Formation of Both Heme and Apoprotein Adducts Contributes to the Mechanism-Based Inactivation of Human CYP2J2 by 17α-Ethynylestradiol.

17α-Ethynylestradiol (EE), a major component of many oral contraceptives, affects the activities of a number of the human cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes. Here, we characterized the effect of EE on CYP2J2, a major human P450 isoform that participates in metabolism of arachidonic acid. EE inactivated the hydroxyebastine carboxylation activity of CYP2J2 in a reconstituted system. The loss of activity is time and concentration dependent and requires NADPH. The KI and kinact values for the inactivation were 3.6 µM and 0.08 minute-1, respectively. Inactivation of CYP2J2 by EE was due to formation of a heme adduct as well as an apoprotein adduct. Mass spectral analysis of CYP2J2 partially inactivated by EE showed two distinct protein masses in the deconvoluted spectrum that exhibited a mass difference of approximately 312 Da, which is equivalent to the sum of the mass of EE and one oxygen atom. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis revealed a heme adduct with MH+ ion at m/z 875.5, corresponding to alkylation of an iron-depleted prosthetic heme by EE plus one oxygen atom. The reactive intermediate responsible for covalently modifying both the prosthetic heme and apoprotein was characterized by trapping with glutathione (GSH). LC-MS/MS analysis revealed two GSH conjugate isomers with MH+ ions at m/z 620, which were formed by reaction between GSH and EE with the oxygen being added to either the internal or terminal carbon of the ethynyl moiety. High-pressure liquid chromatography analysis revealed that three other major metabolites were formed during EE metabolism by CYP2J2.

Oxidative hemoglobin reactions: Applications to drug metabolism.

Hb is a protein with multiple functions, acting as an O2 transport protein, and having peroxidase and oxidase activities with xenobiotics that lead to substrate radicals. However, there is a lack of evidence for intermediates involved in these reactions of Hb with redox-active compounds, including those with xenobiotics such as drugs, chemical carcinogens, and sulfides. In particular, questions exist as to what intermediates participate in reactions of either metHb or oxyHb with sulfides. The studies presented here elaborate kinetics and intermediates involved in the reactions of Hb with oxidants (H2O2 and mCPBA), and they demonstrate the formation of high valent intermediates, providing insights into mechanistic issues of sulfur and drug oxidations. Overall, we propose generalized mechanisms that include peroxidatic reactions using H2O2 generated from the autooxidation of oxyHb, with involvement of substrate radicals in reactions of Hb with oxidizable drugs such as metyrapone or 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and with sulfides. We identify ferryl intermediates (with a Soret band at 407 nm) in oxidative reactions with all of the above-mentioned reactions. These spectral properties are consistent with a protonated ferryl heme, such as Cpd II or Cpd ES-like species (Spolitak et al., JIB, 2006, 100, 2034-2044). Mechanism(s) of Hb oxidative reactions are discussed.

Hydroxylation and N-dechloroethylation of Ifosfamide and deuterated Ifosfamide by the human cytochrome p450s and their commonly occurring polymorphisms.

The hydroxylation and N-dechloroethylation of deuterated ifosfamide (d4IFO) and ifosfamide (IFO) by several human P450s have been determined and compared. d4IFO was synthesized with deuterium at the alpha and alpha' carbons to decrease the rate of N-dechloroethylation and thereby enhance hydroxylation of the drug at the 4' position. The purpose was to decrease the toxic and increase the efficacious metabolites of IFO. For all of the P450s tested, hydroxylation of d4IFO was improved and dechloroethylation was reduced as compared with nondeuterated IFO. Although the differences were not statistically significant, the trend favoring the 4'-hydroxylation pathway was noteworthy. CYP3A5 and CYP2C19 were the most efficient enzymes for catalyzing IFO hydroxylation. The importance of these enzymes in IFO metabolism has not been reported previously and warrants further investigation. The catalytic ability of the common polymorphisms of CYP2B6 and CYP2C9 for both reactions were tested with IFO and d4IFO. It was determined that the commonly expressed polymorphisms CYP2B6*4 and CYP2B6*6 had reduced catalytic ability for IFO compared with CYP2B6*1, whereas CYP2B6*7 and CYP2B6*9 had enhanced catalytic ability. As with the wild-type enzymes, d4IFO was more readily hydroxylated by the polymorphic variants than IFO, and d4IFO was not dechloroethylated by any of the polymorphic forms. We also assessed the use of specific inhibitors of P450 to favor hydroxylation in human liver microsomes. We were unable to separate the pathways with these experiments, suggesting that multiple P450s are responsible for catalyzing both metabolic pathways for IFO, which is not observed with the closely related drug cyclophosphamide.

