Enzyme activities and cytochrome P-450 levels of some Japanese quail tissues with respect to their metabolism of several pesticides

In the Japanese quail, cytochrome P-450, A- and B-esterase, amidase, and glutathione S-aryl transferase were assayed in postmitochondrial centrifugal fractions, in microsomes, and supernatant fractions of liver, lungs, kidneys, and testes. Liver microsomes contained the highest A-esterase activity and P-450 levels. B-esterase was more generally distributed and higher in the microsomal tissue fractions. Microsomal amidase activity was highest in quail lung and kidney, and lowest in the liver (per mg protein). Very little difference in glutathione S-aryl transferase activity was noted among the tissues assayed. In vitro metabolism of carbaryl, phosphamidon, and chlorotoluron by the various centrifugal fractions revealed that the production of 1-naphthyl-N-hydroxymethylcarbamate and 1-naphthol, the major metabolites, was greatest in the postmitochondrial fraction of the liver. The major carbaryl metabolite in all other quail tissue fractions was 1-naphthol. Phosphamidon metabolism in postmitochondrial preparations of quail liver was higher than in the supernatant and microsomes. Chlorotoluron metabolism occurred only in the postmitochondrial fractions of quail liver. The major products were the oxidative metabolites, N-(3-chloro-4-methylphenyl)-N′-methylurea and N-(3-chloro-4-hydroxymethylphenyl)-N′-methylurea.     

Effect of hepatic enzyme inducers on the in vivo and in vitro metabolism of dicrotophos,dimethoate, and phosphamidon in mice

Daily 75 mg/kg phenobarbital ip injections for 3 days or 25 ppm dieldrin in the diet of mice for 14 days caused an increase in liver cytochrome P-450 and blood B-esterase. Liver A-esterase was not significantly increased. Under in vitro conditions, phenobarbital and dieldrin induced the oxidative as well as hydrolytic metabolism of dicrotophos, dimethoate, and phosphamidon by liver homogenates or combined microsomes plus 105,000g supernatant fractions. The concentration of dimethoxon was increased more than fourfold by the pretreatments after incubation for 4 hr at 37.5°C with NADPH added. The organophosphorus insecticides used in this study were not metabolized as well by the liver microsomes alone or 105,000g supernatant alone, as by the combination of microsomes and 105,000g supernatant. Under in vivo conditions in mice, phenobarbital and dieldrin treatments increased the urinary recovery of metabolites in the initial 6 hr after [¹⁴C]carbonyl-dimethoate or [¹⁴C]N-ethyl-phosphamidon administration. Analysis of urine showed that the inducers caused a more than sixfold increase in dimethoxon recovered and twofold increase in water-soluble nontoxic metabolites within 6 hr after dimethoate administration. With phosphamidon both inducers increased the rate of metabolism, and the total recovery in aqueous and chloroform fractions was decreased. These results suggest that increased dimethoate toxicity after phenobarbital and dieldrin treatments in whole animals results from stimulation of the activation of dimethoate to dimethoxon, while the increase in hydrolytic products after both pretreatments results in decreased toxicity of the direct acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, dicrotophos and phosphamidon.     

The role of tyrosinase in the inactivation of house fly microsomal mixed-function oxidases

The low mixed-function oxidase activity of house fly microsomes has been associated with low cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. The microsomal cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity could be decreased by the addition of catechol and increased by the addition of cyanide to the homogenates. Similar results were obtained with rat liver microsomes treated with tyrosinase and catechol. During the inactivation of rat liver microsomal enzymes by tyrosinase and catechol, crosslinking of microsomal proteins occurred. These results suggest that the instability of house fly microsomal mixed-function oxidase may be due in part to the action of contaminating tyrosinase on endogenous substrates.     

Dehydrogenation: A previously unreported pathway of lindane metabolism in mammals

This study presents evidence for the dehydrogenation of lindane by a hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase system. Preliminary investigation established that the incubation of lindane with rat liver homogenates produces a chlorinated, nonpolar compound identified as hexachlorocyclohexene. Differential centrifugation resulted in the sedimentation of most of the dehydrogenase activity in the microsomal fraction. Optimum in vitro assay conditions were established and it was found that the dehydrogenase system required molecular oxygen and reduced pyridine nucleotide coenzyme for maximum activity. Inhibition by SKF 525-A and CO suggested that the enzyme was cytochrome P-450 dependent. Lack of inhibition by cyanide indicated that the cytochrome b₅ desaturase system was probably not involved. Pretreatment of rats with DDT, which stimulates lindane metabolism, also induced significantly higher dehydrogenase activity. Both the in vivo and in vitro metabolism of hexachlorocyclohexene produced previously identified lindane metabolites. The existence of a cytochrome P-450 dependent mixed-function oxidase which catalyzes the dehydrogenation of lindane has not previously been reported and may be of importance in the metabolism of other xenobiotics.     

