Agonistic effect of selected isoflavones on arylhydrocarbon receptor in a novel AZ-AhR transgenic gene reporter human cell line.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that controls the expression of a diverse set of genes. Structurally diverse compounds bind to AhR and act as AhR agonists. Well characterised family of natural AhR ligands are isoflavones, which are compounds found predominantly in soy beans or red clover.

Novel stably transfected human reporter cell line AIZ-AR as a tool for an assessment of human androgen receptor transcriptional activity.

Androgen receptor plays multiple physiological and pathological roles in human organism. In the current paper, we describe construction and characterization of a novel stably transfected human reporter cell line AIZ-AR for assessment of transcriptional activity of human androgen receptor. Cell line AIZ-AR is derived from human prostate carcinoma epithelial cell line 22Rv1 that was transfected with reporter plasmid containing 3 copies of androgen response regions (ARRs) followed by a single copy of androgen response element (ARE) from the promoter region of human prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene.

Dual effects of ketoconazole cis-enantiomers on CYP3A4 in human hepatocytes and HepG2 Cells.

Antifungal drug ketoconazole causes severe drug-drug interactions by influencing gene expression and catalytic activity of major drug-metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 CYP3A4. Ketoconazole is administered in the form of racemic mixture of two cis-enantiomers, i.e.

Omeprazole and lansoprazole enantiomers induce CYP3A4 in human hepatocytes and cell lines via glucocorticoid receptor and pregnane X receptor axis.

Benzimidazole drugs lansoprazole and omeprazole are used for treatment of various gastrointestinal pathologies. Both compounds cause drug-drug interactions because they activate aryl hydrocarbon receptor and induce CYP1A genes. In the current paper, we examined the effects of lansoprazole and omeprazole enantiomers on the expression of key drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4 in human hepatocytes and human cancer cell lines.

Enantiospecific effects of ketoconazole on aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Azole antifungal ketoconazole (KET) was demonstrated to activate aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Since clinically used KET is a racemic mixture of two cis-enantiomers (2R,4S)-(+)-KET and (2S,4R)-(-)-KET, we examined the effects of KET enantiomers on AhR signaling pathway. (+)-KET dose-dependently activated AhR in human gene reporter cell line AZ-AHR, and displayed 5-20× higher agonist activity (efficacy), as compared to (-)-KET; both enantiomers were AhR antagonists with equal potency (IC50).

Differential effects of omeprazole and lansoprazole enantiomers on aryl hydrocarbon receptor in human hepatocytes and cell lines.

Proton pump inhibitors omeprazole and lansoprazole contain chiral sulfur atom and they are administered as a racemate, i.e. equimolar mixture of S- and R-enantiomers.

Profiling of enantiopure drugs towards aryl hydrocarbon (AhR), glucocorticoid (GR) and pregnane X (PXR) receptors in human reporter cell lines.

In the past decade, a large number of enantiopure drugs were introduced to clinical practice, since improved therapeutic effects were demonstrated for one of the enantiomers from originally racemic drug. While the therapeutic effects and safety of enantiopure drugs were tested prior to their approval, various biological enantiospecific activities of these, often "old" drugs, remain to be elucidated. In the current paper, we examined enantiospecific effects of clinically used enantiopure drugs containing one chiral center in the structure (i.

Influence of gold(I) complexes involving adenine derivatives on major drug-drug interaction pathway.

A series of considerably anti-inflammatory active gold(I) mixed-ligand complexes, involving the benzyl-substituted derivatives of N6-benzyladenine (HLn) and triphenylphosphine (PPh3) as ligands and having the general formula [Au(Ln)(PPh3)]·xH2O (1-4; n=1-4 and x=0-1), was evaluated for the ability to influence the expression of CYP1A1/2 and CYP3A4 and transcriptional activity of glucocorticoid (GR) and aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) receptors in primary human hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. In both tests, evaluating the ability of the complexes to modulate the expression of CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 in primary human hepatocytes and influence the transcriptional activity of AhR and GR in the reporter cell lines, no negative influence on the major drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 isoenzymes and their signaling pathway (through GR and AhR receptors) was observed. These positive findings revealed another substantial evidence that could lead to utilization of the complexes as effective and relatively safe drugs for the treatment of hard-to-treat inflammation-related diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, comparable or even better than clinically used gold-containing drug Auranofin.

