Enzyme sulfotransferase

Sulfation is another common form of conjugation predominately found with phenolic compounds however, sulfate esters can also be formed with alcohols, aryl-amines, and N-hydroxy compounds. Sulfation involves the transfer of S03 from 3 -phosphoadenosine-5 -phosphosulfate (PAPS) to one of the above-mentioned functional groups by an enzyme-catalyzed reaction involving the cytosolic enzymes (sulfotransferases), as illustrated in Fig. 24 [11]. It is common to find phenolic compounds that are metabolized by both sulfation and glucuronidation, as they are often competing pathways. However, sulfation has a significant limitation... 

The metabolism of foreign compounds (xenobiotics) often takes place in two consecutive reactions, classically referred to as phases one and two. Phase I is a functionalization of the lipophilic compound that can be used to attach a conjugate in Phase II. The conjugated product is usually sufficiently water-soluble to be excretable into the urine. The most important biotransformations of Phase I are aromatic and aliphatic hydroxylations catalyzed by cytochromes P450. Other Phase I enzymes are for example epoxide hydrolases or carboxylesterases. Typical Phase II enzymes are UDP-glucuronosyltrans-ferases, sulfotransferases, N-acetyltransferases and methyltransferases e.g. thiopurin S-methyltransferase. 

The microsomal fraction consists mainly of vesicles (microsomes) derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (smooth and rough). It contains cytochrome P450 and NADPH/cytochrome P450 reductase (collectively the microsomal monooxygenase system), carboxylesterases, A-esterases, epoxide hydrolases, glucuronyl transferases, and other enzymes that metabolize xenobiotics. The 105,000 g supernatant contains soluble enzymes such as glutathione-5-trans-ferases, sulfotransferases, and certain esterases. The 11,000 g supernatant contains all of the types of enzyme listed earlier. 

Tosylate derivatives are not usually found in nature, but sulfate derivatives of alcohols are common (52). They are formed by the reaction of an alcohol with sulfate, catalyzed by a sulfotransferase enzyme. 

The enterocyte expresses many of the metabolic enzymes that are expressed in the liver. These include UDP-glucuronyltransferases, sulfotransferases, esterases and cytochromes P450. 

Sulfotransferases are cytosolic enzymes that add sulfate to phenolic and hydroxyl functions as well as certain amines. The relative rates of sulfation of several sulfo-... 

From the above, it is clear that the gut wall represents more than just a physical barrier to oral drug absorption. In addition to the requirement to permeate the membrane of the enterocyte, the drug must avoid metabolism by the enzymes present in the gut wall cell as well as counter-absorptive efflux by transport proteins in the gut wall cell membrane. Metabolic enzymes expressed by the enterocyte include the cytochrome P450, glucuronyltransferases, sulfotransferases and esterases. The levels of expression of these enzymes in the small intestine can approach that of the liver. The most well-studied efflux transporter expressed by the enterocyte is P-gp. 

Mutant or knockout mice defective in specific enzymes involved in lipid synthesis have provided powerful tools for genetic analysis of lipid function in the nervous system. For example, disruption of the genes for ceramide galactosyl transferase or galactosyl ceramide sulfotransferase,... 

There are also numerous enzymes anchored in membranes of the microsomal cell fraction that participate in the metabolism of steroid hormones. Thus, those of the p450 family, which carry out molecular oxidation, or the sulfatases and sulfotransferases, more or less specific to several hormones (Pasqualini et al. 1995). The affinity of steroid hormones for proteins of the membrane (Kd between 10 and 100 nM) is frequently greater than that which some of these enzymes present for their substrates (Luzardo et al. 2000). Therefore, it is unlikely that a part of the proteins of the membrane that bind steroids is in reality enzymes metabolizing these hormones. 

MARSOLAIS, F GIDDA, S.K., BOYD, J., VARIN, L Plant soluble sulfotransferases structural and functional similarity with mammalian enzymes. In Evolution of Metabolic Pathways (J.T. Romeo, R. Ibrahim, L. Varin, V. de Luca, eds.), Elsevier Science Ltd., Amsterdam. 2000, pp. 433-456. 

Potentially, individuals with low activities of the enzymes phenol sulfotransferase and glucuronyl-transferase may be more susceptible to phenol toxicity. Persons with ulcerative colitis may have an impaired capacity to sulfate phenol (Ramakrishna et al. 1991), which may increase the amount of unchanged phenol that is absorbed following oral exposure. Neonates may also be more susceptible to toxicity from dermally-applied phenol because of increased skin permeability and proportionately greater surface area. A study in which 10-day-old rats were more sensitive to lethality following oral exposure to phenol than 5-week-old or adult rats (Deichmann and Witherup 1944) further suggests that the young may be more sensitive to phenol. (For a more detailed discussion please see Section 2.6.) Because phenol is a vesicant, individuals with sensitive skin or pulmonary incapacity may be more sensitive to phenol. Individuals with kidney or liver diseases that impair metabolism or excretion of phenol and phenol metabolites may be more susceptible to phenol. 

Assays for FMO and most phase II enzymes are typically not included as part of a standard eADMET profile and therefore, modeling related to clearance by phase II enzymes has not been attempted although structural information for some sulfotransferases is available [145]. 

For exogenous compounds such as drugs, various enzymes involved in both phase I and phase II metabolic routes are present, e.g. various isoforms of cytochrome p450, cytochrome b5, glucuronyl transferase and sulfotransferase [15]. 

This enzyme [EC 2.S.2.2], also referred to as hydroxyste-roid sulfotransferase, catalyzes the reaction of 3 -phos-phoadenylylsulfate with an alcohol to produce adenosine 3, 5 -bisphosphate and an alkyl sulfate. The alcohols that can act as substrates include ahphatic alcohols, ascorbate, chloramphenicol, ephedrine, hydroxysteroids, and other primary and secondary alcohols. However, phenolic steroids will not serve as substrates (such alcohols can be acted upon by steroid sulfotransferases). 

This enzyme [EC 2.8.2.5] catalyzes the reaction of chon-droitin with 3 -phosphoadenylylsulfate to produce adenosine 3, 5 -bisphosphate and chondroitin 4 -suffate. Specifically, the sulfation is at the 4-position of A-acetyl-galactosamine residues of chondroitin. This enzyme is distinct from that of chondroitin 6-sulfotransferase [EC 2.8.2.17]. 

The oxime, 34, is glycosylated by a UDPG-thiohydroximate glucosyltransferase, and subsequently sulfonated by sulfotransferase to yield a glucosinolate of the type Thus, aldoximes generated by initial oxygenation of amino acids are found to serve as substrates of a wide variety of plant enzymes that act directly at the hydroximino function. 

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