Down-regulation of astroglial CYP2C, glucocorticoid receptor and constitutive androstane receptor genes in response to cocaine in human U373 MG astrocytoma cells

Psychostimulant drugs abuse is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Cytochromes P450 (CYP), especially the astrocytic members of the CYP2C subfamily may play an important role in the modulation of cerebrovascular functions, by generating vasodilatator metabolites from arachidonic acid (AA). Our study examined the regulation of CYP2C genes in response to cocaine or amphetamine in the human astrocyte-like U373 MG cells, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western-blot analysis. A treatment for 48h with increasing concentrations of cocaine caused a significant down-regulation of CYP2C8 and CYP2C9 genes and decreased the protein level. These effects were not observed with amphetamine. One mechanism of the CYP2C mRNA regulation implicates various specific receptors including glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). Effects of cocaine on CYP2C were accompanied by a decrease in the GR and CAR gene expression suggesting that these nuclear receptors could be involved in the CYP2C repression by cocaine in the U373 MG cell line. These findings represent a possible molecular mechanism involved in the cerebrovascular risk associated with cocaine abuse.

[Cytochromes P450, vascular tone varicosis]

Chronic venous insufficiency is a complex pathology that is characterised by various symptoms such as venous hypertension, endothelium dysfunction, vascular wall remodelling due to smooth muscle cell hypertrophy and inflammation resulting from the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from invading leucocytes. Age, hormonal excess, multiparity, sedentariness and prolonged heat exposure represent the main risk factors among many others including hypoxia and shear stress which also influence varicose pathology. Some members of the large cytochrome P450 (CYP) family that are involved in the biotransformation of steroids and arachidonic acid have been shown to be expressed in various cell types (endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, macrophages) of cardiovascular tissues. The vascular metabolites produced by CYPs are important factors in the regulation of the vascular tone. Most CYPs are markedly expressed in all the cell types of varicose veins in relation to the overall vascular remodelling associated with smooth muscle hypertrophy and periendothelial leucocyte infiltration. Because CYPs produce various vasoactive arachidonic acid metabolites, their increased expression could play a role in the impairement of the vascular tone which is characteristic of varicose veins. Furthermore, polymorphisms, particularly the CYP3A5 polymorphism, may promote changes in the level of expression of CYPs and thus may influence varicose vein formation or functions. This suggests that CYP modulators could be potentially active drugs to treat chronic venous insufficiency symptoms and control its evolution.

Astroglial CYP1B1 up-regulation in inflammatory/oxidative toxic conditions: IL-1beta effect and protection by N-acetylcysteine

The present work aims to determine the relevance of an astrocytoma cell line U373 MG, for assessing the role of some astroglial cytochrome P450 in neurotoxicity and neuroprotection. CYP1B1, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP2J2, CYP2E1 and CYP4A11 mRNA were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in control U373 MG cell cultures. Among them we focused on CYP1B1 expression. After 48 h treatment with a range of concentrations of interleukin-1beta (1, 5, 10 ng/ml) used to simulate stress conditions, CYP1B1 mRNA expression was enhanced in a dose-dependent way. This increased expression was followed 24 h later by an increase in protein level, determined by Western-blot. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) partially inhibited this effect both on the mRNA and protein levels. As CYP1B1 activates procarcinogenic compounds to reactive metabolites, an increase in this P450 isoform will participate to toxic consequences of an inflammatory/oxidative stress. NAC will prevent this deleterious effect.

Control of apolipoprotein E secretion by 25-hydroxycholesterol and proinflammatory cytokines in the human astrocytoma cell line CCF-STTG1

During the last few years the increased presence of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidation products in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been largely described. Oxysterols, formed by hydroxylation of cholesterol, occur naturally in the brain and are increased in the serum of AD patients. Of these oxysterols, 25-hydroxycholesterol is the most potent regulator of gene transcription. It stimulates the synthesis of apolipoprotein E (apo E) in macrophages. Apo E plays a major role in the brain as a phospholipid and cholesterol carrier molecule in compensatory synaptogenesis. Cytokines might also be able to modulate apo E expression. Accordingly, this study examined the control of apo E secretion by several proinflammatory cytokines and oxysterols in the human astrocytoma cell line CCF-STTG1. A time-dependent stimulation of apo E secretion by 25-hydroxycholesterol was observed. Among several cytokines tested, only tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibited apo E secretion in basal conditions in CCF-STTG1 human astrocytoma cells. In the presence of 25-hydroxycholesterol, TNF-alpha reduced apo E secretion by 80%, while interleukins (IL) IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-2 had no significant effects. In Alzheimer's disease, the increase in the concentrations of cytokines and the concomitant decrease of cholesterol concentration in the brain could contribute jointly to reduce apo E concentration, and in doing so accelerate neurodegeneration. Surprisingly, oxysterols would be able to limit this phenomenon.

U373-MG response to interleukin-1beta-induced oxidative stress

Oxidative stress has been involved in various neurological disorders and, in the central nervous system, astrocytes represent the cell type that contributes to neuroprotection via glutathione (GSH) metabolism, GSH-metabolizing enzymes like gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), and apoE secretion. In this study, using IL-1beta, a proinflammatory and prooxidant cytokine that is increased in numerous pathological situations, cells of astrocytoma cell line U373-MG were exposed to an oxidative stress, leading to c-Jun and c-Fos activation. IL-1beta decreased both GGT activity and intracellular GSH content and increased apoE secretion, initiating astroglial response to injury. We observed that antioxidants inhibit IL-1beta effects on c-Jun and c-Fos proteins, GGT activity and the GSH pool but not on apoE secretion. Our results allow us to conclude that neurological disorders associated with an IL-1beta-induced oxidative stress could be, at least experimentally, reversible in the presence of one antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine.

Intracellular distribution of tamoxifen in resistant human breast adenocarcinoma cells using tamoxifen-eosin association

A tamoxifen-resistant cell line (MCF7TAM) was established from tamoxifen-sensitive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells expressing estrogen receptors. Though the resistant cell line grows in the presence of tamoxifen, estrogen receptors continue to be expressed at similar levels as in the parental cell line. However, estrogen receptors appeared to be altered in the resistant cell line since important discrepancies are observed between results obtained with ligand binding assays and immunoenzymatic assays, tending to show modifications of estrogen receptor ligand binding capacity. The intracellular distribution of tamoxifen in sensitive and resistant cell lines was investigated using fluorescence of eosin-tamoxifen ionic association. Fluorescence emission spectra of eosin, tamoxifen and eosin-tamoxifen complex (lambda(ex)=480 nm) were analyzed and the maximal fluorescence intensity found for the complex (lambda(em)=540 nm) was four times higher than that of eosin alone, while tamoxifen alone did not emit any fluorescence in this spectral range. In MCF-7 cells, tamoxifen was found to be mainly located surrounding the nucleus, although nuclear fluorescence intensity was significantly lower. No highly fluorescent granules were observed in the resistant cell lines as opposed to sensitive cells. Improvement of this fluorescence microscopy methodology could appear of interest, taking into account the complexity of tamoxifen resistance molecular pathways.

A drug interaction study between ticlopidine and cyclosporin in heart transplant recipients

OBJECTIVES

Previous uncontrolled studies have suggested an interaction between ticlopidine, a major antiplatelet agent, and cyclosporin in heart- and kidney-transplant recipients. The aims of this study were to examine in a randomised, double-blind fashion, the possible interaction between cyclosporin A and ticlopidine (250 mg per day) and the tolerability of this combination in heart-transplant recipients.

METHODS

Twenty heart-transplant recipients were randomised into either a treated or a placebo group. Blood samples were drawn for time-course evaluation of cyclosporin blood levels over a period of 12 h, following the morning intake of cyclosporin and, for platelet aggregation studies, before and after 14 days of ticlopidine administration. Twenty four-hour urine samples were collected for 6-beta-hydroxycortisol measurements, before and after 14 days of ticlopidine.

RESULTS

Although given at half the recommended daily dosage, ticlopidine significantly reduced platelet aggregation. Pharmacokinetic parameters indicate that the bioavailability of cyclosporin A was not significantly modified by ticlopidine. However, one patient in the ticlopidine group was withdrawn because of a major fall in cyclosporin blood level within 3 days of treatment. Urinary excretion of 6-beta-hydroxycortisol was augmented after treatment in the ticlopidine group compared with the placebo group, suggesting that induction of drug metabolism might have occurred. Data also show quite a large intra-individual variability in cyclosporin bioavailability in the placebo group, suggesting that poor absorption of the drug formulation and/or poor compliance might have contributed to the decreased cyclosporin blood levels in the patient withdrawn from this study and in previous uncontrolled studies.

