Specificity of four forms of cytochrome P-450 in the metabolic activation of several aromatic amines and benzo[a]pyrene

The involvement of four forms of cytochrome P-450 in the activation of the promutagens, 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), 2-amino-6-methyl-dipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-aminofluorene and 4-aminobiphenyl has been investigated using a Salmonella test system. A high-spin form, P-448 II-a, catalysed the activation of IQ and Glu-P-1 28 and 12 times faster, respectively, than a low-spin form, P-448 II-d, whereas benzo[a]pyrene was metabolized to the phenols 60 times faster by P-448 II-d than P-448 II-a. Both P-448 II-a and P-448 II-d were highly active in the activation of Trp-P-2 and 2-aminofluorene. Treatment of CDF1 mice with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) increased the microsomal-activating ability for the promutagens in various degrees. More than a ten-fold increase was observed with Trp-P-2, while the increase was only two-fold with IQ. No sex-related difference was observed for the hepatic microsomal activating ability of male and female CDF1 mice for Trp-P-2, Glu-P-1 or IQ. These results indicate that more than two forms of cytochrome P-450, which are inducible by treatment with PCB or 3-methylcholanthrene, mediate the metabolic activation of heteroaromatic amines in rats and mice.

Glutathione transferase-mediated and non-enzymatic activation and detoxication of the N-hydroxy derivative of Trp-P-2, a potent pyrolysate promutagen

Glutathione (GSH) transferase-mediated and non-enzymatic activation and detoxication of 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (N-OH-Trp-P-2) were studied in vitro. N-OH-Trp-P-2 is an active metabolite of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), a mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic amine. The enzymatic GSH conjugation with N-OH-Trp-P-2 was catalysed by rat-liver GSH transferase and a rat-liver cytosol fraction to form three conjugates (CH-1, CH-2 and CH-3). The mutagenicities of the GSH conjugates were studied by using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 as the tester strain. The GSH conjugates except for CH-3 were completely detoxicated products, but CH-3 was found to be a more potent mutagen than N-OH-Trp-P-2. The mutagenicity of CH-3 seemed to be due to the direct action of the conjugate, but not to N-OH-Trp-P-2 formed from it.

Species differences in the N-acetylation by liver cytosol of mutagenic heterocyclic aromatic amines in protein pyrolysates

The N-acetylation of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]-indole (Trp-P-2) and other heterocyclic aromatic amine promutagens isolated originally from protein pyrolysates was investigated using liver cytosols from various animal species and acetyl-CoA as an acetyl donor. Marked species differences in the enzymatic N-acetylation activity of these heterocyclic amines were observed. The N-acetylation activity also varied among the substrates used. The N-acetylation of these heterocyclic amines by hepatic cytosols from all animal species used was much less than that of the non-heterocyclic aromatic amine carcinogen, 2-aminofluorene (2-AF): the N-acetylation of Trp-P-2 was more than one hundred times less than that of 2-AF. These results suggested that the metabolic activation pathway of these mutagenic heterocyclic amines is different from that of 2-AF. The hamster but not rat cytosol showed the ability to utilize N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-acetylaminofluorene as acetyl donor in the N-acetylation of Trp-P-2.

Inhibition of benzodiazepine and GABA receptor binding by amino-gamma-carbolines and other amino acid pyrolysate mutagens

The effect of several pyrolysate mutagens on the benzodiazepine and GABA receptors was investigated. Of amino-gamma-carbolines, Trp-P-1 antagonized the suppressive effect of diazepam on the pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions and death, whereas Trp-P-2 by itself precipitated seizures and death in male mice. Both Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 inhibited the specific binding of [3H]diazepam and [3H]muscimol in rat brain membranes mainly by increasing Kd, indicating that these gamma-carbolines bind on benzodiazepine and GABA receptors. IC50S of Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 on specific [3H]flunitrazepam binding were not changed by addition of GABA. The Hill coefficient of Trp-P-1 for displacing [3H]diazepam binding was about unity whereas that of Trp-P-2 was less than unity. These results suggest that Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 act as active antagonists or inverse agonists at benzodiazepine receptors. The convulsant effect of the gamma-carbolines may be mediated by an action on the central benzodiazepine receptors; however, the role of the effect on GABA receptors is not clear.

