Bile acid oxidation by Eggerthella lenta strains C592 and DSM 2243T.

Strains of Eggerthella lenta are capable of oxidation-reduction reactions capable of oxidizing and epimerizing bile acid hydroxyl groups. Several genes encoding these enzymes, known as hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDH) have yet to be identified. It is also uncertain whether the products of E. lenta bile acid metabolism are further metabolized by other members of the gut microbiota. We characterized a novel human fecal isolate identified as E. lenta strain C592. The complete genome of E. lenta strain C592 was sequenced and comparative genomics with the type strain (DSM 2243) revealed high conservation, but some notable differences. E. lenta strain C592 falls into group III, possessing 3α, 3ß, 7α, and 12α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSDH) activity, as determined by mass spectrometry of thin layer chromatography (TLC) separated metabolites of primary and secondary bile acids. Incubation of E. lenta oxo-bile acid and iso-bile acid metabolites with whole-cells of the high-activity bile acid 7α-dehydroxylating bacterium, Clostridium scindens VPI 12708, resulted in minimal conversion of oxo-derivatives to lithocholic acid (LCA). Further, Iso-chenodeoxycholic acid (iso-CDCA; 3ß,7α-dihydroxy-5ß-cholan-24-oic acid) was not metabolized by C. scindens. We then located a gene encoding a novel 12α-HSDH in E. lenta DSM 2243, also encoded by strain C592, and the recombinant purified enzyme was characterized and substrate-specificity determined. Genomic analysis revealed genes encoding an Rnf complex (rnfABCDEG), an energy conserving hydrogenase (echABCDEF) complex, as well as what appears to be a complete Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. Our prediction that by changing the gas atmosphere from nitrogen to hydrogen, bile acid oxidation would be inhibited, was confirmed. These results suggest that E. lenta is an important bile acid metabolizing gut microbe and that the gas atmosphere may be an important and overlooked regulator of bile acid metabolism in the gut.

Synthesis, purification and crystallographic studies of the C-terminal sterol carrier protein type 2 (SCP-2) domain of human hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-like protein 2.

Human hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-like protein 2 (HSDL2) is a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) subfamily of oxidoreductases and contains an N-terminal catalytic domain and a C-termianl sterol carrier protein type 2 (SCP-2) domain. In this study, the C-terminal SCP-2 domain of human HSDL2, including residues Lys318-Arg416, was produced in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.10 Šresolution. The crystal belonged to the trigonal space group P3(1)21 (or P3(2)21), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 70.4, c = 60.6 Å, α = ß = 90, γ = 120°. Two protein molecules are present in the asymmetric unit, resulting in a Matthews coefficient of 2.16 Å(3) Da(-1) and an approximate solvent content of 43%.

One step affinity recovery of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from cloned Escherichia coli.

3α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSD), from Comamonas Testosterone, catalyze reversibly the oxidoreduction of 3α-hydroxyl groups of the steroid hormones. The gene encoding 3α-HSD (hsdA) from Comamonas Testosterone was expressed in Escherchia coli BL21 (DE3). A protocol for recovering 3α-HSD based on affinity strategy was designed and employed. Deoxycholic acid was chosen as the affinity ligand, and it was linked to Sepharose 4B with the aid of the spacers as cyanuric chloride and ethanediamine. With this specific affinity medium, the enzyme recovery process consisted of only one chromatography step to capture 3α-HSD. The target protein, analyzed on HPLC Agilent SEC-5 column, was of 94% pure among the captured protein, and 98% with SDS-PAGE analysis. The yield of the expressed enzyme was 8.8% of crude extracted proteins; the recovery yield of 3α-HSD was 73.2%. 3α-HSD was revealed as a non-covalent homodimer with molecular mass of ∼56kDa by 15.0% SDS-PAGE analysis and SE-HPLC analysis. The desorption constant Kd and the theoretical maximum absorption Qmax on the affinity medium were 4.5µg/g medium and 21.3mg/g medium, respectively.

Identification, cloning, heterologous expression, and characterization of a NADPH-dependent 7ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Collinsella aerofaciens.

A gene encoding an NADPH-dependent 7ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7ß-HSDH) from Collinsella aerofaciens DSM 3979 (ATCC 25986, formerly Eubacterium aerofaciens) was identified and cloned in this study. Sequence comparison of the translated amino acid sequence suggests that the enzyme belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase superfamily. This enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli with a yield of 330 mg (5,828 U) per liter of culture. The enzyme catalyzes both the oxidation of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDA) forming 7-keto-lithocholic acid (KLA) and the reduction of KLA forming UDA acid in the presence of NADP(+) or NADPH, respectively. In the presence of NADPH, 7ß-HSDH can also reduce dehydrocholic acid. SDS-PAGE and gel filtration of the expressed and purified enzyme revealed a dimeric nature of 7ß-HSDH with a size of 30 kDa for each subunit. If used for the oxidation of UDA, its pH optimum is between 9 and 10 whereas for the reduction of KLA and dehydrocholic acid it shows an optimum between pH 4 to 6. Usage of the enzyme for the biotransformation of KLA in a 0.5-g scale showed that this 7ß-HSDH is a useful biocatalyst for producing UDA from suitable precursors in a preparative scale.

7alpha- and 12alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus lwoffii: a new integrated chemo-enzymatic route to ursodeoxycholic acid.

We report the very efficient biotransformation of cholic acid to 7-keto- and 7,12-diketocholic acids with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus lwoffii. The enzymes responsible of the biotransformation (i.e. 7alpha- and 12alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases) are partially purified and employed in a new chemo-enzymatic synthesis of ursodeoxycholic acid starting from cholic acid. The first step is the 12alpha-HSDH-mediated total oxidation of sodium cholate followed by the Wolf-Kishner reduction of the carbonyl group to chenodeoxycholic acid. This acid is then quantitatively oxidized with 7alpha-HSDH to 7-ketochenodeoxycholic acid, that was chemically reduced to ursodeoxycholic acid (70% overall yield).

Biochemical characterization of TASSELSEED 2, an essential plant short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase with broad spectrum activities.

The development of unisexual flowers in maize and other plants proceeds through selective elimination of floral organs in an initially bisexual floral meristem. The essential character of the tasselseed 2 gene (TS2) in this cell-death pathway has been established previously. Molecular cloning of TS2 reveals membership to the evolutionarily conserved superfamily of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases, but its substrate specificity remained unknown. Recombinant TS2 protein was produced in Escherichia coli, and purified to apparent homogeneity. Analytical ultracentrifugation and gel filtration experiments show that TS2 is a tetrameric enzyme. Thermal denaturation followed by circular dichroism spectroscopy reveals that TS2 binds NAD(H) and NAD(P)(H). Substrate screening demonstrates that TS2 converts steroids with specificities found at positions 3 and 17, and several dicarbonyl and quinone compounds, thus establishing TS2 as a plant 3beta/17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and carbonyl/quinone reductase. Taken together, the genetic data and the substrate specificities determined suggest that TS2 converts specific plant compounds and acts as a prereceptor control mechanism, in a manner similar to that of mammalian hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases.

Xanthomonas maltophilia CBS 897.97 as a source of new 7beta- and 7alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and cholylglycine hydrolase: improved biotransformations of bile acids.

The paper reports the partial purification and characterization of the 7beta- and 7alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDH) and cholylglycine hydrolase (CGH), isolated from Xanthomonas maltophilia CBS 897.97. The activity of 7beta-HSDH and 7alpha-HSDH in the reduction of the 7-keto bile acids is determined. The affinity of 7beta-HSDH for bile acids is confirmed by the reduction, on analytical scale, to the corresponding 7beta-OH derivatives. A crude mixture of 7alpha- and 7beta-HSDH, in soluble or immobilized form, is employed in the synthesis, on preparative scale, of ursocholic and ursodeoxycholic acids starting from the corresponding 7alpha-derivatives. On the other hand, a partially purified 7beta-HSDH in a double enzyme system, where the couple formate/formate dehydrogenase allows the cofactor recycle, affords 6alpha-fluoro-3alpha, 7beta-dihydroxy-5beta-cholan-24-oic acid (6-FUDCA) by reduction of the corresponding 7-keto derivative. This compound is not obtainable by microbiological route. The efficient and mild hydrolysis of glycinates and taurinates of bile acids with CGH is also reported. Very promising results are also obtained with bile acid containing raw materials.

[Enzymes involved in modification of the steroid nucleus of industrial mycobacterial strains: isolation, functions, and properties].

The key enzymes involved in modification of the steroid nucleus of sterol-transforming mycobacteria--3beta-hydroxysteroid oxidase (3-OH-SO, EC 1.13.1.2) and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17-OH-SDH, EC 1.1.1)--were isolated and characterized. It is shown that 3-OH-SO is a multifunctional enzyme catalyzing oxidation of the 3beta-OH group, delta5 --> delta4 isomerization, and 6-hydroxylation. Two forms of intracellular 17-OH-SDH that catalyze redox reactions at C17 were found, and their properties were determined. The presence of an extracellular 17-OH-SDH in Mycobacterium spp. (VKM Ac-1815 D and Et1) was demonstrated for the first time.

