title: Induction of rat hepatic cytochrome P450 2B subfamily by azidophenobarbital, as a possible photoaffinity probe for the putative phenobarbital receptor: comparative study with modified phenobarbitals with different functional groups.
abstract: To study the specific target to which phenobarbital (PB) binds, resulting in the induction of cytochrome P450, we prepared two azido-PBs (AZPBs) as photoaffinity ligands. The azido substituent was introduced at the para- or meta-position of the PB aromatic ring. In this study, we estimated the utility of these compounds by examining their inducing activities in vivo in rats. Induction was assessed by immunoblotting with anti-CYP2B1/2 antibody and measuring testosterone-metabolizing activity, using hepatic microsomes. Administration of p-AZPB to rats increased hepatic CYP2B1/2 protein and testosterone 16beta-hydroxylase activity, although the effects were less than those of unmodified PB. m-AZPB showed no effect in the induction of CYP2B1/2. To assess the specificity of the effects of substituents, we compared the inducing activities of p/m-nitro-PBs, p/m-amino-PBs, and p/m-hydroxy-PBs with those of AZPBs. The results showed that p-nitro-PB, m-amino-PB, and p-hydroxy-PB were also potent inducers for CYP2B1/2, with lower activity than that of unmodified PB, whereas the other three isomers had no effect. These results suggest that 1) the absence of any substituents on the aromatic ring of PB is needed for maximal inducing activity and 2) substitution at the meta-position of the PB aromatic ring tends to reduce effectiveness as an inducer more than does substitution at the para-position. Because p-amino-PB and p-acetylamino-PB, the minor and major metabolites of p-AZPB, respectively, were without effect in the induction of CYP2B1/2, the effect of p-AZPB was considered to be due to the unchanged compound itself. The present study demonstrates that, based on the weak but positive ability to induce CYP2B1/2, p-AZPB may be a useful tool for identifying the putative PB receptor.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: K i
authors.initials: Ki
authors.lastname: Taura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oguri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D001386:Azides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019920:Photoaffinity Labels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects*; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C109844:4-azidophenobarbital; D001386:Azides; D019920:Photoaffinity Labels; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C030975:barbiturate receptor; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1; C025619:steroid 16-beta-hydroxylase; D010634:Phenobarbital