High-affinity steroid binding to rat testis 17 alpha-hydroxylase and human placental aromatase

Multiphasic modelling of ligand/acceptor interactions. The hydrophobicity-dependent binding of relatively small amphiphilic substances to acceptor proteins and the nature and facedness of acceptor sites

The modelling of multiphasic ligand/acceptor equilibrium binding systems proceeds at three logically distinct levels: (1) A suitable response quantity, e.g. the amount of acceptor-bound ligand nEL, is expressed as a function of the ligand concentrations [Li] (L = A,B,...) in the compartment i that contains the acceptor sites. One thus obtains a response function nEL = f1([Li]). In general, the equilibrium constants KL contained in such mathematical models are physically ill-defined. (2) Each local concentration [Li] is further expressed as a function of [Laq], the corresponding concentration in the aqueous phase, leading to nEL = f2([Laq]). In this way, the constants KL are transformed into effective constants K'L which (i) can be assessed experimentally and (ii) depend on ligand hydrophobicity in a way that is characteristic of the binding site. Formulation of the functions f1 and F2 only requires knowledge of the reactions in which the acceptor sites participate directly. (3) For each ligand, the experimentally accessible total ligand concentration Lt is expressed as a function of [Laq], leading to concentration balance equations Lt = Lt([Laq]). The latter transformation takes account of any reactions, distinct from ligand/acceptor interaction, in which the ligands are involved, e.g. binding to additional protein sites. As a result of steps 2 and 3, each binding system is described by a set of simultaneous equations dependent on the auxiliary variable [Laq]: (i) the response function f2([Laq]) and (ii) a concentration balance for each ligand Lt = Lt([Laq]). The formulae are rendered more conscise and their discussion and application to data fitting are simplified by introducing, for each ligand L, a function FL characterising the distribution of unbound monomeric ligand over the various partition compartments. When the acceptor acts on unbound ligand, the formulae are further expressed in terms of a new auxiliary variable i.e. the total concentration of unbound monomeric ligand microL. In contrast to data analysis as a function of local concentrations, analysis in terms of total ligand concentrations avoids losing sight of alternate hypotheses about the nature of the binding sites. The present formulation has also permitted clarification of several consequences of the multiphasic nature of the binding systems that, as yet, have been poorly recognised.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Modelling of interaction of basic lipophilic ligands with cytochrome P-450 reconstituted in liposomes. Determination of membrane partition coefficients of S-(-)-nicotine and N,N-diethylaniline from spectral binding studies and fluorescence quenching

The spectral interaction of N,N-diethylaniline and S-(-)-nicotine with cytochrome P450IIB4 reconstituted into large unilamellar vesicles could properly be described by a model for interaction of basic lipid-soluble ligands with membrane-bound acceptor sites in which linear partitioning of non-ionized ligand in the membrane is postulated. Apparent spectral dissociation constants Ksapp for type I binding of N,N-diethylaniline and for type II binding of S-(-)-nicotine increased linearly with increasing lipid volume fraction alpha L of the proteoliposomes. From plots of Ksapp vs. alpha L, the membrane partition coefficient of each ligand was calculated. The apparent affinity of cytochrome P450IIB4 for the ligands increased as the pH was raised from 6.0 to 8.5. However, effective dissociation constants were virtually independent of the pH, indicating that only the uncharged form of the basic ligands interact with cytochrome P450IIB4. For each compound, the apparent quenching rate constants kqapp derived from the Stern-Volmer plots for dynamic quenching of the fluorescence intensity of 8-(2-anthryl)octanoic acid in liposomes, decreased with increasing liposomal concentration. Plots of (kqapp)-1 vs. alpha L of the liposomes yielded the overall bimolecular quenching rate constant kq of each quencher. The kq value for S-(-)-nicotine was about three orders of magnitude less than that for N,N-diethylaniline. The values of the partition coefficient of N,N-diethylaniline, obtained from the binding studies and the fluorescence quenching measurements, were identical (on average, Kp amounted to 383). Analysis of the quenching data of N,N-diethylaniline with Scatchard plots likewise revealed that the association of the compound with liposomal membranes is a pure partition process.

