Document Detail


Sex differences in the expression of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19483103     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Sex differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics characterize many drugs and contribute to individual differences in drug efficacy and toxicity. Sex-based differences in drug metabolism are the primary cause of sex-dependent pharmacokinetics and reflect underlying sex differences in the expression of hepatic enzymes active in the metabolism of drugs, steroids, fatty acids and environmental chemicals, including cytochromes P450 (P450s), sulfotransferases, glutathione transferases, and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases. Studies in the rat and mouse liver models have identified more than 1000 genes whose expression is sex-dependent; together, these genes impart substantial sexual dimorphism to liver metabolic function and pathophysiology. Sex differences in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics also occur in humans and are due in part to the female-predominant expression of CYP3A4, the most important P450 catalyst of drug metabolism in human liver. The sexually dimorphic expression of P450s and other liver-expressed genes is regulated by the temporal pattern of plasma growth hormone (GH) release by the pituitary gland, which shows significant sex differences. These differences are most pronounced in rats and mice, where plasma GH profiles are highly pulsatile (intermittent) in male animals versus more frequent (nearly continuous) in female animals. This review discusses key features of the cell signaling and molecular regulatory mechanisms by which these sex-dependent plasma GH patterns impart sex specificity to the liver. Moreover, the essential role proposed for the GH-activated transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 5b, and for hepatic nuclear factor (HNF) 4alpha, as mediators of the sex-dependent effects of GH on the liver, is evaluated. Together, these studies of the cellular, molecular, and gene regulatory mechanisms that underlie sex-based differences in liver gene expression have provided novel insights into the physiological regulation of both xenobiotic and endobiotic metabolism.
Authors:
David J Waxman; Minita G Holloway
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Review     Date:  2009-05-29
Journal Detail:
Title:  Molecular pharmacology     Volume:  76     ISSN:  1521-0111     ISO Abbreviation:  Mol. Pharmacol.     Publication Date:  2009 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-07-21     Completed Date:  2009-08-17     Revised Date:  2010-09-27    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0035623     Medline TA:  Mol Pharmacol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  215-28     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. djw@bu.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Female
Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects*
Humans
Liver / enzymology*,  metabolism
Male
Models, Biological
Sex Characteristics*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
DK33765/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS
Comments/Corrections

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