Lipids carry out important structural as well as signaling functions in the cell. In recent years, enzymes that metabolize lipids have been emerging as key regulators of basic cellular functions and developmental processes. In order to study metabolism of lipids, we have focused our research on a class of proteins: the cytochrome P450s (CYPs), which are involved in lipid production in many organisms. We have used C. elegans, a classical genetic model system, to investigate lipid metabolism because this nematode offers several technical advantages that render it suitable for our investigations. The aim of our project was to identify and characterize essential lipids for the development of worms. We have performed RNAi (RNA interference) against C. elegans CYP31A, and found that silencing of this enzyme leads to the arrest of embryonic development. Further characterization of this embryonic lethal phenotype revealed that it is caused by problems in establishment of polarity and failure in the extrusion of a polar body. Moreover, we found that embryos depleted of CYP31A are osmotic sensitive and their eggs are permeable to dyes (hoechst, FM 4-64 etc.). The defects described above are common to a class of mutants that received the denomination of POD (for Polarity and Osmotic Defects). Analysis by electron microscopy demonstrated that cyp31A(RNAi) embryos exhibit an improperly constructed eggshell. Further functional studies have demonstrated that the defects observed in cyp31A(RNAi) embryos can be ascribed to the malfunctioning of one of the three layers of the eggshell: the lipid-rich layer, but additional problems in the assembling of the other two layers are also present. In order to identify the product of CYP31A, we set up a bioassay in which we tested the capability of lipidic extract from wild type embryos to rescue the embryonic lethality. The bioassay provided a method to track the activity and allowed us to enrich the metabolic product of CYP31A by the fractionation of the total lipid extract. Another POD gene, emb-8, codes for an NADPH CYP reductase. This 4 protein supplies electrons to the CYPs for their metabolic reactions. A mutant of emb-8 (emb-8(hc69)), gives a similar phenotype as the knockdown CYP31A. With the aim to test if EMB-8 and CYP31A act in the same pathway we extracted lipids from emb-8TS mutants. We tested in the bioassay if extracts from emb-8(hc69) mutants, containing the metabolic product of CYP31A, can rescue cyp31A(RNAi) phenotype. The results obtained suggest that EMB-8 and CYP31A work in the same metabolic pathway. Conclusively, CYP31A and EMB-8 cooperate to produce a class of lipids that are required for the construction of a functional eggshell. A defective eggshell causes failure in polarity establishment, extrusion of the polar bodies, osmotic sensitivity and permeability and eventually it leads to the arrest of the development of C. elegans embryos.

<p>Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) are enzymes that are found throughout the three domains of life. They function in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds. CYPs are extensively studied in mammalian systems due to their importance in drug metabolism and are highly expressed in detoxification organs like the liver and intestine. Fish CYP3s are not well understood. CYP3s have diversified in fish and subfamilies A, B, C and D constitute the CYP3 clade in fish. In this study, CYP3C1, CYP3C2, CYP3C3 and CYP3C4 in zebrafish (<em>Danio rerio</em>) and CYP3B4, CYP3B5 and CYP3B6 in medaka (<em>Orzyias latipes</em>) were quantified in hepatic and extrahepatic organs. CYP3C genes were quantified throughout development. All CYP3B and 3C isoforms were detected in all organs except CYP3B4 in male organs and in female brain. CYP3C1-C3 were maternally acquired and expressed in all embryonic stages. Higher expression of some of the isoforms occurred in the liver and intestine of zebrafish and medaka. This is indicative of a possible role in xenobiotic metabolism. Differences in expression between males and females gonad was observed, suggesting a possible role for estrogen in gene regulation. Further research will contribute to characterizing the upstream response elements in order to understand whether estrogens or other compounds are responsible for CYP3 regulation in fish. This knowledge will contribute to understanding the potential function these unique families of CYPs serve for fish.