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Biomedical subjects

P E Thomas

Publications and source records attributed to P E Thomas.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cytochrome P450 1A1 in rat peripheral blood lymphocytes: inducibility in vivo and bioactivation of benzo[a]pyrene in the Salmonella typhimurium mutagenicity assay in vitro.

The presence and inducibility of CYP1A1 in freshly isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes was examined in untreated rats and in rats pretreated with agents known to induce the enzyme in other tissues, as well as dexamethasone [CAS #50-02-2], which is not commonly associated with CYP1A1 induction. CYP1A1 but not CYP1A2 was detected by Western blot analysis of lymphocytes from untreated rats and was induced in lymphocytes from rats treated with the known CYP1A inducers beta-naphthoflavone [CAS #6051-87-2] or 3-methylcholanthrene [CAS #56-49-5] (7.3-fold), cigarette smoke (2. 8-fold), and pyridine [CAS #108-86-1] (2.6-fold). CYP1A1 was also induced in lymphocytes from rats treated with the nonprototypic inducer dexamethasone (17.7-fold) or bromobenzene [CAS #108-86-1] (3. 9-fold). Lymphocyte homogenate from rats treated with the inducers also catalyzed NADPH-dependent bioactivation of benzo[a]pyrene [CAS #50-32-8] to mutagens. The benzo(a)pyrene mutagenicity was detected using Salmonella typhimurium TA100 in the Ames test, and correlated positively with lymphocyte CYP1A1 content. The data show that CYP1A1 is present in rat peripheral blood lymphocytes in vivo, and is inducible by prototypic, as well as nonprototypic, inducers of the enzyme.

Animals

Endocrine mechanisms underlying the growth effects of developmental lead exposure in the rat.

A dose-response study was conducted to examine the growth suppression associated with developmental lead exposure in a rat model and to determine the endocrine mechanisms underlying these effects. Ad libitum intake of lead acetate (0.05% to 0.45% w/v) was initiated in time-impregnated female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10-15/group) at gestational day 5. At birth, pups were culled to four male and four females per litter. Lead exposure of dams continued until weaning, following which lead exposure of pups was continued until sacrifice at age 2 , 35, 55, and 85 days. Birth weight and prepubertal and pubertal growth rates were significantly suppressed. Growth rates were suppressed to a much greater degree in male as compared to female pups. Decreased growth rates were accompanied by a significant decrease in plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) concentrations and (1) a significant increase in pituitary growth hormone (GH) content during puberty in pups of both sexes, (2) a delay in the developmental profiles of the GH-dependent male-specific liver enzymes cytochrome P-450 CYP2C11 and N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene sulfotransferase, and (3) continued suppression of these enzymes in lead-exposed adult male pups. In addition, significant decreases in plasma sex steroids, testosterone (male) and 17beta-estradiol (female), were observed during puberty. Postpuberty, at age 85 d, both IGF1 and sex steroid levels were indistinguishable from control pups despite continued lead exposure. Growth rates were also similar in control and lead-exposed pups between age 57 and 85 d. Data suggest that the mechanism underlying lead-induced sex-independent suppression of growth observed in these studies involves disruption of GH secretion during puberty. It is possible that the mechanisms underlying the greater suppression of somatic growth observed at puberty in lead-exposed male offspring may be due to the additional hypoandrogenization produced by the action of lead on the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis.

Animals

Comparative pharmacodynamics of CYP2B induction by DDT, DDE, and DDD in male rat liver and cultured rat hepatocytes.

In this study the pharmacodynamics were characterized of rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 2B (CYP2B) induction by the pesticide DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane] and its metabolites DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene], which is bioretained, and DDD [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane], which is metabolized further and therefore less prone to bioaccumulate. DDT, DDE, and DDD were each found to be pure phenobarbital-type cytochrome P-450 inducers in the male F344/NCr rat, causing induction of hepatic CYP2B and CYP3A, but not CYP1A. The ED50 values for CYP2B induction (benzyloxyresorufin O-dealkylation) by DDT, DDE, and DDD were, respectively, 103, 88, and > or = 620 ppm in diet (14 d of exposure). The efficacies (Emax values) for induction of benzyloxyresorufin O-dealkylation by DDT, DDE, and DDD were 24-, 22-, and > or = 1-fold, respectively, compared to control values. The potencies of the three congeners for CYP2B induction appeared also to be similar, with EC50 values (based on total serum DDT equivalents) of 1.5, 1.8, and > or = 0.51 microM, respectively. The EC50 values based on DDT equivalents in hepatic tissue were 15, 16, and > or = 5.9 micromol/kg liver tissue, respectively. In primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes, DDT, DDE, and DDD each displayed ability to induce total cellular RNA coding for CYP2B (ED50 values of 0.98, 0.83, and > or = 2.7 microM, respectively). These results suggest that DDT, DDE, and DDD each possess a high degree of intrinsic CYP2B-inducing ability for rat liver, despite marked differences in bioretention among the congeners.

