nhao Li

A novel xenobiotic responsive element regulated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor is involved in the induction of BCRP/ABCG2 in LS174T cells.

Induction of the breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) expression has been found in various tissues and cell-types after exposure to chemicals including 17β-estradiol, rosiglitazone, imatinib, as well as aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activators such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), and omeprazole. However, the mechanism(s) underlying AhR-related induction of ABCG2 is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate the AhR-dependent induction of ABCG2 expression in human colon adenocarcinoma LS174T cells. Importantly, a novel distal AhR-responsive element (AhRE5) located -2357/-2333bp upstream of the ABCG2 transcriptional start site has been identified and characterized as a functional unit pivotal to 3MC-mediated induction of ABCG2. Cell-based reporter assays revealed that deletion of AhRE5 and 4 dramatically attenuated 3MC-induced activation of ABCG2 reporter activity, while further deletion of the proximal AhRE3 and 2 only moderately changed the luciferase activities. Notably, site-directed mutation of the AhRE5 in the BCRP-3.8kb reporter construct alone resulted in approximately 80% decrease in 3MC activation of the ABCG2 promoter; additional mutation of the AhRE4 site had negligible effect on the ABCG2 promoter activity. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that treatment with 3MC significantly enhanced the recruitment of AhR to the AhRE5 occupied region, and mutation of the AhRE5 site clearly dissociated AhR protein from this promoter region. Together, these data show that the novel distal AhRE5 is critical for AhR-mediated transcriptional activation of ABCG2 gene expression in LS174T cells, and it may offer new strategies for early identification of ABCG2 inducers, which would be of benefit for preventing transporter-associated drug-drug interactions.

A Single Amino Acid Controls the Functional Switch of Human Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR) 1 to the Xenobiotic-Sensitive Splicing Variant CAR3

The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is constitutively activated in immortalized cell lines independent of xenobiotic stimuli. This feature of CAR has limited its use as a sensor for xenobiotic-induced expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Recent reports, however, reveal that a splicing variant of human CAR (hCAR3), which contains an insertion of five amino acids (APYLT), exhibits low basal but xenobiotic-inducible activities in cell-based reporter assays. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms of this functional shift are not well understood. We have now generated chimeric constructs containing various residues of the five amino acids of hCAR3 and examined their response to typical hCAR activators. Our results showed that the retention of alanine (hCAR1+A) alone is sufficient to confer the constitutively activated hCAR1 to the xenobiotic-sensitive hCAR3. It is noteworthy that hCAR1+A was significantly activated by a series of known hCAR activators, and displayed activation superior to that of hCAR3. Moreover, intracellular localization assays revealed that hCAR1+A exhibits nuclear accumulation upon 6-(4-chlorophenyl) imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole-5-carbaldehyde-O-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl) oxime (CITCO) treatment in COS1 cells, which differs from the spontaneous nuclear distribution of hCAR1 and the nontranslocatable hCAR3. Mammalian two-hybrid and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays further demonstrated that hCAR1+A interacts with the coactivator SRC-1 and GRIP-1 at low level before activation, while at significantly enhanced level in the presence of CITCO. Thus, the alanine residue in the insertion of hCAR3 seems in charge of the xenobiotic response of hCAR3 through direct and indirect mechanisms. Activation of hCAR1+A may represent a sensitive avenue for the identification of hCAR activators.

Identification and Validation of Novel Human Pregnane X Receptor Activators among Prescribed Drugs via Ligand-Based Virtual Screening

Human pregnane X receptor (hPXR) plays a key role in regulating metabolism and clearance of endogenous and exogenous substances. Identification of novel hPXR activators among commercial drugs may aid in avoiding drug-drug interactions during coadministration. We applied ligand-based computational approaches for virtual screening of a commonly prescribed drug database (SCUT). Bayesian classification models were generated with a training set comprising 177 compounds using Fingerprints and 117 structural descriptors. A cell-based luciferase reporter assay was used for evaluation of chemical-mediated hPXR activation in HepG2 cells. All compounds were tested at 10 μM concentration with rifampicin and dimethyl sulfoxide as positive and negative controls, respectively. The Bayesian models showed specificity and overall prediction accuracy up to 0.92 and 0.69 for test set compounds. Screening the SCUT database with this model retrieved 105 hits and 17 compounds from the top 25 hits were chosen for in vitro testing. The reporter assay confirmed that nine drugs, i.e., fluticasone, nimodipine, nisoldipine, beclomethasone, finasteride, flunisolide, megestrol, secobarbital, and aminoglutethimide, were previously unidentified hPXR activators. Thus, the present study demonstrates that novel hPXR activators can be efficiently identified among U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved and commonly prescribed drugs, which should lead to detection and prevention of potential drug-drug interactions.

SLC13A5 Is a Novel Transcriptional Target of the Pregnane X Receptor and Sensitizes Drug-Induced Steatosis in Human Liver

The solute carrier family 13 member 5 (SLC13A5) is a sodium-coupled transporter that mediates cellular uptake of citrate, which plays important roles in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Recently, the pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2), initially characterized as a xenobiotic sensor, has been functionally linked to the regulation of various physiologic processes that are associated with lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. Here, we show that the SLC13A5 gene is a novel transcriptional target of PXR, and altered expression of SLC13A5 affects lipid accumulation in human liver cells. The prototypical PXR activator rifampicin markedly induced the mRNA and protein expression of SLC13A5 in human primary hepatocytes. Utilizing cell-based luciferase reporter assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we identified and functionally characterized two enhancer modules located upstream of the SLC13A5 gene transcription start site that are associated with regulation of PXR-mediated SLC13A5 induction. Functional analysis further revealed that rifampicin can enhance lipid accumulation in human primary hepatocytes, and knockdown of SLC13A5 expression alone leads to a significant decrease of the lipid content in HepG2 cells. Overall, our results uncover SLC13A5 as a novel target gene of PXR and may contribute to drug-induced steatosis and metabolic disorders in humans.

Identification of Novel Activators of Constitutive Androstane Receptor from FDA-Approved Drugs by Integrated Computational and Biological Approaches

PurposeThe constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) is a xenobiotic sensor governing the transcription of numerous hepatic genes associated with drug metabolism and clearance. Recent evidence suggests that CAR also modulates energy homeostasis and cancer development. Thus, identification of novel human (h) CAR activators is of both clinical importance and scientific interest.MethodsDocking and ligand-based structure-activity models were used for virtual screening of a database containing over 2000 FDA-approved drugs. Identified lead compounds were evaluated in cell-based reporter assays to determine hCAR activation. Potential activators were further tested in human primary hepatocytes (HPHs) for the expression of the prototypical hCAR target gene CYP2B6.ResultsNineteen lead compounds with optimal modeling parameters were selected for biological evaluation. Seven of the 19 leads exhibited moderate to potent activation of hCAR. Five out of the seven compounds translocated hCAR from the cytoplasm to the nucleus of HPHs in a concentration-dependent manner. These compounds also induce the expression of CYP2B6 in HPHs with rank-order of efficacies closely resembling that of hCAR activation.ConclusionThese results indicate that our strategically integrated approaches are effective in the identification of novel hCAR modulators, which may function as valuable research tools or potential therapeutic molecules.

The constitutive androstane receptor is a novel therapeutic target facilitating cyclophosphamide-based treatment of hematopoietic malignancies

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic prodrugs that undergoes hepatic bioactivation mediated predominantly by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2B6. Given that the CYP2B6 gene is primarily regulated by the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3), we hypothesize that selective activation of CAR can enhance systemic exposure of the pharmacologically active 4-hydroxycyclophosamide (4-OH-CPA), with improved efficacy of CPA-based chemotherapy. In this study, we have developed a unique human primary hepatocyte (HPH)-leukemia cell coculture model; the chemotherapeutic effects of CPA on leukemia cells can be directly investigated in vitro in a cellular environment where hepatic metabolism was well maintained. Our results demonstrated that activation of CAR preferentially induces the expression of CYP2B6 over CYP3A4 in HPHs, although endogenous expression of these enzymes in leukemia cells remains negligible. Importantly, coadministration of CPA with a human CAR activator led to significantly enhanced cytotoxicity in leukemia cells by inducing the apoptosis pathways, without concomitant increase in the off-target hepatotoxicity. Associated with the enhanced antitumor activity, a time and concentration-dependent increase in 4-OH-CPA formation was observed in the coculture system. Together, our findings offer proof of concept that CAR as a novel molecular target can facilitate CPA-based chemotherapy by selectively promoting its bioactivation.

Quantitative High-Throughput Identification of Drugs as Modulators of Human Constitutive Androstane Receptor

The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) plays a key role in governing the transcription of numerous hepatic genes that involve xenobiotic metabolism/clearance, energy homeostasis, and cell proliferation. Thus, identification of novel human CAR (hCAR) modulators may not only enhance early prediction of drug-drug interactions but also offer potentially novel therapeutics for diseases such as metabolic disorders and cancer. In this study, we have generated a double stable cell line expressing both hCAR and a CYP2B6-driven luciferase reporter for quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) of hCAR modulators. Approximately 2800 compounds from the NIH Chemical Genomics Center Pharmaceutical Collection were screened employing both the activation and deactivation modes of the qHTS. Activators (115) and deactivators (152) of hCAR were identified from the primary qHTS, among which 10 agonists and 10 antagonists were further validated in the physiologically relevant human primary hepatocytes for compound-mediated hCAR nuclear translocation and target gene expression. Collectively, our results reveal that hCAR modulators can be efficiently identified through this newly established qHTS assay. Profiling drug collections for hCAR activity would facilitate the prediction of metabolism-based drug-drug interactions, and may lead to the identification of potential novel therapeutics.

Activation of the constitutive androstane receptor inhibits gluconeogenesis without affecting lipogenesis or fatty acid synthesis in human hepatocytes.

OBJECTIVE Accumulating evidence suggests that activation of mouse constitutive androstane receptor (mCAR) alleviates type 2 diabetes and obesity by inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis, and fatty acid synthesis. However, the role of human (h) CAR in energy metabolism is largely unknown. The present study aims to investigate the effects of selective hCAR activators on hepatic energy metabolism in human primary hepatocytes (HPH). METHODS Ligand-based structure-activity models were used for virtual screening of the Specs database (www.specs.net) followed by biological validation in cell-based luciferase assays. The effects of two novel hCAR activators (UM104 and UM145) on hepatic energy metabolism were evaluated in HPH. RESULTS Real-time PCR and Western blotting analyses reveal that activation of hCAR by UM104 and UM145 significantly repressed the expression of glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, two pivotal gluconeogenic enzymes, while exerting negligible effects on the expression of genes associated with lipogenesis and fatty acid synthesis. Functional experiments show that UM104 and UM145 markedly inhibit hepatic synthesis of glucose but not triglycerides in HPH. In contrast, activation of mCAR by 1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene, a selective mCAR activator, repressed the expression of genes associated with gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis, and fatty acid synthesis in mouse primary hepatocytes, which were consistent with previous observations in mouse model in vivo. CONCLUSION Our findings uncover an important species difference between hCAR and mCAR in hepatic energy metabolism, where hCAR selectively inhibits gluconeogenesis without suppressing fatty acid synthesis. IMPLICATIONS Such species selectivity should be considered when exploring CAR as a potential therapeutic target for metabolic disorders.

Differential activation of pregnane X receptor and constitutive androstane receptor by buprenorphine in primary human hepatocytes and HepG2 cells.

Buprenorphine is a partial μ-opioid receptor agonist used for the treatment of opioid dependence that has several advantages over methadone. The principal route of buprenorphine disposition has been well established; however, little is known regarding the potential for buprenorphine to influence the metabolism and clearance of other drugs by affecting the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs). Here, we investigate the effects of buprenorphine on the activation of pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), as well as the induction of DMEs, in both HepG2 cells and human primary hepatocytes (HPHs). In HepG2 cells, buprenorphine significantly increased human PXR-mediated CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 reporter activities. CYP2B6 reporter activity was also enhanced by buprenorphine in HepG2 cells cotransfected with a chemical-responsive human CAR variant. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that buprenorphine strongly induced CYP3A4 expression in both PXR- and CAR-transfected HepG2 cells. However, treatment with the same concentrations of buprenorphine in HPHs resulted in literally no induction of CYP3A4 or CYP2B6 expression. Further studies indicated that buprenorphine could neither translocate human CAR to the nucleus nor activate CYP2B6/CYP3A4 reporter activities in transfected HPHs. Subsequent experiments to determine whether the differential response was due to buprenorphines metabolic stability revealed a dramatically differential rate of elimination for buprenorphine between HPHs and HepG2 cells. Taken together, these studies indicate that metabolic stability of buprenorphine defines the differential induction of DMEs observed in HepG2 and HPHs, and the results obtained from PXR and CAR reporter assays in immortalized cell line require cautious interpretation.

Transcriptional Regulation of CYP2B6 Expression by Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3β in Human Liver Cells

CYP2B6 plays an increasingly important role in xenobiotic metabolism and detoxification. The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and the pregnane X receptor (PXR) have been established as predominant regulators for the inductive expression of CYP2B6 gene in human liver. However, there are dramatic interindividual variabilities in CYP2B6 expression that cannot be fully explained by the CAR/PXR-based modulation alone. Here, we show that expression level of CYP2B6 was correlated with that of hepatocyte nuclear factor 3β (HNF3β) in human primary hepatocytes prepared from 35 liver donors. Utilizing recombinant virus-mediated overexpression or knockdown of HNF3β in HepG2 cells, as well as constructs containing serial deletion and site-directed mutation of HNF3β binding motifs in CYP2B6 luciferase reporter assays, we demonstrated that the presence or lack of HNF3β expression markedly correlated with CYP2B6 gene expression and its promoter activity. Novel enhancer modules of HNF3β located upstream of the CYP2B6 gene transcription start site were identified and functionally validated as key elements governing HNF3β-mediated CYP2B6 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays in human primary hepatocytes and surface plasmon resonance binding affinity experiments confirmed the essential role of these enhancers in the recruitment of HNF3β to the promoter of CYP2B6 gene. Overall, these findings indicate that HNF3β represents a new liver enriched transcription factor that is involved in the transcription of CYP2B6 gene and contributes to the large interindividual variations of CYP2B6 expression in human population.