Surface-enhanced Raman scattering as a tool to probe cytochrome P450-catalysed substrate oxidation

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering was used as a spectroscopic tool to investigate the changes brought upon cytochrome P450BSß after fatty acid binding. Differences in the spectra of substrate-free and substrate-bound enzyme were observed indicating the potential for this method to be used in the screening of P450 substrates. In particular, the binding characteristics of myristic acid, an inherent substrate, and hydroxylauric acid, a product of fatty acid oxidation, towards P450BSß in the presence of H₂O₂ were investigated. Specific spectral changes could be assigned to changes in the heme environment only for myristic acid, indicating an occurrence of oxidation process characteristic for the enzymatic substrate.     

Solvation of the active site of cytochrome P450-cam

Summary Energetically favorable water binding sites in the substrate pocket of cytochrome P450-cam have been predicted by a molecular mechanics method. Binding sites corresponding to all the experimentally observed water sites in this region of the enzyme were located. The calculations also indicate the presence of two further water binding sites. One of these is located in a hydrophobic region of the protein where a water molecule would not bind tightly to the substrate-free enzyme. However, in the substrate-bound enzyme, a water molecule in this region could donate a hydrogen bond of optimum geometry to the carbonyl oxygen atom of the camphor substrate and could therefore contribute to the correct positioning of the comphor substrate for 5-exo-hydroxylation. These calculations also suggest that a steric analogue of camphor, containing an alkyl group which could prevent a water molecule from binding in this region, might inhibit cytochrome P450-cam by forming a more stable enzyme-ligand complex than camphor itself.     

Sensing cytochrome P450 1A1 activity by a resorufin-based isoform-specific fluorescent probe

Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), a heme-containing monooxygenase, is of particular importance for human health because of its vital roles in the metabolic activation of pro-carcinogenic compounds to the carcinogens. Deciphering the relevance of CYP1A1 to human diseases and screening of CYP1A1 modulators require reliable tool(s) for probing this key enzyme in complex biological matrices. Herein, a practical and ultrasensitive fluorescence-based assay for real-time sensing CYP1A1 activities in biological systems has been developed, via designing an isoform-specific fluorogenic sensor for CYP1A1 (CHPO). The newly developed fluorogenic substrate for CYP1A1 has been carefully investigated in terms of specificity, sensitivity, precision, quantitative linear range and the anti-interference ability. The excellent selectivity, strong anti-interference ability and fast response kinetics, making the practicability of CHPO-based CYP1A1 activity assay is better than that of most reported CYP1A1 activity assays. Furthermore, CHPO has been successfully used for imaging CYP1A1 activities in living cells and human tissues, as well as for high-throughput screening of CYP1A1 inhibitors using tissue preparations as enzyme sources. Collectively, this study provided a practical fluorogenic sensor for real-time sensing CYP1A1 in complex biological systems, which would strongly facilitate the investigations on the relevance of CYP1A1 to human diseases and promote high-throughput screening of CYP1A1 modulators for biomedical applications.     

Determination of midazolam and its metabolite as a probe for cytochrome P450 3A4 phenotype by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study demonstrated the analysis of midazolam and its metabolites by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with a sonic spray ionization (SSI) interface. The analytical column was a YMC-Pak Pro C18 (50 mm x 2.0 mm i.d.) using 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.8)-methanol (1:1) at a flow rate of 0.2 ml min(-1). The drift voltage was 100 V. The sampling aperture was heated at 110 degrees C and the shield temperature was 230 degrees C. The lower limits for the detection of midazolam and 1'-hydroxymidazolam were 26.3 and 112.76 pg injected, respectively. The calibration curves for midazolam and 1'-hydroxymidazolam were linear in the range of 0.1-5 microg ml(-1). Within-day relative standard deviations was less than 7%. The method was applied to the determination of midazolam in monkey plasma, and the analysis of midazolam and its metabolites in an in vitro study with recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. This method is sufficiently sensitive and useful to elucidate the kinetics of midazolam metabolite formation. We also investigated the effect of propofol on the metabolism of midazolam using recombinant CYP3A4. Propofol competitively inhibited the metabolism of midazolam to 1'-hydroxymidazolam by CYP3A4.     