CONCLUSION

Cyclosporin bioavailability was not clearly modified by a half dosage of ticlopidine in this study. We, however, recommend closely monitoring cyclosporin blood levels when prescribing ticlopidine. Further studies will be needed with new formulations of cyclosporin or when using the full dosage of ticlopidine.

Regulation of CYP4A1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha expression by interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and dexamethasone in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes

The CYP4A1 isoenzyme induced in rodents by peroxisome proliferators is known to be repressed at a pretranslational level by interferon. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) also reduces CYP4A1-related 12-laurate hydroxylase activity in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes after induction by clofibric acid. In this fetal hepatocyte model, IL-1beta and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were tested for their ability to reduce 12-laurate hydroxylase activity, CYP4A1 apoprotein content, and the CYP4A1 mRNA level. IL-1beta and IL-6 strongly diminished CYP4A1 activity and apoprotein and mRNA levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CYP4A1 expression is thus down-regulated at a pretranslational level by these cytokines. As it has been shown that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha) mediates the induction of the CYP4A1 gene by a peroxisome proliferator, the capacity of IL-1beta or IL-6 to modulate the PPAR alpha mRNA level was tested. It was found that IL-1beta and IL-6 both repress the induction of PPAR alpha expression exerted by the combined action of clofibric acid and dexamethasone. However, even at the highest concentration (10 ng/mL) tested for both cytokines, IL-1beta as well as IL-6 failed to abolish the induction of CYP4A1 by dexamethasone. The mechanism of the protective effect of the synthetic glucocorticoid on CYP4A1 repression by interleukins is discussed.

Interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 6 repress clofibric acid induction of different P450 isoforms in cultured foetal rat hepatocytes

1. Expression of various P450 subfamilies (1A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A) have been studied in cultured foetal rat hepatocytes after treatment with clofibric acid, a peroxisome proliferator and prototypic CYP4A inducer in vitro. Ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity (EROD, a CYP1A-related activity) as well as 7 alpha-, 16 alpha-, 2 alpha- and 6 beta-testosterone hydroxylase activities (CYP2A, 2B, 2C11 and 3A respectively) were determined during culture. Levels of the corresponding P450 apoproteins were measured by Western blotting. 2. Clofibric acid was able to induce all the P450-dependent activities studied. In most cases this induction required the additional presence of dexamethasone, an agent which promotes differentiation and favours long-term maintenance of the hepatocytes. 3. The major pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1 beta and IL-6, decrease the levels of the clofibric acid-induced P450 isoforms, except CYP1A, which was insensitive to IL-6, previous studies having shown that IL-1 beta represses lauric acid 12-hydroxylase activity after induction by clofibric acid. The effects of these cytokines were clearly dose- and time-dependent. The decrease in enzyme activity correlated with a decrease in apoprotein content. 4. The ability of clofibric acid to induce P450 isoforms highlights the complexity of P450 regulation by peroxisome proliferators. Our results confirm, moreover, that different P450 subfamilies are differentially affected by IL-1 beta and IL-6.

[Cytotoxicity of tamoxifen and its principal metabolites in human breast cancer cell lines]

The antiestrogen tamoxifen (TAM) has been successfully used to treat breast cancer expressing estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER+ and PR+). However, the development of antiestrogen resistance is frequently observed in patients following long-term treatment. To better understand the mechanism of action of TAM and its main metabolites: N-desmethyltamoxifen (N-des-TAM) and 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OH-TAM), their growth inhibitory effect was studied in 5 breast cancer cell lines characterized by different estrogen receptor levels: MDA-MB 231 (ER-), MCF-7 R (ER-), T47D (ER+), ZR-75/1 (ER+) and MCF-7 (ER+) trying to reproduce a cellular heterogeneity encountered in human breast tumors. In this study, the effects of TAM, N-des-TAM and 40-H-TAM on the cell growth were tested at concentrations ranging from 10(-8) to 10(-6)M with or without estradiol (10(-8)M). Only 4-OH-TAM showed a clear antiestrogen dose-dependent effect. Moreover, the finding of an antiproliferative activity at the highest dose (10(-6)M) for TAM, 4-OH-TAM and N-des-TAM in the ER- and PR- cell line MDA-MB 231 supports the hypothesis that TAM could be effective on ER+ as well as ER- tumors by an ER-independent mechanism. Despite ER+ and PR+ status after 2, 4 and 6 days of treatment, the T47D cell line displayed an increased growth rate with N-des-TAM at 10(-6)M. It should be noted that such concentration is within the range of the plasma level of N-des-TAM (10(-6)M) in patients receiving TAM per os (40 mg/day). These results and the well-known cell heterogeneity of human breast tumors may significantly account for some failure of antiestrogen treatment.

