Intestinal UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and Protection against Irinotecan-Induced Toxicity in a Novel UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 Tissue-Specific Humanized Mouse Model.

The human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) represent an important family of drug-metabolizing enzymes, with UGT1A1 targeting the conjugation and detoxification of many exogenous substances, including pharmaceutical drugs. In this study we generated humanized UGT1A1 mice expressing the human UGT1A1 gene in either liver (hUGT1A1HEP ) or intestine (hUGT1A1GI ), enabling experiments to examine tissue-specific properties of UGT1A1-specific glucuronidation. Hepatic and intestinal tissue-specific expression and function of UGT1A1 were demonstrated. Although the liver is considered a major organ for detoxification, intestinal UGT1A1 is an important contributor for drug clearance. Mice were challenged with irinotecan (CPT-11), a prodrug hydrolyzed by carboxylesterases to form the active metabolite 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) and detoxified by UGT1A1. Humanized UGT1A1HEP mice that have no intestinal UGT1A1 displayed a greater lethality rate when exposed to CPT-11 than hUGT1A1GI mice. When exposed to a low dose of CPT-11 (10 mg/kg), hUGT1A1HEP mice displayed greater intestinal inflammatory (IL-1ß and IL-6) insult in addition to p53-triggered apoptotic responses. In vitro studies with intestinal crypt organoids exposed to CPT-11 confirmed the results observed in vivo and indicated that CPT-11 impacts stemness, apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in organoids deficient in UGT1A1. When we examined the induction of ER stress in organoids with thapsigargin, an inhibitor of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase, apoptosis and the caspase surge that occurred in hUGT1A1HEP mice were blocked in hUGT1A1GI organoids. This study reveals the importance of intestinal UGT1A1 in preventing inflammation, apoptosis, and loss of stemness capacity upon systemic challenge with an important chemotherapeutic agent. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Hepatic and intestinal UGT1A1 play a key role in the metabolism and detoxification of endogenous and exogenous compounds. The use of tissue-specific humanized models expressing UGT1A1 in liver or intestine has confirmed the relevance of the intestinal tract in the detoxification of irinotecan. Mechanistic studies using intestinal organoids highlighted the importance of UGT1A1 in reducing inflammation, apoptosis, and loss of stemness. These new models provide valuable tools for studying tissue-specific glucuronidation of substances that are metabolized by human UGT1A1.

Differential Role of Liver X Receptor (LXR) α and LXRß in the Regulation of UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 in Humanized UGT1 Mice.

Liver X receptors (LXRs), LXRα and LXRß, are nuclear receptors that regulate the metabolism of cholesterol and bile acids and are activated by oxysterols. Humanized UGT1 (hUGT1) mice express the 9-human UGT1A genes associated with the UGT1 locus in a Ugt1-null background. The expression of UGT1A1 is developmentally delayed in the liver and intestines, resulting in the accumulation of serum bilirubin during the neonatal period. Induction of UGT1A1 in newborn hUGT1 mice leads to rapid reduction in total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels, a phenotype measurement that allows for an accurate prediction on UGT1A1 expression. When neonatal hUGT1 mice were treated by oral gavage with the LXR agonist T0901317, TSB levels were dramatically reduced. To determine the LXR contribution to the induction of UGT1A1 and the lowering of TSB levels, experiments were conducted in neonatal hUGT1/Lxrα -/- , hUGT1/Lxrß -/- , and hUGT1/Lxrαß -/- mice treated with T0901317. Induction of liver UGT1A1 was dependent upon LXRα, with the induction pattern paralleling induction of LXRα-specific stearoyl CoA desaturase 1. However, the actions of T0901317 were also shown to display a lack of specificity for LXR, with the induction of liver UGT1A1 in hUGT1/Lxrαß -/- mice, a result associated with activation of both pregnane X receptor and constitutive androstane receptor. However, the LXR agonist GW3965 was highly selective toward LXRα, showing no impact on lowering TSB values or inducing UGT1A1 in hUGT1/Lxrα -/- mice. An LXR-specific enhancer site on the UGT1A1 gene was identified, along with convincing evidence that LXRα is crucial in maintaining constitutive expression of UGT1A1 in adult hUGT1 mice. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: It has been established that activation of LXRα, and not LXRß, is responsible for the induction of liver UGT1A1 and metabolism of serum bilirubin in neonatal hUGT1 mice. Although induction of the human UGT1A1 gene is initiated at a newly characterized LXR enhancer site, allelic deletion of the Lxrα gene drastically reduces the constitutive expression of liver UGT1A1 in adult hUGT1 mice. Combined, these findings indicate that LXRα is critical for the developmental expression of UGT1A1.

Selective and sensitive quantification of the cytochrome P450 3A4 protein in human liver homogenates through multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry.

This study aimed at establishing a sensitive multiple reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) method for the quantification of the drug metabolizing cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4 enzyme in human liver homogenates. Liver samples were subjected to trypsin digestion. MRM-MS analyses were performed using three transitions optimized on one purified synthetic peptide unique to CYP3A4 and the standardizing protein, calnexin. Coefficient of variations for the precision and reproducibility of the MRM-MS measurement were also determined. The method was applied to liver samples from ten non-cholestatic donors and 34 cholestatic patients with primary biliary cholangitis (n = 12; PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (n = 10; PSC) or alcoholic liver disease (n = 12; ALD). The established method presented high sensitivity with limit of detection lower than 5 fmol, and was successfully applied for the absolute and relative quantification of CYP3A4 in both whole liver homogenate and microsomal fractions. When all groups were analyzed together, a significant correlation was observed for the MRM-based CYP3A4 protein quantification in homogenates and microsomes (r = 0.49, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was detected between CYP3A4 levels in PSC, PBC, ALD and control samples. Finally, the MRM-MS quantification of CYP3A4 in homogenates also correlated (r = 0.44; p < 0.05) with the level of enzyme activity in the same samples, as determined by measuring the chenodeoxycholic to hyocholic acid conversion. The established method provides a sensitive tool to evaluate the CYP3A4 protein in human liver homogenates from patients with normal or chronic/severe hepatic injury.

The Human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase UGT2A1 and UGT2A2 enzymes are highly active in bile acid glucuronidation.

Bile acids (BA) are essential modulators of lipid, glucose, and cholesterol homeostasis, but they exert cytotoxic effects in the cholestatic liver. Glucuronidation, catalyzed by the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes is a pharmacologically relevant BA detoxification process. The present study characterized the BA-conjugating activity of the little-studied human UGTs of subfamily 2A: UGT2A1, 2A2, and 2A3. Recombinant UGT2As, expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells, were assayed for the glucuronidation of six major bile acids: chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), cholic acid (CA), lithocholic acid (LCA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), hyocholic acid (HCA) and hyodeoxycholic acid (HDCA). UGT2A3 exhibited detectable but very low activity with all the tested BA substrates. UGT2A1 was highly efficient in forming LCA-3 and LCA-24G, CDCA-24, DCA-24, HCA-24, and HDCA-24G, whereas UGT2A2 was the most active enzyme for CA-24G and CDCA-24G formation and also was able to generate HDCA-6G, HDCA-24G, LCA-24G, and HCA-24G. The Km values of UGT2A1 varied between 102.2 ± 14.3 µM and 2.4 ± 1.2 mM. With the exception of CA-24G, a low affinity substrate for UGT2A2, all the Km values for UGT2A2 were in the 100 to 400 µM range. We demonstrate the high reactivity of the human UGT2A1 and UGT2A2 for bile acid glucuronidation. The physiologic importance of these reactions to BA disposition remains, however, to be clarified in vivo.

Androgen Glucuronidation in Mice: When, Where, and How.

Glucuronidation, catalyzed by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase UGT2B enzymes, is a major inactivating and elimination pathway for androgen hormones in humans. Whether Ugt2b enzymes from mice are also reactive with these hormones have never been investigated. The present study aimed at evaluating the capability of murine tissues and Ugt2b enzymes to glucuronidated androgens. The 7 murine Ugt2b (Ugt2b1, 2b5, 2b34, 2b35, 2b36, 2b37 and 2b38) enzymes were cloned and stably expressed into HEK293 cells. In vitro glucuronidation assays were performed with microsomal proteins or homogenates from mice tissues (liver, kidney, intestine, adipose, testis, prostate, epididymis, bulbo, seminal vesicle, mammary glands, uterus, and ovary) and from Ugt2b-HEK293 cells. Male and female livers, as well as male kidneys, are the major sites for androgen glucuronidation in mice. The male liver is highly efficient at glucuronidation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone and is enriched in Ugt2b1 and 2b5 enzymes. Androsterone and 3α-Diol are conjugated in the male kidney through an Ugt2b37-dependent process. Interestingly, castration partially abolished hepatic Ugt2b1 expression and activity, while Ugt2b37 was totally repressed. DHT injection partially corrected these changes. In conclusion, these observations revealed the substrate- and tissue-specific manner in which murine Ugt2b enzymes conjugate androgens. They also evidence how androgens modulate their own glucuronide conjugation in mice.

Impact of Blueberry Consumption on the Human Fecal Bileacidome: A Pilot Study of Bile Acid Modulation by Freeze-Dried Blueberry.

Cholesterol-derived bile acids (BAs) affect numerous physiological functions such as glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism and absorption, intestinal inflammation and immunity, as well as intestinal microbiota diversity. Diet influences the composition of the BA pool. In the present study, we analyzed the impact of a dietary supplementation with a freeze-dried blueberry powder (BBP) on the fecal BA pool composition. The diet of 11 men and 13 women at risk of metabolic syndrome was supplemented with 50 g/day of BBP for 8 weeks, and feces were harvested before (pre) and after (post) BBP consumption. BAs were profiled using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. No significant changes in total BAs were detected when comparing pre- vs. post-BBP consumption samples. However, post-BBP consumption samples exhibited significant accumulations of glycine-conjugated BAs (p = 0.04), glycochenodeoxycholic (p = 0.01), and glycoursodeoxycholic (p = 0.01) acids, as well as a significant reduction (p = 0.03) in the secondary BA levels compared with pre-BBP feces. In conclusion, the fecal bileacidome is significantly altered after the consumption of BBP for 8 weeks. While additional studies are needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and physiological implications of these changes, our data suggest that the consumption of blueberries can modulate toxic BA elimination.

The human UGT1A3 enzyme conjugates norursodeoxycholic acid into a C23-ester glucuronide in the liver.

Norursodeoxycholic acid (norUDCA) exhibits efficient anti-cholestatic properties in an animal model of sclerosing cholangitis. norUDCA is eliminated as a C(23)-ester glucuronide (norUDCA-23G) in humans. The present study aimed at identifying the human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzyme(s) involved in hepatic norUDCA glucuronidation and at evaluating the consequences of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding region of UGT genes on norUDCA-23G formation. The effects of norUDCA on the formation of the cholestatic lithocholic acid-glucuronide derivative and of rifampicin on hepatic norUDCA glucuronidation were also explored. In vitro glucuronidation assays were performed with microsomes from human tissues (liver and intestine) and HEK293 cells expressing human UGT enzymes and variant allozymes. UGT1A3 was identified as the major hepatic UGT enzyme catalyzing the formation of norUDCA-23G. Correlation studies using samples from a human liver bank (n = 16) indicated that the level of UGT1A3 protein is a strong determinant of in vitro norUDCA glucuronidation. Analyses of the norUDCA-conjugating activity by 11 UGT1A3 variant allozymes identified three phenotypes with high, low, and intermediate capacity. norUDCA is also identified as a competitive inhibitor for the hepatic formation of the pro-cholestatic lithocholic acid-glucuronide derivative, whereas norUDCA glucuronidation is weakly stimulated by rifampicin. This study identifies human UGT1A3 as the major enzyme for the hepatic norUDCA glucuronidation and supports that some coding polymorphisms affecting the conjugating activity of UGT1A3 in vitro may alter the pharmacokinetic properties of norUDCA in cholestasis treatment.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid: A Pharmaco-Nutraceutical Approach to Improve the Responsiveness to Ursodeoxycholic Acid.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the first line therapy for the treatment of cholestatic and autoimmune liver diseases. Its clinical use is currently limited by a significant proportion of non-responder patients. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) possess important anti-inflammatory properties and protect liver cells against bile acid (BA)-induced toxicity. The present study was designed to rapidly evaluate whether combining n-3 PUFAs (i.e., eicosapentaenoic [EPA] and docosahexaenoic [DHA] acids) to UDCA would provide additional benefits when compared to the drug alone. The parameters evaluated were (i) the expression of genes governing BA synthesis, transport, and metabolism; (ii) the prevention of BA-induced apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress; and (iii) the control of BA- and LPS-dependent inflammation. In the absence of n-3 PUFAs, most of the parameters investigated were unaffected by UDCA or were only altered by the higher dose (500 µM) of the drug. By contrast, in the presence of EPA/DHA (50/50 µM), all parameters showed a strongly improved response and the lowest UDCA dosage (50 µM) provided equal or better benefits than the highest dose used alone. For example, the combination EPA/DHA + UDCA 50 µM caused comparable down-regulation of the CYP7A1 gene expression and of the BA-induced caspase 3 activity as observed with UDCA 500 µM. In conclusion, these results suggest that the addition of n-3 PUFAs to UDCA may improve the response to the drug, and that such a pharmaco-nutraceutical approach could be used in clinic to open the narrow therapeutic dose of UDCA in cholestatic liver diseases.

High-Fat Diet Modulates Hepatic Amyloid ß and Cerebrosterol Metabolism in the Triple Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Obesity and diabetes are strongly associated not only with fatty liver but also cognitive dysfunction. Moreover, their presence, particularly in midlife, is recognized as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD, the most common cause of dementia, is increasingly considered as a metabolic disease, although underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. The liver plays a major role in maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis, as well as in clearing the AD neuropathogenic factor amyloid-ß (Aß) and in metabolizing cerebrosterol, a cerebral-derived oxysterol proposed as an AD biomarker. We hypothesized that liver impairment induced by obesity contributes to AD pathogenesis. We show that the AD triple transgenic mouse model (3xTg-AD) fed a chow diet presents a hepatic phenotype similar to nontransgenic controls (NTg) at 15 months of age. A high-fat diet (HFD), started at the age of 6 months and continued for 9 months, until sacrifice, induced hepatic steatosis in NTg, but not in 3xTg-AD mice, whereas HFD did not induce changes in hepatic fatty acid oxidation, de novo lipogenesis, and gluconeogenesis. HFD-induced obesity was associated with a reduction of insulin-degrading enzyme, one of the main hepatic enzymes responsible for Aß clearance. The hepatic rate of cerebrosterol glucuronidation was lower in obese 3xTg-AD than in nonobese controls (P < 0.05) and higher compared with obese NTg (P < 0.05), although circulating levels remained unchanged. Conclusion: Modulation of hepatic lipids, Aß, and cerebrosterol metabolism in obese 3xTg-AD mice differs from control mice. This study sheds light on the liver-brain axis, showing that the chronic presence of NAFLD and changes in liver function affect peripheral AD features and should be considered during development of biomarkers or AD therapeutic targets.

Regulation of endobiotics glucuronidation by ligand-activated transcription factors: physiological function and therapeutic potential.

Recent progresses in molecular pharmacology approaches have allowed the identification and characterization of a series of nuclear receptors (NR) which efficiently control the level UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) genes expression. These regulatory processes ensure optimized UGT expression in response to specific endogenous and/or exogenous stimuli. Interestingly, numerous endogenous activators of these NRs are conjugated by the UGT enzymes they regulate. In such a case, the NR-dependent regulation of UGT genes corresponds to a feedforward/feedback mechanism by which a bioactive molecule controls its own concentrations. In the present review, we will discuss i) how bilirubin reduces its circulating levels by activating AhR in the liver; ii) how bile acids modulate their hepatic glucuronidation via PXR- and FXR-dependent processes in enterohepatic tissues; and iii) how androgens inhibit their cellular metabolism in prostate cancer cells through an AR-dependent mechanism. Subsequently, with further discussion of the same examples (bilirubin and bile acids), we will illustrate how NR-dependent regulation of UGT enzymes may contribute to the beneficial effects of pharmacological activators of nuclear receptors, such as CAR and PPARa.

Lipid-activated transcription factors control bile acid glucuronidation.

Bile acids subserve important physiological functions in the control of cholesterol homeostasis. Indeed, hepatic bile acid synthesis and biliary excretion constitute the main route for cholesterol removal from the human body. On the other hand, bile acids serve as natural detergents for the intestinal absorption of dietary cholesterol. However, due to their detergent properties, bile acids are inherently cytotoxic, and their cellular level may be tightly controlled to avoid pathological situations such as cholestasis. Recent investigations have illustrated the crucial roles that a series of ligand-activated transcription factors has in the control of hepatic bile acids synthesis, transport and metabolism. Thus, the lipid-activated nuclear receptors, farnesoid X-receptor (FXR), liver X-receptor (LXR), pregnane X-receptor (PXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha), modulate the expression and activity of genes controlling bile acid homeostasis in the liver. Several members of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes family are among the bile acid metabolizing enzymes regulated by these receptors. UGTs catalyze glucuronidation, a major phase II metabolic reaction, which converts hydrophobic bile acids into polar and urinary excretable metabolites. This article summarizes our recent observations on the regulation of bile acid conjugating UGTs upon pharmacological activation of lipid-activated receptors, with a particular interest for the role of PPAR alpha and LXRalpha in controlling human UGT1A3 expression.

Activators of the farnesoid X receptor negatively regulate androgen glucuronidation in human prostate cancer LNCAP cells.

Androgens are major regulators of prostate cell growth and physiology. In the human prostate, androgens are inactivated in the form of hydrophilic glucuronide conjugates. These metabolites are formed by the two human UGT2B15 [UGT (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase) 2B15] and UGT2B17 enzymes. The FXR (farnesoid X receptor) is a bile acid sensor controlling hepatic and/or intestinal cholesterol, lipid and glucose metabolism. In the present study, we report the expression of FXR in normal and cancer prostate epithelial cells, and we demonstrate that its activation by chenodeoxycholic acid or GW4064 negatively interferes with the levels of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 mRNA and protein in prostate cancer LNCaP cells. FXR activation also causes a drastic reduction of androgen glucuronidation in these cells. These results point out activators of FXR as negative regulators of androgen-conjugating UGT expression in the prostate. Finally, the androgen metabolite androsterone, which is also an activator of FXR, dose-dependently reduces the glucuronidation of androgens catalysed by UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 in an FXR-dependent manner in LNCaP cells. In conclusion, the present study identifies for the first time the activators of FXR as important regulators of androgen metabolism in human prostate cancer cells.

Calcitrol (1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) inhibits androgen glucuronidation in prostate cancer cells.

Calcitriol (1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)), the active metabolite of vitamin D, has recently emerged as a promising therapeutic agent in the treatment of prostate cancer, the second most common cause of cancer death in American males. In the present study, we have analyzed the effects of calcitriol treatment on the expression and activity of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 2B15 and 2B17 in prostate cancer LNCaP and 22Rv1 cells. These two enzymes share a crucial role in the inactivation of androgens in the human prostate. We report that calcitriol treatment results in lower glucuronide conjugation of the active androgen dihydrotestosterone and its reduced metabolites androstane-3alpha-diol and androsterone in LNCaP cells. The same treatment also drastically decreased the mRNA and protein levels of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 in LNCaP and 22Rv1 cells. Using casodex, an androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, and AR-specific small interfering RNA probes, we show that calcitriol requires a functional AR to inhibit the expression of the UGT2B17 gene in LNCaP cells. By contrast, transient transfection and site-directed mutagenesis experiments revealed that calcitriol down-regulates UGT2B15 promoter activity through a responsive region between positions -171 and -113 bp. In conclusion, the present study identifies the vitamin D receptor activator calcitriol as a negative regulator of the UGT2B15- and UGT2B17-dependent inactivation of androgens in prostate cancer LNCaP cells. Androgens promote prostate cancer cell proliferation; thus, the reduction of their inactivation could have a limiting effect of the calcitriol antiproliferative properties in prostate cancer cells.

N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Stimulate Bile Acid Detoxification in Human Cell Models.

Cholestasis is characterized by the accumulation of toxic bile acids (BAs) in liver cells. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acids, on BA homeostasis and toxicity in human cell models. The effects of EPA and/or DHA on the expression of genes involved in the maintenance of BA homeostasis were analyzed in human hepatoma (HepG2) and colon carcinoma (Caco-2) cells, as well as in primary culture of human intestinal (InEpC) and renal (RPTEC) cells. Extracellular BA species were quantified in culture media using LC-MS/MS. BA-induced toxicity was evaluated using caspase-3 and flow cytometry assays. Gene expression analyses of HepG2 cells reveal that n-3 PUFAs reduce the expression of genes involved in BA synthesis (CYP7A1, CYP27A1) and uptake (NTCP), while activating genes encoding metabolic enzymes (SULT2A1) and excretion transporters (MRP2, MRP3). N-3 PUFAs also generate a less toxic BA pool and prevent the BA-dependent activation of apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Conclusion. The present study reveals that n-3 PUFAs stimulate BA detoxification.

Urinary Elimination of Bile Acid Glucuronides under Severe Cholestatic Situations: Contribution of Hepatic and Renal Glucuronidation Reactions.

