Human Liver Microsomes Research Articles

Characterization of Extensive 2-Fluorodeschloroketamine (2F-DCK) Metabolism in Pooled Human Liver Microsomes (pHLM), Urine, and Hair from an Addicted Patient Using High-Resolution Accurate Mass (HRAM) Spectrometry.

2-Fluoro-deschloroketamine (2F-DCK) is a ketamine derivative involved in acute intoxications and deaths. The aim of this study is to investigate its metabolism using pHLM, and to apply it to authentic samples (urine, hair, seized materials) from a drug user. 2F-DCK (100 µM) incubates with pHLM were analyzed by LC-HRAM (Q-Exactive, Thermo Fisher Scientific®) according to a previously published protocol. Spectra annotation was performed using Compound Discoverer® software and the metabolic scheme was drawn using Chemdraw software. Urine (200 µL) and hair (previously decontaminated using dichloromethane and segmented into 3 segments: A 0-3 cm, B 3-6cm, C 6-9cm) were extracted with a mixture of hexane/ethyl acetate (1:1) and chloroform/isopropanol (4:1). 10 µL of both reconstituted residues were analyzed by LC-HRAM. Hair was also analyzed by LC-MS-MS (TSQ Vantage, Thermo Fisher Scientific®) for 2F-DCK and DCK quantification. The two presumed 2F-DCK crystals consumed by the patient were dissolved in methanol (1 mg/mL) and 10 µL were analyzed by LC-MS-MS (Quantum Access Max, Thermo Fisher Scientific®). Twenty-six putative 2F-DCK metabolites were identified, 15 being reported for the first time. Thirteen metabolites were detected in pHLM, 10 confirmed in both the patient's urine and hair, and all found in at least one of the 2 samples. 23 metabolites were detected in urine, and 20 in hair. Our research confirms the reliability of nor-2F-DCK as a target analyte and suggest OH- dihydro-nor-2F-DCK and dehydro-nor-2F-DCK as new target analytes in urine and hair, respectively. This is the first study to report deschloroketamine as a 2F-DCK metabolite using pHLM and to determine its concentrations in hair (A/B/C, 885/1500/1850 pg/mg) following chronic use. Finally, the two seized crystals contained 2F-DCK at 67% and 96% with traces of deschloroketamine (0.4% and 0.6%) related to cross-contamination by container exchange.

Investigation of transformation products of selected veterinary drugs generated by electrochemistry, microsomal assays, hydrolysis & photolysis

The knowledge of transformation pathways and transformation products of veterinary drugs is important for health, food and environmental matters. Residues (original veterinary drug and transformation products) are found in food products of animal origin and also in the environment (e.g., soil or surface water). Several transformation processes can alter the original veterinary drug, ranging from biotransformation in living organism to environmental degradation processes like photolysis, hydrolysis, or microbial processes. In this thesis, four veterinary drugs were investigated, three ionophore antibiotics Monensin, Salinomycin and Lasalocid and the macrocyclic lactone Moxidectin. Ionophore antibiotics are mainly used to cure and prevent coccidiosis in poultry especially prophylactic in broiler farming. Moxidectin is an antiparasitic drug and is used for the treatment of internal and external parasites in food‐ producing and companion animals. The main objective of this work was the usage of different laboratory approaches to generate and identify transformation products. The identification was conducted using high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HR‐MS). A major focus was put on the application of electrochemistry for simulation of transformation processes. The electrochemical reactor, equipped with a three‐electrode flow‐through cell, enabled the oxidation or reduction by applying a potential. Derived transformation products were analyzed by online coupling of the electrochemical reactor and a HR‐MS and offline by liquid chromatography (LC) combined with HR‐MS. The main modification reaction of the identified transformation products was different for each investigated veterinary drug. Monensin was showing decarboxylation and demethylation as main modification reactions, for Salinomycin mostly decarbonylation was occurring and for Lasalocid methylation was prevalent. For Moxidectin I observed oxidation (hydroxylation) reaction and adduct formation with solvent. In general, for salinomycin and Lasalocid more transient transformation products (online measurement) than stable transformation products (offline measurements) were detected. In contrast, the number of transformation products using online and offline measurements were identical for monensin and moxidectin. As a complementary approach, metabolism tests with rat or human liver microsomes were made for the ionophore antibiotics. Monensin was investigated by using rat liver microsomes and identified transformation products were based on decarboxylation and demethylation. Salinomycin and Lasalocid were converted by human and rat liver microsomes. For both substances were more transformation products found by using human liver microsomes. The transformation products of the rat liver microsome conversion were redundant, the transformation products were also found at the human liver microsome assay. Oxidation (hydroxylation) was found to be the main modification reaction for both. In addition, a frequent ion‐exchange between sodium and potassium was identified. The last two experiments were performed for one substance each, the hydrolysis of monensin and the photolysis of moxidectin was investigated. The transformation products of the pH‐ dependent hydrolysis were based on ring‐opening and dehydration. Moxidectin formed several transformation products by irradiation with UV‐C light and main modification reactions were isomeric changes, (de‐)hydration and changes of the methoxime moiety. In summary, transformation products of the four investigated veterinary drugs were generated by the different laboratory approaches. Most of the identified transformation products were identified for the first time. The resulting findings provide an understanding for clarifying the transformation behavior.

Assessment of the Predictivity of DIO1-SK Assay to Investigate DIO1 Inhibition in Human Liver Microsomes

Introduction: The European Union Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EU RL ECVAM) coordinates the validation of multiple thyroid in vitro assays aiming to set up an in vitro test battery. The validation consists of two independent parts: part 1 (Reproducibility assessment) in which the reproducibility of the method is evaluated by testing a small number of described inhibitors and part 2 (Predictivity assessment) where the predictivity of the method is investigated by testing a blinded set of substances. The deiodinases (DIO) are important regulators of thyroid hormone (TH) metabolism and potential targets for substance-induced thyroid disruption. We previously reported the part 1 results for the Sandell–Kolthoff reaction-based type 1 deiodinase (DIO1-SK) assay and an extensive description of the method. In this study, we report the results of the part 2 testing in the DIO1-SK assay. Methods: A set of 22 test substances consisting of known DIO inhibitors in vitro, as well as substances otherwise interfering with the TH system and substances with no such activities were tested in the standardized DIO1-SK assay. Experiments were performed on blinded substances, which were deblinded after experimental completion, statistically evaluated, and compared to literature data. Finally, an in vitro data interpretation procedure (DIP) was generated. Results and Discussion: Seven test substances produced a maximum DIO1 inhibition >90% and 11 test substances below 20%; they were regarded as inhibitors and noninhibiting substances, respectively. Two test substances, Ketoconazole and Silichristin, were found to be not applicable based on assay interference. Inhibition data were consistent with results of relevant in vitro and computational models. Using the variation of control data, an in vitro DIP was defined categorizing test substances (i) by efficacy using the maximum inhibition data and (ii) by potency using the IC50 data of the test substance.

High-resolution structural-omics of human liver enzymes

We applied raw human liver microsome lysate to a holey carbon grid and used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to define its composition. From this sample we identified and simultaneously determined high-resolution structural information for ten unique human liver enzymes involved in diverse cellular processes. Notably, we determined the structure of the endoplasmic bifunctional protein H6PD, where the N- and C-terminal domains independently possess glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconolactonase enzymatic activity, respectively. We also obtained the structure of heterodimeric human GANAB, an ER glycoprotein quality-control machinery that contains a catalytic α subunit and a noncatalytic β subunit. In addition, we observed a decameric peroxidase, PRDX4, which directly contacts a disulfide isomerase-related protein, ERp46. Structural data suggest that several glycosylations, bound endogenous compounds, and ions associate with these human liver enzymes. These results highlight the importance of cryo-EM in facilitating the elucidation of human organ proteomics at the atomic level.

Drug-drug interaction potentials of tucatinib inhibition of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

Tucatinib is known as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), which has been commonly approved for the treatment of adult patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. However, there haven't been systematic study about the inhibition of tucatinib on UDP-Glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) and the potential risk of drug-drug interactions (DDIs). In present study, we aimed to systematically investigate the inhibition of tucatinib on recombinant human UGTs and pooled human liver microsomes (HLMs), and to quantitatively evaluate its potential risk of DDIs by in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE). Our data indicated that tucatinib exhibited extensive inhibition on recombinant UGTs. Tucatinib was a weak inhibitor of UGT1A4, 2B4 and 2B7; tucatinib possessed a strong inhibitory effect on UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A6, UGT1A7, UGT1A8, UGT1A9, UGT1A10, UGT2B15 and UGT2B17, with IC50 values of 0.53 μM–15.50 μM. Especially, it also potently inhibited estradiol and SN-38 glucuronidation in HLMs with IC50 values of 46.83 μM and 1.33 μM. The quantitative prediction of DDIs risk indicated that the co-administration of tucatinib with drugs mainly metabolized by hepatic or intestinal UGTs (UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A6, UGT1A7, UGT1A8, UGT1A9, UGT1A10, UGT2B15 and UGT2B17) might result in potential DDIs risk through inhibition of glucuronidation. More attention should be paid to the influence of tucatinib on UGTs in liver and intestine to avoid unnecessary clinical DDIs risk.

Metabolic Profile Analysis of Designer Benzodiazepine Etizolam in Zebrafish and Human Liver Microsomes.