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Lipids carry out important structural as well as signaling functions in the cell. In recent years, enzymes that metabolize lipids have been emerging as key regulators of basic cellular functions and developmental processes. In order to study metabolism of lipids, we have focused our research on a class of proteins: the cytochrome P450s (CYPs), which are involved in lipid production in many organisms. We have used C. elegans, a classical genetic model system, to investigate lipid metabolism because this nematode offers several technical advantages that render it suitable for our investigations. The aim of our project was to identify and characterize essential lipids for the development of worms. We have performed RNAi (RNA interference) against C. elegans CYP31A, and found that silencing of this enzyme leads to the arrest of embryonic development. Further characterization of this embryonic lethal phenotype revealed that it is caused by problems in establishment of polarity and failure in the extrusion of a polar body. Moreover, we found that embryos depleted of CYP31A are osmotic sensitive and their eggs are permeable to dyes (hoechst, FM 4-64 etc.). The defects described above are common to a class of mutants that received the denomination of POD (for Polarity and Osmotic Defects). Analysis by electron microscopy demonstrated that cyp31A(RNAi) embryos exhibit an improperly constructed eggshell. Further functional studies have demonstrated that the defects observed in cyp31A(RNAi) embryos can be ascribed to the malfunctioning of one of the three layers of the eggshell: the lipid-rich layer, but additional problems in the assembling of the other two layers are also present. In order to identify the product of CYP31A, we set up a bioassay in which we tested the capability of lipidic extract from wild type embryos to rescue the embryonic lethality. The bioassay provided a method to track the activity and allowed us to enrich the metabolic product of CYP31A by the fractionation of the total lipid extract. Another POD gene, emb-8, codes for an NADPH CYP reductase. This 4 protein supplies electrons to the CYPs for their metabolic reactions. A mutant of emb-8 (emb-8(hc69)), gives a similar phenotype as the knockdown CYP31A. With the aim to test if EMB-8 and CYP31A act in the same pathway we extracted lipids from emb-8TS mutants. We tested in the bioassay if extracts from emb-8(hc69) mutants, containing the metabolic product of CYP31A, can rescue cyp31A(RNAi) phenotype. The results obtained suggest that EMB-8 and CYP31A work in the same metabolic pathway. Conclusively, CYP31A and EMB-8 cooperate to produce a class of lipids that are required for the construction of a functional eggshell. A defective eggshell causes failure in polarity establishment, extrusion of the polar bodies, osmotic sensitivity and permeability and eventually it leads to the arrest of the development of C. elegans embryos.

Yes / The identification and quantification of functional cytochromes P450 (CYPs) in biological samples is proving important for robust analyses of drug efficacy and metabolic disposition. In this study, a novel CYP activity-based probe was rationally designed and synthesised, demonstrating selective binding of CYP isoforms. The dependence of probe binding upon the presence of NADPH permits the selective detection of functionally active CYP. This allows the detection and analysis of these enzymes using biochemical and proteomic methodologies and approaches. / Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Yorkshire Cancer Research