Sensing cytochrome P450 1A1 activity by a resorufin-based isoform-specific fluorescent probe

Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), a heme-containing monooxygenase, is of particular importance for human health because of its vital roles in the metabolic activation of pro-carcinogenic compounds to the carcinogens. Deciphering the relevance of CYP1A1 to human diseases and screening of CYP1A1 modulators require reliable tool(s) for probing this key enzyme in complex biological matrices. Herein, a practical and ultrasensitive fluorescence-based assay for real-time sensing CYP1A1 activities in biological systems has been developed, via designing an isoform-specific fluorogenic sensor for CYP1A1 (CHPO). The newly developed fluorogenic substrate for CYP1A1 has been carefully investigated in terms of specificity, sensitivity, precision, quantitative linear range and the anti-interference ability. The excellent selectivity, strong anti-interference ability and fast response kinetics, making the practicability of CHPO-based CYP1A1 activity assay is better than that of most reported CYP1A1 activity assays. Furthermore, CHPO has been successfully used for imaging CYP1A1 activities in living cells and human tissues, as well as for high-throughput screening of CYP1A1 inhibitors using tissue preparations as enzyme sources. Collectively, this study provided a practical fluorogenic sensor for real-time sensing CYP1A1 in complex biological systems, which would strongly facilitate the investigations on the relevance of CYP1A1 to human diseases and promote high-throughput screening of CYP1A1 modulators for biomedical applications.     

Environmental effects of chitosan as an immobilization medium for electrochemically active small molecules

Abstract

A number of challenges arise when using ferrocene as a component of electrochemical biosensors, including solubility in aqueous solutions. Therefore, entrapment of the biotin-ferrocene molecules within the chitosan film provides a route for immobilization on an electroactive surface such as an electrode while making the system water compatible. The use of the chitosan-ferrocene bioconjugate thin film on the electrode surface produces a signal that can be monitored in aqueous media. Herein, we discuss a series of modified ferrocene molecules that contain various linkers that provide non-covalent entanglement points to the chitosan medium. The electrochemical analysis and electron microscopy results show marked differences in the ferrocene loaded chitosan polymers when the termini of the ferrocene-linker vary between –SH and –NH₂. The –SH modified systems showed increased reversible and robust electrochemical signals relative to the –NH₂ congeners. Further studies showed that non-covalent impregnation strategy used is robust to degradation and less than 1% of the ferrocene molecules were leached over time. These results indicate that there are specific considerations needed when using chitosan-ferrocene systems as components in sensor arrays in future studies.     

Evaluation of an in-capillary approach for performing quantitative cytochrome P450 activity studies

An automated in-capillary assay requiring very small quantities of reagents was developed for performing in vitro cytochrome P450 (CYP450) drug metabolism studies. The approach is based on the following: (i) hydrodynamic introduction of nanoliter volumes of substrate and enzyme solutions in the sandwich mode, within a capillary; (ii) mixing the reagents by diffusion across the interfaces between the injected solutions; (iii) collection of the capillary content at the end of the in-capillary assay; and (iv) off-line analysis of the incubation mixture by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). After optimizing the injection sequence of the reagents, the in-capillary approach was applied to the quantitative determination of the kinetics of drug metabolism reactions catalyzed by three CYP450 isozymes involved in human drug metabolism: CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4. It was demonstrated that this in-capillary method was able to provide similar kinetic parameters for CYP450 activity (e.g., Michaelis constants and turnover values) as the classical in vitro method, with a drastic reduction of reagent consumption.     

Non-covalent modification of the active site of cytochrome P450 for inverting the stereoselectivity of monooxygenation

The enantioselectivity in the sulfoxidation of thioanisole catalyzed by cytochrome P450_BSβ with a decoy molecule, a dummy molecule of the natural substrate, can be inverted by changing the structure of the decoy molecule. The methodology demonstrated herein shows the potential for controlling the stereoselectivity of biocatalysts without any mutagenesis.     

