Cytochrome P450 1A1 Enzyme Activity Research Articles

Effect of borneol on cytochrome P450 3A enzyme and midazolam pharmacokinetics in rats

Borneol is a commonly used herbal medication in China and Japan. Previous studies have indicated that borneol could reduce the plasma concentrations of oneself and concomitant drugs, and its first-pass metabolism could be catalyzed by the cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) enzyme as well. The impact of borneol on CYP3A activity and efficacy in influencing the pharmacokinetics of co-administrated drugs is currently unknown. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to investigate the effect of borneol on CYP3A enzyme in vivo. After treatment with borneol twice daily for 3days, rat liver microsomes were exposed to probe substrates to determine CYP3A enzyme activity, protein, and RNA harvested using microsomal testosterone 6β-hydroxylation as a marker of enzyme activity. To verify the result, the effect of borneol on the pharmacokinetics of the CYP3A model substrate midazolam was further examined. The results showed that borneol treatment had increased CYP3A expression at the mRNA, protein, and activity (testosterone 6β hydroxylase activity) level in rat liver microsomes. In addition, borneol accelerated the metabolism of midazolam, which was consistent with the enhancement in CYP3A metabolic capacity. The hepatic clearance (Cl) of midazolam injected via the caudal vein in rats following borneol co-administration was higher; however, the area under the curve (AUC0-∞) was lower than the solvent. Hence, it was proposed that borneol could increase the metabolic activity of the CYP3A enzyme, which might cause drug-drug interactions in humans when using Chinese herbal or Western medicine with borneol.

Quantitative analysis of cortisol and 6β‐hydroxycortisol in urine by fully automated SPE and ultra‐performance LC coupled with electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (ESCi)‐TOF‐MS

An ultra-performance LC TOF MS method for quantitative analysis of cortisol and 6β-hydroxycortisol in urine was developed. The method was used for determination of the ratio between 6β-hydroxycortisol and cortisol in urine received from autopsy cases and living persons as a measure of cytochrome P450 3A enzyme activity. Urine samples (0.25 mL) were extracted with an in-house developed fully automated 96-well SPE system. The compounds were quantified using a Waters ACQUITY UPLC system coupled to a Waters SYNAPT G2. The MS sensitivity was optimized by using negative ionization in sensitivity mode (resolution >10 000 full-width at half-maximum), and further optimized by using the enhanced duty cycle around the 410 m/z. ESCi (simultaneous electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization) mode was used to compensate for the matrix effects of postmortem urine. Finally, the SYNAPT G2 was tested as a quantitative instrument. The developed method has a measurement range from 2.5-300 ng/mL for cortisol to 10-1200 ng/mL for 6β-hydroxycortisol. Mean overall process efficiencies were 29.4 and 23.0% for cortisol and 6β-hydroxycortisol, respectively. In 20 forensic reference cases, the range of the 6β-hydroxycortisol/cortisol ratio was 0.29-14.2 with a median of 3.04.

Genome-wide association study reveals a complex genetic architecture underpinning-induced CYP3A4 enzyme activity

Atypical cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzyme activity-induced and inhibited-is thought to be the driver of numerous poor or adverse therapeutic responses to up to 50% of all commonly prescribed drugs. We carried out a genome-wide association study to identify common genetic variants associated with variation in induced CYP3A4 activity. A total of 310 twins were included in this study. Each participant had already completed a 14days course of St John's Wort to induce CYP3A4, which was quantified through the metabolic ratio of exogenous 3-hydroxyquinine to quinine. We failed to detect any genome-wide significant associations (P<1×10(-8)) with variation in induced CYP3A4 activity although several genomic regions were highlighted which may play minor roles. We report the first GWAS of variation in induced CYP3A4 activity and our preliminary results indicate a complex genetic architecture underpinning induced CYP3A4 enzyme activity.

The Concentration of Cyclosporine Metabolites Is Significantly Lower in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is prevalent among kidney transplant recipients. The activity of drug metabolizing enzymes or transporters may be altered by diabetes leading to changes in the concentration of parent drug or metabolites. This study was aimed to characterize the effect of diabetes on the concentration of cyclosporine (CsA) and metabolites. Concentration-time profiles of CsA and metabolites (AM1, AM9, AM4N, AM1c, AM19, and AM1c9) were characterized over a 12-hour dosing interval in 10 nondiabetic and 7 diabetic stable kidney transplant recipients. All patients were male, had nonfunctional CYP3A5*3 genotype, and were on combination therapy with ketoconazole. The average daily dose (±SD) of CsA was 65 ± 21 and 68 ± 35 mg in nondiabetic and diabetic subjects, respectively (P = 0.550). Cyclosporine metabolites that involved amino acid 1 (AM1, AM19, AM1c) exhibited significantly lower dose-normalized values of area under the concentration-time curve in patients with diabetes. Moreover, during the postabsorption phase (≥3 hours after dose), metabolite-parent concentration ratios for all metabolites, except AM4N, was significantly lower in diabetic patients. The pharmacokinetic parameters of ketoconazole were similar between the 2 groups thus excluding inconsistent ketoconazole exposure as a source of altered CsA metabolism. This study indicates that diabetes mellitus significantly affects the concentration of CsA metabolites. Because CsA is eliminated as metabolites via the biliary route, the decrease in the blood concentration of CsA metabolites during postabsorption phase would probably reflect lower hepatic cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme activity. However, other mechanisms including altered expression of transporters may also play a role. Results of cyclosporine therapeutic drug monitoring in diabetic patients must be interpreted with caution when nonspecific assays are used.

Retinoid and Ethanol-Sensitive Benzo(&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;α&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;)Pyrene Induction of Cytochrome P450 in Human Keratinocytes

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) induce cytochrome P-450 monoxygenase enzymes that catalyze the formation of DNA adducts. We investigated the effects benzo(α)pyrene (B[α]P) alone or in combination with ethanol on normal human keratinocyte (NHK) growth, induction of cytochrome P-4501A1 (CYP1A1), and modulation of these treatments by retinoic acid (RA) in a serum-free culture medium. Growth-arrested confluent NHK serum-free cultures were treated with B[α]P alone or in combination with ethanol and RA. The effects on CYP1A1 enzyme activity were investigated. B[α]P treatment alone was not toxic to post-confluent cells; sub-toxic ethanol stimulated cell growth regardless B[α]P treatment. No CYP1A1 activity was detected in control or ethanol-treated NHK cell cultures. B[α]P alone induced CYP1A1 activity, and B[α]P plus ethanol treatment further enhanced B[α]P-induced CYP1A1 activity. Pretreatment with all-trans-RA (t-RA) abolished ethanol enhancement of CYP1A1 activity. There is a synergistic action of ethanol in combination with PAH on induction of P-450 cytochrome enzymes. By contrast, RA reverses ethanol enhancement implying a role for retinoid therapy in counteracting the risk posed by combined alcohol and PAH exposure on epidermal cell carcinogenesis.

Different effects of dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonists on CYP3A4 enzyme of human liver microsomes

The present study investigated inhibitory effects of 1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHPs) calcium channel antagonists (1,4-DHP-CCAs) on cytochromeP450 3A4 (CYP3A4) of human liver microsomes and further explored importance of 1,4-DHPs molecular structural descriptors. Partial Least Squares method was applied to probe the quantitative relationships between the 1,4-DHPs molecular structural descriptors and its inhibitory actions, which demonstrated that different 1,4-DHP-CCAs could inhibit CYP3A4 enzyme's activity differently. The K (i) values of nicardipine, lercandipine, cilnidipine, nitrendipine, lacidipine, nifedipine, felodipine were 10.13, 10.17, 11.44, 23.90, 29.34, 29.06 and 32.64 μmol L⁻¹, respectively. It is suggested that the 1,4-DHPs molecular structural descriptors are the most important for its inhibitory effects based on the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) formula. The LogP was positively correlated to the K (i), whereas molecular weight and molecule volume were negatively correlated. It is concluded that analysis of K (i) of 1,4-DHPs derivatives on the CYP3A4 activity may apply for the QSAR formula at the initial stage of clinical application of new drugs.

Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, the Most Widely Used Phthalate Substitute Plasticizer, Induces Cytochrome P450 3A through Steroid and Xenobiotic Receptor

Steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR) is activated by endogenous and exogenous chemicals including steroids, bile acids, and prescription drugs. SXR is highly expressed in the liver and intestine, where it regulates cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), which in turn controls xenobiotic and endogenous steroid hormone metabolism. However, it is unclear whether Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved plasticizers exert such activity. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of FDA-approved plasticizers on SXR-mediated transcription in vitro by luciferase reporter, SXR-coactivator interaction, quantitative real-time PCR analysis of CYP3A4 expression, CYP3A4 enzyme activity assays, and SXR knockdown. Rats, treated with gavage and intraperitoneal injection of compounds, were examined for CYP3A1 expression in vivo. We found that four of eight FDA-approved plasticizers increased SXR-mediated transcription. In particular, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), an industrial plasticizer widely used in products such as food wrap, vinyl toys, and pharmaceutical excipients, strongly activated human and rat SXR. ATBC increased CYP3A4 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and enzyme activity in the human intestinal cells but not in human liver cells. Similarly, CYP3A1 mRNA levels were increased in the intestine but not the liver of ATBC-treated rats. These in vitro and in vivo results suggest that ATBC specifically induces CYP3A in the intestine by activating SXR. We suggest that ATBC-containing products be used cautiously because they may alter metabolism of endogenous steroid hormones and prescription drugs.

Effects of the antioxidant baicalein on the pharmacokinetics of nimodipine in rats: a possible role of P-glycoprotein and CYP3A4 inhibition by baicalein

The reduced bioavailability of nimodipine after oral administration might not only be due to the metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4(CYP3A4) but also to the P-glycoprotein efflux transporter in the small intestine. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of baicalein on the pharmacokinetics of nimodipine in rats. The effect of baicalein on P-glycoprotein and CYP3A4 activity was evaluated. A single dose of nimodipine was administered intravenously (3mg/kg) and orally (12mg/kg) to rats in the presence and absence of baicalein (0.4, 2 and 8mg/kg). Baicalein inhibited CYP3A4 enzyme activity in a concentration-dependent manner, with a 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of 9.2µM. In addition, baicalein significantly enhanced the cellular accumulation of rhodamine-123 in MCF-7/ADR cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein. Baicalein significantly altered the pharmacokinetics of orally administered nimodipine. Compared to the oral control group given nimodipine alone, the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0–∞) and the peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of nimodipine significantly increased (p < 0.05 for 2mg/kg; p < 0.01 for 8mg/kg). Consequently, the absolute bioavailability of nimodipine in the presence of baicalein (2 and 8mg/kg) was 31.0–35.3%, which was significantly enhanced (p < 0.05 for 2mg/kg; p < 0.01 for 8mg/kg) compared to the oral control group (22.3%). Moreover, the relative bioavailability of nimodipine was 1.39- to 1.58-fold greater than that of the control group. The pharmacokinetics of intravenous nimodipine were not affected by baicalein in contrast to those of oral nimodipine. Baicalein significantly enhanced the oral bioavailability of nimodipine, which may be mainly due to inhibition of the CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of nimodipine in the small intestine and/or in the liver and the inhibition of the P-glycoprotein efflux pump in the small intestine by baicalein. The increase in oral bioavailability of nimodipine in the presence of baicalein should be taken into consideration as a potential drug interaction between nimodipine and baicalein.

Does Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Affect the Metabolism of the Orally Administered Medications?: 2010 Presidential Poster

Purpose: The effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) on the bioavailability of orally administered drugs is unknown. Cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) is the major human drug metabolizing enzyme and it metabolizes many important compounds (e.g., macrolides, tacrolimus, diltiazem). CYP3A enzyme is present in both small intestine and liver. We conducted a study to systematically examine the effect of RYGB on CYP3A in humans. Methods: Sixteen subjects who were at least one year post RYGB and 16 age, race, gender and BMI-matched healthy volunteers without RYGB participated in this study. CYP3A activity was measured using oral and IV midazolam as in vivo probe drugs. Participants received midazolam 1mg orally followed by midazolam 0.01ml/kg intravenously 6 hours later and timed peripheral venous blood sampling was performed per protocol. CYP3A enzyme activity was estimated using the plasma ratios of area under the serum concentration-time curves (AUC 0-t) of oral midazolam and its primary metabolite, 1 ‘OH midazolam. Absorption pharmacokinetics (Cmax, Tmax, and AUC) were also compared between the two groups. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the demographics between the two groups (Table 1). Difference in ratios of AUC 0-6 values of oral midazolam and 1 ‘OH midazolam between the RYGB and control groups were not statistically significant (5.5±1.1 uM vs. 33.4±24.7 uM, p=0.26). Compared to controls, patients with RYGB did not have significantly different Cmax (2.33±0.48 ng/mL vs. 6.44±2.85 ng/mL, p=0.19) or AUC 0-6 (3.88±0.68 ng*hr*mL-1 vs. 14.07±5.98 ng*hr*mL-1, p=0.11), but their Tmax significantly shorter (0.53±0.05 vs. 0.82±0.09 hrs, p=0.04). There were no statistically significant differences in the Cmax, Tmax, AUC or hepatic CYP3A activity following IV midazolam (Table 1).Table 1: Demographics and Pharmacokinetic data on RYGB and age, race, gender, BMI-matched controlsConclusion: Shorter Tmax of oral midazolam in patients with RYGB suggests that they absorb oral CYP3A substrates more rapidly than controls, but similar Cmax and AUC values between two groups indicate that absorption kinetics of oral CYP3A substrates are not significantly affected by RYGB. Small bowel and liver CYP3Aactivity in patients with RYGB is not different when compared to controls. Our results suggest that patients with RYGB do not need dosage adjustment of orally administered CYP3A substrates.

Interactions of pharmaceuticals and other xenobiotics on hepatic pregnane X receptor and cytochrome P450 3A signaling pathway in rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) belongs to the nuclear hormone receptor (NR) superfamily and is commonly described as a xenophore or a pharmacophore, as it can be activated by a wide array of xenobiotics, including numerous pharmaceuticals and other environmental pollutants. The PXR regulates expression of e.g. cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) and the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) that are involved in excretion of lipophilic xenobiotics and endobiotics. A full length PXR cDNA was isolated from rainbow trout liver and it was expressed in a descending order of magnitude in liver > intestine > kidney > heart. A rainbow trout PXR reporter assay was developed and a suite of pharmaceuticals and other xenobiotics were screened. However, no specific activation of rainbow trout PXR was observed with the substances tested. Interactions of prototypical PXR agonists on PXR signaling in rainbow trout were further investigated in cells of hepatic origin exposed in vitro and in juvenile rainbow trout exposed in vivo. The rainbow trout hepatoma cell line (RTH-149), displayed 600 times lower expression of CYP3A mRNA compared to primary cultures of hepatocytes, and did not respond to treatment with either pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile (PCN), ketoconazole (KCZ) or rifampicin (RIF), which implies a non-functional PXR in this cell line. Exposure of hepatocytes to PCN and lithocholic acid (LA), resulted in a weak concentration-dependent induction of CYP3A and P-gp mRNA levels, though, exposure to the higher concentration of LA (50 μM) decreased PXR mRNA levels. Exposure to dexamethasone (DEX) resulted in a decrease in PXR mRNA, without affecting CYP3A mRNA levels in hepatocytes in vitro. Injections of rainbow trout in vivo with 1 mg LA/kg fish resulted in a slight (albeit not significant) increase in CYP3A mRNA levels without affecting PXR mRNA levels. Although, injection with 10 mg omeprazole (OME)/kg fish had no effect on PXR and CYP3A mRNA levels, a 60% inhibition of CYP3A enzyme activities was evident. An in vitro screening of the chemicals used showed that OME and RIF acted as weak CYP3A inhibitors whereas LA and DEX did not affect the CYP3A activity. In contrast, PCN acted as an activator of the CYP3A enzyme activity in vitro. Taken together, these data show that some prototypical PXR agonists weakly affect PXR activation in rainbow trout. Besides, some of these agonists have a stronger effect on the CYP3A catalyst. This study demonstrates the importance of investigation effects of pharmaceuticals on the PXR signaling pathway in non-target animals such as fish.