<p>This investigation focused on the mRNA expression of drug metabolising Cytochromes P-450 (CYP) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) and the transport protein P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in the small intestine of humans and rats.</p><p>The mRNA expression of the investigated genes in the human small intestine (duodenum) varies between individuals giving each one of us personal profile. In general, the most dominant forms are Pgp, CYPs 2C9, 2D6, 3A4, and UGTs 1A1, 1A10, 2B7. However, which of these is the highest expressed one varies between individuals.</p><p>The correlation in expression between some CYP forms and UGT forms respectively is relatively high, which indicates that they have some regulatory mechanisms in common. It was also shown that the mRNA expression of both CYPs and UGTs may be affected by endogenous and exogenous factors. Sex and ethnic background, affected the mRNA expression of CYP2A6 and 2E1 respectively. Commonly used drugs such as acetylsalicylicacid (ASA) and omeprazole (omep) affect CYP2A6, CYP2E1 (ASA) and CYP3A4, UGT1A4 (omep). The expression of UGT1A4 is also affected by smoking. All these factors are commonly used and can therefore lead to important drug-drug interactions.</p><p>It was also shown that the human small intestinal CYP mRNA expression pattern differs from that found in the rat. The rat CYP expression is rather constant between the different individuals, and the main rat intestinal forms are CYP1A1, CYP2C, CYP2D6 and CYP3A1. The expression is the same for females and males and no difference can be seen between the different segments of the rat small intestine. As metabolic studies have often been done with rat liver we compared the mRNA expression in the two organs. We found that the mRNA expression of 1A1 was absent in the liver and that the CYP2B1, CYP2Cs, CYP2D1 and Pgp all had a stronger mRNA expression in the small intestine compared to the liver. It is therefore important to realise that results from metabolic studies on liver may not be directly extrapolated to the small intestine.</p><p>Artemisinin is an orally used drug in multidrug treatment of malaria in Southeast Asia. It has been suggested that artemisinin can induce drug metabolism and therefore be involved in drug-drug interactions. This study shows that artemisinin induces mainly the CYP2B via nuclear receptor CAR.</p>

This investigation focused on the mRNA expression of drug metabolising Cytochromes P-450 (CYP) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) and the transport protein P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in the small intestine of humans and rats. The mRNA expression of the investigated genes in the human small intestine (duodenum) varies between individuals giving each one of us personal profile. In general, the most dominant forms are Pgp, CYPs 2C9, 2D6, 3A4, and UGTs 1A1, 1A10, 2B7. However, which of these is the highest expressed one varies between individuals. The correlation in expression between some CYP forms and UGT forms respectively is relatively high, which indicates that they have some regulatory mechanisms in common. It was also shown that the mRNA expression of both CYPs and UGTs may be affected by endogenous and exogenous factors. Sex and ethnic background, affected the mRNA expression of CYP2A6 and 2E1 respectively. Commonly used drugs such as acetylsalicylicacid (ASA) and omeprazole (omep) affect CYP2A6, CYP2E1 (ASA) and CYP3A4, UGT1A4 (omep). The expression of UGT1A4 is also affected by smoking. All these factors are commonly used and can therefore lead to important drug-drug interactions. It was also shown that the human small intestinal CYP mRNA expression pattern differs from that found in the rat. The rat CYP expression is rather constant between the different individuals, and the main rat intestinal forms are CYP1A1, CYP2C, CYP2D6 and CYP3A1. The expression is the same for females and males and no difference can be seen between the different segments of the rat small intestine. As metabolic studies have often been done with rat liver we compared the mRNA expression in the two organs. We found that the mRNA expression of 1A1 was absent in the liver and that the CYP2B1, CYP2Cs, CYP2D1 and Pgp all had a stronger mRNA expression in the small intestine compared to the liver. It is therefore important to realise that results from metabolic studies on liver may not be directly extrapolated to the small intestine. Artemisinin is an orally used drug in multidrug treatment of malaria in Southeast Asia. It has been suggested that artemisinin can induce drug metabolism and therefore be involved in drug-drug interactions. This study shows that artemisinin induces mainly the CYP2B via nuclear receptor CAR.