Interaction of 7-n-alkoxycoumarins with cytochrome P-450(2) and their partitioning into liposomal membranes. Assessment of methods for determination of membrane partition coefficients

A study was made of the binding of 7-ethoxy-, 7-n-propoxy- and 7-n-pentoxy-coumarin to cytochrome P-450(2) reconstituted into large unilamellar liposomes composed of a mixture of egg L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine, egg phosphatidylethanolamine and dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid (2:1:0.06, by weight). The apparent spectral dissociation constants Ksapp. increased linearly with increasing proteoliposomal concentration. When both cytochrome P-450(2) and NADPH:cytochrome P-450 reductase were reconstituted into liposomes, the apparent Michaelis constants Kmapp. for O-dealkylation of 7-methoxy-, 7-ethoxy- and 7-n-propoxy-coumarin showed a similar dependence on the proteoliposomal concentration. The results were in accordance with models for kinetic or equilibrium processes in biphasic systems containing membrane-bound catalytic or acceptor sites, in which a linear solute partition in the bilayer membrane is postulated. The methyl, ethyl and n-propyl ether were readily dealkylated. However, the O-dealkylation rate of 7-n-butoxycoumarin was low and became very small for longer alkyl ethers. Both the effective dissociation constants and effective Michaelis constants decreased with elongation of the alkyl side chain of the coumarins. From plots of the apparent dissociation constants and apparent Michaelis constants against the lipid volume fraction of the proteoliposomes, the membrane partition coefficients for several homologues were calculated. When protein-free liposomes were added to 7-n-alkoxycoumarin solutions, the fluorescence intensity of the coumarins decreased and eventually became negligible in the presence of an excess of liposomal material. On the assumption that the overall fluorescence can be ascribed exclusively to the fraction of 7-n-alkoxycoumarin molecules present in the aqueous phase, partition coefficients for liposomal accumulation of the test compounds could be determined directly. For several coumarin ethers, comparable values were derived for the membrane partition coefficients from binding, kinetic and fluorescence intensity measurements. The change in free energy per methylene group of the 7-n-alkoxycoumarins for partitioning between n-octanol and buffer was significantly different from the value for liposome partitioning.

Analysis of membrane-bound acceptors. A correction function for non-specific accumulation of poorly water-soluble hydrophobic or amphipathic ligands based on the ligand partition concept

Non-specific ligand accumulation into membrane material, which may contribute considerably to the experimental signal obtained in binding studies with labelled amphipathic and hydrophobic ligands, may be accounted for by linear partition of the ligands into the membrane phase. For application to binding data obtained at a single membrane-lipid concentration, a fitting procedure is proposed which allows one to correct for non-specific ligand partition. If the assumption is met that the amount of acceptor-bound ligand is small compared to the total amount present in the system, one can validly interpret the data in terms of total ligand concentrations. The apparent dissociation constants Kd(app) thus obtained should be corrected for the often large effects of the size of the partition compartment(s), by performing assays at several membrane-lipid concentrations. The importance of the latter correction is stressed and an approach for obtaining the characteristic effective dissociation constants Kd' is indicated. The procedure also yields estimates of the ligand/membrane partition coefficients.

Thermodynamics and modulation of progesterone microcompartmentation and hydrophobic interaction with cytochrome P450XVII based on quantification of local ligand concentrations in a complex multi-component system

An approach towards the determination of hydrophobic ligand distribution in endoplasmic reticulum membrane suspensions, and of hydrophobic ligand interaction with membrane-anchored proteins, based on calculations of local ligand pools, is presented. Rat testicular microsomes containing cytochrome P450XVII (P450XVII) were used as the model system and considered as consisting of three compartments, i.e. membrane lipid phase, aqueous phase and the ligand-binding protein, P450XVII. Combinations of spectrophotometry, ultracentrifugation and equilibrium dialysis were used to quantify progesterone concentrations in each of the three compartments, as well as partition coefficients, Kp. Since the substrate-access channel of P450XVII is likely to face the membrane-lipid phase, corrected spectral dissociation constants, Ks(corr), were calculated on the basis of free, i.e. not enzyme-bound, progesterone concentrations in the membrane compartment. Modulation of individual components and construction of more complex systems demonstrated the validity of this concept for analysis of multicompartment systems. Although ligand distribution was considerably affected by both ligand and membrane concentrations, Kp and Ks(corr) values were found to be independent of both parameters; Kp values amounted to 1920 and 3120, and Ks(corr) values amounted to 260 microM and 96 microM at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters delta H, delta S and delta G were calculated from Van't Hoff plots for progesterone partition into the membrane compartment, and for progesterone binding to P450XVII. Both of these processes were entropy dominated, and free energy changes amounted to about -18 kJ/mol for Kp and -20 kJ/mol for Ks(corr). Modification of P450XVII by gonadotropin-induced down-regulation, and by addition of a competitive inhibitor (estradiol) had no effect on progesterone partition. Consideration of Kp = 310 for estradiol allowed the determination of a corrected K1 = 3.09 mM. Modification of the membrane-lipid phase by detergents affected progesterone-P450XVII interaction solely by modulation of Kp; modification of the aqueous phase by addition of bovine serum albumin as a fourth compartment acted solely via additional steroid attraction. This model system therefore stresses the relevance of the local environment of membrane-bound enzymes or receptors for quantification of their interaction with substrates or ligands.

