Alteration of cardiac cytochrome P450-mediated arachidonic acid metabolism in response to lipopolysaccharide-induced acute systemic inflammation

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) generated cardioprotective metabolites, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), and cardiotoxic metabolites, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) levels are determined by many factors, including the induction or repression of the CYP enzymes, responsible for their formation. Therefore, we examined the effect of acute inflammation on the expression of CYP epoxygenases and CYP ω-hydroxylases in the heart, kidney, and liver and the cardiac CYP-mediated arachidonic acid metabolism. For this purpose, male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (1 mg/kg). After 6, 12, or 24 h, the tissues were harvested and the expression of CYP genes and protein levels were determined using real time-PCR, and Western blot analyses, respectively. Arachidonic acid metabolites formations were determined by liquid chromatography-electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry LC-ESI-MS. Our results showed that inflammation significantly decreased the CYP epoxygenases expression in the heart, kidney and liver with a concomitant decrease in the EETs produced by these enzymes. In contrast to CYP expoxygenses, inflammation differentially altered CYP ω-hydroxylases expression with a significant increase in 20-HETE formation. The present study demonstrates for the first time that acute inflammation decreases CYP epoxygenases and their associated cardioprotective metabolites, EETs while on the other hand increases CYP ω-hydroxylases and their associated cardiotoxic metabolites, 20-HETE. These changes may be involved in the development and/or progression of cardiovascular diseases by inflammation.