Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D F Lewis

Publications and source records attributed to D F Lewis.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Role of hepatic and renal cytochrome P-450 IVA1 in the metabolism of lipid substrates.

The role of clofibrate-inducible cytochrome P-450 IVA1 in the metabolism of endogenous lipids in both rat liver and kidney microsomal fractions has been investigated. 20(omega)-hydroxyarachidonic acid has been identified as a major metabolite after incubation with both tissue fractions and the structure confirmed by mass spectrometry. The arachidonic acid 20-hydroxylase activity is inducible by clofibrate in both liver and kidney, indicating that cytochrome P-450 IVA1 is probably the enzyme responsible for this activity. In addition, the kidney exhibited higher rates of arachidonate 20-hydroxylase activity than the liver (in both control and induced states). Although leukotriene B4 was also hydroxylated in the 20-position in both liver and kidney, clofibrate induction resulted in a decrease (approximately 50%) in hydroxylase activity. In addition, the absolute level of leukotriene B4 20-hydroxylase activity in both tissue homogenates and by purified cytochrome P-450 IVA1 in a reconstituted system, was 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding activity for lauric acid and arachidonic acid as substrates, indicating that the leukotriene was not the preferred substrate for this enzyme. Computer modelling of the conformational geometries of the above three potential cytochrome P-450 IVA1 substrates have shown that both lauric and arachidonic acids adopt a compact, 'hairpin' structure that are almost superimposed on each other, thereby rationalizing why they are relatively good substrates for this isoenzyme. By contrast, leukotriene B4 adopts a more bulky geometry than the two fatty acids, thereby providing a coherent structural reason why it is a poorer substrate for the cytochrome P-450 IVA1 isoenzyme.

Animals↗

Preferential induction of the rat hepatic P450 I proteins by the food carcinogen 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline.

1. Administration of the food carcinogen, 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) to rats gave rise to significant dose-dependent increases in the microsomal O-deethylations of ethoxycoumarin and ethoxyresorufin but had no effect on the O-dealkylation of pentoxyresorufin and the NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochrome c, and decreased the N-demethylation of dimethylnitrosamine. Microsomal cytochrome b5 and total cytochrome P-450 levels decreased following the administration of the carcinogen. 2. Hepatic microsomal preparations from IQ-treated animals were much more efficient than control in activating the premutagen 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole to mutagenic intermediates in the Ames test. 3. Immunoquantification of two of the major families of cytochrome P-450, namely P450 I and P450 II B, using ELISA techniques showed that treatment with IQ induced the apoprotein levels of the P450 I family but not of P450 II B. 4. Immunoblot analysis employing polyclonal antibodies against P450 I revealed that IQ induced both isoenzymes of this family, namely P450 I A1 and A2. 5. It is concluded that IQ is an inducer of the rat hepatic monooxygenases, selectively inducing the P450 I family as predicted by a computer-graphic analysis of its dimensions which showed that it is a large, essentially planar, molecule.

Animals↗

Adverse reactions of imidazole antifungal agents: computer graphic studies of cytochrome P-450 interactions.

The imidazole antifungal agents give rise to adverse reactions and clinically relevant drug interactions. This is due to lack of specificity of the antifungal agents that interact avidly not only with the fungal but also with mammalian cytochrome P-450 proteins. A computer graphic technique capable of predicting the interaction of these structurally-related imidazoles with fungal and mammalian cytochrome P-450 proteins is described. This prediction is achieved by comparing the molecular conformation of these drugs with lanosterol, the substrate of the fungal cytochrome P-450, and with phenobarbitone, an inducing agent of a family of mammalian cytochrome P-450, toward which the antifungal agents show highest inhibitory activity.

Animals↗

Molecular orbital studies of oxygen activation and mechanisms of cytochromes P-450-mediated oxidative metabolism of xenobiotics.

Molecular dimensions and molecular orbital calculations of the electronic structures of 56 substrates, inhibitors and inducers of the cytochromes P-448 and other families of the cytochromes P-450 are reported. Substrates of the cytochromes P-448 are shown to be planar molecules with relatively large values of area/depth2, and to have electronic structures with relatively low values for delta E, the difference in energy between the frontier orbitals (E(LEMO)- E(HOMO)). Substrates of other families of the cytochromes P-450 are globular molecules, with relatively low values of area/depth2 and relatively high values of delta E. Molecular orbital calculations of the active oxygen species, singlet oxygen and superoxy anion, have also been made. Singlet oxygen is a poor electron donor (low values of E(HOMO)) but a good electron acceptor (low values of E(LEMO)), whereas superoxy anion is a good electron donor and a poor electron acceptor. Cytochrome P-448 substrates, which are good electron donors, would preferentially accept singlet oxygen, a good electron acceptor; substrates of the other families of cytochrome P-450, which are less effective electron donors, would preferentially accept superoxy anion, a good electron donor, although substrates of both cytochromes P-448 and other P-450s may accept both species of active oxygen. Together with recent published evidence, these data provide a greater understanding of the mode of activation of oxygen by the various families of the cytochromes P-450, and to the insertion of active oxygen into the substrates. Mechanisms are proposed for the oxygenation of substrates, namely, epoxidation involving singlet oxygen and hydroxylation by superoxy anion. Finally, a detailed explanation of the cytochrome P-450 cycle is discussed, and mechanisms of the different types of oxidative metabolism are presented.

Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2↗

Studies on the mechanism of coumarin-induced toxicity in rat hepatocytes: comparison with dihydrocoumarin and other coumarin metabolites.

Single doses of coumarin (125 mg/kg, ip) produced a depletion of hepatic nonprotein sulfhydryl groups (mainly reduced glutathione; GSH) in young male Sprague-Dawley rats after 2 hr and increased liver weight and produced hepatic centrilobular necrosis after 24 hr. Coumarin also produced time- and dose-dependent toxic effects in primary rat hepatocyte cultures. A marked reduction of GSH levels was also observed in vitro and this was not due either to the formation of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) or to the leakage of GSH and/or GSSG from the hepatocytes. Coumarin-induced toxicity in rat hepatocytes could be inhibited by the cytochrome P450 inhibitors ellipticine and metyrapone and potentiated by depleting hepatocyte GSH levels with diethyl maleate. In contrast to coumarin, dihydrocoumarin--which lacks the 3,4-double bond--produced little toxicity in rat hepatocytes either in vivo (127 and 254 mg/kg, ip) or in vitro. Similarly, coumarin was more toxic to rat hepatocytes than a number of known coumarin metabolites including 3- and 7-hydroxycoumarin and o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. The results of these studies demonstrate a good in vivo/in vitro correlation for the effects of coumarin and dihydrocoumarin in rat hepatocytes. Furthermore, the data suggest that coumarin hepatoxicity in the rat is due to coumarin bioactivation by cytochrome P450-dependent enzymes to a toxic metabolite(s), which may be a coumarin 3,4-epoxide intermediate. GSH appears to protect against coumarin-induced toxicity possibly by the formation of conjugates with the toxic coumarin metabolite(s).

Animals↗

Prediction of chemical carcinogenicity from molecular and electronic structures: a comparison of MINDO/3 and CNDO/2 molecular orbital methods.

Molecular orbital methods have been used to calculate the electronic structures of a number of chemical carcinogens and non-carcinogens using the MINDO/3 (Modified Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap, version 3) and CNDO/2 (Complete Neglect of Differential Overlap) procedures; results from the two methods show good agreement. Spatial conformations of the same series of chemicals have also been determined. High affinity for cytochromes P-448 (P450 I) and high potential for chemical carcinogenicity/toxicity show good correlation with molecular planarity (high values of area/depth2) and low values of the difference between the frontier orbital energies (delta E) of the chemical. This computer graphic procedure identifies substrates of the cytochromes P-448 and is highly suited for the rapid screening of new chemicals for potential mutagenicity, carcinogenicity and certain other forms of toxicity. The implications of these findings to the mechanism of chemical carcinogenicity are discussed.

Carcinogenicity Tests↗

A rationale for the non-mutagenicity of 2- and 3-aminobiphenyls.

Of the three isomeric forms of aminobiphenyl, only 4-aminobiphenyl is an established carcinogen while the 2-isomer is considered as a non-carcinogen and 3-aminobiphenyl is at best described as a weak carcinogen. In the present studies we investigated the mutagenicity of these three compounds, their N-hydroxy derivatives and their nitrosoderivatives in the Ames test using the Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. The studies were performed both in the absence and presence of an activation system derived from the liver of rats pretreated with Aroclor 1254. Of the three isomers only 4-aminobiphenyl exhibited mutagenicity and only in the presence of an activation system. N-Hydroxy-4-aminobiphenyl was a potent direct mutagen in both bacterial strains, N-hydroxy-2-aminobiphenyl was mutagenic in only TA100 while N-hydroxy-3-aminobiphenyl displayed mutagenicity in neither strain. Both 2- and 3-nitrosobiphenyls were direct mutagens in strain TA100. These findings suggest that the weak carcinogenicity of 3-aminobiphenyl may be attributed to the lack of genotoxicity of its N-hydroxyderivative, whereas in the case of 2-aminobiphenyl it may be due to the inability of the hepatic preparations to catalyse its N-hydroxylation, which is in agreement with published in vivo metabolic studies. It is interesting that of the three isomers only 2-aminobiphenyl is non-planar, forming a dihedral angle of 40 degrees, and this may preclude it from acting as a substrate of the P-450I family of haemoproteins, which selectively catalyses the N-hydroxylation of many aromatic amines including 4-aminobiphenyl.

