CypExpress^™ 1A1 Cytochrome P450 human

Cytochrome P450 enzymes are heme containing monooxygenases which are found primarily in the mammalian liver. They catalyze the oxidative metabolism of xenobiotics. This metabolism is the initial step in the biotransformation and elimination of a wide variety of drugs and environmental pollutants from the body. The gene, CYP1A1, encodes a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily of enzymes. The cytochrome P450 proteins are monooxygenases which catalyze many reactions involved in drug metabolism and synthesis of cholesterol, steroids and other lipids. This protein localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and its expression is induced by some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are found in cigarette smoke. The enzyme′s endogenous substrate is unknown; however, it is able to metabolize some PAHs to carcinogenic intermediates. The gene has been associated with lung cancer risk. A related family member, CYP1A2, is located approximately 25 kb away from CYP1A1 on chromosome 15. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms.

Cytochrome P450 is a heterogeneous family of isozymes whose primary function is to oxidize small molecules, both as a function of intermediary metabolism (e.g., fatty acids) and to detoxify exogenous compounds (drugs or toxins). Some isoforms have narrow substrate specificity, while others are promiscuous.

CypExpress^™ 1A1 is a permeabilized and stabilized dried yeast powder preparation containing full length, unmodified, human CYP 1A2 and recombinant human NADPH oxidoreductase. Using proprietary processes, CypExpress^™ are expressed in Pichia yeast. Following optimal expression, the cells are inactivated, permeabilized and dried to a fine powder. CypExpress^™ retains the cellular mechanisms to provide the P450 enzymes with the energy and cofactors to continue to function for long experiments, and can generate larger amounts of metabolite than mammalian microsomes or other genetically engineered expression systems.It is designed for rapid screening of drug metabolites and for scaling up metabolite generation.

CypExpress is a trademark of Oxford Biomedical Research