Effects of dexamethasone on the hepatic cytochrome P450IIIA subfamily in two hamster strains Mesocricetus auratus and Cricetus griseus

Abstract

1. Administration of dexamethasone significantly reduced the amount of hepatic cytochrome P₄₅₀ in Syrian golden and Chinese hamsters, while it increased the amount in rats.

2. In contrast to rats, the induction rate of the activities of erythromycin and troleandomycin N-demethylases by dexamethasone was relatively low, while that of the testosterone 6β-hydroxylase was high in the two hamster strains.

3. Western blot analysis revealed that dexamethasone did not modify markedly the pattern of the P₄₅₀IIIA subfamily proteins in the two hamster strains.