Separate evaluation of intestinal and hepatic metabolism of three benzodiazepines in rats with cannulated portal and jugular veins: comparison with the profile in non-cannulated mice.

Pharmacokinetic analyses of three kinds of benzodiazepines--midazolam (MDZ), triazolam (TRZ) and alprezolam (APZ)--were performed in rats with cannulated portal and jugular veins. Each drug was administered to the double-cannulated rats, and pharmacokinetic data for the parent drugs and their 1'- and 4-hydroxylated metabolites were compared with those obtained in non-cannulated mice. In bioavailability, the drugs ranked APZ >> TRZ = MDZ in rats, and APZ > TRZ >> MDZ in mice, with the values for MDZ remarkably different between rats and mice (19% in rats versus 2.3% in mice). In contrast, hepatic availability (Fh) was similar (APZ > TRZ > MDZ) in both species. Highly significant relationships were found between the ratio of the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) for the parent drugs in portal blood (AUC(por)) to that in systemic blood (AUC(sys)) and Fh in rats and mice. The double-cannulated rat is useful for estimating the hepatic availability of drug candidates by determining the AUC values for the parent drugs in portal and systemic blood samples.

CYP3A activity in European American and Japanese men using midazolam as an in vivo probe.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate putative differences in CYP3A activity between European American and Japanese subjects using midazolam as an in vivo probe. METHODS: Midazolam was administered orally (2 mg) to 22 young healthy Japanese men and, on a separate occasion, to 19 of these by the intravenous route (1 mg). The disposition of the drug and its 1'-hydroxy metabolite were determined and compared with data collected in a similar fashion in 20 young healthy European American men. RESULTS: Plasma concentrations of midazolam, especially those attained soon after drug administration, were higher after intravenous injection in Japanese subjects than those in European American men. This observation was associated with smaller initial (2.5-fold) and steady-state (1.8-fold) volumes of distribution for the drug; normalization for body weight only modestly reduced these differences. The systemic clearance value of midazolam was 25% lower (P < .03) in Japanese subjects, but this difference was not apparent after accounting for the smaller body weights of that group. No statistical differences were noted in the elimination half-life (t 1/2) of midazolam between European American and Japanese subjects. Much greater interindividual variability was observed after oral administration compared with intravenous administration, but significant differences were not found between the 2 groups with respect to the maximum midazolam plasma level or its oral clearance. Absolute oral bioavailability and its associated gastrointestinal and hepatic extraction ratios also showed no statistically significant interracial differences. CONCLUSIONS: On average, hepatic CYP3A, as measured by the metabolism of midazolam, is lower in young healthy Japanese men compared with similar European Americans. However, there is considerable interindividual variability, and body size appears to be an important determinant. After oral administration, even greater variability in the plasma level-time profile of midazolam is present, and no statistically significant or clinically important interracial/ethnic difference is present. Possibly because of smaller body mass and differences in body composition, midazolam has a smaller distribution volume(s) in Japanese men than in European American men that might be an important factor when drugs are administered intravenously.

Splenic vein occlusion secondary to tuberculous lymphadenitis at the splenic hilum: report of a case.

We report a patient with splenic vein occlusion (SVO) secondary to tuberculosis. A 17-year-old male patient with mild epigastric pain and splenomegaly was found to have gastric varices by gastroscopy, and SVO by selective angiography. At operation, the splenic vein was occluded by hard fibrous tissue at the splenic hilum, and thus a splenectomy was performed. A microscopic examination of the tissue revealed caseous necrosis surrounded by epithelioid cells and Langhans-type giant cells. Although there were no other findings suggesting intestinal tuberculosis, it seemed that tuberculous lymphadenitis of the splenic hilum most likely caused the occlusion of the splenic vein. Because specific tests for tuberculosis were negative in both immunohistochemical staining for bacille Calmette-Guérin and polymerase chain reaction of DNA for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the time of infection was assumed to have occurred a long time before. SVO can sometimes be seen in pancreatic diseases, but this patient with tuberculosis appears to be the first such reported case in the English literature.

