Hepatic CL Research Articles

Is the Protein-Mediated Uptake of Drugs by Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides a Real Phenomenon or an Artifact?

Plasma proteins or human serum albumin (HSA) have been reported to increase the in vitro intrinsic uptake clearance (CLint,uptake) of drugs by hepatocytes or organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP)-transfected cell lines. This so-called protein-mediated uptake effect (PMUE) is thought to be due to an interaction between the drug-protein complex and the cell membrane causing an increase in the unbound drug concentration at the cell surface, resulting in an increase in the apparent CLint,uptake of the drug. To determine if the PMUE on OATP-mediated drug uptake is an artifact or a real phenomenon, we determined the effect of 1%, 2%, and 5% HSA on OATP1B1-mediated [human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 transfected cells] and passive CLint,uptake (mock HEK293 cells) on a cocktail of five statins. In addition, we determined the non-specific binding (NSB) of the statin-HSA complex to the cells/labware. The increase in uptake of atorvastatin, fluvastatin, and rosuvastatin in the presence of HSA was completely explained by the extent of NSB of the statin-HSA complex, indicating that the PMUE for these statins is an artifact. In contrast, this was not the case for OATP1B1-mediated uptake of pitavastatin and passive uptake of cerivastatin, suggesting that the PMUE is a real phenomenon for these drugs. Additionally, the PMUE on OATP1B1-mediated uptake of pitavastatin was confirmed by a decrease in its unbound IC50 in the presence of 5% HSA versus Hank's balanced salt solution buffer (HBSS). These data question the utility of routinely including plasma proteins or HSA in uptake experiments and the previous findings on PMUE on OATP-mediated drug uptake. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Here we report, for the first time, that the protein-mediated uptake effect (PMUE) on organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP)-transported drugs could be an artifact of the non-specific binding (NSB) of the drug-albumin complex to cells/labware. Future experiments on PMUE must take into consideration such NSB. In addition, mechanisms other than PMUE need to be explored to explain the underprediction of in vivo OATP-mediated hepatic drug clearance from in vitro uptake studies.

Protective effects of Dioscorea birmanica extract against oxidative stress-induced damage in cultured normal hepatocytes and its phytochemical constituents

The rhizome ethanolic extract of Dioscorea birmanica Prain & Burkill (DBE) has long been used as Thai traditional remedies for treatments of chronic diseases whose development is linked to long-term oxidative stress. However, its protective effects against such stress have never been reported. This study evaluated antioxidant actions of DBE using multiple chemical assays and further assessed its protective effects in the normal hepatic BNL CL.2 cell line against sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced oxidative stress by measuring cell viability, oxidative damage to biomolecules, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Free radical levels in BNL CL.2 cells were determined to verify molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of DBE. The contents of phenolics and flavonoids were measured by colorimetric assays, and some of them were structurally elucidated by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. The results showed that DBE exerted potent scavenging activities against synthetic and natural radicals, including moderate metal chelating activity. Moreover, DBE improved the cell viability, attenuated oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA, as well as recovered the activities of antioxidant enzymes against SNP-induced oxidative stress with significant degrees in comparison to only stress-induced cells. In parallel with its cytoprotection, DBE exhibited significant reductions of excess levels of intracellular free radicals potentially through its potent antioxidant actions, thereby revealing the protective mechanism of DBE. For phytochemical analysis, high contents of phenolics and flavonoids were detected in DBE using colorimetric assays, and the structures of 14 potential antioxidants were elucidated using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. Therefore, DBE has the potential to develop into herbal dietary supplements for liver protection.

