Effects of gestational and overt diabetes on placental cytochromes P450 and glutathione S-transferase

Abstract

Objective: Animal and in vivo human studies have observed that diabetes alters the expression of hepatic metabolizing cytochrome P450 (CYP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymes. The placenta has the ability to metabolize a number of xenobiotic and endogenous compounds by processes similar to those seen in the liver. Our objective was to compare placental xenobiotic metabolizing activity in diabetics to matched non-diabetic controls to determine if the presence of diabetes alters placental xenobiotic metabolizing activity. Methods: The catalytic activities of 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation [EROD] (CYP1A1), chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation (CYP2E1), dextromethorphan N-demethylation (CYP3A4), dextromethorphan O-demethylation (CYP2D6), and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) conjugation with glutathione (GST) from placentas of diet controlled (class A1) and insulin-dependent (class A2) gestational diabetics and overt diabetics were compared to matched controls. Results: No differences in EROD activity were observed among overt or gestational diabetics and their respectively matched controls. CYP2E1, 2D6, and 3A4 enzyme activity were not detected in human placentas. In contrast, GST activity was significantly reduced by 30% ( P < .05) in overt diabetics as compared to their matched controls and gestational diabetics. Conclusion: Pregnant women with overt diabetes have reduced GST activity in the placenta, which could potentially result in exposure of the fetus to harmful reactive electrophilic metabolites.