Role of NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase in the hypoxic accumulation and metabolism of BRU59-21, a technetium-99m-nitroimidazole for imaging tumor hypoxia.

Abstract

Nitroimidazoles labeled with technetium-99m are being investigated as non-invasive markers of tumor hypoxia. They are bioreductive compounds that require enzymatic reduction for retention in hypoxic cells, but little is known about the cellular factors affecting their accumulation in hypoxic cells. If the absolute accumulation of hypoxia markers is affected by enzyme levels, an inaccurate assessment of the hypoxic cell fraction in tumors may occur. BRU59-21, (99m)Tc-oxo[[3,3,9, 9-tetramethyl-6-[(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]5-oxa-4, 8-diazadioximato]-(3-)-N,N',N",N"'] technetium (V), a technetium-99m-nitroimidazole that is being studied as a potential marker of tumor hypoxia, was used in the present study to evaluate the effect of NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase (EC 1.6.2.4) levels on BRU59-21 accumulation and metabolism. Metabolism of BRU59-21 in hypoxic cellular lysates derived from Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase was 8-fold greater than in control cells. This effect required the presence of exogenous NADPH. The increased metabolism of BRU59-21 in lysates overexpressing NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase was inhibited at 4 degrees and by the addition of NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase inhibitors. The addition of inhibitors of other nitroreductase enzymes had no effect on BRU59-21 metabolism in these lysates. When the accumulation and metabolism of BRU59-21 were studied in stirred suspension cultures, it was found that cells overexpressing NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase exhibited about a 3-fold increase in both the hypoxic metabolism and the accumulation of BRU59-21. These findings suggest that NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase is an important enzyme in BRU59-21 metabolism in model systems of tumor hypoxia.

• Authors: T Melo, J R Ballinger, A M Rauth
• Journal: Biochemical pharmacology (Biochem Pharmacol) Vol. 60 Issue 5 Pg. 625-34 (Sep 01 2000) ISSN: 0006-2952 [Print] England
• PMID: 10927020 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• BRU 59-21
• Imidazoles
• Organotechnetium Compounds
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases
• NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase

Topics

• Animals
• CHO Cells
• Cell Hypoxia (physiology)
• Cricetinae
• Humans
• Imidazoles (metabolism)
• NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases (genetics, metabolism)
• NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase
• Neoplasms (metabolism)
• Organotechnetium Compounds (metabolism)
• Radiopharmaceuticals (metabolism)
• Transfection