Clearance Prediction of HIV Protease Inhibitors in Man: Role of Hepatic Uptake

The aim of this work was to explore the contribution of the organic anion transporting polypeptide-1B (OATP1B) drug transporters in the hepatic clearance (Cl) of all marketed HIV protease inhibitors (PI) in humans. HIV PI uptake rates in OATP1B1/1B3-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells were converted to uptake Cl values in human hepatocytes via a relative activity factor, which was determined by comparing uptake of known substrates between OATP1B1/3-transfected cells and human hepatocytes. Metabolic Cl values were determined in human liver microsomes. In vivo hepatic Cl values were calculated either by combining drug uptake and metabolism or based on one of these individual Cl processes and compared with published in vivo hepatic Cl values. Excellent in vitro-in vivo correlation (R2 = 0.85) was observed when only uptake Cl values were used, but not when only metabolic Cl was used (R2 = 0.40). The correlation did not improve when both processes were taken into account (R2 = 0.85). PBPK models confirmed the remarkable sensitivity of predicted exposure to hepatic drug uptake, indicating a key role for OATP1B1/3 in hepatic disposition of several HIV PI in man. This may contribute to the interindividual variability in systemic and hepatic exposure to these drugs in the clinic.

Conversion of Suspected Food Carcinogen 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural by Sulfotransferases and Aldehyde Dehydrogenases in Postmitochondrial Tissue Preparations of Humans, Mice, and Rats.

The food contaminant 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is formed by heat- and acid-catalyzed reactions from carbohydrates. More than 80% of HMF is metabolized by oxidation of the aldehyde group in mice and rats. Sulfo conjugation yields mutagenic 5-sulfoxymethylfurfural, the probable cause for the neoplastic effects observed in HMF-treated rodents. Considerable metabolic differences between species hinder assessing the tumorigenic risk associated with human dietary HMF uptake. Here, we assayed HMF turnover catalyzed by sulfotransferases or by aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) in postmitochondrial preparations from liver, kidney, colon, and lung of humans, mice, and rats. The tissues-specific clearance capacities of HMF sulfo conjugation (CL(SC)) and ALDH-catalyzed oxidation (CL(OX)) were concentrated to the liver. The hepatic clearance CL(SC) in mice (males: 487 µl/min/kg bw, females: 2520 µl/min/kg bw) and rats (males: 430 µl/min/kg bw, females: 198 µl/min/kg bw) were considerably higher than those in humans (males: 21.2 µl/min/kg bw, females: 32.2 µl/min/kg bw). The ALDH-related clearance rates CLOX in mice (males: 3400 ml/min/kg bw, females: 1410 ml/min/kg bw) were higher than those of humans (males: 436 ml/min/kg bw, females: 646 ml/min/kg bw) and rats (males: 627 ml/min/kg bw, females: 679 ml/min/kg bw). The ratio of CL(OX) to CL(SC) was lowest in female mice. This finding indicated that HMF sulfo conjugation was most substantial in the liver of female mice, a target tissue for HMF-induced neoplastic effects, and that humans may be less sensitive regarding HMF sulfo conjugation compared with the rodent models.

In vitro hepatic microsomal metabolism of meloxicam in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), rats (Rattus norvegicus) and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)

Quantitative and qualitative aspects of in vitro metabolism of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam, mediated via hepatic microsomes of specialized foliage (Eucalyptus) eating marsupials (koalas and ringtail possums), a generalized foliage eating marsupial (brushtail possum), rats, and dogs, are described. Using a substrate depletion method, intrinsic hepatic clearance (in vitro Clint) was determined. Significantly, rates of oxidative transformation of meloxicam, likely mediated via cytochromes P450 (CYP), were higher in marsupials compared to rats or dogs. The rank order of apparent in vitro Clint was brushtail possums (n=3) (mean: 394μL/min/mg protein), >koalas (n=6) (50), >ringtail possums (n=2) (36) (with no significant difference between koalas and ringtail possums), >pooled rats (3.2)>pooled dogs (in which the rate of depletion, as calculated by the ratio of the substrate remaining was <20% and too slow to determine). During the depletion of meloxicam, at a first-order rate constant, 5-hydroxymethyl metabolite (M1) was identified in the brushtail possums and the rat as the major metabolite. However, multiple hydroxyl metabolites were observed in the koala (M1, M2, and M3) and the ringtail possum (M1 and M3) indicating that these specialized foliage-eating marsupials have diverse oxidation capacity to metabolize meloxicam. Using a well-stirred model, the apparent in vitro Clint of meloxicam for koalas and the rat was further scaled to compare with published in vivo Cl. The closest in vivo Cl prediction from in vitro data of koalas was demonstrated with scaled hepatic Cl(total) (average fold error=1.9) excluding unbound fractions in the blood and microsome values; whereas for rats, the in-vitro scaled hepatic Cl fu(blood, mic), corrected with unbound fractions in the blood and microsome values, provided the best prediction (fold error=1.86). This study indicates that eutherians such as rats or dogs serve as inadequate models for dosage extrapolation of this drug to marsupials due to differences in hepatic turnover rate. Furthermore, as in vivo Cl is one of the pharmacokinetic indexes for determining therapeutic drug dosages, this study demonstrates the utility of in vitro to in vivo scaling as an alternative prediction method of drug Cl in koalas.

