Genes encoding drug-metabolizing enzymes: possible role in human disease

Induction of Cytochrome P450 IA1 in Mouse Hepatoma Cells as a Short-term Bioassay

The inducibility of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) in mouse hepatoma Hepa-1 cell culture has been used as a quantitative bioassay for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD). The detection limit was 0.5pM TCDD. The basal AHH activity was about 2U/mg protein, and the maximally induced activity was about 100U/mg protein. ED50 for TCDD was 7pM. Similar data were obtained using 7-ethoxyresorufin as a substrate (EROD activity). Extraction of several consumer paper products with acetone gave an uncharacterised mixture of AHH inducers. The estimated TCDD (equivalents) in these extracts varied between 0 and 42pg/g of paper.

Genetic polymorphism of enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism and the risk of lung cancer

Chronic inhalation of cigarette smoke is a major risk factor for the development of lung cancer. It has been suggested that genetic susceptibility may contribute to the risk, because only a small portion of smokers develops the disease. Several polymorphisms that involve the metabolic activation or detoxification of carcinogens derived from cigarette smoke have been found to be associated with lung cancer risk. Many studies have focused on the relation between the distribution of polymorphic variants of different forms of the metabolic enzymes and lung cancer susceptibility. In this respect two groups of genetic polymorphisms of enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, cytochrome P450 (CYP) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), have been discussed.CYP multigene superfamily consists of 10 subfamilies (CYP1-CYP10). A positive association between development of lung cancer and the mutant homozygous genotype ofCYP1A1 gene has been reported in several Japanese populations but such an association has not been observed in either Caucasians or African-Americans. The relation betweenCYP2D6 and lung cancer remains conflicting and inconclusive. Several polymorphisms have been identified at theCYP2E1 locus. No definitive link between the polymorphisms ofCYP2E1 and the risk of lung cancer has, however, been identified. The role of otherCYP2 isoforms in lung carcinogenesis has not been sufficiently investigated.GSTs form a superfamily of genes consisting of five distinct families, namedGSTA, GSTM, GSTP, GSTT andGSTS. The role ofGSTM, GSTT1 orGSTP1 polymorphism in modifying the lung cancer risk may be more limited than has been so far anticipated.Although some genetic polymorphisms discussed here have not shown significant increases/decreases in risk, individuals with differing genotypes may have different susceptibilities to lung cancer. Hopefully, in future studies it will be possible to screen for lung cancer using specific biomarkers.

The existence of the 4S polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-protein binding in 14-day-old chick embryo liver

Cytochrome P-450IA1, the isozyme most closely associated with aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), is regulated by two high-affinity binding proteins, the 4S polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-binding protein which primarily binds PAHs and the 8S Ah (dioxin) receptor which binds 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and like congeners. The present study was conducted to determine whether the 4S protein existed in 14-day-old chick embryo liver when AHH activity is maximal to determine if they are linked as is the 8S Ah receptor and to confirm the existence of the dioxin receptor by investigating their ligand binding characteristics in the presence and absence of sodium molybdate, an agent that stabilizes steroid hormone receptors and partially stabilizes the dioxin receptor. Competitive ligand binding studies were performed with liver cytosol from livers of male 14-day-old chick embryos using [3H]-benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) or [3H]-TCDD in the presence and absence of a 200-fold excess of B[a]P, benzo[e]pyrene (B[e]P), 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), and tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDBF). Specific PAH-binding activity was assayed using sucrose gradient analysis. In the absence of molybdate, the 4S PAH-binding protein had high affinity for B[a]P, B[e]P, 3-MC, but very low affinity for TCDBF; the Ah receptor exhibited high affinity for TCDBF. In the presence of sodium molybdate, the Ah receptor was stabilized while the 4S PAH-binding protein was relatively unaffected. These results affirm the existence of two distinct PAH-binding proteins in 14-day-old chick embryo liver cytosol and suggest a linkage of the 4S protein to AHH.

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 inhibits TCDD-induced cytochrome P450IA1 expression in human lung cancer A549 cells

The effect of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) on the expression of cytochrome P450IA1 (CYPIA1) was examined in 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-treated human lung cancer A549 cells. Using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) it was demonstrated that TGF-beta 1 inhibits CYPIA1 expression in a dose dependent manner. Based on the inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) of about 5 pM it is suggested that TGF-beta 1 has a physiological function in downregulation of this cytochrome. In the presence of cycloheximide, the effect of TGF-beta 1 on CYPIA1 mRNA disappeared. This finding indicates that protein synthesis may be required for the TGF-beta 1 mediated response of CYPIA1. The possible mechanisms by which TGF-beta 1 interacts with TCDD-responsive drug metabolizing enzymes are discussed.

Expression analysis of the mixed function oxidase system in rat brain by the polymerase chain reaction

Metabolism of therapeutic drugs in the body by the mixed function oxidase system is an important consideration in the analysis of a drug's effectiveness. P450-dependent metabolism within the brain of a neuro-specific drug may affect the drug's course of action. To determine whether cytochrome P450 was expressed in brain, RNA was isolated from the whole brains of rats treated with a variety of known hepatic P450 inducers, including amitriptyline, imipramine, isosafrole, phenobarbital, and beta-naphthoflavone. The RNA was analyzed for the presence of P450 isozymes by the PCR technique. Differential expression of P450IA1, P450IIB1, P450IIB2, P450IID, and P450IIE1 was detected in the brain samples, depending on the treatment. Cytochrome P450 reductase expression was also detected in the brain samples, giving strong evidence that the brain contains a competent mixed function oxidase system under all conditions studied.

Induction of CYP1A1 gene expression in H4-II-E rat hepatoma cells by benzo[e]pyrene

In the rat, expression of the CYP1A1 gene is closely associated with arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) enzyme activity. AHH is an inducile enzyme activity known to play an important role in the bioactivation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to mutagenic and carcinogenic metabolites. PAH-induced expression of the CYP1A1 gene appears to be regulated by several trans-acting factors, including the Ah receptor and the 4S PAH-binding protein. In this study, we used the PAH isomers benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and benzo[e]pyrene (BeP) to further evaluate the role of the 4S PAH-binding protein in induction of the CYP1A1 gene in H4-II-E rat hepatoma cells. Although BaP is believed to bind to both the Ah receptor and the 4S protein, BeP has been reported to bind exclusively to the 4S protein. The results of the study presented here indicate that BaP and BeP induce the expression of the CYP1A1 gene, as measured by ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, in a concentration-dependent manner. However, BaP is about 25 times as potent as BeP in inducing EROD activity in these cells. Slot-blot analysis of total RNA isolated from these cells indicated that BeP, BaP, and 3-methylcholanthrene increased the level of CYP1A1 mRNA expression. Sucrose-gradient analysis of BeP binding activity indicated that BeP bound with high affinity to the 4S PAH-binding protein, but not to the Ah receptor. These results suggest that the 4S protein may play a role in the PAH-induced expression of the CYP1A1 gene in rat H4-II-E cells.

Association between restriction fragment length polymorphism of the human cytochrome P450IIE1 gene and susceptibility to lung cancer

Cytochrome P450IIE1 (P450IIE1) is involved in metabolic activation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, aniline and benzene. We detected a restriction fragment length polymorphism of the human P450IIE1 gene with the restriction endonuclease DraI. The population was thus divided into three genotypes, namely, heterozygotes (CD) and two forms of homozygotes (CC and DD). The distribution of these genotypes among lung cancer patients differed from that among controls with statistical significance of P less than 0.05 (chi 2 = 7.01 with 2 degrees of freedom). This result strongly suggests that host susceptibility to lung cancer is associated with the DraI polymorphism of the P450IIE1 gene.

Interspecies features of hepatic cytochromes P450 IA1 and P450 IA2 in rodents

1. Antibodies to mouse liver cytochrome P3-450 (anti-P3-450) and antibodies to rat liver cytochrome P-450d (anti-P-450d-c) both inhibit the O-deethylation of 7-ethoxy-resorufin (ER) in liver microsomes of benzo(a)pyrene-induced (BP) mice but do not inhibit the O-deethylase activity in liver microsomes of BP-induced rats. 2. Anti-P3-450 and anti-P-450d-c inhibit BP hydroxylation in BP-induced mouse liver microsomes by 20%, but they do not inhibit this rection at all in BP-induced rat liver microsomes. 3. Isolated cytochrome P3-450 in a reconstituted monooxygenase system metabolized 7-ER and BP. In contrast, its homologue, cytochrome P-450d, does not metabolize these substrates. The fraction containing cytochrome P1-450 metabolized 7-ER at a low rate and BP at a rate of 3.6 nmol product/min per nmol cytochrome. 4. Western blot analysis with anti-P-450c + d revealed two bands in SDS-PAGE gels containing BP-induced mouse liver microsomes corresponding to cytochrome P1-450, 55.0 kDa, and cytochrome P3-450, 54.5 kDa. There appeared a single band (cytochrome P3-450) in interaction of mouse liver BP-microsomes with anti-P3-450 and anti-P-450d-c.

Regulation of mouse CYP1A1 gene expression by dioxin: requirement of two cis-acting elements during induction

The mouse cytochrome P1450 (CYP1A1) gene is responsible for the metabolism of numerous carcinogens and toxic chemicals. Induction by the environmental contaminant tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) requires a functional aromatic hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor. We examined the 5'-flanking region of the CYP1A1 gene in mouse hepatoma Hepa-1 wild-type cells and a mutant line having a defect in chromatin binding of the TCDD-receptor complex. We identified two cis-acting elements (distal, -1071 to -901 region; proximal, -245 to -50 region) required for constitutive and TCDD-inducible CYP1A1 gene expression. Three classes of DNA-protein complexes binding to the distal element were identified: class I, found only in the presence of TCDD and a functional Ah receptor, that was heat labile and not competed against by simian virus 40 (SV40) early promoter DNA; class II, consisting of at least three constitutive complexes that were heat stable and bound to SV40 DNA; and class III, composed of at least three constitutive complexes that were thermolabile and were not competed against by SV40 DNA. Essential contacts for these proteins were centered at -993 to -990 for the class I complex, -987, -986, or both for the class II complexes, and -938 to -927 for the class III complexes. The proximal element was absolutely essential for both constitutive and TCDD-inducible CYP1A1 gene expression, and at least two constitutive complexes bound to this region. These data are consistent with the proximal element that binds proteins being necessary but not sufficient for inducible gene expression; interaction of these proteins with those at the distal element was found to be required for full CYP1A1 induction by TCDD.

Regulation of mouse CYP1A1 gene expression by dioxin: requirement of two cis-acting elements during induction

The mouse cytochrome P1450 (CYP1A1) gene is responsible for the metabolism of numerous carcinogens and toxic chemicals. Induction by the environmental contaminant tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) requires a functional aromatic hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor. We examined the 5'-flanking region of the CYP1A1 gene in mouse hepatoma Hepa-1 wild-type cells and a mutant line having a defect in chromatin binding of the TCDD-receptor complex. We identified two cis-acting elements (distal, -1071 to -901 region; proximal, -245 to -50 region) required for constitutive and TCDD-inducible CYP1A1 gene expression. Three classes of DNA-protein complexes binding to the distal element were identified: class I, found only in the presence of TCDD and a functional Ah receptor, that was heat labile and not competed against by simian virus 40 (SV40) early promoter DNA; class II, consisting of at least three constitutive complexes that were heat stable and bound to SV40 DNA; and class III, composed of at least three constitutive complexes that were thermolabile and were not competed against by SV40 DNA. Essential contacts for these proteins were centered at -993 to -990 for the class I complex, -987, -986, or both for the class II complexes, and -938 to -927 for the class III complexes. The proximal element was absolutely essential for both constitutive and TCDD-inducible CYP1A1 gene expression, and at least two constitutive complexes bound to this region. These data are consistent with the proximal element that binds proteins being necessary but not sufficient for inducible gene expression; interaction of these proteins with those at the distal element was found to be required for full CYP1A1 induction by TCDD.