The effect of ritonavir on human CYP2B6 catalytic activity: heme modification contributes to the mechanism-based inactivation of CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 by ritonavir.

The mechanism-based inactivation of human CYP2B6 by ritonavir (RTV) in a reconstituted system was investigated. The inactivation is time, concentration, and NADPH dependent and exhibits a K(I) of 0.9 µM, a k(inact) of 0.05 min⁻¹, and a partition ratio of approximately 3. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis showed that the protonated molecular ion of RTV exhibits an m/z at 721 and its two major metabolites are an oxidation product with MH⁺ at m/z 737 and a deacylated product with MH⁺ at m/z 580. Inactivation of CYP2B6 by incubation with 10 µM RTV for 10 min resulted in an approximately 50% loss of catalytic activity and native heme, but no modification of the apoprotein was observed. RTV was found to be a potent mixed-type reversible inhibitor (K(i) = 0.33 µM) and a type II ligand (spectral dissociation constant-K(s) = 0.85 µM) of CYP2B6. Although previous studies have demonstrated that RTV is a potent mechanism-based inactivator of CYP3A4, the molecular mechanism responsible for the inactivation has not been determined. Here, we provide evidence that RTV inactivation of CYP3A4 is due to heme destruction with the formation of a heme-protein adduct. Similar to CYP2B6, there is no significant modification of the apoprotein. Furthermore, LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that both CYP3A4 and human liver microsomes form an RTV-glutathione conjugate having a MH⁺ at m/z 858 during metabolism of RTV, suggesting the formation of an isocyanate intermediate leading to formation of the conjugate.

The inactivation of human CYP2E1 by phenethyl isothiocyanate, a naturally occurring chemopreventive agent, and its oxidative bioactivation.

Phenethylisothiocyanate (PEITC), a naturally occurring isothiocyanate and potent cancer chemopreventive agent, works by multiple mechanisms, including the inhibition of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes, such as CYP2E1, that are involved in the bioactivation of carcinogens. PEITC has been reported to be a mechanism-based inactivator of some P450s. We describe here the possible mechanism for the inactivation of human CYP2E1 by PEITC, as well as the putative intermediate that might be involved in the bioactivation of PEITC. PEITC inactivated recombinant CYP2E1 with a partition ratio of 12, and the inactivation was not inhibited in the presence of glutathione (GSH) and not fully recovered by dialysis. The inactivation of CYP2E1 by PEITC is due to both heme destruction and protein modification, with the latter being the major pathway for inactivation. GSH-adducts of phenethyl isocyanate (PIC) and phenethylamine were detected during the metabolism by CYP2E1, indicating formation of PIC as a reactive intermediate following P450-catalyzed desulfurization of PEITC. Surprisingly, PIC bound covalently to CYP2E1 to form protein adducts but did not inactivate the enzyme. Liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy analysis of the inactivated CYP2E1 apo-protein suggests that a reactive sulfur atom generated during desulfurization of PEITC is involved in the inactivation of CYP2E1. Our data suggest that the metabolism of PEITC by CYP2E1 that results in the inactivation of CYP2E1 may occur by a mechanism similar to that observed with other sulfur-containing compounds, such as parathion. Digestion of the inactivated enzyme and analysis by SEQUEST showed that Cys 268 may be the residue modified by PIC.

Quantitation of UGT1A1 in human liver microsomes using stable isotope-labelled peptides and mass spectrometry based proteomic approaches.

1. UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are a group of drug-metabolizing enzymes that catalyse the conjugation of endogeonous compounds and xenobiotics to yield hydrophilic glucuronides which subsequently undergo excretion. This report describes an approach for the identification and accurate quantitation of human UGT1A1 in complex biological matrices using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of protein digests. 2. A stable isotope-labelled (SIL) peptide of a unique peptide spanning residues 54-69 in exon 1 of the human UGT1A1 protein with the sequence RIYLSADPALVVIEHG was synthesized. The peptide sequence synthesized was in the reverse order of the human peptide with the stable isotope-labels in the amino acid arginine ((13)C6(15)N4) resulting in an increase in the mass of the SIL peptide of 10 amu, from 1753 to 1763. The SIL peptide was quantitated by injecting increasing concentrations of the peptide into the LC-MS to obtain a standard curve. 3. The labelled peptide along with precursor ion monitoring was used to quantify the levels of UGT1A1 in commercial recombinant preparations (supersomes) and individual human liver microsomal samples and pooled human liver micrsomes obtained from BD Biosciences. 4. Glucuronidation activity studies were performed, which demonstrated a positive correlation between enzyme activity levels and the UGT1A1 content in the liver microsomes obtained from individual human donors.

Reaction of human cytochrome P450 3A4 with peroxynitrite: nitrotyrosine formation on the proximal side impairs its interaction with NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase.

The reaction of peroxynitrite (PN) with purified human cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) resulted in the loss of the reduced-CO difference spectrum, but the absolute absorption spectrum of the heme was not significantly altered. The loss of 7-benzyloxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin (BFC) O-debenzylation activity of CYP3A4 was concentration-dependent with respect to PN, and the loss of BFC activity supported by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) was much greater than that supported by tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Moreover, the PN-treated CYP3A4 exhibited a reduced-CO spectrum when reduced by CPR that was much smaller than when it was reduced by dithionite. These results suggest that modification of CYP3A4 by PN may impair its interaction with CPR, leading to the loss of catalytic activity. Tyrosine nitration, as measured by an increase in mass of 45 Da due to the addition of a nitro group, was used as a biomarker for protein modification by PN. PN-treated CYP3A4 was digested by trypsin and endoproteinase Glu C, and nitrotyrosine formation was then determined by using electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Tyr residues 99, 307, 347, 430, and 432 were found to be nitrated. Using the GRAMM-X docking program, the structure for the CYP3A4-CPR complex shows that Tyr99, Tyr347, and Tyr430 are on the proximal side of CYP3A4 and are in close contact with three acidic residues in the FMN domain of CPR, suggesting that modification of one or more of these tyrosine residues by PN may influence CPR binding or the transfer of electrons to CYP3A4. Mutagenesis of Tyr430 to Phe or Val revealed that both the aromatic and the hydroxyl groups of Tyr are required for CPR-dependent catalytic activity and thus support the idea that the proximal side Tyr participates in the 3A4-CPR interaction. In conclusion, modification of tyrosine residues by PN and their subsequent identification can be used to enhance our knowledge of the structure/function relationships of the P450s with respect to the electron transfer steps, which are critical for P450 activity.

Bioactivation of the cancer chemopreventive agent tamoxifen to quinone methides by cytochrome P4502B6 and identification of the modified residue on the apoprotein.

The nonsteroidal antiestrogen tamoxifen was introduced as a treatment for breast cancer 3 decades ago. It has also been approved as a chemopreventive agent and is prescribed to women at high risk for this disease. However, several studies have shown that use of tamoxifen leads to increased risk of endometrial cancer in humans. One potential pathway of tamoxifen toxicity could involve metabolism via hydroxylation to give 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4OHtam), which may be further oxidized to form a quinone methide. CYP2B6 is a highly polymorphic drug-metabolizing enzyme, and it metabolizes a number of clinically important drugs. Earlier studies from our laboratory have shown that tamoxifen is a mechanism-based inactivator of CYP2B6. The aim of the current study was to investigate the possible formation of reactive intermediates through detection of protein covalent binding and glutathione ethyl ester adduct (GSHEE) formation. The incubation of tamoxifen with 2B6 gave rise to an adduct of 4OHtam with glutathione, which was characterized as the 4OHtam quinone methide + GSHEE with an m/z value of 719, and the structure was characterized by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The metabolic activation of tamoxifen in the CYP2B6 reconstituted system also resulted in the formation of an adduct to the P4502B6 apoprotein, which was identified using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The site responsible for the inactivation of CYP2B6 was determined by proteolytic digestion and identification of the labeled peptide. This revealed a tryptic peptide ¹88FHYQDQE¹94 with the site of adduct formation localized to Gln193 as the site modified by the reactive metabolite formed during tamoxifen metabolism.