Activity of Phase I and Phase II enzymes of the benzo[ a]pyrene transformation pathway in zebrafish ( Danio rerio) following waterborne exposure to arsenite

The environmental pollutants inorganic arsenic (iAs) and benzo[ a]pyrene (B[ a]P) are carcinogens often found together in groundwater. The hepatic metabolism of B[ a]P is a multi-step process requiring several Phase I and Phase II enzymes, notably cytochrome p450 1A (CYP1A), epoxide hydrolase (EH), and glutathione S-transferase (GST). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of arsenite (As(III)) on the activity of these enzymes in vivo utilizing adult zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Zebrafish were exposed to either 0.4 μM B[ a]P, 0.4 μM B[ a]P + 0.4 μM As(III), 0.4 μM B[ a]P + 8 μM As(III), 0.4 μM As(III), or 8 μM As(III) for 7 days. Co-exposures to As(III) and B[ a]P led to significant decreases in CYP1A enzyme activity (approximately 3-fold) when compared to exposure to B[ a]P alone. No similar effects occurred with EH or GST, although B[ a]P exposure did significantly increase EH activity. Furthermore As(III) and B[ a]P co-exposures significantly decreased CYP1A transcript levels (up to 35-fold) when compared to B[ a]P. However, B[ a]P-induced CYP1A protein levels remained elevated following co-exposures to As(III). This evidence suggests that As(III) has the potential to modify components of the B[ a]P biotransformation pathway in vivo via a disruption of CYP1A activity by way of both pre- and post-translational mechanisms.

Intronic polymorphism in CYP3A4 affects hepatic expression and response to statin drugs

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) metabolizes ∼50% of all clinically used drugs. Although CYP3A4 expression varies widely between individuals, the contribution of genetic factors remains uncertain. In this study, we measured allelic CYP3A4 heteronuclear RNA (hnRNA) and mRNA expression in 76 human liver samples heterozygous for at least one of eight marker SNPs and found marked allelic expression imbalance (1.6-6.3-fold) in 10/76 liver samples (13%). This was fully accounted for by an intron 6 SNP (rs35599367, C>T), which also affected mRNA expression in cell culture on minigene transfections. CYP3A4 mRNA level and enzyme activity in livers with CC genotype were 1.7- and 2.5-fold, respectively, greater than in CT and TT carriers. In 235 patients taking stable doses of atorvastatin, simvastatin, or lovastatin for lipid control, carriers of the T allele required significantly lower statin doses (0.2-0.6-fold, P=0.019) than non-T carriers for optimal lipid control. These results indicate that intron 6 SNP rs35599367 markedly affects expression of CYP3A4 and could serve as a biomarker for predicting response to CYP3A4-metabolized drugs.

A microtiter‐plate‐based cytochrome P450 3A activity assay in fish cell lines

Enzymes belonging to the cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) subfamily play an important role in the metabolism of endogenous substances and xenobiotics, including pharmaceuticals. Xenobiotics can alter CYP3A expression and activity, and therefore, changes in CYP3A activity may serve as a biomarker of xenobiotic exposure. To determine changes in CYP3A enzyme activity for environmental risk assessment of xenobiotics including pharmaceuticals, high-throughput assays are needed, but these are missing for fish cells to date. Here, we report on the development of a fluorescent-based CYP3A high-throughput assay for four fish cell lines cultivated in 96-well plates based on 7-benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin as a CYP3A substrate. We show that human CYP3A substrate BFC is catalyzed by fish CYP3A enzymes to a fluorescent product. Its formation is dependent on cell numbers and incubation time. Furthermore, we demonstrate that with this new CYP3A assay induction and inhibition of enzyme activity by pharmaceuticals can be determined. This new cell-based assay is suitable for detection of alteration in CYP3A enzyme activity in large-scale experiments for screening of pharmaceuticals occurring in the environment.

