Alteration of hepatic sulfation by endotoxin

Administration of an endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (1 mg/kg body weight), c aused decreases in hepatic sulfations of xenobiotics in male rats through c hanges in the amounts of at least three forms of sulfotransferases, ST1A1, ST1B1 and ST1C1. The time-dependent decrease was first observed with ST1B1, followed by ST1A1 and ST1C1; and the decrease was more profound in the lev els of mRNAs than those of proteins. The decreases in their mRNAs were, how ever, prevented by the pretreatment with dexamethasone. These results sugge st that the endotoxin suppresses the hepatic sulfation through a cytokine-m ediated mechanism to change individually hepatic levels of ST1A1, ST1B1 and ST1C1.