Nicotine dependence is associated with functional variation in FMO3, an enzyme that metabolizes nicotine in the brain.

A common haplotype of the flavin-containing monooxygenase gene FMO3 is associated with aberrant mRNA splicing, a twofold reduction in in vivo nicotine N-oxidation and reduced nicotine dependence. Tobacco remains the largest cause of preventable mortality worldwide. CYP2A6, the primary hepatic nicotine metabolism gene, is robustly associated with cigarette consumption but other enzymes contribute to nicotine metabolism. We determined the effects of common variants in FMO3 on plasma levels of nicotine-N-oxide in 170 European Americans administered deuterated nicotine. The polymorphism rs2266780 (E308G) was associated with N-oxidation of both orally administered and ad libitum smoked nicotine (P⩽3.3 × 10-5 controlling for CYP2A6 genotype). In vitro, the FMO3 G308 variant was not associated with reduced activity, but rs2266780 was strongly associated with aberrant FMO3 mRNA splicing in both liver and brain (P⩽6.5 × 10-9). Surprisingly, in treatment-seeking European American smokers (n=1558) this allele was associated with reduced nicotine dependence, specifically with a longer time to first cigarette (P=9.0 × 10-4), but not with reduced cigarette consumption. As N-oxidation accounts for only a small percentage of hepatic nicotine metabolism we hypothesized that FMO3 genotype affects nicotine metabolism in the brain (unlike CYP2A6, FMO3 is expressed in human brain) or that nicotine-N-oxide itself has pharmacological activity. We demonstrate for the first time nicotine N-oxidation in human brain, mediated by FMO3 and FMO1, and show that nicotine-N-oxide modulates human α4ß2 nicotinic receptor activity in vitro. These results indicate possible mechanisms for associations between FMO3 genotype and smoking behaviors, and suggest nicotine N-oxidation as a novel target to enhance smoking cessation.

Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms predict infant NR3C1 1F and BDNF IV DNA methylation.

Prenatal maternal psychological distress increases risk for adverse infant outcomes. However, the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Prenatal stress can impact fetal epigenetic regulation that could underlie changes in infant stress responses. It has been suggested that maternal glucocorticoids may mediate this epigenetic effect. We examined this hypothesis by determining the impact of maternal cortisol and depressive symptoms during pregnancy on infant NR3C1 and BDNF DNA methylation. Fifty-seven pregnant women were recruited during the second or third trimester. Participants self-reported depressive symptoms and salivary cortisol samples were collected diurnally and in response to a stressor. Buccal swabs for DNA extraction and DNA methylation analysis were collected from each infant at 2 months of age, and mothers were assessed for postnatal depressive symptoms. Prenatal depressive symptoms significantly predicted increased NR3C1 1F DNA methylation in male infants (ß = 2.147, P = 0.044). Prenatal depressive symptoms also significantly predicted decreased BDNF IV DNA methylation in both male and female infants (ß = -3.244, P = 0.013). No measure of maternal cortisol during pregnancy predicted infant NR3C1 1F or BDNF promoter IV DNA methylation. Our findings highlight the susceptibility of males to changes in NR3C1 DNA methylation and present novel evidence for altered BDNF IV DNA methylation in response to maternal depression during pregnancy. The lack of association between maternal cortisol and infant DNA methylation suggests that effects of maternal depression may not be mediated directly by glucocorticoids. Future studies should consider other potential mediating mechanisms in the link between maternal mood and infant outcomes.

