title: Deuterium isotope effects on toluene metabolism. Product release as a rate-limiting step in cytochrome P-450 catalysis.
abstract: Liver microsomes from phenobarbital-induced rats oxidize toluene to a mixture of benzyl alcohol plus o-, m- and p-cresol (ca. 69:31). Stepwise deuteration of the methyl group causes stepwise decreases in the yield of benzyl alcohol relative to cresols (ca. 24:76 for toluene-d3). For benzyl alcohol formation from toluene-d3 DV = 1.92 and D(V/K) = 3.53. Surprisingly, however, stepwise deuteration induces stepwise increases in total oxidation, giving rise to an inverse isotope effect overall (DV = 0.67 for toluene-d3). Throughout the series (i.e. d0, d1, d2, d3) the ratios of cresol isomers remain constant. These results are interpreted in terms of product release for benzyl alcohol being slower than release of cresols (or their epoxide precursors), and slow enough to be partially rate-limiting in turnover. Thus metabolic switching to cresol formation causes a net acceleration of turnover.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence 66045.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hanzlik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019905:Benzyl Alcohol; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D002384:Catalysis; D003408:Cresols; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism*; D003903:Deuterium; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014050:Toluene / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D003408:Cresols; D014050:Toluene; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D003903:Deuterium; D019905:Benzyl Alcohol