Acid reaction products of indole-3-carbinol and their effects on cytochrome P450 and phase II enzymes in rat and monkey hepatocytes.

The effects of three acid condensation products of indole-3-carbinol (I3C), i.e. 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), 5,6,11,12,17,18-hexahydrocyclonona[1,2-b:4,5-b':7,8-b"]tri-indole (CTI) and 2,3-bis[3-indolylmethyl]indole (BII), on cytochrome P450 and phase II enzymes were studied in primary cultures of rat and cynomolgus monkey liver cells. In rat hepatocytes all three indole derivatives dose-relatedly induced the ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (EROD) activity (to 24-fold) and 7 alpha-hydroxylation of testosterone (to 4-fold), whereas all three decreased the 16 alpha- and 2 alpha-testosterone hydroxylation (DIM to 60%, CTI and BII to a mere 5% of the control cells). Treatment of monkey hepatocytes with DIM and BII enhanced the EROD activity to 6- and 9-fold, respectively. Furthermore, BII decreased the 6 beta-hydroxylation of testosterone (to 60% of the untreated cultures) in monkey cells. Phase II enzymes were also affected. In rat hepatocytes DIM, CTI and BII enhanced DT-diaphorase (DTD) (= NAD(P)H-quinone reductase) activity, and DIM and BII the glucuronidation of 1-naphthol. In monkey cells BII only enhanced DTD, and no changes were observed in the glucuronidation of 1-naphthol after treatment with either DIM or BII. The indole derivatives did not affect glutathione S-transferase activity and sulfation of 1-naphthol in either rat or monkey hepatocytes. These results identify two novel acid condensation products of I3C, CTI and BII, as potent compounds in affecting biotransformation in rat as well as in monkey hepatocytes.