In vivo metabolism of 2,2'-diaminopimelic acid from gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial cells by ruminal microorganisms and ruminants and its use as a marker of bacterial biomass.

Cells of Bacillus megaterium GW1 and Escherichia coli W7-M5 were specifically radiolabeled with 2,2'-diamino[G-3H]pimelic acid ([3H]DAP) as models of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively. Two experiments were conducted to study the in vivo metabolism of 2,2'-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) in sheep. In experiment 1, cells of [3H]DAP-labeled B. megaterium GW1 were infused into the rumen of one sheep and the radiolabel was traced within microbial samples, digesta, and the whole animal. Bacterially bound [3H]DAP was extensively metabolized, primarily (up to 70% after 8 h) via decarboxylation to [3H]lysine by both ruminal protozoa and ruminal bacteria. Recovery of infused radiolabel in urine and feces was low (42% after 96 h) and perhaps indicative of further metabolism by the host animal. In experiment 2, [3H]DAP-labeled B. megaterium GW1 was infused into the rumens of three sheep and [3H]DAP-labeled E. coli W7-M5 was infused into the rumen of another sheep. The radioactivity contents of these mutant bacteria were insufficient to use as tracers, but the metabolism of DAP was monitored in the total, free, and peptidyl forms. Free DAP, as a proportion of total DAP in duodenal digesta, varied from 0 to 9.5%, whereas peptidyl DAP accounted for 8.3 to 99.2%. These data reflect the extensive metabolism of bacterially bound DAP within the gastrointestinal tracts of ruminant animals and serve as a serious caution to the uncritical use of DAP as a marker of bacterial biomass in the digesta of these animals.

Effects of brotizolam on mixed-function oxidases and glutathione metabolism in the rat.

Intra-gastric administration of brotizolam (0.1-200 mg/kg) daily for three days to rats resulted in no significant changes in the hepatic and intestinal cytochrome P-450-dependent or P-448-dependent mixed-function oxidases, or in the hepatic flavoprotein dimethylaniline N-oxidase. Liver microsomes from mouse, rat and man metabolized brotizolam by hydroxylation of the diazepine ring and of the methyl group at rates which were greater for mouse greater than rat greater than man. Brotizolam and its metabolites generated by rat-liver microsomes in vitro were not mutagenic in the Ames' test. Brotizolam, at 200 mg/kg per day for two to six weeks, depleted liver glutathione concentration and markedly increased liver gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione transferase activities. Similar changes were not seen at the lower dose of 0.3 mg/kg. The observed increases in glutathione metabolism and the decreased tissue concentration of glutathione are indicative of high levels of glutathione conjugation, and provide a possible explanation for the equivocal increase in tumorigenicity seen in rats receiving brotizolam at high dosage.

Multiple forms of hepatic cytochrome P-450. Purification, characterisation and comparison of a novel clofibrate-induced isozyme with other major forms of cytochrome P-450.

In the present studies, a novel form of highly purified cytochrome P-450 (cytochrome P-452) isolated from the hepatic microsomes of clofibrate-pretreated rats has been compared to the major isozymes isolated from the hepatic microsomes of rats pretreated with phenobarbital (cytochrome P-450) and 2-naphthoflavone (cytochrome P-447) using a number of biochemical criteria. The results show that these three isozymes exhibit marked structural differences from each other as judged by a complete lack of immunochemical cross-reactivity between the isozymes and the heterologous rabbit serum antibodies using Ouchterlony double diffusion, and non-identity between the limited proteolytic digestion maps of the three isozymes obtained in the presence of chymotrypsin, papain and Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteases. Furthermore, the three isozymes exhibited clear differences in their monomeric molecular weights determined on calibrated sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in gels of varying acrylamide concentration. Substantial differences were also observed in the substrate specificities of the isozymes, which were reflected in differences in the turnover rates and positional selectivities of the hemoproteins for some model substrates. In addition, the isozymes differed in their substrate binding affinities and their ability to interact with purified hepatic microsomal cytochrome b5, as judged using difference spectrophotometry. Finally, subtle differences were detected in the ultraviolet visible absorbance spectra of the hemoproteins in the ferric, ferrous, and carbonmonoxyferrous states. Taken collectively, the above data provides compelling evidence that fundamental differences exist between these cytochrome P-450 isozymes, further establishing the uniqueness of the major form of cytochrome P-450 induced by clofibrate pretreatment.

The role of highly purified cytochrome P-450 isozymes in the activation of 4-aminobiphenyl to mutagenic products in the Ames test.

The role of cytochromes P-450 and P-447 in the activation of 4-aminobiphenyl to mutagens in the Ames test was studied using S9 preparations and highly purified isozymes. S9 preparations from beta-naphthoflavone-pretreated rats were more efficient in converting 4-aminobiphenyl to mutagens than the corresponding preparations from phenobarbitone-pretreated animals. Similarly, reconstituted systems comprising purified cytochrome P-447 were twice as efficient as cytochrome P-450 in activating the carcinogen. Of all the known Phase I metabolites of 4-aminobiphenyl, only the N-hydroxy-derivative was mutagenic in the Ames test. These findings indicate that arylamine N-hydroxylase is a cytochrome P-450 dependent enzyme, and the nature of the isozyme of the cytochrome is an important determinant of its mutagenicity.

The role of highly purified forms of rat liver cytochrome P-450 in the dimethylation of dimethylnitrosamine and its activation to mutagens.

Highly purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and the major phenobarbital (PB) and beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF) forms of cytochrome P-450 were used in reconstituted systems to study the demethylation and subsequent activation of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) to mutagenic intermediates. Both forms of cytochrome P-450 were active in the demethylation of DMN, cytochrome P-450 from PB-treated animals being more efficient, generating nearly twice as much formaldehyde per nmol of haemoprotein. Neither form of the cytochrome could activate DMN to mutagens in the Ames test. These findings indicate that DMN demethylation does not lead to its activation to mutagenic products.

Metabolic activation of paracetamol by highly purified forms of cytochrome P-450.

The metabolic activation of paracetamol (acetaminophen) to reactive intermediate(s) which bind covalently to proteins was studied in reconstituted systems, employing highly purified preparations of cytochromes P-450 and P-448 isolated from the liver of rats pretreated with phenobarbitone and beta-naphthoflavone respectively. Cytochrome P-448 readily catalysed the activation of paracetamol, but in contrast no activation was observed when cytochrome P-450 was used at the same concentration. Addition of purified epoxide hydratase to the incubation system had no effect on the extent of covalent binding to proteins, indicating that an arene oxide is unlikely to be the reactive intermediate responsible for the paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity.