Changes of multiple biotransformation phase Ⅰ and phase Ⅱ enzyme activities in human fetal adrenals during fetal development

• 来源期刊: 中国药理学报（英文版）
• 关键词: human fetus adrenal cytochrome P450 glutathione S-transferase uridine diphosp-hoglucuronyl transferase
• 年，卷（期）: 2008,（2）
• 页码范围: 231-238
• 页数: 8页
• 语种: 英文
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2008.00738.x

摘要

Aim: Fetal adrenal, which synthesizes steroid hormones, is critical to fetal growth and development. Our recent research showed that some xenobiotics could inter-fere with steroidogenesis and induce intrauterine growth retardation in rats. The study on the characteristics of biotransformation enzymes in fetal adrenals still seems to be important with respect to possible significance in xenobiotic-induced fetal development toxicity. In this study, the activities of several important xenobiotic-related phase Ⅰ and phase Ⅱ enzymes in human fetal adrenals were examined and compared with those in fetal livers. Methods: The activity and mRNA expression were determined by enzymatic analysis and RT-PCR. Results: The levels of cytochrome (CYP)2A6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A7 isozymes in fetal adrenals were 82%, 92%, and 33% of those in fetal livers, respectively. There was a good positive correlation between adrenal CYP2A6 activity and gestational time. The values of α glutathione S-transferase (GST), πGST, and μGST in adrenals were 0.5, 4.4, and 8.3-fold of those in the livers, respectively, and the activity of adrenal πGST was negatively correlated with gestational time. The uridine diphosphoglucuronyl transferase activities, which were measured using p-hydroxy-biphenyl and 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin as substrates, were 9% and 3%, respectively, of those in the fetal livers. Conclusion: Our investiga-tion suggested that adrenal could be an important xenobiotic-metabolizing or-gan in fetal development and may play a potential role in xenobiotic-induced fetal development toxicity.