Metabolism of cisanilide (Cis-2,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinecarboxanilide) by rat liver microsomes

Metabolism of [phenyl-¹⁴C] and [(2,5) pyrrolidine-¹⁴C] cisanilide was investigated in vitro with microsomal preparations from rat liver. Microsomal activity was associated with a mixed-function oxidase system that required O₂ and NADPH and was inhibited by CO. Two major ether-soluble metabolites were isolated. They were identified as primary oxidation products: 2-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinecarboxanilide (A) and 4′-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinecarboxanilide (B). Minor ether-soluble metabolites were also isolated. Precursor product studies and qualitative thin layer chromatography analysis of [pyrrolidine-¹⁴C] and methylated [phenyl-¹⁴C] hydrolysis products suggested that these metabolites were secondary oxidation products formed from metabolites A or B. One of these metabolites appeared to be the dihydroxy product 2,4′-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinecarboxanilide. Crude microsomal preparations (postmitochondrial supernatant fractions) also formed small quantities (<10%) of polar metabolites. Enzyme hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase (Escherichia coli) indicated that approximately 50% of these metabolites were glucuronides. Similarities and differences in cisanilide oxidation in vivo in plants and in vitro with rat liver microsomal preparations were discussed.     

In-vitro Metabolism of a Novel Monocrotophos Derivative by Rat and Japanese Quail

NADPH-dependent inhibition of hepatic microsomal carboxylesterase by a derivative of monocrotophos (coded as RPR-5) was studied in rat and Japanese quail as a measure of monooxygenase-catalysed activation of RPR-5. There was NADPH-dependent inhibition of hepatic microsomal α-naphthyl acetate esterase (carboxylesterase) both in rat and quail, indicating monooxygenase-catalysed formation of an oxon that subsequently phosphorylated α-NaE. The pattern of in-vitro metabolism of ¹⁴C-labelled RPR-5 by 11000g supernatant (11-S), microsomes and 105000g supernatant (105-S) fractions of rat and quail livers suggested the involvement of microsomal monooxygenases and carboxylesterases. A radiolabelled metabolite (M2) was tentatively identified as an acid produced by carboxyl esterase attack. In rat, metabolism by microsomal and cytosolic (105-S) carboxylesterases appeared to predominate with relatively little oxidative metabolism. In quail, putative microsomal carboxylesterase hydrolysis of RPR-5 was much lower than in the rat with almost neglible hydrolysis by cytosolic fractions. Also, production of M₂ by quail microsomes was substantially reduced after addition of NADPH, suggesting inhibition of a carboxyl esterase by the oxon of RPR-5. Differences in this detoxification of RPR-5 between rat and quail may be an important factor in determining selective toxicity and the results underline the importance of relating metabolism to toxicity when selecting animal models for toxicity testing.     

Induction of glutathione S-aryl transferase by phenobarbital in the house fly

Induction of glutathione S-aryl transferase by phenobarbital was studied with three stains of house flies which differed in basal levels of the enzyme. The enzyme was shown to be inducible in two of the three strains tested and the amount of induction was inversely proportional to the basal level of enzyme activity. In dose-dependency tests, a high dose of phenobarbital, 10,000 ppm, was needed to cause significant levels of induction. In a time study, 48 hr was found to be the time at which the highest levels of induction occur. Similarities of this system to house fly microsomal oxidases are discussed.     

Molecular basis for the antimycotic and antibacterial activity of N-substituted imidazoles and triazoles: The inhibition of isoprenoid biosynthesis

