the complexity of UGT kinetics, results in consistent under-prediction of clearance of drugs metabolized by glucuronidation.2. We examined inhibition of UGT activity in alamethicin-disrupted human liver microsomes (HLM) by uridine diphosphate (UDP), a UGT reaction product, and its reversal by Mg2+ ions. We also determined whether UDP-sugars other than the co-substrate UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcA) affected glucuronidation.3. We show that other UDP-sugars do not significantly influence glucuronidation. We also demonstrate that UDP inhibits HLM UGT activity and that this is reversed by including Mg2+ in the assay. The Mg2+ effect can be offset using EDTA, and is dependent on the concentration of UDP-GlcA in the assay.4. We propose that formation of a Mg2+–UDP complex prevents UDP from affecting the enzyme. Our results suggest that 5 mM UDP-GlcA and 10 mM Mg2+ be used for UGT assays in fully disrupted HLM.

Transporter-mediated uptake of UDP-glucuronic acid by human liver microsomes: assay conditions, kinetics, and inhibition.

This study characterized the kinetics, variability, and factors that affect UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcUA) uptake by human liver microsomes (HLM). Biphasic kinetics were observed for UDP-GlcUA uptake by HLM. Uptake affinities (assessed as Kd) of the high- and low-affinity components differed by more than an order of magnitude (13 ± 6 vs. 374 ± 175 µM), but were comparable in terms of the maximal rate of uptake, with mean Vmax values differing less than 2.3-fold (56 ± 26 vs. 131 ± 35 pmol/min per mg). Variability in total intrinsic transporter activity (Uint) for microsomal UDP-GlcUA uptake across 12 livers was less than 4-fold. Experiments performed to optimize the conditions for microsomal UDP-GlcUA uptake demonstrated that both components were trans-stimulated by preloading (luminal addition) with an alternate UDP-sugar, and essentially abolished by the thiol-alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide. Furthermore, interaction studies undertaken with a panel of drugs, alternate UDP-sugars, and glucuronide conjugates, at low (2.5 μM) and high (1000 μM) UDP-GlcUA concentrations, demonstrated that both components were inhibited to varying extents. Notably, the nucleoside analogs zidovudine, stavudine, lamivudine, and acyclovir inhibited both the high- and low- affinity components of microsomal UDP-GlcUA uptake by >45% at an inhibitor concentration of 100 μM. Taken together, these data demonstrate that human liver microsomal UDP-GlcUA uptake involves multiple protein-mediated components, and raises the possibility of impaired in vivo glucuronidation activity resulting from inhibition of UDP-GlcUA uptake into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane by drugs and other compounds.

Alteration of the Function of the UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A Subfamily by Cytochrome P450 3A4: Different Susceptibility for UGT Isoforms and UGT1A1/7 Variants

Functional protein-protein interactions between UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)1A isoforms and cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4 were studied. To this end, UGT1A-catalyzed glucuronidation was assayed in Sf-9 cells that simultaneously expressed UGT and CYP3A4. In the kinetics of UGT1A6-catalyzed glucuronidation of serotonin, both Michaelis constant (Km) and maximal velocity (Vmax) were increased by CYP3A4. When CYP3A4 was coexpressed with either UGT1A1 or 1A7, the Vmax for the glucuronidation of the irinotecan metabolite (SN-38) was significantly increased. S50 and Km both which are the substrate concentration giving 0.5 Vmax were little affected by simultaneous expression of CYP3A4. This study also examined the catalytic properties of the allelic variants of UGT1A1 and 1A7 and their effects on the interaction with CYP3A4. Although the UGT1A1-catalyzing activity of 4-methylumbelliferone glucuronidation was reduced in its variant, UGT1A1*6, the coexpression of CYP3A4 restored the impaired function to a level comparable with the wild type. Similarly, simultaneous expression of CYP3A4 increased the Vmax of UGT1A7*1 (wild type) and *2 (N129K and R131K), whereas the same was not observed in UGT1A7*3 (N129K, R131K, and W208R). In the kinetics involving different concentrations of UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcUA), the Km for UDP-GlcUA was significantly higher for UGT1A7*2 and *3 than *1. The Km of UGT1A7*1 and *3 was increased by CYP3A4, whereas *2 did not exhibit any such change. These results suggest that (1) CYP3A4 changes the catalytic function of the UGT1A subfamily in a UGT isoform-specific manner and (2) nonsynonymous mutations in UGT1A7*3 reduce not only the ability of UGT to use UDP-GlcUA but also CYP3A4-mediated enhancement of catalytic activity, whereas CYP3A4 is able to restore the UGT1A1*6 function.

Glucuronidation of Polychlorinated Biphenylols and UDP-Glucuronic Acid Concentrations in Channel Catfish Liver and Intestine

Polychlorinated biphenylols (OH-PCBs) are potentially toxic polychlorinated biphenyl metabolites that can be eliminated by glucuronidation, catalyzed by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs). OH-PCBs with a 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxy substitution pattern have been detected in blood from humans and wildlife, suggesting slow elimination. In this study we assessed the glucuronidation of 4-OH-PCBs with zero, one, or two chlorine atoms flanking the 4-hydroxyl group and zero to four chlorine atoms in the aphenolic ring in microsomes from channel catfish liver and proximal intestine. Product formation was quantitated with [(14)C]UDP-glucuronic acid (UDPGA). Physiological concentrations of UDPGA were measured in preparations of liver and intestine. When the OH-PCB concentrations were varied in the presence of saturating UDPGA concentrations, glucuronidation V(max) values were higher in hepatic than in intestinal microsomes (0.40-3.4 and 0.12-0.78 nmol/min/mg of protein, respectively), whereas the K(m) values were generally lower for intestine (0.042-0.47 mM) than for liver (0.11-1.64 mM). In both tissues V(max) values with 3,5-dichloro-4-OH-PCBs were lower than with the corresponding 3-chloro-4-OH-PCBs. Varying the UDPGA concentrations in the presence of saturating concentrations of OH-PCB showed that the K(m) for UDPGA was lower in intestine (27 microM) than in liver (690 microM). The measured concentration of UDPGA in catfish liver (246-377 nmol/g) was lower than the K(m) for UDPGA, suggesting that in vivo rates of glucuronidation may be suboptimal, whereas in intestine the measured UDPGA concentration (71-258 nmol/g) was higher than the K(m) for UDPGA. Although liver has a greater glucuronidation capacity than proximal intestine, the properties of intestinal UGTs in channel catfish enable them to efficiently glucuronidate low concentrations of OH-PCBs.

5 Glucuronidation and anaesthesia

Glucuronidation is a major biotransformation reaction for xenobiotics, including the intravenous anaesthetic propofol and several analgesics. The UDP glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyse this reaction which requires UDP glucuronic acid (UDPGA) as its group-donating co-substrate. Each substrate is converted by one or several of the UGT enzyme forms. Therefore, competition for glucuronidation may occur for drugs; as yet there is little evidence that this plays an important role in the clinical situation. Volatile anaesthetics such as diethyl ether, halothane or the fluranes decrease the hepatic UDPGA concentration in animal experiments. Subsequently, glucuronidation of xenobiotics (and endobiotics such as bilirubin) may be decreased. Whether this plays a role in the patient is as yet unclear because data are lacking. In propofol elimination in man glucuronidation plays a dominant role: most of the dose is excreted in urine as propofol glucuronidation plays a dominant role: most of the dose is excreted in urine as propofol glucuronide or as a glucuronide of a secondary propofol metabolite. As yet no clear clinical interactions of propofol with other drug substrates for glucuronidation have been observed. Biological variation in glucuronidation due to, for instance, liver disease, drug interaction or genetic polymorphism in humans is reviewed.

Effect of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots and glycyrrhizin on the glucuronidation in rats.

