PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Sutliff, Aimee K.
AU  - Shi, Jian
AU  - Watson, Christy J.W.
AU  - Hunt, Martina S.
AU  - Chen, Gang
AU  - Zhu, Hao-Jie
AU  - Lazarus, Philip
TI  - Potential Regulation of UGT2B10 and UGT2B7 by miR-485-5p in Human Liver
AID  - 10.1124/mol.119.115881
DP  - 2019 Dec 01
TA  - Molecular Pharmacology
PG  - 674--682
VI  - 96
IP  - 6
4099  - http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/96/6/674.short
4100  - http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/96/6/674.full
SO  - Mol Pharmacol2019 Dec 01; 96
AB  - The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) family of enzymes is important in the metabolic elimination of a variety of endogenous compounds such as bile acids, steroids, and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as exogenous compounds including many pharmaceuticals. The UGT2B subfamily is a major family of UGT enzymes expressed in human liver. The identification of novel mechanisms including post-transcriptional regulation by microRNA (miRNA) contributes to interindividual variability in UGT2B expression and is a crucial component in predicting patient drug response. In the present study, a high-resolution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was employed to measure UGT2B protein levels in a panel of human liver microsomal samples (n = 62). Concurrent in silico analysis identified eight candidate miRNAs as potential regulators of UGT2B enzymes. Comparison of UGT2B protein expression and candidate miRNA levels from human liver samples demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between UGT2B10 and UGT2B15 and one of these candidate miRNAs, miR-485-5p. A near-significant correlation was also observed between UGT2B7 and miR-485-5p expression. In vitro analysis using luciferase-containing vectors suggested an interaction of miR-485-5p within the UGT2B10 3′-untranslated region (UTR), and significant reduction in luciferase activity was also observed for a luciferase vector containing the UGT2B7 3′-UTR; however, none was observed for the UBT2B15 3′-UTR. UGT2B10 and UGT2B7 activities were probed using nicotine and 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine, respectively, and significant decreases in glucuronidation activity were observed for both substrates in HuH-7 and Hep3B cells upon overexpression of miR-485-5p mimic. This is the first study demonstrating a regulatory role of miR-485-5p for multiple UGT2B enzymes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The purpose of this study was to identify novel epigenetic miRNA regulators of the UGT2B drug-metabolizing enzymes in healthy human liver samples. Our results indicate that miRNA 485-5p is a novel regulator of UGT2B7 and UGT2B10, which play an important role in the metabolism of many commonly prescribed medications, carcinogens, and endogenous compounds. This study identified potential miRNA-UGT2B mRNA interactions using a novel proteomic approach, with in vitro experiments undertaken to validate these interactions.