Purification and characterization of 7beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from rabbit liver microsomes.

7beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7beta-HSD), a specific enzyme active in the metabolization of 7beta-hydroxycholesterol, was purified about 300-fold from male rabbit liver microsomes using ion exchange, hydroxylapatite, 2'5'ADP Sepharose 4B, and high-performance liquid chromatography on the basis of its catalytic activity. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 276 nmol/min/mg protein. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was 34,000. The preferred coenzyme was beta-NADP+. The optimum pH for oxidation was around 7.7 in potassium phosphate buffer, and 11.0 in glycine-NaOH buffer. The purified enzyme catalyzed the synthesis of not only 7beta-hydroxycholesterol but also corticosterone and hydrocortisone. Enzyme activities toward these three substrates accompanied all purification steps of 7beta-HSD. The amino acid sequence of the N-terminal of the purified enzyme showed that 7beta-HSD had sequence similarity to rabbit type I 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD), indicating that 7beta-HSD may belong to the rabbit type I 11beta-HSD family and may play the same role in the metabolism of 11-hydroxysteroids and 7-hydroxysterols.

Purification, characterization and NNK carbonyl reductase activities of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 from human liver: enzyme cooperativity and significance in the detoxification of a tobacco-derived carcinogen.

11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD 1) physiologically catalyzes the interconversion of receptor-active 11-hydroxy glucocorticoids (cortisol) to their receptor-inactive 11-oxo metabolites (cortisone), thereby acting as important pre-receptor control device in regulating access of glucocorticoid hormones to the glucocorticoid receptor. Evidence is emerging that 11beta-HSD 1 fulfills an additional role in the detoxification of non-steroidal carbonyl compounds, by catalyzing their reduction to the corresponding hydroxy derivatives that are easier to conjugate and eliminate. Whereas a number of methods were ineffective in purifying 11beta-HSD 1 from human liver, this membrane-bound enzyme was successfully obtained in an active state by a purification procedure that took advantage of a gentle solubilization method as well as providing a favourable detergent surrounding during the various chromatographic steps. We could demonstrate that 11beta-HSD 1 is active as a dimeric enzyme which exhibits cooperativity with cortisone and dehydrocorticosterone (11-oxoreducing activity) as substrates. Accordingly, this enzyme dynamically adapts to low (nanomolar) as well as to high (micromolar) substrate concentrations, thereby providing the fine tuning required as a consequence of great variations in circadian plasma glucocorticoid levels. Due to this kinetic peculiarity, 11beta-HSD 1 is also able to even metabolize nanomolar concentrations of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), a fact which is important in view of the relatively low levels of this carcinogen observed in smokers. Finally, 11beta-HSD 1 is potently (in nM concentrations) inhibited by glycyrrhetinic acid, the main constituent of licorice. Licorice, however, in addition to being a confectionary, serves as a major cigarette additive, which is used in cigarette manufacturing as a taste and flavour intensifier. Hence, licorice exposure may affect NNK detoxification by inhibition of 11beta-HSD 1, a condition which may advance lung cancer incidence, especially in smokers expressing low levels of this enzyme. Collectively, our data expand insights into the multifunctional nature of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases/carbonyl reductases and emphasize the importance of 11beta-HSD 1 in the detoxification of a tobacco-derived carcinogen, in addition to its endocrinological functions.

Stereochemical aspects of carbonyl reduction of the original anticancer drug oracin by mouse liver microsomes and purified 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1.