As an approach to elucidate the possible in vivo interaction of synthetic drugs and herbs which are frequently used in combination in Asia, the effect of Glycyrrhiza glabra on the metabolism of acetaminophen (AAP) was examined in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The pretreatment of the methanol extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots (Glycyrrhizae Radix, GR, 1 g/kg, p.o.) for 6 days significantly increased the cumulative biliary (156%) and urinary (132%) excretions of AAP-glucuronide conjugate within 120 min after the administration of AAP (150 mg/kg, i.v.) without affecting thioether and sulfate conjugates. These findings suggest that GR might enhance the glucuronidation pathway of AAP. In order to study the effect of GR on the glucuronidation in rat liver, we examined enzymatic activity of p-nitrophenol UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), which is also called UGT1A, and intracellular concentrations of hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid, upon the administration of GR (1 g/kg, p.o.) or glycyrrhizin (23 mg/kg, p.o.), a major component of GR, for 6 days. GR and glycyrrhizin caused increases in specific activities of UGT1A by 111% and 96%, respectively. Concentration of UDP-glucuronic acid was increased 257% by GR and 484% by glycyrrhizin. These data indicate that GR and glycyrrhizin activated glucuronidation and thus suggest the possibility that GR may influence detoxification of xenobiotics in rat liver. Using the p-nitrophenol UGT1A1 cDNA as a probe, we found that the activation of UGT1A by GR was not due to the induction of mRNAs for the enzyme.

Effect of Glycyrrhizae Radix on the glucuronidation in rat liver

Pretreatment of Glycyrrhizae Radix (GR) to male Sprague-Dawley rats was demonstrated to increase excretion of acetaminophen-glucuronide conjugate when bile and urine were assayed after administration of acetaminophen. In order to study the effect of GR on the glucuronidation in rats, we examined enzymatic activities of hepatic UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UDP-GT1 and UDP-GT2) and intracellular concentrations of hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GA), upon the administration of GR (1 g/kg body weight,p.o.) or glycyrrhizin (23 mg/kg body weight,p.o.), a major component of GR, for 6 days. GR and glycyrrhizin caused increases in specific activities of UDP-GT2 111% and 96%, respectively. Specific activity of UDP-GT1 was increased 25% by GR treatment whereas it was not significantly increased by glycyrrhizin. Concentrations of UDP-GA were increased 257% by GR and 484% by glycyrrhizin. These data indicate that GR activated glucuronidation and thus suggest the possibility that GR may influence detoxification of xenobiotics in rat liver.

Latency is the major determinant of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in isolated hepatocytes

The glucuronidation of p-nitrophenol was measured in intact, saponin- and alamethicin-treated isolated mouse hepatocytes. In saponin-permeabilized cells the elevation of extrareticular UDP-glucuronic acid concentration enhanced the rate of glucuronidation threefold. When intracellular membranes were also permeabilized by alamethicin, a further tenfold increase in the glucuronidation of p-nitrophenol was present. Parallel measurements of the ER mannose 6-phosphatase activity revealed that saponin selectively permeabilized the plasma membrane, whereas alamethicin permeabilized both plasma membrane and ER membranes. The inhibition of p-nitrophenol glucuronidation by dbcAMP in intact hepatocytes was still present in saponin-treated cells and disappeared in alamethicin-permeabilized hepatocytes. It is suggested that the permeability of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane is a major determinant of glucuronidation not only in microsomes but in isolated hepatocytes as well.

Effects of microsomal enzyme inducers upon UDP-glucuronic acid concentration and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in the rat intestine and liver

This study was conducted to evaluate UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDP-GT) activity, UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GA) concentration, and UDP-glucose (UDPG) concentration in the rat intestine and liver following oral administration of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), benzo[ a]pyrene (BaP), 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), phenobarbital (PB), pregnenolone-16α-carbonitrile (PCN), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD), or trans-stilbene oxide (TSO). Microsomal UDP-GT activity was assayed in vitro with acetaminophen (AA), harmol (HA), and 1-naphthol (NA) as the aglycones. Intestinal HA and AA glucuronidation were enhanced by BHA, BaP, and TSO, whereas 3MC, PB, PCN, and TCDD augmented hepatic HA-glucuronide formation and BHA, PB, PCN, TCDD, and TSO significantly increased hepatic AA glucuronidation. All inducing agents except PB and PCN markedly increased both intestinal and hepatic NA glucuronidation. PB, PCN, and TCDD paradoxically decreased intestinal glucuronidation of AA and HA. A similar effect upon hepatic glucuronidation was not observed with any of the agents studied. Hepatic UDP-GA concentration was increased significantly by all inducers studied except PCN and TCDD, whereas hepatic UDPG concentration was increased only by BHA. In the intestine, significant increases in UDP-GA concentration were produced only by BHA and BaP, which also elevated intestinal UDPG. These results demonstrate that microsomal enzyme inducers evoke different effects upon intestinal and hepatic glucuronidation. These differences are manifested with regard to induced changes in UDP-GT activity as well as treatment-induced alterations in UDP-GA content. Thus, the present study further underscores the marked variance of intestinal and hepatic xenobiotic glucuronidation.