Ursodeoxycholic acid prevents hepatic cytochrome P450 isozyme reduction in rats with deoxycholic acid-induced liver injury.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hydrophobic bile acids, such as deoxycholic acid produce cholestatic liver injury. Ursodeoxycholic acid has been shown to be useful in the treatment of cholestatic liver disease. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effects of deoxycholic acid or ursodeoxycholic acid (1% of diet, for 14 days) and their combination (1% each) on expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 isozymes, their related enzyme activities and mRNA level in rats. RESULTS: Adding 1% deoxycholic acid to chow caused a marked increase in serum total bilirubin (47-fold) and total bile acid (8-fold) concentrations and in alkaline phosphatase (2.5-fold, p<0.01) and alanine aminotransferase activities (23.5-fold, p<0.01). Adding the same dose of ursodeoxycholic acid along with the deoxycholic acid mitigated both the rise in serum total bilirubin and bile acid concentrations and that in alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase activities, although the use of ursodeoxycholic acid alone did not affect any of the above. Feeding 1% deoxycholic acid caused a decrease (48% of control) in total cytochrome P450 content in hepatic microsomes. Addition of 1% ursodeoxycholic acid along with the 1% deoxycholic acid completely prevented the decrease in total cytochrome P450 content. Feeding ursodeoxycholic acid alone did not affect the total cytochrome P450 content. The expression of cytochrome P450 2B1, 2E1, 3A2, 2C6, 2C11 and 4A1 proteins in hepatic microsomes was decreased by deoxycholic acid (44, 51, 23, 59, 30 and 74% of control, respectively). Likewise, the activities of cytochrome P450 2B1 (pentoxyresorufin O-depentylation), 2E1 (aniline p-hydroxylation) and 3A2 (testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation) isozymes and the 3A2 mRNA levels in liver were decreased by deoxycholic acid. Addition of 1% ursodeoxycholic acid to 1% deoxycholic acid also prevented the decrease in these cytochrome P450 proteins, related enzyme activities and mRNA levels in liver. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that, in rats with deoxycholic acid-induced liver injury, ursodeoxycholic acid prevents the decrease in hepatic cytochrome P450 isozymes and suggest that ursodeoxycholic acid is useful for the treatment of liver injury in terms of aiding the normalization of the hepatic drug-metabolizing system.

Role of CYP3A in haloperidol N-dealkylation and pharmacokinetics in rats.

Haloperidol (HP), an antipsychotic drug, is N-dealkylated by cytochrome P450 (CYP) to 4-fluorobenzoylpropionic acid (FBPA). The purpose of this study was to identify whether CYP3A metabolizes HP to FBPA in hepatic microsomes of rats and to investigate whether an inhibitor or an inducer of CYP3A affects HP pharmacokinetics in rats. The rate of FBPA formation was determined in hepatic microsomes from 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. Among several specific CYP isozyme inhibitors including troleandomycin (TAO), diethyldithiocarbamate, furafylline and quinine, only TAO showed marked inhibition of FBPA formation. Anti-rat CYP3A serum inhibited FBPA formation by 76.4%, while other anti-rat CYP sera (1A1, 1A2, 2B1, 2C11, 2E1) only slightly did. In a pharmacokinetic study, 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were given 0.5 mg/kg HP intravenously after treatment with 100 mg/kg erythromycin, a CYP3A inhibitor, or 80 mg/kg dexamethasone, a CYP3A inducer, intraperitoneally once a day for 7 days or 2 days, respectively or untreated. HP half-life was prolongated to 171% of the average control value by erythromycin and shortened to 49% of control by dexamethasone. HP clearance was reduced to 63% of control by erythromycin and was increased to 167% of control by dexamethasone. These results suggested that CYP3A mainly catalyzed HP to FBPA in rats, and the modification of this enzyme activity would affect the pharmacokinetics of HP.

Multiple cytochrome P-450 subfamilies are co-induced with P-glycoprotein by both phenothiazine and 2-acetylaminofluorene in rats.

We studied the effects of two P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inducers, 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and phenothiazine (PTZ), administered intraperitoneally, on the activities and content of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP) subfamilies in hepatic microsomes of Sprague-Dawley rats. After 4-day administration of 2-AAF or PTZ, the P-gp content was increased. The total CYP content after PTZ treatment was significantly increased compared with that of controls. The CYP1A, CYP2B and CYP3A2 contents were induced, while the CYP2C6, CYP2C11 and CYP2E1 contents remained unaffected. A marked increase in CYP1A1 was found after administration of each compound. Ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, pentoxyresorufin O-deethylase, and testosterone 6beta hydroxylation activities showed a significant increase after both 2-AAF and PTZ treatments. In particular, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase exhibited more than ten times greater activity than that of the controls after the treatments. These results suggest that P-gp inducers affect several CYP subfamilies in addition to CYP3A, which is reported to be up-regulated coordinately with P-gp by a CYP3A inducer.

