Phenylalanine(90) and phenylalanine(93) are crucial amino acids within the estrogen binding site of the human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A10

Human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A10 has been identified as the major isoform involved in the biotransformation of a wide range of phenolic substrates, including native estrogens and their oxidized metabolites. Our recent studies point to the F(90)-M(91)-V(92)-F(93) amino acid motif of UGT1A10, which was identified using photoaffinity labeling followed by LC-MS/MS analysis, as a key determinant of the binding of phenolic substrates. In this report, we have evaluated the role of F(90), V(92), and F(93) in the recognition of estrogens by UGT1A10 using site-directed mutagenesis. Kinetic studies using five mutants revealed that F(90) and F(93) are critical residues for the recognition of all estrogen substrates. The substitution of F(90) with alanine totally abolished the activity of this enzyme toward all the estrogens investigated. Overall, sequential removal for the aromatic ring (F to L) and of the hydrophobic chain (F to A and V to A) from amino acids 90, 92, and 93 effectively alters estrogen recognition. This demonstrates that individual features of the native and hydroxylated estrogens determine the specific binding properties of the compound within the binding site of the human UGT1A10 and the mutants. The resulting activities are completely abolished, unchanged, increased, or decreased depending on the structures of both the mutant and the substrate. The novel identification of UGT1A10 as the major isoform involved in the glucuronidation of all estrogens and the discovery of the importance of the FMVF motif in the binding of steroids will help to elucidate the molecular mechanism of glucuronidation, resulting in the design of more effective estrogen-based therapies.     

Induction of Human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 by Cortisol-GR

During the course of the study of UGT1A1 induction by bilirubin, we could not detect the induction of the reporter gene (−3174/+14) of human UGT1A1 in HepG2 by bilirubin (Mol. Biol. Rep. 31: 151–158 (2004)). In this report, we show the finding of the induction of the reporter gene of UGT1A1 by cortisol at 1 μM, a major natural cortico-steroid, with human glucocorticoid receptor (GR). RU486 of a typical GR antagonist at 10 μM inhibited the induction by cortisol from 5.9- to 1.8-fold. This result indicates that the induction by cortisol-GR is dependence on ligand-binding. This induction is caused by the UGT reporter gene itself, from the results of noinduction with control vector pGL2 (equal to pGV-C) in the presence of cortisol-GR. We confirmed that the induction of the reporter gene by cortisol is dependent on the position of proximal element (−97/−53) of UGT1A1. From this result, we concluded that the increase of corticosteroid in neonates must induce the elevation of UGT1A1 after birth and prevent jaundice. With the study of induction by corisol, we studied the influence of co-expression of PXR (pregnenolone xenobiotic receptor) with the UGT1A1 reporter gene and we could not find the induction of UGT1A1 expression in the presence of dexamethasone, rifampicin, or pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile of the PXR ligands. These results suggest that the induction of UGT1A1 expression by GR is not mediated by PXR, unlike the induction of CYP3A4 through PXR.     

Association of SULT1A1 and UGT1A1 polymorphisms with breast cancer risk and phenotypes in Russian women

Estrogens are critical for breast cancer initiation and development. Sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) conjugate and inactivate both estrogens and their metabolites, thus preventing estrogen-mediated mitosis and mutagenesis. SULT1A1 and UGT1A1 are both polymorphic, and different alleles encode functionally different allozymes. We hypothesize that low-activity alleles SULT1A1*2 and UGT1A1*28 are associated with higher risk for breast cancer and more severe breast tumor phenotypes. We performed a case-control study, which included 119 women of Russian ancestry with breast cancer and 121 age-matched Russian female controls. We used PCR followed by pyrosequencing to determine the SULT1A1 and UGT1A1 genotypes. Allele UGT1A1*28 was present at a higher frequency than the wild-type UGT1A1*1 allele in breast cancer patients as compared to controls (P = 0.002, OR = 1.79, CI 1.23–2.63). Consistently, the frequency of genotypes that contain allele UGT1A1*28 in the homozygous or the heterozygous state was greater in breast cancer patients as compared with the frequency of the wild-type UGT1A1*1/*1 genotype (P = 0.003, OR = 4.00, CI 1.49–11.11 and P = 0.014, OR = 2.04, CI 1.14–3.57, respectively). Individuals carrying allele UGT1A1*28 in the homo-or heterozygous state had larger breast tumors (>2 cm) as compared to the group with high-activity genotypes (P = 0.011, IR = 3.44, CI 1.42–8.36). No association was observed between any of the SULT1A1 genotypes and breast cancer risk or phenotypes. Our data suggest that UGT1A1, but not SULT1A1, genotypes are important for breast cancer risk and phenotype in Russian women. Published in Russian in Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, 2006, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 263–270. The article was translated by the authors.     

