menthofuran and coumarin

Human microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2A6 contributes extensively to nicotine detoxication but also activates tobacco-specific procarcinogens to mutagenic products. We prepared a series of benzofuran and coumarin derivatives that have inhibitory effects on the activity of human CYP2A6. The reported compounds methoxalen and menthofuran had potent inhibitory effects on the activity of CYP2A6 with IC50 values of 0.47 µM and 1.27 µM, respectively. Synthetic benzofuran (4-methoxybenzofuran: IC₅₀=2.20 µM) and coumarin (5-methoxycoumarin: IC₅₀=0.13 µM and 6-methoxycoumarin: IC₅₀=0.64 µM) derivatives, which have more selective effects than those of methoxalen and menthofuran, exhibited comparable activities against CYP2A6. These compounds can be used as a lead compounds in the design of CYP2A6 inhibitor drugs to reduce smoking and tobacco-related cancers.

Topics: Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; Benzofurans; Coumarins; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2A6; Enzyme Inhibitors; Humans; Models, Chemical; Monoterpenes; Protein Binding

Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes are mixed-function oxidases that catalyze the metabolism of xenobiotics and endogenous biochemicals. Selective inhibitors are needed to accurately distinguish the contributions of individual P450 enzymes in the metabolism of drugs and the activation of procarcinogens in human tissues, but very frequently these enzymes have substantial overlapping selectivity. We evaluated a chemically diverse set of nine previously identified CYP2A6 inhibitors to determine which are able to discriminate between human CYP2A enzymes CYP2A6 and the 94%-identical CYP2A13 enzyme. Inhibitor binding to recombinant purified enzyme was evaluated, and affinities were determined. K(i) values were determined for inhibition of p-nitrophenol 2-hydroxylation, a reaction accomplished by CYP2A13 and CYP2A6 with more similar catalytic efficiencies (k(cat)/K(m) 0.19 and 0.12 μM⁻¹ · min⁻¹, respectively) than hydroxylation of the classic substrate coumarin (0.11 and 0.53 μM⁻¹ · min⁻¹, respectively). Of the nine compounds assayed, only tranylcypromine and (R)-(+)-menthofuran had a greater than 10-fold preference for CYP2A6 inhibition versus CYP2A13 inhibition. Most compounds evaluated [tryptamine, 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde, phenethyl isothiocyanate, β-nicotyrine, (S)-nicotine, and pilocarpine] demonstrated only moderate or no preference for inhibition of one CYP2A enzyme over the other. However, 8-methoxypsoralen has a 6-fold lower K(i) for CYP2A13 than for CYP2A6. This information is useful to inform reinterpretation of previous data with these inhibitors and to guide future studies seeking to determine which human CYP2A enzyme is responsible for the in vivo metabolism of compounds in human tissues expressing both enzymes.

Topics: Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; Binding, Competitive; Catalysis; Coumarins; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2A6; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors; Humans; Hydroxylation; Ligands; Models, Biological; Molecular Structure; Monoterpenes; Nitrophenols; Protein Binding; Recombinant Proteins; Substrate Specificity; Tranylcypromine

Currently, there are no selective, well characterized inhibitors for CYP2A6. Therefore, the effects of trans-(+/-)-2-phenylcyclopropylamine (tranylcypromine), a potent CYP2A6 inhibitor, on human liver microsomal cytochromes P450 (CYP) were studied to elucidate its selectivity. The IC50 value of tranylcypromine in coumarin 7-hydroxylation (CYP2A6 model activity) was 0.42 +/- 0.07 microM and in chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation (CYP2E1 model activity) 3.0 +/- 1.1 microM. The IC50 values for CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4 activities were >10 microM. Potency and selectivity of tranylcypromine were strongly dependent on the amine group, because its nonamine analog cyclopropylbenzene was much less potent inhibitor of CYP1A, CYP2A6, CYP2C19, and CYP2E1 activities and did not inhibit at all CYP2C9, CYP2D6, or CYP3A4 activities. In human liver microsomes tranylcypromine induced type II and cyclopropylbenzene type I difference spectrum. According to the double reciprocal analysis of these spectral responses both tranylcypromine and cyclopropylbenzene may have at least two P450-related binding sites in liver microsomes. The K(a) values of tranylcypromine varied from 4.5 to 15.1 microM and -34.3 to 167 microM in microsomes derived from three different livers and of cyclopropylbenzene from -1.6 to 10.1 microM and -34.6 and 75.2 microM in the same liver microsomes. Based on these results, tranylcypromine seems an adequately selective CYP2A6 inhibitor for in vitro use.

Topics: Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; Benzene Derivatives; Binding Sites; Chlorzoxazone; Coumarins; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2A6; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Isoenzymes; Kinetics; Methoxsalen; Microsomes, Liver; Mixed Function Oxygenases; Molecular Structure; Monoterpenes; Spectrophotometry; Terpenes; Tranylcypromine