title: Human sterol 12a-hydroxylase (CYP8B1) is mainly expressed in hepatocytes in a homogenous pattern.
abstract: The liver is the only organ where the complete synthesis of bile acids takes place. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether regional differences exist within the individual human hepatic lobuli regarding the pattern of expression of sterol 12alpha-hydroxylase (CYP8B1), a key enzyme in bile acid synthesis. A specific anti-human CYP8B1 peptide antiserum was developed and used for Western blotting and hepatic immunostaining of livers from various patients. CYP8B1 in human liver was expressed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes with an even nonzonal distribution within the liver lobulus. Pericentral expression was confirmed for CYP2E1. A weak staining was noted in cholangiocytes and Kupffer cells. Previous studies on hepatic CYP27A1 and CYP7A1 in rats have shown a zonal expression, primarily in the pericentral region. Our studies indicate a different pattern for CYP8B1 expression in human liver, which was even rather than zonal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, C1:74, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sinead
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Lennart C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rozell
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reihnér
authors.forename: Curt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Einarsson
authors.forename: Gösta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eggertsen
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gåfvels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013253:Steroid 12-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D013253:Steroid 12-alpha-Hydroxylase