title: Suppression of hepatic CYP3A1/2 and CYP2C11 by cyclosporine is not mediated by altering growth hormone levels.
abstract: Cyclosporine (CsA) suppresses drug metabolism by decreasing cytochrome P450 (P450) enzyme levels in rat liver. Growth hormone (GH) is known to pretranslationally regulate P450 expression. Thus, the suppression of P450 by CsA may involve GH as an intermediate. To address this question, we examined the effects of administering exogenous GH via twice daily subcutaneous injections and in conjunction with chronic subcutaneous CsA administration for 14 days on hepatic P450 expression. CsA alone decreased CYP3A1/2 and CYP2C11 significantly, in a manner similar to that previously found. When administered in the absence of CsA, GH also suppressed CYP3A1/2 and CYP2C11 protein levels as compared with GH vehicle. In the presence of CsA, GH did not cause further suppression of either CYP3A1/2 or CYP2C11 expression when compared with CsA treatment with GH vehicle. Testosterone in vitro catalytic assays confirmed that CsA and GH separately cause significant decreases in activity levels. Also, the concomitant administration of GH and CsA caused lowered production of 16alpha-, 2alpha-, 6beta-, and 2beta-hydroxytestosterone as compared with the administration of GH with CsA vehicle and as compared with the administration of GH vehicle with CsA. This study shows that GH is a dominating factor over CsA in determining hepatic P450 expression and activity. In addition, CsA does not seem to alter GH levels as a mediating event in suppressing P450 expression and activity. Since CsA given in combination with GH further suppressed P450 activity as compared with CsA given in combination with vehicle, this suggests that changes in hormonal status are likely to be one of the many factors that is responsible for the lack of a clear association between cyclosporine dosing and markers of toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutics Division, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1074, USA.
authors.forename: Shirley K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Shellie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Callahan
authors.forename: Lane J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brunner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D065607:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D000072467:Cytochrome P450 Family 2; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D039181:Steroid 16-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D065607:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; D016572:Cyclosporine; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; C450279:CYP2C11 protein, rat; C465260:Cyp3a2 protein, rat; C465138:Cyp3a23-3a1 protein, rat; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D000072467:Cytochrome P450 Family 2; D039181:Steroid 16-alpha-Hydroxylase