Identification and Characterization of Lysosomal Enzymes Involved in the Proteolysis of Phenobarbital-Inducible Cytochrome P450

Abstract

We have studied lysosomal proteases capable of degrading a major form of cytochrome P450 (CYP2B1) which was purifled from the liver microsomes of phenobarbital-treated rats. After incubation of CYP2B1 with extracts of triton-filled lysosomes (tritosomes), its proteolysis was measured by a quantitative immunoblot procedure. A CYP2B1 protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 53 kilodaltons (kDa) was degraded to 42-, 38-, and 29-kDa polypeptides after a short period of incubation. These proteolytic fragments disappeared on prolonged incubation. One milligram of tritosomal protein contained enough activity to hydrolyze approximately 67.3μg CYP2B1 protein/min at pH 4.5. Approximately 85% of the hydrolyzing activity was localized in a soluble fraction of the tritosomes. The degradation of CYP2B1 was effectively inhibited by pepstatin A, an aspartic protease inhibitor, but not by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), o-phenanthroline and leupeptin. CYP2B1-hydrolyzing activity was coeluted with cathepsin D when the soluble fraction was chromatographed by means of Ultrogel Ac44 gel filtration. Cathepsin D, purified from rat livers, was able to degrade CYP2B1 at pH 4.5 which corresponds to the intralysosomal pH. These results indicate that cathepsin D is responsible for the major CYP2B1-hydrolyzing enzyme activity in lysosomes.