Immunochemical and catalytic characterization of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 in the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus).
Liver samples from three live-stranded adult male sperm whales, that could be sampled and frozen in liquid nitrogen within 18 h post mortem, provided an opportunity to learn more about the basic properties of their cytochrome P450 (CYP) system. All samples were catalytically active and showed sharp bands of the different CYP enzymes after Western blotting, indicating that degradation of the proteins was negligible. All three sperm whales showed a similar immunochemical CYP pattern: bands of CYP1A1/2, CYP3A and CYP4A were present, but CYP2B1/2 was not detected. Significant biotransformation of the polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons 4, 4'-dichlorobiphenyl (CB-15), 2,7-dichlorodibenzodioxin and 1,2,3,4,8-pentadibenzofuran was measured in an in vitro biotransformation assay. In contrast, 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (CB-77) and two chlorobornanes (CHB-32 and CHB-62) occurring in the insectide toxaphene(R), were not metabolised.
Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), PO Box 59, 1790 AB den Burg, Texel, Netherlands. boon@nioz.nl
J P
JP
Boon
W E
WE
Lewis
A
A
Goksøyr
D000818:Animals; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D002384:Catalysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000662:veterinary; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000378:metabolism; D019388:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / Q000378:metabolism; D014112:Toxaphene / Q000633:toxicity*; D014907:Whales / Q000378:metabolism*
D007306:Insecticides; D014112:Toxaphene; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D019388:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating