Purified adrenocortical microsomal cytochromes P-45017 alpha,lyase and P-450C21 were reconstituted with and without NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase in phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidylethanolamine-phosphatidylserine vesicles at a lipid to P-450 ratio of 35 (w/w) by cholate dialysis procedures. Trypsinolysis revealed that a considerable part of each P-450 molecule is deeply embedded in the lipid bilayer, on the basis of the observation of no detectable digestion for P-45017 alpha,lyase and the proteolysis-resistant membrane-bound heavy fragments for P-450C21. Rotational diffusion was measured in proteoliposomes and adrenocortical microsomes by observing the decay of absorption anisotropy, r(t), after photolysis of the heme-CO complex. Analysis of r(t) was based on a "rotation-about-membrane normal" model. The absorption anisotropy decayed within 1-2 ms to a time-independent value r3. Coexistence of a mobile population with an average rotational relaxation time phi of 138-577 microseconds and immobile (phi > or = 20 ms) populations of cytochrome P-450 was observed in both phospholipid vesicles and microsomes. Different tilt angles of the heme plane from the membrane plane were determined in proteoliposomes to be either 47 degrees or 63 degrees for P-45017 alpha,lyase from [r3/r(0)]min = 0.04 and either 38 degrees or 78 degrees for P-450C21 from [r3/r(0)]min = 0.19, when these P-450s were completely mobilized by incubation with 730 mM NaCl. Very different interactions with the reductase have been observed for the two P-450s in proteoliposomes. In the presence of the reductase, the mobile population of cytochrome P-450C21 was increased significantly from 79% to 96% due to dissociation of P-450 oligomers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Three expression plasmids, pAMC1 for rat P4501A1, pAMR2 for P4501A1 and yeast NADPH-P450 reductase, and pAFCR1 for a fused enzyme between P4501A1 and the reductase, were constructed, and each was introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae AH22 cells. The microsomal fraction prepared from the recombinant yeast cells was subjected to kinetic studies of zoxazolamine 6-hydroxylation at 10 degrees C. The apparent Km and Vmax values for hydroxylation by the fused enzyme in AH22/pAFCR1 microsomes were 0.38 mM and 0.42 s-1, respectively. The rate constant for reduction of the fused enzyme with NADPH in the presence of 1 mM zoxazolamine was larger than 50 s-1 using a dual-wavelength stopped-flow spectrometer, indicating that electrons are rapidly transferred from NADPH through FAD and FMN to the heme iron of the fused enzyme. The rate constant kon for substrate binding to the fused enzyme was 25 mM-1.s-1, which is not much different from that of nonfused P4501A1. These results together with spectral data measured during the hydroxylation reaction in the steady state suggest that the rate-limiting step of the reaction by the fused enzyme might be the release of product. On the other hand, the apparent Km and Vmax values for the hydroxylation of P4501A1 in AH22/pAMC1 and AH22/pAMR2 microsomes were 0.32 and 0.33 mM, and 0.015 and 0.29 s-1, respectively. The rate constants for the reduction of P4501A1 were 0.025 and 0.40 s-1, respectively, for AH22/pAMC1 and AH22/pAMR2 microsomes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Immunohistochemical localization of 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase (P-450(17 alpha,lyase)) and aromatase cytochrome P-450 (P-450arom) in normal human ovaries during the menstrual cycle was studied using specific polyclonal antibodies which were raised against corresponding enzymes. In the follicular phase of matured follicles, P-450(17 alpha,lyase) was localized in theca interna cells and P-450arom in granulosa cells. P-450(17 alpha,lyase) was expressed in theca interna cells before P-450arom was expressed in granulosa cells. The corpus luteum showed immunoreactivity to both enzymes and, after menstruation, immunoreactivity decreased gradually until it could not be detected in the corpus albicans. In corpus luteum graviditatis the immunoreactivity continued to be expressed strongly. In some atretic follicles, P-450(17 alpha,lyase) and/or P-450arom continued to be expressed. In the stromal layer, P-450(17 alpha,lyase was detected in secondary interstitial cells, which originated from the theca interna of atretic follicles, and P-450arom was detected in hilar cells. Immunoreactivity to both enzymes was also detected in oocytes of developing follicles. These results are consistent with the two cell theory in the human ovary. They also suggest that androgens and oestrogens are produced not only by follicles and corpora lutea but also by stroma and oocytes.

The reaction mechanism of androstenedione formation from progesterone was analyzed in a membrane reconstituted system consisting of P-45017 alpha, lyase and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase using a rapid quenching device at 10 degrees C. In these rapid quenching experiments, only the metabolites of [3H]progesterone bound to P-45017 alpha, lyase at the initial stage were detectable during the limited cycles of the P-45017 alpha, lyase reactions (1-120 s). The level of 17 alpha-hydroxy[3H]progesterone increased rapidly in a short period (1-5 s) and then decreased to about half. That of [3H]androstenedione increased gradually from 2 s, which exactly corresponded to the decrease in 17 alpha-hydroxy[3H]progesterone. 17 alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone was conclusively the actual intermediate steroid which did not dissociate from P-45017 alpha, lyase during the successive hydroxylation reaction into androstenedione. A kinetic model can clearly describe the successive reaction catalyzed by P-450 17 alpha, lyase, in which progesterone is converted successively into androstenedione via 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, some of which dissociates from the active site of P-450 17 alpha, lyase and is never metabolized into androstenedione. We analyzed the effects of pH and the amount of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase on the successive reaction and proved that the reaction was regulated by the rate of electron transfer for the conversion of the bound 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone to androstenedione. Furthermore, we found that the product dissociation from P-450 17 alpha, lyase is the rate-limiting process in the steady-state metabolism of progesterone by P-450 17 alpha, lyase.

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