Animals

Role of nitric oxide in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat.

Acetaminophen is a mild analgesic and antipyretic agent known to cause centrilobular hepatic necrosis at toxic doses. Although this may be due to a direct interaction of reactive acetaminophen metabolites with hepatocyte proteins, recent studies have suggested that cytotoxic mediators produced by parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells also contribute to the pathophysiological process. Nitric oxide is a highly reactive oxidant produced in the liver in response to inflammatory mediators. In the present studies we evaluated the role of nitric oxide in the pathophysiology of acetaminophen-induced liver injury. Treatment of male Long Evans Hooded rats with acetaminophen (1 g/kg) resulted in damage to centrilobular regions of the liver and increases in serum transaminase levels, which were evident within 6 hours of treatment of the animals and reached a maximum at 24 hours. This was correlated with expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein in these regions. Hepatocytes isolated from both control and acetaminophen-treated rats were found to readily synthesize nitric oxide in response to inflammatory stimuli. Cells isolated from acetaminophen-treated rats produced more nitric oxide than cells from control animals. Production of nitric oxide by cells from both control and acetaminophen-treated rats was blocked by aminoguanidine, a relatively specific inhibitor of iNOS. Arginine uptake and metabolism studies revealed that the inhibitory effects of aminoguanidine were due predominantly to inhibition of iNOS enzyme activity. Pretreatment of rats with aminoguanidine was found to prevent acetaminophen-induced hepatic necrosis and increases in serum transaminase levels. This was associated with reduced nitric oxide production by hepatocytes. Inhibition of toxicity was not due to alterations in acetaminophen metabolism since aminoguanidine had no effect on hepatocyte cytochrome P4502E1 protein expression or N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone-imine formation. Taken together, these data demonstrate that nitric oxide is an important mediator of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity.

Acetaminophen

Distribution and induction of cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1A2 in rat brain.

Cytochromes P450 1A1 and 1A2 are involved in the oxidation of a wide spectrum of endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. Although their presence has been repeatedly confirmed in brain tissue, reports regarding their distribution in the brain are often contradictory. In the present study the possibility was examined that CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 are localized and inducible in the brain-CSF barrier and regions with a leaky blood brain barrier, where they may serve as a protective metabolic barrier. CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 levels were determined in subcellular fractions of multiple brain regions, as well as tissue homogenates of circumventricular organs, and the meninges by Western blotting and catalytic activity in control male rats and rats treated with the inducer beta-naphthoflavone (BNF). In control animals CYP1A1 immunoreactive protein was undetectable in regional brain microsomes or whole tissue homogenates of the arachnoid, dura mater, choroid plexus, pineal gland, median eminence, and pituitary. However, low levels of ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity were observed in homogenates of the arachnoid, dura mater, choroid plexus, pineal gland, and pituitary. Western blotting revealed only low levels of CYP1A2 immunoreactive protein in brain microsomes from the cortex, cerebellum, brainstem, thalamus, hippocampus, and striatum from control animals. Following BNF treatment, EROD activity was induced 12-42-fold in the arachnoid, choroid plexus, dura mater, pineal gland, pituitary, and median eminence. Western blot analysis revealed CYP1A1 to be induced in the arachnoid, dura mater, choroid plexus, pineal gland, and pituitary, while CYP1A2 was undetectable. No induction of CYP1A1 or CYP1A2 protein was observed in brain microsomes from the olfactory bulb, cortex, striatum, hippocampus, cerebellum, or brainstem following BNF treatment, providing that the arachnoid membranes and choroid plexus had been carefully removed prior to brain dissection. Neither CYP1A1, 1A2 protein, nor EROD activity were detected in purified brain mitochondria, regardless of treatment or region. In conclusion, catalytically active CYP1A1 is located in the meninges as well as certain circumventricular organs, is inducible by BNF, and appears to be absent or expressed constitutively at very low levels in the majority of the brain parenchyma. The localization of CYP1A1 in the blood-CSF barrier and circumventricular tissues likely plays a role in protecting the brain from xenobiotics.

