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D Kupfer

Publications and source records attributed to D Kupfer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Mechanism of induction of rat hepatic CYP2B and 3A by the pesticide methoxychlor.

Our earlier investigation demonstrated that methoxychlor treatment induced hepatic cytochrome P450 2B1/2B2 and 3A proteins in rats and enhanced their respective enzymatic activities. To determine the mechanism of the methoxychlor-mediated induction and whether methoxychlor acts as a frank inducer and not merely by causing stabilization of the cytochrome P450 proteins or of their mRNAs, we assessed the effect of methoxychlor treatment on the transcriptional rate and mRNA levels of these hemeproteins by nuclear run-on and northern blot analyses. Methoxychlor treatment markedly elevated the transcriptional rates of cytochrome P4502B1/2B2 and 3A. Also, higher levels of mRNA of these CYPs were observed. By contrast, mRNA levels of CYP1A1/1A2 were not affected. Using a nuclear run-on method that apparently measures specifically the transcription initiation rate of CYP2B1 and 2B2, we observed that the transcriptional rate of 2B2 was increased substantially more than that of CYP2B1. This differential induction of CYP2B2 versus 2B1 may account for the discrepancy between the levels of induced CYP2B protein and the much lower-than-expected CYP2B-mediated enzymatic activity observed in our earlier study.

Animals↗

Human cytochrome P450-catalyzed conversion of the proestrogenic pesticide methoxychlor into an estrogen. Role of CYP2C19 and CYP1A2 in O-demethylation.

1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethane (methoxychlor) is a widely used pesticide that is pro-estrogenic. We have elucidated the human cytochrome P450 enzymes responsible for conversion of methoxychlor into its major metabolite, the mono-O-demethylated derivative (mono-OH-M) that is estrogenic. Incubation of methoxychlor with microsomes from insect cells overexpressing either CYP1A2, CYP2C18, or CYP2C19 yielded mono-OH-M with turnover numbers of 14.9, 15.5, and 39.1 nmol/min/nmol of P450, respectively. CYP2B6 and CYP2C9 were much less active. Incubations with purified CYP2C19 and CYP2C18 resulted in formation of mono-OH-M, and also the bis-demethylated metabolite. Co-incubation of liver microsomes with methoxychlor and various P450 isoform-selective inhibitors suggested involvement of several P450s in mono-O-demethylation, including CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19. A role for CYP2C19, CYP1A2, and CYP2A6 was also indicated by multivariate regression analysis of the mono-O-demethylase activity in a panel of human liver microsomes characterized for isoform-specific catalytic activities (R2 = 0.96). Based on the totality of the evidence, CYP2C19 appears to be the major catalyst of methoxychlor mono-O-demethylation. However, in individuals lacking functional CYP2C19 (e.g. the "poor metabolizer" phenotype), CYP1A2 may play the predominant role. CYP2A6, CYP2C9, and CYP2B6 probably contribute to a lesser extent. Although CYP2C18 is an efficient methoxychlor demethylase, its expression in liver is reportedly low or absent, suggesting a negligible role for this enzyme in methoxychlor metabolism. Lengthy incubations of liver microsomes with methoxychlor produced other secondary and tertiary metabolites. Efficient conversion of methoxychlor to estrogenic mono-OH-M by liver microsomes suggests that methoxychlor has the potential to be estrogenic in humans, as observed in several animal species.

Animals↗

CYP2D6 catalyzes tamoxifen 4-hydroxylation in human liver.

The major metabolites of tamoxifen (tam) formed by animal and human liver microsomes are mono-N-demethylated tam, 4-hydroxy-tam (4-OH-tam), and tam-N-oxide. The N-desmethylated-tam and 4-OH-tam are formed by P450s, whereas the N-oxide is primarily formed by flavin-containing monooxygenase. Because 4-OH-tam is a highly potent antiestrogen (and possibly is the active anticancer tam metabolite) and is on the path of formation of the reactive intermediate that binds covalently to proteins and DNA, it was of importance to identify the P450(s) catalyzing its formation. In the current study, three different preparations of expressed human P450s in Escherichia coli, lymphoblastoma cells, and insect cell line and livers from several human donors were used to identify the P450 isoform catalyzing the 4-hydroxylation (preliminary results were reported by Dehal et al., Eleventh International Symposium on Microsomes and Drug Oxidations, p. 71. Los Angeles, 1996). Tam metabolism was examined with human CYP2C8, 2C9, 2C18, 2C19, and 2D6 expressed in E. coli. These P450s were reconstituted with P450 reductase and lipid and were incubated with 50 microM [3H]tam and NADPH at 37 degrees C for 60 min. Essentially all of the recombinant P450s catalyzed the N-demethylation to various degrees; however, only 2D6 yielded detectable levels of 4-OH-tam. The inclusion of cytochrome b5 in the reconstituted system of 2D6 and 2C9 did not significantly affect the rate of 4-hydroxylation, indicating that b5 is not essential for this activity. Tam metabolism by CYP1A1, 1A2, 2A6, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A4, expressed in lymphoblastoma cells, revealed that only 2D6 significantly catalyzed the 4-hydroxylation. Tam metabolism by CYP2D6 coexpressed with P450 reductase in a baculovirus infected insect cell line ("supersomes") exhibited marked tam 4-hydroxylation. In an experiment with human liver microsomes, the inclusion of quinidine, a specific 2D6 inhibitor, resulted in approximately 50% inhibition of tam 4-hydroxylation without affecting N-demethylation. Polyclonal antibodies raised against 2D6 moderately inhibited (approximately 30%) the 4-hydroxylation in human liver microsomes. These results demonstrate a significant contribution by CYP2D6 to the catalysis of tam-4-hydroxylation by human liver.

Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6↗

Catalytic characteristics of CYP3A4: requirement for a phenolic function in ortho hydroxylation of estradiol and mono-O-demethylated methoxychlor.

CYP3A4 is the major human cytochrome P-450 in a superfamily of heme-thiolate proteins that catalyze the oxidation of numerous lipophilic compounds. In this investigation, we report that CYP3A4 requires a phenolic function for ortho hydroxylation of estradiol and mono-O-demethylated methoxychlor and that CYP3A4 aromatic hydroxylation in general may be dependent on the presence of a free phenolic group. Indeed, when methoxyls were present instead of phenolic hydroxyls, CYP3A4 essentially failed to catalyze ortho hydroxylation. By contrast, of eight additional cDNA-expressed P-450s (CYP1A1, 1A2, 2A6, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2D6, and 2E1) examined, only CYP1A2 and CYP2B6 could catalyze ortho hydroxylation of [o-3H]methoxychlor (7.2 and 14.6 pmol/90 min/pmol P-450, respectively), indicating that these isoforms do not require a phenolic hydroxyl for aromatic hydroxylation and that methoxyls do not sterically hinder catalysis by these CYPs. However, with [o-3H]mono-O-demethylated methoxychlor, containing a phenolic group, five isoforms (CYP1A2, 2B6, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A4) supported ortho hydroxylation. Of these, CYP3A4 exhibited by far the highest rate of hydroxylation at 87.8 pmol/90 min/pmol P-450. Further studies with [2-(3)H]estradiol 3-methyl ether and with [2-(3)H]estradiol revealed a similar and dramatic augmentation of CYP3A4-mediated C2 hydroxylase activity of approximately 75-fold by the presence of the phenolic group in the 3-position. The mechanism of augmentation by the phenolic hydroxyl does not appear to involve the acidic proton of estradiol, since CYP3A4-catalyzed estradiol 2-hydroxylation and testosterone 6-beta-hydroxylation were diminished to an equal extent when incubations were performed at increasing buffer pH values from 7 to 9. Both estradiol and its 3-methoxy derivative bound with similar affinity to cDNA-expressed, microsomal CYP3A4: spectral dissociation constants were 270 and 370 microM, respectively, and both compounds exhibited type I spectra. Thus, the disparities in aromatic hydroxylation rates between compounds containing phenolic hydroxyls and those with methoxyls cannot be explained by differences in their binding affinities. To explain the mode via which the phenolic hydroxyl facilitates ortho hydroxylation, a mechanism in which the phenolic moiety attacks the iron-oxo double bond of CYP3A4, resulting in oxygen transfer to the ortho position, is proposed. It is anticipated that these findings will assist in forecasting the CYP-mediated metabolic fate of phenolic compounds.

Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A↗

Evidence that the catechol 3,4-Dihydroxytamoxifen is a proximate intermediate to the reactive species binding covalently to proteins.

