Effect of cytochrome b5 on activity of cytochromes P450

ABSTRACT Cytochrome b5 (CYB5) is heme protein capable of reduction of cytochromes P450 (CYP) or some other enzymes. However, his regulative capability was also observed by his apo form, i.e. in absence of heme prosthetic group in the active center. CYB5 can accept electron from cytochrome b5 reductase (CYB5R) or from cytochrome P450 reductase (CYPOR). CYPOR by itself is reduced by NADPH and is also able to forward electron to CYP independently of CYB5. CYB5R on the other hand is reduced by NADH. Efficiency of CYB5 to accept and forward an electron was studied in vitro with five different substrates - testosterone, Sudan I, aristolochic acid I (AAI), ellipticine and vandetanib. These substrates were chosen considering their characteristic reactions, which are catalyzed by their respective isoforms of CYP. The experiments with these substrates were carried out in the medium with recombinant CYPs prepared in insect cells or E. coli or in the medium with hepatic microsomes isolated from different organisms. Rats, from which the majority of these microsomes was isolated, were premedicated by different CYP inducers. The experiments were carried out in medium with NADH or NADPH in order to assess the capability of CYB5 to reduce CYP independently of CYPOR. The capability of CYB5 and CYB5R to act as a..