A dual function of the furanocoumarin chalepensin in inhibiting Cyp2a and inducing Cyp2b in mice: the protein stabilization and receptor-mediated activation

Chalepensin, a furanocoumarin, is present in several medicinal Rutaceae plants and causes a mechanism-based inhibition of human and mouse cytochrome P450 (P450, CYP) 2A in vitro. To address the in vivo effect, we investigated the effects of chalepensin on multiple hepatic P450 enzymes in C57BL/6JNarl mice. Oral administration of 10 mg/kg chalepensin to mice for 7 days significantly decreased hepatic coumarin 7-hydroxylation (Cyp2a) and increased 7-pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (Cyp2b) activities, whereas activities of Cyp1a, Cyp2c, Cyp2e1, and Cyp3a were not affected. Without affecting its mRNA level, the decreased Cyp2a activity was accompanied by an increase in the immunodetected Cyp2a5 protein level. In chalepensin-treated mice, microsomal Cyp2a5 was less susceptible to ATP-fortified cytosolic degradation than that in control mice, resulting in the elevated protein level. The in vitro inactivation through NADPH-fortified pre-incubation with chalepensin also protected microsomal Cyp2a5 against protein degradation. Using cell-based reporter systems, chalepensin at a concentration near unbound plasma concentration activated mouse constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), in agreement with the observed induction of Cyp2b. These findings revealed that suicidal inhibition of Cyp2a5 and the CAR-mediated Cyp2b9/10 induction concurrently occurred in chalepensin-treated mice.