Evidence that ligand formation is a mechanism underlying the maintenance of cytochrome P-450 in rat liver cell culture. Potent maintenance by metyrapone.

The loss of cytochrome P-450 in cultured rat hepatocytes can be prevented by substituted pyridines, especially isonicotinamide, 3-hydroxypyridine and metyrapone. The effect of these compounds is independent of protein synthesis, suggesting that they maintain pre-existing cytochrome P-450. The efficiency of pyridines at maintaining cytochrome P-450 in hepatocyte culture is highly correlated with their ability to bind to this cytochrome, suggesting that ligand formation with cytochrome P-450 prevents its accelerated turnover in liver cell culture.