A full-length cDNA for the human liver mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 CYP27 was cloned from a human hepatoma HepG2 cDNA library and then subcloned into the mammalian expression vector pSG5. When CYP27 cDNA was trnsfected into COS-1 tansformed monkey kidney ceRs along with adrenodoin cDNA, transected cells revealed a 10-to 20-fold higher vitamin D3-25-hydroxylase activity than nontransfected cells. Transfected cells were capable of 25-hydroxylation of vitamin D3, la-hydroxyvitamin D3 and lahydroxydihydrotachysterol3. In each case they also showed the ability to 26(27)-hydroxylate the cholesterol-like (D3) side chain. The relative rates of 25-and 26(27)-hydroxylation of la-hydroxyvitamin D3 approximately mimicked the ratio of products observed in HepG2 cells. Vitamin D2 and lahydroxyvitamin D2, both with the ergosterol-like side chain, were 24-and 26(27)-hydroxylated by CYP27. The rate of side-chain 24-, 25-, or 26(27)-hydroxylation was greater for la-hydroxylated vitamin D analogs than for their nonhydroxylated counterparts. We conclude that CYP27 is capable of24-, 25-, and 26(27)-hydroxylation of vitamin D analogs and that the nature of products Is partially dictated by the side chain of the substrate. This work has revealed that the cytochrome P-450 CYP27 may be important in the metabolism of vitamin D analogs used as drugs.The cytochrome P45S-containing enzyme vitamin D3 25-hydroxylase has been extensively studied over the past 20 years or so since the first broken-cell systems were described (1). Subsequently, many studies involving purification and characterization ofthe enzyme(s) have been performed using the liver of different experimental animals, in particular that of the rat and rabbit (2, 3). In the rat, both microsomal and mitochondrial versions of the vitamin D3 25-hydroxylase have been reported (3, 4). The human liver counterpart was believed to exist exclusively in the mitochondrial inner membrane (5). This conclusion was subsequently challenged by the observation that the microsomal fraction from human liver might contain an inhibitor(s) of the enzyme (6).The cloning of the liver mitochondrial vitamin D3 25-hydroxylase cDNA has been reported for rat (7) and rabbit (8, 9). The cloning of the presumed human homolog of the liver mitochondrial vitamin D3 25-hydroxylase has also been reported (10, 11) and this cytochrome P-450 has been named CYP27. Though Cali and coworkers (10,12) (Kingston, ON).Cell Culture and Incubation with Vitamin D Analogs. HepG2 cells were cultured as described (14). COS-1 cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and antibiotics (penicillin G, 100 pg/ml; gentamicin, 5 pg/ml; and Fungizone, 300 ng/ml).Tissue culture plates (100-or 150-mm diameter) were washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline and once with medium containing antibiotics plus 1% (wt/vol) bovine serum albumin. Serum-free medium containing 1% albumin (4 ml per 100-mm plate; 10 ml per 150-mm plate) was added to each plate, followed by vitamin D anal...