Inflammation or infection down-regulate the activity and expression of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes involved in hepatic drug clearance, possibly altering drug effectiveness and leading to toxicity. The regulation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) in inflammation and infection is less well characterized. To determine the response of hepatic and renal UGTs during inflammation and infection, mice were administered either saline or 1 mg/kg LPS (16 hours), or Citrobacter rodentium by oral gavage (6 days). Hepatic mRNA expression of UGT1A1, 1A9, and 2B5 were similarly down-regulated after LPS exposure and C. rodentium infection, whereas UGT1A2 and 1A6 mRNAs were unchanged. Effects of C. rodentium infection did not require a functional Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Conversely, renal UGT isoforms were relatively unaffected, except for UGT2B5 induction after LPS treatment. Regulation of UGTs during the inflammatory response exhibits similarities and differences with regulation of P450s, and may be cytokine-mediated.
C. rodentium is the rodent equivalent of human enteropathogenic E. coli infection. This study investigated regulation of hepatic and renal cytochrome P450 (P450) mRNAs, hepatic P450 proteins, cytokines and acute phase proteins during C. rodentium infection. Female C3H/HeOuJ (HeOu) and C3H/HeJ (HeJ) mice (which lack functional toll-like receptor 4 [TLR4]) were infected with C. rodentium by oral gavage, and sacrificed 6 days later. Hepatic CYP4A10 and 4A14 mRNAs were decreased in HeOu mice (<4% of control). CYP3A11, 2C29, 4F14, and 4F15 mRNAs were reduced to 16–55% of control levels, whereas CYP2A5, 4F16, and 4F18 mRNAs were induced (180, 190, and 600% of control, respectively). The pattern of P450 regulation in HeJ mice was similar to that in HeOu mice for most P450s, with the exception of the TLR4-dependence of CYP4F15. Hepatic CYP2C, 3A, and 4A proteins in both groups were decreased, whereas CYP2E protein was not. Renal CYP4A10 and 4A14 mRNAs were significantly down-regulated in HeOu mice, whereas other P450s were unaffected. Most renal P450 mRNAs in infected HeJ mice were increased, notably CYP4A10, 4A14, 4F18, 2A5 and 3A13. Hepatic levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα mRNAs were significantly increased in infected HeOu mice, whereas only TNFα mRNA was significantly increased in HeJ mice. Hepatic α1-acid glycoprotein was induced in both groups, whereas α-fibrinogen and angiotensinogen were unchanged. These data indicate that hepatic inflammation induced by C. rodentium infection is mainly TLR4-independent, and suggest that hepatic P450 down-regulation in this model may be cytokine-mediated.