Immobilization of pig liver microsomes

Microsomes from pig liver were covalently coupled to Sepharose activated by CNBr and to Sephadex activated by 1,1’-carbonyldiimidazole. Microsomes were also entrapped inside Ca-alginate andk-carrageenan gels. The concentration of immobilized cytochrome P-450 was determined by CO-difference spectra. The activity of the monooxygenase system was demonstrated by theN-demethylation of aminopyrine, theO-demethylation ofp-nitroanisole, and the hydroxylation of perhexiline maleate. Upon immobilization, a 30–40% and a 60–70% decrease in V _max ^app for theOandN-demethylations were respectively observed. The V _max ^app values for the hydroxylation of perhexiline maleate were essentially the same for the different immobilized forms and for the freely suspended microsomal cytochrome P-450. Under storage at 4°C, microsomes entrapped insidek-carrageenan and Ca-alginate were less stable than the free microsomes, whereas immobilization on CNBr-activated Sepharose improved the stability of the hepatic microsomal monooxygenase system at the same temperature. These types of immobilized microsomes have the advantage of being easily recovered and reused for other assays. Finally, microsomes entrapped insidek-carrageenan or Ca-alginate can be used to follow up the continuous metabolization ofp-nitroanisole for several hours in a stirred-batch reactor.