Metabolism of tamoxifen by rat and human hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450s (CYPs) forms a reactive intermediate that irreversibly binds to microsomal proteins (C. Mani and D. Kupfer, Cancer Res., 51: 6052-6058, 1991.). The current study examines the nature of the tamoxifen metabolite that is proximate to the reactive intermediate(s). The rate of covalent binding of tamoxifen metabolites, tamoxifen N-oxide, N-desmethyltamoxifen, and tamoxifen N-oxide-epoxide was approximately equal to or less than that of tamoxifen. By contrast, covalent binding of 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OH-tam) was 3-5-fold higher than that of tamoxifen, indicating that among the metabolites examined, 4-OH-tam or its metabolite(s) is most proximate to the reactive intermediate(s). Incubation of 4-OH-tam with liver microsomes from PCN-treated rat yielded three detectable metabolites. One was identified as 4-OH-tam N-oxide via its facile reduction back to 4-OH-tam by titanium(III) chloride. Another metabolite of 4-OH-tam, assumed to be 3,4-dihydroxytamoxifen (3,4-di-OH-tam) catechol, was demonstrated by its monomethylation with [3H]S-adenosyl-L-methionine ([3H]SAM) in presence of endogenous catechol-O-methyltransferase. Monomethylated catechol from 4-OH-tam was formed at a 3-4-fold higher rate than from tamoxifen. It was reasoned that if the catechol is most proximate metabolite to the reactive intermediate, then its methylation would reduce the formation of the reactive intermediate and result in lower rate of covalent binding. In fact, addition of radioinert SAM to incubations of tamoxifen inhibited covalent binding by 17-23%. By contrast, inclusion of 1.0 mM S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine, a potent inhibitor of catechol-O-methyltransferase-mediated methylation of 3,4-di-OH-tam, essentially overcame the inhibition of the covalent binding by SAM. Additionally, ascorbic acid and glutathione, inhibitors of covalent binding of tamoxifen, produced an elevation of methylated catechol. These findings collectively indicate that 3,4-di-OH-tam is proximate to the ultimate reactive intermediate that results in covalent binding to microsomal proteins.

Animals↗

Ring hydroxylation of [o-3H]methoxychlor as a probe for liver microsomal CYP2B activity: potential for in vivo CYP2B assay.

An in vitro radiometric assay selective for inducible CYP2B activity is described. The assay is based on the quantification of 3H2O release that occurs during o-ring hydroxylation of [o-3H]methoxychlor by liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH. 3H2O is isolated by removing > 99.9% of the parent compound and organic metabolites by facile charcoal extraction and filtration. There was no evidence for an NIH shift during ring hydroxylation, and there was little or no isotope effect. Selectivity for CYP2B was demonstrated using liver microsomes prepared from rats and mice treated with inducers of different CYP isoforms. Ring hydroxylation of [o-3H]methoxychlor was elevated 11.4-fold over control values in liver microsomes from male rats treated with phenobarbital. With mice, phenobarbital treatment elevated liver microsomal ring hydroxylation 7.1-fold. Clofibrate, 3-methylcholanthrene, or beta-naphthoflavone treatment of male rats or pyridine treatment of female rats did not elevate liver microsomal ring-hydroxylase activity, indicating that CYP4A, 1A, and 2E1 do not support this reaction. In female rats, dexamethasone and pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile treatment elevated ring hydroxylation up to 5.5- and 3.2-fold, respectively, an activity that may be attributed to CYP2B induction in those animals. Incubation of liver microsomes from phenobarbital-treated males with monospecific anti-CYP2B monoclonal antibodies (Mab) inhibited ring-hydroxylase activity up to 86%, demonstrating predominantly CYP2B-mediated catalysis. An 86% inhibition by these Mabs was also observed using liver microsomes from male mice treated with phenobarbital, indicating the assay is not limited to rats. The CYP2B mechanism-based inhibitor orphenadrine caused a 76% decline in activity, providing further evidence for CYP2B involvement. Unlike other CYP2B-selective assays, this method may be readily adapted to in vivo studies, by measuring urinary excretion of 3H2O as an indication of total body CYP2B activity.

Animals↗

Cytochrome P450 catalyzed covalent binding of methoxychlor to rat hepatic, microsomal iodothyronine 5'-monodeiodinase, type I: does exposure to methoxychlor disrupt thyroid hormone metabolism?

