ABSTRACT:Cytochromes P450 (P450s) interact with redox transfer proteins, including P450 reductase (CPR) and cytochrome b 5 (b5), all being membrane-bound. In multiple in vitro systems, P450-P450 interactions also have been observed, resulting in alterations in enzymatic activity. The current work investigated the effects and mechanisms of interaction between CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 in a reconstituted system. CYP2C9-mediated metabolism of S-naproxen and S-flurbiprofen was inhibited up to 80% by coincubation with CYP3A4, although K m values were unchanged. Increasing CYP3A4 concentrations increased the degree of inhibition, whereas increasing CPR concentrations resulted in less inhibition. Addition of b5 only marginally affected the magnitude of inhibition. In contrast, CYP2C9 did not alter the CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of testosterone. The potential role of the hydrophobic N terminus on these interactions was assessed by incubating truncated CYP2C9 with full-length CYP3A4, and vice versa. In both cases, the inhibition was fully abolished, indicating an important role for hydrophobic forces in CYP2C9-CYP3A4 interactions. Finally, a CYP2C9/CYP3A4 heteromer complex was isolated by coimmunoprecipitation techniques, confirming the physical interaction of the proteins. These results show that the N-terminal membrane binding domains of CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 are involved in heteromer complex formation and that at least one consequence is a reduction in CYP2C9 activity.Cytochromes P450 (P450s) are the primary oxidative enzymes responsible for the metabolism of xenobiotics by humans and animals (Guengerich, 2006). P450s can oxidize structurally diverse substrates ranging from small hydrocarbons to large molecules such as cyclosporine. P450s function by transferring electrons via a P450 catalytic pathway, wherein the first electron is transferred to the P450 via cytochrome NADPH P450 reductase (CPR) and the second electron is transferred via either CPR or cytochrome b 5 (b5) (Guengerich, 2002). Inefficiencies in the catalytic pathway, in part, govern the rate of transformation. P450s and CPR are bound to the cell membrane via a hydrophobic N terminus, whereas b5 is bound via its C terminus, each terminal being composed of 30 to 60 amino acids (Szczesna-Skorupa and Kemper, 2008). This hydrophobic region also contributes to protein aggregation, resulting in the formation of high molecular weight polymers in membranes and reconstituted systems (SzczesnaSkorupa and Kemper, 2008). Considering that P450s and CPR, and P450s and b5 interact within the cell membrane, P450-P450 interactions also appear conceivable. Indeed, in vitro evidence of P450-P450 interactions have been observed in several studies, including interactions of human CYP2C9-CYP2C19, rabbit CYP1A2-CYP2B4, rabbit CYP1A2-CYP2E1, human CYP3A4-CYP1A1, human CYP3A4-CYP1A2, and human CYP2C9-CYP2D6 (Cawley et al., 1995;Yamazaki et al., 1997;Backes et al., 1998;Backes and Cawley, 1999;Kelley et al., 2005Kelley et al., , 2006Subramanian et al., 2009). Substrate-dependent activation o...