L. Ferrari et al., Role of nitric oxide in down-regulation of CYP2B1 protein, but not RNA, inprimary cultures of rat hepatocytes, MOLEC PHARM, 60(1), 2001, pp. 209-216
There are conflicting reports about the role of nitric oxide in the down-re
gulation of cytochrome P450 that occurs when animals or cultured hepatocyte
s are exposed to inflammatory stimuli. Here, we investigated the participat
ion of NO in the down-regulation of CYP2B1 by bacterial endotoxin (LPS) in
rat hepatocytes cultured on Matrigel. LPS caused the down-regulation of CYP
2B1 mRNA to 20% of control values within 12 h of treatment, and this was no
t reversed by concentrations of NO synthase inhibitors that completely bloc
ked NO production. LPS was several orders of magnitude more potent in the d
own-regulation of CYP2B1 mRNA than in induction of NO production. In contra
st, concentrations of LPS in the 1 to 100 ng/ml range induced NO production
and produced a rapid down-regulation of CYP2B1 protein to 30% and <5% of c
ontrol at 6 and 24 h, respectively, that could be completely prevented both
by inhibitors of NO synthase and by LY83583, which prevents NO synthase-2
induction. The blockade of CYP2B1 down-regulation by NO synthase inhibitors
was reversed by arginine, and the NO donors S-nitrosoglutathione and S-nit
roso-N-acetylpenicillamine mimicked CYP2B1 protein suppression. Taken toget
her, these experiments demonstrate two independent mechanisms of CYP2B1 dow
n-regulation by LPS: a rapid, NO-dependent suppression of the protein occur
ring at high concentrations of LPS and a slower, NO-independent pretranslat
ional suppression occurring at low concentrations of LPS.