RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 RNA-Seq Quantification of Hepatic Drug Processing Genes in Germ-Free Mice JF Drug Metabolism and Disposition JO Drug Metab Dispos FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 1572 OP 1580 DO 10.1124/dmd.115.063545 VO 43 IS 10 A1 Selwyn, Felcy Pavithra A1 Cui, Julia Yue A1 Klaassen, Curtis D. YR 2015 UL http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/43/10/1572.abstract AB Intestinal bacteria have been shown to be important in regulating host intermediary metabolism and contributing to obesity. However, relatively less is known about the effect of intestinal bacteria on the expression of hepatic drug-processing genes in the host. This study characterizes the expression of hepatic drug-processing genes in germ-free (GF) mice using RNA-Seq. Total RNA were isolated from the livers of adult male conventional and GF C57BL/6J mice (n = 3 per group). In the livers of GF mice, the mRNA of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor target gene Cyp1a2 was increased 51%, and the mRNA of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) target gene Cyp4a14 was increased 202%. Conversely, the mRNA of the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) target gene Cyp2b10 was decreased 57%, and the mRNA of the pregnane X receptor target gene Cyp3a11 was decreased 87% in GF mice. Although other non-Cyp phase-1 enzymes in the livers of GF mice were only moderately affected, there was a marked down-regulation in the phase-2 enzymes glutathione S-transferases p1 and p2, as well as a marked up-regulation in the major bile acid transporters Na+-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide and organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1b2, and the cholesterol transporter ATP-binding cassette transporter Abcg5/Abcg8. This study demonstrates that intestinal bacteria regulate the expression of a large number of drug-processing genes, which suggests that intestinal bacteria are responsible for some individual differences in drug responses.