title: Effects of intrauterine undernutrition on the expression of CYP3A23/3A1, PXR, CAR and HNF4alpha in neonate rats.
abstract: Cytochrome P-450 3A (CYP3A) together with its nuclear receptors plays a critical role in drug metabolism. The present study investigated the effects of undernutrition in utero on hepatic mRNA and protein expression of the enzyme CYP3A23/3A1 and nuclear receptors including pregnane X receptor (PXR; NR1I2), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR; NR1I3) and nuclear factor-4alpha (HNF4alpha; HNF4A) in neonatal rats. At gestational day 2, pregnant rats were randomly divided into two groups: nourished (fed ad libitum) and undernourished (50% of nourished group). The pups delivered by nourished rats were designated as the normal-birth-weight group (NBW, n=15) and those delivered by undernourished rats were designated as the low-birth-weight group (LBW, n=15). Hepatic mRNA expression was detected by quantitative real-time PCR and the corresponding protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Compared with NBW pups, LBW pups tended to have lower mRNA expression levels of CYP3A23/3A1, PXR and CAR but higher levels of HNF4alpha. Only the CAR mRNA expression differences were significant (p<0.05). mRNA expression of CYP3A23/3A1 correlated with that of HNF4alpha in both the LBW(r=0.808, p=0.007) and NBW (r=0.452, p=0.012) groups. CYP3A23/3A1 and CAR protein expression differed between the two groups (CYP3A23/3A1, chi(2)=7.87, p=0.005; CAR, chi(2)=12.069, p=0.001). In conclusion, these findings suggest that undernutrition may influence the mRNA expression of CAR and protein expression of both CYP3A23/3A1 and CAR in neonatal rats. Since CYP3A23/3A1 and CAR are critically involved in drug metabolism, these results may have clinical implications for optimal medication in LBW children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Drug Metabolism, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, People's Republic of China. nsqshc@163.com
authors.forename: Shaoqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Xiumin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sijie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Zhengyan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lushan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shuqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001835:Body Weight; D000090702:Constitutive Androstane Receptor; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D000077297:Pregnane X Receptor; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000090702:Constitutive Androstane Receptor; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4; C496594:Hnf4a protein, rat; C000625854:Nr1i2 protein, rat; C000716329:Nr1i3 protein, rat; D000077297:Pregnane X Receptor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D014157:Transcription Factors; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; C465138:Cyp3a23-3a1 protein, rat; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A