Activation and detoxication of N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 by glutathione and glutathione transferases

The roles of non-enzymatic and enzymatic glutathione (GSH) conjugation in the activation and detoxication of 3-hydroxy-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (N-OH-Trp-P-2) were studied in vitro. N-OH-Trp-P-2 is an active metabolite of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-d]indole (Trp-P-2), a mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic amine. 3-Nitroso-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (NO-Trp-P-2) reacted rapidly and non-enzymatically with GSH to form N-OH-Trp-P-2 and a small amount of two GSH conjugates (CN-1 and CN-2). On the other hand, non-enzymatic reaction of GSH with N-OH-Trp-P-2 was very slow, but the GSH conjugation with N-OH-Trp-P-2 was catalyzed by rat liver GSH transferase and a rat liver cytosol fraction to form three conjugates (CH-1, CH-2 and CH-3). The enzymatic conjugation was effectively inhibited by organic tin compounds which are known as powerful GSH transferase inhibitors. The conjugates were unstable enough to yield Trp-P-2 (from CN-1, CN-2 and CH-2) or N-OH-Trp-P-2 (from CH-3) on incubation at 37 degrees C for 30-60 min. Only CH-1 was stable under similar conditions. The mutagenicities of the GSH conjugates and the effects of GSH and GSH transferase were studied by using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 as the tester strain. The GSH conjugates except for CH-3 were completely detoxicated products, but CH-3 was found to be a more potent mutagen than N-OH-Trp-P-2. The mutagenicity of CH-3 seemed to be due to the direct action of the conjugate, and not to N-OH-Trp-P-2 formed from it.

Syntheses of hydroxyamino, nitroso and nitro derivatives of Trp-P-2 and Glu-P-1, amino acid pyrolysate mutagens, and their direct mutagenicities towards Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA98NR

Hydroxyamino, nitroso and nitro derivatives of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) and 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1), mutagens-carcinogens produced on pyrolysis of amino acids, were synthesized from Trp-P-2 and Glu-P-1. 3-Hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (N-OH-Trp-P-2) and 2-hydroxyamino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (N-OH-Glu-P-1) were obtained with good yields by controlled catalytic reduction of 3-nitro-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole and 2-nitro-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole. Subsequent oxidation of N-OH-Trp-P-2 and N-OH-Glu-P-1 with gamma-manganese dioxide yielded 3-nitroso-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole and 2-nitroso-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole. All six synthesized compounds were mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA98 without mammalian activation systems. The mutagenic activities of hydroxyamino and nitroso derivatives were identical for both S. typhimurium TA98 and TA98NR, the nitroreductase deficient strain. However, nitro derivatives were essentially mutagenic only towards S. typhimurium TA98.

Microsomal activation of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, a pyrolysate of sardine and beef extracts, to a mutagenic intermediate

The mechanism involved in the metabolic activation of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, which is a pyrolysate isolated from broiled foods, to a mutagenic intermediate was studied in vitro. In a system containing hepatic microsomes and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline was converted to a product which was directly mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium. The structure of the mutagenic metabolite was determined as the 2-N-hydroxy derivative on the basis of the chemical properties and the mass spectral evidence of the azoxy adduct with o-nitrosotoluene. The activation reaction was mediated by microsomal enzymes and was inhibited by carbon monoxide, 7,8-benzoflavone, and other chemicals which were known to inhibit the cytochrome P-450-dependent reaction. With the use of four forms of purified cytochrome P-450, the N-hydroxylation of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline and the induction of the reverse mutation of the bacteria were clearly demonstrated to be catalyzed mainly by a high-spin form of cytochrome P-450, P-448 II-a.

