• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.249-257
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• 2002

Cytochrome P450 3As such as 3A4 and 3A5 metabolize a wide range of pharmaceutical compounds. The vectors for the expression of fusion protein containing an N-terminal human P450 3A4 or P450 3A5 sequences and a C-terminal rat NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase moiety were constructed. These plasmids were used to express the fusion protein in Escherichia coli DH5$\alpha$ cells. High levels of expression were achieved (100~200 nmol/liter) and the expressed fusion protein in E. coli membranes were catalytically active for nifedipine oxidation, a typical enzymatic activity of P450 3A4. The NADPH-P450 reductase activities of these fusion protein were also determined by measuring reduction of cytochrome c. To fine a specific Inhibitor of P450 3A4 from naturally occurring chemicals, a series of isothiocyanate compounds were evaluated for the inhibitory activity of P450 using the fusion proteins in E. coli membranes. Of the five isothiocyanates (phenethyl isothiocyanate, phenyl isothiocyanate, benzol isothiocyanate, benzoyl isothiocyanate and cyclohexyl isothiocyanate) tested, benzoyl isothiocyanate showed a strong inhibition of P450 3A4 with an $IC_{50}$value of 2.8 $\mu\textrm{M}$. Our results indicate that the self-sufficient fusion protein will be very useful tool to study the drug metabolism and benzyl isothiocyanate may be valuable for characterizing the enzymatic properties of P450 3A4.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2001

We have carried out PCR reactions to investigate if cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes (1A1, 1A2, 2C8, 2E1 and 3A4), which are well hewn to be the key enzymes in detoxification process and/or synthesis of steroids in the liver, are expressed in the human brain, too. P450 1A1, 2C8 and 2E1 were expressed clearly. However, P450 1A2 and 3A4 were not detectable. Their expression levels in the human brain could be extremely low or they were not expressed at all. One base substitution at nucleotide 290 (A->G) was identified in P450 1A1. It is suspected to be an individual polymorphism. Our results should contribute to the better understanding of the role of cytochrome P450 enzymes in the human brain.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.58-63
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• 1993

In order to elucidate the alteration of drug-metabolizing enzymes and mechanism in the animal with hepatic injury and ketosis, the regulation of P450IIE was studied in the rats with heaptic injury caused by CCl$_4$ and with ketosis caused by streptozotocin and high-fat diet. P450IIE expression in liver was examined by the combination of enzyme activities, Western immunoblot, and mRNA Northern blot analyses using specific polyclonal antibody and cDNA probe for P450IIE. Enzyme activity and amounts of immunoreactive P450IIE were rapidly decreased in a time-dependent manner after a single dose of CCl$_4$ . However, the decreases in P450IIE enzyme activity and immunoreactive protein by CCl$_4$ were not accompanied by a decline in its mRNA level. The data thus suggested a post-translational reduction of P450IIE by CCl$_4$. The enzyme activities (aniline hydroxylase) in hepatic microsomes were elevated about 2-3-fold by streptozotocin and feeding with a high fat diet. This increases in enzyme activities were also accompanied by 3-fold increases in immunoreactive P450IIE protein and its mRNA. Our data thus indicated that P450IIE induction during the ketosis appears to be due to pretranslational activation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.179-182
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• 1995

Previous study showed that $CCl_4$ administration evoked a rapid decrease in cytochrome $P_{450}$ 2E1 protein soon after the exposure due to posttranslational inhibition(Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 179:449-454, 1991). In this report, aniline hydroxylase and the amounts of immunoreactive $P_{450}$ 2E1 were rapidly decreased during day 1 to 2 and recovered during day 3 to 4 after a single dose of $CCl_4$. The activity of pentoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase was also suppressed at day 1 and began to repair from day 2. However, the decrease in immunoreactive $P_{450}$ 2C content was not observed. The decreases in $P_{450}$ 2E1 enzyme activity and immunoreactive protein by acute $CCl_4$ treatment were accompanied by a decline in $P_{450}$ 2E1 mRNA level. The data thus suggested a pretranslational reduction of $P_{450}$ 2E1 during day 1 to 2 after acute $CCl_4$ treatment.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.329-335
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• 1995

