title: Characterization of CYP1A enzyme in Adélie penguin liver.
abstract: As CYP1A enzymes are induced by certain contaminants, their induction pattern has been used as a biomarker for exposure of certain pollutants. Ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activities are widely used in environmental assessments of polychlorinated biphenyls in many wildlife species. The EROD activity, a typical probe for CYP1A enzyme was studied in liver microsomes prepared from Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) (n=10). Penguin liver microsomes (0.5 mg/mL) were incubated with the substrate ethoxyresorufin and NADPH at 37 degrees C for 10 min, and the reaction was terminated by addition of methanol. The formation of the metabolite resorufin was assayed by an HPLC method. EROD activity was present in all liver samples studied. Penguin liver microsomal fraction exhibits typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics in the O-deethylation of ethoxyresorufin. The data were best described by a biphasic kinetic model, which could be interpreted in terms of two populations of CYP enzyme. Mean (+/-S.D.) K(m) values for high- and low-affinity components of EROD were 51+/-109 (range: 0.16 to 358) and 872+/-703 (range: 303 to 2450) nM, respectively. The corresponding mean V(max) values for the high- and low-affinity enzyme activities were 1.8+/-1.4 (range: 0.21 to 5.1) and 9.6+/-3.7 (range: 6.0 to 18.3) pmol/min/mg. The EROD activity in penguin liver microsomes was inhibited by CYP1A inhibitors (phenacetin, 7-ethoxycoumarin and proportional variant-naphthoflavone), whereas other CYP inhibitors for CYP2C9 (tolbutamide), 2C19 (mephenytoin), 2D6 (debrisoquin) and 2E1 (diethyldithiocarbamate) had no effect. These results suggest that CYP1A-like enzymes are present in penguin livers. The activity of this enzyme may be a useful biomarker for assessing the environmental impact of pollutants on Antarctic wildlife.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA. swanwimolruk@llu.edu
authors.forename: Sompon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wanwimolruk
authors.forename: Preeya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wanwimolruk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D046429:Spheniscidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D015262:Xenobiotics; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1