Fucoxanthin Enhances HO-1 and NQO1 Expression in Murine Hepatic BNL CL.2 Cells through Activation of the Nrf2/ARE System Partially by Its Pro-oxidant Activity

To determine whether fucoxanthin, a major carotenoid in brown sea algae, may activate cellular antioxidant enzymes via up-regulation of the Nrf2/antioxidant-response element (ARE) pathway, we incubated mouse hepatic BNL CL.2 cells with fucoxanthin (0.5-20 μM) for 0-24 h. We found that fucoxanthin (≥5 μM) significantly increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) at 6 h of incubation, whereas preincubation with α-d-tocopherol (30 μM) significantly attenuated the increase of ROS, indicating the pro-oxidant nature of fucoxanthin. Fucoxanthin significantly increased the phosphorylation of ERK and p38 and markedly increased nuclear Nrf2 protein accumulation after incubation for 12 h. Moreover, fucoxanthin significantly enhanced binding activities of nuclear Nrf2 with ARE and increased mRNA and protein expression of HO-1 and NQO1 after incubation for 12 h. siRNA inhibition of Nrf2 led to markedly decreased HO-1 and NQO1 protein expression. Thus, fucoxanthin may exert its antioxidant activity, at least partly, through its pro-oxidant actions.

In vitro metabolic stability and metabolite profiling of TJ0711 hydrochloride, a newly developed vasodilatory β-blocker, using a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method

In this paper, a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous analysis of metabolic stability and metabolite profiling of 1-[4-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxy]-3-[[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy) ethyl]amino]-2-propanol hydrochloride (TJ0711 HCl), a new vasodilatory β-blocker. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used as a survey scan to quantify the parent compound and to trigger the acquisition of enhanced product ions (EPI) for the identification of formed metabolites. In addition, comparison between MRM-only and MRM-information dependent acquisition-EPI (MRM-IDA-EPI) methods was conducted to determine analytical variables, including linearity, limit of detection (LOD), lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), as well as intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision. Results demonstrated that MRM-IDA-EPI quantitative analysis was not affected by the addition of EPI scans to obtain qualitative information during the same chromatographic run, compared to MRM-only method. Thereafter, metabolic stability and metabolite identification of TJ0711 HCl were investigated using human liver microsomes (HLM) by the MRM-IDA-EPI method. The in vitro metabolic stability parameters were calculated and t 1/2, microsomal intrinsic clearance (CL int), as well as hepatic CL, were 13.0 min, 106.5 μL/min/mg microsomal protein, and 1082.2 mL/min, respectively. The major formed metabolites were also simultaneously monitored and the metabolite profiling data demonstrated that this MRM-IDA-EPI method was capable of targeting a large number of metabolites, in which demethylation and hydroxylation were the principle metabolism pathways during the in vitro incubation with HLM.