Aminobiphenyl Compounds↗

Molecular orbital calculations on tumour-inhibitory aniline mustards: QSARs.

1. Molecular orbital calculations by the MINDO/3 method are reported for a series of 23 para-substituted aniline mustards. 2. Quantitative structure-activity relationships are presented which show that electronic structural parameters can be related to a number of features of aniline mustard reactivity.

Alkylation↗

Molecular orbital calculations on tumour-inhibitory phenyl aziridines: QSARs.

1. Molecular orbital calculations, by the MINDO/3 method, on tumour-inhibitory phenyl aziridines are reported. 2. The generation of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) shows that biological activity, chemical reactivity and hydrophobicity can be explained in terms of theoretically-derived electronic structural parameters.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Teratogenicity of phenylhydantoins in an in vitro system: molecular orbital-generated quantitative structure-toxicity relationships.

1. The ability of 20 mono- and di-phenylhydantoin derivatives to inhibit differentiation of rat embryo mid-brain and limb bud cells in culture has been used as an index of the teratogenic hazard represented by these compounds. 2. Molecular orbital calculations on these compounds, using the MINDO-3 (modified intermediate neglect of differential overlap) and CNDO-2 (complete neglect of differential overlap) methods, were combined with indices of teratogenicity in the two cell types, to generate a coherent structure-toxicity relationship. 3. Teratogenicity correlated with frontier orbital electron density of the N1 hydantoin ring atom (HOMO-N1) in a sub-series of 12 monophenylhydantoins, whereas the corresponding toxicity for both mono- and di-phenylhydantoins related more to the molecular polarizability (alpha mol) of the molecule. 4. Furthermore the same structural parameter (alpha mol) exhibited a parallelism with log P values of these 20 compounds, indicating the importance of lipophilicity in the toxicity of these compounds. 5. Overall, the data emphasize the ability of electronic structural calculations to identify chemical descriptors of toxicity.

Animals↗

An evaluation of uterine scar integrity after cesarean section in rabbits.

Cesarean sections were performed on 30 rabbits at term pregnancy. Two incisions were made in each of the two uterine horns, and each incision was closed according to a predetermined method (continuous, everted; continuous, inverted; interrupted, everted; or interrupted, inverted). Tissue from the uterine scar region was sampled at three different time periods (5-8 days, 12-15 days, or 28-30 days) post-surgery to evaluate the degree of uterine healing by a variety of histologic criteria. The initial healing response in the scarred region occurred around 28-30 days post-surgery. The different uterine closure techniques did not appreciably influence the healing response in this study. We evaluated tensile strength in 36 uterine muscle specimens containing the scar obtained from nine animals in the 28-32-days post-surgery group. Of these 36 specimens, 86.1% tore through the muscle instead of through the scar when tension was applied to the muscle.

Animals↗

Metabolic activation of carcinogens and toxic chemicals.

1. The spatial parameters and electronic structures of 100 exogenous and endogenous chemicals have been determined by computer graphics, from which their oxidative metabolism by the cytochrome P-448 (activation) or the other families of cytochromes P-450 (generally detoxication) have been predicted. 2. The spatial parameters of these chemicals primarily determine the family of cytochrome P-450 by which the chemicals are metabolized and the electronic structures primarily determine their ease of oxidative metabolism. 3. The role of oxidative metabolism of xenobiotics by the cytochromes P-448, and their binding to the cytosolic Ah receptor, are considered in relationship to the mechanisms of chemical toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and co-carcinogenicity. 4. The mechanisms of chemical toxicity and carcinogenesis are considered in respect of activation through cytochrome P-448-mediated, conformationally-hindered oxygenation to reactive intermediates which, unlike most cytochrome P-450-oxygenated metabolites, are not acceptable substrates for conjugation and detoxication and therefore react with essential intracellular macromolecules. 5. The computer graphic method of determining the molecular conformations and electronic structures of molecules is a rapid, scientifically-based procedure for evaluation of the potential toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of chemicals.

Biotransformation↗

Anthraflavic acid is a potent and specific inhibitor of cytochrome P-448 activity.

Consideration of the computer-optimised dimensions of anthraflavic acid indicates that it is essentially a planar molecule with a large area/depth ratio, that would preferentially interact with the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-induced family of cytochrome P-450 proteins (cytochromes P-448). Anthraflavic acid was a potent inhibitor of the O-deethylations of ethoxycoumarin and ethoxyresorufin, both catalysed primarily by cytochromes P-448, in Arochlor-1254-induced hepatic microsomes. Similarly anthraflavic acid markedly inhibited the mutagenicity of 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-I) in the Ames test. In contrast, it has no effect on the dealkylation of pentoxyresorufin, a reaction catalysed primarily by the phenobarbital-induced cytochromes P-450, and NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochrome c. It is concluded that anthraflavic acid is a potent and specific inhibitor of cytochrome P-448 activity.