Acute fluoxetine modulates emotional processing in young adult volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Fluoxetine is generally regarded as the first-line pharmacological treatment for young people, as it is believed to show a more favourable benefit:risk ratio than other antidepressants. However, the mechanisms through which fluoxetine influences symptoms in youth have been little investigated. This study examined whether acute administration of fluoxetine in a sample of young healthy adults altered the processing of affective information, including positive, sad and anger cues. METHOD: A total of 35 male and female volunteers aged between 18 and 21 years old were randomized to receive a single 20 mg dose of fluoxetine or placebo. At 6 h after administration, participants completed a facial expression recognition task, an emotion-potentiated startle task, an attentional dot-probe task and the Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. Subjective ratings of mood, anxiety and side effects were also taken pre- and post-fluoxetine/placebo administration. RESULTS: Relative to placebo-treated participants, participants receiving fluoxetine were less accurate at identifying anger and sadness and did not show the emotion-potentiated startle effect. There were no overall significant effects of fluoxetine on subjective ratings of mood. CONCLUSIONS: Fluoxetine can modulate emotional processing after a single dose in young adults. This pattern of effects suggests a potential cognitive mechanism for the greater benefit:risk ratio of fluoxetine in adolescent patients.

Prenatal risk factors for depression: a critical review of the evidence and potential mechanisms.

Exposure to adverse experiences in early life increases the risk of depression during adulthood. Recent findings have highlighted that exposure of a fetus to an adverse intrauterine environment may also have implications for later offspring depression. This review considers the status of the evidence for these associations and the potential mechanisms underlying prenatal developmental risks for later depression, addressing the challenging possibility that environmental predisposition to depression may begin before birth.

The effect of the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) on amygdala function: a meta-analysis.

The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism has been widely regarded as a potential genetic risk factor for affective disorders. Consistent with this, this polymorphism has been associated with altered amygdala responses at rest and in response to aversive stimuli. However, the strength of this association remains uncertain. We sought to synthesize existing data on the association between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and amygdala activation and ascertain the strength of evidence for this association. Meta-analytic techniques were applied to data from relevant published studies and unpublished data sets to obtain an estimate of the likely magnitude of effect of any association. The large number of studies allowed us to apply a formal test of publication bias, as well as explore the impact of various study-level characteristics on the magnitude of the observed effect size. Our meta-analysis indicated that there is a statistically significant but small effect of 5-HTTLPR on left and right amygdala activity. However, there was considerable between-study heterogeneity, which could not be fully accounted for by the study design and sample characteristics that we investigated. In addition, there was evidence of excess statistical significance among published studies. These findings indicate that the association between the 5-HTTLPR and amygdala activation is smaller than originally thought, and that the majority of previous studies have been considerably under powered to reliably demonstrate an effect of this size.

Direct effects of diazepam on emotional processing in healthy volunteers.

RATIONALE: Pharmacological agents used in the treatment of anxiety have been reported to decrease threat relevant processing in patients and healthy controls, suggesting a potentially relevant mechanism of action. However, the effects of the anxiolytic diazepam have typically been examined at sedative doses, which do not allow the direct actions on emotional processing to be fully separated from global effects of the drug on cognition and alertness. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a lower, but still clinically effective, dose of diazepam on emotional processing in healthy volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four participants were randomised to receive a single dose of diazepam (5 mg) or placebo. Sixty minutes later, participants completed a battery of psychological tests, including measures of non-emotional cognitive performance (reaction time and sustained attention) and emotional processing (affective modulation of the startle reflex, attentional dot probe, facial expression recognition, and emotional memory). Mood and subjective experience were also measured. RESULTS: Diazepam significantly modulated attentional vigilance to masked emotional faces and significantly decreased overall startle reactivity. Diazepam did not significantly affect mood, alertness, response times, facial expression recognition, or sustained attention. CONCLUSIONS: At non-sedating doses, diazepam produces effects on attentional vigilance and startle responsivity that are consistent with its anxiolytic action. This may be an underlying mechanism through which benzodiazepines exert their therapeutic effects in clinical anxiety.

Exposure to nicotine and a tobacco-specific carcinogen increase with duration of use of smokeless tobacco.

