Role of cytochrome P4502E1 in retinol's attenuation of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in the Swiss Webster mouse

In the mouse, retinol administration attenuates carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic injury. We have investigated the role of cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) in this interaction. Male Swiss Webster mice were administered retinol (75 mg/kg/d) or vehicle for 3 days prior to CCI4 (30 mu l/kg, ip). Hepatotoxicity produced by CCI4 was assessed by plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and light microscopy (ALT activity of 1391 +/- 430 vs. 274 +/- 92 IU/L for vehicle + CCl4 and retinol + CCl4 treatments respectively, p < 0.05). Retinol's attenuation of liver injury was maintained when CCl4 was administered 48 h after the conclusion of the retinol pretreatment. Aniline hydroxylation activity, an indicator of CYP2E1 catalytic activity, determined on day 4 was 33.8% of untreated control in vehicle + CCI4 treatments while the retinol + CCl4 treatment group was 94.2% of untreated control. Additionally, CYP2E1 immunoreactive protein was 78% lower in vehicle + CCl4 vs. retinol + CCl4 treatment groups. Attenuation of potentiated hepatotoxicity was also observed when CYP2E1 was induced by acetone (ALT activity of 3119 +/- 1066 vs. 247 +/- 77 IU/L for vehicle and retinol treatments respectively, p < 0.05). In the mouse, retinol itself does not alter constitutive or inducible CYP2E1 expression. However, in combination with CCl4 retinol does reduce the amount of CCl4 bioactivated to its toxic metabolite. We conclude that retinol attenuates CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity by causing a decrease in CCl4 bioactivation but does not cause a decrease in CYP2E1 expression.