Permanent uncoupling of male-specific CYP2C11 transcription/translation by perinatal glutamate

•A “low” neonatal dose of MSG causes an immediate but transient growth hormone depletion.•Adult circulating growth hormone contains mini pulses in an otherwise male profile.•CYP2C11 is permanently overexpressed > 250%; CYP2C6, 2C7 and albumin remain normal.•The bulk of the overexpressed CYP2C11 mRNA consists of an intron-retained form.•SOCS2 and miRNAs are subnormal, ubiquitination is elevated but JAK2/STAT5b is normal.

Perinatal exposure of rats and mice to the typically reported 4 mg/g bd wt dose of monosodium glutamate (MSG) results in a complete block in GH secretion as well as obesity, growth retardation and a profound suppression of several cytochrome P450s, including CYP2C11, the predominant male-specific isoform - all irreversible effects. In contrast, we have found that a lower dose of the food additive, 2 mg/g bd wt on alternate days for the first 9 days of life results in a transient neonatal depletion of plasma GH, a subsequent permanent overexpression of CYP2C11 as well as subnormal (mini) GH pulse amplitudes in an otherwise normal adult masculine episodic GH profile. The overexpressed CYP2C11 was characterized by a 250% increase in mRNA, but only a 40 to 50% increase in CYP2C11 protein and its catalytic activity. Using freshly isolated hepatocytes as well as primary cultures exposed to the masculine-like episodic GH profile, we observed normal induction, activation, nuclear translocation and binding to the CYP2C11 promoter of the GH-dependent signal transducers required for CYP2C11 transcription. The disproportionately lower expression levels of CYP2C11 protein were associated with dramatically high expression levels of an aberrant, presumably nontranslated CYP2C11 mRNA, a 200% increase in CYP2C11 ubiquitination and a 70-80% decline in miRNAs associated, at normal levels, with a suppression of CYP2C expression. Whereas the GH-responsiveness of CYP2C7 and CYP2C6 as well as albumin was normal in the MSG-derived hepatocytes, the abnormal expression of CYP2C11 was permanent and irreversible.