Gene Expression Profiling of 1α,25(OH)2 D3 Treatment in 2D/3D Human Hepatocyte Models Reveals CYP3A4 Induction but Minor Changes in Other Xenobiotic-Metabolizing Genes.

SCOPE: CYP3A4 is the most important drug-metabolizing enzyme regulated via the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the intestine. However, less is known about VDR in the regulation of CYP3A4 and other drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study investigates whether 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2 D3 ) regulates major cytochrome P450 enzymes, selected phase I and II enzymes, and transporters involved in xenobiotic and steroidal endobiotic metabolism in 2D and 3D cultures of human hepatocytes. The authors found that 1α,25(OH)2 D3 increases hepatic CYP3A4 expression and midazolam 1'-hydroxylation activity in 2D hepatocytes. The results are confirmed in 3D spheroids, where 1α,25(OH)2 D3 has comparable effect on CYP3A4 mRNA expression as 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 , an active vitamin D metabolite. Other regulated genes such as CYP1A2, AKR1C4, SLC10A1, and SLCO4A1 display only mild changes in mRNA levels after 1α,25(OH)2 D3 treatment in 2D hepatocytes. Expression of other cytochrome P450, phase I and phase II enzyme, or transporter genes are not significantly influenced by 1α,25(OH)2 D3 . Additionally, the effect of VDR activation on CYP3A4 mRNA expression is abolished by natural dietary compound sulforaphane, a common suppressor of pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). CONCLUSION: This study proposes that VDR or vitamin D supplementation is unlikely to significantly influence liver detoxification enzymes apart from CYP3A4.

Steviol, an aglycone of steviol glycoside sweeteners, interacts with the pregnane X (PXR) and aryl hydrocarbon (AHR) receptors in detoxification regulation.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a herb known for the high content of natural sweeteners in its leaves. Its main secondary metabolite stevioside is used as non-caloric sweetener. No information, however, is available on whether stevioside or steviol interact with drug-metabolizing enzymes and pose the potential risk of food-drug interactions. Similarly, data are lacking on the interactions of steviol and stevioside with key nuclear receptors controlling the expression of the main drug metabolizing enzymes. We studied the interactions of steviol and stevioside with the pregnane X (PXR), vitamin D (VDR), constitutive androstane (CAR), farnesoid X (FXR), glucocorticoid (GR) and aryl hydrocarbon (AHR) receptors, which control expression of genes of xenobiotic metabolism. In addition, the inhibitory activities of steviol and stevioside towards the major cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP3A4, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP1A2 and CYP2B6 were evaluated in vitro. We found that steviol moderately activated the PXR and AHR, resulting in the induction of their target genes including CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 in primary human hepatocytes. A weak inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 with steviol was also found. Our results provide mechanistic data indicating that stevioside and stevia sweeteners may have the potential to induce food-drug interactions, a finding that warrants future prospective clinical investigation.