Animals↗

Quantitative structure-activity relationships in a series of alcohols exhibiting inhibition of cytochrome P-450-mediated aniline hydroxylation.

The results of Molecular Orbital (MO) calculations by the MINDO/3 method are reported, together with the results of multiple regression analysis of electronic and structural parameters with inhibition of aniline hydroxylation by a series of 22 alcohols. The most significant correlations show the relationships between molecular length, frontier electron density of the alpha-carbon and hydroxyl oxygen, nucleophilic superdelocalizability of the hydroxyl hydrogen, energy of the highest occupied MO and biological activity involving binding to microsomal cytochromes P-450. Using the data of Cohen and Mannering (Mol. Pharmacol., 9 (1973) 383), Testa, (Chem.-Biol. Interact., 34 (1981) 287) has shown that the inhibition of aniline hydroxylation by a series of alcohols can be related to their electronic structure and hydrophobicity (measured by log P, the octanol-water partition coefficient). The mode of binding and effect on spin-state equilibria in cytochrome P-450 by alcohols has been elucidated by Testa, whereas an alternative hypothesis based on connectivity correlations has been reported by Sabljic and Sabljic (Mol. Pharmacol., 23 (1983) 213). The present work shows that the biological response can be explained by calculated electronic structure and molecular shape parameters. Also, one compound (the only tertiary alcohol) from the original set that was not included in Testa's calculations and analysis, is included in this work and its activity successfully calculated. The latter authors, Sabljic and Sabljic, were led to exclude the data for this compound and one other (phenyl methanol) in order to achieve a good correlation with their calculated parameters of molecular structure.

Alcohols↗

Structural requirements for substrates of cytochromes P-450 and P-448.

Distinct and different molecular structural features are manifested by substrates, inhibitors and inducers of the two families of liver microsomal enzymes, the phenobarbital-induced cytochromes P-450 and the 3-methylcholanthrene-induced cytochromes P-448. In a theoretical study based on molecular orbital calculations and molecular graphics, it is established that cytochrome P-448 substrates contain fused aromatic or heteroaromatic rings giving rise to overall molecular planarity with relatively small molecular depth. In contrast, substrates of the cytochromes P-450 have greater conformational freedom and an ability to bind at more than one point of attachment, as a result of possession of certain characteristic functions, namely, a carbonyl and/or amine moiety coupled with an iso-propyl group, or similar function of equivalent shape and hydrophobicity. The implications are that the binding sites of cytochromes P-448 contain a number of hydrophobic aromatic amino acid residues orientated so as to allow occupation by similar substrates containing co-planar aromatic rings, whereas those of the phenobarbital-induced cytochromes P-450 contain hydrophilic amino acid residues capable of hydrogen bonding to greater than C = O moieties and at least one leucine or valine residue, as these contain the complementary isopropyl function. The corollary of these findings is the possibility of prediction of the toxicity of new chemicals on the basis of their molecular dimensions.

Binding Sites↗

Structure-activity relationships for induction of peroxisomal enzyme activities by phthalate monoesters in primary rat hepatocyte cultures.

Rat hepatocytes were cultured for 70 hours with a series of four isomeric octyl and five isomeric hexyl phthalate monoesters, and their effects on peroxisomal fatty acid beta-oxidation (palmitoyl-CoA oxidation) and carnitine acetyltransferase activities determined. All nine monoesters produced dose-related increases in enzyme activities and marked quantitative compound potency differences were observed. Generally octyl isomers were more potent than hexyl isomers and 2- and 3-ethyl substituted isomers were more potent than their straight chain and 1-ethyl substituted analogs. For example, mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate was more potent than mono(1-ethylhexyl)phthalate, and this was also observed after oral administration of the two isomers to rats for seven days. The cell culture data for induction of palmitoyl-CoA oxidation were used to generate quantitative structure-activity relationships. Relatively poor correlations were observed between biological activity and simple hydrophobic parameters, but a good correlation was obtained when compound electronic structural parameters, obtained by molecular orbital calculations, were employed. These studies demonstrate relationships between biological activity and chemical structure for a series of phthalate monoesters and indicate the potential usefulness of primary rat hepatocyte cultures to screen compounds for peroxisome proliferation.

Animals↗

Molecular electrostatic potential energies and methylation of DNA bases: a molecular orbital-generated quantitative structure-activity relationship.

1. The results of molecular orbital (MO) calculations, by the MINDO/3 method, on DNA bases, are reported; which point to a radical mechanism of alkylation. 2. Molecular electrostatic potential energy maps indicate propensity for alkylation by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea at key atoms on DNA bases. 3. A correlation between the MO-derived parameters net atomic charges on heteroatoms and superdelocalizability with percentage alkylation by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea is shown.

Alkylating Agents↗