Synergistic effects of the combination of β-ionone and sorafenib on metastasis of human hepatoma SK-Hep-1 cells

The combination of anti-cancer drugs with nutritional factors is a potential strategy for improving the efficacy of chemotherapy, particularly for hepatocellular carcinoma because its conventional therapies are mostly ineffective. Using a highly invasive hepatoma SK-Hep-1 cell line, we investigated the possible synergistic anti-metastatic efficacy of a combination of sorafenib (SF), a multi-kinase inhibitor, and β-ionone (BI), a precursor of carotenoids. We found that SF (1 μM) in combination with BI (1 μM) synergistically inhibited cell invasion and additively inhibited cell migration, especially at 48 h of incubation. Mechanistically, the combination of SF and BI was found to decrease the protein expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Rho, and to enhance the protein expression of tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2. In addition, the combination of SF and BI inhibited the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 and decreased the phosphorylation of FAK and of Rac1 proteins. Importantly, SF enhanced the suppressing effect of BI (1-50 μM) on the viability of SK-Hep-1 cells, but not on murine hepatic BNL CL.2 cells, indicating the selective cytotoxicity of this combination on tumor cells. The combination of SF and BI could be a potential therapeutic strategy against human hepatoma cells.

Protective effects of fucoxanthin against ferric nitrilotriacetate-induced oxidative stress in murine hepatic BNL CL.2 cells

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid that is rich in some seaweed. Although fucoxanthin has been reported to possess radical-scavenging activities in vitro, little is known whether it may protect against iron-induced oxidative stress in cultured cells. In this study, we examined the protection of fucoxanthin against oxidative damage in BNL CL.2 cells induced by ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA). The data show that incubation of BNL CL.2 cells with Fe-NTA for 30min significantly decreased cell proliferation, whereas pretreatment with fucoxanthin (1–20μΜ) for 24h significantly recovered cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, fucoxanthin pretreatment significantly decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage in BNL CL.2 cells incubated with Fe-NTA for 30min. Moreover, fucoxanthin markedly decreased the level of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and protein carbonyl contents in BNL CL.2 cells induced by Fe-NTA. By contrast, fucoxanthin significantly increased the levels of GSH in a concentration-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that fucoxanthin at 1–20μΜ effectively prevents cytotoxicity in BNL CL.2 cells treated with Fe-NTA, and that the protective effect is likely associated with decreased intracellular ROS, TBARS, protein carbonyl contents and increased GSH levels.

Prediction of human pharmacokinetics—gut-wall metabolism

Intestinal mucosal cells operate with different metabolic and transport activity, and not all of them are involved in drug absorption and metabolism. The fraction of these cells involved is dependent on the absorption characteristics of compounds and is difficult to predict (it is probably small). The cells also appear comparably impermeable. This shows a limited applicability of microsome intrinsic clearance (CL(int))-data for prediction of gut-wall metabolism, and the difficulty to predict the gut-wall CL (CL(GW)) and extraction ratio (E(GW)). The objectives of this review were to evaluate determinants and methods for prediction of first-pass and systemic E(GW) and CL(GW) in man, and if required and possible, develop new simple prediction methodology. Animal gut-wall metabolism data do not appear reliable for scaling to man. In general, the systemic CL(GW) is low compared with the hepatic CL. For a moderately extracted CYP3A4-substrate with high permeability, midazolam, the gut-wall/hepatic CL-ratio is only 1/35. This suggests (as a general rule) that systemic CL(GW) can be neglected when predicting the total CL. First-pass E(GW) could be of importance, especially for substrates of CYP3A4 and conjugating enzymes. For several reasons, including those presented above and that blood flow based models are not applicable in the absorptive direction, it seems poorly predicted with available methodology. Prediction errors are large (several-fold on average; maximum approximately 15-fold). A new simple first-pass E(GW)-prediction method that compensates for regional and local differences in absorption and metabolic activity has been developed. It has been based on human cell in-vitro CL(int) and fractional absorption from the small intestine for reference (including verapamil) and test substances, and in-vivo first-pass E(GW)-data for reference substances. First-pass E(GW)-values for CYP3A4-substrates with various degrees of gastrointestinal uptake and CL(int) and a CYP2D6-substrate were well-predicted (negligible errors). More high quality in-vitro CL(int)- and in-vivo E(GW)-data are required for further validation of the method.

