• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 1995

Microsomes from human liver sample HL 110 oxidized aflatoxin $B_1$ $(AFB_1)$ to $AFB_1$ exo-8, 9-epoxide which was detected as a glutathione (GSH) conjugate with excess GSH S-transferase and to aflatoxin $Q_1$ ($AFB_1$; 3$\alpha$-hydroxyafiatoxin $B_1$), and testosterone to 6$\beta$-hydroxytestosterone. Anti-P450 3A4 nearly completely inhibited all of the reactions. Some fiavonoids inhibited all of the reactions. While other fiayonolds stimulated 8, 9-epoxidation and inhibited 3$\alpha$-hydroxylation. Gestodene inhibited all of the reactions when gestodene was metabolized by human liver microsomal P450 3A4 prior to adding substrate. But, ges-todene was added in the enzyme mixtures in the presence of $AFB_1$, it could not inhibit 8, 9-epoxidation of $AFB_1$. Nifedipine and troleandomycin inhibited both of the reactions of $AFB_1$ but only 3$\alpha$-hydroxylation was inhibited by the oxidation product of nifedipine. Although, troleandomycin was known as a mechanism-based inhibitor, the chemical did not show any detectable inhibitory effect on 6$\beta$-hydroxylation of testosterone. The results suggest that there are several different substrate-binding sites on P450 3A4.