Effect of Simultaneous Induction and Inhibition of CYP3A by St John's Wort and Ritonavir on CYP3A Activity

We aimed to assess the effect of coadministration and withdrawal of a potent cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) inhibitor (ritonavir) and a potent CYP3A inducer (St John's wort) on CYP3A enzyme activity in an open, fixed-sequence study design. We investigated the pharmacokinetics of midazolam: (i) at baseline, (ii) after a single dose of either St John's wort or ritonavir (each n = 6), (iii) after 14 days of coadministration of ritonavir (300 mg b.i.d.) and St John's wort (300 mg t.i.d.), and (iv) at 2 days after cessation of both St John's wort and ritonavir. Combined administration of inducer and inhibitor resulted in a predominance of enzyme inhibition: coadministration of St John's wort and ritonavir with intravenous administration of midazolam resulted in an increase in the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC)(0-8 h) of midazolam to 180% of baseline value, whereas with orally administered midazolam, the AUC(0-6 h) increased to 412% of baseline value (P < 0.05 for each). After cessation of the coadministered drugs, the AUC(0-6 h) of orally administered midazolam decreased to 6% of the level observed during combined administration, and the AUC(0-8 h) of intravenously administered midazolam decreased to 33% of the values observed during combined administration (P < 0.001 for each). Induction may be unmasked after the withdrawal of a combination of a potent CYP3A inhibitor and a potent CYP3A inducer, leading to substantial drops in drug exposure of CYP3A substrates. This may require substantial dose adjustments, particularly of orally administered drugs.

Identification of mitochondrial cytochrome P450 induced in response to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the mummichog ( Fundulus heteroclitus)

Increasing evidence suggests that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo[ a]pyrene (BaP) are localized to the mitochondria. Because the toxic effects of many PAHs are the result of metabolism by cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A), it is important to investigate whether active forms of these enzymes can be identified in the mitochondria. In this study, we identified mitochondrial P450s with a monoclonal antibody against scup ( Stenotomus chrysops) CYP1A in the isolated mitochondrial fraction of the liver from adult male mummichog ( Fundulus heteroclitus) livers. The size of the protein in the mitochondria was similar to that of microsomal CYP1A. Fish dosed with 10 mg/kg BaP had increased EROD activity in the mitochondrial fraction compared to controls. In mummichog larvae dosed with 100 µg/L BaP and 100 µg/L benzo[ k]fluoranthene, CYP1A protein levels as well as enzyme activity were elevated. However, fish from a PAH-polluted Superfund site (Elizabeth River, Portsmouth VA) showed recalcitrant mitochondrial CYP1A protein levels and enzyme activity in a similar manner to microsomal CYP1A.

Divergent Transcriptomic Responses to Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Agonists between Rat and Human Primary Hepatocytes

Toxicogenomics has great potential for enhancing our understanding of environmental chemical toxicity, hopefully leading to better informed human health risk assessments. This study employed toxicogenomic technology to reveal species differences in response to two prototypical aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) agonists 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener PCB 126. Dose-responses of primary cultures of rat and human hepatocytes were determined using species-specific microarrays sharing over 4000 gene orthologs. Forty-seven human and 79 rat genes satisfied dose-response criteria for both chemicals and were subjected to further analysis including the calculation of the 50% effective concentration and the relative potency (REP) of PCB 126 for each gene. Only five responsive orthologous genes were shared between the two species; yet, the geometric mean of the REPs for all rat and human modeled responsive genes were 0.06 (95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.03-0.1) and 0.002 (95% CI; 0.001-0.005), respectively, suggesting broad species differences in the initial events that follow AHR activation but precede toxicity. This indicates that there are species differences in both the specific genes that responded and the agonist potency and REP for those genes. This observed insensitivity of human cells to PCB 126 is consistent with more traditional measurements of AHR activation (i.e., cytochrome P450 1A1 enzyme activity) and suggests that the species difference in PCB 126 sensitivity is likely due to certain aspects of AHR function. That a species divergence also exists in this expanded AHR-regulated gene repertoire is a novel finding and should help when extrapolating animal data to humans.

Regulation of CYP1A1 by heavy metals and consequences for drug metabolism

Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) is a hepatic and extrahepatic enzyme that is regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling pathway. With the growing human exposure to heavy metals, emerging evidence suggests that heavy metals exposure alter CYP1A1 enzyme activity. Heavy metals regulate CYP1A1 at different levels of its aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling pathway in a metal- and species-dependent manner. The importance of CYP1A1 emerges from the fact that it has been always associated with the metabolism of pro-carcinogenic compounds to highly carcinogenic metabolites. However, recently CYP1A1 has gained status along with other cytochrome P450 enzymes in the metabolism of drugs and mediating drug–drug interactions. In addition, CYP1A1 has become a therapeutic tool for the bioactivation of prodrugs, particularly cytotoxic agents. In this review, we shed light on the effect of seven heavy metals, namely arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, copper and vanadium, on CYP1A1 and the consequences on drug metabolism.

