Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Marmoset Aldehyde Oxidase.

Common marmosets (), New World monkeys, are a promising primate model for preclinical drug metabolism studies because of the similarities of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzyme function to those of humans. Despite an increasing number of drug candidates catalyzed by non-P450 enzymes, drug metabolizing enzymes other than P450s have been hardly identified or characterized in marmosets. In this study, we identified () gene by marmoset genome analysis.

Marmoset cytochrome P450 2J2 mainly expressed in small intestines and livers effectively metabolizes human P450 2J2 probe substrates, astemizole and terfenadine.

1. Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a New World Monkey, has potential to be a useful animal model in preclinical studies. However, drug metabolizing properties have not been fully understood due to insufficient information on cytochrome P450 (P450), major drug metabolizing enzymes.