Metabolism of [14C]1,3-dinitrobenzene by rat small intestinal mucosa in vitro

The small intestine can metabolize a variety of substances and can play a role in the presystemic clearance of ingested compounds. Relatively little is known about the ability of small intestine to catalyze the presystemic reductive metabolism of xenobiotics. 1,3-Dinitrobenzene (1,3-DNB), which is known to undergo reductive biotransformation in an intact, oxygenated isolated perfused intestinal preparation, was used as a model substrate for reductive enzymes of the small intestine of the rat. Subcellular fractions from duodenal, jejunal, and ileal regions of rat small intestinal mucosa were used to characterize the enzyme source(s) of those reductive reactions of 1,3-DNB that are relevant in the oxygenated intestinal tissue. 1,3-DNB was reduced to 3-nitroaniline (3-NA) by cytosol from duodenum and jejunum. The rate of reduction was 2 times faster when incubations contained duodenal rather than jejunal cytosol. Jejunal cytosol-catalyzed reduction of 1,3-DNB was supported by hypoxanthine, NADPH, or NADH. Duodenal microsomes catalyzed the reduction of 1,3-DNB to 3-NA in the presence of supplemental NADPH or NADH; however, the reaction was very slow. Jejunal microsomes, ileal microsomes, and ileal cytosol failed to catalyze the reduction of 1,3-DNB. Studies with chemical inhibitors suggested possible roles for DT diaphorase, glutathione reductase, or xanthine oxidase in the jejunal cytosol-catalyzed reaction. Purified, commercially available xanthine oxidase (from buttermilk) catalyzed the reduction of 1,3-DNB to 3-NA when supplemented with NADH or hypoxanthine.