Hormonal regulation of Cyp4a isoforms in mouse liver and kidney.

Mouse Cyp4a subfamily, including Cyp4a10, Cyp4a12a, Cyp4a12b and Cyp4a14, demonstrate a gender- and strain-specific expression in liver and kidney. In C57BL/6 mouse liver and kidney, Cyp4a12a and 4a12b are male-predominant, whereas Cyp4a14 is female-predominant. Cyp4a10 is female-predominant in liver, but shows no gender difference in kidney. The present study was aimed to determine whether sex hormones and/or growth hormone (GH) secretion patterns are responsible for the gender-specific Cyp4a expression in C57BL/6 mice. Gonadectomized mice, GH-releasing hormone receptor-deficient little (lit/lit) mice and hypophysectomized mice were used with replacement of sex hormones or GH in male or female secretion patterns. Both androgens and male-pattern GH regulated the gender-divergent Cyp4a10, 4a12a and 4a12b in liver, whereas androgens played an exclusive role in regulating Cyp4a10 and 4a12a in kidney. In contrast, Cyp4a12b was increased by male-pattern GH but not androgens in kidney. The female-predominant Cyp4a14 in liver and kidney was due to a combined effect of male-pattern GH and androgens. In addition, estrogens played a minor role in regulation of Cyp4a isoforms through an indirect pathway. In conclusion, gender-divergent Cyp4a mRNA expression in liver is caused by male-pattern GH secretion pattern and androgens, whereas in kidney, Cyp4a mRNA expression is primarily regulated by androgens.