Similarities and differences in the glucuronidation of estradiol and estrone by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase in liver microsomes from male and female rats.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of pH, in vitro inhibitors, in vivo enzyme inducers, age, and sex on the glucuronidation of estradiol and estrone by rat liver microsomes. Although the pH dependence curves for the glucuronidation of estradiol and estrone were similar, the pH dependence curves for these estrogens by liver microsomes from adult male rats were very different from those by liver microsomes from adult female rats. These results suggest that liver microsomes from adult male and have different estrogen glucuronosyltransferases. Liver microsomes from immature or adult female rats catalyzed the glucuronidation of estrone and estradiol more rapidly than liver microsomes from age-matched male rats. Intraperitoneal injection of sodium phenobarbital (75 mg/kg/day) or dexamethasone (75 mg/kg/day) into immature or adult male or female rats for 3-4 days resulted in a 33-58% increase in liver microsomal glucuronosyltransferase activity for estradiol, but there was little or no stimulatory effect on glucuronosyltransferase activity for estrone. Treatment of immature or adult male or female rats with 3-methylcholanthrene (25 mg/kg/day) for 3-4 days did not stimulate liver microsomal glucuronosyltransferase activity for estradiol or estrone, but the glucuronidation of 4-nitrophenol was stimulated several-fold. The in vitro addition of testosterone had a strong inhibitory effect on the glucuronidation of estradiol and estrone by liver microsomes from both adult male and female rats, whereas the in vitro addition of 4-nitrophenol had a slightly greater inhibitory effect on the glucuronidation of estradiol and estrone by adult male liver microsomes than by adult female liver microsomes. In conclusion, our results suggest that male and female rat livers have different estrogen glucuronosyltransferases and that the glucuronidation of estradiol, estrone, and 4-nitrophenol is catalyzed by different glucuronosyltransferases that are under different regulatory control.

Effects of phenobarbital, dexamethasone, and 3-methylcholanthrene administration on the metabolism of 17 beta-estradiol by liver microsomes from female rats.

Female rats were treated with phenobarbital, dexamethasone, 3-methylcholanthrene, clofibrate, or isoniazid to induce different hepatic cytochromes P-450. The profile of hydroxylated metabolites of estradiol (E2) formed by liver microsomes was then determined using a new HPLC method for the separation of hydroxylated estrogen metabolites. Inhibition of liver microsomal E2 metabolism by monoclonal antibodies raised against specific cytochrome P-450 isozymes was also evaluated. Treatment of immature or adult female rats with phenobarbital caused a 3-fold increase in the 2-hydroxylation of E2 and a more than 5-fold increase in liver microsomal hydroxylation of E2 at the 4-, 6 alpha, 6 beta-, and 14 alpha-positions. Monoclonal antibody directed toward CYP2B1/2B2 completely inhibited the 6 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroxylation of E2 and partially inhibited the 2-hydroxylation of E2 by liver microsomes from phenobarbital-treated adult female rats. Antibodies directed toward CYP3A1/3A2 completely inhibited the 4- and 14 alpha-hydroxylation of E2 by these liver microsomes. Treatment of immature or adult female rats with dexamethasone resulted in a 2- to 3-fold increase in the microsomal 2-hydroxylation of E2 and a several-fold increase in the hydroxylation of E2 at the 4-, 6 beta-, 7 alpha-, and 14 alpha-positions. A substantial increase in the formation of two unidentified nonpolar metabolite peaks (UK1 and UK2) was also observed. A monoclonal antibody directed against CYP3A1/3A2 markedly inhibited the 2-, 4-, and 14 alpha-hydroxylation of E2 by liver microsomes from adult female rats treated with dexamethasone. Antibody directed against CYP2B1/2B2 inhibited only the 6 beta-hydroxylation of E2 by these microsomes. Treatment of immature or adult female rats with 3-methylcholanthrene resulted in a several-fold increase in the metabolism of E2 to 7 alpha-hydroxyestradiol (7 alpha-OH E2) and 15 alpha-OH E2, but there was a substantial decrease in the formation of 16 alpha-OH E2. Treatment with 3-methylcholanthrene caused a small increase in 2-hydroxylation (< or = 50%) in liver microsomes from immature or adult female rats, whereas a substantial increase in 6 alpha-hydroxylation was seen in liver microsomes from adult female rats. A monoclonal antibody directed toward CYP1A1 partially inhibited the 6 alpha-hydroxylation of E2 and the formation of the 7 alpha-OH E2/15 alpha-OH E2 peak by microsomes from adult female rats treated with 3-methylcholanthrene, but the 2-hydroxylation of E2 was not inhibited. Treatment of adult female rats with clofibrate increased the 2- and 4-hydroxylation of E2 by about 2-fold and by more than 6-fold, respectively. Isoniazid treatment had little or no effect on the metabolism of E2. The data demonstrate that prototype inducers of cytochrome P-450 can substantially alter the profile of hepatic E2 metabolism in female rats. Our results suggest that inducers of environmental relevance may also have an impact on E2 metabolism and homeostasis in humans.