Manifestations of chemically induced liver damage

Possible liver damage induced by chemicals or drugs must be detected early during drug development or industrial exposure, although damage is still difficult to predict, especially when immunotoxicity is involved. Liver toxicity may result from cytolysis, steatosis, cholestasis, phospholipidosis, or vascular lesions, most the outcome of a disadvantageous balance between chemicals or metabolites vs protective mechanisms, resulting from chemical dosage, genetic factors, or the immunoallergic status of the patient. Drug metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and thiol oxidation are frequently involved in liver toxicities. Classical guidelines in toxicology propose many methods for liver toxicity assessment: histology; chemical changes in hepatic tissue (lipids, glutathione, enzymes); physiological changes in biosynthesis (proteins, glycoproteins); excretion function (fructose); drug metabolism; and concentrations of related enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase) in blood. In vitro studies in human or animal hepatocytes or tumor-derived cell lines are useful in detecting hepatocellular lesions by cell viability, glutathione concentration, amount of lactate dehydrogenase released, cellular ATP, morphology (blebs), and drug metabolism.

Manifestations of chemically induced liver damage

Possible liver damage induced by chemicals or drugs must be detected early during drug development or industrial exposure, although damage is still difficult to predict, especially when immunotoxicity is involved. Liver toxicity may result from cytolysis, steatosis, cholestasis, phospholipidosis, or vascular lesions, most the outcome of a disadvantageous balance between chemicals or metabolites vs protective mechanisms, resulting from chemical dosage, genetic factors, or the immunoallergic status of the patient. Drug metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and thiol oxidation are frequently involved in liver toxicities. Classical guidelines in toxicology propose many methods for liver toxicity assessment: histology; chemical changes in hepatic tissue (lipids, glutathione, enzymes); physiological changes in biosynthesis (proteins, glycoproteins); excretion function (fructose); drug metabolism; and concentrations of related enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase) in blood. In vitro studies in human or animal hepatocytes or tumor-derived cell lines are useful in detecting hepatocellular lesions by cell viability, glutathione concentration, amount of lactate dehydrogenase released, cellular ATP, morphology (blebs), and drug metabolism.

Human cell lines in pharmacotoxicology. An introduction to a panel discussion

Various types of cells lines are used in pharmacotoxicology. Established cell lines are easily available, with few ethical restrictions. Some specific properties are preserved, although they have kept the phenotype of the original tissue, which is frequently a tumor phenotype. They are usually more resistant to toxic compounds than freshly isolated cells. Some drug-metabolizing enzymes are expressed and regulated in these cells. Immortalized cell lines are also of interest in toxicology. They are mainly examined for their potential in mutagenicity testing. These cells and numerous others of animal or human origin can be transfected with cDNA coding for human enzymes. They are used for determination of the individual enzyme involved in a particular metabolic pathway, or, when multiple transfections are successfully achieved, for mutagenicity testing. Regulation studies are also possible in such cells after transfection of DNA elements regulating gene transcription.

Drug metabolizing enzymes related to laboratory medicine: cytochromes P-450 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

Many studies on drug metabolism have been carried out during the last decades using protein purification, molecular cloning techniques and analysis of polymorphisms at phenotype and genotype levels. These researchers led to a better understanding of the role of drug metabolizing enzymes in the biotransformation of drugs, pollutants or foreign compounds and of their use in laboratory medicine. The metabolic processes commonly involved in the biotransformation of xenobiotics have been classified into functionalization reaction (phase I reactions), which implicate lipophilic compounds. These molecules are modified via monooxygenation, dealkylation, reduction, aromatization, hydrolysis and can be substrates for the phase II reactions, often called conjugation reactions as they conjugate a functional group with a polar, endogenous compound. This review, devoted to cytochromes P-450 (CYP) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT), describes essentially the genetic polymorphisms found in humans, their clinical consequences and the methods to assess the phenotypes or genotypes, with a view to studying the interindividual differences in drug monooxygenation and drug glucuronidation. Variations in drug glucuronidation reported here focused essentially on variations due to physiological factors, induction, drug interactions and genetic factors in disorders such as Gilbert's Syndrome and Crigler-Najjar type I and II diseases.

