Role of CYP2C19 in stereoselective hydroxylation of mephobarbital by human liver microsomes.

The 4-hydroxylation of mephobarbital enantiomers was investigated by using human liver microsomes from the extensive metabolizers (EM) and poor metabolizers of CYP2C19. The 4-hydroxylase activity of R-mephobarbital in the EM microsomes was >10 times higher than that of S-mephobarbital. In the poor metabolizer microsomes, the 4-hydroxylase activity of R-mephobarbital was much lower than that in the EM microsomes, and the ratio of 4-hydroxylase activity of R-mephobarbital to that of S-mephobarbital was also lower than that in the EM microsomes. Moreover, the 4-hydroxylase activity of R-mephobarbital showed a high correlation (r = 0.985, p<0.001) with the 4'-hydroxylase activity of S-mephenytoin in a panel of nine human liver microsomes. Anti-CYP2C antibody inhibited R-mephobarbital 4-hydroxylase activity by 85% of the control activity. R-Mephobarbital competitively inhibited S-mephenytoin 4'-hydroxylase activity (K(i) = 34 microM), while S-mephenytoin inhibited R-mephobarbital 4-hydroxylase activity (K(i) = 103 microM). Among the seven cDNA-expressed CYPs studied, only CYP2C19 catalyzed R-mephobarbital 4-hydroxylation. These findings suggest that the 4-hydroxylation of mephobarbital catalyzed by CYP2C19 is preferential for R-enantiomer in human liver microsomes.