The insecticide methoxychlor is estrogenic in birds and mammals and interferes with sexual development and reproduction, but it is not known whether this toxicity is due solely to its estrogenicity. We now have found that during hepatic, microsomal metabolism of [ring-14C]- or [3H-OCH3]methoxychlor, their metabolite primarily binds to iodothyronine 5'-monodeiodinase, type I (5'-ID1). The purified, radiolabeled protein reacted with antibodies against protein disulfide isomerase, isoform Q5, which is highly homologous to 5'-ID1. Sequencing of the radiolabeled tryptic peptide indicated that methoxychlor bound to cysteine 372 or 375 or to lysine 376 of 5'-ID1. Treatment of rats with methoxychlor for 4 days decreased hepatic, microsomal 5'-ID1 activity from 2.94 to 2.20 nmol/min-mg prot (P < 0.02). Since 5'-ID1 catalyzes thyroxine conversion to the biologically active triiodothyronine, these data suggest that methoxychlor may interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism. This may be an additional factor in its environmental toxicity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cost utility analysis of maintenance treatment for recurrent depression.

This paper presents a cost-utility analysis of three maintenance treatments for recurrent depression: interpersonal therapy (IPT-M), imipramine drug therapy (Drug), and a combination of the two. We base our analysis on the results of the University of Pittsburgh's Controlled Clinical Trial of Maintenance Therapies for Recurrent Depression. We construct a Markovian state-transition model to incorporate clinical effectiveness into cost and quality-of-life impacts; we assign empirical values to the parameters of this model; and we then use Monte Carlo analysis to compare the relative cost effectiveness of the different maintenance treatments. For the patients who met the eligibility standards for the study, Drug maintenance treatment is cost-effective in the strongest sense of the term compared to either a placebo group or IPT-M: it both improves expected lifetime health (measured in quality-adjusted life years, or QALYs) and reduces direct medical costs. This is true even when relatively severe side effects of the drug are considered. Compared to the placebo group, IPT-M and the combination of IPT-M and Drug each improve expected lifetime health, although in neither case are expected direct medical costs reduced. Still, the cost of the resulting health improvements, under $5000/QALY, are very reasonable. A similar conclusion holds comparing Drug and IPT-M to IPT-M alone. All of the above conclusions are quite robust to sensitivity analyses.

Adult↗

Induction of the hepatic CYP2B and CYP3A enzymes by the proestrogenic pesticide methoxychlor and by DDT in the rat. Effects on methoxychlor metabolism.

In earlier investigations, methoxychlor treatment did not elicit induction of hepatic P450 monooxygenases in rats, apparently due to the short half-life of methoxychlor in vivo. The current study demonstrates that multiple bidaily doses of methoxychlor to female rats produce a marked induction of the hepatic microsomal P450 2B1/2B2 and 3A proteins. There was no increase in CYP1A1 or CYP2E1 proteins, demonstrating selectivity of induction by methoxychlor. Similarly, treatment with DDT, a methoxychlor analog, increased CYP2B and 3A proteins but had no effect on CYP1A1 and 2E1. Methoxychlor moderately elevated the enzymatic activity corresponding to CYP2B and 3A catalysis. In immature rats, only the higher dose of methoxychlor (300 mg/kg), produced elevation of testosterone hydroxylation at the 16 alpha position (major product) that was statistically significant, indicative of increased catalysis by CYP2B1/2B2. Both the low (150 mg/kg) and high dose (300 mg/kg) of methoxychlor increased the 6 beta hydroxylation (major product) and 2 beta and 15 beta hydroxylation (minor products) of testosterone, indicative of increased catalysis by CYP3A. In mature female rats, both methoxychlor and DDT treatment elevated the 16 alpha and 6 beta hydroxylation and androstenedione formation. Additional indication of methoxychlor- and DDT-mediated induction of CYP2B enzymatic activity in mature and immature rats was evident from increased ring hydroxylation of methoxychlor, an activity attributed to CYP2B. These findings indicate that methoxychlor and DDT belong to the phenobarbital type of inducers and that exposure to methoxychlor can affect its own metabolism. The methoxychlor-mediated increase in CYP2B and 3A proteins was considerably larger than the increase in the corresponding enzymatic activities. The possible reasons for the lack of correlation between P450 levels and their enzymatic activities and the potential relevance of induction by methoxychlor to its metabolism and toxicity are discussed.

Animals↗

Induction of tamoxifen-4-hydroxylation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF), and phenobarbital (PB) in avian liver: identification of P450 TCDDAA as catalyst of 4-hydroxylation induced by TCDD and beta NF.

