Effect of prototypical inducing agents on P-glycoprotein and CYP3A expression in mouse tissues

Drug Metab Dispos. 2004 Sep;32(9):1008-14.

Abstract

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and CYP3A have considerable overlap in inducers in vitro. Characterizing P-gp induction in vivo and potential coregulation with CYP3A are important goals for predicting drug interactions. This study examined P-gp expression in mouse tissues and potential coinduction with CYP3A following oral treatment with 1 of 7 prototypical inducing agents for 5 days. P-gp expression in brain or liver was not induced by any treatment as determined by Western blot, whereas dexamethasone, pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile (PCN), St. John's wort (SJW), and rifampin induced hepatic CYP3A expression. In intestine, rifampin and SJW induced P-gp expression 3.7- and 1.6-fold and CYP3A 3.5- and 2.4-fold, respectively, whereas dexamethasone and PCN induced CYP3A only. These observations suggest that P-gp in mouse small intestine is inducible by some, but not all, CYP3A inducers, whereas P-gp expression in liver or brain is not readily induced. Intriguingly, rifampin and SJW, both activators of the human pregnane X receptor (PXR), induced CYP3A in both liver and intestine but induced P-gp only in intestine, whereas PCN, an activator of murine PXR, did not induce P-gp in any tissue. Rifampin disposition was evaluated, and hepatic exposure to rifampin was comparable to intestine; in contrast, brain concentrations were low. Overall, these observations demonstrate that P-gp induction in vivo is tissue-specific; furthermore, there is a disconnect between P-gp induction and CYP3A induction that is tissue- and inducer-dependent, suggesting that PXR activation alone is insufficient for P-gp induction in vivo. Tissue-specific factors and inducer pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties may underlie these observations.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / chemistry
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / drug effects
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / genetics*
  • Actins / drug effects
  • Actins / metabolism
  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / drug effects
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / genetics*
  • Blotting, Western / methods
  • Brain / cytology
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A
  • Dexamethasone / pharmacology
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Enzyme Induction / drug effects
  • Enzyme Induction / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hypericum / chemistry
  • Intestine, Small / cytology
  • Intestine, Small / drug effects
  • Intestine, Small / metabolism
  • Intubation
  • Liver / cytology
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Nifedipine
  • Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / drug effects
  • Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / genetics*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Pregnane X Receptor
  • Pregnenolone Carbonitrile / pharmacology
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / drug effects
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / genetics
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism
  • Receptors, Steroid / drug effects
  • Receptors, Steroid / genetics
  • Receptors, Steroid / metabolism
  • Rifampin / metabolism
  • Rifampin / pharmacology
  • Tamoxifen
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • Actins
  • Plant Extracts
  • Pregnane X Receptor
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Receptors, Steroid
  • Tamoxifen
  • Pregnenolone Carbonitrile
  • Dexamethasone
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A
  • Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating
  • Nifedipine
  • Rifampin