The responses of hepatic monooxygenases of guinea pig to cadmium and nickel.

When Cd (3.58 mg CdCl2.H2O/kg, ip) was administered to male guinea pigs 72 h prior to sacrifice, the metal significantly inhibited the aniline 4-hydroxylase (AH) (16%), ethylmorphone N-demethylase (EMND) (26%), and aminopyrine N-demethylase (AMND) (18%) activities and cytochrome P-450 (12%) and cytochrome b5 (10%) levels. Cd did not alter the hepatic microsomal heme level. Cd, however, significantly increased the hepatic microsomal p-nitroanisole O-demethylase (p-NAOD) (53%) activity. When Ni (59.5 mg NiCl2 x 6H2O/kg, sc) was administered to the guinea pigs 16 h prior to sacrifice, the metal significantly depressed AH (49%), p-NAOD (66%), EMND (47%), and AMND (37%) activities, and cytochrome P-450 (15%), cytochrome b5 (24%), and microsomal heme (28%) levels. For the combined treatment, animals received the single dose of Ni 56 h after the single dose of Cd and then were killed 16 h later. In these animals, significant inhibitions were noted in AH (51%), EMND (47%), and AMND (30%) activities, and cytochrome P-450 (15%), cytochrome b5 (26%), and microsomal heme (30%) compared to those of controls. In the case of p-NAOD activity, the influence was in favor of Ni, i.e., the inhibition was about 61% by the combined treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibition of cytochrome P-450 activity in rat liver microsomes by the naturally occurring flavonoid, quercetin.

The kinetic characteristics and mechanism of flavonoid inhibition of cytochrome P-450-mediated reactions were examined in rat liver microsomes, using the naturally occurring flavonoid, quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone). Quercetin inhibited the O-deethylation of ethoxyresorufin in beta-naphthoflavone-induced microsomes by 15-80% at concentrations of 10-250 nM. The pattern of inhibition was dependent on quercetin concentration. Quercetin also inhibited p-nitroanisole demethylation and benzo(a)-pyrene hydroxylation, but did not change the proportions of the individual benzo(a)pyrene metabolites in comparison to controls. Specific steps in the P-450 reaction pathway were tested for sensitivity to quercetin inhibition. The Km values of the P-450 substrates tested were increased in the presence of quercetin; competition for and/or alteration of the substrate binding site contributes to the mechanism of inhibition. In experiments under anaerobic, carbon monoxide-saturated conditions, quercetin did not inhibit cytochrome P-450 reduction by NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. The cumene hydroperoxide-supported O-deethylation of ethoxyresorufin was inhibited by quercetin (15-60% inhibition at concentrations of 50-300 nM), suggesting that quercetin may interfere with the formation or breakdown of the oxygenated heme complex. Stoichiometry experiments established that quercetin is a potent uncoupler of P-450 reactions, elevating the rates of H2O2 formation almost twofold. Structure/activity studies indicated that certain other naturally occurring flavonoids were at least as potent inhibitors of ethoxyresorufin deethylation as quercetin. These findings are of interest in light of the significant dietary exposure of the human population to the flavonoids.

Depressive effect of amiodarone on hepatic drug metabolism in the rat.

The effect of pretreatment of rats with three daily i.p. doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg of the antiarrhythmic agent, amiodarone, on the activity of some hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes, on the levels of cytochromes P-450 and b5 as well as on lipid peroxidation is reported. Amiodarone at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly reduced the hydroxylation of aniline, the 0- and N-demethylations of p-nitroanisole and aminopyrine respectively and the level of cytochromes P-450. No inhibition in enzymic activity was observed with the 25 mg/kg dose. Testosterone hydroxylation was only depressed with the 100 mg/kg dose; in this case, all four hydroxylation reactions were reduced. Cytochrome b5 content and lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased with doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg. Addition of 1 mM of amiodarone to incubation mixtures containing either aminopyrine or p-nitroanisole or aniline only decreased aniline hydroxylation indicating that at high doses amiodarone acts as a competitive inhibitor of aniline hydroxylase but that the depressive effect observed on the 0- and N-demethylations of p-nitroanisole and aminopyrine is mediated via an indirect mechanism. The inhibitory effect of amiodarone was also shown in vivo by an increase in the elimination half-life and a decrease in the clearance of antipyrine. The results reported herein may explain, in part at least, the drug interactions recently reported in man with amiodarone.

Inhibition of mixed-function oxidation in perfused rat liver by fluoroacetate treatment.

The effect of fluoroacetate, an inhibitor of the citric acid cycle, on the mixed-function oxidation of p-nitroanisole in isolated perfused livers from fed rats was studied. The citric acid cycle was inhibited by injection of 5 mg/kg sodium fluoroacetate into rats 3 hr prior to liver perfusion experiments. Inhibition of the citric acid cycle was marked by accumulation of citrate (5-fold) and decreases in rates of glycolysis and glycogenolysis by 50-90%. Fluoroacetate treatment inhibited mixed function oxidation in the perfused liver by about 50% without affecting p-nitroanisole O-demethylation by isolated microsomes. Fluorocitrate, at concentrations up to 50 microM, did not inhibit microsomal p-nitroanisole O-demethylation in vitro. These data support the hypothesis that mixed-function oxidation in intact hepatocytes is dependent upon reducing equivalents generated via the citric acid cycle.

Inhibition of p-nitroanisole O-demethylation in perfused rat liver by potassium cyanide.

