RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Role of Constitutive Androstane Receptor in the In Vivo Induction of Mrp3 and CYP2B1/2 by Phenobarbital JF Drug Metabolism and Disposition JO Drug Metab Dispos FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 918 OP 923 DO 10.1124/dmd.30.8.918 VO 30 IS 8 A1 Hao Xiong A1 Kouichi Yoshinari A1 Kim L. R. Brouwer A1 Masahiko Negishi YR 2002 UL http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/30/8/918.abstract AB Phenobarbital (PB) induces the hepatic organic anion transporter, Mrp3. The present study tested the hypothesis that Mrp3 induction by PB is mediated by the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). PB induction of Mrp3 and CYP2B was examined in lean and obese Zucker rats, male and female Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, HepG2 and mouse CAR-expressing HepG2 (g2car-3) cells; HepG2 and g2car-3 cells also were treated with 1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene (TCPOBOP). In obese Zucker rat livers, total and nuclear CAR levels were markedly lower compared with lean rat livers, which correlated with the poor induction of CYP2B1/2 by PB in obese Zucker rats. Mrp3 induction by PB also was impaired in obese Zucker rat livers. Induction of Mrp3 by PB was similar in male and female WKY rat livers, despite the fact that CAR protein levels were significantly lower in female relative to male WKY rat livers. MRP3 levels in both HepG2 and g2car-3 cells were induced to a similar extent in the two cell lines by PB but not by TCPOBOP. In contrast, CYP2B6 levels were measurable and induced by TCPOBOP only in g2car-3 cells. In conclusion, data from WKY rats and HepG2 cells suggest that CAR does not play a key role in PB induction of Mrp3. Impaired induction of Mrp3 by PB in obese Zucker rats is not due solely to CAR deficiency. Interestingly, differences in the constitutive levels of Mrp3 were observed between obese and lean Zucker rats and between male and female WKY rats. U.S. Government