BACKGROUND: Smokeless tobacco is an efficient delivery vehicle for nicotine and can contain significant amounts of carcinogens. However, few studies have examined factors that might moderate levels of nicotine or carcinogen exposure. AIMS: To determine the effect of duration of smokeless tobacco use on the uptake of nicotine and a tobacco-specific carcinogen, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). METHODS: Questionnaires on use of smokeless tobacco were administered, and urine samples from 212 smokeless tobacco users were analysed for biomarkers of uptake of nicotine and NNK. The biomarkers were cotinine and total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL). Male smokeless tobacco users were recruited for studies designed to investigate methods of reducing smokeless tobacco use. The questionnaire and biomarker data were obtained at baseline, prior to reduction. RESULTS: Levels of cotinine (p<0.001) and total NNAL (p<0.001) were significantly correlated with duration (in years) of use of smokeless tobacco products. Median cotinine and total NNAL were 2.4 and 2.1 times higher, respectively, in the > or = 21 years of use than in the 0-5 years of use category. CONCLUSIONS: Smokeless tobacco users adjust their intensity of use with experience in order to increase their nicotine dose, resulting in a corresponding increase in exposure to NNK, a powerful carcinogen. These results indicate the importance of educating smokeless tobacco users about the effects of prolonged use of these products.

Differential effects of citalopram and reboxetine on cortical Glx measured with proton MR spectroscopy.

The pharmacological effects of monoamine potentiating antidepressants are likely to be expressed ultimately on cortical pyramidal neurones that use glutamate as a neurotransmitter. However, there are few data on the effects of antidepressant treatment on cortical glutamate levels in humans. The aim of the present study was to use proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to assess the effects of short-term administration of the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, citalopram and the selective noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor, reboxetine, on a composite measure of glutamate and glutamine (Glx) in occipital cortex in healthy volunteers using a parallel group, placebo-controlled design. We found that relative both to placebo and reboxetine, seven days treatment with citalopram significantly increased cortical Glx. Our data suggest that short-term treatment with citalopram, but not reboxetine, increases occipital Glx in healthy subjects. Further studies are needed to find out if similar effects occur in anterior brain regions and whether they reflect changes in glutamate or glutamine or both.

Functional characterization of CYP2A13 polymorphisms.

CYP2A13 is an efficient catalyst of metabolic activation of the human carcinogens 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). This study investigated the functional consequences of CYP2A13 polymorphisms that result in single amino acid substitutions. Five CYP2A13 variants, namely CYP2A13*2 (R257C), CYP2A13*5 (F453Y), CYP2A13*6 (R494C), CYP2A13*8 (D158E), and CYP2A13*9 (V323L), were expressed and evaluated for coumarin binding affinity, coumarin 7-hydroxylation, and -hydroxylation of (S)-NNN and NNK. In addition, the 133_134 Thr deletion variant, coded for by CYP2A13*3, was expressed but was not stable to the protein purification procedure. A 30-42% decrease in coumarin 7-hydroxylation catalytic efficiency was determined for R257C and D158E. No effect on coumarin binding or (S)-NNN metabolism was observed. Three variants, R257C, D158E, and V323L, had two- to threefold decreased catalytic efficiency for NNK -hydroxylation. CYP2A13 polymorphisms resulted in modest changes in coumarin 7-hydroxylation and NNK -hydroxylation activities in vitro. Although these changes are not likely to impact in vivo metabolism, these data should aid in the interpretation and design of future epidemiology studies.

Molecular modelling of CYP2A enzymes: application to metabolism of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK).

1. Tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a lung carcinogen in a variety of animal models and a putative human lung carcinogen. Its tumorigenic potential is unmasked via cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated hydroxylation of the carbon atoms adjacent to the nitroso moiety (i.e. alpha-hydroxylation). Therefore, elucidation of enzyme-substrate interactions that facilitate alpha-hydroxylation is important to gain insight into the tumorigenic mechanism of NNK and to develop potent inhibitors of this detrimental reaction. 2. Molecular models of CYP2A enzymes from mice, rats and humans that are catalysts of NNK bioactivation were constructed and used, in conjunction with docking experiments, to identify active-site residues that make important substrate contacts. 3. Docking studies revealed that hydrophobic residues at positions 117, 209, 365 and 481, among others, play critical roles in orienting NNK in the active site to effect alpha-hydroxylation. These molecular models were then used to rationalize the stereo- and regioselectivity, as well as the efficiency, of CYP2A-mediated NNK metabolism.

Smoking behaviour and toxin exposure during six weeks use of a potential reduced exposure product: Omni.

OBJECTIVE: To determine smoking behaviour, acceptability, and toxin exposure when smokers switch to the potential reduced exposure product-Omni cigarette. DESIGN: 12 week randomised, crossover study of Omni versus own cigarettes. PARTICIPANTS: 19 light/ultralight and 15 regular smokers. OUTCOMES: Cigarettes/day, smoking topography, craving, withdrawal symptoms, urinary cotinine plus its glucuronide (total cotinine), nicotine plus its glucuronide (total nicotine), and carcinogen metabolites (4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol plus its glucuronides and 1-hydroxypyrene). RESULTS: When switched to Omni, smokers smoked the same number of cigarettes/day, smoked Omni cigarettes less intensely (total puff volume = -11%) and had slightly lower total cotinine (-18%) levels than their own cigarettes, but had a slightly greater carbon monoxide boost/cig (+21%). Craving and withdrawal ratings were similar with Omni and own cigarettes. Carcinogen metabolite levels were somewhat but not significantly lower with Omni. About half of smokers rated Omni as better for their health and about two thirds stated it was weaker and worse tasting than their own cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS: Although Omni may be an adequate behavioural and pharmacological substitute for traditional cigarettes, it may not decrease carcinogen exposure and may increase carbon monoxide. Replications with larger sample sizes and longer follow up are needed. These results indicate the need for regulation of reduced exposure and reduced risk claims.

CYP2A13-catalysed coumarin metabolism: comparison with CYP2A5 and CYP2A6.

1. We investigated the total metabolism of coumarin by baculovirus (BV)-expressed CYP2A13 and compared it with metabolism by BV-expressed CYP2A6. The major coumarin metabolite formed by CYP2A13 was 7-hydroxycoumarin, which accounted for 43% of the total metabolism. The product of 3,4-epoxidation, o-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (o-HPA), accounted for 30% of the total metabolites. 2. The K(m) and V(max) for CYP2A13-mediated coumarin 7-hydroxylation were 0.48+/-0.07 micro m and 0.15+/-0.006 nmol min(-1) nmol(-1) CYP, respectively. The V(max) of coumarin 7-hydroxylation by CYP2A13 was about 16-fold lower than that of CYP2A6, whereas the K(m) was 10-fold lower. 3. In the mouse, there were two orthologues for CYP2A6: CYP2A4 and CYP2A5, which differed by only 11 amino acids. However, CYP2A5 is an efficient coumarin 7-hydroxylase, where as CYP2A4 is not. We report here that BV-expressed CYP2A4 metabolizes coumarin by 3,4-epoxidation. Two products of the 3,4-epoxidation pathway, o-HPA and o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (o-HPAA), were detected by radioflow HPLC. 4. The K(m) and V(max) for the coumarin 3,4-epoxidation by CYP2A4 were 8.7+/-3.6 micro m and 0.20+/-0.04 nmol min(-1) nmol(-1) CYP, respectively. Coumarin 7-hydroxylation by CYP2A5 was more than 200 times more efficient than 3,4 epoxidation by CYP2A4.

Coumarin metabolism by rat esophageal microsomes and cytochrome P450 2A3.