Animals

Induction of pulmonary CYP1A1 by nicotine.

1. We have examined the catalytic activities (7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase [EROD] and 7-methoxyresorufin O-demethylase [MROD]), protein levels (Western blot analysis) and mRNA levels (Northern blot analysis) of cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A1 and CYP1A2) in the lung, liver and kidney following a single 2.5 mg/kg (15.4 micromol/kg) subcutaneous dose of nicotine to the female Sprague-Dawley rat. 2. Only in lung microsomes was EROD activity significantly induced by nicotine treatment. The activity increased 4.4-fold at 6 h after treatment relative to controls, peaked at 12 h at 14.7-fold the control activity and returned to near control level at 24 h. 3. In parallel with EROD activity, CYP1A1 immunoreactive protein abundance was altered significantly by nicotine treatment only in the lung, peaking at 12 h and decreasing towards control levels thereafter. 4. Following subcutaneous nicotine treatment, CYP1A1 mRNA was detectable in the lung at 6 and 12 h but not at 24 h, was slightly elevated in the kidney at 12 h and was detectable in the liver only at the 12-h point. CYP1A2 immunoreactive protein and its mRNA were detectable only in the liver, and their levels were not affected significantly by nicotine pretreatment. 5. Nicotine affected the binding of Hepa 1c1c7 cytosolic protein to a CYP1A1 xenobiotic response element in a gel mobility shift assay, suggesting involvement of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and transcriptional activation in CYP1A1 induction by the chemical. 6. Inhaled nicotine also induced pulmonary EROD activity, and the induction by either inhaled or injected nicotine was more pronounced in the male than in the female rat. 7. The findings show that nicotine is a potent, rapid but transient inducer of CYP1A1 in the rat lung and suggest that the alkaloid is a likely contributor to CYP1A1 induction by cigarette smoke.

Administration, Inhalation

Molecular cloning and characterization of human podocalyxin-like protein. Orthologous relationship to rabbit PCLP1 and rat podocalyxin.

Human renal cortex and heart cDNA libraries were screened for a human homolog of rabbit PCLP1 using the rabbit PCLP1 cDNA as a probe. Clones spanning 5869 base pairs with an open reading frame coding for a 528-amino acid peptide were obtained. The putative peptide contains a potential signal peptide and a single membrane-spanning region. The extracellular domain contains multiple potential sites for N- and O-linked glycosylation and 4 cysteines for potential disulfide bonding similar to rabbit PCLP1. On Northern blot a major transcript is seen at 5.9 kilobases. Antibodies to this protein show a doublet at 160/165 kDa on Western blots of human glomerular extract and a pattern of intense glomerular staining and vascular endothelial staining on immunofluorescence of human kidney sections. Comparison of the rabbit and human peptide sequences shows a high degree of identity in the transmembrane and intracellular domains (96%) with a lower degree of identity in the extracellular domain (36%). An antibody to the intracellular domain reacted across species (human, rabbit, and rat) and recognized both rabbit PCLP1 and rat podocalyxin. An interspecies Southern blot probed with a cDNA coding for the intracellular domain showed strong hybridization to all vertebrates tested in a pattern suggesting a single copy gene. We conclude that this cDNA and putative peptide represent the human homolog of rabbit PCLP1 and rat podocalyxin.

Amino Acid Sequence

Benzene metabolism in the isolated perfused mouse liver.