Orientador: Claudia Marcia Aparecida Carareto / Banca: Ricardo De Marco / Banca: André Luís Laforga Vanzela / Resumo: A resistência aos inseticidas é um modelo de processo evolutivo onde o inseticida atua como agente seletivo e, como resposta à seleção, ocorre a evolução da resistência nas populações de insetos. As enzimas citocromo P450 monooxigenases (CYP) formam uma família responsável pela resistência aos inseticidas. Tem sido proposto que a inserção de elementos transponíveis (TEs) em regiões reguladoras ou codificadoras dos genes da família Cyp pode alterar a expressão gênica e induzir a resistência aos inseticidas. No presente estudo foram realizadas análises in silico que permitiram identificar a ocorrência de inserções de fragmentos de TEs em 35 genes Cyps com diferentes funções, e em seus genes flanqueadores, em Drosophila melanogaster e D. simulans, além de 13 genes Cyps de seis espécies do grupo melanogaster de Drosophila. As inserções de TEs ocorreram principalmente nas regiões flanqueadoras 5' dos Cyps associados à resistência aos inseticidas e à função monooxigenase geral. Os resultados não indicaram qualquer relação entre a distância em relação ao gene e o número de inserções. As análises mostraram que a maioria das inserções pertence à classe de transposons de DNA, sendo o transposon DNAREP1_DM o que apresentou o maior número de cópias. O fato de essas seqüências apresentarem putativos sítios de ligação de fatores de transcrição sugere que possam desempenhar algum papel na regulação dos genes Cyps. Também foi analisada a ocorrência de polimorfismos de inserção de TEs em regiões flanqueadoras de genes da família Cyp, em diferentes linhagens geográficas resistentes e suscetíveis, de D. melanogaster e D. simulans. Análises evidenciaram a presença de polimorfismo interpopulacional de tamanho das regiões flanqueadoras dos genes Cyp6w1, Cyp6a2 e Cyp12d1, porém, não indicaram... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Insecticide resistance is a model of evolutionary process where the insecticide acts as the selective agent and resistance in the insect populations evolves as an answer to selection. Cytochrome monooxygenases (CYP) is family of enzymes responsible for the insecticide resistance. It has been proposed that insertion of transposable elements (TEs) in regulatory or coding regions of the Cyp genes can alter gene expression and induce insecticide resistance. In the present study in silico analyses allowed identifying the insertion of TE fragments in 35 Cyp genes with different functions, in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans, as well as in 13 Cyps of six species of the melanogaster group of Drosophila. The TE insertions occurred mainly in the 5' flanking regions of Cyp genes associated to resistance and to those with a general monooxygenase function. The results did not indicate any relationship between the number of insertions and the distance in relation to the gene. The analyses showed that most of the insertions belong to the DNA transposon class, being DNAREP1_DM the most numerous. Since this element carry putative biding sites of transcription factors it can be suggested they play same role in gene regulation. The polymorphism of TE insertions in the flanking regions of Cyp6w1, Cyp6a2 and Cyp12d1, genes associated to resistance, found in resistant and as well as in susceptible geographical strains of D. melanogaster and D. simulans, does not indicate any relationship between the presence of TEs in those regions and the insecticide resistance. The results also showed that the insertions of TEs in the proximities of the Cyps associated to resistance is differential among six species of the melanogaster group, not following the genomic proportion of TEs in each species. These results also suggest that TEs inserted in the Cyp flanking regions can carry out an adaptive... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-04-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:12:52Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ricci_j_me_sjrp.pdf: 1040646 bytes, checksum: cec6211f3f5843239b67ee910f199d37 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A resistência aos inseticidas é um modelo de processo evolutivo onde o inseticida atua como agente seletivo e, como resposta à seleção, ocorre a evolução da resistência nas populações de insetos. As enzimas citocromo P450 monooxigenases (CYP) formam uma família responsável pela resistência aos inseticidas. Tem sido proposto que a inserção de elementos transponíveis (TEs) em regiões reguladoras ou codificadoras dos genes da família Cyp pode alterar a expressão gênica e induzir a resistência aos inseticidas. No presente estudo foram realizadas análises in silico que permitiram identificar a ocorrência de inserções de fragmentos de TEs em 35 genes Cyps com diferentes funções, e em seus genes flanqueadores, em Drosophila melanogaster e D. simulans, além de 13 genes Cyps de seis espécies do grupo melanogaster de Drosophila. As inserções