Oracin, 6-[2-(2-hydroxyethyl)aminoethyl]-5,11-dioxo-5,6-dihydro-11H-indeno[1,2-c] isoquinoline, is a potential cytostatic drug for oral use and presently in phase II of clinical trials. Major advantages of this novel chemotherapeutic are the possibility of oral administration, its negative results in the Ames test on mutagenicity, and the lack of cardiotoxicity. Metabolic studies on oracin have revealed that the principal metabolite in all laboratory animals is 11-dihydrooracin (DHO), which is produced by carbonyl reduction of the parent compound. Since the carbonyl moiety of oracin is a pro-chiral centre, reduction may lead to the two stereoisomer forms (+)-DHO and (-)-DHO. The aim of the present study was to infer if 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD 1) is responsible for carbonyl reduction of oracin in mouse liver and if this enzyme exhibits stereospecificity in DHO formation. 11beta-HSD 1 was purified from mouse liver microsomes, and the kinetics and stereospecificity regarding DHO formation were determined and compared to values obtained from the whole microsomal fraction. We could show that purified mouse liver 11beta-HSD 1 catalyzes the stereospecific carbonyl reduction of oracin, thereby following a sigmoidal dose-response kinetics. Due to a different ratio of (+)-DHO and (-)-DHO (93:7) formed by purified 11beta-HSD 1 compared to that produced in whole microsomes (70:30), the existence of at least one other oracin carbonyl reducing enzyme can be expected in mouse liver microsomes. This suggestion is further supported by the fact that the Hill coefficient of 2 for purified 11beta-HSD 1 (which is supporting earlier data on the cooperativity of this dimeric enzyme) changes to a Hill coefficient of 3 in whole microsomes (which is indicative for another enzyme participating in oracin carbonyl reduction).

Cloning and characterization of the NAD-dependent 7alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Bacteroides fragilis.

The NAD-linked 7alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7-HSDH) from Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285 was characterized and its gene cloned. The enzyme displayed optimal activities at pH 8.5 (NAD reduction) and 6.5 (NADH oxidation). The lowest K(m) and highest V(max) values were observed with chenodeoxycholic acid and its conjugates. The protein had subunits of 27.4 kDa and a native size of 110 kDa, suggesting a homotetrameric composition. The enzyme was relatively thermostable, retaining 95% of initial activity after 1 h at 65 degrees C. A DNA probe based on the N-terminal amino acid sequence hybridized to a 2373-bp HindIII fragment of B. fragilis DNA. This fragment was cloned into E. coli and sequenced, revealing a 780-bp open reading frame. The predicted amino acid sequence of the ORF showed strong sequence similarity to three other bacterial 7-HSDHs, all in the short-chain dehydrogenase family. The regulation of expression of this gene is currently under investigation.

Purification of full-length recombinant human and rat type 1 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases with retained oxidoreductase activities.

11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) is a membrane-bound glycoprotein localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. This enzyme has a key role in regulating local tissue glucocorticoid concentration, acting in vivo predominantly as an oxidoreductase. Previous attempts to purify the native enzyme have yielded a protein without reductase activity. To facilitate detailed studies on its structure and regulation, we have developed a method to purify the full-length human and rat 11beta-HSD1 with retention of their natural oxidoreductase activities. This procedure involved recombinant expression of these histidine-tagged enzymes in the yeast Pichia pastoris; large-scale culturing in a fermentor; and single-step purification by metal affinity chromatography. Both enzymes were 90-95% pure and exhibited dehydrogenase and reductase activities with K(M) values in agreement with those reported in the literature.

11 Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 from human liver: dimerization and enzyme cooperativity support its postulated role as glucocorticoid reductase.

11Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD 1) is a microsomal enzyme that catalyzes the reversible interconversion of receptor-active 11-hydroxy glucocorticoids (cortisol) to their receptor-inactive 11-oxo metabolites (cortisone). However, the physiological role of 11beta-HSD 1 as prereceptor control device in regulating access of glucocorticoid hormones to the glucocorticoid receptor remains obscure in light of its low substrate affinities, which is in contrast to low glucocorticoid plasma levels and low Kd values of the receptors to cortisol. To solve this enigma, we performed detailed kinetic analyses with a homogeneously purified 11beta-HSD 1 from human liver. The membrane-bound enzyme was successfully obtained in an active state by a purification procedure that took advantage of a gentle solubilization method as well as providing a favorable detergent surrounding during the various chromatographic steps. The identity of purified 11beta-HSD 1 was proven by determination of enzymatic activity, N-terminal amino acid sequencing, and immunoblot analysis. By gel-permeation chromatography we could demonstrate that 11beta-HSD 1 is active as a dimeric enzyme. The cDNA for the enzyme was cloned from a human liver cDNA library and shown to be homologous to that previously characterized in human testis. Interestingly, 11beta-HSD 1 exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics with cortisol and corticosterone (11beta-dehydrogenation activity) but cooperative kinetics with cortisone and dehydrocorticosterone (11-oxoreducing activity). Accordingly, this enzyme dynamically adapts to low (nanomolar) as well as to high (micromolar) substrate concentrations, thereby providing the fine-tuning required as a consequence of great variations in circadian plasma glucocorticoid levels.