Specificity of steroid binding to testicular microsomal cytochrome P-450. Relation of steroid structure to type-I spectral responses after correction for hydrophobic association with the membrane

On the basis of the concept that steroids accumulate in the lipid phase of endoplasmic reticulum membranes and approach the active sites of steroidogenic cytochromes P-450 from a hydrophobic environment, we describe a procedure that allows calculation of spectral dissociation constants Ks for steroid interaction with testicular microsomal cytochrome P-450 after correction for hydrophobic association of ligand with the membrane. Maximal type-I spectral responses, apparent Ks, and partition into microsomal lipids were determined for 36 steroids, and corrected Ks values were derived from these primary data. Partition coefficients range from 60 to 62,000, and corrected Ks range from 60 microM to 25 mM steroid concentration in the lipid phase. Full spectral properties depend on a side-chain (1-3 carbon atoms) at the C17-position which may be hydrophobic or may bear a 20-oxo or 20 beta-hydroxy, but not a 20 alpha-hydroxy group. Binding constants are especially sensitive towards modifications of ring A structure (aromatization or 5 beta-, but not 5 alpha-reduction) and of the side-chain length. Androgens, with the exception of those bearing a 17 beta-acetoxy or 17 beta-propionyloxy group, are poorly accommodated by this cytochrome P-450.

In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating potent and selective estrogen inhibition with the nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor CGS 16949A

CGS 16949A inhibited the conversion of [4-14C]androstenedione (A) to [4-14C]estrone by human placental microsomes in a competitive manner (Ki = 1.6 nM). Aminoglutethimide, also a competitive inhibitor, had a Ki = 0.7 microM in this assay system. The Km for the aromatization of A was 0.11 microM. Using ovarian microsomes from immature rats primed with pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin and using [4-14C]testosterone conversion to [4-14C]estradiol as a measure of aromatase activity, the Km was 42 nM. At a substrate concentration 3-fold the Km, CGS 16949A was 180 times more potent as an inhibitor than aminoglutethimide, exhibiting half-maximal inhibition at 1.7 nM as compared to 0.3 microM. In vivo CGS 16949A lowered ovarian estrogen synthesis by gonadotropin-primed, androstenedione treated, immature rats by 90% at a dose of 260 micrograms/kg (PO). A dose of 100 mg/kg of aminoglutethimide was needed to produce this same effect. CGS 16949A at a dose of 4 mg/kg (PO) induced uterine atrophy (aromatase inhibition) without inducing adrenal hypertrophy - indicating a lack of inhibition of corticosterone secretion, while aminoglutethimide at 40 mg/kg (PO) induced adrenal hypertrophy without inducing uterine atrophy. CGS 16949A was neither androgenic nor estrogenic in rats using standard bioassays. The data suggest that CGS 16949A may serve as a potent and selective agent for modulating estrogen-dependent functions.

Nicotine, cotinine, and anabasine inhibit aromatase in human trophoblast in vitro

Epidemiologic studies suggest that women who smoke have lower endogenous estrogen than nonsmokers. To explore the possible link between cigarette smoking and decreased endogenous estrogens, we have examined the effects of constituents of tobacco on estrogen production in human choriocarcinoma cells and term placental microsomes. In choriocarcinoma cell cultures, nicotine, cotinine (a major metabolite of nicotine), and anabasine (a minor component of cigarette tobacco) all inhibited androstenedione conversion to estrogen in a dose-dependent fashion. Removal of nicotine, cotinine, and anabasine from the culture medium resulted in the complete reversal of the inhibition of aromatase. In the choriocarcinoma cell cultures, a supraphysiologic concentration of androstenedione (73 microM) in the culture medium blocked the inhibition of aromatase caused by nicotine, cotinine, and anabasine. In preparations of term placental microsomes, nicotine, cotinine, and anabasine inhibited the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Kinetic analysis demonstrated the inhibition to be competitive with respect to the substrate. These findings suggest that some nicotinic alkaloids directly inhibit aromatase. This mechanism may explain, in part, the decreased estrogen observed in women who smoke.

The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on de novo and low-density lipoprotein-stimulated progesterone secretion by human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells

It has been suggested that fetal adrenal steroids affect the secretion of progesterone by the human trophoblast and decrease the progesterone/estrogen secretory ratio at the time of parturition. In the present study, cultured human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells were used as an experimental model in order to examine the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on both de novo and low-density lipoprotein-stimulated progesterone secretion. In serum-free and cholesterol-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium, JEG-3 cell cultures demonstrated a significant secretion of both pregnenolone and progesterone. A 200% to 300% increase in pregnenolone and progesterone secretion was achieved by physiologic low-density lipoprotein concentrations added to Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium while androgens and estrogens remained undetectable. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate added to Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium was actively converted into C-19 and C-18 steroids but had no significant effect (up to 20 micrograms/ml) on basal (de novo) progesterone secretion. In contrast, the addition of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (1 to 5 micrograms/ml) to cultures grown in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium plus low-density lipoprotein induced a dose-related inhibition of progesterone and a return of that secretion to basal levels.