Tamoxifen has been found to be metabolized by liver primarily into three metabolites, tamoxifen-N-oxide, formed by the flavin-containing monooxygenase, and N-desmethyl- and 4-hydroxytamoxifen, formed by cytochrome P450. The N-demethylation was demonstrated to be catalyzed by P4503A in rat and human liver; however, the P450s catalyzing the 4-hydroxylation have not been identified. Although 4-hydroxytamoxifen exhibits more potent estrogen agonist/antagonist activity than tamoxifen, the relative contributions of the parent drug and its 4-hydroxy metabolite(s) to the activity of tamoxifen in vivo have not been established. We report here that the rate of tamoxifen 4-hydroxylation is higher in livers of adult chicken and chick embryos than in livers of mammalian species. Tamoxifen 4-hydroxylation was increased by treatment of chick embryos with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF), and to a lesser extent by phenobarbital (PB). The major effect of PB treatment was an increase in tamoxifen N-demethylation. Tamoxifen 4-hydroxylase activity of reconstituted purified chicken P450s was highest for TCDDAA, a P450 active in arachidonate epoxygenation and estradiol 2-hydroxylation, and one of the two major P450s induced by TCDD and beta NF in chick embryo liver. The second P450, TCDDAHH, which is active in aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and 7-ethoxyresorufin deethylase was inactive in tamoxifen 4-hydroxylation. Anti-TCDDAA IgG immunoinhibited tamoxifen 4-hydroxylation in microsomes from beta NF-treated embryos by over 80%, but was ineffective against this reaction in the controls. The immunochemical findings together with the reconstitution data identify TCDDAA as the P450 responsible for TCDD/beta NF-induced tamoxifen 4-hydroxylation in chick liver. In PB-treated livers, a P450 fraction containing CYP2H1/H2, the major PB-induced P450s, had the highest tamoxifen 4-hydroxylase and N-demethylase activities, a finding compatible with one or both of those P450s being responsible for the PB-induced tamoxifen 4-hydroxylation and N-demethylation. The findings reported here raise the possibility that exposure of women undergoing tamoxifen therapy to agents that induce human CYP1A2 or CYPB1/2 analogues may produce increased levels of 4-hydroxytamoxifen and that this may affect the therapeutic potency of tamoxifen.

Animals↗

Involvement of cytochrome P4503A in catalysis of tamoxifen activation and covalent binding to rat and human liver microsomes.

Tamoxifen is the major therapeutic agent for the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer. Tamoxifen treatment appears to be associated with an increased incidence of endometrial carcinoma in humans and hepatocellular carcinoma in rats. These carcinogenic effects of tamoxifen might be induced by the formation of a tamoxifen reactive intermediate that binds covalently to macromolecules. Liver microsomal cytochrome P450s (CYPs) catalyze the metabolism of tamoxifen, forming a reactive intermediate that binds irreversibly to microsomal proteins, primarily to a 54 kDa protein (Mani, C. and Kupfer, D., Cancer Res., 51, 6052-6058, 1991). The current study identifies the P450 enzymes that catalyze the activation of tamoxifen to a reactive intermediate in rats and humans. Among the species examined, rats, chickens and humans demonstrate low tamoxifen binding activity, ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 nmol bound/mg protein/h. In contrast, hamsters and mice exhibit high binding, 1.2 and 1.6 nmol/mg protein/h respectively. Treatment of male rats with phenobarbital or pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) markedly elevated the binding of tamoxifen to liver microsomal proteins. Methylcholanthrene treatment had no effect on binding. These findings suggested the involvement of CYP3A in catalysis of the covalent binding. Alternate substrates of CYP3A, cortisol and erythromycin, inhibited tamoxifen binding in liver microsomes from PCN- and phenobarbital-treated rats. Treatment of rats with troleandomycin (TAO), an inducer of CYP3A, followed by the dissociation of the TAO-CYP3A complex, elevated the covalent binding to liver microsomes approximately 3-fold. Antibodies against rat CYP3A1 strongly inhibited tamoxifen binding to liver microsomes from PCN- and phenobarbital-treated rats, whereas the antibodies anti-CYP2B1/2B2 did not inhibit binding. In humans, tamoxifen binding was inhibited by the anti-rat CYP3A1 IgG and also by alternate substrates of CYP3A. These results indicate that the activation of tamoxifen to a reactive intermediate by rat and human liver microsomes is principally catalyzed by CYP3A enzymes.

