Effects of three reputed carboxylesterase inhibitors upon rat serum esterase activity

Rats have very high endogenous levels of serum carboxylesterase (CAE) compared to primates. This difference accounts for the lower sensitivity of rats to toxic organophosphates, which interact with CAE instead of the more critical acetylcholinesterase. Pretreatment of rats with CAE inhibitors potentiates the effects of organophosphates. In this study, the effects of three putative CAE inhibitors, 2-(o-Cresyl)-4H-1:3:2-benzodioxaphosphorin-2-oxide (CBDP), bis-p-nitrophenyl-phosphate (BNPP), and tetraisopropyl pyrophosphoramide (Iso-OMPA), on the hydrolysis of several commercially available substrates were determined. Respective kinetic constants Km and Vmax were derived and effects of inhibitors compared using saturating amounts of substrate. Data presented here indicate significant differences in substrate affinity (Km), reactivity (Vmax), as well as effects of inhibitors. CBDP inhibits hydrolysis of specific naphthyl and paranitrophenyl esters at relatively low concentrations (1-10 microM). In contrast, significantly higher concentrations (mM) of BNPP and Iso-OMPA were required for inhibition of serum esterase activity. Of the inhibitors tested, Iso-OMPA in general exhibited the smallest inhibitory effect on ester hydrolysis. Although inhibition of hydrolysis of specific paranitrophenyl and naphthyl esters occurred in the presence of similar amounts of CBDP, the degree of inhibition differed significantly (50-75% vs. greater than 90%, respectively). These data suggest that there exists in rat serum, a pool of naphthyl ester esterase activity that is very sensitive ex vivo (greater than 90% inhibition) to CBDP and may be very useful in validating a rodent model for soman toxicity.