The rat esophagus is strikingly sensitive to tumor induction by nitrosamines, and it has been hypothesized that this tissue contains cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) which catalyze the metabolic activation of these carcinogens. The metabolic capacity of the esophagus is not well characterized. In the study described here, the products of 14C-coumarin metabolism by rat esophageal microsomes were identified and quantified. Metabolite characterization was by LC/MS/MS and GC/MS and comparison to standards, quantification was by radioflow HPLC. The coumarin metabolites formed by rat esophageal microsomes were compared to those formed by P450 2A3. The major metabolites formed by esophageal microsomes were 8-hydroxycoumarin, o-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (o-HPA), and o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (o-HPAA). A smaller amount of 5-hydroxycoumarin, about one-third the 8-hydroxycoumarin, was also formed. o-HPA and o-HPAA are products of coumarin 3,4-epoxidation. The relative rates of coumarin 8-hydroxylation and 3,4-epoxidation were similar. Coumarin 8-hydroxylation has not previously been reported as a major pathway in any tissue, and no P450s have yet been reported to catalyze this reaction. P450 2A3 catalyzed both the 7-hydroxylation and 3,4-epoxidation of coumarin. P450 2A3 was previously characterized as a coumarin 7-hydroxylase, however, in this study, we report that it catalyzes the formation of o-HPA more efficiently. The Km and Vmax were 1.3 +/- 0.35 microM and 0.65 +/- 0.06 nmol/min/nmol P450 for coumarin 7-hydroxylation and 1.4 +/- 0.58 microM and 3.1 +/- 0.46 nmol/min/nmol P450 for o-HPA formation.

Consumption of watercress fails to alter coumarin metabolism in humans.

Watercress is an excellent source of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), an effective inhibitor of nitrosamine carcinogenesis in rodents. The mechanism of inhibition is believed to be due in part to inhibition of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes. P450 2A6 is a catalyst for the metabolic activation of several nitrosamines. In this study, we investigated the effect of watercress consumption on coumarin 7-hydroxylation, a P450 2A6-specific reaction, in a group of 15 nonsmoking, healthy volunteers. The urinary excretion of 7-hydroxycoumarin (7OHC) was determined. For 6 of the 15 subjects, watercress consumption decreased the amount of 7OHC excreted in the first 2 h following coumarin administration. However, the mean 0- to 2-h excretion of 7OHC for all 15 subjects was not significantly lowered by the consumption of watercress, 2.8 +/- 0.78 versus 3.1 +/- 0.53 mg (+/-S.D.). The mean 7OHC excreted from 2 to 4 h (1.1 +/- 0.50 mg) was significantly higher (P = 0.027) during watercress consumption than before (0.77 +/- 0.22 mg), suggesting a delay in coumarin metabolism. Total excretion of 7OHC was unaffected by watercress consumption. Therefore, under the conditions of our study, PEITC and other constituents of watercress had at most a marginal inhibitory effect on P450 2A6-catalyzed coumarin 7-hydroxylation.

2'-Hydroxylation of nicotine by cytochrome P450 2A6 and human liver microsomes: formation of a lung carcinogen precursor.

Smokers or people undergoing nicotine replacement therapy excrete approximately 10% of the nicotine dose as 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)butanoic acid (keto acid) and 4-hydroxy-4-(3-pyridyl)butanoic acid (hydroxy acid). Previously, these acids were thought to arise by secondary metabolism of the major nicotine metabolite cotinine, but our data did not support this mechanism. Therefore, we hypothesized that nicotine is metabolized by 2'-hydroxylation, which would ultimately yield keto acid and hydroxy acid as urinary metabolites. This pathway had not been established previously in mammalian systems and is potentially significant because the product of nicotine 2'-hydroxylation, 4-(methylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (aminoketone), can be converted to the potent tobacco-specific lung carcinogen, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone. Incubation of nicotine with cytochrome P450 2A6 and cofactors did indeed produce aminoketone, which was identified as its N-benzoyl derivative by GC-MS. The rate was 11% of that of cotinine production. Incubation of human liver microsomes with nicotine gave keto acid by using aminoketone as an intermediate; keto acid was not formed from cotinine. In 10 human liver samples, rates of formation of keto acid were 5.7% of those of cotinine and production of these metabolites correlated. These results provide definitive evidence for mammalian 2'-hydroxylation of nicotine and elucidate a pathway by which endogenous formation of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone could occur in humans.