As one of the most widely abused designer benzodiazepines worldwide, Etizolam is characterized by its high addiction potential, low production cost, and difficulty in detection. Due to the rapid metabolism of Etizolam in the human body, the probability of detecting the Etizolam parent drug in actual case samples by forensic personnel is low. Therefore, without detecting the parent drug, analysis of Etizolam metabolites can help forensic personnel provide references and suggestions on whether the suspect has taken Etizolam. This study simulates the objective metabolic process of the human body. It establishes a zebrafish in vivo metabolism model and a human liver microsome in vitro metabolism model to analyze the metabolic characteristics of Etizolam. A total of 28 metabolites were detected in the experiment, including 13 produced in zebrafish, 28 produced in zebrafish urine and feces, and 17 produced in human liver microsomes. The UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS technology was used to analyze the structures and related metabolic pathways of Etizolam metabolites in zebrafish and human liver microsomes, and a total of 9 metabolic pathways were identified, including monohydroxylation, dihydroxylation, hydration, desaturation, methylation, oxidative deamination to alcohol, oxidation, reduction acetylation, and glucuronidation. Among them, metabolites involving hydroxylation reactions (including monohydroxylation and dihydroxylation) accounted for 57.1% of the total number of potential metabolites, indicating that hydroxylation may be the major metabolic pathway of Etizolam. Based on the response values of each metabolite, monohydroxylation (M1), desaturation (M19), and hydration (M16) were recommended as potential biomarkers for Etizolam metabolism. The experimental results provide reference and guidance for forensic personnel in identifying Etizolam use in suspects.

An LC–MS/MS Analytical Method for Quantifying Tepotinib in Human Liver Microsomes: Application to In Vitro and In Silico Metabolic Stability Estimation

Tepotinib (MSC2156119) is a potent mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET) factor inhibitor, a receptor tyrosine kinase that plays a crucial role in promoting cancer cell malignant progression. Adverse effects of tepotinib (TEP), such as peripheral edema, interstitial lung disease, nausea and diarrhea, occur due to drug accumulation and lead to termination of therapy. Therefore, the in silico and experimental metabolic susceptibility of TEP was investigated. In the current work, an LC-MS/MS analytical method was developed for TEP estimation with metabolic stability assessment. TEP and lapatinib (LTP) used as internal standards (ISs) were separated on a reversed-phase C18 column using the isocratic mobile phase. Protein precipitation steps were used to extract TEP from the human liver microsome (HLM) matrix. An electrospray ionization multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) acquisition was conducted at m/z 493→112 for TEP, at m/z 581→350, and 581→365 for the IS. Calibration was in the range of 5 to 500 ng/mL (R2 = 0.999). The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.4759 ng/mL, whereas the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1.4421 ng/mL. The reproducibility of the developed analytical method (inter- and intra-day precision and accuracy) was within 4.39%. The metabolic stability of TEP in HLM was successfully assessed using the LC-MS/MS method. The metabolic stability assessment of TEP showed intermediate Clint (35.79 mL/min/kg) and a moderate in vitro t1/2 (22.65 min), proposing the good bioavailability and moderate extraction ratio of TEP. The in silico results revealed that the N-methyl piperidine group is the main reason of TEP metabolic lability. The in silico Star Drop software program could be used in an effective protocol to confirm and propose the practical in vitro metabolic experiments to spare resources and time, especially during the first stages for designing new drugs. The established analytical method is considered the first LC-MS/MS method for TEP estimation in the HLM matrix with its application to metabolic stability assessment.

Metabolism characterization and chemical and plasma stability of casearin B and caseargrewiin F.

Oral preparations of Casearia sylvestris (guacatonga) are used as antacid, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiulcerogenic activities. The clerodane diterpenes casearin B (cas B) and caseargrewiin F (casg F) are major active compounds in vitro and in vivo. The oral bioavailability and metabolism of cas B and casg F were not previously investigated. We aimed to assess the stability of cas B and casg F in physiological conditions and their metabolism in human liver microsomes (HLM). The compounds were identified by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and quantified by validated LC-MS methods. The stability of cas B and casg F in physiological conditions was assessed in vitro. Both diterpenes showed a fast degradation (p < 0.05) in simulated gastric fluid. Their metabolism is not mediated by cytochrome P-450 enzymes, but the depletion was inhibited by the esterase inhibitor NaF. Both diterpenes and their dialdehydes showed log P in the range of 3.6 to 4.0, suggesting high permeability. Metabolism kinetic data were fitted to the Michaelis-Menten profile with KM values of 61.4 μM and 66.4 μM and Vmax values of 327 and 648 nmol/min/mg of protein for cas B and casg F, respectively. Metabolism parameters in HLM were extrapolated to predict human hepatic clearance and suggest that casg F and cas B have a high hepatic extraction ratio. In conclusion, our data suggest that casg F and cas B present low oral bioavailability due to extensive gastric degradation and high hepatic extraction.

