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3224698 
Journal Article 
A Cytochrome P450-Independent Mechanism of Acetaminophen-Induced Injury in Cultured Mouse Hepatocytes 
Miyakawa, K; Albee, R; Letzig, LG; Lehner, AF; Scott, MA; Buchweitz, JP; James, LP; Ganey, PE; Roth, RA 
2015 
Yes 
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
ISSN: 0022-3565
EISSN: 1521-0103 
354 
230-237 
English 
Mouse hepatic parenchymal cells (HPCs) have become the most frequently used in vitro model to study mechanisms of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity. It is universally accepted that APAP hepatocellular injury requires bioactivation by cytochromes P450 (P450s), but this remains unproven in primary mouse HPCs in vitro, especially over the wide range of concentrations that have been employed in published reports. The aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that APAP-induced hepatocellular death in vitro depends solely on P450s. We evaluated APAP cytotoxicity and APAP-protein adducts (a biomarker of metabolic bioactivation by P450) using primary mouse HPCs in the presence and absence of a broad-spectrum inhibitor of P450s, 1-aminobenzotriazole (1-ABT). 1-ABT abolished formation of APAP-protein adducts at all concentrations of APAP (0-14 mM), but eliminated cytotoxicity only at small concentrations (>= 5 mM), indicating the presence of a P450-independent mechanism at larger APAP concentrations. P450-independent cell death was delayed in onset relative to toxicity observed at smaller concentrations. p-Aminophenol was detected in primary mouse HPCs exposed to large concentrations of APAP, and a deacetylase inhibitor [bis (4-nitrophenyl) phosphate (BNPP)] significantly reduced cytotoxicity. In conclusion, APAP hepatocellular injury in vitro occurs by at least two mechanisms, a P450-dependent mechanism that operates at concentrations of APAP >= 5 mM and a P450-independent mechanism that predominates at larger concentrations and is slower in onset. p-Aminophenol most likely contributes to the latter mechanism. These findings should be considered in interpreting results from APAP cytotoxicity studies in vitro and in selecting APAP concentrations for use in such studies.