PHENYTOIN 4-HYDROXYLATION BY RABBIT LIVER P450IIC3 AND IDENTIFICATION OF ORTHOLOGS IN HUMAN LIVER-MICROSOMES

The ability of rabbit liver microsomes to 4-hydroxylate phenytoin to 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin was studied. No significant difference was observed between the capacity of control and rifampicin, phenobarbital, acetone, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and phenytoin induced rabbit liver microsomes to 4-hydroxylate phenytoin. In reconstitution experiments using six purified rabbit cytochromes P450 isozymes, only P450IIC3 was capable of 4-hydroxylating phenytoin whereas P450IA1, P450IA2, P450IIB4, P450IIIA6, and P450IVB1 were inactive. Further, anti-P450IIC3 IgG completely inhibited phenytoin 4-hydroxylase activity in rabbit liver microsomes. The above data suggest a major role for the constitutive isozyme P450IIC3 in phenytoin 4-hydroxylase activity in rabbit liver. In human liver microsomes P450IIC3 IgG inhibited phenytoin 4-hydroxylase activity by 66%, suggesting that an ortholog to rabbit P450IIC3 is in part responsible for this activity in man. © 1990.