Drug metabolism within the brain changes drug response: selective manipulation of brain CYP2B alters propofol effects.
Drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 (CYPs) enzymes are expressed in the liver, as well as in extrahepatic tissues such as the brain. Here we show for the first time that drug metabolism by a CYP within the brain, illustrated using CYP2B and the anesthetic propofol (2, 6-diisopropylphenol, Diprivan), can meaningfully alter the pharmacological response to a CNS acting drug. CYP2B is expressed in the brains of animals and humans, and this CYP isoform is able to metabolize centrally acting substrates such as propofol, ecstasy, and serotonin. Rats were given intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) injections of vehicle, C8-xanthate, or 8-methoxypsoralen (CYP2B mechanism-based inhibitors) and then tested for sleep time following propofol (80 mg/kg intraperitoneally). Both inhibitors significantly increased sleep-time (1.8- to 2-fold) and brain propofol levels, while having no effect on plasma propofol levels. Seven days of nicotine treatment can induce the expression of brain, but not hepatic, CYP2B, and this induction reduced propofol sleep times by 2.5-fold. This reduction was reversed in a dose-dependent manner by i.c.v. injections of inhibitor. Sleep times correlated with brain (r=0.76, P=0.0009), but not plasma (r=0.24, P=0.39) propofol concentrations. Inhibitor treatments increased brain, but not plasma, propofol levels, and had no effect on hepatic enzyme activity. These data indicate that brain CYP2B can metabolize neuroactive substrates (eg, propofol) and can alter their pharmacological response. This has wider implications for localized CYP-mediated metabolism of drugs, neurotransmitters, and neurotoxins within the brain by this highly variable enzyme family and other CYP subfamilies expressed in the brain.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jibran Y
JY
Khokhar
Rachel F
RF
Tyndale
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002714:Chlorisondamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic / Q000502:physiology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D008730:Methoxsalen / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009538:Nicotine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D015742:Propofol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014316:Tritium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D014316:Tritium; D009538:Nicotine; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1; D002714:Chlorisondamine; D008730:Methoxsalen; D015742:Propofol