Cloning and expression of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A4 in Bac-to-Bac system

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze the transfer of glucuronic acid from uridine diphosphate-glucuronic acid (UDP-GA) to compounds with amine, hydroxyl, and carboxylic acid moieties. N-glucuronidation is an important pathway for elimination of many tertiary amine therapeutic agents used in humans. UGT1A4 has been reported to be specific for glucuronidating primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, forming N-glucuronides. To further investigate the drugs metabolized by UGT1A4, the Bac-to-Bac expression system was used to express the recombinant UGT1A4 with His-tag on the C-terminal. The His-tagged recombinant UGT1A4 expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells were detected using anti-His antibody and the molecular weight of the recombinant protein was approximately 55kDa. The enzyme activity towards imipramine in cell homogenate protein was found to be 83.14+/-15pmol/min/mg protein (n=3) with 0.5mM imipramine by HPLC, but was not detectable in blank Sf9 cells. It paved the way for the further studies for drug glucuronidation by UGT1A4. The purification of the UGT1A4 can be done by Ni-resin. This is helpful to do research on the structure of the UFT1A4.     

Induction of human UGT1A1 by a complex of dexamethasone-GR dependent on proximal site and independent of PBREM

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) plays a key role to conjugate bilirubin and prevent jaundice. There are two major elements for the induction of UGT1A1, such as PBREM (-3483/-3194), far from the promoter site, and HNF1 (-75/-63), near to the promoter site. In a previous report, we showed that the proximal HNF1 site is essential for the induction of UGT1A1 by glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In this report, we investigated the influence of PBREM on the induction of the UGT1A1 reporter gene by GR and PXR with dexamethasone (DEX). We confirmed that GR was transferred from cytosol into the nucleus in 15-30 min by DEX stimulation, but HNF1 was not. We constructed a reporter gene containing PBREM to compare the induction of the reporter gene without PBREM by DEX-GR. The results show that induction of the reporter gene with PBREM by DEX at 100 muM is the same level as the induction of the reporter gene without PBREM, although PBREM contains GRE. Co-transfection of hGR with the reporter gene did not show any influence of the induction of the reporter gene between the vector with and without PBREM. Meanwhile, by co-transfection of hPXR, the induction of the reporter gene with PBREM was significantly more than the induction of the reporter gene without PBREM at 100 muM DEX. This supports that hPXR induced UGT1A1 through PBREM by DEX. These results showed that PBREM has no relation with the induction by DEX-GR but the proximal site of UGT1A1 may function in stimulation by DEX-GR.     

CHL1 is involved in human breast tumorigenesis and progression

Neural cell adhesion molecules (CAM) play important roles in the development and regeneration of the nervous system. The L1 family of CAMs is comprised of L1, Close Homolog of L1 (CHL1, L1CAM2), NrCAM, and Neurofascin, which are structurally related trans-membrane proteins in vertebrates. Although the L1CAM has been demonstrated play important role in carcinogenesis and progression, the function of CHL1 in human breast cancer is limited. Here, we found that CHL1 is down-regulated in human breast cancer and related to lower grade. Furthermore, overexpression of CHL1 suppresses proliferation and invasion in MDA-MB-231 cells and knockdown of CHL1 expression results in increased proliferation and invasion in MCF7 cells in vitro. Finally, CHL1 deficiency promotes tumor formation in vivo. Our results may provide a strategy for blocking breast carcinogenesis and progression.     

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A7 polymorphisms are associated with liver cirrhosis

Variations in the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A7 gene have been found to be related to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Since the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis is not dissimilar to that of HCC, we hypothesized that UGT1A7 genetic polymorphisms may be associated with liver cirrhosis. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was utilized to determine UGT for 1A7 genotypes for the 159 patients with liver cirrhosis and 263 gender/age matched controls. Simple logistic regression analysis revealed that significant risk factors for liver cirrhosis were (1) hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, (2) hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, (3) HBV infection plus HCV infection and (4) low-activity UGT1A7 genotypes. The results of further multivariate logistic regression confirmed these associations. Interaction of low-activity UGT1A7 genotypes and HBV (or HCV) infection produced an additive effect upon the risk for the development of liver cirrhosis [observed odds ratio (OR) (54.59) greater than the expected OR (18.05)]. UGT1A7 low/low genotype was also related to advanced liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh classes C and/or B) (OR = 7.50, P = 0.009). This study demonstrates the novel findings that carriage of low-activity UGT1A7 genotypes represents a risk factor for the development and functional severity of liver cirrhosis.     

Identification of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoform(s) responsible for the C-glucuronidation of phenylbutazone

Glucuronidation is a major metabolic pathway in the biotransformation of many xenobiotics and endogeneous compounds. There have been many studies on the formation of O-, N- or S-glucuronides and identification of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms responsible for the formation of these glucuronides. However, there is no information available on which UGT isoform(s) catalyzes C-glucuronidation. In the present study, 16 human UGTs (UGTs 1A1, 1A3, 1A4, 1A5, 1A6, 1A7, 1A8, 1A9, 1A10, 2B4, 2B7, 2B10, 2B11, 2B15, 2B17 and 2B28) were cloned and expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells and investigated to determine their C-glucuronidating activity toward phenylbutazone (PB). Among the UGT isoforms investigated, only UGT1A9 catalyzed PB C-glucuronidation. Human liver and kidney microsomes, which are well known to express UGT1A9, had C-glucuronidating activity toward PB. However, the jejunum, which did not express UGT1A9, had no C-glucuronidating activity. These results demonstrate for the first time that PB C-glucuronidation is catalyzed by only UGT1A9.     

Cooperation of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases reduces menadione cytotoxicity in HEK293 cells

Previous studies have shown that NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) plays an important role in the detoxification of menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, also known as vitamin K3). However, menadiol (2-methyl-1,4-naphthalenediol) formed from menadione by NQO1-mediated reduction continues to be an unstable substance, which undergoes the reformation of menadione with concomitant formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hence, we focused on the roles of phase II enzymes, with particular attention to UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), in the detoxification process of menadione. In this study, we established an HEK293 cell line stably expressing NQO1 (HEK293/NQO1) and HEK293/NQO1 cell lines with doxycycline (DOX)-regulated expression of UGT1A6 (HEK293/NQO1/UGT1A6) and UGT1A10 (HEK293/NQO1/UGT1A10), and evaluated the role of NQO1 and UGTs against menadione-induced cytotoxicity. Our results differed from those of previous studies. HEK293/NQO1 was the most sensitive cell line to menadione cytotoxicity among cell lines established in this study. These phenomena were also observed in HEK293/NQO1/UGT1A6 and HEK293/NQO1/UGT1A10 cells in which the expression of UGT was suppressed by DOX treatment. On the contrary, HEK293/NQO1/UGT1A6 and HEK293/NQO1/UGT1A10 cells without DOX treatment were resistant to menadione-induced cytotoxicity. These results demonstrated that NQO1 is not a detoxification enzyme for menadione and that UGT-mediated glucuronidation of menadiol is the most important detoxification process.     

Human Zn-α2-glycoprotein cDNA cloning and expression analysis in benign and malignant breast tissues

Two cDNA clones coding Zn-α₂-glycoprotein (Zn-α₂-gp) have been isolated from a human breast library and their nucleotide sequences determined. The deduced amino acid sequence contains the coding information for a hydrophobic signal peptide and the 278 residues of the mature proteine. Comparison of this sequence with that from the protein puriried from plasma reveals four differences: two amino acid changes (Gln-67 and Glu-222) and insertion of two residues (Ile-75 and Phe-76). Northern-blot analysis showed that the Zn-α₂-gp gene is expressed in liver and normal breast, but not in placenta, ovary and thyroid. A comparative analysis in mammary tissues from women with different diseases revealed enhanced expression of Zn-α₂-gp gene in benign breast lesions and a variable expression level in breast cancers.     

Genetic variants and haplotypes of the UGT1A9, 1A7 and 1A1 genes in Chinese Han

In this report, we describe combined polymorphisms of the UGT1A9, UGT1A7 and UGT1A1 genes in 100 unrelated, healthy Chinese Han subjects. The functional regions of these genes were sequenced and comprehensively analyzed for genetic polymorphisms. Thirty variants were detected, including five novel forms. Tentative functional predictions indicated that a Cys → Arg substitution at position 277 in the UGT1A7 gene could alter the protein conformation and that 12460T > G in the 3'UTR might influence protein translation through specifically expressed miRNAs. UGT1A9*1b was a major functional variant in the subjects examined whereas the *1f allele had a frequency of only 0.5%. A special functional haplotype (GAGAAC) was identified for UGT1A9, 1A7 and 1A1. These findings provide fundamental genetic information that may serve as a basis for larger studies designed to assess the metabolic phenotypes associated with UGT1A polymorphisms. They also provide important data for the implementation of personalized medicine in Chinese Han.     

