Interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α affect cytochrome P450 expression in cynomolgus macaque hepatocytes

The cynomolgus macaque, partly due to its evolutionary closeness to humans, is an important nonhuman primate species used in drug metabolism studies. In humans, expressions of cytochromes P450 (P450s), including the important drug-metabolizing enzyme P450 3A4, are affected by various cytokines. However, this phenomenon has not been fully investigated in cynomolgus macaques. In this study, the effects of cytokines on P450 expression were investigated using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction to evaluate mRNA expression. Hepatocytes from cynomolgus macaques were treated with lipopolysaccharide and various cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-6, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and the expression levels of 11 P450s were compared with those of solvent-treated controls. Tumor necrosis factor-α significantly decreased cynomolgus P450 2C8 and 2C76 mRNA expression in multiple lots of cynomolgus hepatocytes investigated. IL-1β significantly decreased cynomolgus P450 1A1, 2C8, 2C19, and 2C76 mRNA expression, but increased P450 3A5 mRNA expression in multiple lots of hepatocytes. Moreover, P450 1A1-and 2C19-mediated drug oxidations were significantly and dose-dependently suppressed by IL-1β, under the present limited conditions. These results suggest that cytokines can influence hepatic P450 mRNA expression levels in cynomolgus macaques, just as cytokines are reported to affect P450 expression in humans.

mRNA levels of drug-metabolizing enzymes in 11 brain regions of cynomolgus macaques

The cynomolgus macaque is an important nonhuman primate species in drug metabolism studies, in part because of its evolutionary closeness to humans. Cytochromes P450 (P450s) have been investigated in the major drug-metabolizing organs, i.e., the liver and small intestine, but have not been fully investigated in the brain. However, recent investigations have indicated possible important roles for P450s in the brain. In this study, by using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we measured the mRNA levels of 38 cynomolgus drug-metabolizing enzymes, including 19 P450s, 10 UDP-glycosyltransferases, and 9 other enzymes, in 11 brain regions. Among these drug-metabolizing enzymes, expression of 32 enzyme mRNAs were detected in one or more brain regions, indicating their possible roles in the brain. Further investigation of metabolic activities would facilitate better understanding of the importance of these enzymes in the brain.

Expression levels of microRNAs that are potential cytochrome P450 regulators in cynomolgus macaques

1. Although the cynomolgus macaque is an important non-human primate species used in drug metabolism studies, cynomolgus macaque microRNA expressions have not been fully investigated.2. The expressions of 11 cynomolgus microRNAs, all orthologues of P450 regulators in humans, were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in adrenal gland, brain, heart, jejunum, kidney, liver, ovary, testis and uterus. mfa-miR-122 and mfa-miR-192, potentially important biomarkers for liver toxicity, were also analyzed.3. Several cynomolgus microRNAs showed preferential tissue expressions: mfa-miR-1 in heart, mfa-miR-122 in liver and mfa-miR-21 and mfa-miR-192 in jejunum. The remaining nine microRNAs had more ubiquitous expressions. All 13 cynomolgus microRNAs were expressed in liver. Among the 10 animals investigated, inter-individual microRNA expression levels in liver varied from 1.5- to 5.3-fold. mfa-miR-18b was the most variable microRNA. Sex differences in expression levels were <2.0-fold, and the difference was only significant for mfa-miR-29 [1.6-fold difference (p < .05)]. Six cynomolgus microRNAs (mfa-miR-18b, mfa-miR-27a, mfa-miR-132, mfa-miR-27b, mfa-miR-122 and mfa-miR-29) were significantly correlated with P450 mRNAs: mfa-miR-18b and mfa-miR-27a were each correlated with seven P450 mRNAs.4. Expression of these cynomolgus microRNAs in liver might indicate their possible roles in this tissue, and further investigation will clarify their involvement in P450 regulation.

Expression profile of early estradiol-responsive genes in cynomolgus macaque liver: implications for drug-metabolizing enzymes

Estrogen plays important roles in estrogen-responsive tissues, such as mammary glands, ovaries, and the uterus. In the liver, the major drug metabolizing organ, estrogen is known to regulate expression of some drug-metabolizing enzymes. Due to the lack of information on the role of estrogen in hepatic gene expression in primate species, we previously investigated the late response of hepatic gene expression to estradiol in cynomolgus macaques. To understand the early response of hepatic gene expression to estradiol, in this study, microarray analysis was conducted using cynomolgus macaque liver samples collected at 1 h and 5 h after estradiol injection. Comparison of expression profiles in estradiol and solvent (control)-treated ovariectomized cynomolgus macaques revealed 27 differentially expressed genes (>2.0-fold), including 18 at 1 h and 9 at 5 h after estradiol injection. As indicated by Gene Ontology analysis, these genes were related to oxidoreductase activity and transferase activity, partly representing important aspects of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Further analysis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that estradiol down-regulated CYP2A24, CYP2C76, and CYP2E1 (>2.0-fold) at 1 h and up-regulated GSTM5 (>2.0-fold) at 5 h after estradiol injection. These results suggest that the short-term estradiol treatment influenced expression of hepatic genes, including drug-metabolizing enzyme genes, in cynomolgus macaque liver.

Expression profile of hepatic genes in cynomolgus macaques bred in Cambodia, China, and Indonesia: implications for cytochrome P450 genes

Cynomolgus macaques, frequently used in drug metabolism studies, are bred mainly in the countries of Asia; however, comparative studies of drug metabolism between cynomolgus macaques bred in these countries have not been conducted. In this study, hepatic gene expression profiles of cynomolgus macaques bred in Cambodia (mfCAM), China (mfCHN), and Indonesia (mfIDN) were analyzed. Microarray analysis revealed that expression of most hepatic genes, including drug-metabolizing enzyme genes, was not substantially different between mfCAM, mfCHN, and mfIDN; only 1.1% and 3.0% of all the gene probes detected differential expression (>2.5-fold) in mfCAM compared with mfCHN and mfIDN, respectively. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression levels of 14 cytochromes P450 (P450s) important for drug metabolism did not differ (>2.5-fold) in mfCAM, mfCHN, and mfIDN, validating the microarray data. In contrast, expression of CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 differed (>2.5-fold, p < 0.05) between cynomolgus (mfCAM, mfCHN, or mfIDN) and rhesus macaques, indicating greater differences in expression of P450 genes between the two lineages. Moreover, metabolic activities measured using 14 P450 substrates did not differ substantially (<1.5-fold) between mfCAM and mfCHN. These results suggest that gene expression profiles, including drug-metabolizing enzyme genes such as P450 genes, are similar in mfCAM, mfCHN, and mfIDN.