Hepatic steroid metabolizing enzyme activity during early, mid, and late bovine pregnancy

The objective was to examine hepatic steroid inactivating enzymes throughout gestation and determine the effect of early to mid-gestation maternal nutrient restriction followed by realimentation on the activity of these enzymes. On day 30 of gestation, cows were assigned to dietary treatments: control (CON; 100% National Research Council; n = 18) and restricted (RES; 60% National Research Council; n = 30). On day 85, cows were slaughtered (CON, n = 6 and RES, n = 6), remained on control (CC, n = 12) and restricted (RR, n = 12), or were realimented to control (RC, n = 11). On day 140, cows were slaughtered (CC, n = 6; RR, n = 6; RC, n = 5), remained on control (CCC, n = 6; RCC, n = 5), or were realimented to control (RRC, n = 6). On day 254, all remaining cows were slaughtered. Jugular blood samples were collected before the slaughter for steroid analysis. At slaughter, maternal liver samples were collected for hepatic enzyme activity analysis. Activity of cytochrome P450 3A decreased (P = 0.05) from mid- to late-gestation. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha DNA binding activity was increased (P < 0.01) on day 140 and 254 of gestation vs day 85. Concentrations of estradiol-17β (E2) increased (P < 0.01) as gestation proceeded, whereas progesterone concentrations (P4) tended to increase (P = 0.06) from mid- to late-gestation. Activity of cytochrome P450 1A and 2C were decreased (P < 0.05) in nutrient restricted cows vs control, whereas concentrations of E2 were increased (P < 0.05) in nutrient restricted cows vs control. A longer period of nutrient realimentation from mid- to late-gestation increased (P < 0.05) aldo-keto reductase 1C activity and decreased (P < 0.05) P4 concentrations compared with the shorter period of nutrient realimentation. In addition, significant negative correlations were observed for cytochrome P450 3A activity vs E2 (r2 = −0.30; P < 0.05) and aldo-keto reductase 1C activity vs P4 (r2 = −0.29; P < 0.05). The present study implicates hepatic steroid inactivation in the partial modulation of peripheral concentrations of E2 and P4 during gestation.