The role of cyclic-AMP in the regulation of steroid metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes

Estradiol-17beta and linseed meal interact to alter visceral organ mass and hormone concentrations from ovariectomized ewes

To evaluate the estrogenic potential of secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG) found in linseed meal (LSM) on visceral organ mass, IGF-I, and thyroid hormone (T(3) and T(4)) concentrations, 48 multiparous, ovariectomized ewes (54.6 +/- 1.1 kg) were used in a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement. Main effects were length of LSM feeding (0, 1, 7, or 14 d) and length of exposure to estradiol-17beta (E(2)) implant (0, 6, or 24 h prior to tissue collection). Implanting ewes with E(2) for 24h increased liver mass relative to empty body weight (EBW; g/kg EBW) compared with ewes implanted for 0 or 6 h (P <or= 0.03), whereas feeding LSM for 14 d decreased liver mass compared with ewes fed LSM for 1 or 7 d (P <or= 0.02). There was an LSM x E(2) interaction (P = 0.01) for duodenal mass (g/kg EBW), LSM, and E(2) tended (P = 0.07) to influence the stomach complex mass; however, ileal mass was not affected. Neither LSM nor E(2) affected (P >or= 0.12) CYP2C or CYP3A mRNA expression or cellularity of the liver. Exogenous E(2) influenced circulating concentrations of IGF-I, T(3), and T(4). The estrogenic or anti-estrogenic potential of LSM is dependent upon the tissue, exposure to E(2), and the duration of LSM feeding. Feeding LSM during gestation, lactation, or during the grow-finish phase warrants further investigation.

cAMP-associated inhibition of phenobarbital-inducible cytochrome P450 gene expression in primary rat hepatocyte cultures

The effects of elevated intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in regulating phenobarbital (PB)-inducible gene expression in primary rat hepatocyte cultures were investigated. Cells were exposed to various concentrations (0.1-100 microM) of cAMP analogs and/or activators of intracellular cAMP-dependent pathways. Effects of these treatments were assessed either using a 1-h pulse prior to PB (100 microM) exposure or in conjunction with PB during a 24-h exposure period. PB-inducible responses were measured in hepatocytes by hybridization to cytochrome P450 (CYP) CYP2B1, CYP2B2, and CYP3A1 mRNAs. The cAMP analogs, 8-bromo-cAMP, 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP, and (Sp)-5,6-DCl-cBiMPS ((Sp)-5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole-3', 5'-monophosphorothioate), and the activators of adenylate cyclase, forskolin and glucagon, dramatically inhibited PB-mediated induction of CYP2B1 and CYP2B2 in a concentration-dependent manner. A similar inhibition of PB-induced CYP3A1 mRNA levels was effected by the cAMP analogs and glucagon. The phosphodiesterase inhibitors isobutylmethylxanthine and RO 201724 potentiated the cAMP responses. Increasing the concentration of PB (0.05-1.00 mM) did not alleviate the cAMP-mediated repression. A requirement for protein kinase A (PKA) was demonstrated by the use of (Sp)-cAMPS, a highly specific activator of PKA, whereas the inactive diastereoisomer, (Rp)-cAMPS, was ineffective in modulating PB induction. The response to cAMP was specific since elevated intracellular cAMP levels did not perturb beta-naphtholflavone-mediated induction of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, microsomal epoxide hydrolase, or dexamethasone-mediated induction of CYP3A1 gene expression. Nor did elevated intracellular cAMP modulate the liver-selective albumin gene expression levels. The results of the present study demonstrated striking inhibition of PB-mediated CYP gene induction by cAMP and PKA activators, indicating a negative regulatory role for the cAMP signal transduction pathway on PB gene induction.

Increased oxidation and decreased conjugation of drugs in the liver caused by starvation. Altered metabolism of certain aromatic compounds and acetone

Starvation causes several changes in the various processes of biotransformation. The focus of this review is on biotransformation of various aromatic and other compounds whose metabolism is catalyzed in phase I by isozymes belonging to the CYP2E1 gene subfamily, while in phase II phenol-UDPGT or conjugation with GSH play a dominant role. The other ways of conjugation are beyond the scope of this review. The reason why this aspect has been chosen is that the capacity of these reactions is profoundly altered by nutritional conditions. There is a balance between the two phases of biotransformation. Therefore, under standard circumstances in a well-fed state the intermediate formed in the course of phase I is converted to a conjugated compound rapidly, as a result of phase II. However, in starvation the pattern of drug metabolism is altered and the balance between the two phases is changed. This alteration of drug metabolism upon starvation is partly connected to the changes of cofactor supplies due to the metabolic state.

Mechanisms of glucagon-induced increases in rates of cytochrome P450-dependent pentoxyphenoxazone O-depentylation in cultured rat conceptuses

Inclusions of glucagon (1.0 or 2.0 microM, final concentrations) in the media of cultured whole rat conceptuses resulted in concentration-dependent increases in measured rates of O-depentylation of pentoxyphenoxazone in cell-free preparations of conceptal tissues. Enzymic activities were assayed 24 h after initial exposure of the conceptuses to glucagon on day 10 of gestation. Glucagon elicited increases in tissue levels of cAMP that were parallel to those produced by 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine over the same time period. Tissue cAMP levels were maximal after 2 h, rapidly returned to control levels and were also equal to background levels in controls after the 24 h culture period. Dibutyryl cAMP, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, theophylline, and RO201724, a cAMP-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor, each produced 75 to 100% increases in O-dealkylase activity. Dibutyryl cGMP and two phosphodiesterase inhibitors, enoximone (cGMP-inhibited) and zaprinast (cGMP-specific), each failed to produce statistically significant increases in O-depentylase activity. The O-depentylase was tentatively identified as a conceptus-specific P450 cytochrome that is synthesized predominantly in tissues of the visceral yolk sac. The results indicated that glucagon may upregulate a unique, xenobiotic-biotransforming P450(s) via a long-term mechanism(s) specifically involving tissue cAMP.