Animals↗

Reversible and time-dependent inhibition of the hepatic cytochrome P450 steroidal hydroxylases by the proestrogenic pesticide methoxychlor in rat and human.

Methoxychlor, a currently used pesticide, is demethylated and hydroxylated by several hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 enzymes. Also, methoxychlor undergoes metabolic activation, yielding a reactive intermediate (M*) that binds irreversibly and apparently covalently to microsomal proteins. The study investigated whether methoxychlor could inhibit or inactivate certain liver microsomal P450 enzymes. The regioselective and stereoselective hydroxylation of testosterone and the 2-hydroxylation of estradiol (E2) were utilized as markers of the P450 enzymes inhibited by methoxychlor. Both reversible and time-dependent inhibition were examined. Coincubation of methoxychlor and testosterone with liver microsomes from phenobarbital treated (PB-microsomes) male rats, yielded marked diminution of 2 alpha- and 16 alpha-testosterone hydroxylation, indicating strong inhibition of P4502C11 (P450h). Methoxychlor moderately inhibited 2 beta-, 7 alpha-, 15 alpha-, 15 beta-, and 16 beta-hydroxylation and androstenedione formation. There was only a weak inhibition of 6 beta-hydroxylation of testosterone. The methoxychlor-mediated inhibition of 6 beta-hydroxylation was competitive. By contrast, when methoxychlor was permitted to be metabolized by PB-microsomes or by liver microsomes from pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile treated rats (PCN-microsomes) prior to addition of testosterone, a pronounced time-dependent inhibition of 6 beta-hydroxylation was observed, suggesting that methoxychlor inactivates the P450 3A isozyme(s). The di-demethylated methoxychlor (bis-OH-M) and the tris-hydroxy (catechol) methoxychlor metabolite (tris-OH-M) inhibited 6 beta-hydroxylation in PB-microsomes competitively and noncompetitively, respectively; however, these methoxychlor metabolites did not exhibit a time-dependent inhibition. Methoxychlor inhibited competitively the formation of 7 alpha-hydroxytestosterone (7 alpha-OH-T) and 16 alpha-hydroxytestosterone (16 alpha-OH-T) but exhibited little or no time-dependent inhibition of generation of these metabolites, indicating that P450s 2A1, 2B1/B2, and 2C11 were inhibited but not inactivated. Methoxychlor inhibited in a time-dependent fashion the 2-hydroxylation of E2 in PB-microsomes. However, bis-OH-M exhibited solely reversible inhibition of the 2-hydroxylation, supporting our conclusion that the inactivation of P450s does not involve participation of the demethylated metabolites. Both competitive inhibition and time-dependent inactivation of human liver P450 3A (6 beta-hydroxylase) by methoxychlor, was observed. As with rat liver microsomes, the human 6 beta-hydroxylase was inhibited by bis-OH-M and tris-OH-M competitively and noncompetitively, respectively. Testosterone and estradiol strongly inhibited the irreversible binding of methoxychlor to microsomal proteins. This might explain the "clean" competitive inhibition by methoxychlor of the 6 beta-OH-T formation when the compounds were coincubated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

The gluteus maximus superior split muscle flap for complex posterior pelvic wounds.

Coverage of complex posterior-lateral pelvic wounds can be difficult with currently described flaps. Using a superior transposition of the superior portion of the gluteus maximus, coverage can be obtained without resorting to free tissue transfers. No functional deficits are seen in ambulatory patients. We present a cadaver dissection and 2 patient reports to illustrate this versatile flap. Coverage of wounds involving the deeper aspects of the sacroiliac joint, or the posterior iliac crest, can be difficult without resorting to free tissue transfers. After trauma, osteomyelitis of these two areas can be treated by adequate and extensive debridement, but in doing so, significant dead space can be created. We have found the superior split gluteus muscle rotation flap to be an excellent choice in 2 patients whom we have encountered. To our knowledge, the superior rotation of this muscle flap has not been previously reported.

Adult↗

The pronator quadratus muscle flap: coverage of the osteotomized radius following elevation of the radial forearm flap.

Skin-graft take following elevation of the osteocutaneous radial forearm flap has been shown to be difficult. The pronator quadratus muscle flap can be elevated to cover the exposed osteotomized radius and flexor carpi radialis and brachioradialis tendons. This technique is technically easy to perform and may significantly reduce donor-site wound-healing problems.