High-performance liquid chromatography separation of hydroxylated estradiol metabolites: formation of estradiol metabolites by liver microsomes from male and female rats.

A high-performance liquid chromatography method has been described for the separation of estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and 27 hydroxylated and keto derivatives of these estrogens. Chromatography of a mixture of 29 estrogen standards resulted in 20 different peaks. Solvent extraction followed by the chromatographic separation and quantification of radioactive metabolites was used for studies on the metabolism of [4-14C]E2 by liver microsomes from adult male and female rats. Liver microsomes from male rats metabolized [4-14C]E2 more rapidly and to a larger number of metabolites than liver microsomes from female rats. Under conditions in which less than 10% of the substrate was metabolized, major metabolites from liver microsomes of male rats cochromatographed with E1, 2-OH E2, 15 alpha-OH E2 and 16 alpha-OH E2, and major metabolites from liver microsomes of female rats cochromatographed with E1, 2-OH E2 and 16 alpha-OH E2. The identity of the metabolites was confirmed by mass spectrometry. Using liver microsomes from male rats and conditions in which more extensive metabolism of the substrate occurred, more than 15 additional metabolites of [4-14C]E2 were observed. Liver microsomes from male rats were many-fold more active than liver microsomes from female rats at catalyzing the 2-, 15 alpha- and 16 alpha-hydroxylation of E2. Our studies on the metabolism of [4-14C]E2 by rat liver microsomes indicate that the profile of E2 metabolites is dependent on the time of incubation, microsomal protein concentration and substrate concentration.

Effect of age and sex on the inducibility of hepatic microsomal 4-nitrophenol UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity in rats.

In this report, we examined the effect of age and sex of Long-Evans rats on the inducibility of 4-nitrophenol glucuronyltransferase activity in liver microsomes of animals treated with phenobarbital, dexamethasone, or 3-methylcholanthrene. Glucuronyltransferase activity in control male liver microsomes was approximately 50-75% higher than that in control female liver microsomes. Treatment with sodium phenobarbital (i.p., 75 mg/kg/day) for 3-4 days increased glucuronyltransferase activity by approximately 100% and 60% in liver microsomes from adult female and male rats, respectively, but did not influence this activity in liver microsomes from immature female and male rats. Treatment with dexamethasone (i.p., 75 mg/kg/day) for 3-4 days increased glucuronyltransferase activity by approximately 4-fold in liver microsomes from immature female rats but markedly decreased this enzyme activity in liver microsomes from adult female rats, adult male rats, and immature male rats. Treatment with 3-methylcholanthrene (i.p., 25 mg/kg/day) for 3-4 days increased glucuronyltransferase activity by approximately 10- to 13-fold in liver microsomes from immature female rats, adult female rats, and adult male rats, but only increased this enzyme activity by approximately 1-fold in liver microsomes from immature male rats. In conclusion, the extent of induction of hepatic microsomal glucuronyltransferase activity for 4-nitrophenol is affected dramatically by the age and sex of the animals.

Tannin-binding proteins in saliva of deer and their absence in saliva of sheep and cattle.

A method has been developed for detecting tannin-binding proteins in the saliva of herbivores. The method is simple and requires only small quantities of crude saliva. The saliva of deer, a browsing ruminant, has been compared to that of domestic sheep and cow, which are grazing ruminants. The browser, which normally ingests dietary tannin, produces tannin-binding proteins, while the grazers do not produce such proteins. The tannin-binding protein from deer saliva is a small glycoprotein containing large amounts of proline, glycine, and glutamate/glutamine. The protein is not closely related to the proline-rich salivary proteins found in rats and other nonruminant mammals.