The role of cytochrome P-450 in the hydroperoxide-catalyzed oxidation of alcohols by rat-liver microsomes.

The organic hydroperoxide cumene hydroperoxide is capable of oxidizing ethanol to acetaldehyde in the presence of either catalase, purified cytochrome P-450 or rat liver microsomes. Other hemoproteins like horseradish peroxidase, cytochrome c or hemoglobin were ineffective. In addition to ethanol, higher alcohols like 1-propanol, 1-butanol and 1-pentanol are also oxidized to their corresponding aldehydes to a lesser extent. Other organic hydroxyperoxides will replace cumene hydroperoxide in oxidizing ethanol but less effectively. The cumene-hydroperoxide-dependent ethanol oxidation in microsomes was inhibited partially by cytochrome P-450 inhibitors but was unaffected by catalase inhibitors. Phenobarbital pretreatment of rats increased the specific activity of the cumene-hydroperoxide-dependent ethanol oxidation per mg of microsomes about seven-fold. The evidence suggests that cytochrome P-450 rather than catalase is the enzyme responsible for hydroperoxide-dependent ethanol oxidation. However, when H2O2 is used in place of cumene hydroperoxide, the microsomal ethanol oxidation closely resembles the catalase system.