Uptake Of Benzylpenicillin Research Articles

Involvement of human and canine MRP1 and MRP4 in benzylpenicillin transport.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a dynamic and complex interface between blood and the central nervous system (CNS). It protects the brain by preventing toxic substances from entering the brain but also limits the entry of therapeutic agents. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux transporters are critical for the functional barrier and present a formidable impediment to brain delivery of therapeutic agents including antibiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 and 4 (MRP1 and MRP4), two ABC transporters, in benzylpenicillin efflux transport using wild-type (WT) MDCKII cells and cells overexpressing those human transporters, as well as non-selective and selective inhibitors. We found that inhibiting MRP1 or MRP4 significantly increased [3H]benzylpenicillin uptake in MDCKII-WT, -MRP1 or –MRP4 cells. Similar results were also found in HepG2 cells, which highly express MRP1 and MRP4, and hCMEC/D3 cells which express MRP1. The results indicate that human and canine MRP1 and MRP4 are involved in benzylpenicillin efflux transport. They could be potential therapeutic targets for improving the efficacy of benzylpenicillin for treating CNS infections since both MRP1 and MRP4 express at human blood-brain barrier.

Role of Human Breast Cancer Related Protein versus P-Glycoprotein as an Efflux Transporter for Benzylpenicillin: Potential Importance at the Blood-Brain Barrier.

While the blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain by controlling the access of solutes and toxic substances to brain, it also limits drug entry to treat central nervous system disorders. Many drugs are substrates for ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters at the BBB that limit their entry into the brain. The role of those transporters in limiting the entry of the widely prescribed therapeutic, benzylpenicillin, has produced conflicting results. This study investigated the possible potential involvement of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), two ABC transporters, in benzylpenicillin transport at BBB in human using MDCKII cells overexpressing those transporters as well as pharmacological inhibition. MDCKII cells overexpressing human BCRP (MDCKII-BCRP) but not those overexpressing human P-gp (MDCKII-MDR cells) had reduced [3H]benzylpenicillin uptake. Similarly, inhibiting BCRP increased [3H]benzylpenicillin uptake in MDCKII-BCRP cells, while inhibiting P-gp in MDCKII-MDR cells had no effect on uptake although there was evidence that benzylpenicillin is a substrate for canine P-gp. While inhibiting BCRP affected [3H]benzylpenicillin cell concentrations it did not affect transepithelial flux in MDCKII-BCRP cells. In summary, the results indicate that human BCRP and not human P-gp is involved in benzylpenicillin transport. However, targeting BCRP alone was not sufficient to alter transepithelial flux in MDCKII cells. Whether it would be sufficient to alter blood-to-brain flux at the human BBB remains to be investigated.

A carrier-mediated transport system for benzylpenicillin in isolated hepatocytes

The transport mechanism of benzylpenicillin was studied in freshly prepared rat hepatocytes. The initial uptake rate followed both saturable and unsaturable transport processes. The Arrhenius plot of the initial uptake rate gave an activation energy of 16.8 kcal mol-1 (69 kJ mol-1). The benzylpenicillin uptake by hepatocytes was significantly inhibited by antimycin A, sodium cyanide, rotenone, 2,4-dinitrophenol, phenoxymethylpenicillin, probenecid and taurocholic acid. No significant inhibition was observed by acetylaminohippuric acid and several kinds of amino acids and dipeptides. The present study provides the first evidence for the existence of a carrier-mediated and energy-dependent transport system of benzylpenicillin in the liver.

Involvement of Mrp2/MRP2 in the species different excretion route of benzylpenicillin between rat and human

The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of rat Mrp2 and human MRP2 in benzylpenicillin transport using canalicular liver plasma membrane (cLPM) vesicles isolated from Sprague–Dawley or Easai hyperbilirubinemic (EHBR) rats, and MDCKII cells overexpressing MRP2.The adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent uptake of benzylpenicillin and oestradiol-17β-D-glucuronide (E217βG), a representative substrate for Mrp2, into EHBR–cLPM vesicles was decreased relative to that seen with control–cLPM vesicles, which may reflect the absence of Mrp2 in the EHBR. The ATP-dependent uptake of taurocholate, which is not a substrate for Mrp2, was similar in both control and EHBR–cLPM vesicles. The concentration dependence of ATP-dependent benzylpenicillin uptake was reflected in a Km of 44.0 μM and a Vmax of 508.4 pmol mg−1 min−1. Additional inhibition studies using E217βG and methotrexate as representative substrates for Mrp2/MRP2 demonstrated the involvement of rat Mrp2, but not human MRP2, in benzylpenicillin efflux. Benzylpenicillin appears not to be a substrate for or inhibitor of other human efflux transporters such as MDR1, MRP1, MRP3, or BCRP.In conclusion, rat Mrp2, but not human MRP2, plays an important role in ATP-dependent benzylpenicillin uptake in the bile canalicular membrane, which may explain why biliary excretion of benzylpenicillin is high in the rat but negligible in humans.

Delineation of Human Peptide Transporter 1 (hPepT1)-Mediated Uptake and Transport of Substrates with Varying Transporter Affinities Utilizing Stably Transfected hPepT1/Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Clones and Caco-2 Cells

In the present investigation, the uptake and transport kinetics of valacyclovir (VACV), 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), and benzylpenicillin (BENZ) were studied in stably transfected Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK)/human peptide transporter 1 (hPepT1)-V5&His clonal cell lines expressing varying levels of epitope-tagged hPepT1 protein (low, medium, and high expression) and in Caco-2 cells to delineate hPepT1-mediated transport kinetics. These compounds were selected due to the fact that they are known PepT1 substrates, yet also have affinity for other transporters. Caco-2 cells, traditionally used for studying peptide-based drug transport, were included for comparison purposes. The time, pH, sodium, and concentration dependence of cellular uptake and permeability were measured using mock, clonal hPepT1-MDCK, and Caco-2 cells. A pH-dependent effect was observed in the hPepT1-expressing clones and Caco-2 cells, with an increase of 1.96-, 1.84-, and 2.05-fold for VACV, 5-ALA, and BENZ uptake, respectively, at pH 6 versus 7.4 in the high-expressing hPepT1 cells. BENZ uptake was significantly decreased in Caco-2 and MDCK cells in Na(+)-depleted buffer, whereas VACV uptake only decreased in Caco-2 cells. Concentration-dependent uptake studies in the mock-corrected hPepT1-MDCK and Caco-2 cells demonstrated hPepT1 affinity ranking of VACV > 5-ALA > BENZ. The apical-to-basal apparent permeability coefficient (P(app)) values of VACV, 5-ALA, and BENZ in mock-corrected hPepT1-MDCK cells showed solely hPepT1-mediated transport in contrast to Caco-2 cells. Lower K(m) values and higher P(app) in Caco-2 cells compared with hPepT1-MDCK cells suggested the involvement of multiple transporters in Caco-2 cells. Thus, hPepT1-MDCK cells corrected for endogenous transporter expression may be a more appropriate model for screening compounds for their affinity to hPepT1.

Dominant expression of androgen receptors and their functional regulation of organic anion transporter 3 in rat brain capillary endothelial cells; Comparison of gene expression between the blood–brain and ‐retinal barriers

Brain and retinal capillary endothelial cells (BCECs and RCECs, respectively) exhibit a barrier structure and function. Comparison of gene expression in these cells could clarify the selective function of each barrier. The purpose of this study was to identify the genes selectively expressed at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and to clarify the function of the selective gene, androgen receptor (AR). Gene expression was compared by a differential display using conditionally immortalized rat BCECs and RCECs (TR-BBB and TR-iBRB, respectively). A total of 12 gene fragments were identified as the selective genes dominantly expressed in TR-BBB cells. The most selective fragment in TR-BBB cells had the highest homology with the 3'-UTR of human and mouse AR. Rat AR mRNA was detected in TR-BBB cells and the brain capillary rich fraction, but not in TR-iBRB cells. Expression of organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3) mRNA in TR-BBB cells was induced by treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an AR ligand, and this induction was suppressed by flutamide. Moreover, uptake of benzylpenicillin by TR-BBB cells was also induced by DHT treatment. In contrast, OAT3 mRNA expression in TR-iBRB cells was not affected by DHT treatment. The brain-to-blood efflux rate of benzylpenicillin was not affected by gender. These results suggest that AR is involved in the functional regulation of OAT3 at the BBB, but not at the inner blood-retinal barrier (iBRB), and this regulation is not affected by gender. The BBB function will be affected by the androgen levels in the brain and/or plasma via AR.

The renal-specific transporter mediates facilitative transport of organic anions at the brush border membrane of mouse renal tubules.

The renal secretion of organic anions across the proximal tubules is achieved by a coordination of uptake and efflux transporters. This study reports the expression, localization, and functional properties of mouse renal-specific transporter (RST). Mouse RST mRNA is predominantly expressed in the kidney and localized on the brush border membrane of mouse kidney proximal tubules. Mouse RST-expressing HEK293 cells exhibited saturable uptake of p-aminohippurate (Km approximately 234 microM), which was increased by an increase in K(+) concentration or in the presence of Ba(2+) and ouabain and decreased by diethylpyrocarbonate, a histidine modifier. An increase in K(+) concentration enhanced the uptake of benzylpenicillin, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, suggesting polyspecific substrate specificity of mouse RST. Vectorial transport of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate was observed in the basal-to-apical direction in rat organic anion transporter 3-expressing LLC-PK1 cells (rOat3-LLC); however, coexpression of mouse RST in rOat3-LLC caused a 1.3-fold increase in the basal-to-apical transport. In addition, the basal-to-apical transport of benzylpenicillin and urate was 3- and 2.5-fold greater than that in the opposite direction in the double-transfected cells, respectively, whereas their transepithelial transport in vector- or rOat3-LLC was symmetrical. Furthermore, the basal-to-apical transport of benzylpenicillin was saturable and reduced by increasing extracellular K(+) concentration and ouabain. These results suggest that mouse RST mediates the efflux of organic anions including urate and works as exit for organic anions in the proximal tubules. In addition to the kidney, mouse RST was detected in the brain capillaries and the choroid plexus, and it may also play a role in efflux transport of organic anions across the barriers of the central nervous system.

Mouse reduced in osteosclerosis transporter functions as an organic anion transporter 3 and is localized at abluminal membrane of blood-brain barrier.

The "reduced in osteosclerosis" transporter (Roct), which shows decreased expression in the osteosclerosis (oc) mutant mouse, has high homology with rat and human organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3). However, its transport properties and involvement in bone turnover are poorly understood. Here, we examined Roct-mediated transport using a Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system. Roct-expressing oocytes exhibited uptake of [(3)H]estrone sulfate, [(3)H]p-aminohippuric acid, [(3)H]benzylpenicillin, [(3)H]estradiol 17beta-glucronide, [(3)H]indoxyl sulfate, [(14)C]indomethacin, [(3)H]homovanillic acid, [(3)H]cimetidine, [(14)C]glutarate, [(14)C]salicylic acid, and [(3)H]methotrexate. Furthermore, the uptake of [(3)H]benzylpenicillin by Roct coexpressed with Na(+)-dicarboxylate cotransporter was trans-stimulated by glutarate preloading, and [(3)H]estrone sulfate uptake showed a similar tendency, suggesting that Roct is a dicarboxylate exchanger. [(3)H]Benzylpenicillin uptake by Roct was inhibited by OAT3 substrates and inhibitors, and by sulfate or glucuronide conjugates, and compounds involved in bone turnover. Roct mRNA is expressed abundantly in the kidney and was also detected in the brain, choroid plexus, and eye. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Roct is localized in brain capillary endothelial cells. These results indicate that the transport properties and tissue distribution of Roct are similar to those of OAT3, suggesting that Roct functions as mouse OAT3. Because Roct is expressed in the kidney and at the blood-brain barrier, it may play a role in the excretion of substrates such as conjugates and bone turnover factors.

Mechanism of the reduced elimination clearance of benzylpenicillin from cerebrospinal fluid in rats with intracisternal administration of lipopolysaccharide.

The mechanism responsible for the reduced clearance of benzylpenicillin (BPC) from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was investigated in rats that received an intracisternal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). BPC was intraventricularly injected and its elimination from the CSF studied. During the inflammation created by the LPS administration to the cisterna magna, the clearance of BPC and taurine from the CSF was significantly reduced but reverted to the control level when N-nitro-L-arginine, a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, was intracisternally administered. The in vitro uptake of BPC and taurine was significantly reduced in the choroid plexus (CP, the blood-CSF barrier) of rats with experimental inflammation and in control CP that had been pretreated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP, an NO donor). Interestingly, the clearance and CP uptake of formycin B, a substrate for a nucleoside transporter, were not affected by the experimental inflammation or by pretreatement with SNP. These observations suggest that the BPC transporter, and probably other transport systems as well, is functionally sensitive to NO in the blood-CSF barrier. Therefore, functional impairment of BPC transport in the CP by NO may be partly responsible for the increase in BPC concentration in the CSF during inflammation such as that caused by meningitis.

P-655 - Epinephrine-induced enhancement of benzylpenicillin uptake via PEPT1 in rat small intestine

P-655 - Epinephrine-induced enhancement of benzylpenicillin uptake via PEPT1 in rat small intestine

Expression of a renal type I sodium/phosphate transporter (NaPi-1) induces a conductance in Xenopus oocytes permeable for organic and inorganic anions.