The hematotoxicity of benzene (BZ) requires its hepatic metabolism, the release of metabolites into the circulation, and the access of metabolites to the bone marrow. Although a range of potentially toxic metabolites produced by the liver was identified using subcellular systems and isolated hepatocytes, these models do not allow identification of the metabolites released from the liver with respect to time and flow through the liver. We developed an isolated perfused mouse liver model to evaluate metabolites released following a single-pass of radiolabeled BZ and after recirculation of single-pass metabolites back through the liver. Reversing the path of flow through the liver changes the orientation of hepatic oxidizing and conjugating enzymes with respect to perfusate flow. Comparison of metabolite production following normal (orthograde, portal vein to hepatic vein) perfusion with reversed (retrograde) perfusion permitted an evaluation of the impact of zonal distributions of these enzymes on BZ metabolism. The major metabolites detected by HPLC, irrespective of the direction of perfusion, were free phenol (P), phenylsulfate (PS), and phenylglucuronide (PG), plus lesser amounts of hydroquinone (HQ) and hydroquinone glucuronide (HQG). Recirculation of the products of single pass orthograde perfusion through the liver yielded P conjugates as well as low levels of free and conjugated HQ. No free P was detected after recirculation. Although no qualitative differences between orthograde and retrograde perfusion were observed, the percentage of free P and P conjugates (PS + PG) found as free P was twice as great following orthograde perfusion as compared to retrograde perfusion. These results suggest that regional differences in the zonation of enzymes involved in oxidation and conjugation may play a critical role in hepatic BZ metabolism.

Animals

In vivo induction and in vitro inhibition of hepatic cytochrome P450 activity by the benzodiazepine anticonvulsants clonazepam and diazepam.

The ability of the benzodiazepines, as a chemical class, to cause the induction and/or inhibition of cytochromes P450 has not been well characterized. In the present study, the induction of the cytochrome P450 2B subfamily (CYP2B) in vivo and the inhibition of CYP2B activity in vitro by selected benzodiazepines was examined in hepatic tissues derived from male F344/NCr rats. Initial studies of the in vivo induction or in vitro inhibition of benzyloxyresorufin O-dealkylation activity revealed that both clonazepam and diazepam were relatively effective in vivo inducers of CYP2B when administered in the diet at 500 ppm for 5 days and also were fairly potent inhibitors of the activity of these hemoproteins in vitro. Oxazepam, in contrast, was ineffective as an inducer or an inhibitor of this activity. Further studies were performed to characterize the subfamily selectivity of the P450 induction and inhibition displayed by clonazepam. Specifically, microsomes from rats treated with clonazepam (1000 or 1800 ppm in the diet for 5 days) were found to be highly induced with respect to catalytic activities mediated by CYP2B, including benzyloxyresorufin and pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation or testosterone 16 beta-hydroxylation, but other CYP proteins were minimally induced. In addition to inducing the CYP2B subfamily, clonazepam also induced the RNA encoding other drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., epoxide hydrolase and the glutathione S-transferase alpha-subfamily) that are typically induced by phenobarbital-type inducers. Finally, clonazepam proved to be a potent noncompetitive or "mixed-type" competitive inhibitor of catalytic activities mediated by CYP2B, but not by other CYP proteins (e.g. CYP2A, CYP3A) in microsomes derived from phenobarbital-pretreated rats.

Animals

Hormonal regulation of microsomal cytochrome P450 2C11 in rat liver and kidney.

The current study was conducted to investigate hormonal regulation of cytochrome P450 2C11 (CYP2C11) in rat liver and kidney of adult male rats. In two experiments, hypophysectomy (Hx) resulted in decreased (P < .05) hepatic CYP2C11 apoprotein and mRNA levels. Growth hormone (GH) replacement of Hx rats prevented the decline in hepatic CYP2C11 apoprotein and mRNA levels, whereas, subcutaneous injection of testosterone had no effect. Rat pituitary extract is equally effective in intact or castrated Hx rats in preventing the decline in hepatic CYP2C11 apoprotein and mRNA levels. Specific neutralization of rat GH by sheep anti-rat GH serum reduced (P < . 05) serum IGF-I concentrations, hepatic CYP2C11 apoprotein and mRNA levels. Hx of male rat resulted in decreased (P < .05) renal CYP2C11 apoprotein and mRNA levels, and treatment with GH failed to prevent these effects; however, supplementation of Hx rats with testosterone or rat pituitary extract prevented the Hx-induced decrease of renal CYP2C11 apoprotein and mRNA levels, and the effects of rat pituitary extract occurred only in intact rats. Neutralization of rat GH by anti-rGH significantly reduced (P < .05) CYP2C11 mRNA levels and serum T concentrations but not serum LH concentrations. These results indicate that although hepatic CYP2C11 is regulated by GH, rat renal CYP2C11 is regulated primarily by gonadal steroids.

Animals

Induction of the male-specific cytochrome P450 3A2 in female rats by phenytoin.