Mechanism of activation of proximate mutagens in Ames' tester strains: the acetyl-CoA dependent enzyme in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 deficient in TA98/1,8-DNP6 catalyzes DNA-binding as the cause of mutagenicity

The mechanism of activation of proximate mutagens in Ames' tester strains was described. 2-Hydroxyamino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (N-OH-Glu-P-1) and 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (N-OH-Trp-P-2) were activated to DNA-binding species in the presence of acetyl-CoA by the enzyme(s) in Salmonella typhimurium TA98, and this enzyme was deficient in TA98/1,8-DNP6. Mutagenicity of N-OH-Glu-P-1 to TA98/1,8-DNP6 was much lower than that to TA98. Therefore, it was demonstrated that the acetyl-CoA dependent enzyme(s) activated N-OH-Glu-P-1 to the active form which could covalently bind to DNA and subsequently caused mutagenicity.

Sex difference of cytochrome P-450 in the rat: purification, characterization, and quantitation of constitutive forms of cytochrome P-450 from liver microsomes of male and female rats

One of each constitutive form of cytochrome P-450 from liver microsomes of adult male and female rats was purified essentially following the same method to an apparent homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weights estimated by the electrophoresis were 52,000 and 50,000 for forms of cytochrome P-450, P-450-male, and P-450-female, purified from male and female rats, respectively. In addition, the purified preparations of P-450-male and P-450-female showed properties different from each other with respect to spectral characteristics and catalytic activities. In Ouchterlony double diffusion plates, partially purified rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) raised against P-450-male and P-450-female showed very weak or no cross-reactivity with P-450-female and P-450-male, respectively. From these results, P-450-male was confirmed to be a form distinct from P-450-female. The anti-P-450-male and anti-P-450-female antibodies, which had been further purified by immunoadsorption, did not form any apparent precipitation bands with liver microsomes from untreated female and male rats, respectively. Supporting this, radial immunodiffusion analysis for P-450-male and P-450-female with an agarose gel impregnated with the rabbit antibodies showed that P-450-male and P-450-female appear in liver microsomes rather specifically depending on the sex hormones. Based on these results, sex differences in drug metabolism in the rat were confirmed as explicable, at least in part, by the presence of distinct forms of cytochrome P-450 in microsomes of male and female rats.

A high spin form of cytochrome P-448 highly purified from PCB-treated rats--II. Characteristic requirement of cytochrome b5 for maximum activity

A high spin form of cytochrome P-448 (PCB P-448-H), highly purified from microsomes of PCB-treated rats, catalyzed oxidations of several compounds and required cytochrome b5 for its full activities in all oxidations examined. PCB P-448-H catalyzed the hydroxylation of aniline and O-dealkylations of p-alkoxy derivatives of aniline and nitrobenzene and 7-alkoxy derivatives of coumarin. Among the activities measured, hydroxylation of aniline and O-dealkylation of p-alkoxy derivatives of aniline were catalyzed by PCB P-448-H more efficiently than by PCB P-448-L, which was a low spin form of cytochrome P-448 purified from liver microsomes of PCB-treated rats. In all reactions, PCB P-448-H required cytochrome b5 for maximum activity. Slight requirements were also seen with PCB P-448-L but varied equivocally depending on the substrates. Cytochrome b5 showed its maximum effects on p-propoxyaniline O-depropylation activity at a molar ratio of cytochrome b5 to PCB P-448-H of 1:2. The enhancement by cytochrome b5 was more pronounced when lower concentrations of either the substrate or NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase were added to the reconstituted system. Based on these results, we confirm that PCB P-448-H is a unique form of cytochrome P-448 with respect to the requirements for cytochrome b5 and is a good probe to study the mechanisms involved in the enhancement of drug oxidations by cytochrome b5.

Interactions between the active metabolite of tryptophan pyrolysate mutagen, N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2, and lipids: the role of lipid peroxides in the conversion of N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 to non-reactive forms

The interactions between lipids and the mutagenic active metabolite of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) and 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2), were studied. Oleic acid showed an inhibitory effect on the formation of this active metabolite mainly by inhibition of hepatic microsomal oxidation systems. On the other hand, microsomal lipids from rat liver and commercial pig liver lecithin diminished the amount of N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 without inhibiting the metabolism of Trp-P-2. The direct reaction of these lipids with N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 was disclosed by experiments using N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 and lipids without microsomes. Furthermore, the participation of lipid peroxides in this reaction was suggested by a linear relationship between the concentrations of the conjugated diene of lipids and the disappearance of N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2. When [3H]N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 was incubated in the presence of pig liver lecithin, the polar products which were not formed in the incubation without lipids were newly detected by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis.

A high-spin form of cytochrome P-450 highly purified from polychlorinated biphenyl-treated rats. Catalytic characterization and immunochemical quantitation in liver microsomes

A high-spin form of cytochrome P-450 (termed PCB P-448-H) was purified from liver microsomes of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-treated rats to homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This high-spin form of cytochrome P-450 was distinguishable from a low-spin form of cytochrome P-450 (PCB P-448-L) purified from microsomes of PCB-treated rats by the criteria of molecular weights, peptide mapping, and immunochemical properties. In addition, PCB P-448-H catalyzed the hydroxylation of acetanilide (position 4) and biphenyl (positions 2 and 4), and N-hydroxylation of the promutagens 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole (Trp-P-2), 2-amino-6-methyl-dipyrido(1,2-alpha:3',2'-d)imidazole (Glu-P-1), 2-aminofluorene, and 4-aminobiphenyl at much faster rates than did PCB P-448-L. These promutagens and aflatoxin B1 were efficiently metabolized to mutagens by this high-spin form of hemoprotein. Rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) raised against PCB P-448-H inhibited the microsomal O-depropylation activity of p-propoxyaniline. Radial immunodiffusion assay with the IgG showed that PCB P-448-H was one of the major forms of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes of PCB-treated rats. On the basis of these results, we propose that this high-spin form of cytochrome P-450 is a key enzyme activating a variety of environmental promutagens in the 9000 x g supernatant fraction of PCB-treated rats, which has been widely used as an activation system in routine mutation tests.

Metabolic activation of Trp-P-2, a tryptophan-pyrolysis mutagen, by isolated rat hepatocytes

Metabolic activation of a tryptophan-pyrolysis product, 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), by isolated rat hepatocytes was studied. The substrate (Trp-P-2) disappearance by hepatocytes from untreated rats was slow, but enhanced by 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) pretreatment of rats. The covalent binding of Trp-P-2 to cellular macromolecules was detected in hepatocytes from untreated rats. The amount of covalent binding of Trp-P-2 to protein and RNA was greater than that to DNA. The covalent binding to Trp-P-2 to DNA, RNA and protein in hepatocytes from untreated rats was about 5-10 times less than that in hepatocytes from MC-pretreated rats. 7,8-Benzoflavone strongly inhibited the substrate disappearance and the binding of Trp-P-2 to DNA in hepatocytes from MC-pretreated rats. These results indicate that Trp-P-2 is metabolically activated by the P-448 type of cytochrome P-450 which is induced by MC. Diethylmaleate enhanced by about 50% the binding of Trp-P-2 to DNA in hepatocytes from MC-pretreated rats. On the other hand, cysteine inhibited the binding of Trp-P-2 to DNA with a concomitant reduction in the accumulation of the active metabolite, N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 (N-OH-Trp-P-2). Sulfhydryl compounds seemed to play important roles in the detoxification of Trp-P-2.

