Ethanol-inducible cytochrome P450 IIE1 (CYP2E1)
is considered one of the major causes of oxidative stress in the
liver following ethanol treatment. Radicals produced by this enzyme
are thought to induce lipid peroxidation reactions and other damage
to the cells and to be a major cause for ethanol-dependent liver
toxicity. The importance of CYP2E1 lies in its ability to metabolize
a wide range compounds such as organic solvents, acetaminophen,
dimethylnitrosaoamine and aliphatic alcohols, which have relevant
toxicological effects in humans. To date, over 75 substrates of
CYP2E1 have been identified. CYP2E1 is mainly found in the liver
although it has also been detected in a variety of other organs,
including the brain, colon and lungs. In the liver it is localized
to the centrilobular region, specifically the hepatocyte layers
most proximal to the central vein . Cytochrome P450 is considered
to be part of the mixed function oxidase (MFO) sytem along with
NADPHcytochrome P450 reductase.
- back - complete
text -
|