Inhibition of bupropion metabolism by selegiline: mechanism-based inactivation of human CYP2B6 and characterization of glutathione and peptide adducts.

Selegiline, the R-enantiomer of deprenyl, is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Bupropion, an antidepressant, often used to treat patients in conjunction with selegiline, is metabolized primarily by CYP2B6. The effect of selegiline on the enzymatic activity of human cytochrome CYP2B6 in a reconstituted system and its effect on the metabolism of bupropion were examined. Selegiline was found to be a mechanism-based inactivator of the 7-ethoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin O-deethylation (7-EFC) activity of CYP2B6 as well as bupropion metabolism. The inactivations were time-, concentration-, and NADPH-dependent and were characterized by K(I) values of 0.14 and 0.6 µM, k(inact) values of 0.022 and 0.029 min⁻¹, and t(½) values of 31.5 and 24 min, respectively. In standard inhibition assays, selegiline increased the K(m) of CYP2B6 for bupropion from 10 to 92 µM and decreased the k(cat) by ∼50%. The reduced carbon-monoxide difference spectrum revealed over a 50% loss in the cytochrome P450 spectrum in the inactivated sample, with no loss in heme, and there was ∼70% loss in enzyme activity. Trapping of the reactive metabolite using GSH led to the identification of a GSH-selegiline conjugate with a m/z 528 that could be explained by hydroxylation of selegiline followed by the addition of glutathione to the propargyl moiety after oxygenation to form the ketene intermediate. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the labeled protein following digestion with trypsin revealed the peptide 64DVFTVHLGPR7³ as the peptide modified by the reactive metabolite of selegiline and the site of adduct formation is Asp64.

Formation of the thiol conjugates and active metabolite of clopidogrel by human liver microsomes.

We reported previously the formation of a glutathionyl conjugate of the active metabolite (AM) of clopidogrel and the covalent modification of a cysteinyl residue of human cytochrome P450 2B6 in a reconstituted system (Mol Pharmacol 80:839-847, 2011). In this work, we extended our studies of the metabolism of clopidogrel to human liver microsomes in the presence of four reductants, namely, GSH, l-Cys, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), and ascorbic acid. Our results demonstrated that formation of the AM was greatly affected by the reductant used and the relative amounts of the AM formed were increased in the following order: NAC (17%) < l-Cys (53%) < ascorbic acid (61%) < GSH (100%). AM-thiol conjugates were observed in the presence of NAC, l-Cys, and GSH. In the case of GSH, the formation of both the AM and the glutathionyl conjugate was dependent on the GSH concentrations, with similar K(m) values of ~0.5 mM, which indicates that formation of the thiol conjugates constitutes an integral part of the bioactivation processes for clopidogrel. It was observed that the AM was slowly converted to the thiol conjugate, with a half-life of ~10 h. Addition of dithiothreitol to the reaction mixture reversed the conversion, which resulted in a decrease in AM-thiol conjugate levels and a concomitant increase in AM levels, whereas addition of NAC led to the formation of AM-NAC and a concomitant decrease in AM-GSH levels. These results not only confirm that the AM is formed through oxidative opening of the thiolactone ring but also suggest the existence of an equilibrium between the AM, the thiol conjugates, and the reductants. These factors may affect the effective concentrations of the AM in vivo.

Identification of the residue in human CYP3A4 that is covalently modified by bergamottin and the reactive intermediate that contributes to the grapefruit juice effect.