We previously reported that administration of dexamethasone (DEX) and other selected pharmacological agents to rats resulted in a profound increase in hepatic cytochrome P450 3A1 in both sexes, but male constitutive P450 3A2 was modestly increased (4-fold) in adult males and not detected in either treated or untreated females (Cooper et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 301, 345, 1993). Using a more sensitive Western blot stain, we have now detected in females low but significant induction of P450 3A2 by DEX. Of 10 compounds tested, DEX was the most effective inducer of P450 3A1 in either sex and of P450 3A2 in males. Unexpectedly, the antiepileptic, phenytoin, was the most potent inducer of P450 3A2 in females, resulting in levels up to 30% of those seen in untreated males. Even more striking, phenytoin differentially induces the male-specific P450 3A2 with barely detectable increases in P450 3A1 in either sex. By comparison, when administered to female rats, the other active P450 3A inducers preferentially induce P450 3A1 compared to 3A2 by ratios ranging from 3- to 400-fold. Another male-specific isozyme, P450 2C11, was induced in females by both DEX and phenytoin, but DEX was much more effective than phenytoin. These results suggest that the masculinization of expression of these two sexually dimorphic isozymes of cytochrome P450 may occur by different mechanisms, and that phenytoin is atypical of the other nine compounds we tested. Moreover, of the known inducers of the "steroid inducible" 3A family, phenytoin is unique in its ability to differentially induce P450 3A2 compared to P450 3A1, particularly in the female rat. Also, administration of phenytoin to female rats gave rise to P450 3A2 levels that could be divided into two distinct classes of high and low levels of P450 3A2. Should this prove to be a genetic polymorphism, it could be very useful in studies on the mechanism of P450 3A2 induction.

Animals

Catalytic and immunochemical characterization of cytochrome P450 isozyme induction in dog liver.

The purpose of this study was to characterize hepatic cytochrome P450 induction in the dog by phenobarbital, beta-naphthoflavone, dexamethasone, and isoniazid using catalytic activities and Western blots with antibodies prepared against rat cytochrome P450 isozymes. Male beagle dogs were treated with phenobarbital (10 mg/kg for 2 days and 30 mg/kg for the following 5 days), beta-naphthoflavone (50 mg/kg for 5 days), or isoniazid (10 mg/kg for 2 days and 30 mg/kg for the following 5 days). Female beagle dogs were treated with dexamethasone (50 mg/kg for 5 days). Increases in the liver/body weight ratio were observed after treatment of dogs with phenobarbital (133% of control) and dexamethasone (153%). Total cytochrome P450 content was increased as a percentage of control after treatment with phenobarbital (264%) and (3-naphthoflavone (186%), while it slightly decreased after treatment with isoniazid (54%) and dexamethasone (71%). Dog liver microsomes hydroxylated testosterone mainly at the 6-beta and 16-alpha positions but also at the 6-alpha-, 15-beta-, 15-alpha-, 16-beta-, 18-, 2-beta-, and 17-positions. There were no sex differences in terms of regio-selectivity of testosterone metabolism between control male and female dogs. Treatment of dogs with phenobarbital produced increases in 6-beta- (184%), 16-alpha- (379%), 16-beta- (210%), 18- (195%), and 2-beta-testosterone (203%) hydroxylase and pentoxyresorufin 0-dealkylase (651%) activities. On Western blots, phenobarbital treatment produced induction of P450 3A- and 2B1-related proteins. Although treatment with dexamethasone resulted in a large increase in liver weight, no significant increase in P450 3A-related protein or 6-beta-hydroxylase activity was detected. However, dexamethasone and isoniazid treatment produced slight increases in chlorzoxazone hydroxylase activity. Treatment with isoniazid induced a P450 2E1-related protein. Treatment with (beta-naphthoflavone produced increases that were 689 and 357% of control in ethoxyresorufin 0-deethylase and chlorzoxazone hydroxylase activities, respectively. Beta-Naphthoflavone treatment increased the amount of two proteins immunochemically related to the cytochrome P450 1A subfamily. Thus, although generally similar to other species, the response of the dog to cytochrome P450 inducers differs significantly from the rat and human in some cases.

Animals

Effects of phenobarbital, dexamethasone, and 3-methylcholanthrene administration on the metabolism of 17 beta-estradiol by liver microsomes from female rats.

