1.
Ellfolk, Maria, 1976-
(author)
Regulation of Vitamin D 25-hydroxylases : Effects of Vitamin D Metabolites and Pharmaceutical Compounds on the Bioactivation of Vitamin D
2008
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
A 700bp portion of the promoter of CYP2D25, the porcine microsomal vitamin D 25-hydroxylase was isolated and sequenced. The computer analysis of the sequence revealed the existence of a putative VDRE at 220 bp upstream of the transcription start site. A CYP2D25 promoter-luciferase reporter plasmid was constructed in order to study the transcriptional regulation of the gene. Treatment with the vitamin D metabolites calcidiol and calcitriol suppressed the promoter, provided that the nuclear receptors VDR and RXR were overexpressed. Phenobarbital was also capable of suppressing the promoter if the nuclear receptors PXR or CAR were overexpressed.The 25-hydroxylases are not expressed solely in liver but in a wide array of other organs as well. It is therefore possible at least in theory to study the vitamin D 25-hydroxylation in human subjects using cells from extrahepatic organs, from which biopsy retrieval is easier than from the liver. Dermal fibroblasts are frequently used to study different pathological conditions in human subjects and they are easy to come by. Dermal fibroblasts were shown to express two vitamin D 25-hydroxylases: CYP27A1 and CYP2R1. The expression pattern of CYP2R1 displayed considerable interindividual variation. The fibroblasts were also capable of measurable vitamin D 25-hydroxylation, which makes dermal fibroblasts a possible tool in studying vitamin D 25-hydroxylation in human subjects.Little is known about the regulation of expression and activity of the human vitamin D 25-hydroxylases. Therefore dermal fibroblasts – expressing CYP2R1 and CYP27A1 – and human prostate cancer LNCaP cells, that express CYP2R1 and CYP2J2, were treated with calcitriol and phenobarbital and efavirenz, two drugs that give rise to vitamin D deficiency. Treatment decreased the mRNA levels of CYP2R1 and CYP2J2 provided that the treated cells also expressed the necessary nuclear receptors. CYP27A1 did not respond to any of the treatments. The treatments also managed to decrease the 25-hydroxylating activity of the cells.The results show that vitamin D 25-hydroxylases can be regulated by both endogenous and xenobiotic compounds.
2.
Norlin, Maria
(author)
Regulation of cellular steroid levels with special focus on oxysterol and estrogen metabolism
2008
In: Future Lipidology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1746-0875. ; 3:3, s. 337-346
Research review (peer-reviewed) abstract
Steroids play essential roles in a number of physiological systems. However, disturbed functions or abnormal levels of steroids can result in serious health problems. The cellular levels of steroids are regulated by enzymes and other factors that control the formation and elimination of these compounds. Recent findings on steroid action and metabolism have identified novel links between two groups of steroids, oxysterols and estrogens. A better understanding of cellular processes related to these steroids is of interest for developing future therapies in several conditions, including endocrine tumors and hyperlipidemia.
3.
Pettersson, Hanna, et al.
(author)
CYP7B1-mediated metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone and 5alpha-androstane-3beta,17beta-diol--potential role(s) for estrogen signaling
2008
In: The FEBS Journal. - : Wiley. - 1742-464X .- 1742-4658. ; 275:8, s. 1778-1789
Journal article (peer-reviewed) abstract
CYP7B1, a cytochrome P450 enzyme, metabolizes several steroids involved in hormonal signaling including 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol (3 beta-Adiol), an estrogen receptor agonist, and dehydroepiandrosterone, a precursor for sex hormones. Previous studies have suggested that CYP7B1-dependent metabolism involving dehydroepiandrosterone or 3 beta-Adiol may play an important role for estrogen receptor beta-mediated signaling. However, conflicting data are reported regarding the influence of different CYP7B1-related steroids on estrogen receptor beta activation. In the present study, we investigated CYP7B1-mediated conversions of dehydroepiandrosterone and 3 beta-Adiol in porcine microsomes and human kidney cells. As part of these studies, we compared the effects of 3 beta-Adiol (a CYP7B1 substrate) and 7 alpha-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone (a CYP7B1 product) on estrogen receptor beta activation. The data obtained indicated that 3 beta-Adiol is a more efficient activator, thus lending support to the notion that CYP7B1 catalysis may decrease estrogen receptor beta activation. Our data on metabolism indicate that the efficiencies of CYP7B1-mediated hydroxylations of dehydroepiandrosterone and 3 beta-Adiol are very similar. The enzyme catalyzed both reactions at a similar rate and the K-cat/K-m values were in the same order of magnitude. A high dehydroepiandrosterone/3 beta-Adiol ratio in the incubation mixtures, similar to the ratio of these steroids in many human tissues, strongly suppressed CYP7B1-mediated 3 beta-Adiol metabolism. As the efficiencies of CYP7B1-mediated hydroxylation of dehydroepiandrosterone and 3 beta-Adiol are similar, we propose that varying steroid concentrations may be the most important factor determining the rate of CYP7B1-mediated metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone or 3 beta-Adiol. Consequently, tissue-specific steroid concentrations may have a strong impact on CYP7B1-dependent catalysis and thus on the levels of different CYP7B1-related steroids that can influence estrogen receptor beta signaling.
4.
Pettersson, Hanna, et al.
