The role of GTP Binding and microtubule-associated proteins in the inhibition of microtubule assembly by carbendazim.

The fungicide carbendazim (CBZ) is known to disrupt microtubular structures in the testis and to cause testicular toxicity in rats. To investigate the mechanism underlying the toxicity of CBZ, tubulin and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) were isolated from rat testis and brain using two techniques. The effects of CBZ on MT assembly were compared with the known microtubule (MT) disruptors, colchicine and nocodazole. CBZ (100 microM) had no effect on the assembly of MTs from MAP-containing tubulin isolated with one cycle of glycerol-dependent assembly and disassembly while colchicine (40 microM) and nocodazole (12.5 microM) strongly inhibited the assembly reaction. Similarly, formation of MTs from tubulin prepared with two cycles of glycerol-dependent assembly was strongly inhibited by colchicine and nocodazole but only weakly by CBZ. All three compounds inhibited the assembly of MTs from MAP-free tubulin isolated with glutamate. However, the inhibition by CBZ was reversed by the inclusion of high-molecular-weight MAPs and not by unrelated protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA). Addition of nocodazole to assembled MTs caused immediate depolymerization, whereas CBZ did not directly cause depolymerization. However CBZ was an effective inhibitor of the polymerization of depolymerized tubulin. In competitive binding assays, CBZ was found to inhibit the binding of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to tubulin. The data suggest that CBZ interferes with initial events of MT polymerization, specifically GTP binding, and that MAPs moderate this effect.

Hepatic and pulmonary enzyme activities in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine hepatic and pulmonary phase-I and phase-II enzyme activities in horses. SAMPLE POPULATION: Pulmonary and hepatic tissues from 22 horses that were 4 months to 32 years old. PROCEDURE: Pulmonary and hepatic tissues from horses were used to prepare cytosolic (glutathione S-transferase and soluble epoxide hydrolase) and microsomal (cytochrome P450 monooxygenases) enzymes. Rates of microsomal metabolism of ethoxyresorufin, pentoxyresorufin, and naphthalene were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Activities of glutathione S-transferase and soluble epoxide hydrolase were determined spectrophotometrically. Cytochrome P450 content was determined by carbon monoxide bound-difference spectrum of dithionite-reduced microsomes. Activity was expressed relative to total protein concentration. RESULTS: Microsomal protein and cytochromeP450 contents were detectable in all horses and did not vary with age. Hepatic ethoxyresorufin metabolism was detected in all horses; by comparison, pulmonary metabolism of ethoxyresorufin and hepatic and pulmonary metabolism of pentoxyresorufin were detected at lower rates. Rate of hepatic naphthalene metabolism remained constant with increasing age, whereas rate of pulmonary naphthalene metabolism was significantly lower in weanlings (ie, horses 4 to 6 months old), compared with adult horses. Hepatic glutathione S-transferase activity (cytosol) increased with age; however, these changes were not significant. Pulmonary glutathione S-transferase activity (cytosol) was significantly lower in weanlings than adult horses. Hepatic and pulmonary soluble epoxide hydrolase did not vary with age of horses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Activity of cytochrome P450 isoforms that metabolize naphthalene and glutathione S-transferases in lungs are significantly lower in weanlings than adult horses, which suggests reduced ability of young horses to metabolize xenobiotics by this organ.

Properties of enzymes hydrating epoxides in human epidermis and liver.

1. Cytosolic and microsomal epoxide hydrolyzing enzymes of human skin and liver were compared and found to be different. 2. Epidermal and hepatic cytosolic epoxide hydrolases were different in terms of substrate selectivity, pI, inhibitor sensitivity and affinity chromatographic properties. 3. Microsomal epoxide hydrolases had the same pIs but different substrate selectivities. 4. Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from adults had higher specific activity than that from neonates or cultured epidermis, but lower activity than adult hepatic enzymes. 5. The sizes of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from epidermis and liver were similar and lower than that from cultured fibroblasts. 6. Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from all sources shared similar antigenic determinants.

Dietary lipids coinduce xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in rat liver.