The antimycotic N-substituted imidazoles and triazoles, such as imazalil, ketoconazole and itraconazole, interfere selectively at low concentrations (≥0.01nm) with the 14α-demethylase system (which is dependent on cytochrome P-450) of fungal cells, for example, Candida albicans and Penicillium italicum. This results in a decreased availability of ergosterol and the accumulation of 14α-methyl-sterols such as lanosterol. Cholesterol synthesis in a subcellular fraction of rat liver, in intact fibroblasts, and in vivo in rat liver, was much less sensitive, for example, to ketoconazole. The imidazole derivatives imazalil, miconazole, ketoconazole and parconazole, and the triazole derivatives propiconazole, terconazole and itraconazole affect the cytochrome P-450 species of microsomal fractions from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and rat liver. Cytochrome P-450 of rat-liver microsomes was much less sensitive to these azole derivatives, in parallel with the lower sensitivity of cholesterol synthesis. Using unilamellar vesicles composed of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidyl-ethanolamine and diphosphatidylcholine, multilamellar vesicles of dipalmitoylphos-phatidylcholine, and intact S. cerevisiae, it was shown that the substitution of ergosterol by lanosterol leads to functional changes in the membranes. It is speculated that the selective interaction of the azole derivatives with the yeast microsomal cytochrome P-450 leads to the accumulation of 14a-methyl-sterols and results in changes in the permeability of the membranes and leakages. The observed inhibition of growth may have its origin in these changes. Miconazole, ketoconazole and deacylated ketoconazole (R-39519) also affect the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, miconazole being 12.5 and 14 times, respectively, more active than R-39519 and ketoconazole. The greater antibacterial activity of miconazole coincides with its greater inhibition of the biosynthesis of C-55 isoprenoid alcohol and vitamin K. The phosphorylated derivative of C-55 isoprenoid alcohol has functional importance in the biosynthesis of bacterial cell wall and membrane polymers, and the menaquinone vitamin K plays a role in the electron transport of Gram-positive bacteria. The reduced synthesis of these vital compounds may contribute to the antibacterial activity of miconazole.     

Binding of azole fungicides related to diclobutrazol to cytochrome P-450

Fungicides containing the imidazole and triazole groups are known to block the 14α-demethylation reaction in ergosterol biosynthesis, which is a cytochrome P-450 enzyme system. Fungicides related to diclobutrazol [(2RS, 3RS)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pentan-3-ol] bind to cytochrome P-450 in rat liver microsomes, whole yeast cells, yeast microsomes and to a partially purified cytochrome P-450 from yeast, with Type II spectral changes. The most fungicidally active isomer (2R, 3R) shows greater binding than the less active (2S, 3S)-enantiomer to yeast microsomes; when the cytochrome P-450 was purified, a preparation was obtained to which binding more closely matched the fungicidal activity. Binding to rat liver microsomes does not reflect the fungicidal activity of the compounds.     

The in vitro metabolism of azinphosmethyl by mouse liver

The in vitro metabolism of methoxy-¹⁴C- or ³²P-azinphosmethyl by subcellular fractions from mouse liver was studied. The major degradative activity was associated with the microsomal and soluble fractions. Since the microsomal activity required NADPH and was inhibited by carbon monoxide, it is reasonable to assume that the mixed function oxidases were involved. The microsomal system catalyzed the dearylation reaction resulting in the formation of dimethyl phosphorothioic acid and dimethyl phosphoric acid. The system was also responsible for the oxidative desulfuration of azinphosmethyl resulting in the formation of azinphosmethyl oxygen analog.     

in vitro metabolism of azinphosmethyl in susceptible and resistant houseflies

The in vitro metabolism of [¹⁴C-methoxy] or [³²P]azinphosmethyl by subcellular fractions of abdomens from a resistant and a susceptible strain of houseflies was studied. The degradative activity in both strains was associated with the microsomal and soluble fractions and required NADPH and glutathione, respectively. The resistant strain possessed higher activity for both the mixed-function oxidases and the glutathione transferase than the susceptible strain, and both systems appear to be important in the resistance mechanism. The mixed-function oxidases were involved in the oxidative desulfuration as well as the dearylation of azinphosmethyl. A glutathione transferase located in the soluble fraction catalyzed the formation of desmethyl azinphosmethyl and methyl glutathione. This enzyme also demethylated azinphosmethyl oxygen analog. Although the soluble fraction exhibited both glutathione S-alkyltransferase and S-aryltransferase activity against noninsecticidal substrates, no evidence of the transfer of the benzazimide moiety from azinphosmethyl to glutathione was obtained. Sephadex G-100 chromatography of the soluble enzymes revealed a common eluting fraction responsible for both types of transferase activity.     

