Suppression by p38 MAP kinase inhibitors (pyridinyl imidazole compounds) of Ah receptor target gene activation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and the possible mechanism.

Cytochrome P-450 1A1 (CYP1A1) is known to be induced by aromatic hydrocarbons, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), through activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). We found that p38 MAP kinase inhibitors (SB203580 and SB202190; 40 microm each; pyridinyl imidazole compounds) suppressed CYP1A1-mRNA induction by TCDD (2 nm) in mouse hepatoma Hepa-1 cells and in human hepatoma HepG2 cells, and also suppressed CYP1B1-mRNA induction by TCDD (2 nm) in human breast adenocarcinoma MCF7 cells. An analogue compound, SB202474, which does not inhibit p38 MAP kinase, also suppressed CYP1A1-mRNA induction by TCDD. Moreover, overexpression of a dominant-negative gene for p38 MAP kinase in Hepa-1 cells did not suppress Cyp1a1 reporter gene induction by TCDD. Therefore, the suppression of Cyp1a1 transcription by pyridinyl imidazole compounds is not because of their inhibition of p38 MAP kinase activity. Because SB203580 did not inhibit in vitro AhR transformation by TCDD, this compound was not acting as a simple AhR antagonist. SB203580 decreased TCDD-induced histone acetylation levels in the region of the Cyp1a1 gene promoter, especially around the TATA box sequence. This result suggests the possibility that pyridinyl imidazole compounds suppress the recruitment of some co-activator that has the histone acetyltransferase activity necessary for CYP1A1-mRNA transcription.