Previous studies have demonstrated that bergamottin (BG), a component of grapefruit juice, is a mechanism-based inactivator of CYP3A4 and contributes, in part, to the grapefruit juice-drug interaction. Although the covalent binding of [(14)C]BG to the CYP3A4 apoprotein has been demonstrated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the identity of the modified amino acid residue and the reactive intermediate species of BG responsible for the inactivation have not been reported. In the present study, we show that inactivation of CYP3A4 by BG results in formation of a modified apoprotein-3A4 and a GSH conjugate, both exhibiting mass increases of 388 Da, which corresponds to the mass of 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin (DHBG), a metabolite of BG, plus one oxygen atom. To identify the adducted residue, BG-inactivated 3A4 was digested with trypsin, and the digests were then analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). A mass shift of 388 Da was used for the SEQUEST database search, which revealed a mass increase of 388 Da for the peptide with the sequence (272)LQLMIDSQNSK(282), and MS/MS analysis of the adducted peptide demonstrated that Gln273 is the residue modified. Mutagenesis studies showed that the Gln273 to Val mutant was resistant to inactivation by BG and DHBG and did not generate two of the major metabolites of BG formed by 3A4 wild type. In conclusion, we have determined that the reactive intermediate, oxygenated DHBG, covalently binds to Gln273 and thereby contributes to the mechanism-based inactivation of CYP3A4 by BG.

Mechanism-based inactivation of human cytochrome P450 2B6 by clopidogrel: involvement of both covalent modification of cysteinyl residue 475 and loss of heme.

We have investigated the mechanisms by which clopidogrel inactivates human cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) in a reconstituted system. It was found that clopidogrel and its thiolactone metabolite, 2-oxo-clopidogrel, both inactivate CYP2B6 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. On the basis of k(inact)/K(I) ratios, clopidogrel is approximately 5 times more efficient than 2-oxo-clopidogrel in inactivating CYP2B6. Analysis of the molecular mass of the CYP2B6 wild-type (WT) protein that had been inactivated by either clopidogrel or 2-oxo-clopidogrel showed an increase in the mass of the protein by ∼350 Da. This increase in the protein mass corresponds to the addition of the active metabolite of clopidogrel to CYP2B6. It is noteworthy that this adduct can be cleaved from the protein matrix by incubation with dithiothreitol, confirming that the active metabolite is linked to a cysteinyl residue of CYP2B6 via a disulfide bond. Peptide mapping of tryptic digests of the inactivated CYP2B6 using electrospray ionization liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identified Cys475 as the site of covalent modification by the active metabolite. This was further confirmed by the observation that mutation of Cys475 to a serine residue eliminates the formation of the protein adduct and prevents the C475S variant from mechanism-based inactivation by 2-oxo-clopidogrel. However, this mutation did not prevent the C475S variant from being inactivated by clopidogrel. Furthermore, inactivation of both CYP2B6 WT and C475S by clopidogrel, but not by 2-oxo-clopidogrel, led to the loss of the heme, which accounts for most of the loss of the catalytic activity. Collectively, these results suggest that clopidogrel inactivates CYP2B6 primarily through destruction of the heme, whereas 2-oxo-clopidogrel inactivates CYP2B6 through covalent modification of Cys475.

Polymorphic variants of cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6.4-CYP2B6.9) exhibit altered rates of metabolism for bupropion and efavirenz: a charge-reversal mutation in the K139E variant (CYP2B6.8) impairs formation of a functional cytochrome p450-reductase complex.

