RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Potentiation of 3-methylcholanthrene induction of rat hepatic cytochrome P450IA1 by dexamethasone in vivo. JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 667 OP 672 VO 249 IS 2 A1 Sherratt, A J A1 Banet, D E A1 Linder, M W A1 Prough, R A YR 1989 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/249/2/667.abstract AB The potentiation of the expression of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-inducible cytochromes P450IA1 and P450IA2, and phenobarbital-inducible cytochrome P450IIB1 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase by dexamethasone in vivo was investigated using adrenalectomized and sham-operated rats. Hepatic cytochrome P450IA1 activity (determined by ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity) was induced maximally (30-fold) in both sham-operated and adrenalectomized rats 24 hr after a single injection of 3-methylcholanthrene (10 mg/kg). Dexamethasone (10 mg/kg) increased hepatic tyrosine aminotransferase activity 3- to 4-fold, but had little or no effect on ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity. However, dexamethasone potentiated the 3-methylcholanthrene-dependent induction of hepatic P450IA1 activity 2- to 3-fold in adrenalectomized rats and 1.5- to 2-fold in sham-operated rats when administered concomitantly with 3-methylcholanthrene (P less than .05). The dose of dexamethasone required to potentiate 3-methylcholanthrene induction of P450IA1 activity (greater than 1 mg/kg) correlated well with the dose required to induce hepatic tyrosine aminotransferase activity; a marker of glucocorticoid action. Potentiation of 3-methylcholanthrene induction of P450IA1 activity in the rat appears to be tissue specific in that dexamethasone was found not to potentiate 3-methylcholanthrene induction of P450IA1 activity of rat lung or kidney. Cytochrome P450IA1 content induced by 3-methylcholanthrene in the liver was also potentiated 2- to 3-fold by dexamethasone. In contrast, potentiation of 3-methylcholanthrene induction of cytochrome P450IA2 content was not observed. Western blot analyses indicate that the increase in monooxygenase activity induced by 3-methylcholanthrene or 3-methylcholanthrene plus dexamethasone corresponds well only with the induction of cytochrome P450IA1 protein content.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)