Abstract:
In our preliminary studies, we observed zolmitriptan (ZOL) treatment led to induction of CYP3A2 in male not female rats. To figure out the reason is of great significance for drug-drug interactions and personalized administration. Since growth hormone (GH) is known as the major mechanistic determinant of sexually-dimorphic gene expression like CYP3A2 in rat liver, the impacts of ZOL on both plasma GH levels in non monosodium glutamate (MSG)-treated rats and CYP3A2 expression in GH depleted MSG-treated rats were studied. ZOL was shown to partially suppress GH levels in both genders. Furthermore, CYP3A2 protein and mRNA level declined in male not female MSG-treated rats. In order to study the possible molecular events involved in the depression of GH and gender-selective induction on rat CYP3A2 by ZOL, the mRNA and protein level (whole protein and nuclear protein) of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4
α (HNF4
α) was investigated. Nuclear accumulation of HNF4
α was observed in the normal male not female rat liver tissue following ZOL treatment. However, this kind of nuclear translocation did not occur in rat hepatocytes and MSG-treated rats. These findings demonstrated CYP3A2 inducibility by ZOL was gender-selective. GH and HNF4
α may play an important role in CYP3A2 induction.