de TEs ocorreram principalmente nas regiões flanqueadoras 5´ dos Cyps associados à resistência aos inseticidas e à função monooxigenase geral. Os resultados não indicaram qualquer relação entre a distância em relação ao gene e o número de inserções. As análises mostraram que a maioria das inserções pertence à classe de transposons de DNA, sendo o transposon DNAREP1_DM o que apresentou o maior número de cópias. O fato de essas seqüências apresentarem putativos sítios de ligação de fatores de transcrição sugere que possam desempenhar algum papel na regulação dos genes Cyps. Também foi analisada a ocorrência de polimorfismos de inserção de TEs em regiões flanqueadoras de genes da família Cyp, em diferentes linhagens geográficas resistentes e suscetíveis, de D. melanogaster e D. simulans. Análises evidenciaram a presença de polimorfismo interpopulacional de tamanho das regiões flanqueadoras dos genes Cyp6w1, Cyp6a2 e Cyp12d1, porém, não indicaram... / Insecticide resistance is a model of evolutionary process where the insecticide acts as the selective agent and resistance in the insect populations evolves as an answer to selection. Cytochrome monooxygenases (CYP) is family of enzymes responsible for the insecticide resistance. It has been proposed that insertion of transposable elements (TEs) in regulatory or coding regions of the Cyp genes can alter gene expression and induce insecticide resistance. In the present study in silico analyses allowed identifying the insertion of TE fragments in 35 Cyp genes with different functions, in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans, as well as in 13 Cyps of six species of the melanogaster group of Drosophila. The TE insertions occurred mainly in the 5´ flanking regions of Cyp genes associated to resistance and to those with a general monooxygenase function. The results did not indicate any relationship between the number of insertions and the distance in relation to the gene. The analyses showed that most of the insertions belong to the DNA transposon class, being DNAREP1_DM the most numerous. Since this element carry putative biding sites of transcription factors it can be suggested they play same role in gene regulation. The polymorphism of TE insertions in the flanking regions of Cyp6w1, Cyp6a2 and Cyp12d1, genes associated to resistance, found in resistant and as well as in susceptible geographical strains of D. melanogaster and D. simulans, does not indicate any relationship between the presence of TEs in those regions and the insecticide resistance. The results also showed that the insertions of TEs in the proximities of the Cyps associated to resistance is differential among six species of the melanogaster group, not following the genomic proportion of TEs in each species. These results also suggest that TEs inserted in the Cyp flanking regions can carry out an adaptive... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

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No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese -Cesar Augusto Sam Tiago Vilanova Costa - 2013.pdf: 2101811 bytes, checksum: 1cf67584701df4c2df1009b299703f7b (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Não consta resumo em outro idioma. / Foi com a descoberta da atividade antimitótica da cisplatina por Rosenberg na década se 1960 e 70, em seu célebre estudo com bactérias Escherichia coli, que surgiu o interesse em sintetizar e entender as bases moleculares responsáveis pelo mecanismo de ação biológica dos compostos metálicos, visto que a própria cisplatina foi inicialmente sintetizada por Peyrone nos idos de 1840. Os primeiros estudos envolvendo o uso de complexos metálicos de rutênio como agentes antitumorais foram realizados por Tochter no final dos anos 1980 (Dale et al., 1992). Àquela época, foi inferido que todos os compostos de rutênio apresentavam como mecanismo de ação, a sua ligação com o DNA, formando adutos e desencadeando processos celulares de natureza deletéria que, por fim, levariam a morte celular. É interessante lembrar que esse é o mesmo mecanismo de ação dos compostos de platina mais aceitos nos dias atuais. Sadler e Dyson (2003) estudando compostos de rutênio que continham cloro em sua estrutura, como o cloreto de cis-(dicloro)tetraaminorutênio(III) [cis-[RuCl2(NH3)4]Cl], observaram que estes compostos apresentavam mecanismos de ação biológica muito parecidos com os apresentados pela cisplatina [Pt(NH3)2Cl2], onde a hidrólise da ligação Ru–Cl pode ser fortemente influenciada pela natureza dos coligantes presentes na estrutura do rutenato, como grupamentos amino ou até mesmo pela presença de átomos de carbono. A alta concentração de cloretos no sangue permite a esses compostos metálicos, levados por proteínas séricas, chegar até as células e atravessar sua membrana celular e nuclear. Uma vez no interior do núcleo, a ligação Ru–Cl é hidrolisada, devido a queda abrupta da concentração de cloretos (que é cerca de 25 vezes menor), levando o composto a se ligar ao DNA, mais