Female rats were treated with phenobarbital, dexamethasone, 3-methylcholanthrene, clofibrate, or isoniazid to induce different hepatic cytochromes P-450. The profile of hydroxylated metabolites of estradiol (E2) formed by liver microsomes was then determined using a new HPLC method for the separation of hydroxylated estrogen metabolites. Inhibition of liver microsomal E2 metabolism by monoclonal antibodies raised against specific cytochrome P-450 isozymes was also evaluated. Treatment of immature or adult female rats with phenobarbital caused a 3-fold increase in the 2-hydroxylation of E2 and a more than 5-fold increase in liver microsomal hydroxylation of E2 at the 4-, 6 alpha, 6 beta-, and 14 alpha-positions. Monoclonal antibody directed toward CYP2B1/2B2 completely inhibited the 6 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroxylation of E2 and partially inhibited the 2-hydroxylation of E2 by liver microsomes from phenobarbital-treated adult female rats. Antibodies directed toward CYP3A1/3A2 completely inhibited the 4- and 14 alpha-hydroxylation of E2 by these liver microsomes. Treatment of immature or adult female rats with dexamethasone resulted in a 2- to 3-fold increase in the microsomal 2-hydroxylation of E2 and a several-fold increase in the hydroxylation of E2 at the 4-, 6 beta-, 7 alpha-, and 14 alpha-positions. A substantial increase in the formation of two unidentified nonpolar metabolite peaks (UK1 and UK2) was also observed. A monoclonal antibody directed against CYP3A1/3A2 markedly inhibited the 2-, 4-, and 14 alpha-hydroxylation of E2 by liver microsomes from adult female rats treated with dexamethasone. Antibody directed against CYP2B1/2B2 inhibited only the 6 beta-hydroxylation of E2 by these microsomes. Treatment of immature or adult female rats with 3-methylcholanthrene resulted in a several-fold increase in the metabolism of E2 to 7 alpha-hydroxyestradiol (7 alpha-OH E2) and 15 alpha-OH E2, but there was a substantial decrease in the formation of 16 alpha-OH E2. Treatment with 3-methylcholanthrene caused a small increase in 2-hydroxylation (< or = 50%) in liver microsomes from immature or adult female rats, whereas a substantial increase in 6 alpha-hydroxylation was seen in liver microsomes from adult female rats. A monoclonal antibody directed toward CYP1A1 partially inhibited the 6 alpha-hydroxylation of E2 and the formation of the 7 alpha-OH E2/15 alpha-OH E2 peak by microsomes from adult female rats treated with 3-methylcholanthrene, but the 2-hydroxylation of E2 was not inhibited. Treatment of adult female rats with clofibrate increased the 2- and 4-hydroxylation of E2 by about 2-fold and by more than 6-fold, respectively. Isoniazid treatment had little or no effect on the metabolism of E2. The data demonstrate that prototype inducers of cytochrome P-450 can substantially alter the profile of hepatic E2 metabolism in female rats. Our results suggest that inducers of environmental relevance may also have an impact on E2 metabolism and homeostasis in humans.

Aging

Caffeine induces cytochrome P4501A2: induction of CYP1A2 by tea in rats.

Previous reports indicated that treatment of rats with green tea or black tea extracts increased CYP1A2 activity, but such an induction was not observed with decaffeinated green tea in our preliminary study. Herein we report a comparative study on the induction of CYP1A2 with different tea preparations and caffeine as an inducer. When green tea (2%) or black tea (2%) was given to male Fischer 344 rats as the sole source of drinking fluid for 21 days, a 2.4- or 2.7-fold induction, respectively, of CYP1A2-dependent O-methoxyresorufin demethylase (MROD) activity in liver microsomes was observed. Treating rats with caffeine (0.04%) also resulted in an 1.9-fold increase in the MROD activity, but decaffeinated green tea (0.8%) did not cause such an induction. Rats treated with green tea (2%) or caffeine (0.055%) as the sole source of drinking fluid for 1, 3, and 7 days also showed comparable induction (from 1.7- to 2.1-fold) of the MROD activity. The induction was also shown by intragastric administration of caffeine (100 mg/kg). The induced MROD activity caused by consumption of green tea, black tea, and caffeine corresponded to the increase in liver microsomal CYP1A2 protein, as determined by immunoblot analysis. The concentrations of tea polyphenols and caffeine in plasma were also measured. Close correlation of the increase in the MROD activity was observed only with the plasma caffeine level (r = 0.736, n = 10, p = 0.015), not with the combined tea polyphenol level (r = 0.058, n = 6, p = 0.913). The present study establishes caffeine as an inducer of CYP1A2 and demonstrates that caffeine, not tea polyphenols, is the component in tea responsible for the induction of this enzyme.