Construction and characterization of a reporter gene cell line for assessment of human glucocorticoid receptor activation.

Glucocorticoids are widely used drugs in human pharmacotherapy. There is an increasing demand for tools allowing detection of the ligands for glucocorticoid receptor (GR), with regard to pre-clinical drug testing and environmental applications. We constructed human luciferase reporter gene cell line AZ-GR derived from HeLa human cervix carcinoma cells, which were stably transfected with reporter plasmid containing three copies of glucorticoid response element (GRE) upstream of luciferase reporter gene.

Construction and characterization of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma co-activator 1 alpha (PGC-1α over-expressing cell line derived from human hepatocyte carcinoma HepG2 cells).

Aims: The aim was develop stable human cell line stable over-expressing transcription co-activator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1α (PGC-1α) with restored hepatospecific functions and increased expression of major xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes.

Methods: Six clones of HepG2-PGC-1α and one control clone HepG2-pcDNA3 were isolated and analyzed for secretion of hepatospecific markers, fibrinogen, albumin and alpha1-antitrypsin. Expression levels of protein and mRNA of hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF4α), pregnane X receptor (PXR) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) were determined.

The role of residues T248, Y249 and T422 in the function of human pregnane X receptor.

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a key xenobiotic receptor that regulates the expression of numerous drug-metabolizing enzymes. Some posttranslational mechanisms modulate its transcriptional activity. Although several kinases have been shown to directly phosphorylate this receptor, little is known about phosphorylation sites of PXR.

Novel stably transfected gene reporter human hepatoma cell line for assessment of aryl hydrocarbon receptor transcriptional activity: construction and characterization.

We constructed stably transfected gene reporter cell line AZ-AHR, allowing measurement of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) transcriptional activity. Human hepatoma HepG2 cells were transfected with a construct containing several AhR binding sites upstream of luciferase reporter gene. We prepared 12 clones and we characterized the best five in responsiveness to TCDD.

Construction and characterization of hepatocyte nuclear factor HNF4alpha1 over-expressing cell line derived from human hepatoma HepG2 cells.

Cancer cell lines derived from hepatocytes have an altered phenotype and they lack hepatocyte-specific functions. It is at least partly due to the under-expression of transcription factors such as hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α), steroid receptor co-activator 1 (SRC1) etc. Recently, a strategy of transient transfection of human hepatic cells with HNF4α revealed improved hepatospecific functions, including the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes.

Valproic acid augments vitamin D receptor-mediated induction of CYP24 by vitamin D3: a possible cause of valproic acid-induced osteomalacia?

Valproic acid (VPA) is a wide spread anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing agent, the use of which is associated with hepatotoxicity, bone marrow suppression and osteomalacia. In the current paper we propose a possible mechanism of VPA-induced osteomalacia involving accelerated catabolism of 1α,25(OH)(2)-vitamin D3 (VD3) due to increased expression of CYP24. We demonstrate that VPA strongly potentiates CYP24 mRNA expression by VD3 in human hepatocytes (HH) and in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293).

Investigation of Orlistat effects on PXR activation and CYP3A4 expression in primary human hepatocytes and human intestinal LS174T cells.

Drugs for weight loss have been in use for nearly hundred years. Orlistat (Xenical) is a non-centrally acting anti-obesity drug that inactivates gastric and intestinal lipases, thus, preventing absorption of dietary triglycerides. There are reports indicating that Orlistat reduces bioavailability of Cyclosporin to a clinically relevant degree.