Studies on cytochrome P-450-dependent microsomal enzymes of testicular androgen and estrogen biosynthesis in a urodele amphibian, Necturus

The microsomal fraction isolated from the testis of the urodele amphibian, Necturus maculosus, is very rich in cytochrome P-450 and three cytochrome P-450-dependent steroidogenic enzyme activities, 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C-17, 20-lyase, and aromatase. In this study, we investigated aspects of these reactions using both spectral and enzyme techniques. In animals obtained at different points in the annual cycle, Necturus testis microsomal P-450 concentrations ranged from 0.6-1.8 nmol/mg protein. Substrates for the three enzymes generated type I difference spectra; progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone appeared to bind to one P-450 species while the aromatase substrates, androstenedione, 19-hydroxyandrostenedione, and testosterone, all bound to another P-450 species. Spectral binding constants (Ks) for these interactions were determined. Michaelis constants (Km) and maximum velocities were determined for progesterone 17 alpha-hydroxylation, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone side-chain cleavage, and for the aromatization of androstenedione, 19-hydroxyandrostenedione, and testosterone. Measured either by spectral or kinetic methods, progesterone, androstenedione, and 19-hydroxyandrostenedione were high affinity substrates (Ks or Km less than 0.3 microM), while 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone were low affinity substrates (Ks or Km = 0.6-4.8 microM). As evidence for the participation of cytochrome P-450 in these reactions, carbon monoxide was found to inhibit each of the enzyme activities studied. The activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, a component of cytochrome P-450-dependent reactions, was also high in Necturus testis microsomes.

Synthesis and properties of the epimeric 6-hydroperoxyandrostenediones, new substrates/inhibitors of human placental aromatase

We have recently reported the formation in bovine adrenals and in rat liver of 6 beta-hydroxy-, and 6-oxoprogesterone via the 6 beta-hydroperoxy intermediate. The presence of steroid hydroperoxides in animal tissues, however transient it may be, is not devoid of physiologic significance in view of their characteristic property as potential radical initiators. Since 6-hydroperoxides of androgens have not previously been described, we have synthesized the 2 epimeric 6 alpha-, and 6 beta-hydroperoxy-4-androstene-3,17-diones by oxygenation of 5-androstene-3,17-dione in an aprotic solvent system in the presence of dibenzoyl-peroxide. Their chemical identity and chirality were established by IR, NMR, GC-MS, and by reduction to the known 6 alpha and 6 beta-alcohols. These hydroperoxide stereoisomers could only be separated without decomposition by HPLC using a non-aqueous mobile phase. In our search for a natural, non-estrogenic inhibitor of human placental aromatase, we have studied the effect on this enzyme complex of 6 alpha- and 6 beta-OOH-androstenedione, as well as of their corresponding 6-hydroxy and 6-oxo metabolites. Aromatase activity was measured by a slightly modified version of Thompson and Siiteri's original assay based on 1 beta,2 beta-tritium exchange to 3H water. The C-6 oxygenated androgens were found to competitively inhibit the aromatase reaction in the following descending order: 6-oxo greater than 6 beta-OH greater than 6 alpha-OOH greater than 6 beta-OOH showing Ki values of resp. 2.5, 5.0, 6.5 and 7.5 microM, suggesting that they are interacting with the same active site. Moreover, both 6 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroperoxyandrostenedione are active substrates for the aromatase, giving KM values of 2.8 and 2.5 microM respectively.

Inhibitor specificity of the placental microsomal oxidase system responsible for the aromatization of epitestosterone (17 alpha-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one)

Human placental microsomes converted epitestosterone to estradiol-17 alpha at rates of 23-48 pmol/min X mg protein with a Km of 113 microM. Activity was inhibited 70-90% by concentrations of CO, metyrapone, n-octylamine, 7,8-benzoflavone and 7-ethoxycoumarin which had no effect on the aromatization of 4-androstene-3, 17-dione. Conversely, cyanide and azide were more effective inhibitors of the conversion of the latter androgen. A variety of neutral steroids inhibited the aromatization of epitestosterone with 19-norsteroids being particularly effective, but competitive effects could not be demonstrated. Both 17 beta-hydroxy-4-estren-3-one and 16 alpha-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione caused a mixed inhibition. A number of phenolic steroids were also inhibitory with 16-oxo compounds being particularly effective. Inhibition by estrone was non-competitive (Ki = 16 microM). The aromatization of epitestosterone resembles placental microsomal oxidase activities against estrone and benzo [a]pyrene in its inhibitor specificity and epitestosterone may be the native substrate for an oxidase also active in the metabolism of aromatic xenobiotic chemicals.