especificamente à posição N7 da base nitrogenada guanina. Por outro lado, compostos que não possuem cloro em sua estrutura, parecem apresentar mecanismos de ação diferentes ao padrão "ligação ao DNA". Sabe-se que compostos que apresentam carboxilatos em sua molécula, como a carboplatina, oxaliplatina e o próprio ditionato de cis-tetraammino(oxalato)rutênio(III) [Cis-[Ru(C2O2)(NH3)4]2(S2O6)], uma vez no interior das células, são hidrolisados muito mais lentamente do que os compostos ricos em cloretos, o que leva a um acúmulo desses compostos no citoplasma, diminuindo sua migração até o núcleo e, assim reduzindo a sua capacidade de se ligar ao DNA. Mas se o DNA não é o alvo desses compostos, então, quem poderia ser? Essa pergunta está sendo respondida com recentes estudos, que revelaram a interação desses compostos, ricos em carboxilatos, com uma miríade de proteínas e enzimas, que vão desde catepsinas, chegando até mesmo à Pgp (Melchart & Sadler, 2008). Estudos realizados por Dyson e colaboradores (2007), utilizando alguns inibidores da proteína Pgp, como fenoxazinas e antracenos, coordenados com compostos de rutênio, observaram que estes novos complexos não somente inibiram a ação da enzima, como também induziram morte celular, demonstrando uma multifuncionalidade. Seguindo essa linha de pensamento, acreditamos que a capacidade do composto ditionato de cistetraammino(oxalato)rutênio(III) em induzir apoptose nas células tumorais, assim como os baixos níveis de expressão de Pgp apresentados pelas células tratadas, corroboram os resultados previamente observados por outros grupos, utilizando compostos de rutênio similares. A resistência a fármacos mediada por Pgp é o mecanismo de MDR mais estudado atualmente. Apesar do desenvolvimento de novos agentes antitumorais, a MDR mediada pela Pgp protege as células de possíveis agentes citotóxicos, limitando a eficácia dos tratamentos quimioterápicos em pacientes com câncer. Atualmente, a extensa maioria dos inibidores da Pgp disponíveis estão associados a vários inconvenientes, que limitam o seu uso no reestabelecimento da eficácia da quimioterapia antineoplásica, após o aparecimento do fenótipo MDR. A procura de inibidores de Pgp alternativos, com um processo sintético exequível e efeitos secundários reduzidos, continua a ser um desafio para os químicos, farmacêuticos e pesquisadores. É nesse contexto que estão sendo desenvolvidos e estudados novos agentes antitumorais que possam agir como inibidores de Pgp, apresentando um efeito dual, ou até mesmo multifuncional, no tratamento clínico das neoplasias malignas. Muito tem se discutido que a próxima geração de fármacos antitumorais poderá ser formada por substâncias que se ligam a mais do que um único alvo terapêutico, o que poderia acelerar tratamento contra a doença, reduzindo o número e a concentração de fármacos que deveriam ser administrados, como os coquetéis atualmente utilizados, e até mesmo aumentando a adesão ao tratamento por parte do paciente. No presente trabalho, estudamos dois complexos de rutênio, o cloreto e o ditionato de rutênio(III), que se apresentam como promissores no possível desenvolvimento de um novo fármaco antitumoral. Essa promessa transparece no fato de ambos serem de síntese química relativamente simples (processo sintético exequível) e, principalmente, por apresentarem efeito biológico de interesse em células tumorais, como citotoxicidade e indução de morte celular, especialmente por apoptose. Pelo que foi observado nos resultados de nossa pesquisa, os complexos aqui estudados, podem constituir um modelo para o estudo de novos agentes anticancerígenos com concomitante capacidade de não induzir MDR. Esta característica se mostrou muito evidente sobre a linhagem leucêmica K-562, onde os níveis de expressão de MDR1, após o tratamento com os rutenatos, foram muito inferiores aos apresentados pelas células tumorais tratadas com o fármaco controle Cisplatina. Ainda, é importante pontuar que o composto ditionato de cistetraammino(oxalato)rutênio(III) apresentou efeito citotóxico em ambas as linhagens tumorais K-562 e A549, sem contudo induzir altos níveis de expressão de Pgp (MDR1), apresentados pelos fármacos platinados. Assim, estudos mais aprofundados sobre a estrutura e funcionamento biológico desses complexos de rutênio, representam um ponto de partida interessante para o desenvolvimento de fármacos multifuncionais e de efeito desejável, auxiliando na delineação de estudos clínicos dirigidos a grupos selecionados de pacientes que reúnam características genotípicas e fenotípicas preditivas de máxima resposta terapêutica com mínima toxicidade. Posteriormente, estes estudos podem levar às realizações de testes diagnósticos e farmacológicos mais eficazes que poderão ser estabelecidos como rotina voltada para uma melhor definição de tratamentos. Isso traria um maior sucesso no teste de novos medicamentos e reduziria os custos e riscos, minimizando o tempo gasto para aprovação de um novo medicamento e a sua disponibilização para a sociedade.