Ticlopidine decreases the in vivo activity of CYP2C19 as measured by omeprazole metabolism.

AIMS: To examine the effect of ticlopidine administration on the activities CYP2C19 and CYP3 A in vivo using omeprazole as a model substrate. METHODS: A single dose of 40 mg omeprazole was administered orally with or without ticlopidine (300 mg daily for 6 days) to six Japanese extensive metabolisers with respect to CYP2C19. Blood samples were taken for the measurement of plasma concentrations of omeprazole, 5-hydroxyomeprazole and omeprazole sulphone. RESULTS: Ticlopidine administration increased omeprazole Cmax (1978+/-859/ 3442+/-569 (control phase/ticlopidine phase, nm )) and decreased the oral clearance of omeprazole (CL/F; 25.70+/-16. 17/10.76+/-1.16 (control phase/ticlopidine phase, l h-1 )) significantly. The 5-hydroxyomeprazole to omeprazole AUC ratio (0. 817+/-0.448/0.236+/-0.053 (control phase/ticlopidine phase)) and the 5-hydroxyomeprazole to omeprazole sulphone AUC ratio (1.114+/-0. 782/0.256+/-0.051 (control phase/ticlopidine phase)) were decreased significantly after ticlopidine administration. The decrease in omeprazole CL/F and the 5-hydroxyomeprazole to omeprazole AUC ratio correlated significantly with their respective absolute values when the drug was given alone. The decrease in CL/F following ticlopidine administration correlated with that in the 5-hydroxyomeprazole to omeprazole AUC ratio. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that ticlopidine inhibited the in vivo activity of CYP2C19, but not, or to a lesser extent CYP3 A4, and that the magnitude of inhibition by ticlopidine is related to the in vivo activity of CYP2C19 before inhibition.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activity and fluorouracil pharmacokinetics with liver damage induced by bile duct ligation in rats.

Hepatic metabolism is the main determinant in the pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Its disposition might be affected with liver dysfunction. In the present study, the influence of liver damage induced by bile duct ligation on dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), a rate-limiting enzyme in 5-FU catabolism, CYP2B, and 5-FU pharmacokinetics were compared in male Sprague-Dawley rats. After 3 weeks of the ligation in two different groups of animals for in vitro and pharmacokinetic experiments, significant increases in serum bilirubin level and spleen weight were found in both groups. No significant differences were noted in bilirubin level or spleen weight of the bile duct ligation group between the two experiment groups. In the in vitro experiment, DPD activity and protein levels determined by Western blot analysis in the bile duct ligation group were slightly but significantly greater than those of a sham-operated group, whereas CYP2B activity and protein level were significantly reduced. These findings were supported by mRNA levels of CYP2B and DPD. When 40 mg/kg 5-FU was administered i.v. in the pharmacokinetic experiment, no significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were found between the bile duct ligation and sham-operated groups. These results suggested that DPD activity and protein level were maintained and that 5-FU pharmacokinetics was not altered in the presence of liver damage accompanied by a significant reduction in CYP2B activity and protein level, supporting previous clinical studies showing that mild to moderate liver dysfunction does not affect 5-FU disposition.

Carbamazepine induces multiple cytochrome P450 subfamilies in rats.

We compared the effect of three different doses (30, 60, and 100 mg/kg) of carbamazepine (CBZ) administered intraperitoneally for 1, 3, and 7 days on the activity and protein content of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) subfamilies in Sprague-Dawley rats. After 3-day- and 7-day administration with CBZ, the total CYP content had increased in a dose-dependent fashion. Among six enzyme activities examined, only aniline hydroxylase activity remained unchanged after 7-day treatment with CBZ. Pentoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity showed the most significant increase and was induced up to 7 days in a time-dependent fashion. Pretreatment of rats with cycloheximide significantly suppressed the pentoxyresorufin O-deethylase induction by one dose of 100 mg/day CBZ. Immunoblot analysis showed a significant correlation between the protein content of each isoenzyme examined and its activity except CYP2E1 after 7-day treatment with CBZ. Similar results were obtained in the mRNA levels of CYP subfamilies. These results suggested that CBZ may induce multiple CYP subfamilies, except CYP2E1, and the activity and the protein content of CYP2B showed the greatest increase with increased CYP2B mRNA.