Measurement of glucuronidation by isolated rat liver cells using [ 14C]fructose

We have developed a simple and sensitive method for the study of the relative rates of glucuronidation of compounds, in isolated liver cells, based on the incorporation of 14C from fructose into glucuronide conjugates. Liver cells from fasted rats are used to minimize any reduction of the specific activity by glycogenolysis. Although rates of glucuronidation are lower in isolated liver cells from fasted rats than in those from fed rats, because of a reduction in the concentration of UDP-glucuronic acid, it is possible to compare the rates of glucuronidation of different compounds. Radiolabelled glucuronides are separated from [ 14C]fructose and [ 14C]glucose, produced by the liver cells, by normal-phase HPLC on a polar amino-cyano column. The specific activity of the glucuronide was found to be approximately 50% of that of the [ 14C]fructose. Absolute amounts of glucuronide can be determined by measuring the specific activity of the [ l4C]glucose, also produced by liver cells from fructose, which reflects that of the glucose-6-phosphate and hence the UDP-glucuronic acid used for glucuronidation, although for the measurement of relative rates this would not be necessary. We have used this method to examine the kinetics of the glucuronidation of N-acetyl- p-aminophenol (acetaminophen), 4-nitrophenol and 1-naphthol in isolated rat liver cells. The method should be applicable to the study of the rates of glucuronidation of a range of aglycones and, unlike other methods, does not require glucuronide standards or radiolabelled aglycone.

The effect of β-naphthoflavone and phenobarbital on UDP-glucuronosyltransferase in King Salmon ( Oncorhyncus tshawytscha)

Groups of king salmon, under anesthesia with MS222, received either a single injection of 100 mg/kg body weight (β-naphthoflavone) or two injections at the same ratio (phenobarbital) three weeks prior to sacrifice. Controls received the appropriate vehicle only. Hepatic microsomes were prepared and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDPGT) activities toward 4-nitrophenol, 1-naphthol and bilirubin were assayed. Activities toward 4-nitrophenol and 1-naphthol in β-naphthoflavone-treated fish were increased 1·81-and 2·15-fold respectively. Bilirubin UDPGT activity was not detectable. No induction by phenobarbital was observed. Kinetic analyses of 4-nitrophenol activity with respect to UDP-glucuronic acid (UDPGA) and 4-nitrophenol concentrations were carried out. K m and V max values for UDPGA were 1·7 mM and 1·1 units/mg, respectively. Between 0·05 and 4·0mM 4-nitrophenol the reaction velocity increased linearly, indicating a lack of affinity for this substrate.

Circadian variation of hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid and the glucuronidation of xenobiotics in mice

A circadian cycle in hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GA) concentration was observed in mice that was essentially the reverse of those seen for hepatic glycogen and UDP-glucose. That is, hepatic UDP-GA levels were highest during the fasting period and lowest during the feeding period. However, there was no significant difference between the half-lives or the apparent rates of glucuronidation for either acetaminophen or salicylamide at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Therefore, the previously-reported circadian variation in acetaminophen toxicity is probably due to circadian variation in hepatic glutathione levels rather than in hepatic glucuronidation capacity.

