Molecular cloning of the baboon UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2B gene family and their activity in conjugating morphine.

ABSTRACT: Glucuronidation by UDP-glucuronyltransferase 2B enzymes (UGT2Bs) is a major pathway for the elimination of endobiotics and xenobiotics, including therapeutic drugs. Morphine, a probe drug for UGT2B7, is metabolized to morphine-3-beta-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-beta-glucuronide (M6G) in humans. Morphine has been used in a series of experiments in the baboon to characterize developmental changes in fetal glucuronidation. This study identifies the baboon UGT2B family of enzymes, compares them with that of the human and the monkey (Macaca fascicularis), and measures the activity of the individual baboon UGT2Bs toward morphine. UGT2B cDNAs were cloned from the liver of adult and newborn baboons and expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The UGT activity toward morphine was assesse

SUBMITTER: Abildskov K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2845934 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature