Separation of different UDP glucuronosyltransferase activities according to charge heterogeneity by chromatofocusing using mouse liver microsomes

Abstract

Hepatic UDP glucuronosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) (GT) enzymes in control, phenobarbital- and 3-methylcholanthrene-induced microsomes from C57BL/6N mice have been fractionated according to charge heterogeneity on a chromatofocusing system using a pH 9.5 to 6 gradient. Transferase activities for eleven different substrates were determined on column fractions. Activities toward 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene, phenolphthalein and estrone (type 1 substrates) were enhanced by both effector compounds and always eluted primarily at pH 8.5. In control and phenobarbital-induced microsomes, activities toward testosterone, 4-hydroxybiphenyl, morphine, naphthol and 9-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (type 2 substrates) eluted primarily at about pH 6.7. Activities toward p-nitrophenol, 4-methylumbelliferone and 2-hydroxybiphenyl (type 3 substrates) in control and phenobarbital-induced microsomes excibited two peaks which eluted at pH 8.5 and 6.7. 3-Methylcholanthrene treatment increased almost exclusively activities which eluted at pH 8.5 for each of the three types of substrates. The pH value of elution corresponds to the approximate isoelectric point of the eluted protein. Immunoabsorption studies with an antibody preparation raised against a purified low pI form confirmed that a 51,000-dalton transferase form, GT_M1, eluted primarily at pH 6.7 and that a 54,000-dalton form, GT_M2, eluted at pH 8.5. A mathematical treatment of the ratios of activity after-3-methylcholanthrene treatment to that after phenobarbital treatment versus pH produced six patterns of activity. A minimum of two enzymes at the low pH region and one enzyme at the high pH region, all with broad-substrate specificity, could account for these patterns.