Sagebrush plants are incredibly chemically active, and produce polyphenols, which are secondary plant metabolites, in abundance. A limited number of wild animals, including the endangered sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus and pygmy rabbit Brachylagus idahoensis browse selectively on certain species of sagebrush. We hypothesize that observed wildlife dietary selectivity is influenced by polyphenols present in sagebrush that impact their ability to metabolize xenobiotics. The enzyme cytochrome P-450 1A1 (CYP1A1) is a monooxygenase that catalyzes many reactions involved in the bioactivation and detoxification of xenobiotics and belongs to a family of enzymes (CYP1A) that is highly conserved. The expression of CYP1A1 is induced by some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, many of which are also substrates of the CYP1A1 enzyme. In this study, the effects of polyphenols extracted from sagebrush on the expression of CYP1A1 were characterized. CYP1A1 was induced in cultured HepG2 human hepatocytes using benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and the subsequent enzyme activity was measured in a fluorescent assay. The effects of polyphenols extracted from sagebrush on BaP-induced CYP1A1 expression were determined. Results show that sagebrush polyphenols from two sagebrush species inhibit BaP-induced CYP1A1 expression in a dose dependent manner. This suggests that the polyphenols animals ingest by consuming sagebrush may influence the ability of those animals to effectively metabolize and clear xenobiotics. This study will allow for a greater understanding of the way the chemical environment impacts wildlife.

Sagebrush polyphenols impact the expression of CYP1A1

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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