The hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP) enzyme system provides a major aspect of liver function, yet alterations of CYP in sepsis remain largely unknown. Although we have recently shown that CYP1A2, one of the major isoforms of CYP in rats, is downregulated in sepsis, the underlying mechanism and possible therapeutic approaches warrant further investigation. The aim of this study was to determine whether Kupffer cells (KCs) play any role in suppressing CYP1A2 in the hepatocytes (HCs) and if so, how to modulate CYP1A2 expression in sepsis. To study this, primary KCs and HCs were cultured separately or together with or without transwells. Cells and supernatant samples were collected after various stimulations. Additionally, polymicrobial sepsis was induced in rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) with or without curcumin pretreatment. Liver samples were harvested 20 h post-CLP. The results show that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not suppress CYP1A2 in HC or HC/KC coculture with transwells. However, LPS downregulated CYP1A2, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR, a nuclear receptor) and AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) in coculture without transwells. Anti-TNF-α and anti-IL-1β antibodies attenuated this downregulation. Moreover, elevated hepatic levels of TNF-α and IL-1β post-CLP were decreased by curcumin pre-treatment. This reduction was associated with increased expression of AhR and CYP1A2. These results indicate that KCs-derived proinflammatory cytokines may play an important role in downregulating CYP1A2 in sepsis. The reduction of AhR/Arnt may be the underlying mechanism for such downregulation. Inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines by curcumin may provide a novel approach to modulate the hepatic CYP function in sepsis.

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