Effect of volatile anesthetics on the hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid pathway in mice

Large, rapid decreases in hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid concentrations occur in rats following exposure to myriad chemicals. In fact, 80% reductions in UDP-glucuronic acid occur within minutes after exposure to inhalation anesthetics. The present study was designed to determine whether this decrease in hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid may be due to (a) a decrease in the precursor UDP-glucose; (b) decreased activity of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, which oxidizes UDP-glucose to UDP-glucuronic acid; (c) increased activity of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases; or (d) increased activity of nucleotide pyrophosphatase, which degrades UDP-glucuronic acid to glucuronic acid-1-phosphate. Exposure to halothane, isoflurane and sevoflurane decreased UDP-glucuronic acid concentrations by 40–52% as compared to that in unanesthetized control mice. No sex-dependent or anesthetic-induced effects of UDP-glucose levels and the activities of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase were observed. Nucleotide pyrophosphatase activity was increased by 47–65% in female mice after inhalation of halothane, isoflurane and sevoflurane. The apparent V max for hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenol thymidine 5′-monophosphate ester by nucleotide pyrophosphatase was increased by 56–80% in female mice, whereas the apparent K m was unchanged. These alterations in nucleotide pyrophosphate kinetics may be responsible, in part, for the marked decrease of hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid concentrations by the volatile anesthetics.

Role of nucleotide pyrophosphatase in enflurane-induced reduction of UDP-glucuronic acid concentration in mouse liver

Because hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid levels decrease upon exposure to volatile anesthetics, the present study was designed to determine the mechanism by which enflurane decreases UDP-glucuronic acid in mice by measuring the concentrations of intermediates and the activities of enzymes in the UDP-glucuronic acid pathway. UDP-glucuronic acid concentrations were decreased by 40% in both male and female mice after 10 min of enflurane-induced narcosis. Concentration of UDP-glucose and the activities of diethylstilbestrol UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and UDP-glucose dehydrogenase were not affected by enflurane treatment. In contrast, nucleotide pyrophophatase activity was increased approximately 50% in both sexes. Thus, the decrease in hepatic UDP-glucuronic acid upon exposure of mice to enflurane is probably due to increased degradation by nucleotide pyrophosphatase.

Optimization of the in vitro glucuronidation of ibuprofen using factorial design.

Ibuprofen was chosen as a test compound to perform a multivariate design in order to determine the highest yield of the in vitro glucuronidation reaction in relation to the concentration of reacting and activating substances. Preliminary studies with a univariate design indicated that the concentration of Mg2+ had no significant effect on the glucuronidation and that Triton X-100 could be omitted as it appeared to inhibit the glucuronidation. In a 3(3) factorial design the influence of concentrations of ibuprofen, UDP glucuronic acid and enzyme, respectively, on the yield of ibuprofen glucuronide was established. It was concluded that the highest amount of ibuprofen glucuronide formed (within the limits of this design) was achieved with an ibuprofen concentration of 486 microM, a UDP-glucuronic acid concentration of 3 mM and an enzyme concentration of 3.57 mg/ml. Using this methodology it is possible to optimize the glucuronidation yield in a more rational way, which can be useful in the upscaling of enzymatic reactions.

Impaired Hepatic Elimination of Paranitrophenol and Its Metabolites in the Rat following Chronic Ethanol Pretreatment

Chronic ethanol feeding has been shown to enhance hepatic microsomal drug oxidation in humans and in laboratory animals. However, the effects of chronic ethanol administration on drug conjugation are less conclusive. We have studied the effects of chronic ethanol feeding on (a) the conjugation and elimination of p-nitrophenol (PNP) by the isolated perfused rat liver, (b) the formation of PNP glucuronide by hepatic microsomal PNP-glucuronyltransferase in vitro and (c) the hepatic content of UDP-glucuronic acid (UDPGA). PNP elimination from the isolated perfused rat liver was best described as a combination of parallel saturable and first-order processes. Ethanol pretreatment did not influence the former but resulted in a 48% reduction in the rate of elimination by the latter. This was associated with a significant reduction in recovery of PNP-glucuronide from bile, but no change in concentrations of PNP glucuronide or sulfate in perfusate. Michaelis constants and Vmax for PNP-glucuronyltransferase in native and solubilized microsomes and UDPGA concentrations in liver were not influenced by ethanol pretreatment. These results suggest that chronic ethanol treatment reduces PNP elimination in the intact liver primarily via a reduction in the biliary excretion of PNP glucuronide without altering glucuronidation per se.

