The mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component (mARC) is a molybdenum-containing enzyme and capable of reducing N-hydroxylated structures such as amidoxime prodrugs. In this study, we tested the involvement of mARC in the reduction of N-oxides (amitriptyline-N-oxide, nicotinamide-N-oxide), oximes ((E)-/(Z)-2,4,6-trimethylacetophenonoxime) and a N-hydroxyamidinohydrazone (guanoxabenz). All groups are reduced by mARC proteins, and the enzymes are therefore involved in the interconversion of N-oxygenated metabolites originating from cytochrome P450s and flavin-containing monooxygenases. In addition, these structures open up further options for serving as prodrugs. Thus, with respect to these reactions, testing of candidates with N-oxygenated structures should not solely be carried out in microsomal enzyme sources but as well in mitochondria. However, differences in the reduction of oximes and N-oxides between the two isoforms, namely mARC1 and mARC2, were detectable; N-oxides are exclusively reduced by mARC1. We therefore assume differences between the so far unknown 3D structures of the two proteins.

Upamostat (Mesupron®) is a new small molecule serine protease inhibitor. The drug candidate was developed to inhibit the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) system, which plays a major role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Upamostat is currently in clinical development as an anti-metastatic and non-cytotoxic agent against pancreatic and breast cancer. Upamostat is the orally available amidoxime- (i.e. hydroxyamidine-) prodrug of the pharmacologically active form, WX-UK1. In this study, the reductive enzymatic activation of upamostat to its corresponding amidine WX-UK1 was analyzed. The recently discovered molybdenum enzyme "mitochondrial Amidoxime Reducing Component" (mARC) catalyses together with its electron transport proteins cytochrome b₅ and NADH cytochrome b₅ reductase the reduction of N-hydroxylated prodrugs. In vitro biotransformation assays with porcine subcellular fractions and the reconstituted human enzymes demonstrate an mARC-dependent N-reduction of upamostat.

The mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component is a recently discovered molybdenum enzyme in mammals which, in concert with the electron transport proteins cytochrome b5 and NADH cytochrome b5 reductase, catalyzes the reduction of -oxygenated structures. This three component enzyme system plays a major role in-reductive drug metabolism. Belonging to the group of -hydroxylated structures, hydroxamic acids are also potential substrates of the mARC-system. Hydroxamic acids show a variety of pharmacological activities and are therefore often found in drug candidates. They can also exhibit toxic properties as is the case for many aryl hydroxamic acids formed during the metabolism of arylamides. Biotransformation assays using recombinant human proteins, subcellular porcine tissue fractions as well as human cell culture were performed. Here the mARC-dependent reduction of the model compound benzhydroxamic acid is reported in addition to the reduction of three drugs. In comparison with other known substrates of the molybdenum depending enzyme system (e.g., amidoxime prodrugs) the conversion rates measured here are slower, thereby reflecting the mediocre metabolic stability and oral bioavailability of distinct hydroxamic acids. Moreover, the toxic-hydroxylated metabolite of the analgesic phenacetin, -hydroxyphenacetin, is not reduced by the mARC-system under the chosen conditions. This confirms the high toxicity of this component, as it needs to be detoxified by other pathways. This work highlights the need to monitor the-reductive metabolism of new drug candidates by the mARC-system when evaluating the metabolic stability of hydroxamic acid-containing structures or the potential risks of toxic metabolites.