Purification and some properties of two enzymes from rat liver cytosol that catalyze carbonyl reduction of 6-tert-butyl-2, 3-epoxy-5-cyclohexene-1,4-dione, a metabolite of 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole

A high-performance liquid chromatography-based assay of glutathione transferase omega 1 supported by glutathione or non-physiological reductants

The unusual glutathione S-transferase GSTO1 reduces, rather than conjugates, endo- and xenobiotics, and its role in diverse cellular processes has been proposed. GSTO1 has been assayed spectrophotometrically by measuring the disappearance of its substrate, S-(4-nitrophenacyl)glutathione (4-NPG), in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol that regenerates GSTO1 from its mixed disulfide. To assay GSTO1 in rat liver cytosol, we have developed a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based procedure with two main advantages: (i) it measures the formation of the 4-NPG reduction product 4-nitroacetophenone, thereby offering improved sensitivity and accuracy, and (ii) it can use glutathione, the physiological reductant of GSTO1, which is impossible to do with the spectrophotometric procedure. Using the new assay, we show that (i) the GSTO1-catalyzed reduction of 4-NPG in rat liver cytosol also yields 1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanol, whose formation from 4-nitroacetophenone requires NAD(P)H; (ii) the two assays measure comparable activities with 2-mercaptoethanol or tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine used as reductant; (iii) the cytosolic reduction of 4-NPG is inhibited by GSTO1 inhibitors (KT53, 5-chloromethylfluorescein diacetate, and zinc), although the inhibitory effect is strikingly influenced by the type of reductant in the assay and by the sequence of reductant and inhibitor addition. Characterization of GSTO1 inhibitors with the improved assay provides better understanding of interaction of these chemicals with the enzyme.

Reduction of cytotoxic p-quinone metabolites of tert-butylhydroquinone by human aldo-keto reductase (AKR) 1B10

2-tert-Butylhydroquinone (BHQ), an antioxidant used as a food additive, exhibits an anticancer effect, whereas it is carcinogenic in rodents at high doses. BHQ is metabolized into cytotoxic tert-butylquinone (BQ), which is further converted to 6-tert-butyl-2,3-epoxy-4-hydroxy-5-cyclohexen-1-one (TBEH) through 6-tert-butyl-2,3-epoxy-4-benzoquinone (TBE), which induces chromosomal aberration. The reductases for BQ and TBE may be protective against the toxicity of the two p-quinones, but the responsible human enzymes remain unidentified. In this study, we compared the ability of 12 human recombinant enzymes in the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) and short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamilies to reduce BQ and TBE. Among them, AKR1B10 was the most efficient catalyst of the stoichiometric two-electron reduction of BQ and TBE into BHQ and TBEH, respectively. BQ and TBE are more cytotoxic towards endothelial cells than BHQ and TBEH, and their cytotoxicity was decreased by the overexpression of AKR1B10 in the cells. Additionally, AKR1B10 gene expression in human HCT116 cells was up-regulated by treatments with BHQ, BQ and TBE. These results suggest a role for the enzyme in protection at least against the toxicity of the two p-quinone metabolites of BHQ.

Carbonyl Reductases and Pluripotent Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases of the Short-chain Dehydrogenase/reductase Superfamily

Carbonyl reduction of aldehydes, ketones, and quinones to their corresponding hydroxy derivatives plays an important role in the phase I metabolism of many endogenous (biogenic aldehydes, steroids, prostaglandins, reactive lipid peroxidation products) and xenobiotic (pharmacologic drugs, carcinogens, toxicants) compounds. Carbonyl-reducing enzymes are grouped into two large protein superfamilies: the aldo-keto reductases (AKR) and the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR). Whereas aldehyde reductase and aldose reductase are AKRs, several forms of carbonyl reductase belong to the SDRs. In addition, there exist a variety of pluripotent hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDs) of both superfamilies that specifically catalyze the oxidoreduction at different positions of the steroid nucleus and also catalyze, rather nonspecifically, the reductive metabolism of a great number of nonsteroidal carbonyl compounds. The present review summarizes recent findings on carbonyl reductases and pluripotent HSDs of the SDR protein superfamily.