Omeprazole Alleviates Benzo[a]pyrene Cytotoxicity by Inhibition of CYP1A1 Activity in Human and Mouse Hepatoma Cells

Omeprazole is a drug used for treating gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and duodenal ulcers. Omeprazole induces a xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme, cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), as its ligand by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation without binding. CYP1A1-inducible chemicals, such as benzo[a]pyrene and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, are known to have adverse effects (i.e. carcinogenesis, mutagenesis and malformation). Unlike these typical AhR activators, omeprazole has shown no experimental evidence of carcinogenic activity. The possibility, however, remains that omeprazole may aggravate the effect of environmental carcinogens through CYP1A1 induction. We exposed benzo[a]pyrene and omeprazole simultaneously to human and mouse hepatoma cells to investigate the synergistic effect of these chemicals. Contrary to our prediction, cytotoxicity of benzo[a]pyrene was inhibited by the omeprazole exposure in a dose-dependent manner. Omeprazole did not alter CYP1A1 mRNA and protein levels induced by benzo[a]pyrene. The 7-ethoxy-resorufin-O-deethylase assay revealed that omeprazole inhibited CYP1A1 enzyme activity. Kinetic analysis also demonstrated that it is a competitive inhibitor for CYP1A1. The K(m) value of omeprazole against CYP1A1 activity was 50.1 microM. We conclude that the effects of omeprazole on CYP1A1 involve not only induction through AhR activation but also inhibition of its enzyme activity, and that the protective effect of omeprazole against benzo[a]pyrene cytotoxicity depends on the latter.

Semipermeable membrane devices link site-specific contaminants to effects: PART II – A comparison of lingering Exxon Valdez oil with other potential sources of CYP1A inducers in Prince William Sound, Alaska

We deployed semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) on beaches for 28 days at 53 sites in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska, to evaluate the induction potential from suspected sources of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A)-inducing contaminants. Sites were selected to assess known point sources, or were chosen randomly to evaluate the region-wide sources. After deployment, SPMD extracts were analyzed chemically for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These results were compared with hepatic CYP1A enzyme activity of juvenile rainbow trout injected with the same extracts prior to clean-up for the chemical analyses. Increased CYP1A activity was strongly associated with PAH concentrations in extracts, especially chrysene homologues but was not associated with POPs. The only apparent sources of chrysene homologues were lingering oil from Exxon Valdez, asphalt and bunker fuels released from storage tanks during the 1964 Alaska earthquake, creosote leaching from numerous pilings at one site, and PAH-contaminated sediments at Cordova Harbor. Our results indicate that PWS is remarkably free of pollution from PAH when nearby sources are absent as well as from pesticides and PCBs generally.

Arecoline inhibits the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin-induced cytochrome P450 1A1 activation in human hepatoma cells

In the present study, we investigated the effect of arecoline, a major areca nut alkaloid, on the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced activation of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) in a human hepatoma cell line Huh-7. We treated Huh-7 cells with 10 nM TCDD in the presence of different concentrations of arecoline (50–300 μM). Our results indicated that arecoline attenuated the TCDD-induced CYP1A1 enzyme activation with an inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. By using real-time RT-PCR, we demonstrated that arecoline inhibited the TCDD-induced activations of CYP1A1 and AhR repressor (AhRR) mRNA expression in a similar pattern. Our results revealed that arecoline inhibited AhR mRNA expression with no direct effect on CYP1A1 enzyme activity. Therefore, in our present study, the observed inhibitory effect of arecoline on CYP1A1 activation was not due to the up-regulation of AhRR or direct inhibitory effect on CYP1A1. Taken together, here we have demonstrated that arecoline attenuates the TCDD-induced CYP1A1 activation mainly via down-regulation of AhR expression in human hepatoma cells, suggesting the possible involvement of arecoline in the AhR-mediated metabolism of environmental toxicants in liver.