Cytochroma Inc has discovered the enzymatic function, including substrate and metabolic products, of human cytochrome P450TEC (Thymus Expressed Cytochrome) and uncovered its potential role in thymus function. This enzyme was discovered using Cytochroma's internal bioinformatics capabilities and has served as the first application of Cytochroma's Lipidomics technology to discover the function of orphan cytochrome P450s. Cytochroma had focused its protein function identification efforts on this cytochrome P450 because of its unique tissue expression profile in adult human thymus.

Cytochroma demonstrated that P450TEC specifically metabolizes arachidonic acid but not related compounds. Arachidonic acid metabolites are critical signaling modulators of many physiological processes. Since the thymus is largely responsible for immune function, modulation of P450TEC may have important benefits in diseases where the immune system is challenged. Cytochroma has filed patent applications covering various aspects of P450TEC and is currently continuing to characterize the biological effects in thymus of the discrete arachidonic acid metabolites resulting from P450TEC activity.

"This discovery emphasizes Cytochroma's expertise in areas spanning gene discovery and determining protein function," stated Dr. Robert Foldes, President & CEO. "Cytochroma is currently investigating multiple orphan cytochrome P450s which it believes have the potential to be validated as new molecular targets for its growing pipeline of drug discovery efforts".

"P450TEC provides us with a completely new strategy to modulate arachidonic acid metabolism in a tissue-specific fashion and furthermore validates our Lipidomics platform", stated Dr. Glenville Jones, Co-Chief Scientific Officer at Cytochroma.

Lipidomics technology is based on high-resolution lipid profiling using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Lipidomics is a tool for the identification of novel cytochrome P450 substrates and has applications as a complement to genomics and proteomics technologies in deciphering mechanisms underlying biological processes.