The mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 isoforms in human gastric tissue.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Human Cytochrome P450 (CYP) comprises a multigene family of microsomal enzymes that metabolize a wide variety of xenobiotics, including drugs and carcinogens. Although the a number of CYP enzymes were also detected in epithelial cells along the gastrointestinal tract, little is known about the expression of CYP genes in gastric tissue.

METHODOLOGY

In this study, the expression patterns of CYP isoforms was investigated in a total of 14 antral biopsy tissues obtained from the patients with either chronic gastritis (n = 6) or cancer (n = 8) by gene-specific real-time reverse transcriptase -PCR analyses. We employed primer sets specific for CYPs -1A1, -1A2, -2A6, -2B6, -2C, -2D6, -2E1, and -3A5.

RESULTS

Among the isoforms CYP1A1, CYP2C and CYP2D6 gave rise to detectable mRNAs in all 14 gastric tissues while the mRNAs for the other CYPs were detected in some of the tissues. The expression patterns were compared to clinical parameters. There were no significant differences in the parameters between the two groups; however the mRNA expression of CYP2A6 was significantly higher in women than man (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggests that the CYP isoforms were independently expressed with respect to the pathological status in human gastric tissue.