We examined the role of dietary lipids in regulating the activities and amounts of epoxide hydrolase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and glutathione S-transferase in rat liver. Male Wistar rats were fed a fat-free (FF) diet or isocaloric control diet containing 5% corn oil (CO) or 5% fish oil (FO) for 3 weeks. The activities of these enzymes were approx. 2-fold higher in rats fed the FO diet vs. the FF diet. Intermediate levels of enzyme activity were found in rats fed the CO diet. Diet-induced differences in enzyme levels were shown by immunoblotting. The highest levels of epoxide hydrolase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and glutathione S-transferase were detected in rats fed the FO diet. The lowest levels of these enzymes were found in rats fed the FF diet. Intermediate levels of enzyme were found in rats fed the CO diet. Thus, diet-induced differences in enzyme activities were paralleled by changes in enzyme levels. Fatty acid analysis of microsomal lipids showed that the FF diet was associated with decreased levels of n-6 fatty acids vs. the CO diet. The FO diet resulted in increased levels of n-3 fatty acids vs. the other diets.

Regio- and enantiofacial selectivity of epoxyeicosatrienoic acid hydration by cytosolic epoxide hydrolase.

The hydration of cis-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids to the corresponding vic-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids by cytosolic epoxide hydrolase demonstrates moderate regioselectivity with rates of hydration highest for the 14,15-epoxide and lower for the 11,12- and 8,9-epoxide (4.5, 1.6, and 1.5 mumol of product/mg of protein/min, respectively). Incubations of the 8,9- and 14,15-epoxides with cytosolic epoxide hydrolase show stereoselective formation of diols (7:3 and 4:1 ratio of antipodes, respectively) and concomitant chiral enrichment of the remaining unmetabolized substrate. In contrast, hydration of the 11,12-epoxide is nonenantioselective. The Km value of the enzyme for the 14(R),15(S)-epoxide is 3 microM. Incubations of the enantiomerically pure 8,9- and 14,15-epoxides with lung or liver cytosol, followed by chiral analysis of the resulting diols demonstrate selective cleavage of the oxirane ring at C9 and C15, respectively. On the other hand, cleavage of the 11,12- oxirane ring was less selective. The stereochemical preference of the cytosolic epoxide hydrolase, together with the known chiral composition of the endogenous arachidonate epoxide pools, suggests a functional role for this enzyme in the metabolism of these important compounds.

Characterization of the proteins from Melanoplus bivittatus that bind juvenile hormone, and a refined EFDA photolabeling technique.

1. Juvenile hormone (JH) is specifically bound by a protein from hemolymph and fat body cytosol of the grasshopper, Melanoplus bivittatus. 2. This protein has a native molecular weight of 331,000 and subunits of 77,000. 3. Proteins that bind JH were covalently photolabeled with a JH analog, epoxyfarnesyl diazoacetate (EFDA). Samples were irradiated in spot plates and hydroxyapatite was used to separate bound from free [3H]EFDA. Differential solubilization was used to extract unlinked [3H]EFDA and solubilize [3H]EFDA linked to protein. 4. Hemolymph proteins of M(r) 479,000, 240,000 and 77,000 also bound [3H]EFDA. 5. Proteins that bound [3H]EFDA were not vitellogenins.

Biochemical characterization of a variant form of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase induced by parental exposure to N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea.

1. ENU4 mice express a protein variant originally detected in a CBF1 mouse sired by a C57BL/6 mouse exposed to N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea. It appears to be an isoelectric point variant of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase. Affinity purified cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from ENU4 mice has a pI of approximately 5.1 compared to 5.6 in other mouse strains. 2. Clofibrate induced cytosolic epoxide hydrolase to similar levels in five strains of mice. However, CBF1 and ENU4 mice were more sensitive to the induction of palmitoyl CoA oxidase activity. 3. Except for isoelectric point, the physico- and immunochemical properties of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from ENU4 mice were similar to those of the other mouse strains. Substrate specificities for five of six substrates tested were also similar.