Phenobarbital induction of cytochrome P-450 gene expression

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The interaction of oral hypoglycaemic drugs with insulin on steroid metabolism in hepatocytes isolated from control and diabetic male rats

The effects of the oral hypoglycaemic drugs, phenformin and tolbutamide, and insulin, alone and in combination, on steroid metabolism in hepatocytes isolated from control and streptozotocin-diabetic male rats has been studied. Both phenformin and tolbutamide mimic the action of insulin in stimulating hepatic steroid metabolism in a dose-dependent manner in control cells. Unlike insulin, however, both drugs give a similar effect in cells derived from diabetic animals although to a lesser extent. Both drugs can partially restore the effect of insulin in cells derived from diabetic animals. Biguanides and sulphonylureas, therefore, have a direct effect on liver cells to mimic insulin action and can still have an effect under conditions where insulin is inactive. Both types of oral hypoglycaemics can also affect insulin-insensitive cells isolated from diabetic rat liver to restore to a certain extent their response to insulin.

The effect of the insulin mediator on the metabolism of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione in isolated rat hepatocytes

Insulin exerts a marked effect on hepatic steroid metabolism both in vivo and in vitro (on isolated rat hepatocytes). The mechanism by which insulin gives this action is, however, unclear. In this study, we have extracted a mediator from a hepatic membrane fraction after treatment with insulin and tested the effects of this mediator on steroid metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes. It is seen that the mediator has a similar effect to insulin (i.e. a stimulation of enzyme activity) and that the maximum effect of the mediator is seen at physiological concentrations of insulin (10(-9)M) and at 30 min preincubation time. There appears to be a differentiation between the effects on the male-specific (6 beta- and 16 alpha-hydroxylases and 17-oxosteroid oxidoreductase) and the female-specific (7 alpha-hydroxylase and 5 alpha-reductase) enzyme activities in that the male-specific activities appear more responsive to the mediator. This would agree with findings in vivo. It would appear, therefore, that many of the actions of insulin on hepatic steroid metabolism may be mediated by the generation of an insulin mediator, similar to that controlling mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, derived from the plasma membrane of the hepatocyte.

Chemical structure and toxicity of diuretics in isolated hepatocytes

The effects of several diuretics, including tienilic acid and indacrinone, on isolated rat heaptocytes were examined. Addition of tienilic acid and indacrinone at 1 mM to a suspension of freshly isolated cells caused dose-dependent loss of cell viability as judged by the LDH-latency test. Survey of 19 structurally related compounds revealed that the extent of cell injury and chemical structure were correlated, and an intense adverse effect was attributed to the 2-thienylcarbonyl moiety. Several other factors influencing cell viability are also disclosed. Further study revealed that tienilic acid and indacrinone were toxic to the primary culture of hepatocytes at a lower dose than that a freshly isolated hepatocytes. Thus, an isolated hepatocyte system can be used to select compounds displaying low hepatotoxicity, as for example is needed when screening diuretics.

Posttranslational modification of hepatic cytochrome P-450. Phosphorylation of phenobarbital-inducible P-450 forms PB-4 (IIB1) and PB-5 (IIB2) in isolated rat hepatocytes and in vivo

Phosphorylation of hepatic cytochrome P-450 was studied in isolated hepatocytes incubated in the presence of agents known to stimulate protein kinase activity. Incubation of hepatocytes isolated from phenobarbital-induced adult male rats with [32P]orthophosphate in the presence of N6,O2'-dibutyryl-cAMP (diBtcAMP) or glucagon resulted in the phosphorylation of microsomal proteins that are immunoprecipitable by polyclonal antibodies raised to the phenobarbital-inducible P-450 form PB-4 (P-450 gene IIB1). Little or no phosphorylation of these proteins was observed in the absence of diBtcAMP or glucagon or in the presence of activators of Ca2+-dependent protein kinases. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that these 32P-labeled microsomal proteins consist of a mixture of P-450 PB-4 and the closely related P-450 PB-5 (gene IIB2), both of which exhibited heterogeneity in the isoelectric focusing dimension. Phosphorylation of both P-450 forms was markedly enhanced by diBtcAMP at concentrations as low as 5 microM. In contrast, little or no phosphorylation of P-450 forms reactive with antibodies to P-450 PB-1 (gene IIC6), P-450 2c (gene IIC11), or P-450 PB-2a (gene IIIA1) was detected in the isolated hepatocytes under these incubation conditions. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the 32P-labeled P-450 PB-4 + PB-5 immunoprecipitate revealed that these P-450s are phosphorylated on serine in the isolated hepatocytes. Peptide mapping indicated that the site of phosphorylation in hepatocytes is indistinguishable from the site utilized by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro, which was previously identified as serine-128 for the related rabbit protein P-450 LM2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)