[Induction and repression of cytochromes P450. In vivo and in vitro approach]

Induction of drug metabolism enzymes is defined as a de novo synthesis of an enzyme protein. Not all, but a certain number of sub-families of cytochromes P450 are inducible among 27 families. Each group of inducers is relatively specific of one corresponding P450 subfamily; Polycyclic hydrocarbons and P4501A; Phenobarbital and P4502B; glucocorticoids and P4503A; Ethanol and P4502E; Peroxisome proliferations and P4504A. P450 induction has pharmacological implications specially concerning drug interactions, and inducers are themselves drugs of environmental compounds. Last 10 years have offered progresses in the knowledge of molecular mechanisms of induction such as mediation by receptors (Ah or PPAR), transcriptional regulation; Stabilisation of RNAm or of enzyme proteins. Repression of P450s synthesis is for less understood, as an example cytokines repress more than one P450-subfamily. At least transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms are involved.

Identification of cytochrome P-450 isozymes involved in the hydroxylation of dantrolene by rat liver microsomes

The role of individual rat liver cytochrome P-450 isozymes in the metabolism of the skeletal muscle relaxant, dantrolene, was studied. Following incubation of dantrolene with hepatic microsomes from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, two major hydroxylated metabolites were identified. Using inhibitory antibodies specific for individual cytochrome P-450 isozymes, cytochromes P-450 1A1, 1A2, and 3A were identified to be involved in dantrolene hydroxylations. In liver microsomes from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, antibodies specific for cytochrome P-450 1A1 and 1A2 inhibited hydroxylation of dantrolene by 60% and 20%, respectively. Kinetics studies using these microsomes showed that dantrolene hydroxylation was biphasic with a low KM (0.06-0.08 microM) and high KM (5-7 microM). Cytochrome P-450 1A1 was responsible for the low KM hydroxylation of dantrolene, whereas cytochrome P-450 1A2 was responsible for the high KM. In hepatic microsomes from pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile-treated rats, an antibody specific for cytochrome P-450 3A completely inhibited the formation of 5-hydroxydantrolene, the major metabolite formed by these microsomes.

Repression of cytochrome P450 by cytokines: IL-1 beta counteracts clofibric acid induction of CYP4A in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes

Interleukin-1 is known to repress a number of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes in rats and humans. The effect of interleukin-1 beta on lauric acid 12-hydroxylase (CYP4A family) was studied in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes after clofibric acid induction. Dexamethasone was used as an agent promoting differentiation and long-term maintenance of active hepatocytes. Dexamethasone and clofibric acid in combination allowed maximal (13.5-fold) induction of CYP4A1. Lauric acid 12-hydroxylase activity was found to increase with time in culture. Interleukin-1 beta adversely affected P4504A clofibric acid-induced activity, totally eliminating the effect of induction at doses exceeding 5 ng/ml. This repression/inhibition was dose-dependent. The mechanism by which interleukin-1 beta prevents the development of cytochrome P4504A activity is unclear.

Differential effects of human recombinant interleukin-1 beta and dexamethasone on hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes in male and female rats

Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) is one of the major inflammation mediators, commonly reported to be an inhibitor of hepatic drug metabolism. We studied the effect of IL-1 treatment on various drug-metabolizing enzymes in male and female rats. IL-1 induced both cytochrome P450 (P450) 3A1 activity and protein in females, but in males, IL-1 repressed P450 3A2 activity, without decreasing the protein. P450 1A1 was impaired in males, but was retained after dexamethasone pretreatment. IL-1 did not change P450 2B1/2 activity and protein, but counteracted their induction by dexamethasone. Uridine diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A2 (bilirubin) activity and its induction by dexamethasone were not affected by IL-1 treatment. Both P450 2C11 and epoxide hydrolase activities were repressed by IL-1 treatment, and both activities were impaired after dexamethasone treatment. These results clearly demonstrate that IL-1 acts at different steps of protein synthesis and gene expression. The effect of IL-1 on P450 was isoform-dependent, indicating that IL-1 can act on pretranscriptional events. The discrepancy between the variations of the activities and the protein of P450 3A2 suggests a post-translational regulation. For P450 2C11, 3A1, and for microsomal epoxide hydrolase, but not for P450 1A1 and 2B1/2, IL-1 mimics the glucocorticoid effects. These differential effects can affect the kinetics and the bioavailability of drugs used in pathologies in which IL-1 is increased.