Incubation of aflatoxin $B_1$ $(AFB_1)$ with microsomes isolated from human liver number 110 yielded two metabolite peaks which were aflatoxin $Q_1$ $(AFQ_1)$ and $(AFB_1)$-exo-8, 9-epoxide (exo-epoxide) in high performance liquid chromatography. Production ratio of $AFQ_1$ to exo-epoxide was 2.43$\pm $0.04. Metabolism of $(AFB_1)$ to $(AFQ_1)$ and exo-epoxide was inhibited by troleandomycin in a same degree although troleandomycin was not activated as a mechanism-based inhibitor. The inhibitory effect was dependent upon either the incubation time with $(AFB_1)$ or the preincubation time before the addition of $(AFB_1)$. Incubation of troleandomycin and NADPH by the microsomes resulted in the formation of a cytochrome P 450 (P450)-metabollc intermediate (MI) complex and the level was approximately 80% of total P450 3A4 in the microsomes. This figure was similar to that of the inhibitory effect of troleandomycin on $AFB_1$ metabolism. Glutathione which was reported that it prevented the formation of MI complex in rat liver microsomes did not inhibit the formation of MI complex in human liver microsomes. These results suggested that the inhibitory effect of troleandomycin on $AFB_1$ metabolism is due to the formation of MI complex with P450 3A4. And the reaction mechanism of troleandomycin by human liver microsomes might be dlfferent from that one by rat liver microsomes.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the metabolic site of some medicinal herbs in the liver associated with CYP (Cytochrome P450). Methods : Cytochrome P450 is the major enzymes involved in drug metabolism and bioactivation. CYP3A4 and CYP2D6, the major CYP isoforms in humans, catalyse the major proportion of drugs available on the market. Scintillation proximity assay (SPA) is often used in studies to identify compounds that inhibit CYP3A4 and CYP2D6. 28 herbal extracts and radioisotopes were attached competitively to SPA beads, and followed by measuring the remaining radioisotopes in the medium. Erythromycin and dexamethasone, inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6, were used as controls respectively. Results : Most of the 28 herbal extracts showed dose-dependent affinity to the CYP3A4 while some of the herbs showed affinity to the CYP2D6. Conclusions : These results suggest that most of the 28 herbal extracts are metabolized safely in the liver, combined with CYP3A4 and CYP2D6.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.149.3-150
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• 2003

CYP3A4 is the most abundant human CYP and oxidizes a diversity of substrates. including various drugs. steroids. and carcinogens. A variety of metal ions are known to affect microsomal monooxygenase activities. Effects of a series of divalent metal ions on the CYP3A4-catalyzed reaction of reconstituted system containing purified CYP3A4. NADPH-P450 reductase (NPR), and cytochrome b5 (b5) were examined. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2002.06b
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• pp.53-53
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• 2002

Inhibitory effects of Cu$\^$2＋/ on the cytochrome P450 (P450)-catalyzed reactions of liver microsomes and reconstituted systems containing purified P450 and NADPH-P450 reductase (NPR) were seen. However, Zn$\^$2＋/, Mg$\^$2＋/, Mn$\^$2＋/, Ca$\^$2＋/, and Co$\^$2＋/ had no apparent effects on the activities of microsomal P450s. Cu$\^$2＋/ inhibited the reactions catalyzed by purified P450s lA2 and 3A4 with IC$\sub$50/ values of 5.7 and 8.4 ${\mu}$M, respectively.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.143-143
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• 2001

Human cytochrome P450 (CYP or P450) 3A4 (CYP3A4) is the most abundant among P450s in human liver. We previously reported that the expression of CYP3A4 in membranes prepared from E. coli coexpressed the bicistronic construct of CYP3A4 and NADPH-P450 reductase with cytochrome b$_{*}$ (b5) was showed 20-60% higher than that in membranes from E. coli expressed only the bicistronic construct with culturing longer times (48-72h).(omitted)