title: Regioselectivity and stereoselectivity of androgen hydroxylations catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 isozymes purified from phenobarbital-induced rat liver.
abstract: The regioselectivity and stereoselectivity of androgen hydroxylations catalyzed by five isozymes of cytochrome P-450 purified from phenobarbital-induced rat liver were studied in a reconstituted monooxygenase system using testosterone (T) and androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (delta 4-A) as substrates. P-450 PB-3, an isozyme exhibiting low catalytic activity with many xenobiotic substrates, catalyzed efficient (turnover = 15.7 to 18.5 min-1 P-450-1 at 25 microM substrate) and highly stereoselective B-ring hydroxylations of both steroid substrates, with the corresponding 7 alpha- and 6 alpha-hydroxy alcohols formed in ratios of approximately 20 to 30:1, respectively. P-450 PB-2c metabolized testosterone to a mixture of 16 alpha OH-T, 2 alpha OH-T, and delta 4-A (product ratio = 1.0/0.78/0.33; turnover = 10.2 min-1 P-450-1). PB-2c is present in significantly larger amounts in mature male rats as compared to immature males, and probably catalyzes the male-specific testosterone 16 alpha-hydroxylase activity known to be induced at puberty and subject to endocrine control. P-450 PB-4, the major phenobarbital-induced isozyme in rat liver, catalyzed efficient D-ring hydroxylations, yielding 16 beta OH- delta 4-A as the predominant product with delta 4-A as substrate (turnover = 12.0 min-1 P-450-1) and a mixture of 16 beta OH-T, 16 alpha OH-T, and delta 4-A (the latter compound presumably formed via 17 alpha hydroxylation) with testosterone as substrate (turnover = 5.2 min-1 P-450-1). P-450 isozymes PB-1 and PB-5 hydroxylated both steroids with essentially the same regioselectivity as PB-4 but at only 5 to 10% the catalytic rate. Cytochrome b5 stimulated most of these steroid hydroxylations up to 2-fold with no change in regio- or stereoselectivity. The identification of specific steroid metabolites as diagnostic of particular P-450 isozymes should be useful for the assessment of isozymic contributions to microsomal activities and, in addition, facilitate comparisons of P-450 isozymes isolated in different laboratories.
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism*; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D039181:Steroid 16-alpha-Hydroxylase; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D007527:Isoenzymes; D013739:Testosterone; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D039181:Steroid 16-alpha-Hydroxylase; D010634:Phenobarbital