Regulation of cytochrome P450 expression by inhibitors of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase in primary cultured rat hepatocytes and in rat liver.

It was previously demonstrated that treatment of primary cultured rat hepatocytes with lovastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase, induced the mRNAs for several cytochromes P450 (P450s), including CYP2B1/2, CYP3A1/2, and CYP4A. In this study, we have compared the effects of lovastatin with those of three additional HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (simvastatin, pravastatin, and the structurally dissimilar drug fluvastatin) on P450 expression in primary cultured rat hepatocytes, and we have also characterized the effects of in vivo treatment with fluvastatin on P450 expression in rat liver. Treatment of cultured hepatocytes with lovastatin, simvastatin, or fluvastatin increased CYP2B1/2, CYP3A1/2, and CYP4A mRNA and immunoreactive protein levels over the dose range (3 x 10(-6) to 3 x 10(-5) M) required to increase the amount of HMG-CoA reductase mRNA. The increases in CYP2B1/2 levels produced by 3 x 10(-5) M fluvastatin treatment were larger than those produced by lovastatin or simvastatin treatment or by treatment with 10(-4) M phenobarbital. In contrast, treatment of cultured hepatocytes with 3 x 10(-5) M lovastatin, simvastatin, or fluvastatin increased CYP3A1/2 and CYP4A mRNA and immunoreactive protein to lower levels than those produced by treatment with 10(-5) M dexamethasone or 10(-4) M ciprofibrate. Treatment of cultured hepatocytes with pravastatin had little or no effect on the amount of any of the P450s examined, although this drug induced HMG-CoA reductase mRNA as effectively as did fluvastatin. Incubation of hepatocytes with 10(-4) M fluvastatin increased CYP1A1 mRNA to 67% of the level induced by treatment with 10(-5) M beta-naphthoflavone. Doses of 50 or 100 mg/ kg/day fluvastatin administered for 3 days to rats increased the hepatic levels of CYP2B1/2 and CYP4A mRNA and immunoreactive protein, although to much lower levels than those produced by treatment with phenobarbital or ciprofibrate, respectively. Treatment of rats with fluvastatin had no effect on hepatic levels of CYP3A1/2 mRNA or immunoreactive protein. However, treatment with 50 mg/kg/day fluvastatin induced CYP1A1 mRNA and protein. The effects of fluvastatin treatment on P450 expression seen in primary cultured rat hepatocytes thus largely recapitulated the effects seen in vivo. The differences in effects among the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors suggest that simple inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase cannot explain all of the effects of these drugs on P450 expression.