The inhibition in vitro and induction in vivo of microsomal trans-stilbene oxide hydrolase have been studied. This microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity is distinguishable from the previously well-defined microsomal arene oxide hydrolase by a number of catalytic criteria. Two substituted chalcone oxides, 4-phenylchalcone oxide and 4'-phenylchalcone oxide, are potent inhibitors of microsomal trans-stilbene oxide hydrolase, but have no apparent activity against benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide hydrolase. Conversely, compounds that are potent inhibitors of benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide hydrolase, including styrene oxide, cyclohexene oxide, and trichloropropene oxide, inhibit microsomal trans-stilbene oxide hydrolase only at very high (millimolar) concentrations. The chalcone oxides inhibit microsomal trans-stilbene oxide hydrolase noncompetitively, and have micromolar or nanomolar affinity constants for the enzyme. Attempts were made to induce microsomal trans-stilbene oxide hydrolase in vivo. Compounds that induced microsomal benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide hydrolase levels in mice did not simultaneously induce trans-stilbene oxide hydrolase levels. Clofibrate was an exception; it induced levels of both enzymes to a small but statistically significant degree. The two microsomal hydrolase activities have, therefore, very different catalytic sites and appear to be under separate genetic control. 4-Phenylchalcone oxide and 4'-phenylchalcone oxide are selective inhibitors of microsomal trans-stilbene oxide hydrolase and may prove to be very useful in assessing the involvement of this enzyme in the metabolism of endogenous or xenobiotic epoxides.
