Development of Liver Microsomal Oxidations in the Chick

Abstract

1. Liver microsomal preparations from chick embryos (1 day before hatching) and from 1–7 day old chicks were assayed for oxidative drug-metabolizing activity with aminopyrine, aniline and naphthalene as substrates.

2. Activities for all three substrates were highest in preparations from 1 day-old chicks. These were more than twice as active as the 7 day-old preparations and about three times as active as those from the embryos.

3. The increase in drug-metabolizing activities in newly-hatched chicks was the same for either sex and persisted for 3 days before declining towards the 7 day-old levels.

4. The developmental time-course of the liver microsomal drug-metabolizing activities was independent of any factor in the 105 000 g supernatant fractions and of such microsomal parameters as cytochrome b₅ and cytochrome P-450 content, and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity, but was related to changes in NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase levels.

5. Treatment of 7 day-old chicks with exogenous inducers, 3-methylchol-anthrene or phenobarbital sodium (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) brought about maximal stimulation of microsomal activity at 18–24 h. The time-course of this induction was reflected by changes in microsomal cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activities.

6. Some induction of liver microsomal drug metabolism in 7 day-old chicks could also be brought about by injecting certain lipid-soluble egg yolk extracts.

8. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Co.