Regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL anti-apoptotic protein expression by nuclear receptor PXR in primary cultures of human and rat hepatocytes

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) plays a major role in the protection of the body by regulating the genes involved in the metabolism and elimination of potentially toxic xeno- and endobiotics. We previously described that PXR activator dexamethasone protects hepatocytes from spontaneous apoptosis. We hypothesise a PXR-dependent co-regulation process between detoxication and programmed cell death. Using primary cultured human and rat hepatocytes, we investigated to determine if PXR is implicated in the regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, two crucial apoptosis inhibitors. In the present study we demonstrated that the treatment of primary cultured hepatocytes with PXR agonists increased hepatocyte viability and protects them from staurosporine-induced apoptosis. The anti-apoptotic capacity of PXR activation was correlated with Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL induction at both the transcriptional and protein levels in man and rats, respectively. The inhibition of PXR expression by antisense oligonucleotide abolished PXR activators Bcl-xL induction. Accordingly, PXR overexpression in HepG2 cells led to bcl-2 induction upon clotrimazole treatment and protects cells against Fas-induced apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that PXR expression is required for Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL up-regulation upon PXR activators treatment in human and rat hepatocytes. They also suggest that PXR may protect the liver against chemicals by simultaneously regulating detoxication and the apoptotic pathway.