Genome sequencing has resulted in the identification of >55,000 cytochrome P450 enzymes, many of which have an unknown function and regulation. In mammals, CYP3 genes appear in only one subfamily (CYP3A), which metabolize >50% of pharmaceuticals and some steroids in humans. Unlike mammals, fish contain genes in the CYP3A, CYP3B, CYP3C and CYP3D subfamilies. While it is commonly assumed that fish and mammalian CYP3A are functional similar, the function and regulation of fish CYP3 remains largely unknown. In this thesis, the receptors and compounds that regulate CYP3C genes in zebrafish were assessed. The induction of CYP3C genes in response to the aryl hydrocarbon (AHR) and estrogen receptor (ER) ligands, β-naphthoflavone and 17β-estradiol, was measured using quantitative PCR in intestine, liver and gonads. Zebrafish CYP3C genes were inducible by β-naphthoflavone and 17β-estradiol, implicating the aryl hydrocarbon and estrogen receptor in CYP3C gene regulation and suggesting that regulation of CYP3 genes in fish differs from that in mammals. To define the function of zebrafish CYP3A65 and CYP3C1, fluorogenic compounds which are specific markers of CYP1 and CYP3A activity in humans, were screened for metabolism by CYP3A65 and CYP3C1. Both CYP3A65 and CYP3C1 had the capacity to metabolize several of these compounds and the substrate profile overlapped with zebrafish CYP1A, suggesting that these compounds are not specific in fish. A high throughput approach was employed to screen ~4000 small biologically and pharmacologically active compounds for metabolism by CYP3A65 and CYP3C1, using NADPH consumption to assess catalytic activity. The substrate profiles of CYP3A65 and CYP3C1 largely overlapped and were different than mammalian CYP3A4. CYP3A65 and CYP3C1 appeared to have a bias for quinone-based compounds but further studies are required to confirm quinones as substrates and to assess a strong structure-activity relationship. Overall, this study provides insight on the regulation, function and evolution on CYP3 genes in fish. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes break down compounds such as hormones and pharmaceuticals. While mammals have genes in the CYP3A subfamily, fish have unique subfamilies not found in mammals. The function and regulation of the CYP3 family in fish is unknown, but commonly assumed to be like human CYP3. The purpose of this thesis was to identify what receptors and compounds regulate CYP3C enzymes in zebrafish. We found that regulation of CYP3C enzymes in zebrafish is different than humans. Zebrafish CYP3C genes are regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and estrogen receptor, while human CYP3A is regulated by the pregnane-x-receptor. I used a high throughput approach to screen thousands of compounds to identify the function of CYP3A65 and CYP3C1 from zebrafish. CYP3A65 and CYP3C1 metabolize several plant-based and pharmaceutical compounds. CYP3A65 and CYP3C1 are more functionally similar to each other than to CYP3A in humans.