2002 Volume 48 Issue 4 Pages 346-349
Composition and inducibility of cytochrome P450 (CYP) in ocular tissues were investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblot techniques. Composition of ocular CYPs is more restricted than that of hepatic forms. High levels of CYP2B1/2 and reduced levels of CYP2C11 expression were detected in rat ocular tissues. Phenobarbital induced CYP2B1/2 expression in the lens but not in the rest of the eye, whereas CYP2C11 induction was observed in both regions. In addition, CYP2B1/2 proteins were found to be prominent in the retina. Our data indicate eye-specific regulation of CYP expression.