Purification and characterization of oxidoreductases-catalyzing carbonyl reduction of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in human liver cytosol.

1. Four enzymes were purified to homogeneity from human liver cytosol and were demonstrated to be responsible for carbonyl reduction of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). 2. Carbonyl reductase (EC 1.1.1.184), a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily, was compared with three isoenzymes of the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily in terms of enzyme kinetics, co-substrate dependence and inhibition pattern. 3. AKR1C1, 1C2 and 1C4, previously designated as dihydrodiol dehydrogenases (DD1, DD2 and DD4), showed lower K(m) (0.2, 0.3 and 0.8 mM respectively) than did carbonyl reductase (7 mM), whereas carbonyl reductase exhibited the highest enzyme efficiency (Vmax/K(m)) for NNK. Multiplication of enzyme efficiencies with the relative quantities of individual enzymes in cytosol resulted in a rough estimate of their contributions to total alcohol metabolite formation. These were approximately 60% for carbonyl reductase, 20% each for AKR1C1 and 1C2, and 1% for AKR1C4. 4. Except for AKR1C4, the enzymes had a strong preference for NADPH over NADH, and the highest activities were measured with an NADPH-regenerating system. Carbonyl reductase activity was extensively inhibited by menadione, rutin and quercitrin, whereas medroxyprogesterone acetate, phenolphthalein and flufenamic acid were potent inhibitors of AKR1C1, 1C2 and 1C4. 5. In conclusion, cytosolic members of the SDR and AKR superfamilies contribute to reductive NNK detoxification in human liver, the enzymes responsible being carbonyl reductase and aldoketo reductases of the AKRIC subfamily.

Human 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 is enzymatically active in its nonglycosylated form.

11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD 1) is a microsomal enzyme responsible for the reversible interconversion of active 11beta-hydroxyglucocorticoids into inactive 11-ketosteroids and by this mechanism regulates access of glucocorticoids to the glucocorticoid receptor. The enzyme has also been proven to participate in xenobiotic carbonyl compound detoxification. 11beta-HSD 1 is anchored within the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by its N-terminus, whereby its active site protrudes into the lumen of the ER. In the primary structure of 11beta-HSD 1 three Asn-X-Ser glycosylation motifs have been identified. However, the importance of N-linked glycosylation of 11beta-HSD 1 for catalytic activity has been controversely discussed. To clarify if glycosylation is essential for enzyme activity, we performed deglycosylation experiments of native 11beta-HSD 1 from human liver as well as site-directed mutagenesis to remove potential glycosylation sites upon overexpression in Pichia pastoris. The altered proteins were examined regarding their catalytic activity towards their physiological glucocorticoid substrates. The molecular size of the various 11beta-HSD 1 forms was analyzed by immunoblotting with a polyclonal antibody raised against 11beta-HSD 1 protein from human liver. By stepwise enzymatic deglycosylation of native 11beta-HSD 1 we could demonstrate that all potential glycosylation sites carry N-linked oligosaccharide residues under physiological conditions. Interestingly, complete deglycosylation did not affect enzyme activity, neither in the reductive (cortisone) nor in the oxidative (cortisol) direction. Upon overexpression in the yeast P. pastoris, 11beta-HSD 1 did not undergo glycosylation, but, in spite of this, yielded a fully active enzyme. Our results conclusively demonstrate that 11beta-HSD 1 does not need to be glycosylated to perform its physiological role as glucocorticoid oxidoreductase.

The role of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in steroid hormone specificity.

11Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) is thought to confer aldosterone specificity to mineralocorticoid target cells by protecting the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) from occupancy by endogenous glucocorticoids. In aldosterone target cells the type 2 11beta-HSD is present, which, in contrast to the type 1 11beta-HSD, has very high affinity for its substrate, is unidirectional and prefers NAD as cofactor. cDNAs encoding 11beta-HSD2 have been recently cloned from different species, and the cell-specific expression of its mRNA and protein were determined. 11Beta-HSD2 is expressed in every aldosterone target tissue. Northern analysis revealed that the rabbit 11beta-HSD2 is expressed at high levels in the renal collecting duct and at much lower levels in the colon. RT-PCR experiments demonstrated that 11beta-HSD2 mRNA is present only in aldosterone target cells within the kidney. We determined the subcellular localization of the rabbit 11beta-HSD2 using a chimera encoding 11beta-HSD2 and the green fluorescent protein (GFP). This construct was stably transfected into CHO and MDCK cells. The expressed 11beta-HSD2/GFP protein retained high enzymatic activity, and its characteristics were undistinguishable from those of the native enzyme. The intracellular localization of this protein was determined by fluorescence microscopy. 11Beta-HSD2-associated fluorescence was observed as a reticular network over the cytoplasm whereas the plasma membrane and the nucleus were negative, suggesting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) localization. Co-staining with markers for ER proteins, the Golgi membrane, mitochondria and nucleus confirmed that 11beta-HSD2 is localized exclusively to the ER. To determine what structural motifs are responsible for the ER localization, we generated deletion mutants missing the C-terminal 42 and 118 amino acids, and fused them to GFP. Similarly as with the intact 11beta-HSD2, these mutants localized exclusively to the ER. Both C-terminal deletion mutants completely lost dehydrogenase activity, independently whether activity was determined in intact cells or homogenates. These results indicate that 11beta-HSD2 has a novel ER retrieval signal which is not localized to the C-terminal region. In addition, the C-terminal 118 amino acids are essential for NAD-dependent 11beta-HSD activity.

Purification and characterization of hamster liver microsomal 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol dehydrogenase. Similarity to type I 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

While studying the bile acid synthetic pathway of hamsters, we discovered an NADP+-dependent liver microsomal 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol dehydrogenase (7alpha-HCD) activity that was not observed in rat liver microsomal fractions. The hamster liver microsomal 7alpha-HCD was purified to homogeneity using 2', 5'-ADP and cholic acid-agarose affinity chromatography. 7alpha-HCD displayed a molecular weight of approximately 34,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; it is an intrinsic membrane protein of the hamster liver endoplasmic reticulum and exists as a multimeric aggregate in pure form. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis showed that 7alpha-HCD had high sequence similarity to human 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD; 24/30 amino acid identity). The Km values for corticosterone and 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol were 1.2 and 1.9 microM, respectively, for purified 7alpha-HCD; both reactions displayed identical Vmax values (approximately 170 nmol/min/mg of protein). The IC50 of carbenoxolone, a competitive inhibitor of 11beta-HSD, was 75 nM for 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol dehydrogenation and 210 nM for corticosterone dehydrogenation. The tissue-specific expression in hamster was as follows: adrenal >/= liver > kidney > testis >> brain > lung. Microsomal 7alpha-HCD is uniquely expressed in hamster liver and to some extent in human liver but not in rat liver. Western blot analysis with two antibodies elicited against an N-terminal peptide of the human 11beta-HSD and purified hamster liver 7alpha-HCD, respectively, suggested the presence of multiple forms of 7alpha-HCD in hamster liver, most likely due to the existence of a family of 11beta-HSD proteins. Since 7-oxocholesterol is a potent inhibitor of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase, alternative mechanisms for regulation of bile acid synthesis may exist in human and hamster liver due to production of this metabolite and its potential as an oxysterol.

Activation of human liver 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase by clofibrate derivatives.

The NADP+-dependent dehydrogenase activity of a predominant isoenzyme of human liver 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was activated by antihyperlipidemic drugs, such as bezafibrate and clinofibrate, and by clofibric acid and fenofibric acid (active metabolites of clofibrate and fenofibrate, respectively). The optimal pH of the activation by the drugs was about 7.5, and the concentrations giving maximum stimulation (1.8- to 2.4-fold) were 100, 50, 400 and 50 microM for bezafibrate, clinofibrate, clofibric acid and fenofibric acid, respectively. Clofibrate and fenofibrate acted as weak inhibitors, and the clofibric acid derivatives that lack the chloro group, methyl group on the alpha-carbon or carboxyl group greatly decreased the stimulatory effects. The activation by the drugs increased both Km and kcat (turnover number) values for the coenzyme and substrates. Kinetic analysis with respect to NADP+ showed that bezafibrate, clinofibrate, clofibric acid and fenofibric acid were nonessential activators showing dissociation constants of 32, 6, 103 and 11 microM, respectively. The combined activators experiments with one of the above drugs and sulfobromophthalein, a known activator specific for this enzyme, and comparison of their effects on the activities of mutant enzymes (with Met replacing Lys-270 or Arg-276) indicated that sulfobromophthalein and the drugs bind to an identical site on the enzyme. These results suggest that the long-term therapy with the antihyperlipidemic drugs influences the metabolism of steroid hormones, bile acids and several ketone-containing drugs mediated by the enzyme.