Abstract

Omeprazole (OP) is a potent antiulcer drug that is metabolized by liver cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes. However, the identities of the P450 isoforms responsible for its metabolism have been controversial. 5-Hydroxyomeprazole (5OH-OP) formation cosegregates with the polymorphism of (S)-mephenytoin 4'-hydroxylation in humans, which is now known to be mediated by CYP2C19. Previous in vitro studies have indicated that liver microsomal 50H-OP formation correlates with both (S)-mephenytoin 4'-hydroxylase and CYP3A content. Inhibitor and CYP2C antibody studies also suggested that both enzymes may be involved in the 5-hydroxylation of OP, whereas CYP3A appears to be the predominant enzyme involved in OP sulfone (OP-S) formation. The present studies assessed the contribution of various CYP2C and CYP3A4 enzymes to OP metabolism by using recombinant human enzymes. CYP2C19, CYP2C8, CYP2C18, and CYP2C9 formed a single metabolite with an HPLC retention time identical to that of 5OH-OP. The turnover number for CYP2C19 was 13.4 +/- 1.4 nmol/min/nmol of P450, whereas those for CYP2C8, CYP2C18, and CYP2C9 were 2.2 +/- 0.1, 1.5 +/- 0.1, and approximately equal to 0.5 nmol/min/nmol of P450, respectively. Recombinant human CYP3A4 formed 5OH-OP and OP-S with turnover numbers of 5.7 +/- 1.1 and 7.4 +/- 0.9 nmol/min/nmol of P450, respectively, and formed a minor unidentified metabolite. CYP2C19 had a substantially lower KM for 5OH-OP formation than did CYP3A4, CYP2C8, or CYP2C18. Antibody to CYP2C proteins inhibited approximately equal to 70% of OP 5-hydroxylation at low substrate concentrations, comparable to those that may be encountered at therapeutically relevant doses, whereas antibody to CYP3A4 inhibited approximately equal to 30% of the activity. At high substrate concentrations, the contributions of the two enzymes to OP hydroxylation were roughly comparable (40-50%). In contrast, OP-S formation was completely inhibited by antibody to CYP3A4 proteins. The present study provides the first direct confirmation, using human recombinant P450 enzymes and selective antibody inhibition, that CYP2C19 is a major high affinity OP 5-hydroxylase and CYP3A4 is a low affinity OP-hydroxylating enzyme. The current work also shows, for the first time, that other CYP2C enzymes (CYP2C8, CYP2C9, and CYP2C18) may contribute to OP hydroxylation at high substrate concentrations. In contrast, OP-S was formed principally by CYP3A4.