title: Drug metabolizing enzyme induction by benzoquinolines, acridine, and quinacrine; tricyclic aromatic molecules containing a single heterocyclic nitrogen.
abstract: Rats were treated with nitrogen-containing phenanthrene (3,4-, 5,6-, or 7,8-benzoquinoline) or anthracene (acridine or quinacrine) derivatives at a dose of 75 mg/kg, daily for 3 days. The hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme response ranged from no induction (quinacrine) through low (5,6-benzoquinoline), intermediate (acridine), and high (3,4-benzoquinoline) magnitude increases of only phase II enzymes, to induction of both phase I and phase II enzymes (7,8-benzoquinoline). The phase I enzyme response of 7,8-benzoquinoline was an induction of CYP1A. All three benzoquinolines, but neither anthracene derivative, elevated NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase activity. A similar pattern but of lesser magnitude was seen with glutathione S-transferase activity. 3,4-Benzoquinoline was the only agent to significantly increase microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity (2,3-fold). Both 3,4- and 7,8-benzoquinoline increased UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity toward 4-nitrophenol (40% and 70%, respectively), but only the 3,4-isomer increased activity toward morphine (75%), diclofenac (75%), and testosterone (23%), and only the 7,8-isomer increased activity toward chloramphenicol (105%). 3,4-Benzoquinoline elevated the hepatic mRNA concentration of UGT2B1 but not UGT1*6. Acridine treatment increased UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity toward morphine (47%), 1-naphthol (28%), testosterone (19%), and estrone (19%). Quinacrine failed to elevate any UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity and depressed activities toward testosterone and estrone by 20%. This study shows that some tricyclic aromatic compounds containing a single heterocyclic nitrogen atom have the potential for use as chemoprotective agents based upon their ability to selectively induce only phase II enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112, USA.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Franklin
mesh_terms: D000166:Acridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003600:Cytosol / Q000201:enzymology; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D004851:Epoxide Hydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011796:Quinacrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D000166:Acridines; D011804:Quinolines; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D004851:Epoxide Hydrolases; D011796:Quinacrine