In this study, metabolism of bupropion, efavirenz, and 7-ethoxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin (7-EFC) by CYP2B6 wild type (CYP2B6.1) and six polymorphic variants (CYP2B6.4 to CYP2B6.9) was investigated in a reconstituted system to gain a better understanding of the effects of the mutations on the catalytic properties of these naturally occurring variants. All six variants were successfully overexpressed in Escherichia coli, including CYP2B6.8 (the K139E variant), which previously could not be overexpressed in mammalian COS-1 cells (J Pharmacol Exp Ther 311:34-43, 2004). The steady-state turnover rates for the hydroxylation of bupropion and efavirenz and the O-deethylation of 7-EFC showed that these mutations significantly alter the catalytic activities of CYP2B6. It was found that CYP2B6.6 exhibits 4- and 27-fold increases in the K(m) values for the hydroxylation of bupropion and efavirenz, respectively, and CYP2B6.8 completely loses its ability to metabolize any of the substrates under normal turnover conditions. However, compared with CYP2B6.1, CYP2B6.8 retains 77% of its 7-EFC O-deethylase activity in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide as an alternative oxidant, indicating that the heme and the active site are catalytically competent. Presteady-state measurements of the rate of electron transfer from NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) to CYP2B6.8 using stopped-flow spectrophotometry revealed that CYP2B6.8 is incapable of accepting electrons from CPR. These observations provide conclusive evidence suggesting that the charge-reversal mutation in the K139E variant prevents CYP2B6.8 from forming a functional complex with CPR. Results from this work provide further insights to better understand the genotype-phenotype correlation regarding CYP2B6 polymorphisms and drug metabolism.

Uncovering the role of hydrophobic residues in cytochrome P450-cytochrome P450 reductase interactions.

Cytochrome P450 (CYP or P450)-mediated drug metabolism requires the interaction of P450s with their redox partner, cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR). In this work, we have investigated the role of P450 hydrophobic residues in complex formation with CPR and uncovered novel roles for the surface-exposed residues V267 and L270 of CYP2B4 in mediating CYP2B4--CPR interactions. Using a combination of fluorescence labeling and stopped-flow spectroscopy, we have investigated the basis for these interactions. Specifically, in order to study P450--CPR interactions, a single reactive cysteine was introduced in to a genetically engineered variant of CYP2B4 (C79SC152S) at each of seven strategically selected surface-exposed positions. Each of these cysteine residues was modified by reaction with fluorescein-5-maleimide (FM), and the CYP2B4-FM variants were then used to determine the K(d) of the complex by monitoring fluorescence enhancement in the presence of CPR. Furthermore, the intrinsic K(m) values of the CYP2B4 variants for CPR were measured, and stopped-flow spectroscopy was used to determine the intrinsic kinetics and the extent of reduction of the ferric P450 mutants to the ferrous P450--CO adduct by CPR. A comparison of the results from these three approaches reveals that the sites on P450 exhibiting the greatest changes in fluorescence intensity upon binding CPR are associated with the greatest increases in the K(m) values of the P450 variants for CPR and with the greatest decreases in the rates and extents of reduced P450--CO formation.

Anandamide oxidation by wild-type and polymorphically expressed CYP2B6 and CYP2D6.

Anandamide is an arachidonic acid-derived endogenous cannabinoid that regulates normal physiological functions and pathophysiological responses within the central nervous system and in the periphery. Several cytochrome P450 (P450) isoforms metabolize anandamide to form hydroxylated and epoxygenated products. Human CYP2B6 and CYP2D6, which are expressed heterogeneously throughout the brain, exhibit clinically significant polymorphisms and are regulated by external factors, such as alcohol and smoking. Oxidative metabolism of anandamide by these two P450s may have important functional consequences for endocannabinoid system signaling. In this study, we investigated the metabolism of anandamide by wild-type CYP2B6 (2B6.1) and CYP2D6 (2D6.1) and by their common polymorphic mutants 2B6.4, 2B6.6, 2B6.9, and 2D6.34. Major differences in anandamide metabolism by the two isoforms and their mutants were found in vitro with respect to the formation of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid ethanolamide (20-HETE-EA) and 14,15-epoxyeicosatetraenoic acid ethanolamide (14,15-EET-EA). Pharmacological studies showed that both 20-HETE-EA and 14,15-EET-EA bind to the rat brain cannabinoid CB1 receptor with lower affinities relative to that of anandamide. In addition, both products are degraded more rapidly than anandamide in rat brain homogenates. Their degradation occurs via different mechanisms involving either fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the major anandamide-degrading enzyme, or epoxide hydrolase (EH). Thus, the current findings provide potential new insights into the actions of inhibitors FAAH and EH, which are being developed as novel therapeutic agents, as well as a better understanding of the interactions between the cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and the endocannabinoid system.

Inactivation of cytochrome P450 (P450) 3A4 but not P450 3A5 by OSI-930, a thiophene-containing anticancer drug.

An investigational anticancer agent that contains a thiophene moiety, 3-[(quinolin-4-ylmethyl)-amino]-N-[4-trifluoromethox)phenyl] thiophene-2-carboxamide (OSI-930), was tested to investigate its ability to modulate the activities of several cytochrome P450 enzymes. Results showed that OSI-930 inactivated purified, recombinant cytochrome P450 (P450) 3A4 in the reconstituted system in a mechanism-based manner. The inactivation was dependent on cytochrome b(5) and required NADPH. Catalase did not protect against the inactivation. No inactivation was observed in studies with human 2B6, 2D6, or 3A5 either in the presence or in the absence of b(5). The inactivation of 3A4 by OSI-930 was time- and concentration-dependent. The inactivation of the 7-benzyloxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin catalytic activity of 3A4 was characterized by a K(I) of 24 µM and a k(inact) of 0.04 min(-1). This K(I) is significantly greater than the clinical OSI-930 C(max) of 1.7 µM at the maximum tolerated dose, indicating that clinical drug interactions of OSI-930 via this pathway are not likely. Spectral analysis of the inactivated protein indicated that the decrease in the reduced CO spectrum at 450 nm was comparable to the amount of inactivation, thereby suggesting that the inactivation was primarily due to modification of the heme. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with detection at 400 nm showed a loss of heme comparable to the activity loss, but a modified heme was not detected. This result suggests either that the heme must have been modified enough so as not to be observed in a HPLC chromatograph or, possibly, that it was destroyed. The partition ratio for the inactivation of P450 3A4 was approximately 23, suggesting that this P450 3A4-mediated pathway occurs with approximately 4% frequency during the metabolism of OSI-930. Modeling studies on the binding of OSI-930 to the active site of the P450 3A4 indicated that OSI-930 would be oriented properly in the active site for oxidation of the thiophene sulfur to give the sulfoxide, which has previously been shown to be a significant metabolite of OSI-930. Because OSI-930 is an inactivator of P450 3A4 but does not exhibit any effect on P450 3A5 activity under the same conditions, it may be an appropriate probe for exploring unique aspects of these two very similar P450s.

Mechanism-based inactivation of human CYP2E1 by diethyldithocarbamate.

Although the ability of disulfiram to inactivate CYP2E1 has been known for more than 20 years, the mechanism has not yet been elucidated. A metabolite of disulfiram, diethyldithocarbamate (DDC), is converted by CYP2E1 to a reactive intermediate that subsequently inactivates the protein, leading to mechanism-based inactivation. Mass spectral analysis of the inactivated human 2E1 protein demonstrates that the inactivation is due to the formation of an adduct of the reactive metabolite of DDC with the apoprotein. These data, along with mass spectral analysis of a reactive intermediate trapped with GSH, indicate the involvement of a reactive intermediate with a molecular mass of 116 Da. Our results suggest that this binding involves formation of a disulfide bond with one of the eight cysteines in CYP2E1. The inactivation of wild-type CYP2E1 as well as two of its polymorphic mutants, CYP2E1*2 and CYP2E1*4, was also investigated. For wild-type CYP2E1, the K(I) was 12.2 µM and the k(inact) was 0.02 min(-1). The K(I) values for the two polymorphic mutants were 227.6 and 12.4 µM for CYP2E1.2 and CYP2E1.4, and the k(inact) values were 0.0061 and 0.0187 min(-1), respectively. These data indicate that DDC is a much less efficient inactivator of CYP2E1.2 than it is of either the wild-type or the CYP2E1.4 variant.

Oxidation of the endogenous cannabinoid arachidonoyl ethanolamide by the cytochrome P450 monooxygenases: physiological and pharmacological implications.

Arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide) is an endogenous amide of arachidonic acid and an important signaling mediator of the endocannabinoid system. Given its numerous roles in maintaining normal physiological function and modulating pathophysiological responses throughout the body, the endocannabinoid system is an important pharmacological target amenable to manipulation directly by cannabinoid receptor ligands or indirectly by drugs that alter endocannabinoid synthesis and inactivation. The latter approach has the possible advantage of more selectivity, thus there is the potential for fewer untoward effects like those that are traditionally associated with cannabinoid receptor ligands. In that regard, inhibitors of the principal inactivating enzyme for anandamide, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), are currently in development for the treatment of pain and inflammation. However, several pathways involved in anandamide synthesis, metabolism, and inactivation all need to be taken into account when evaluating the effects of FAAH inhibitors and similar agents in preclinical models and assessing their clinical potential. Anandamide undergoes oxidation by several human cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes, including CYP3A4, CYP4F2, CYP4X1, and the highly polymorphic CYP2D6, forming numerous structurally diverse lipids, which are likely to have important physiological roles, as evidenced by the demonstration that a P450-derived epoxide of anandamide is a potent agonist for the cannabinoid receptor 2. The focus of this review is to emphasize the need for a better understanding of the P450-mediated pathways of the metabolism of anandamide, because these are likely to be important in mediating endocannabinoid signaling as well as the pharmacological responses to endocannabinoid-targeting drugs.

Cross-linking of human cytochrome P450 2B6 to NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase: Identification of a potential site of interaction.

The site(s) of interaction between human cytochrome P450 2B6 and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (P450 reductase) have yet to be identified. To investigate this, the cross-linking agent 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) was used to covalently link P450 2B6-P450 reductase. Following digestion with trypsin, the cross-linked peptides were identified by reconstituting the peptides in (18)O-water based on the principle that the cross-linked peptides would be expected to incorporate twice as many (18)O atoms as the non-cross-linked peptides. Subsequent mass spectrometric analyses of the resulting peptides led to the identification of one cross-linked peptide candidate. De novo sequencing of the peptide indicated that it is a complex between residues in the C-helix of the P450 (based upon solved X-ray crystal structures of P450 2B4) and the connecting domain of the P450 reductase. To confirm this experimentally, the P450 2B6 peptide identified through the cross-linking studies was synthesized and peptide competition studies were performed. In the presence of the synthetic peptide, P450 catalytic activity was decreased by up to 60% when compared to competition studies performed using a nonsense peptide. Taken together, these studies indicate that residues in the C-helix of P450 2B6 play a major role in the interaction with the P450 reductase.

Mechanism-based inactivation of CYP2B1 and its F-helix mutant by two tert-butyl acetylenic compounds: covalent modification of prosthetic heme versus apoprotein.

The mechanism-based inactivation of cytochrome CYP2B1 [wild type (WT)] and its Thr205 to Ala mutant (T205A) by tert-butylphenylacetylene (BPA) and tert-butyl 1-methyl-2-propynyl ether (BMP) in the reconstituted system was investigated. The inactivation of WT by BPA exhibited a k(inact)/K(I) value of 1343 min(-1)mM(-1) and a partition ratio of 1. The inactivation of WT by BMP exhibited a k(inact)/K(I) value of 33 min(-1)mM(-1) and a partition ratio of 10. Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis (LC/MS/MS) of the WT revealed 1) inactivation by BPA resulted in the formation of a protein adduct with a mass increase equivalent to the mass of BPA plus one oxygen atom, and 2) inactivation by BMP resulted in the formation of multiple heme adducts that all exhibited a mass increase equivalent to BMP plus one oxygen atom. LC/MS/MS analysis indicated the formation of glutathione (GSH) conjugates by the reaction of GSH with the ethynyl moiety of BMP or BPA with the oxygen being added to the internal or terminal carbon. For the inactivation of T205A by BPA and BMP, the k(inact)/K(I) values were suppressed by 100- and 4-fold, respectively, and the partition ratios were increased 9- and 3.5-fold, respectively. Only one major heme adduct was detected following the inactivation of the T205A by BMP. These results show that the Thr205 in the F-helix plays an important role in the efficiency of the mechanism-based inactivation of CYP2B1 by BPA and BMP. Homology modeling and substrate docking studies were presented to facilitate the interpretation of the experimental results.