A comparison of the inhibitory effects of four volatile anaesthetics on the metabolism of chlorzoxazone, a substrate for CYP2E1, in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Halothane inhibits in vitro and in vivo activity of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 2E1. There are several fluorinated volatile anaesthetics besides halothane, and most of them are defluorinated by CYP2E1. It is unclear whether other fluorinated anaesthetics inhibit the in vivo activity of CYP2E1. METHODS: We compared the inhibitory effects of therapeutic concentrations of four inhalational anaesthetics, halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane, on chlorzoxazone metabolism in rabbits receiving artificial ventilation. RESULTS: All four inhalational anaesthetics decreased arterial blood pressure and increased plasma chlorzoxazone concentration. However, no significant differences in the plasma chlorzoxazone concentration were found between the four anaesthetics. The estimated chlorzoxazone clearance increased after beginning inhalation with all four agents, but no significant difference in clearance was noted between agents. CONCLUSIONS: At therapeutic concentrations, the in vivo inhibitory effect on chlorzoxazone metabolism was similar for all four inhalational anaesthetics examined, even though their chemical characteristics and extent of hepatic metabolism differ considerably.

Effects of glucocorticoids on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of midazolam in rats.

We investigated the effect of dexamethasone (80 mg/kg per day for 2 days) and prednisolone (600 mg/kg per day for 2 days, equivalent to dexamethasone for glucocorticoid (GC) potency) on both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of midazolam (MDZ), a substrate for cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A, in 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals received a single injection of MDZ (pharmacokinetic study, 10 mg/kg; pharmacodynamic study, 55.5 mg/kg) in the tail vein 24 h after the last dose of GC or placebo. The elimination half-life (t(1/2)) and the area under the concentration-time curve of MDZ were significantly reduced by pretreatment with dexamethasone to 58.9% and 44.7% of the control value, respectively, and the clearance of MDZ was significantly increased by dexamethasone. Similar changes observed by prednisolone pretreatment did not reach significance. The t(1/2) of the dexamethasone pretreatment group (14.4+/-0.7 min) was significantly shorter than that of the prednisolone group (20.9+/-1.5 min). The amount of CYP3A2 protein and the activity of erythromycin N-demethylase were significantly increased by dexamethasone and prednisolone pretreatments, but dexamethasone showed a greater effect than prednisolone. Sleeping time was significantly shortened by dexamethasone and prednisolone pretreatment to 38.7% and 57.1% of control value, respectively. The current study demonstrates that the anesthetic effect of MDZ would be reduced in patients treated with dexamethasone or prednisolone, and that the CYP3A induction was greater by dexamethasone than by prednisolone, implying that the potency of CYP3A induction may differ among GCs even when GC activity is the same.

Reduced hepatic expression of CYP7A1 and CYP2C13 in rats with spontaneous hyperlipidaemia.

A strain of hyperlipidaemic Sprague-Dawley (HSD) rat was compared with normal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats for expression of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase activity (CYP7A1) and other cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes in liver. Hepatic microsomal CYP7A1 activity in male HSD rats was 2-3-fold lower than in male SD rats with CYP7A1 apoprotein levels being similarly reduced. CYP7A1 expression was subject to diurnal variation in HSD rats as found in SD rats. Treatment of HSD rats with cholestyramine caused an increase in hepatic microsomal cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase activity of 3.3-fold compared with a 3.5-fold increase in SD rats with similar changes in apoprotein levels. These results indicate that the lower activity in HSD rats is not due to a defect in the catalytic activity of the enzyme, regulation affecting diurnal variation or regulation through bile acid feedback inhibition. No difference between hepatic microsomal methoxyresorufin-O-demethylase, benzoxyresorufin-O-debenzylase or chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylase activities in SD and HSD rats was found, nor was there any difference in the levels of CYP1A2, CYP2D1, CYP2E1, CYP3A1, CYP3A2 or NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase determined by immunoblotting using specific anti-peptide antibodies. However, unlike in male SD rats, CYP2C13 was absent in male HSD rats and this was associated with a two-fold reduction in testosterone 6beta-hydroxylase activity. In conclusion, while HSD rats do not have a general reduction in P450 levels, they do lack CYP2C13 and have lowered cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase activity, as a result of a reduced level of expression of the enzyme.

