title: Down-regulation of astroglial CYP2C, glucocorticoid receptor and constitutive androstane receptor genes in response to cocaine in human U373 MG astrocytoma cells.
abstract: Psychostimulant drugs abuse is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Cytochromes P450 (CYP), especially the astrocytic members of the CYP2C subfamily may play an important role in the modulation of cerebrovascular functions, by generating vasodilatator metabolites from arachidonic acid (AA). Our study examined the regulation of CYP2C genes in response to cocaine or amphetamine in the human astrocyte-like U373 MG cells, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western-blot analysis. A treatment for 48h with increasing concentrations of cocaine caused a significant down-regulation of CYP2C8 and CYP2C9 genes and decreased the protein level. These effects were not observed with amphetamine. One mechanism of the CYP2C mRNA regulation implicates various specific receptors including glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). Effects of cocaine on CYP2C were accompanied by a decrease in the GR and CAR gene expression suggesting that these nuclear receptors could be involved in the CYP2C repression by cocaine in the U373 MG cell line. These findings represent a possible molecular mechanism involved in the cerebrovascular risk associated with cocaine abuse.
authors.affiliation: Inserm U525, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Henri Poincaré Nancy I, 30 rue Lionnois, 54000 Nancy, France. c.armand@chu-nancy.fr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malaplate-Armand
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Visvikis-Siest
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Batt
mesh_terms: D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D001254:Astrocytoma; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003042:Cocaine / Q000633:toxicity*; D000090702:Constitutive Androstane Receptor; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000090702:Constitutive Androstane Receptor; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D014157:Transcription Factors; C400322:cytochrome P-450 CYP2C subfamily; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D003042:Cocaine