title: Effects of retinoic acid on hepatic cytochrome P-450 dependent enzymes in rats under different vitamin A status.
abstract: The temporal effects of retinoic acid supplementation on hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent enzymes were studied on the rat. Four groups of male weanling rats were fed semi synthetic diets: two groups containing 0 or 4.4 mg retinol equivalents per kg diet as retinyl palmitate (A- RA- and A+ RA- groups) and two similar groups supplemented with all trans retinoic acid (12 mg/kg diet) (A- RA+ and A+ RA+ groups). After five or ten weeks of feeding, the rats were killed, liver microsomes were prepared and assayed for aniline hydroxylase, aminopyrine N demethylase activities and cytochrome P-450 levels. Whereas no change was observed between the four groups after 5 weeks, the following modifications appeared after 10 weeks: Vitamin A deficiency decreased hepatic drug metabolism by phase I enzymes (hydroxylase and N demethylase) but only when liver storage pool was not detectable. Vitamin A concentration as low as 4 micrograms/g is sufficient to avoid any perturbation of these enzymes. Parallel to a sparing effect on liver reserves of vitamin A, retinoic acid maintained a normal activity of enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism. However, retinoic acid treatment produced an alteration of phase I enzymes in vitamin A supplemented group (A+ RA+). As this was accompanied by a doubling of vitamin A liver reserves, compared to A+ RA- group, it is suggested that this might result from a liver vitamin A overloading, leading to membrane damage perturbing microsomal enzymes. These results indicate the need for a more careful use of retinoids as a therapeutic agent.
mesh_terms: D000633:Aminopyrine N-Demethylase / Q000378:metabolism; D000815:Aniline Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism*; D004224:Diterpenes; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate; D014212:Tretinoin; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D000815:Aniline Hydroxylase; D000633:Aminopyrine N-Demethylase