Adult↗

Juvenile breast hypertrophy: report of a familial pattern and review of the literature.

Juvenile hypertrophy of the breast is a relatively rare condition rapidly leading to gigantomastia in peripubertal females. The pathology is limited to the breast, with otherwise normal growth and development. We have reported the first familial pattern seen in this unusual condition. Ablation of the breast is always required. We favor reduction mammaplasty to avoid breast implants, despite the need for additional procedures secondary to recurrent hypertrophy. Our second patient provides support for this approach, demonstrating amelioration in breast growth despite the initial period of rapid regrowth.

Breast↗

Cytochrome P-450-mediated activation and irreversible binding of the antiestrogen tamoxifen to proteins in rat and human liver: possible involvement of flavin-containing monooxygenases in tamoxifen activation.

Tamoxifen (TXF), a triphenylethylene antiestrogen, is the major therapeutic agent for breast cancer. In rare cases, TXF treatment appears to increase incidence of endometrial cancer. Also in rats, TXF was found to induce hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous studies suggested that metabolism of TXF may contribute to its antiestrogenic and anticancer activity. The current study demonstrates a novel route of TXF metabolism. TXF is metabolized by rat and human liver microsomes into a reactive intermediate (txf*) which binds irreversibly to microsomal proteins. The binding requires NADPH and O2 and is inhibited by CO, inhibitors of P-450, and antibodies to rat NADPH-P450 reductase, indicating catalysis by P450. Phenobarbital treatment of rats markedly increases binding, suggesting the involvement of induced P450s. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins from incubation of [14C] TXF with phenobarbital-treated microsomes exhibits a major radiolabeled zone which corresponds to a molecular weight of approximately 54,000, suggesting binding to a P-450. Cysteine and glutathione inhibited the binding of TXF without significantly affecting P-450-mediated metabolism of TXF, possibly by reacting with txf* or by competing for the same binding sites. Exposure of phenobarbital-treated microsomes and control-microsomes to 50 degrees C for 90 s, which inactivates the flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO), diminished binding and pH 8.6 enhanced binding. Also, alternate FMO substrates inhibited binding. These findings indicate that P-450 and possibly FMO catalyze the reactions leading to the formation of txf*. However, incubations with single-labeled and dual-radiolabeled tamoxifen or with [14C]TXF-N-oxide demonstrated that monodesmethyl-TXF and TXF-N-oxide, the principal P-450 and FMO-mediated metabolites, respectively, are not on the major route of txf* formation, indicating that txf* could not be an aldehyde derived from tamoxifen nitrone. Thus, though the structure of txf* was not characterized, certain possibilities were excluded. Speculations on the structure of txf* and on its possible pharmacological and toxicological activity are presented.

Animals↗

Studies on the formation of methoxychlor-protein adduct in rat and human liver microsomes. Is demethylation of methoxychlor essential for cytochrome P450 catalyzed covalent binding?

Previous studies demonstrated that liver microsomal monooxygenases metabolize the pesticide methoxychlor into phenolic estrogenic derivatives. Additionally, methoxychlor is activated by the hepatic cytochrome P450 monooxygenase to bind covalently to microsomal proteins (Bulger WH, Temple JE and Kupfer D, Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 68: 367-374, 1983). The current study examines, in liver microsomes from control and phenobarbital-treated rats and humans, whether demethylation of methoxychlor is essential for covalent binding and whether demethylated methoxychlor metabolites are on the pathway of formation of the reactive intermediate and protein adduct. Using 3H-methoxyl-labeled and 14C-ring-labeled methoxychlor, it was demonstrated that demethylation is not essential for covalent binding. Namely, the major portion of the methoxychlor moiety in the protein adduct was found to contain intact methoxyls. Nevertheless, in the absence of methoxychlor, both the mono- and bis-demethylated methoxychlor metabolites could undergo monooxygenase-mediated covalent binding to proteins. This was demonstrated in incubations of purified 14C-labeled mono- and bis-demethylated methoxychlor metabolites with liver microsomes, in the presence of NADPH. Additionally, the dehydrochlorinated metabolite of methoxychlor, containing a double bond, underwent covalent binding, which exhibited characteristics similar to those of methoxychlor. These findings demonstrated that the protein adduct from relatively brief incubation periods contains a methoxychlor derivative with intact methoxyls. The possibility that the activation of methoxychlor involves modification of the side chain, which is the active site that binds to proteins, is discussed.

Animals↗