Inactivation of delta5-3-ketosteroid isomerase(s) from beef adrenal cortex by beta, gamma-acetylenic ketosteroids.

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0039-128X(82)90149-0

The beta, gamma-acetylenic ketosteroids, 5-10-seco-19-norpregn-5-yne-3,-10,20-trione approximately 1 and 5,10-secoestr-5-yne-3,10,17-trione approximately 2 irreversibly inactivate both the C19-and the C21-delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase activities of beef adrenal cortex microsomes. At saturating concentrations of inhibitor half-lives of these enzyme activities vary from 45 to 240 s. It is uncertain whether the enzyme generates its own alkylating agent by isomerizing compounds approximately 3 and approximately 4 to the corresponding allenic ketones, namely (4R)-5,10-seco-19-norpregn-4,5-diene-3,10,20-trione approximately 3 and (4R)-5,10-secoestra-4,5-diene-3,10,17-trione approximately 4 since these are formed spontaneously in the buffer used to stabilize enzyme activity. In the presence of catalytic quantities of adrenal enzyme compound approximately 4 is a powerful competitive inhibitor for both 5-androstene-3,17-dione (Ki 8.0 microM) and 5-pregnene-3,20-dione (Ki 3.5 microM) indicating that the eventual alkylating event is active site-directed. The differences in Ki values and half-lives for inactivation support the view that the C19- and C21-delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase activities do not reside at the same catalytic site in beef adrenal cortex microsomes.