Regulation of bilirubin glucuronide synthesis in primate (Macaca fascicularis) liver

Abstract Hepatic bilirubin uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase (UDP-glucuronyltransferase) catalyzes the formation of bilirubin monoglucuronides (BMG, C-8 and C-12 isomers) and bilirubin diglucuronide (BDG) from bilirubin and the cosubstrate, UDP-glucuronic acid. Distinctive patterns of bile pigment excretion occur in different species and in pathologic disorders (e.g., Gilbert's syndrome). In normal human and monkey ( Macaca fascicularis ) bile, the proportion of BDG exceeds that of BMG and the C-8C-12 BMG isomer ratio approaches unity. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for the patterns of BDG and BMG isomers in bile, we used a radiochemical assay to analyze the kinetics and regulation of bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase in microsomes prepared from monkey liver. The synthesis of BMG from bilirubin was a higher capacity, lower affinity step ( V max = 295 pmol / mg protein · min, K m = 24 μM ) than BDG synthesis from endogenously formed BMG ( V max = 170 pmol / mg protein · min, K m = 14 μM ). This observation was confirmed when biosynthetically prepared BMG was used as substrate. The rate of formation of BDG relative to BMG was modulated by both bilirubin and UDP-glucuronic acid concentration, whereas the C-8C-12 BMG isomer ratio was influenced exclusively by UDP-glucuronic acid concentration. The data obtained with increasing UDP-glucuronic acid concentration did not obey conventional single-site kinetics, suggesting the presence of more than one binding site on the enzyme or a membrane transporter for this nucleotide sugar. These findings demonstrate that microsomal bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase has a greater capacity for BMG than BDG synthesis, and thus support the concept that the decreased BDGBMG ratio in the bile of patients with reduced hepatic enzyme activity (i.e., Gilbert's syndrome and type II Crigler-Najjar disease) reflects the diminished capacity of the enzyme to synthesize BDG from BMG. Bilirubin and UDP-glucuronic acid concentrations both appear to be pivotal in regulating the synthesis of individual bilirubin glucuronides and hence the patterns of bilirubin conjugates excreted in bile.

Regulation of bilirubin glucuronide synthesis in primate (Macaca fascicularis) liver: Kinetic analysis of microsomal bilirubin uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase

Hepatic bilirubin uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase (UDP-glucuronyltransferase) catalyzes the formation of bilirubin monoglucuronides (BMG, C-8 and C-12 isomers) and bilirubin diglucuronide (BDG) from bilirubin and the cosubstrate, UDP-glucuronic acid. Distinctive patterns of bile pigment excretion occur in different species and in pathologic disorders (e.g., Gilbert's syndrome). In normal human and monkey (Macaca fascicularis) bile, the proportion of BDG exceeds that of BMG and the C-8/C-12 BMG isomer ratio approaches unity. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for the patterns of BDG and BMG isomers in bile, we used a radiochemical assay to analyze the kinetics and regulation of bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase in microsomes prepared from monkey liver. The synthesis of BMG from bilirubin was a higher capacity, lower affinity step (Vmax = 295 pmol/mg protein · min, Km = 24 μM) than BDG synthesis from endogenously formed BMG (Vmax = 170 pmol/mg protein · min, Km = 14 μM). This observation was confirmed when biosynthetically prepared BMG was used as substrate. The rate of formation of BDG relative to BMG was modulated by both bilirubin and UDP-glucuronic acid concentration, whereas the C-8/C-12 BMG isomer ratio was influenced exclusively by UDP-glucuronic acid concentration. The data obtained with increasing UDP-glucuronic acid concentration did not obey conventional single-site kinetics, suggesting the presence of more than one binding site on the enzyme or a membrane transporter for this nucleotide sugar. These findings demonstrate that microsomal bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase has a greater capacity for BMG than BDG synthesis, and thus support the concept that the decreased BDG/BMG ratio in the bile of patients with reduced hepatic enzyme activity (i.e., Gilbert's syndrome and type II Crigler-Najjar disease) reflects the diminished capacity of the enzyme to synthesize BDG from BMG. Bilirubin and UDP-glucuronic acid concentrations both appear to be pivotal in regulating the synthesis of individual bilirubin glucuronides and hence the patterns of bilirubin conjugates excreted in bile.