Effects of anti-androgen treatment on the catecholamine synthetic pathway in the adrenal medulla of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We investigated the effects of the antiandrogen flutamide on the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, the levels of its encoding mRNA, and catecholamine levels in the adrenal medulla of male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). Flutamide (30 mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously daily (between 9 and 15 weeks of age). The systolic blood pressure of flutamide-treated SHR rats was lower than that of control SHR. Epinephrine and norepinephrine levels, tyrosine hydroxylase activity, and the levels of encoding mRNA in the adrenal medulla were significantly lower in flutamide-treated SHR rats than in paired controls. Systolic blood pressure, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels, tyrosine hydroxylase activity, and encoding mRNA in the adrenal medulla of WKY rats showed no significant differences between flutamide-treated and control groups. These findings suggested that flutamide may have cardiovascular effects through alteration of the catecholamine synthetic pathway caused by removal of androgen receptor stimulation on the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase in the adrenal medulla of male SHR rats.

Effect of hypoalbuminemia on the disposition of theophylline. Comparative study with Sprague-Dawley rats and a mutant Sprague-Dawley hyperlipidemic strain with hypoalbuminemia.

We demonstrated the effect of hypoalbuminemia on theophylline disposition in rats. The pharmacokinetic parameters in Sprague-Dawley rats (SDRs) were compared with those in spontaneously hyperlipidemic rats (HLRs), which had approximately one half the serum albumin concentration of the SDRs, after a single 10 mg/kg injection (iv) of theophylline. Theophylline clearance (CL) in the HLRs was increased 1.6-fold, and the AUC was decreased by 36%. Although the elimination t1/2 was not significantly different between the two types of rats, the distribution volume (Vd) was increased significantly in the HLRs, compared with the SDRs. The free theophylline concentration in the SDRs was one half of the total concentration. In contrast, the free theophylline concentration in the HLRs was approximately equal to the total concentration. The enzymatic activities and apoprotein expression levels of CYP1A were decreased significantly in the HLRs, compared with the SDRs. The total theophylline CL was increased in HLRs with hypoalbuminemia, even though they exhibited lower enzymatic activity and CYP1A expression than did the SDRs. Because the unbound fraction and Vd of theophylline in HLRs were much larger than those in SDRs, we conclude that hypoalbuminemia may contribute to an increase in the Vd and a decrease in the CL for theophylline.

Liver damage induced by bile duct ligation affects CYP isoenzymes differently in rats.

We examined the influence of liver damage induced by bile duct ligation on the activity and the expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A, 2B, 2C6, 2C11, 2E1 and 3A2 in male Sprague-Dawley rats. In the ligation group, testosterone 2 alpha-, 16 alpha-, and 6 beta-hydroxylase activities were severely decreased, whereas ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase and progesterone 21-hydroxylase activities relatively remained. Pentoxyresorufin O-deethylase and chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylase activities were reduced to approximately one thirds those of control. The protein contents of these isoenzymes expressed in hepatic microsomes of the ligation group were decreased to 45%, 32%, 79%, 13%, 58%, and 23% of control for CYP1A, 2B, 2C6, 2C11, 2E1 and 3A2, respectively. The rank order of magnitude of the influence of bile duct ligation on CYP isoenzymes, assessed by the reduction in the enzyme activity and the protein content, corresponded with each other except CYP1A. The reduction of the enzyme activities significantly correlated with the reduction in the protein contents of different isoenzymes. These results suggested that bile duct ligation affected CYP isoenzyme activities and contents with different extent.

The effects of streptozotocin-induced hypoinsulinemia on serum lipid levels in spontaneously hyperlipidemic rats.

