The quantification of cytochrome P-450 (CYP 3A4) mRNA in the blood of patients with viral liver diseases.
OBJECTIVE
We quantified cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 3A4 mRNA in the blood and liver of patients with viral liver diseases to determine whether CYP 3A4 expression is related to disease progression.


METHODS
Total RNA was extracted from 10 mL of blood from 12 normal volunteers, from 6 patients with acute hepatitis, 17 with chronic hepatitis, 12 with liver cirrhosis, and 16 with hepatocellular carcinoma. Total RNA from 1 mg of liver tissue was extracted simultaneously in 10 patients. CYP 3A4 mRNA was quantified by competitive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and expressed as log copies/microliter.


RESULTS
The CYP 3A4 mRNA titer in blood correlated with that of the liver (r = 0.65, P < 0.05). The CYP 3A4 mRNA titer was 1.6 +/- 0.4 in normal controls, 1.0 +/- 0.5 in acute hepatitis, 0.7 +/- 0.2 in chronic hepatitis, 0.5 +/- 0.2 in liver cirrhosis, 0.5 +/- 0.2 in hepatocellular carcinoma, and decreased with progression of liver disease (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the CYP 3A4 mRNA level in blood relates to progression of liver disease.
Horiike
Norio
N
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
Abe
Masanori
M
Kumagi
Teru
T
Hiasa
Yoichi
Y
Akbar
S M Fazle
SM
Michitaka
Kojiro
K
Onji
Morikazu
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000378:metabolism; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000382:microbiology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000382:microbiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System