Prediction of human pharmacokinetics — improving microsome-based predictions of hepatic metabolic clearance

Physiologically based methods generally perform poorly in predicting in-vivo hepatic CL (CL(H)) from intrinsic clearance (CL(int)) in microsomes in-vitro and unbound fraction in blood (f(u,bl)). Various strategies to improve the predictability have been developed, and inclusion of an empirical scaling factor (SF) seems to give the best results. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate this methodology and to find ways to improve it further. The work was based on a diverse data set taken from Ito and Houston (2005). Another objective was to evaluate whether rationalization of CL(H) predictions can be made by replacing blood/plasma-concentration ratio (C(bl)/C(pl)) measurements with SFs. There were apparently no or weak correlations between prediction errors and lipophilicity, permeability (compounds with low permeability missing in the data set) and main metabolizing CYP450s. The use of CL(int) class (high/low) and drug class (acid/base/neutral) SFs (the CD-SF method) gives improved and reasonable predictions: 1.3-fold median error (an accurate prediction has a 1-fold error), 76% within 2-fold-error, and a median absolute rank ordering error of 2 for CL(H) (n = 29). This approach is better than the method with a single SF. Mean (P < 0.05) and median errors, fraction within certain error ranges, higher percentage with most accurate predictions, and ranking were all better, and 76% of predictions were more accurate with this new method. Results are particularly good for bases, which generally have higher CL(H) and the potential to be incorrectly selected/rejected as candidate drugs. Reasonable predictions of f(u,bl) can be made from plasma f(u) (f(u,pl)) and empirical blood cell binding SFs (B-SFs; 1 for low f(u,pl) acids; 0.62 for other substances). Mean and median f(u,bl) prediction errors are negligible. The use of the CD-SF method with predicted f(u,bl) (the BCD-SF method) also gives improved and reasonable results (1.4-fold median error; 66% within 2-fold-error; median absolute rank ordering error = 1). This new empirical approach seems sufficiently good for use during the early screening; it gives reasonable estimates of CL(H) and good ranking, which allows replacement of C(bl)/C(pl) measurements by a simple equation.

Pharmacokinetics of ipriflavone and its two metabolites, M1 and M5, after the intravenous and oral administration of ipriflavone to rat model of diabetes mellitus induced by streptozotocin

Ipriflavone was reported to be primarily metabolized via hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1/2 and 2C11 in male Sprague–Dawley rats. The protein expression and/or mRNA levels of hepatic CYP1A subfamily and 2C11 was reported to be increased and decreased, respectively, in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin (DMIS rats). Thus, the pharmacokinetic parameters of ipriflavone and its two metabolites, M1 and M5, were compared after the i.v. (20 mg/kg) and p.o. (200 mg/kg) administration of ipriflavone to control and DMIS rats. After both i.v. and p.o. administration of ipriflavone to DMIS rats, the AUCs of ipriflavone were significantly smaller (by 31.7% and 34.2% for i.v. and p.o. administration, respectively) than controls. The faster Cl nr (smaller AUC) of i.v. ipriflavone could have been due to the faster hepatic Cl int (because of an increase in the protein expression and/or mRNA level of hepatic CYP1A subfamily) and the faster hepatic blood flow rate than controls. The smaller AUC of p.o. ipriflavone in DMIS rats could have mainly been due to the faster intestinal Cl int (because of an increase in the intestinal CYP1A subfamily) than controls.

Relative Importance of Intestinal and Hepatic Glucuronidation—Impact on the Prediction of Drug Clearance