Conversion of α-pinene to α-pinene oxide by rat liver and the bark beetle Dendroctonus terebrans microsomal fractions

The metabolism of α-pinene, a major monoterpene in Pinus spp. in the United States, has been examined utilizing microsomal fractions from larval and adult Dendroctonus terebrans and rat liver. Under hydroxylating conditions, both insect and rat liver microsomes convert α-pinene into α-pinene oxide and several other undentified products. α-Pinene oxide was identified by mass spectrometry. α-Pinene is an inducer of cytochrome P-450 in rat liver microsomes and its effect on the pattern of α-pinene metabolism is very similar to β-naphthoflavone. No increase in cytochrome P-450 was observed when insects were treated with α-pinene; however, the quantity of α-pinene metabolic products was increased by α-pinene pretreatment. The role of cytochrome P-450 linked reactions in the production of insect pheromones via the α-pinene epoxide intermediate is discussed.     

Selective inhibition of separate esterases in rat and mouse liver microsomes hydrolyzing malathion,trans-permethrin,and cis-permethrin

Separate esterase activities of rat and mouse liver microsomes hydrolyzing malathion, trans-permethrin, and cis-permethrin were differentiated on the basis of their sensitivities to inhibition by paraoxon and α-naphthyl N-propylcarbamate (NPC). In rat liver microsomes, the malathionhydrolyzing activity was more sensitive to both inhibitors and showed a different time course of NPC inhibition than the activities hydrolyzing the permethrin isomers. Paraoxon completely inhibited trans-permethrin hydrolysis, but only partially inhibited that of cis-permethrin. The paraoxonsensitive trans- and cis-permethrin-hydrolyzing activities were not differentially inhibited, but separate inhibition curves were obtained for the inhibition of trans- and cis-permethrin hydrolysis by NPC. The mouse liver esterase activity hydrolyzing trans-permethrin showed a similar paraoxon sensitivity to that of rat liver, but that the paraoxon-sensitive portion of the cis-permethrinhydrolyzing activity was 5.5-fold less sensitive to paraoxon than the corresponding rat liver activity and was clearly differentiated from the mouse liver trans-permethrin-hydrolyzing activity. The mouse liver malathion-hydrolyzing activity was 100-fold less sensitive to paraoxon and 14-fold less sensitive to NPC than the corresponding rat liver activity. Rat and mouse liver esterase activities hydrolyzed trans- and cis-permethrin at similar rates under standard assay conditions, but mouse liver esterases were 10-fold less active in hydrolyzing malathion. The higher specific activity of rat liver malathion-hydrolyzing esterases resulted from the greater apparent affinity and maximum velocity for malathion hydrolysis. These results demonstrate that the hydrolysis of malathion, trans-permethrin, and cis-permethrin by rat and mouse liver microsomal preparations involves several esterases with differing substrate specificities and inhibitor sensitivities.     

Species and sex differences in the reductive dechlorination of DDT by supplemented liver preparations

p,p′-DDT was converted to DDD, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane, by unheated 12,000g supernate supplemented with NADPH, made from liver of rat, mouse, hamster, quail, chicken and pigeon. The additional presence of exogenous riboflavin did not augment reduction. If, however, riboflavin was added to unheated microsomes supplemented with NADPH or NADH the rate of reduction was more than doubled.Heated 12,000g supernate, unsupplemented or containing only exogenous riboflavin, did not reduce DDT. When NAD(P)H was present, big species differences in activity occurred, the pigeon and cockerel scarcely reducing any DDT in 2 hr, the Wistar rat supernate being most active. Addition to heated 12,000g supernate of 30 μg riboflavin as well as NAD(P)H resulted in increased reductive activity for all six species. The species difference in effect of exogenous riboflavin between the pigeon and rat was also observed using four DDT analogs as substrates. A sex-related difference in activity of preheated, supplemented 12,000g supernate from livers of the chicken and Norwegian hooded rat was not found when unheated preparations were used. In contrast to the activity possessed by preheated 12,000g supernate of rat liver supplemented with NAD(P)H, similarly supplemented preheated microsomes did not reduce DDT. On adding riboflavin as well as NAD(P)H, however, preheated hepatic microsomes of both pigeon and rat produced DDD, and this activity was further increased by addition of unheated microsomal (105,000g) supernate. The biocatalytic system functioning in preheated preparations appears to need at least one component of heated microsomes, NAD(P)H and one or more water-soluble components.     

