title: Sulphation of the heterocyclic amine 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline in the human liver and intestinal mucosa: interindividual variability.
abstract: The sulphation rate of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (TIQ) was measured in the human liver and in the intestinal mucosa isolated from the transverse colon, ileum and duodenum. The rate (mean +/- SD) of hepatic TIQ sulphation was 500 +/- 174 pmol/min per mg in women (n = 61) and 591 +/- 201 in men (n = 39; P = 0.0087), varying over one order of magnitude in men and women. The sulphation rate of testosterone showed the same sex-dependent pattern and was correlated (r = 0.6055; P < 0.001) with that of TIQ. The frequency distribution of TIQ sulphation rate in human liver was bimodal: 70% of the population fell into the low-activity subgroup and the remaining 30% feel into the high-activity subgroup. In the colon (n = 56), the rate of TIQ sulphation was 30.4 +/- 15.6 pmol/min per mg and the values were similar in men and women (29.8 and 30.9 pmol/min per mg, respectively) but, varied over one order of magnitude and correlated (r = 0.7231; P < 0.001) with that of 4-nitrophenol. The rate of TIQ sulphation changed along the human bowel and mean (+/-SD) estimates for duodenum, ileum and transverse colon were 444 +/- 25, 182 +/- 87 and 30.4 +/- 15.6 pmol/ min per mg, respectively. The present results are consistent with the view that the heterocyclic amine TIQ is sulphated in the human liver and intestinal mucosa. TIQ-sulphotransferase activity varies among subjects and is mostly associated with the liver and duodenum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Pacifici
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'alessandro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gucci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giuliani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism*; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines
chemical_list: D007546:Isoquinolines; D009498:Neurotoxins; D013431:Sulfates; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines; D013739:Testosterone; C014843:1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline