Effect of protein-free diet on UDP-glucuronyltransferase and sulphotransferase activities in rat liver

Ficus dubia latex extract prevent DMH-induced rat early colorectal carcinogenesis through the regulation of xenobiotic metabolism, inflammation, cell proliferation and apoptosis

Ficus dubia latex is recognized as a remedy in Asian traditional medicine with various therapeutic effects. The present study aimed to determine the preventive action of Ficus dubia latex extract (FDLE) on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced rat colorectal carcinogenesis and its mechanisms. The experiment included an initiation model in which rats were orally administered with FDLE daily for 1 week before DMH injection until the end of the experiment, while only after DMH injection until the end in the post-initiation model. The results firstly indicated that FDLE treatment could reduce the level of methylazoxymethanol (MAM) in rat colonic lumen by inhibition of the activities of both phase I xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in the liver and β-glucuronidase in the colon, leading to reduced DNA methylation in colonic mucosal cells, related to the number of ACF in the initiation stage. Besides, FDLE modulated the inflammation which could suppress the growth and induce apoptosis of aberrant colonic mucosal cells, leading to retardation of ACF multiplicity. Therefore, FDLE showed the ability to suppress the DMH-induced rat ACF formation and inflammation promoted growth of ACF. In conclusion, FDLE had the potential to prevent carcinogens-induced rat colorectal carcinogenesis in the initiation stage.

Metabolic intervention of aflatoxin B1 toxicity by curcumin

ETHNO PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Curcumin, bioactive principle of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn) is an important constituent of Indian traditional medicine. Turmeric has been known to possess several therapeutic properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The modulatory effect of dietary curcumin (0.05%, w/w) on drug metabolizing and general marker enzymes of liver and formation of AFB(1)-adducts (DNA and protein) due to dietary AFB(1) exposure for a period of 6 weeks in a rodent model, have been evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Drug metabolizing enzymes CYP1A1, GSHT, UGT1A and general marker enzymes (LDH, ALT, AST, ALP and gamma-GT) of liver were estimated by standardized methods. Aflatoxin adducts (DNA and protein) were quantitated by indirect competitive ELISA.

RESULTS

Dietary curcumin enhanced GSHT (p<0.001) and UGT1A1 (p<0.05) activity and significantly reduced the activity of CYP1A1 (p<0.001), in rats exposed to aflatoxin B(1). Supplementation of curcumin in the diet normalized the altered activities of LDH and ALT. At molecular level, curcumin significantly reduced AFB(1)-N(7)-guanine adduct (p<0.001) excretion in the urine, DNA adduct (p<0.05) in the liver and albumin adduct (p<0.001) in the serum.

CONCLUSION

The experimental results substantiates that curcumin intervention ameliorates the AFB(1) induced toxicity.

Effect of dietary protein on hepatic and extrahepatic phase I and phase II drug metabolizing enzymes

Weanling male rats were fed low (LP, 7.5%), standard (SP, 15%) or high protein (HP, 45%) diet for 7 or 14 days ad libitum, and cytochrome c reductase (CYC) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzyme activities were determined in intestine, kidney and liver microsomes. HP diet increased CYC activity in intestine and kidney, while LP diet had no effect. Hepatic CYC activity declined with decreasing level of dietary protein. Liver and intestine UGT activities were higher on an LP diet, while kidney enzyme activities were higher on an HP diet. UGT activity toward alpha-naphthol, a UGT1 isoform substrate, was modulated by dietary protein in all tissues, while UGT activity toward 4-hydroxybiphenyl, a substrate for a second UGT1 isoform, was affected only in the intestine. The duration of feeding affected CYC and UGT activities in the intestine. This observation may be explained by the dynamic nature of intestinal tissue. The observation of unique tissue and enzyme responses suggests that generalizations regarding metabolic response to diets based on hepatic studies or single enzymes, may be erroneous.

Effects of phenobarbital on aniline metabolism in primary liver cell culture of rats with ethionine-induced liver disorder

In experiment 1, the amount of aniline (AN) metabolites in the primary cell culture medium of the liver cells obtained from ethionine (ET)-treated rats was compared with that of the control (normal) rats. Although the metabolites detected in both groups were p-aminophenol (p-AP), N-acetyl-p-AP (AAP), acetoanilide (AAN), AAP-glucuronide (AAPG), phenylhydroxylamine sulfate (PHAS) and p-AP-glucuronide (p-APG), the amount of AAP was lower and that of p-APG was markedly higher in the ET-treated rats than in the control rats. In experiment 2, phenobarbital (PB) was orally administered to the ET-treated and control rats at a dose of 100 mg/kg. The time course changes in AN metabolites in the primary cell culture medium of liver cells obtained at 2 or 48 hr after PB treatment were compared with those without PB treatment. In the ET-treated rats, the amount of PHAS was slightly higher at 2 hr after PB treatment, and that of AAP was lower and that of p-APG was higher at 48 hr after PB treatment as compared with those without PB treatment. In the control rats, the amounts of AAP, AAN, p-AP and p-APG at 2 hr after PB treatment remained lower than those without PB treatment, and that of AAP was markedly lower and that of p-APG was higher at 48 hr after PB treatment as compared with those without PB treatment. These findings indicated greater detoxication in the primary liver cell culture in the ET-treated rats than in the control rats. Furthermore, detoxication was greater in the primary cell culture of liver cell obtained from the ET-treated rats after PB treatment than from those without PB treatment, because the production of acetylates (AAP) decreased and p-APG increased (induction of conjugated enzyme) in the PB treatment group.

Effect of long term iron deficiency on the activities of hepatic and extra-hepatic drug metabolising enzymes in Fischer rats

Male Fischer rats were maintained for a period of 17 weeks on an iron-deficient diet along with suitable controls. The effect of long term deprivation of iron on xenobiotic metabolism was studied by the activities of various drug metabolising enzymes in both liver as well as extra-hepatic tissues like lungs, kidneys and intestinal mucosa (I.M.). The results show that among the Phase I (activating) enzymes, the hepatic activities of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase (AHH) and microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) are significantly reduced in iron deficiency. The other parameters of the activating system, namely cytochrome P450, aminopyrene demethylase (ADM) and aniline hydroxylase (AH), are not altered. Of the two Phase II (conjugating) enzymes studied, only uridine diphospho glucuronyl transferase (UDPGT) is found to be depressed, but not glutathione S-transferase (GST) in liver in iron deficiency. Activities of Phase I enzymes are markedly lowered in extra-hepatic tissues compared to liver; such depression is not observed in conjugating enzymes. Iron deficiency does not seem to make much impact on the enzyme activities of extra-hepatic tissues. Overall, the hepatic results suggest a defect in detoxification mechanisms in iron deficiency. Such impairment may very well predispose an iron-deficient host to an increased risk of carcinogenesis.

Multiple opiate receptors and pharmacological response to morphine in rats maintained on diets differing in protein concentration

1. The influence of diets differing in protein concentration on the characteristics of mu, delta, and kappa-opiate receptors and on the analgesic and hyperthermic responses to morphine was examined in rats. Three groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained for four weeks on isocaloric diet containing either 4, 20 or 50% protein. 2. The animals maintained on 4% protein diet weighed 92 +/- 2% of the initial weight at the end of the fourth week, whereas animals maintained on 20% and 50% protein diet weighed 222 +/- 2% and 221 +/- 2%, respectively. The average food intake per 100 g body weight on day 1 of the study in 4, 20 and 50% protein diet group was 5.0 +/- 2.2 g, 10.4 +/- 1.4 g, and 10.0 +/- 1.2 g, respectively. This difference in food intake was not observed during rest of the period of the study. 3. Water intake was higher for the animals maintained on diet containing 50% protein as compared to the other two groups. 4. The analgesic and the hyperthermic response to morphine varied in direct relation to the concentration of protein in the diet. The concentration of morphine in the brain and plasma of animals maintained on the three diets following challenge dose of morphine did not differ. Similarly the Bmax and Kd values for the binding of [3H]naltrexone, [3H]D-Ser2-Thr6-leucine enkephalin and [3H]ethylketocyclazocine to brain membranes prepared from rats kept on 4, 20 and 50% protein concentration did not differ. 5. It is concluded that the diet differing in protein concentration can alter the responses to morphine, and that such altered effects can not be accounted for by the changes in the distribution of morphine in brain and plasma or to the changes in the characteristics of the mu, delta and kappa opiate receptors in the brain.

Inter-subject and ethnic differences in paracetamol metabolism

The 24 h urinary excretion of paracetamol and its metabolites following a single oral dose of 1.5 g was compared in 111 Caucasians (Scotland), 67 West Africans (Ghana) and 20 East Africans (Kenya). The fractional recovery of the mercapturic acid and cysteine conjugates of paracetamol was 9.3% in the Caucasians compared with only 5.2% and 4.4% in the Ghanaians and Kenyans respectively (P = less than 0.0005). This probably indicates markedly reduced metabolic activation of paracetamol in the Africans. There were no ethnic differences in the sulphate conjugation of paracetamol, but the mean fractional recovery of the glucuronide conjugate in Caucasians (54%) was significantly less than in the Africans (58%). The sulphate conjugation of paracetamol was increased and glucuronide conjugation reduced in Caucasian females compared with males. A similar trend was seen in the Ghanaians but there were no other significant sex differences. The range of intersubject variation in the metabolic activation of paracetamol was sixty fold compared with only a three fold variation in glucuronide and sulphate conjugation. This has important implications for susceptibility to paracetamol hepatotoxicity following overdosage especially in a small subgroup showing extensive metabolic activation. These ethnic differences in paracetamol metabolism may be related to genetic or environmental factors including differences in diet and protein intake.

[Chronologic studies of the effects of a hypoproteinic diet followed by an equilibrated diet on delta-6 and delta-5 desaturations of linoleic acid in liver microsomes in the rat]

A low protein diet affects amounts of linoleic and arachidonic acids in hepatic microsomal phospholipids of growing rats. Are the changes related to modifications in microsomal delta 6- and delta 5- linoleic acid desaturase activities? Two groups of Wistar rats weighing 80 +/- 5 g at the beginning of the experiment were used: Control group (T) was fed on a 16% gluten + 4% casein diet for 53 days; Experimental group (E) was fed on a 4% gluten + 1% casein diet for 26 days (MP) then Control diet for 27 days (RE). After 2, 14 and 26 days of MP and 2, 15 and 27 days of RE, rats of each group were sacrificed. Protein and water contents of liver, quantitative fatty acid, composition of total lipids in liver and hepatic microsomes were determined. delta 6- and delta 5- linoleic acid desaturase activities were estimated from incubation of liver microsomes with [1-14C] C 18: 2 n-6 or [2(14)C] C 20: 3 n-6 respectively. The low protein diet stops practically ponderal growth. The fatty-acid compositions of microsomal total lipids of E rats were affected in comparison with values of T rats. These modifications persist after 27 days of RE. The C 20: 4 n-6/C 18: 2 n-6 ratio in microsomal total lipids was slightly different between T and E rats but increased strongly during refeeding. Same modifications take place in the fatty-acid composition of hepatic total lipids. After two days of MP, delta 6- and delta 5- desaturase activities were depressed, phenomenon that not persist in the course of MP. These enzyme activities increase to higher values than those of the T after two days of RE.

Hepatic drug metabolising enzymes in undernourished men

The influence of the nutritional status of the individual on the hepatic drug metabolising enzymes in human wedge-biopsy liver samples was investigated. The aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) was found to be elevated although there was no change in the cytochrome P-450 levels in the undernourished groups. Conjugating enzymes viz. UDP glucuronyl transferase (UDPGT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were not found to be different. The increase in AHH activity as compared to UDPGT and GST activities suggests that the activation processes may possibly be increased in the undernourished segment of the population.

Enhanced metabolism of volatile hydrocarbons in rat liver following food deprivation, restricted carbohydrate intake, and administration of ethanol, phenobarbital, polychlorinated biphenyl and 3-methylcholanthrene: a comparative study

The effects of food deprivation, carbohydrate restriction and ethanol consumption on the metabolism of eight volatile hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, styrene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethylene and trichloroethylene) in rats were compared with the effects of enzyme induction by phenobarbital (PB), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) on the metabolism of these compounds. Although causing a marked increase both in microsomal protein and cytochrome p-450 contents, PB (80 mg/kg per day for three days) and PCB (a single dose of 500 mg/kg) induced only a limited range of enzyme activity: PB increased the metabolism of toluene, styrene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene, and PCB only increased those of toluene, styrene and trichloroethylene. MC (20 mg/kg per day for three days) had no effect on the metabolism of any of the hydrocarbons studied. In contrast, food deprivation, carbohydrate restriction and three-week ingestion of ethanol (2.0 g/day), each enhanced the metabolism of all the hydrocarbons with little or no increase in microsomal protein and cytochrome P-450 contents. PB, PCB and MC treatments enhanced the activity of enzymes involved in conjugation reactions, UDP-glucuronyltransferase and glutathione S-transferase, whereas the dietary manipulation and ethanol consumption produced no significant effect on these enzymes. It is concluded that ethanol consumption. lowered carbohydrate intake and food deprivation affect the metabolism and toxicity of volatile hydrocarbons differently from PB, PCB or MC.

Possible defect in xenobiotic activation before glycine conjugation in protein-energy malnutrition

1. [14C]Benzoic acid administered to rats fed a normal diet was excreted mainly (99% of 24h excretion) as hippuric acid. 2. In protein-energy malnourished rats, only about 74% of [14C]benzoic acid administered was excreted as hippuric acid. The remainder was excreted as the glucuronide conjugate. 3. The oxidative phosphorylation capacity of liver mitochondria of malnourished rats was 30% less than that of normal rat liver mitochondria. 4. The decreased rate in oxidative phosphorylation is discussed in relationship to the observed decrease in glycine conjugation.

Effect of food restriction (undernutrition) on plasma sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) capacity, liver drug metabolizing enzymes and uterine cytosol progesterone receptor levels in rabbits

The present investigation was designed to understand the mechanism underlying the altered pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of norethindrone and levonorgestrel observed in undernourished rabbits. Eighteen albino rabbits aged 3-4 months were divided into two groups. One group received a stock diet ad libitum and the other group was individually fed half the food consumed by the matched animal in ad lib group. Three pairs of animals were sacrificed at the end of three months and the remaining at the end of five months. Liver and uterine tissues were dissected out and processed for analysis. For both sets of animals, whether killed at the end of three months or 5 months, the trend of results obtained were similar. The capacity and affinity characteristics of plasma sex hormone binding globulin were found to be not significantly different between control and experimental animals. The specific activities of liver microsomal glucuronyl transferase and cytochrome P-450 were significantly higher in undernourished rabbits. The increase observed in the activity of sulfuryl transferase was, however, not statistically significant. Uterine cytosol progesterone receptor levels were found to be higher in food restricted animals though there were no changes in the affinity properties of the receptors. Thus, it appears that imposition of food restriction leads to increased drug metabolism as a result of increased drug metabolizing enzyme activities and that the animals appear to adapt by enhanced target organ response in terms of elevated receptor concentration.

The metabolic fate of [14C] benzoic acid in protein-energy deficient rats

The metabolic fate of [14C] benzoic acid administered i.p. to marasmic-kwashiorkor rats has been investigated. Rats fed a normal diet with benzoic acid administered i.p. at 200 mg/kg, excreted the benzoic acid mainly as hippuric acid (99% of 24 h excretion), while marasmic-kwashiorkor rats excreted 62--85% as hippuric acid and 14--37% as the glucuronide conjugate. 2 weeks after repletion metabolism of benzoic acid by the marasmic-kwashiorkor rats on the stock diet had returned to normal; most of the benzoate was excreted as hippuric acid.

Drug metabolism under pathological and abnormal physiological states in animals and man

The activity of microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes is altered by several pathological or abnormal physiological states, such as changes in nutritional status, liver, heart or kidney diseases, hormonal disturbances, pregnancy, tumour-bearing state, adjuvant arthritis, changes in reticuloendothelial system and environmental factors (stress, irradiation, heavy metals). The activities of other metabolic pathways, such as glucuronidation, sulphate conjugation, acetylation and alcohol oxidation are generally affected to lesser extents. Rats are most commonly used in drug metabolism studies, and it is important to know that the activity of most of the microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes is higher in males than in females through androgen action which is readily impaire drug-metabolizing enzymes in male rats are thus manifested by two mechanisms; one is by impairment of androgen action and the other is by depression of the basic enzymic activity. Therefore, those effects of pathological states, observed only in male rats but not in females, are generally not seen in other species of animals, including man. The effects of starvation, hyperthyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, diabetes and morphine administration are cases where changes in metabolism are due solely to impairment of androgen action. In other pathological cases, those drug-metabolizing enzymes showing sex differences are depressed more markedly in male rats than those showing no clear sex difference. The author therefore recommends the use of female rats in the evaluation of the effects of pathological states on hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes. Generally, changes in activity of the hepatic enzymes reflect closely the changes in the rates of drug metabolism in vivo. However, the protein-binding of drugs, hepatic blood flow and renal function are also known to affect the rate of drug metabolism and excretion in vivo, and therefore changes of these factors in pathological states should also be taken into consideration.

Hepatic and duodenal drug metabolism in the rat during fat deficiency

1. The effect of dietary fat deficiency on the composition of hepatic microsomes and postmitochondrial supernatant fraction of duodenal mucosa and on the activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes was studied in the rat. 2. There were only little changes in the measured protein, cholesterol and phospholipid fractions in the liver microsomes. In the postmitochondrial supernatant fraction of the duodenal mucosa, however, protein content was increased during fat deficiency. 3. In the fatty acid composition of hepatic microsomal phospholipids marked differences took place during fat deficiency. The amount of palmitoleic and eicosatrienoic acids increased from undetectable level to the amount of 6.9 and 9.5%. Also the amount of oleic acid was almost doubled and the content of linoleic and arachidonic acid was markedly decreased. 4. Fat deficiency was found to affect the drug metabolism both in the liver and small intestine. Only minor changes took place in the measured hydroxylative enzyme activities but the activity of UDPglucuronosyltransferase was highly depressed during fat deficiency both in the liver microsomes and in the postmitochondrial supernatant of duodenal mucosa. The changes in the UDPglucuronosyltransferase activity are concluded to be mediated via changes in the lipoidal environment of the enzyme in the membranes.

Dietary fats and properties of endoplasmic reticulum: II. Dietary lipid induced changes in activities of drug metabolizing enzymes in liver and duodenum of rat

Rats were fed cholesterol, cacao butter, or olive oil diets to determine the effect of dietary lipids on the rate of drug biotransformation in the liver and duodenum. The cholesterol rich diet maintained the hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity at the same level as did the standard diet. Rats fed olive oil and cacao butter diets showed lower hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydrorylase activity. The p-nitroanisole O-demethylase activity was doubled in hepatic microsomes of rats fed the high cholesterol diet when compared to rats fed the standard diet. The hepatic uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity showed different patterns depending on the in vitro treatment of the microsomal membranes. If the enzyme activity was assayed from the native, untreated microsomes, an increase in the measurable uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase activity was found in rats having cholesterol rich diet. After the in vitro activation of membrane-bound uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase by trypsin, the increase in measurable activity was 10 fold in the group fed the standard diet, 6 fold in group fed cholesterol, 4 fold in group fed cacao butter, and 3 fold in group fed olive oil. Trypsin digestion of microsomes increased the measurable uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity less in rats fed diets rich in neutral fats than those fed the standard diet. In the duodenal mucosa, lipid diets decreased the activities of drug hydroxylation and glucuronidation.

The phospholipid-dependence of uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase. Effect of protein deficiency on the phospholipid composition and enzyme activity of rat liver microsomal fraction

After force-feeding a protein-free diet to male rats for 5-7 days a substantial (2.4-fold) increase in the specific activity of the liver microsomal enzyme UDP-glucuronyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) was observed. A similar activation of the enzyme occurred when rats were fed on a low-protein (5%, w/w, casein) diet for 60 days. Although both the short- and long-term protein-deficient diets decreased the contents of microsomal protein and phospholipid in liver tissue they did not significantly alter the ratio of these major membrane components. Protein deficiency profoundly altered the phospholipid composition of microsomal membranes. The most striking difference in microsomal phospholipid composition between control and protein-deficient rats was their content of lysophosphatides. Whereas microsomal membranes from protein-deficient rats contained significant proportions of lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine very little or no lysophosphatides were detected in control preparations. Pretreatment of microsomal fractions from normal rats with phospholipase A markedly increased their UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity as did their pretreatment with lysophosphatidylcholine. It is concluded that the quantities of lysophosphatides present in microsomal membranes from protein-deficient rats were sufficient to have caused the increased UDP-glucuronyltransferase activities of these preparations. Evidence is presented suggesting that these changes in microsomal phospholipid composition and UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity caused by protein deficiency reflect changes that occur in vivo. The possible physiological significance of these findings is discussed.

Unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia in achalasia

Moderate unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia decreasing after pneumatic dilatation of the gastrooesophageal sphincter, so permitting a normal amount of food to be taken was observed in two patients with achalasia. Liver biopsy was performed, and hepatic digitonin-activated bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity was decreased in both, as is usually found in patients with Gilbert's syndrome. In the patients examined the slight and variable hyperbilirubinaemia associated with Gilbert's syndrome seemed thus to have been aggravated because of the decreased food intake due to achalasia. This situation may be compared to the jaundice sometimes found in neonates with pyloric stenosis or other types of obstruction of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Observations in rats and man favour a complex mechanism for fasting-induced hyperbilirubinaemia.