Interleukin-1 beta differentially represses drug-metabolizing enzymes in arthritic female rats

Experimental arthritis and inflammation have been reported to reduce liver cytochrome P-450-dependent mono-oxygenase activities with subsequent impairment of drug metabolism. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) is among the proven mediators of both inflammation and P-450 decrease, although some paradoxical effects were sometimes reported in experimental models of arthritis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the main liver drug-metabolizing isoenzymes during established collagen-induced arthritis in rats, and to investigate whether a systemic IL-1 treatment was able to mimic or sometimes to reverse the influence of the inflammatory process on these enzymes. Arthritis was induced on day 0 by type II collagen and a low dose (0.2 mg) of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, and human recombinant IL-1 was administered s.c. at the daily dose of 0.02, 0.2 or 2.0 micrograms per arthritic rat, from day 21 to 25 and on day 28. Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation was depressed 6-fold in arthritic rat liver microsomes and the highest dosage of IL-1 potentiated this depression. Pentoxyresorufin-O-deethylation decreased by 50% in arthritic rat, a dose-dependent decrease being observed after IL-1 treatment. Progesterone 6 beta-hydroxylation and P-450 IIIA protein increased by 2-fold in both untreated arthritic rat liver microsomes and those treated by the lowest dose of IL-1. The two higher doses decreased this activity, vs. the dose, to reach the naive level. Lauric acid hydroxylation increased 2-fold in arthritic rat and was further potentiated by IL-1. UDP glucuronosyl transferase IA2 activity was increased 2-fold in arthritic rats, with subsequent decrease after 2.0 micrograms of IL-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Enzyme induction by drugs and toxins

Enzyme induction by drugs mostly concerns those enzymes involved in drug metabolism: cytochromes P-450, UDP-glucuronosyltransferases, glutathione S-transferases, gamma-glutamyltransferases and epoxide hydrolases. A large variety of molecular forms exists, but not all of them are inducible (e.g. the inducible cytochromes P-450 in man are members of family IA, IIA, IIC, IIE, IIIA). Induction is most common in the liver, but also occurs in other organs (lung, placenta, lymphocytes). Over the past 20 years a relatively small number of drugs and environmental chemicals have been identified as enzyme inducers, perhaps fewer than early studies suggested. Information on inducing properties must be obtained as early as possible during the development of a new drug and made available to clinicians and clinical chemists when the drug is marketed. The main consequences of enzyme induction are changes in pharmacokinetics of the drug itself or of an associated drug. Much progress has been made in methods to identify these inducers.

Effects of interleukin-6 on cytochrome P450-dependent mixed-function oxidases in the rat

Intravenous treatment of male rats with recombinant human interleukin-6 (rhIL6) at 50, 100 and 200 micrograms/kg (corresponding to 4, 8 and 16 x 10(4) U/animal, respectively) reduced the activities of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450-dependent monoxygenases to varying degrees. Ethylmorphine-N-demethylase activity fell to 53% of control values, an effect similar to that induced by 2.5 mg/kg Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activity was also sensitive to inhibition, whereas IL6 had little effect on the activities of other P450-dependent enzymes, including ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase. Pentoxyresorufin dealkylase activity, which is representative of the cytochrome P450 IIB 1/2 subfamily, was unaffected by IL6 whereas LPS reduced it to 33.7% of control values. Another hepatocyte-related parameter, serum concentration of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), was increased by up to 3.5-fold over baseline by IL6 and 10-fold by LPS. Recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (rhIL1 beta) (10 micrograms/kg, corresponding to 5 x 10(4) U/rat) and recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha (rhTNF) (150 micrograms/kg corresponding to 24 x 10(4) U/rat) were both as potent as LPS (2.5 mg/kg) in increasing serum AGP levels and reducing hepatic microsomal monoxygenase activities. IL6 did not potentiate the effects of rhIL1 beta. Hepatic microsomal glucuronyltransferase activities were little affected by LPS and unaffected by rhIL6. Finally, rhIL6 was more potent after i.p. injection than after i.v. or s.c. injection. These results suggest that the effects of LPS, TNF and IL1 on the mixed-function oxidase system in vivo may be due partly to an induction of IL6 in vivo. The different sensitivities of the enzymes to IL6 but not to IL1 or TNF may be due to the involvement of two distinct mechanisms.

