Metabolism, enzymatic activities,

We have investigated the mechanism of this inhibition of CYP in rat hepatocytes and have provided evidence for -NO-induced loss of protein-bound heme with consequent effects on cellular heme-metabolizing enzymatic activities (Kim et al., 1995). We present here an overview of our results and a review of possible mechanisms of this effect and its potential importance as a biological action of NO production during conditions of infection and inflammation. 

Metabolic enzymatic activity in the liver is one of the body s main neutralization strategies for xenobiotics, including drugs. Drug molecules, the substrates of interest here, are catalyzed into products called metabolites. Drug metabolism can be divided into three phases (Schultz 2006) ... 

In die metabolic pathway to an amino add several steps are involved. Each step is die result of an enzymatic activity. The key enzymatic activity (usually die first enzyme in the synthesis) is regulated by one of its products (usually die end product, eg die amino add). If die concentration of die amino add is too high die enzymatic activity is decreased by interaction of die inhibitor with the regulatory site of die enzyme (allosteric enzyme). This phenomenon is called feedback inhibition. 

ACE not only activates angiotensin but is also involved in the metabolism of other peptides, e.g., it is a major kinin-degrading enzyme. Therefore, ACE inhibitors also increase kinin concentrations. Furthermore, it has recently been shown that these drugs potentiate kinin effects by modulating a direct interaction between the ACE protein and the kinin B2 receptor, which is independent from the enzymatic activity of ACE. Kinin potentiation may be involved in the beneficial action of ACE inhibition since kinins are known to exert cardio- and renoprotective actions. 

The microsomal ethanol oxidizing system is another mechanism of ethanol metabolism. CYP2E1 may be an important enzyme in the metabolism of ethanol in heavy drinkers, who may have a 10-fold increase in activity. Two aUehc variants in the gene cl and c2) are associated with differing enzymatic activity. Approximately 40% of Japanese have the more active c2 allele, which is rare in individuals of European heritage (Sun et al. 2002). It is not believed to be a risk or protective factor in the development of alcohohsm, although current studies are examining its relationship to a variety of ethanol-related diseases. 

Figure28-10. The phenylalanine hydroxylase reaction. Two distinct enzymatic activities are involved. Activity II catalyzes reduction of dihydrobiopterin by NADPH, and activity I the reduction of O2 to HjO and of phenylalanine to tyrosine. This reaction is associated with several defects of phenylalanine metabolism discussed in Chapter 30.

The bacterium acts through a 4S metabolic pathway and it has been found that it expresses its maximum enzymatic activity after over halfway of the exponential growth phase (i.e., approximately 28 hours),... 

Irreversible CYP inhibition can arise from different chemical mechanisms. However, a common initial step is the metabolic activation of a substrate into a reactive metabolite that is trapped within the active site of the CYP to form a tightly bound complex causing a long-lasting inactivation of enzyme activity. Enzymatic activity can be restored only through the new synthesis of the enzyme. For this reason, irreversible CYP inhibition is often referred to as mechanism-based inhibition , metabolite-based inhibition or suicide inhibition . 

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