N-hydroxylation of carcinogenic and mutagenic aromatic amines

N-Hydroxylation and mutagenic activation of heterocyclic aromatic amines from protein pyrolysis products were studied in rat liver microsomes and nuclei, rat hepatocytes and various species of purified cytochrome P-450. These mutagenic amines include Trp-P-2 (3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole), Trp-P-1 (3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole), Glu-P-1 (2-amino-6-methyldipyrido-[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole), Glu-P-2 (2-amino-dipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole) and IQ (2-amino-3-methyl-3H-imidazo-[4,5-f]quinoline). The number of revertants of Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 was always correlated to the amount of each of the N-hydroxylated metabolites in various experimental conditions. The N-hydroxylated amines covalently bound to DNA directly or after being acylated with amino acids by amino-acyl-tRNA synthetase. Various species of cytochrome P-450 preparations showed markedly different activity in N-hydroxylation and mutagenic activation of Trp-P-2, Glu-P-1 and IQ. A high spin form of cytochrome P-450, isolated from the liver of PCB-treated rats, showed very high activity in N-hydroxylation of Trp-P-2, Glu-P-1 and 2-aminofluorene, although its activity was very low in benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation. The present results indicate that different species of cytochrome P-450 are involved in the N-hydroxylation and mutagenic activation of aromatic amines.

Evidence for the involvement of multiple forms of cytochrome P-450 in the occurrence of sex-related differences of drug metabolism in the rat

Multiple forms of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes of untreated male and female rats could be divided into several fractions by the use of omega-amino-n-octyl Seph. 4B and DE-52 columns. Male cytochrome P-450 fractions (I-b - I-e) differed from female fractions (I-b - I-e) with respect to absorption peaks in carbon monoxide difference spectra and 7-propoxycoumarin O-depropylation activities. Although male and female I-a fractions showed quite similar protein bands on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, some protein bands in other male fractions (I-b - I-e) were absent in corresponding female fractions. Immunochemical examinations using immunoglobulin G raised to cytochrome P-450 purified from untreated male rats also showed that liver microsomes from male and female rats contain different forms of cytochrome P-450. Based on these results, we propose that sex-related differences of drug metabolizing activities in liver microsomes are caused by multiple forms of cytochrome P-450.

Decrease in the activity of hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes in tumor-bearing nude mice

The activities of hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes in nude mice (BALB/c-nu/nu) bearing tumors of human or nude mouse origin were studied. The content of cytochrome P-450 and the activities of cyclophosphamide oxidase, benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase, aniline hydroxylase and benzphetamine N-demethylase were markedly decreased in tumor-bearing nude mice in accordance with previous observations in tumor-bearing rats and mice. These results indicate that decreases in the activities of hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes are not the consequence of an immunoreactive process or cachexia.

Metabolic activation of 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole by rat-liver microsomes

Microsomal activation was required for the expression of the mutagenicity of 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (A alpha C) toward Salmonella typhimurium TA98. Pretreatment of rats with PCB, 3-methylcholanthrene or phenobarbital increased the mutagenic activating ability of hepatic microsomes by 16-, 10- and 2-fold, respectively, as compared with the untreated. The mutagenic activation of A alpha C by microsomes from PCB-treated rats was inhibited by ellipticine and alpha-naphthoflavone, whereas SKF 525-A and metyrapone showed a slight or no inhibitory effect, indicating that the P-448 form of cytochrome P-450 is involved in the mutagenic activation of A alpha C. Metabolic activation of A alpha C was studied by a high-performance liquid chromatography and Salmonella/microsome assay system, and the mutagenic metabolites formed were determined to be the N-hydroxy and nitroso derivatives, from the results of reaction with oxidizing or reducing agents. These results strongly indicate that N-hydroxylation of A alpha C by the P-448 type of cytochrome P-450 is essential for the mutagenic activation.

Metabolic activation of glutamic acid pyrolysis products, 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole and 2-amino-dipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole, by purified cytochrome P-450

Metabolic activation by cytochrome P-450 of glutamic acid pyrolysis products, 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido(1,2-a:3',2'-d)imidazole (Glu-P-1) and 2-amino-dipyrido(1,2,-a:3',2'-d)imidazole (Glu-P-2), to mutagenic metabolites was studied using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 as a tester strain. Cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and NADPH were essential requirements for the activation of these compounds. Of the four forms of cytochrome P-450 examined, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) P-448 and 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) P-448 purified from liver microsomes of rats treated with a PCB mixture and MC, respectively, showed high activity in the activation of both Glu-P-1 and Glu-P-2. The presence of three metabolites from Glu-P-1 or Glu-P-2 was demonstrated by high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis. Among the metabolites of Glu-P-1, two metabolites were mutagenic without any further enzymatic activation. In accordance with the results of a mutation assay, PCB P-448 also exhibited higher activity to form the major mutagenic metabolite of Glu-P-1. The major active metabolite of Glu-P-1 was characterized as N-hydroxy-Glu-P-1 by chemical analysis using oxidizing and reducing reagents and by mass spectrometry.

Metabolic activation of a tryptophan pyrolysis product, 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole(TRP-P-2) by isolated rat liver nuclei

The metabolic activation of a tryptophan pyrolysis product, 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole(Trp-P-2), by rat liver nuclei was studied. Nuclei from the livers of rats treated with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) or 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) showed high mutagenic activity with Trp-P-2 in the Ames test, but activities with nuclei of untreated or phenobarbital (PB)-treated rat livers were quite low. The formation of N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 by nuclei of PCB- or MC-treated rat livers was greater than that by nuclei of untreated or PB-treated rat livers. Similar results were observed with microsomes, which suggests that Trp-P-2 is metabolized by the same type of monoxygenase system in nuclei as in microsomes.

Species difference in N-hydroxylation of a tryptophan pyrolysis product in relation to mutagenic activation

Metabolic activation of a tryptophan pyrolysate, 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), in liver microsomes from rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits was studied to know whether N-hydroxylation is a common obligatory step for mutagenic activation of Trp-P-2. Among hepatic microsomes obtained from untreated animals, the highest activity of Trp-P-2 N-hydroxylase was observed in microsomes from hamsters, followed by those from guinea pigs, mice, and rabbits. In rats, the activity was low, and there was no appreciable difference between the sexes. The activity of Trp-P-2 N-hydroxylase in microsomes was increased by pretreating the animals with a polychlorinated biphenyl mixture. The induction was most profound in rats, and the activity was enhanced 257-fold, as compared to that of untreated animals. The activity was also enhanced in microsomes from polychlorinated biphenyl mixture-treated rabbits, mice, and hamsters, while the activity was increased only slightly in guinea pigs and was thereby lowest among microsomes from the polychlorinated biphenyl mixture-treated animals. In bacterial mutagenesis test systems using Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, the number of revertants induced by Trp-P-2 was increased in parallel with the microsomal ability of the N-hydroxylation. These results indicate that in all species examined N-hydroxylation is an essential metabolic step for mutagenic activation of Trp-P-2.

Evidence for the involvement of N-hydroxylation of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole by cytochrome P-450 in the covalent binding to DNA

The involvement of N-hydroxylation of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) by cytochrome P-450 in the formation of covalent binding of Trp-P-2 to DNA, the induction of his+ revertant in the Ames test, and the formation of the active metabolite were confirmed. Among four cytochrome P-450 preparations, PCB-P-448 and MC-P-448 purified from liver microsomes of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)- and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, respectively, showed higher activities for induction of mutation by Trp-P-2 than did the other two preparations, PCB-P-450 and PB-P-450 purified from PCB-and phenobarbital (PB)-treated rats, respectively. PCB-P-448 was more active than was PB-P-450 in metabolizing Trp-P-2 to N-hydroxylated Trp-P-2 (N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2). Cytochrome P-450 with higher capacity to form the N-hydroxylated metabolite induced a larger number of his+ revertants. Larger amounts of [1-14C]Trp-P-2 bound covalently to DNA were also seen when PCB-P-448 was incubated with calf thymus DNA and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate than with PCB-P-450 and PB-P-450. The direct binding of N-[ring-3H]hydroxy-Trp-P-2 isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography to calf thymus DNA was also demonstrated. These results indicate that N-hydroxylation of Trp-P-2 is an obligatory step for the covalent binding to DNA and mutagenesis of Trp-P-2. Based on these results, we propose that N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 produced by cytochrome P-450 is important in the exertion of the mutagenicity of Trp-P-2 as it binds to DNA.