Animals

Erythromycin as a specific substrate for cytochrome P4503A isozymes and identification of a high-affinity erythromycin N-demethylase in adult female rats.

Erythromycin N-demethylation is catalyzed by cytochrome P4503A isozymes. By using [14C]methyl-labeled erythromycin, we were able to develop a N-demethylation assay that is more sensitive and specific than the colorimetric detection of formaldehyde formation. The increased sensitivity allows the use of very low substrate concentration with good sensitivity, 1 microM compared with 400 microM for the colorimetric assay. This 1 microM concentration is within pharmacological blood levels of erythromycin. Using this assay, we detected a high-affinity erythromycin N-demethylase in liver microsomes from untreated adult female rats that was previously unknown. This low KM activity could be inhibited by polyclonal anti-P4503A1 or P4503A2 antibodies to 95%, and these antibodies also detected a band in these microsomes on Western blots that had the same molecular weight (51 kDa) as cytochromes P4503A1/3A2. Monoclonal antibodies specific for P4503A1 or P4503A2, however, did not react with this band. No inhibitory effect was observed with monoclonal antibody P124, which inhibited the erythromycin N-demethylation both in liver microsomes from untreated adult males (P4503A2) and dexamethasone-pretreated adult females (P4503A1). Alternative P4503A substrates (testosterone, troleandomycin, cortisol, corticosterone, cyclosporin A, and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol) inhibited erythromycin N-demethylation catalyzed by liver microsomes from untreated male, untreated female, and dexamethasone-pretreated female rats, whereas digitoxin and theophylline had no inhibitory effects. Put together, these data suggest that this demethylase in liver microsomes of untreated female rats is not P4503A1 or P4503A2, but P4503A related.

Animals

Inhibition and kinetics of cytochrome P4503A activity in microsomes from rat, human, and cdna-expressed human cytochrome P450.

Midazolam (MDZ) is metabolized in human liver microsomes by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A subfamily to 1'-hydroxy (1'-OH) and 4-hydroxy (4-OH) metabolites. MDZ is metabolized in the rat primarily to 4-OH MDZ, 1'-OH MDZ, and 1',4-dihydroxy (1',4-diOH) MDZ. The kinetics of 4-OH and 1'-OH metabolite formation were determined using hepatic microsomes from control, Ro 23-7637 and dexamethasone-treated male rats. KM values for the major metabolite, 4-OH MDZ, were 24.5, 43.1, and 32.8 microM, and the corresponding Vmax values were 5.9, 28.9, and 13 nmol/mg/min for the control, DEX, and Ro 23-7637-treated animals, respectively KM values for 1'-hydroxylation of MDZ (the major metabolite) after incubation with human liver microsomes from three individuals were 5.57, 2.50, and 3.56 microM, and the corresponding Vmax values were 4.38, 0.49, and 0.19 nmol/mg/min, respectively. In parallel studies using cDNA-expressed human CYP3A4 microsomes, the KM for 1'-OH formation was 1.56 microM, and the corresponding Vmax was 0.16 nmol/mg/min. MDZ was not metabolized by cDNA-expressed human CYP2D6, CYP2E1, or CYP1A2, thus confirming that these isoforms were not responsible for its biotransformation. The formation of 1',4-diOH metabolite in rat and 1'-OH formation in cDNA-expressed human CYP3A4 microsomes showed a decrease in velocity at high substrate concentrations. Inhibition studies showed that MDZ hydroxylation was strongly inhibited by ketoconazole and Ro 23-7637 in rat, human, and cDNA-expressed human CYP3A4 microsomes. alpha-Naphthoflavone stimulated 1'-OH metabolite formation in human and cDNA-expressed human CYP3A4 microsomes at low concentration (10 microM). Naringenin, a flavonoid present in grapefruit juice, also inhibited MDZ metabolism in human liver microsomes. Immunoinhibition studies revealed that polyclonal anti-rat CYP3A2 antibody inhibited MDZ metabolism 80-90% in rat, human, and cDNA-expressed human CYP3A4 microsomes, thus suggesting that members of the CYP3A4 subfamily were involved in the metabolism.

Anesthetics, Intravenous