Differential effects of human recombinant interleukin-1 beta on cytochrome P-450-dependent activities in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes

The immunomodulator interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) is one of the major inflammatory mediators. In vivo, it has been reported to depress some rat liver cytochromes P-450 (cytochrome P-450). Our aim was to study those effects in vitro, using cultured fetal rat hepatocytes as a model. Testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylase (cytochrome P-450 IIIA family activity) was not depressed by IL-1 treatments, but its induction by dexamethasone was prevented. The effect was time- and dose-dependent. Ethoxyresorufine-O-deethylase (cytochrome P-450 IA1 activity) decreased after IL-1 treatment, and dexamethasone partially prevented this inhibition. Acute phase effects of IL-1 were assayed by albumin and transferrin secretions. The cell's sensitivity to glucocorticoids was determined by tyrosine-aminotransferase activity. Our data demonstrate that IL-1 was able to prevent the glucocorticoid induction of cytochrome P-450 IIIA involving at least two different mechanisms. This is in agreement with the theory suggesting that the induction of CYPIIIA family by glucocorticoids requires the presence of the glucocorticoid receptor and some other regulatory elements. Other cytochrome P-450-dependent activities (IIA1, IIB1/2, and IIC11) were inhibited by IL-1 treatments, depending on dose and time, but some were also protected by dexamethasone.

Effects of RP 52028 and phenobarbital on mRNA levels of inducible and constitutive sex-specific cytochrome P450 isozymes in rat liver

Sex-related differences in basal levels of mRNA coding for various cytochrome P450 isozymes and their inducibility by 1-(2-chlorophenyl)-N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3- isoquinoline carboxamide (RP 52028) in comparison to phenobarbital (PB) were investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. We observed that the inducible isozymes, namely cytochromes P450IIB1/2 and P450IIIA1/2 were barely detectable in non-induced animal livers. On the contrary, mRNAs coding for two constitutive forms of cytochrome, P450IIC7 and IIC11, were expressed at a high level in untreated rats in a sex-dependent manner. Cytochrome P450IIC11 mRNA was present in male rats only whereas P450IIC7 was expressed in both sexes but at a higher level in female rats. RP 52028 had a dose-dependent inducing effect on the P450IIB1/2 and IIIA1/2 isoforms in both sexes. After administration of a high dose (500 mg/kg), this molecule exhibited a pattern of induction similar to that of PB. Increases in the accumulation of these IIB1/2 and IIIA1/2 messengers were correlated with protein data, suggesting that RP 52028, like PB, induces these isozymes mainly through a pretranslational regulatory mechanism. On the other hand, PB and RP 52028 caused only a slight increase, less pronounced than in Wistar rats, in the mRNA level of the constitutive female-predominant P450IIC7, indicating a strain-related difference in inducibility of this isozyme. RP 52028 had no effect on P450IIC11 mRNA level in male rat liver, in contrast to the decreasing effect obtained with PB. Furthermore, the non-correlated changes in P450IIC11 mRNA level and microsomal testosterone 2 alpha-hydroxylase activity after treatment with RP suggests that this molecule modulates the expression of P450IIC11 at a posttranscriptional level only.

Characterization of pig liver purified cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes for ochratoxin A metabolism studies

In this paper, we report the characterization of 4 isolated, constitutive cytochrome P-450 fractions from pig liver microsomes. The two predominant forms, A2 and A3, exhibit several similarities: a Mr of 54 kDa, a lambda max CO-Fe++ at 448 nm, a relatively high ratio of the high-spin form and an immunological cross-reaction with polyclonal antibodies against rat liver P-450 IIB1. It is shown that these forms and the minor form Ba, which are active as benzphetamine N-demethylase, play an important metabolic role in ochratoxin A oxidation. This mycotoxin was oxidized by at least 3 different pig liver cytochrome P-450 fractions, each producing different metabolites, namely (4R)-, (4S)-hydroxyochratoxin A, and a new lipophilic metabolite. Since the pig is particularly susceptible to ochratoxin A toxicity, it represents a good animal model for in vitro studies of the metabolism of such a xenobiotic.