Molecular Cloning of a Novel Type of Rat Cytoplasmic 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Distinct from the Type 5 Isozyme

Rat liver contains two cytosolic enzymes (TBER1 and TBER2) that reduce 6-tert-butyl-2,3-epoxy-5-cyclohexene-1,4-dione into its 4R- and 4S-hydroxy metabolites. In this study, we cloned the cDNA for TBER1 and examined endogenous substrates using the homogenous recombinant enzyme. The cDNA encoded a protein composed of 323 amino acids belonging to the aldo-keto reductase family. The recombinant TBER1 efficiently oxidized 17beta-hydroxysteroids and xenobiotic alicyclic alcohols using NAD+ as the preferred coenzyme at pH 7.4, and showed low activity towards 20alpha- and 3alpha-hydroxysteroids, and 9-hydroxyprostaglandins. The enzyme was potently inhibited by diethylstilbestrol, hexestrol and zearalenone. The coenzyme specificity, broad substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity of the enzyme differed from those of rat NADPH-dependent 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5, which was cloned from the liver and characterized using the recombinant enzyme. The mRNA for TBER1 was highly expressed in rat liver, gastrointestinal tract and ovary, in contrast to specific expression of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 mRNA in the liver and kidney. Thus, TBER1 represents a novel type of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase with unique catalytic properties and tissue distribution. In addition, TBER2 was identified as 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase on chromatographic analysis of the enzyme activities in rat liver cytosol and characterization of the recombinant 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

Multiplicity of mammalian reductases for xenobiotic carbonyl compounds

A variety of carbonyl compounds are present in foods, environmental pollutants, and drugs. These xenobiotic carbonyl compounds are metabolized into the corresponding alcohols by many mammalian NAD(P)H-dependent reductases, which belong to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) and aldo-keto reductase superfamilies. Recent genomic analysis, cDNA isolation and characterization of the recombinant enzymes suggested that, in humans, the six members of each of the two superfamilies, i.e., total of 12 enzymes, are involved in the reductive metabolism of xenobiotic carbonyl compounds. They comprise three types of carbonyl reductase, dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR family) member 4, 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1, L-xylulose reductase, two types of aflatoxin B1 aldehyde reductase, 20alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and three types of 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Accumulating data on the human enzymes provide new insights into their roles in cellular and molecular reactions including xenobiotic metabolism. On the other hand, mice and rats lack the gene for a protein corresponding to human 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3, but instead possess additional five or six genes encoding proteins that are structurally related to human hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases. Characterization of the additional enzymes suggested their involvement in species-specific biological events and species differences in the metabolism of xenobiotic carbonyl compounds.

Reductions of nitro and 9-Oxo groups of environmental nitrofluorenes by the rat mammary gland in vitro

Nitrofluorenes and C-9-oxidized nitrofluorenes are widespread environmental genotoxins which may be relevant for breast cancer on the basis of their carcinogenicities, particularly of 2, 7-dinitrofluorene (2,7-diNF), for the rat mammary gland. Since their metabolism to active carcinogens may involve nitroreduction, this study examined the reduction of 2-nitrofluorene (2-NF) and 2,7-diNF and their 9-oxo- and 9-hydroxy (OH) derivatives by the rat mammary gland. Cytosolic fractions catalyze NADH- and NADPH-dependent reductions of the 2-nitro and 9-oxo to the respective 2-amino and 9-OH compounds at rates 4- and >/=10-fold greater than those with microsomes. Rates of amine formation catalyzed by cytosol from 2, 7-diNF are greater than the rate from 2-NF and increase for C-9-oxidized derivatives: 9-oxo-2-NF > 9-OH-2-NF > 2-NF and 9-OH-2, 7-diNF >> 9-oxo-2,7-diNF > 2,7-diNF. Nitroreduction is inhibited by O(2) or allopurinol (20 microM), dicoumarol (100 microM), and rutin (50 microM). 9-Oxoreduction is inhibited by rutin, dicoumarol, and indomethacin (100 microM), but not by O(2) or allopurinol. Pyrazole or menadione does not inhibit nitro or 9-oxoreduction. Xanthine, hypoxanthine, 2-hydroxypyrimidine, and N'-methylnicotinamide support cytosol-catalyzed nitro, but not 9-oxo, reduction. The data suggest that the nitroreduction is catalyzed largely by a xanthine oxidase and partially by a diaphorase and 9-oxoreduction by a carbonyl reductase. The extents of the nitro and carbonyl reductions of the nitrofluorenes may determine their reactivities with DNA, and thus genotoxicities for the mammary gland.