Effects of primaquine on hepatic microsomal haemoproteins and drug oxidation

Administration of the antimalarial agent primaquine to male rats (50 mg/kg i.p. daily for 4 days) resulted in a 30% decrease in hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 (P-450) content; levels of other microsomal haemoproteins were unaltered. Kinetic analysis of 2 mixed-function oxidase activities (aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline p-hydroxylase) in primaquine-pretreated rat liver microsomes revealed a significant and similar decrease in the maximal reaction velocities of these enzymes (Vmax), but the apparent Michaelis constants (Km) were not changed. The activity of mitochondrial delta-aminolaevulinic acid synthetase (the rate-limiting step in haem biosynthesis) was normal in primaquine-pretreated rat liver but haem oxygenase activity (the rate-limiting step in haem degradation) was elevated approximately 2-fold. Haem availability for haemoprotein assembly (determined as the haem-saturation ratio of the cytosolic haemoprotein tryptophan pyrrolase) was also normal although the absolute activity of tryptophan pyrrolase was decreased after primaquine pretreatment. In order to facilitate an analysis of the P-450 isozyme profile in control and primaquine-treated rat liver, total microsomal P-450 was isolated by hydrophobic affinity chromatography on n-octylamino-Sepharose 4B. Densitometry of stained polyacrylamide gels following electrophoresis of these partially-purified P-450 fractions indicated that primaquine exposure did not selectively decrease any of the 3 protein bands in the P-450 molecular weight region (48-56 kD). These observations, when considered together, suggest that primaquine may affect P-450 and mixed-function oxidase activity by inhibition of protein synthesis. The characteristic rapid turnover rates of P-450 isozymes may predispose these haemoproteins to the toxic effects of primaquine whereas those haemoproteins that turn over less rapidly, such as cytochrome b5, appear to be less susceptible. Microsomal haem oxygenase activity may be elevated after primaquine administration since lowered haemoprotein requirements for haem could result in excess haem levels within the hepatocyte.