We compared the effects of streptozotocin (STZ) treatment on serum cholesterol and lipoprotein levels in spontaneously hyperlipidemic rats (HLR), a hereditary hyperlipidemic model animal, with those in Sprague-Dawley rats (SDR). The body weight of control SDR and HLR were increased continuously for 30 days. Both SDR and HLR lost their body weight after STZ administration. Glucose levels of SDR and HLR were significantly increased by STZ treatment. Insulin levels were markedly decreased in HLR compared with those in SDR. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels of HLR treated with STZ were significantly higher than those of untreated HLR. The increment of both levels in HLR was much larger than that in SDR. The high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level of the STZ-treated HLR was significantly lower than that of untreated HLR. In the STZ-treated HLR the intensities of both bands of the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and the low density lipoprotein (LDL) were higher than those in untreated HLR, while the intensity of any lipoprotein band remained unchanged between STZ-treated and control SDR. The atherogenic index (the ratio of total cholesterol level minus HDL cholesterol level of HDL cholesterol level) in the STZ-treated HLR was significantly high compared with that in other groups. The STZ-treated HLR showed the extremely hyperlipidemic state and this animal might be useful in experiments for the development of atherosclerosis or the drug evaluation for the agents used in hyperlipidemia.

Halothane inhalation inhibits the metabolism of chlorzoxazone, a substrate for CYP2E1, in rabbits.

We demonstrated the inhibitory effect of halothane (HAL) inhalation on the metabolism of chlorzoxazone (CZZ), a substrate for CYP2E1, in a bolus and a continuous injection study in rabbits receiving artificial ventilation. In a bolus injection study, the inhalation of 1.0% HAL significantly increased the half-life and the area under the curve and decreased the clearance of CZZ compared with those variables in midazolam administration. In a continuous injection study, the effect of various concentrations of inhaled HAL on plasma CZZ concentration at steady state was compared. Systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure were decreased dose-dependently after 0.5%, 1.0%, or 2.0% HAL was inhaled. Although the plasma concentration of CZZ was increased 2.5-fold after 3 h of HAL inhalation, there was no significant difference in mean plasma concentrations among the groups treated with 0.5%, 1.0%, or 2.0% HAL. In contrast, the plasma concentration of lidocaine, a substrate for CYP3A, remained unchanged after 1.0% HAL was inhaled. These results suggest that general anesthesia obtained with HAL inhalation will affect the metabolism of drugs administered concomitantly when the drug is a substrate for CYP2E1.

Effects of the estrous cycle and the gender differences on hepatic drug-metabolising enzyme activities.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the estrous cycle and physiological dose of estradiol (E2) and the gender difference on several hepatic drug-metabolising enzyme activities. Eight-week old female Sprague-Dawley rats at different stages of the estrous cycle [proestrous (P), estrous (E), and diestrous (D)] and 8-week old male rats were used in this study (n = 5, respectively). Serum E2 level at D was higher than that at E and lower than that at P. The hepatic cytochrome P450 content, aniline hydroxylase, ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and aminopyrine N-demethylase activities in male were significantly higher than those in female at any stage of the estrous cycle and these activities in female remained unchanged during the estrous cycle. Neither the estrous cycle nor the gender difference affected the cytochrome b5 content. NADPH-cytochrome c reductase (fPT) activity at P was similar to that in male, and was significantly higher than that in E and D. fPT activity was increased by the administration of physiological dose of E2 in ovariectomized rats. Uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase (UDP-GT) activity at E was significantly lower than that at P or D and that activity in female was significantly lower than that in male. These results indicate that the estrous cycle, especially serum E2 level, may affect both fPT and UDP-GT activities.

Opposite effects of isoniazid and fasting on the expression of CYP2E1 protein and mRNA in house musk shrew (Suncus murinus).

The effects of isoniazid and fasting on hepatic CYP2E1 in the suncus were investigated. Aniline hydroxylation and N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylation, which are known to be catalyzed by CYP2E1, in liver microsomes were induced and suppressed by the treatment with isoniazid and the fasting, respectively. Immunoblot analysis indicated that CYP2E1 protein in liver microsomes from isoniazid-treated suncus was increased in contrast to the result with the fasting of the suncus. Northern blot analysis showed that the treatment of suncus with isoniazid increased the expression of CYP2E1 mRNA in livers although the fasting of the suncus significantly decreased CYP2E1 mRNA. These results suggest that the regulation of hepatic CYP2E1 in the suncus by treatment with isoniazid and fasting was different from that in rats.