PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mills, Jessica B.
AU  - Rose, Kelly A.
AU  - Sadagopan, Nalini
AU  - Sahi, Jasminder
AU  - de Morais, Sonia M. F.
TI  - Induction of Drug Metabolism Enzymes and MDR1 Using a Novel Human Hepatocyte Cell Line
AID  - 10.1124/jpet.103.061713
DP  - 2004 Apr 01
TA  - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
PG  - 303--309
VI  - 309
IP  - 1
4099  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/309/1/303.short
4100  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/309/1/303.full
SO  - J Pharmacol Exp Ther2004 Apr 01; 309
AB  - Induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters can cause drug-drug interactions and loss of efficacy. In vitro induction studies traditionally use primary hepatocyte cultures and enzyme activity with selected marker compounds. We investigated the use of a novel human hepatocyte clone, the Fa2N-4 cell line, as an alternative reagent, which is readily available and provides a consistent, reproducible system. We used the Invader assay to monitor gene expression in these cells. This assay is a robust, yet simple, high-throughput system for quantification of mRNA transcripts. CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP2C9, UGT1A, and MDR1 transcripts were quantified from total RNA extracts from Fa2N-4 cells treated with a panel of known inducers and compared with vehicle controls. In addition, we used enzyme activity assays to monitor the induction of CYP1A2, CYP2C9, and CYP3A4. The Fa2N-4 cells responded in a similar manner as primary human hepatocytes. Treatment with 10 μM rifampin resulted in increases in CYP3A4 mRNA (17-fold) and activity (6-β-hydroxytestoterone formation, 9-fold); and in CYP2C9 mRNA (4-fold) and activity (4′-hydroxydiclofenac formation, 2-fold). Treatment with 50 μM β-naphthoflavone resulted in increases in CYP1A2 mRNA (15-fold) and activity (7-ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation, 27-fold). UGT1A mRNA was induced by β-naphthoflavone (2-fold), and MDR1 (P-glycoprotein) mRNA was induced by rifampin (3-fold). These preliminary data using a few prototypical inducers show that Fa2N-4 cells can be a reliable surrogate for primary human hepatocytes, and, when used in conjunction with the Invader technology, could provide a reliable assay for assessment of induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics