Effects of aminoglutethiumide and its metabolite, N-acetylaminoglutethimide, on bovine adrenocortical and human placental cytochromes P-450scc.

The ability of aminoglutethimide to inhibit cholesterol conversion to pregnenolone was lost upon acetylation of the arylamine nitrogen. This appears to be due to failure of N-acetyl-d-aminoglutethimide to bind to cytochrome P-450scc, since it does not produce the altered low spin form of the enzyme formed upon binding of d-aminoglutethimide. These findings provide further evidence for a role of the free arenamine function in aminoglutethimide and related inhibitors.