Biliary obstruction, a severe cholestatic complication, causes accumulation of toxic bile acids (BAs) in liver cells. Glucuronidation, catalyzed by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes, detoxifies cholestatic BAs. Using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, 11 BA glucuronide (-G) species were quantified in prebiliary and postbiliary stenting serum and urine samples from 17 patients with biliary obstruction. Stenting caused glucuronide- and fluid-specific changes in BA-G levels and BA-G/BA metabolic ratios. In vitro glucuronidation assays with human liver and kidney microsomes revealed that even if renal enzymes generally displayed lower KM values, the two tissues shared similar glucuronidation capacities for BAs. By contrast, major differences between the two tissues were observed when four human BA-conjugating UGTs 1A3, 1A4, 2B4, and 2B7 were analyzed for mRNA and protein levels. Notably, the BA-24G producing UGT1A3 enzyme, abundant in the liver, was not detected in kidney microsomes. In conclusion, the circulating and urinary BA-G profiles are hugely impacted under severe cholestasis. The similar BA-glucuronidating abilities of hepatic and renal extracts suggest that both the liver and kidney may contribute to the urine BA-G pool.

UGT2B17 Expedites Progression of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancers by Promoting Ligand-Independent AR Signaling.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is characterized by a shift in androgen receptor (AR) signaling from androgen-dependent to androgen (ligand)-independent. UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2B17 (UGT2B17) is a key enzyme that maintains androgen homeostasis by catabolizing AR agonists into inactive forms. Although enhanced UGT2B17 expression by antiandrogens has been reported in androgen-dependent prostate cancer, its roles in regulating AR signaling transformation and CRPC progression remain unknown. In this study, we show that higher UGT2B17 protein expression in prostate tumors is associated with higher Gleason score, metastasis, and CRPC progression. UGT2B17 expression and activity were higher in androgen-independent compared to androgen-dependent cell lines. UGT2B17 stimulated cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and xenograft progression to CRPC after prolonged androgen deprivation. Gene microarray analysis indicated that UGT2B17 suppressed androgen-dependent AR transcriptional activity and enhanced of ligand-independent transcriptional activity at genes associated with cell mitosis. These UGT2B17 actions were mainly mediated by activation of the c-Src kinase. In CRPC tumors, UGT2B17 expression was associated positively with c-Src activation. These results indicate that UGT2B17 expedites CRPC progression by enhancing ligand-independent AR signaling to activate cell mitosis in cancer cells. Cancer Res; 76(22); 6701-11. ©2016 AACR.

PPARα: A Master Regulator of Bilirubin Homeostasis.

Hypolipidemic fibrates activate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α to modulate lipid oxidation and metabolism. The present study aimed at evaluating how 3 PPARα agonists, namely, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, and Wy14,643, affect bilirubin synthesis and metabolism. Human umbilical vein epithelial cells (HUVEC) and coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMC) were cultured in the absence or presence of the 3 activators, and mRNA, protein, and/or activity levels of the bilirubin synthesizing heme oxygenase- (HO-) 1 and biliverdin reductase (BVR) enzymes were determined. Human hepatocytes (HH) and HepG2 cells sustained similar treatments, except that the expression of the bilirubin conjugating UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A1 enzyme and multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) 2 transporter was analyzed. In HUVECs, gemfibrozil, fenofibrate, and Wy14,643 upregulated HO-1 mRNA expression without affecting BVR. Wy14,643 and fenofibrate also caused HO-1 protein accumulation, while gemfibrozil and fenofibrate favored the secretion of bilirubin in cell media. Similar positive regulations were also observed with the 3 PPARα ligands in CASMCs where HO-1 mRNA and protein levels were increased. In HH and HepG2 cells, both UGT1A1 and MRP2 transcripts were also accumulating. These observations indicate that PPARα ligands activate bilirubin synthesis in vascular cells and metabolism in liver cells. The clinical implications of these regulatory events are discussed.

Role of glucuronidation for hepatic detoxification and urinary elimination of toxic bile acids during biliary obstruction.

Biliary obstruction, a severe cholestatic condition, results in a huge accumulation of toxic bile acids (BA) in the liver. Glucuronidation, a conjugation reaction, is thought to protect the liver by both reducing hepatic BA toxicity and increasing their urinary elimination. The present study evaluates the contribution of each process in the overall BA detoxification by glucuronidation. Glucuronide (G), glycine, taurine conjugates, and unconjugated BAs were quantified in pre- and post-biliary stenting urine samples from 12 patients with biliary obstruction, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The same LC-MS/MS procedure was used to quantify intra- and extracellular BA-G in Hepatoma HepG2 cells. Bile acid-induced toxicity in HepG2 cells was evaluated using MTS reduction, caspase-3 and flow cytometry assays. When compared to post-treatment samples, pre-stenting urines were enriched in glucuronide-, taurine- and glycine-conjugated BAs. Biliary stenting increased the relative BA-G abundance in the urinary BA pool, and reduced the proportion of taurine- and glycine-conjugates. Lithocholic, deoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic acids were the most cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic/necrotic BAs for HepG2 cells. Other species, such as the cholic, hyocholic and hyodeoxycholic acids were nontoxic. All BA-G assayed were less toxic and displayed lower pro-apoptotic/necrotic effects than their unconjugated precursors, even if they were able to penetrate into HepG2 cells. Under severe cholestatic conditions, urinary excretion favors the elimination of amidated BAs, while glucuronidation allows the conversion of cytotoxic BAs into nontoxic derivatives.

Enantiomer selective glucuronidation of the non-steroidal pure anti-androgen bicalutamide by human liver and kidney: role of the human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)1A9 enzyme.

Bicalutamide (Casodex(®) ) is a non-steroidal pure anti-androgen used in the treatment of localized prostate cancer. It is a racemate drug, and its activity resides in the (R)-enantiomer, with little in the (S)-enantiomer. A major metabolic pathway for bicalutamide is glucuronidation catalysed by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes. While (S)bicalutamide is directly glucuronidated, (R)bicalutamide requires hydroxylation prior to glucuronidation. The contribution of human tissues and UGT isoforms in the metabolism of these enantiomers has not been extensively investigated. In this study, both (R) and/or (S)bicalutamide were converted into glucuronide (-G) derivatives after incubation of pure and racemic solutions with microsomal extracts from human liver and kidney. Intestinal microsomes exhibited only low reactivity with these substrates. Km values of liver and kidney samples for (S)bicalutamide glucuronidation were similar, and lower than values obtained with the (R)-enantiomer. Among the 16 human UGTs tested, UGT1A8 and UGT1A9 were able to form both (S) and (R)bicalutamide-G from pure or racemic substrates. UGT2B7 was also able to form (R)bicalutamide-G. Kinetic parameters of the recombinant UGT2B7, UGT1A8 and UGT1A9 enzymes support a predominant role of the UGT1A9 isoform in bicalutamide metabolism. Accordingly, (S)bicalutamide inhibited the ability of human liver and kidney microsomes to glucuronidate the UGT1A9 probe substrate, propofol. In conclusion, the present study provides the first comprehensive analysis of in vitro bicalutamide glucuronidation by human tissues and UGTs and identifies UGT1A9 as a major contributor for (R) and (S) glucuronidation in the human liver and kidney.

Differential expression of the androgen-conjugating UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 enzymes in prostate tumor cells during cancer progression.

CONTEXT: Androgens play major roles in prostate cancer initiation and development. In prostate cells, the human uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)2B15 and UGT2B17 enzymes inactivate androgens. OBJECTIVE: We investigated in vivo how UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 expressions are affected during prostate cancer development. DESIGN: We conducted an observational study of the UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 mRNA and protein levels. SETTING: The study was conducted at Laval University (Québec, Canada) and at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada). PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Participants were from a cohort of prostate cancer patients from the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec hospital (Québec; mRNA analyses) and from the Vancouver Prostate Centre tissue bank (Vancouver; tissue microarray experiments). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: UGT mRNA and protein levels were determined using real-time PCR and immunohistochemical analyses, respectively. RESULTS: Both UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 mRNA and protein levels were not significantly associated with Gleason score stratification. However, when protein levels were compared to benign prostatic hyperplasia, UGT2B17 was significantly more abundant in all Gleason-scored tumors. By contrast, UGT2B15 levels were significantly reduced in naive and castration-resistant tumors and undetectable in lymph node metastases. Finally, UGT2B17 proteins were 5-fold more abundant in metastases than in benign samples. CONCLUSIONS: The current study reveals that UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 are differentially regulated during prostate cancer progression. Furthermore, this study also identifies the UGT2B15 gene as a negatively regulated target gene in castration-resistant prostate cancer and lymph node metastases.