The stability of dioxin-receptor ligands influences cytochrome P450IA1 expression in human keratinocytes

Three dioxin-receptor ligands were analyzed for their effect on cytochrome P450IA1 mRNA expression in normal human keratinocytes. Although a 2 h pulsed treatment with the receptor agonists 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) and beta-naphthoflavone (BNF) gave the same maximal induction response, the effect of BNF was transient compared to effect of TCDF. This was most likely due to metabolism of BNF as exemplified by the fact that a P450IA1 enzyme suicide-inhibitor, 1-ethynylpyrene, could prolong the induction response following a short BNF treatment. The TCDF induction of a reporter gene construct under the control of the -1140 to +2435 part of the CYPIA1 gene transiently transfected into HK was effectively inhibited by the dioxin-receptor antagonist alpha-naphthoflavone (ANF). In addition, ANF inhibited the accumulation of TCDF-activated nuclear receptors with capacity to bind to a xenobiotic response element. Interestingly, ANF could also suppress already maximally induced P450IA1 mRNA levels. The data demonstrate that the stability of the ligand influences the long-term effects on gene expression and that the effect of stable ligands may be masked due to receptor antagonist presence. In addition, the results support the hypothesis that a constant low level of activated nuclear receptors is required to maintain induced P450IA1 expression.