Specificity of cytochrome P450 2A3-catalyzed alpha-hydroxylation of N'-nitrosonornicotine enantiomers.

N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) induces tumors in the rat nasal cavity and esophagus and is believed to be a causative agent for esophageal cancer in tobacco users. To exert its carcinogenic potential, NNN must be metabolically activated by alpha-hydroxylation at either the 2'- or 5'-carbon. We previously reported that the human cytochrome P450 (P450), 2A6, efficiently and specifically catalyzed NNN 5'-hydroxylation. P450 2A3, which is expressed in the rat nasal cavity and to a small extent in the esophagus, is closely related to P450 2A6. P450 2A3, like 2A6, is a good catalyst of NNN alpha-hydroxylation (K(m) 7 microM; V(max) 17 nmol/min/nmol). However, in contrast to P450 2A6, 2A3 catalyzed both 5'- and 2'-hydroxylation of NNN. The ratio of 2'- to 5'-hydroxylation was 1:3. These data, both with P450 2A6 and 2A3, were obtained using racemic NNN. P450 2A3 catalyzed metabolism of (S)-NNN occurred exclusively at the 5'-position. The predominant pathway of (R)-NNN metabolism was 2'-hydroxylation, and occurred to a 3-fold greater extent than did 5'-hydroxylation. These data are in contrast to those obtained from a recent study of (R)- and (S)-NNN metabolism by cultured rat esophagus. In that study, (S)-NNN was metabolized predominantly by 2'-hydroxylation and (R)-NNN equally by 2'- and 5'-hydroxylation. Taken together, these data provide strong evidence that P450 2A3 is not the rat esophageal P450 that catalyzes the metabolic activation of NNN. P450 2A3 may be an important catalyst of NNN activation in rat nasal mucosa.

O-Glucuronidation of the lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1- (3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) by human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases 2B7 and 1A9.

4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and its major metabolite, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), are potent lung carcinogens in animals. UGT-mediated O-glucuronidation of NNAL is an important detoxification pathway for these carcinogens. To better characterize this pathway in humans, we screened a series of UGT-overexpressing cell lines and baculosome preparations for their ability to O-glucuronidate NNAL and examined multiple human liver and lung specimens for NNAL-glucuronidating activity and their levels of expression of NNAL-glucuronidating UGTs. Human liver microsomal fractions exhibited significant levels of NNAL-glucuronidating activity, with the NNAL-Gluc II diastereomer formed at a rate 3.4 times that observed for NNAL-Gluc I. As with liver microsomal fractions, NNAL-Gluc II was the major diastereomer formed by homogenates from UGT2B7-overexpressing HK293 cells or UGT2B7-overexpressing baculosomes; the major diastereomer formed by homogenates from UGT1A9-overexpressing V79 cells was NNAL-Gluc I. No significant O-glucuronidating activity of NNAL was detected in UGT1A1-, UGT1A4-, UGT1A6-, UGT2B4-, or UGT2B15-overexpressing HK293 or V79 cell homogenates, or in UGT1A1-, UGT1A3-, UGT1A7-, or UGT1A10-overexpressing baculosomes. Significant levels of UGT2B7 mRNA were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in human liver and at low levels in human lung specimens. UGT1A9 mRNA was detected in liver but not in lung. These results suggest that although both UGT2B7 and UGT1A9 play an important role in the overall glucuronidation of NNAL in humans, UGT2B7 potentially plays an important role in the detoxification of NNAL in the lung.

Characterization of cytochrome P450 2A4 and 2A5-catalyzed 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) metabolism.

The tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), is a potent lung carcinogen in the A/J mouse, and is believed to be a causative agent for human lung cancer. NNK requires metabolic activation by alpha-hydroxylation to exert its carcinogenic potential. The human P450, 2A6 is a catalyst of this reaction. There are two closely related enzymes in the mouse, P450 2A4 and 2A5, which differ from each other by only 11 amino acids. In the present study these two mouse P450s were expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells using recombinant baculovirus. The catalysis of NNK metabolism by Sf9 microsomal fractions containing either P450 2A4 or 2A5 was determined. Both enzymes catalyzed the alpha-hydroxylation of NNK but with strikingly different efficiencies and specificities. P450 2A5 preferentially catalyzed NNK methyl hydroxylation, while P450 2A4 preferentially catalyzed methylene hydroxylation. The KM and Vmax for the former were 1.5 microM and 4.0 nmol/min/nmol P450, respectively, and for the latter 3.9 mM and 190 nmol/min/nmol P450. The mouse coumarin 7-hydroxylase, P450 2A5 is a significantly better catalyst of NNK alpha-hydroxylation than is the closely related human enzyme, P450 2A6.

N-Nitrosobenzylmethylamine hydroxylation and coumarin 7-hydroxylation: catalysis by rat esophageal microsomes and cytochrome P450 2A3 and 2A6 enzymes.

N-Nitrosobenzylmethylamine (NBzMA) is a potent and selective esophageal carcinogen in the rat and may be a causative agent for human esophageal cancer. This nitrosamine, like most, must be metabolically activated to exert its carcinogenic potential. NBzMA may be metabolized by P450-catalyzed methyl or methylene hydroxylation; the latter is believed to be the activation pathway. The sensitivity of the esophagus to NBzMA-induced tumorigenesis is believed to be due, at least in part, to the presence of efficient P450 catalysts in this tissue. However, while it was reported almost 20 years ago that the rat esophagus catalyzes the methylene hydroxylation of NBzMA, the P450 that catalyzes this reaction has yet to be identified. We report here that human P450 2A6 and the closely related extrahepatic rat enzyme P450 2A3 both efficiently catalyze NBzMA methylene hydroxylation, characterized as benzaldehyde formation. The catalytic efficiency of P450 2A3 in this reaction was 3-fold greater than that of P450 2A6, 7.6 (K(m) = 0.63 +/- 0.18 microM and the V(max) = 4.8 nmol min(-)(1) nmol of P450(-)(1)) versus 2.3 (K(m) = 6.7 +/- 2.9 microM and the V(max) = 15.7 nmol min(-)(1) nmol of P450(-)(1)), respectively. Both enzymes catalyzed methylene hydroxylation at least 4-fold more efficiently than methyl hydroxylation. In addition, P450 2A6, but not P450 2A3, catalyzed benzyl ring hydroxylation, generating N-(p-hydroxybenzyl)methylamine. The identity of this metabolite was confirmed by synthesis of a standard and LC/MS and LC/MS/MS analysis. P450 2A6 is an efficient coumarin 7-hydroxylase, and we report here that P450 2A3 is an equally good catalyst of this reaction (K(m) = 1. 7 +/- 0.41 microM and V(max) = 1.7 +/- 0.08 nmol min(-)(1) nmol of P450(-)(1)). Rat esophageal microsomes (REM), like P450 2A3, were efficient catalysts of NBzMA methylene hydroxylation. However, in contrast to P450 2A3, the major product of this reaction was the product of benzaldehyde oxidation, benzoic acid. Antibody to the closely related mouse P450, 2A5, did not inhibit REM-catalyzed NBzMA metabolism, and most importantly, REM did not catalyze the 7-hydroxylation of coumarin. Therefore, P450 2A3 does not appear to be the P450 in the rat esophagus responsible for catalyzing the methylene hydroxylation of NBzMA.