Hepatic P450 mRNA Research Articles

Effect of erythropoietin on hepatic cytochrome P450 expression and function in an adenine-fed rat model of chronic kidney disease.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is used to treat anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hypoxia is associated with anaemia and is known to cause a decrease in cytochrome P450 (P450) expression. As EPO production is regulated by hypoxia, we investigated the role of EPO on P450 expression and function. Male Wistar rats were subjected to a 0.7% adenine diet for 4 weeks to induce CKD. The diet continued for an additional 2 weeks while rats received EPO by i.p. injection every other day. Following euthanasia, hepatic P450 mRNA and protein expression were determined. Hepatic enzyme activity of selected P450s was determined and chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to characterize binding of nuclear receptors involved in the transcriptional regulation of CYP2C and CYP3A. EPO administration decreased hepatic mRNA and protein expression of CYP3A2 (P < 0.05), but not CYP2C11. Similarly, EPO administration decreased CYP3A2 protein expression by 81% (P < 0.001). A 32% decrease (P < 0.05) in hepatic CYP3A enzymatic activity (Vmax ) was observed for the formation of 6βOH-testosterone in the EPO-treated group. Decreases in RNA pol II recruitment (P < 0.01), hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α binding (P < 0.05) and pregnane X receptor binding (P < 0.01) to the promoter region of CYP3A were also observed in EPO-treated rats. Our data show that EPO decreases the expression and function of CYP3A, but not CYP2C in rat liver.

TLR4-dependent and -independent regulation of hepatic cytochrome P450 in mice with chemically induced inflammatory bowel disease

The transcription and protein expression of many cytochrome P450 (P450) genes are down-regulated in animal models of inflammation and infection. We determined previously that hepatic P450 mRNAs are selectively regulated in a mouse model of enteropathogenic bacterial infection, and that this regulation was not dependent on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor protein toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). In the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) model of chemically induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the reduction in activities of several hepatic P450 enzymes were concluded to be partially dependent on LPS from commensal bacteria [Masubuchi Y, Horie T. Endotoxin-mediated disturbance of hepatic cytochrome P450 function and development of endotoxin tolerance in the rat model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis. Drug Metab Dispos 2004;32:437–441]. In the present study, we sought to determine whether colitis induced by LPS regulates hepatic P450 mRNA and protein expression similarly to infectious colitis, and to determine the role of TLR4 in the response to DSS colitis. The role of LPS in the response to DSS was further examined by comparison with the effects of injected LPS. We demonstrate that administration of DSS results in the down-regulation of multiple P450 enzymes in mouse liver. However, there are discernable differences in the pattern of P450 expression in the two models. Some effects of DSS-induced colitis are TLR4-dependent, and others are not. In contrast, the effects of injected LPS on hepatic P450 mRNA expression are entirely TLR4-dependent. Thus, our results indicate that the pattern of hepatic P450 expression, and the mechanism of regulation, during inflammation of the bowel depend on the etiology of the disease.