To assess the extent of intestinal and hepatic glucuronidation in vitro and resulting implications on glucuronidation clearance prediction. Alamethicin activated human intestinal (HIM) and hepatic (HLM) microsomes were used to obtain intrinsic glucuronidation clearance (CL(int,UGT)) for nine drugs using substrate depletion. The in vitro extent of glucuronidation (fm(UGT)) was determined using P450 and UGT cofactors. Utility of hepatic CL(int) for the prediction of in vivo clearance was assessed. fm(UGT) (8-100%) was comparable between HLM and HIM with the exception of troglitazone, where a nine-fold difference was observed (8% and 74%, respectively). Scaled intestinal CL(int,UGT) (per g tissue) was six- and nine-fold higher than hepatic for raloxifene and troglitazone, respectively, and comparable to hepatic for naloxone. The remaining drugs had a higher hepatic than intestinal CL(int,UGT) (average five-fold). For all drugs with P450 clearance, hepatic CL(int,CYP) was higher than intestinal (average 15-fold). Hepatic CL(int,UGT) predicted on average 22% of observed in vivo CL(int); with the exception of raloxifene and troglitazone, where the prediction was only 3%. Intestinal glucuronidation should be incorporated into clearance prediction, especially for compounds metabolised by intestine specific UGTs. Alamethicin activated microsomes are useful for the assessment of intestinal glucuronidation and fm(UGT) in vitro.

Extrapolation of diclofenac clearance from in vitro microsomal metabolism data: role of acyl glucuronidation and sequential oxidative metabolism of the acyl glucuronide.

Diclofenac is eliminated predominantly (approximately 50%) as its 4'-hydroxylated metabolite in humans, whereas the acyl glucuronide (AG) pathway appears more important in rats (approximately 50%) and dogs (>80-90%). However, previous studies of diclofenac oxidative metabolism in human liver microsomes (HLMs) have yielded pronounced underprediction of human in vivo clearance. We determined the relative quantitative importance of 4'-hydroxy and AG pathways of diclofenac metabolism in rat, dog, and human liver microsomes. Microsomal intrinsic clearance values (CL(int) = V(max)/K(m)) were determined and used to extrapolate the in vivo blood clearance of diclofenac in these species. Clearance of diclofenac was accurately predicted from microsomal data only when both the AG and the 4'-hydroxy pathways were considered. However, the fact that the AG pathway in HLMs accounted for ~75% of the estimated hepatic CL(int) of diclofenac is apparently inconsistent with the 4'-hydroxy diclofenac excretion data in humans. Interestingly, upon incubation with HLMs, significant oxidative metabolism of diclofenac AG, directly to 4'-hydroxy diclofenac AG, was observed. The estimated hepatic CL(int) of this pathway suggested that a significant fraction of the intrahepatically formed diclofenac AG may be converted to its 4'-hydroxy derivative in vivo. Further experiments indicated that this novel oxidative reaction was catalyzed by CYP2C8, as opposed to CYP2C9-catalyzed 4'-hydroxylation of diclofenac. These findings may have general implications in the use of total (free + conjugated) oxidative metabolite excretion for determining primary routes of drug clearance and may question the utility of diclofenac as a probe for phenotyping human CYP2C9 activity in vivo via measurement of its pharmacokinetics and total 4'-hydroxy diclofenac urinary excretion.

Effect of hemorrhagic shock on hepatic transmembrane potentials and intracellular electrolytes, in vivo.

In this study we investigated in vivo changes in hepatic cellular electrolytes and resting transmembrane potentials (Em) during hemorrhagic shock. Hepatic Na-K transport and cell volume regulation were assessed in vitro. Rats were bled and the ensuing hypotension (40 mmHg) was maintained by returning 25-30% (intermediate-shock, IS) or 55-60% (late-shock, LS) of the shed blood. We resuscitated IS rats by reinfusion of all of the remaining shed blood and Ringer's lactate solution. Hepatic cellular Na and Cl increased and K decreased progressively with shock. Resuscitation of IS rats restored cell K and Cl but not Na to preshock levels. Em decreased from the control average value of -40 (mV) to -31 in IS and -19 in LS. Em was partially restored (-36 mV) after resuscitation. We evaluated changes in relative membrane permeability to Na and K (PNa/PK) with shock by assuming Em either to be a Na-K exchange diffusion potential or due to an unequally coupled movement of Na and K. These evaluations show a lack of effect of shock (IS, with or without resuscitation) on PNa/PK. Our observations are compatible with failure of an electrogenic Na pump in shock. This may be related to loss of hepatic cell volume regulation in shock.