In vitro metabolism of EPN and EPNO by mouse liver

The in vitro metabolism of EPN (O-ethyl O-p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothionate) and EPNO (O-ethyl O-p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonate) in mouse liver was studied. EPNO was metabolized faster than EPN, and the highest metabolic activity was found in the 10,000g supernatant in the presence of both NADPH and glutathione. Liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH metabolize EPN to its oxygen analog, EPNO and p-nitrophenol. With the 100,000g supernatant only slight metabolism of EPN occurred in the presence of GSH. Metabolism of EPNO by liver microsomes increased upon the addition of NADPH. p-Nitrophenol was the only metabolite isolated in the presence of microsomes, whereas, with the addition of NADPH, both p-nitrophenol and desethyl EPNO were formed. Quantitative studies showed that there was little, if any, oxidative dearylation of EPNO by liver microsomes. The 100,000g supernatant was found to actively degrade EPNO, and this increased upon addition of glutathione. The initial rate of p-nitrophenol formation as a result of incubation of EPN and EPNO with liver microsomes was found to be higher with EPN than EPNO.     

Components of the electron transport system in the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system in wild birds

Notable differences were found among six species of wild-caught birds in the levels of cytochrome P-450, cytochrome b₅, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and NADH-cytochrome c reductase. Ethyl isocyanide difference spectra showed significant variations among the species in peak height and in the ratios of the $\text{430}\text{455}\text{-}\text{nm}$ peaks. Substantial aldrin epoxidase activity was found in all species, and the amounts of dieldrin produced compared favorably with pigeon and rat liver microsomes. Higher content of cytochrome P-450 was not always accompanied by a similar rise in specific catalytic activity. Thus, no correlation could be established between these two parameters. Aldrin epoxidase activity with NADH as the sole electron donor was 25–49% as effective as with the NADPH-generating system. Addition of both NADH and NADPH-generating systems to the incubation mixture produced a synergistic effect with liver microsomes of two species but not with two other species. DDE and polychlorinated biphenyls residues were found in the heart tissue of all species examined, and this might indicate a possible inductive effect on the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system by environmental contaminants.     

In vitro metabolism of atrazine by rat liver

The metabolism of atrazine and 6 possible metabolites by rat liver subcellular fractions was studied in vitro. The dealkylation reaction predominated over the conjugation reaction with glutathione; the isopropyl group being more easily dealkylated than the ethyl group. With the compounds investigated, the reactions involved dealkylation in the microsomal fraction and conjugation with glutathione in the soluble fraction. All of the chloro-s-triazines were able to form conjugates with glutathione. No evidence for the dechlorination of the chloro-s-triazines to hydroxy-s-triazines was observed in vitro.     

Aldrin epoxidation in the earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris L.

Aldrin epoxidase of the earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris L., has been shown to occur mainly in the intestine and seemed to increase in activity with the development of the animal. The microsomal fraction was identified by electron microscopy as the locus of the epoxidase. Although sesamex was not inhibitory, inhibition of expoxidase by carbon monoxide suggested the involvement of cytochrome P-450. However, the carbon monoxide difference spectrum of the microsomes was dominated by a material which was spectroscopically identical to earthworm hemoglobin.     

In vitro metabolism of etrimfos by rat and mouse liver

The in vitro metabolism of etrimfos, O,O-dimethyl-O-(2-ethyl-4-ethoxy-6-pyrimidinyl) phosphorothionate, was studied in rat and mouse liver. The major route of metabolism in rat and mouse liver was via glutathione transferase, and the predominant metabolite was desmethyl etrimfos. The higher toxicity of etrimfos to mice was attributed mainly to lower amounts of reduced glutathione in mouse liver. Thus, the level of reduced glutathione appears to be in part responsible for the selective toxicity. No oxygen analog of etrimfos was found.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of diazoxon by rat tissue homogenates

The enzymatic hydrolysis of ³²P-labeled diazoxon was studied using tissue homogenates of rat and American cockroach. The order of the hydrolytic activities of rat tissues for diazoxon was as follows: liver > blood > lung > heart > kidney > brain. A liver enzyme hydrolyzing diazoxon to diethyl phosphoric acid and 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine was located in the microsomes. The activity of the microsomal enzyme was inhibited by EDTA, heavy and rare earth metal ions, and SH reagents. Ca²⁺ activated the enzyme and protected it from inactivation. Mitochondrial and soluble enzymes from liver and a serum enzyme also hydrolyzed diazoxon and they were also activated by Ca²⁺. The removal of calcium bound to the microsomal enzyme protein by dialysis against EDTA led to a partially irreversible change of the enzyme. The hydrolysis of diazoxon by the Ca²⁺-requiring microsomal and serum enzymes was more rapid than that of paraoxon. Hydrolysis of diazoxon did not occur in American cockroach homogenates. This difference in the capacity to hydrolyze diazoxon between mammals and insects is discussed in relation to the selective toxicity of diazinon.