The effect of potassium cyanide on p-nitroanisole O-demethylation in perfused rat livers has been examined. Cyanide (2 mM), an inhibitor of cytochrome oxidase, diminished p-nitroanisole O-demethylation by 50-75% in perfused livers from normal and phenobarbital-treated rats, but had much less effect on hepatic microsomal p-nitroanisole O-demethylation. The inhibition was also observed in livers where the activity of the pentose phosphate shunt was abolished by pretreatment with 6-aminonicotinamide. Cyanide infusion decreased hepatic ATP/ADP ratios and cellular concentrations of glutamate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and isocitrate, but caused an increase in the NADP+/NADPH ratio. Rates of NADPH generation via the pentose phosphate shunt were unchanged by cyanide, and hepatic concentrations of glucose 6-phosphate were markedly increased by cyanide. Thus, inhibition of p-nitroanisole metabolism could not be explained solely by a direct interaction of cyanide with mixed-function oxidases or diminished NADPH generation via the pentose cycle. These data indicate that cyanide inhibits mixed-function oxidation in intact cells by diminishing the generation of NADPH from sources other than the pentose cycle. Further, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that some NADPH for mixed-function oxidation arises from cyanide-sensitive mitochondrial sources.

The effect of thermal injury on drug metabolism in the rat.

Because of previously reported hepatic abnormalities in burns, the activity of the hepatic drug metabolizing system was assessed in burned Sprague-Dawley rats. In 16% burned male rats, pentobarbital sleeping times were significantly prolonged from day 1 to day 24 postburn, and trichloroethanol sleeping times were significantly prolonged from day 1 to day 10 postburn. The activity of p-nitroanisole O-demethylase was significantly depressed in male rats at 5, 10, and 17 days post-16% burn. In female rats, this enzyme was more depressed at 10 days post-16% burn than in male rats. A direct relationship was found between per cent burn and impairment of enzyme activity. The depression of drug metabolizing enzymes was inducible by phenobarbital pretreatment. Pretreatment with the immunosuppressive drug azathioprine prevented the enzyme depression at 5 days postburn, a result which possibly implicates a postburn hyperimmune response as the mechanism for the depressed enzyme levels.

Evoked effects of oestradiol on hepatic cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase and drug oxidase in castrated rats.

1. Oestradiol administration in castrated rats resulted in an increased activity of the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase and a decreased activity of the drug oxidase enzyme systems. 2. Aqueous solutions of oestradiol (up to 25.10(-6)M) incubated in vitro with microsomes, binds into the microsomal membrane framework reducing the activity of both enzyme systems. 3. The specific activity of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, drops after 3 hr preincubation with oestradiol to at least 70% of its original value. 4. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide administration reduced the oestradiol-induced and control cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity to the same level, 6 hr after the injections.

Inhibition of two rat hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes by a carcinogenic N-nitrosated pesticide: N-nitrosocarbaryl.

N-Nitrosocarbaryl (N-methyl-1-naphthyl N-nitrosocarbamate) was intraperitoneally administered to male and female rats on four consecutive days at the following doses: 6.25 mg, 12.5 mg, 25 mg and 50 mg/kg body weight/day in olive oil solution; the controls received just the oil. In a second experiment, a daily intraperitoneal dose of 25 mg/kg of N-nitrosocarbaryl was given for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days; the animals were killed 24 h after the last treatment. The two following microsomal enzymatic activities were assayed: aniline aromatic hydroxylase and p-nitroanisole O-demethylase; the levels of cytochrome P-450, proteins and RNA were measured in the hepatic microsomal fraction. N-Nitrosocarbaryl is an inhibitor of the two investigated microsomal monooxygenases at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg when administered on 4 consecutive days. During the daily administration, enzyme inhibition is seen in females after one day of treatment whereas cytochrome P-450 only becomes lowered after 4 days of administration. In males, no modification of this parameter is observed whereas the activities of microsomal monooxygenases are inhibited. These results suggest that N-nitrosocarbaryl could act on the active sites of the enzymes which metabolize aniline and p-nitroanisole.

Polychlorinated dibenzofurans--potent inducers of rat hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes.

The effects of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), trace toxic contaminants of commercial polychlorinated biphenyl preparations (PCBs), on the induction of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes were studied in the rat. PCDFs were about a thousand times more potent than PCBs (Kanechlor-500) as inducers of cytochrome P-450. Rats given 10 microgram/kg of PCDFs intraperitoneally for 3 days showed significantly increased hepatic cytochrome P-450 levels. At the highest dose tested, 1000 microgram/kg, a two-fold increase of cytochrome P-450 and a three-fold increase of p-nitroanisole demethylase activity were observed. PCDFs and 3-methylcholanthrene had quite similar effects on microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes. Both drugs increased p-nitroanisole demethylase activity strikingly and aniline hydroxylase activity moderately, but produced little change in aminopyrine demethylase activity. alpha-Naphthoflavone, which is known to be a specific inhibitor of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, inhibited at low concentrations p-nitroanisole demethylase activity of rats previously treated with both drugs. Further, both drugs increased the 455 nm to 430 nm peak ratios of ethyl isocyanide difference spectra. Following three daily doses of PCDFs (100 microgram/kg), cytochrome P-450 level and p-nitroanisole demethylase activity remained elevated for over 15 days, with a decrease to control levels after 30 days. Such indicates the slow excretion of PCDFs.