Two distinct molecular types (I and II) of renal proximal tubular brush border Na+/Pi cotransporters have been identified by expression cloning on the basis of their capacity to induce Na+-dependent Pi influx in tracer experiments. Whereas the type II transporters (e.g., NaPi-2 and NaPi-3) resemble well known characteristics of brush border Na+/Pi cotransport, little is known about the properties of the type I transporter (NaPi-1). In contrast to type II, type I transporters produced electrogenic transport only at high extracellular Pi concentrations (> or =3 mM). On the other hand, expression of NaPi-1 induced a Cl- conductance in Xenopus laevis oocytes, which was inhibited by Cl- channel blockers [5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) > niflumic acid >> 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid]. Further, the Cl- conductance was inhibited by the organic anions phenol red, benzylpenicillin (penicillin G), and probenecid. These organic anions induced outwardly directed currents in the absence of Cl-. In tracer studies, we observed uptake of benzylpenicillin with a Km of 0.22 mM; benzylpenicillin uptake was inhibited by NPPB and niflumic acid. These findings suggest that the type I Na+/Pi cotransporter functions also as a novel type of anion channel permeable not only for Cl- but also for organic anions. Such an apical anion channel could serve an important role in the transport of Cl- and the excretion of anionic xenobiotics.

Uptake of benzylpenicillin, cefpiramide and cefazolin by freshly prepared rat hepatocytes: Evidence for a carrier-mediated transport system

The kinetics and mechanism of the hepatic uptake of β-lactam antibiotics were studied by using freshly prepared rat hepatocytes. The initial uptake rates of benzylpenicillin and cefpiramide represented both saturable and nonsaturable transport processes, whereas that of cefazolin showed an apparently nonsaturable uptake process within the concentration range below 4mM. The apparent nonsaturable uptake rate constants for benzylpenicillin, cefpiramide and cefazolin were 0.580, 0.047 and 0.289 nmoles/min/mg protein/mM respectively. The apparent values of K t and V max describing the saturable transport were 0.473 ± 0.158 mM and 2.02 ± 0.48 nmoles/min/mg protein for benzylpenicillin and 0.847 ± 0.254 mM and 0.70 ± 0.18 nmoles/min/mg protein for cefpiramide respectively. The Arrhenius plot of benzylpenicillin uptake of 200 μM presented a single straight line in the range of 22°–37° with an activation energy of 16.8 kcal/mole. An energy requirement was also demonstrated for benzylpenicillin uptake as metabolic inhibitors (antimycin A, NaCN, rotenone and 2,4-dinitrophenol) significantly reduced the initial uptake rate of benzylpenicillin (P < 0.05). Uptake of benzylpenicillin (200 μM) was not inhibited by ouabain (1 mM). Benzylpenicillin uptake was inhibited competitively by phenoxymethylpenicillin, cefpiramide and cefazolin with the inhibition constants, K i of 0.680, 0.583 and 11.7 mM respectively. Benzylpenicillin also inhibited competitively the uptake of cefpiramide with a K i of 0.655 mM. From these results it was considered that a carrier-mediated uptake system participates in the hepatic uptake of at least four of the β-lactam antibiotics examined in this study.

Kinetic evidence for a common transport route of benzylpenicillin and probenecid by freshly prepared hepatocytes in rats. Influence of sodium ion, organic anions, amino acids and peptides on benzylpenicillin uptake.

Hepatic transport system of benzylpenicillin was characterized by using freshly prepared rat hepatocytes. Uptake of benzylpenicillin and cefpiramide did not require the presence of sodium ion in the incubation medium. No influence of several kinds of amino acids (leucine, histidine, phenylalanine, valine, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine) and peptides (prolyl-leucine, glycyl-glycine, glycyl-sarcosine, glycyl-leucine and gamma-glutamyl-cysteinylglycine) was observed for benzylpenicillin uptake into hepatocytes. Taurocholic acid and cholic acid significantly inhibited benzylpenicillin uptake. The kinetic study revealed that taurocholic acid inhibited benzylpenicillin uptake in a noncompetitive fashion. A similar effect of benzylpenicillin on taurocholic acid uptake was observed, suggesting that the affinity site of the hepatic transport carrier of benzylpenicillin is distinct from that of taurocholic acid. It is noteworthy that p-aminohippuric acid and p-acetylaminohippuric acid did not inhibit benzylpenicillin uptake. In contrast to the mutual inhibition behavior of benzylpenicillin and taurocholic acid, benzylpenicillin is fully and competitively inhibited by the simultaneous addition of probenecid. The inhibition constant Ki value of probenecid was calculated to be 0.322 mM. The uptake of probenecid was also significantly inhibited by benzylpenicillin. It is postulated that the affinity site of benzylpenicillin transport carrier is the same as that of probenecid and that the whole process of the benzylpenicillin transport system is common, at least in part, to the probenecid transport process in the liver.