细胞色素P450的电化学研究进展

细胞色素P450的电化学研究从一个侧面反映了为使细胞色素P450达到工业催化剂的最终目的人们所作的不懈努力。本文从细胞色素P450在电极上的电子转移研究,隧道扫描显微镜的微观成像研究和使用电极作为细胞色素P450的电子给体从而实现细胞色素P450底物转化三方面,评述了近年来细胞色素P450的电化学研究进展。     

以睾酮为探针采用高效液相色谱法测定细胞色素CYP450 3A4的酶活性

建立了一种快速、高效的以睾酮作为探针药物评价细胞色素P450 3A4(CYP3A4)酶活性的高效液相色谱-紫外检测方法。采用的色谱柱为Phenomenex C18柱(4.6 mm×150 mm,5 μm),梯度洗脱,流速1.0 mL/min,紫外检测波长245 nm,柱温30 ℃。睾酮与大鼠肝微粒体温孵后,过已活化好的C18固相萃取小柱,收集甲醇洗脱液,于37 ℃水浴中通N2吹干,用50%甲醇复溶后进样分析测定。研究结果表明,6β-羟基睾酮的 保留时间为11.60 min,线性范围为0.5～32 μg/mL,最低检出质量浓度为0.02 μg/mL,提取率为88.41%～92.73%,方法的回收率为99.07%～101.30%;睾酮的保留时间为19.27 min,线性范围为0.5～40 μg/mL,最低检出质量浓度为0.01 μg/mL,提取率为89.59%～92.66%,方法的回收率为96.50%～98.03%。两者的日内、日间相对标准偏差均小于10%,温孵体系中的其他内源性物质不干扰测定。该方法快速、稳定、灵敏度高,适合体外睾酮及其代谢物6β-羟基睾酮的测定,可应用于体外CYP3A4酶活性的评价及酶动力学的研究。     

Evidence for two different active oxygen species in cytochrome P450 BM3 mediated sulfoxidation and N-dealkylation reactions

Herein, we report the results from two experiments that are consistent with sulfoxidation and N-dealkylation involving two different enzyme substrate complexes and thus two different active oxygen species that do not interchange. The first experiment involves the use of a mutant that may increase the amount of the hydroperoxy-iron species (FeIIIO2H).1 This mutant increases the amount of sulfoxidation relative to the amount of N-dealkylation by 4-fold. In a second experiment, deuterium substitution on the N-methyl groups of substrate does not result in an increase in sulfoxidation. This later result is consistent with N-dealkylation and sulfoxidation being mediated by two different active oxygen species. While the data indicate two active oxygen species, they do not distinguish between the different possibilities for the active oxygen species.     

Synthesis of oxygenated cineole derivatives from cineole: utility of cytochrome P450cin as an enantioselective catalyst

The oxidation of cineole to (1R)-6β-hydroxycineole by cytochrome P450_cin (CYP176A) is utilised as the initial step in the synthesis of a range of compounds, both novel and ones previously known only as racemates. The potential of P450_cin to provide useful, enantiopure building blocks is thus demonstrated. In particular, hydroxylation by this enzyme was used as the initial step in the synthesis of a range of functionalised cineole derivatives that could be used as mechanistic probes to elucidate the effect of substrate structure on the transformations mediated by P450_cin.     

Engineering and assaying of cytochrome P450 biocatalysts

Cytochrome P450s constitute a highly fascinating superfamily of enzymes which catalyze a broad range of reactions. They are essential for drug metabolism and promise industrial applications in biotechnology and biosensing. The constant search for cytochrome P450 enzymes with enhanced catalytic performances has generated a large body of research. This review will concentrate on two key aspects related to the identification and improvement of cytochrome P450 biocatalysts, namely the engineering and assaying of these enzymes. To this end, recent advances in cytochrome P450 development are reported and commonly used screening methods are surveyed.     

Epoxidation of olefins by hydroperoxo-ferric cytochrome P450

The T252A mutant of cytochrome P450cam is unable to form the oxoferryl "active oxygen" intermediate, as judged by its inability to hydroxylate its normal substrate, camphor. In the present study, we demonstrate that T252A P450cam is nonetheless able to epoxidize olefins, due to the action of a second oxidant. However, as shown in earlier radiolytic studies and by the ability of T252A to reduce dioxygen to hydrogen peroxide, the mutant retains the ability to form the hydroperoxo-ferric reaction cycle intermediate. The present results provide strong evidence that hydroperoxo-ferric P450 can serve as a second electrophilic oxidant capable of olefin epoxidation.     

Hydrogen-bonding interactions in the active sites of cytochrome P450cam and its site-directed mutants.

Resonance Raman spectroscopy is applied to the cyanide adducts of cytochrome P450cam and its T252A and D251N site-directed mutants, both in their substrate-free and camphor-bound forms, to probe active-site heme structure and, in particular, interactions of the FeCN fragment with potential active-site H-bond donors. In contrast to the ferrous CO and ferric NO adducts, which form only essentially linear (slightly distorted) FeXY fragments, the spectra of the ferric CN(-) adducts provide clear evidence the for the existence of an additional, rather highly bent, conformer; that is, the cyanide complexes form both linear and bent conformers in both the substrate-free and substrate-bound forms. Formation of this bent conformer is most reasonably attributed to the presence of off-axis H-bond donors, which induce distortion on the FeCN fragment but not the FeCO and FeNO fragments, which are poorer H-bond acceptors. For all three proteins, the substrate-free form exhibits a complex spectral pattern which arises because one of the modes associated with the FeCN fragment is coupled with two heme macrocycle deformation modes. Significantly, no evidence for such coupling is observed in the spectra of the camphor-bound forms. While various unknown factors may possibly give rise to selective activation of such coupling in the substrate-free derivative, given the known facts about the active-site architecture of this enzyme, a plausible explanation is that the bent conformer is oriented toward the water-filled substrate-binding site in the substrate-free form, but oppositely, toward the proposed proton delivery shuttle, in the substrate-bound form. Sensitivity of the FeCN modes to H(2)O/D(2)O exchange in the two camphor-bound mutants, which is apparently absent for the camphor-bound native protein, is most reasonably attributed to the known presence of extra water in the active sites of these mutants.     

Mechanisms of reaction in cytochrome P450: Hydroxylation of camphor in P450cam

The fundamental nature of reactivity in cytochrome P450 enzymes is currently controversial. Modelling of bacterial P450cam has suggested an important role for the haem propionates in the catalysis, though this finding has been questioned. Understanding the mechanisms of this enzyme family is important both in terms of basic biochemistry and potentially in the prediction of drug metabolism. We have modelled the hydroxylation of camphor by P450cam, using combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods. A set of reaction pathways in the enzyme was determined. We were able to pinpoint the source of the discrepancies in the previous results. We show that when a correct ionization state is assigned to Asp297, no spin density appears on the haem propionates and the protein structure in this region remains preserved. These results indicate that the haem propionates are not involved in catalysis.     

Prediction of activation energies for aromatic oxidation by cytochrome P450

We have estimated the activation energy for aromatic oxidation by compound I in cytochrome P450 for a diverse set of 17 substrates using state-of-the-art density functional theory (B3LYP) with large basis sets. The activation energies vary from 60 to 87 kJ/mol. We then test if these results can be reproduced by computationally less demanding methods. The best methods (a B3LYP calculation of the activation energy of a methoxy-radical model or a partial least-squares model of the semiempirical AM1 bond dissociation energies and spin densities of the tetrahedral intermediate for both a hydroxyl-cation and a hydroxyl-radical model) give correlations with r(2) of 0.8 and mean absolute deviations of 3 kJ/mol. Finally, we apply these simpler methods on several sets of reactions for which experimental data are available and show that we can predict the reactive sites by combining calculations of the activation energies with the solvent-accessible surface area of each site.     

Optimization and validation of a label-free MRM method for the quantification of cytochrome P450 isoforms in biological samples

Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play critical roles in oxidative metabolism of many endogenous and exogenous compounds. Protein expression levels of CYPs in liver provide relevant information for a better understanding of the importance of CYPs in pharmacology and toxicology. This work aimed at establishing a simple method to quantify six CYPs (CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2J2) in various biological samples without isotopic labeling. The biological matrix was spiked with the standard peptides prior to the digestion step to realize a label-free quantification by mass spectrometry. The method was validated and applied to quantify these six isoforms in both human liver microsomes and mitochondria, but also in recombinant expression systems such as baculosomes and the HepG2 cell line. The results showed intra-assay and interassay accuracy and precision within 16 % and 5 %, respectively, at the low quality control level, and demonstrated the advantages of the method in terms of reproducibility and cost.