Estradiol inhibits the estrone sulfatase activity in normal and cancerous human breast tissues

It is well accepted that estradiol (E₂) plays an important role in the genesis and evolution of breast cancer. Quantitative evaluation indicates that in human breast tumor, estrone sulfate (E₁S) ‘via sulfatase’ is a much more likely precursor for E₂ than is androstenedione ‘via aromatase’. In previous studies, it was demonstrated that in isolated MCF-7 and T-47D breast cancer cell lines, estradiol can block estrone sulfatase activity. In the present study, the effect of E₂ was explored using total normal and cancerous breast tissues. This study was carried out with post-menopausal patients with breast cancer. None of the patients had a history of endocrine, metabolic or hepatic diseases or had received treatment in the previous 2 months. Each patient received local anaesthetic (lidocaine 1%) and two regions of the mammary tissue were selected: (A) the tumoral tissue and (B) the distant zone (glandular tissue) which was considered as normal. Samples were placed in liquid nitrogen and stored at –80 °C until enzyme activity analysis. Breast cancer histotypes were ductal and post-menopausal stages were T2. Homogenates of tumoral or normal breast tissues (45–75 mg) were incubated in 20 mM Tris–HCl, pH 7.2 with physiological concentrations of [³H]-E₁S (5 × 10⁻⁹ M) alone or in the presence of E₂ (5 × 10⁻⁵ to 5 × 10⁻⁷ M) during 30 min or 3 h. E₁S, E₁ and E₂ were characterized by thin layer chromatography and quantified using the corresponding standard. The sulfatase activity is significantly more intense with the breast cancer tissue than normal tissue, since the concentration of E₁ was 3.20 ± 0.15 and 0.42 ± 0.07 pmol/mg protein, respectively after 30 min incubation. The values were 27.8 ± 1.8 and 3.5 ± 0.21 pmol/mg protein, respectively after 3 h incubation. Estradiol at the concentration of 5 × 10⁻⁷ M inhibits this conversion by 33% and 31% in cancerous and normal breast tissues, respectively and by 53% and 88% at the concentration of 5 × 10⁻⁵ M after 30 min incubation. The values were 24% and 18% for 5 × 10⁻⁷ M and 49% and 42% for 5 × 10⁻⁵ M, respectively after 3 h incubation. It was observed that [³H]-E₁S is only converted to [³H]-E₁ and not to [³H]-E₂ in normal or cancerous breast tissues, which suggests a low or no 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) Type 1 reductive activity in these experimental conditions. In conclusion, estradiol is a strong anti-sulfatase agent in cancerous and normal breast tissues. This data can open attractive perspectives in clinical trials using this hormone.     

A fine balance between CCNL1 and TIMP1 contributes to the development of breast cancer cells

Cyclin L1 (CCNL1) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP1) are candidate genes involved in several types of cancer. However, the expression of CCNL1 and the relationship between CCNL1 and TIMP1 in breast cancer cells is unknown. Using patients’ breast cancer tissues, the expression of CCNL1 and TIMP1 was measured by cDNA microarray and further confirmed by real-time RT-PCR and western blotting. Overexpression or repression of CCNL1 and TIMP1, individually or together, was performed in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells by transient transformation methods to investigate their role in breast cancer cell growth. Simultaneously, mRNA and protein expression levels of CCNL1 and TIMP1 were also measured. CCNL1 and TIMP1 expression was significantly elevated in breast cancer tissues compared with that in peri-breast cancer tissues of patients by cDNA microarray and these results were further confirmed by real-time RT-PCR and western blotting. Interestingly, in vitro experiments showed a stimulatory effect of TIMP1 and an inhibitory effect of CCNL1 on growth of MDA-MB-231 cells. Co-expression or co-repression of these two genes did not affect cell growth. Overexpression of CCNL1 and TIMP1 individually induced overexpression of each other. These data demonstrate that there is a fine balance between CCNL1 and TIMP1, which may contribute to breast cancer development.