Captan impairs CYP-catalyzed drug metabolism in the mouse

To investigate whether the fungicide captan impairs CYP-catalyzed drug metabolism in murine liver, kidney and lung, the modulation of the regio- and stereo-selective hydroxylation of testosterone, including 6beta-(CYP3A), 6alpha-(CYP2A1 and CYP2B1) and 16alpha-(CYP2B9) oxidations was studied. Specific substrates as probes for different CYP isoforms such as p-nitrophenol (CYP2E1), pentoxyresorufin (CYP2B1), ethoxyresorufin (CYP1A1), aminopyrine (CYP3A), phenacetin and methoxyresorufin (CYP1A2), and ethoxycoumarin (mixed) were also considered. Daily doses of captan (7.5 or 15 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) were administered to different groups of Swiss Albino CD1 mice of both sexes for 1 or 3 consecutive days. While a single dose of this fungicide did not affect CYP-machinery, repeated treatment significantly impaired the microsomal metabolism; in the liver, for example, a general inactivating effect was observed, with the sole exception of testosterone 2alpha-hydroxylase activity which was induced up to 8.6-fold in males. In vitro studies showed that the mechanism-based inhibition was related to captan metabolites rather than the parental compound. In the kidney, both CYP3A- and CYP1A2-linked monooxygenases were significantly induced (2-fold) by this pesticide. Accelerated phenacetin and methoxyresorufin metabolism (CYP1A2) was also observed in the lung. Data on CYP3A (kidney) and CYP1A2 (kidney and lung) induction were corroborated by Western immunoblotting using rabbit polyclonal anti-CYP3A1/2 and CYP1A1/2 antibodies. By means of electron spin resonance (EPR) spectrometry coupled to a spin-trapping technique, it was found that the recorded induction generates a large amounts of the anion radical superoxide (O*2-) either in kidney or lung microsomes. These findings suggest that alterations in CYP-associated activities by captan exposure may result in impaired (endogenous) metabolism as well as of coadministered drugs with significant implications for their disposition. The adverse outcomes associated to CYP changes (e.g. cotoxicity, comutagenicity and promotion) may also have harmful consequences.