Novel advances in cytochrome P450 research.

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, involved in the metabolism of therapeutic drugs, are the major determinants of drug half-life. From a drug industry perspective, variability in drug response owing to CYP polymorphisms makes CYP profiling a commercially interesting option for diagnosis, prognosis and predicting response to drug treatment. Recent studies highlighting microRNA-mediated regulation of CYP genes represents a major advance in our understanding of variations in individual drug responses. Herein we review new perspectives on the molecular mechanisms of CYP regulation and genotyping technologies. Together, these developments present novel therapeutic opportunities and help to explain the integrated response of cells to xenobiotic drug metabolism.