(author)
Metabolism of a novel side chain modified Delta 8(14)-15-ketosterol, a potential cholesterol lowering drug : 28-hydroxylation by CYP27A1
2008
In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids. - : Elsevier BV. - 1388-1981 .- 1879-2618. ; 1781:8, s. 383-390
Journal article (peer-reviewed) abstract
The synthetic inhibitors of sterol biosynthesis, 3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one and 3beta-hydroxy-24S-methyl-5alpha-cholesta-8(14),22-dien-15-one, are of interest as potential cholesterol lowering drugs. Rapid metabolism of synthetic 15-ketosterols may lead to a decrease, or loss, of their potency to affect lipid metabolism. 3beta-Hydroxy-5alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one is reported to be rapidly side chain oxygenated by rat liver mitochondria. In an attempt to reduce this metabolism, the novel side chain modified 15-ketosterol 3beta-Hydroxy-24S-methyl-5alpha-cholesta-8(14),22-dien-15-one was synthesized. We have examined the metabolism by recombinant human CYP27A1 of this novel side chain modified 3beta-hydroxy-24S-methyl-5alpha-cholesta-8(14),22-dien-15-one and compared the rate of metabolism with that of the previously described 3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one. Both sterols were found to be efficiently metabolized by recombinant human CYP27A1. None of the two 15-ketosterols was significantly metabolized by microsomal 7alpha-hydroxylation. Interestingly, CYP27A1-mediated product formation was much lower with the side chain modified 3beta-hydroxy-24S-methyl-5alpha-cholesta-8(14),22-dien-15-one than with the previously described 3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one. A surprising finding was that this novel side chain modified sterol was metabolized mainly in the C-28 position by CYP27A1. The data on 28-hydroxylation by human CYP27A1 provide new insights on the catalytic properties and substrate specificity of this enzyme. The finding that 3beta-hydroxy-24S-methyl-5alpha-cholesta-8(14),22-dien-15-one with a modified side chain is metabolized at a dramatically slower rate than the previously described 15-ketosterol with unmodified side chain may be important for future development of synthetic cholesterol lowering sterols.
5.
Tang, Wanjin, et al.
(author)
Glucocorticoid receptor-mediated upregulation of human CYP27A1, a potential anti-atherogenic enzyme
2008
In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids. - : Elsevier BV. - 1388-1981 .- 1879-2618. ; 1781:11-12, s. 718-723
Journal article (peer-reviewed) abstract
Sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) is required for the hepatic conversion of cholesterol into bile acids and for production of 27-hydroxycholesterol which affects cholesterol homeostasis in several ways. Dexamethasone increases hepatic bile acid biosynthesis and CYP27A1-mediated enzyme activity in HepG2 cells. This study examines the mechanism of the dexamethasone-induced effect on the human CYP27A1 promoter. Dexamethasone treatment of HepG2 cells overexpressed with glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GRalpha) increased the CYP27A1 promoter activity more than four-fold as compared with untreated cells. The GR-antagonist mifepristone almost completely abolished the dexamethasone-induced effect on the promoter activity. Progressive deletion analysis of the CYP27A1 promoter indicated that sequences involved in GR-mediated induction by dexamethasone are present in a region between -1094 and -792. Several putative GRE sites could be found in this region and EMSA experiments revealed that two of these could bind GR. Site-directed mutagenesis of GR-binding sequences in the CYP27A1 promoter identified a GRE at -824/-819 important for GR-mediated regulation of the transcriptional activity. Endogenous and pharmacological glucocorticoids may have a strong impact on several aspects of cholesterol homeostasis and other processes related to CYP27A1-mediated metabolism. The glucocorticoid-mediated induction of human CYP27A1 transcription is of particular interest due to the anti-atherogenic properties ascribed to this enzyme.
6.
Tang, Wanjin, et al.
(author)
Involvement of the PI3K/Akt pathway in estrogen-mediated regulation of human CYP7B1 : identification of CYP7B1 as a novel target for PI3K/Akt and MAPK signalling
2008
In: Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0960-0760 .- 1879-1220. ; 112:1-3, s. 63-73
Journal article (peer-reviewed) abstract
The steroid hydroxylase CYP7B1 metabolizes neurosteroids, cholesterol derivatives, and estrogen receptor (ER) ligands. Previous studies identified CYP7B1 as a target for regulation by estrogen. The present study examines the mechanism for estrogen-mediated regulation of the human CYP7B1 gene promoter. Treatment with LY294002, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), abolished ER-mediated up-regulation of a CYP7B1 promoter-luciferase reporter in HepG2 cells, whereas overexpression of PI3K or Akt significantly increased estrogenic up-regulation of CYP7B1. Overexpression of dominant-negative mutant Akt abolished ER-mediated stimulation of CYP7B1 in HepG2 cells. Data indicated no binding of ER to CYP7B1 promoter sequences, suggesting that ER interacts with the PI3K/Akt pathway without binding to the gene. At low ER levels, overexpression of Akt suppressed CYP7B1 promoter activity, suggesting that its effect on CYP7B1 is different when estrogens are absent. In HEK293 cells, CYP7B1 transcription was much less affected by Akt, indicating that the mechanism for up-regulation of CYP7B1 is different in different cell types. Other experiments indicated that MAPK signalling may affect basal CYP7B1 levels. The current results, indicating that regulation of CYP7B1 by ER can be mediated via the PI3K/Akt signal pathway, a regulatory pathway important for cellular survival and growth, suggest an important role for CYP7B1 in cellular growth, particularly in connection with estrogenic signalling.
