Oxidative metabolism of 14C-pyridine by human and rat tissue subcellular fractions

1. The oxidative metabolism of 14C-pyridine by human and rat microsomal fractions has been studied. Metabolites were separated by h.p.l.c. employing continuous radioactivity monitoring of the column effluent. 2. Human liver microsomal fractions incubated with an NADPH-generating system and oxygen formed pyridine N-oxide (PNO) at an average rate of 275 pmol/min per mg protein, 2-pyridone (2PO) at 207 pmol/min per mg and 4-pyridone (4PO) at 154 pmol/min per mg. One human subject formed 3-hydroxypyridine N-oxide in addition to the other metabolites. 3. Human kidney microsomal fractions formed PNO, 2PO and 4PO at rates similar to those with human liver microsomal fractions, whereas human lung microsomal fractions formed the metabolites at less than half the rate. 4. Metabolism of pyridine by human liver microsomal fractions was inhibited 54% by nitrogen, 34% by 80% carbon monoxide-20% oxygen, and 20% by metyrapone. 2-Diethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate HCl (SKF-525A) did not inhibit pyridine metabolism. 5. Liver microsomal fractions from non-induced rats metabolized pyridine to PNO at a rate of 19 pmol/min per mg protein, 2PO at 17 pmol/min per mg and 4PO at 61 pmol/min per mg. 6. There was no pyridine metabolism by human or rat tissue cytosolic fractions incubated under the same conditions.