描述
3-Methylene-indolenine is an electrophilic molecule produced by the action of cytochrome P450 2F1 on 3-methylindole (3MI). 3-Methylindole (3MI) is a naturally occurring pulmonary toxin that requires metabolic activation. In particular, 3MI-induced pneumotoxicity arises from cytochrome P-450-catalyzed dehydrogenation of 3MI to an electrophilic methylene imine (3-methyleneindolenine), which covalently binds to cellular macromolecules. Members of the CYP2F gene subfamily are selectively expressed in lung tissues and have been implicated as important catalysts in the formation of reactive intermediates from several pneumotoxic chemicals. (PMID: 10383923) [HMDB]