The Potentially Significant Role of CYP3A-Mediated Oxidative Metabolism of Dabigatran Etexilate and its Intermediate Metabolites in Drug-Drug Interaction Assessments Using Microdose Dabigatran Etexilate.

Dabigatran etexilate (DABE), a double ester prodrug of dabigatran (DAB), is a probe substrate of intestinal P-glycoprotein (P-gp) commonly used in clinical drug-drug interaction (DDI) studies. When compared to its therapeutic dose at 150 mg, microdose DABE (375 µg) showed approximately 2-fold higher in DDI magnitudes with CYP3A/P-gp inhibitors. In this study, we conducted several in vitro metabolism studies to demonstrate that DABE at a theoretical gut concentration after microdosing significantly underwent NADPH-dependent oxidation (~40-50%) in parallel to carboxylesterase-mediated hydrolysis in human intestinal microsomes. Furthermore, NADPH-dependent metabolism of its intermediate monoester BIBR0951 was also observed in both human intestinal and liver microsomes, accounting for 100% and 50% of total metabolism, respectively. Metabolite profiling using LC-MS/MS confirmed the presence of several novel oxidative metabolites of DABE and of BIBR0951 in the NADPH-fortified incubations. CYP3A was identified as the major enzyme catalyzing the oxidation of both compounds. The metabolism of DABE and BIBR0951 was well described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with Km ranging 1-3 µM, significantly below the expected concentrations following the therapeutic dose of DABE. Overall, the present results suggested that CYP3A played a significant role in the presystemic metabolism of DABE and BIBR0951 following microdose DABE administration, thus attributing partly to the apparent overestimation in the DDI magnitude observed with the CYP3A/P-gp inhibitors. Therefore, DABE at the microdose, unlike the therapeutic dose, would likely be a less predictive tool and should be considered as a clinical dual substrate for P-gp and CYP3A when assessing potential P-gp-mediated impacts by dual CYP3A/P-gp inhibitors. Significance Statement This is the first study demonstrating a potentially significant role of CYP-mediated metabolism of the prodrug DABE following a microdose, but not a therapeutic dose. This additional pathway coupled with its susceptibility to P-gp may make DABE a clinical dual substrate for both P-gp and CYP3A at a microdose. The study also highlights the need for better characterization of the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of a clinical DDI probe substrate over the intended study dose range for proper result interpretations.

(068) Low Drug-Drug interaction risk of Estetrol (E4), a Promising New Estrogen for the Treatment of Menopausal Symptoms

Abstract Introduction Polypharmacy is common among postmenopausal women and exposes them to the risks of inappropriate drug use and drug-drug interactions (DDI). Most estrogens are influenced metabolically by drugs which affect key metabolic enzymes. Objective To investigate the DDI potential of E4, several in vitro studies with metabolizing enzymes were performed. A clinical study was also conducted to evaluate the consequence of inhibiting the main enzyme responsible for E4 metabolism. Methods In vitro studies on human hepatocytes or human liver microsomes and recombinant enzymes were conducted to evaluate the role of drug metabolizing enzymes on E4 metabolism [cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP), UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) and sulfotransferases (SULT)]. We also assessed the potential of E4 to inhibit or induce these enzymes. Finally, we performed a clinical study to determine the effect of UGT inhibition on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of E4. In this open-label two period, two-way cross-over study, 24 healthy female volunteers received two single doses of a product containing E4 15 mg once alone and once in combination with valproic acid 500 mg twice daily, a strong UGT inhibitor. The consequence of UGT inhibition was quantified by serial plasma measurements of E4 up to 168h after drug administration. Results Effects of other drugs on E4 (E4 as a substrate) CYP enzymes, a superfamily of enzymes that functions as monooxygenases did not play a significant role in the metabolism of E4. Consequently, E4 does not interact with drugs that inhibit or induce CYP enzymes. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that UGT2B7 was the main enzyme involved in E4 glucuronidation and that SULT1 was the dominant enzyme for sulfation of E4. The clinical phase 1 study confirmed the role of UGT in the metabolism of E4. UGT inhibition by valproic acid increased total E4 exposure and maximum concentration only by 1.13 and 1.36-fold, respectively. Because the effect of UGT inhibition on E4 pharmacokinetics is minimal, no clinically relevant effects are expected during coadministration of drugs that inhibit UGT activity. Effect of E4 on other drugs (interference by E4) Studies on the effect of E4 on other drugs showed that E4 neither induces nor inhibits CYP or UGT enzymes, except for a very minimal inhibition of CYP3A4, UGT1A9 and UGT2B7 isoforms. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of these in vitro effects were several hundred times above the anticipated clinical maximum concentrations, indicating a low potential for clinically relevant DDIs. Also, there was no evidence of time-dependent inhibition of CYP enzymes. Conclusions Based on these in vitro and in vivo drug interaction studies on metabolizing enzymes, E4 is not expected to have a potential risk for DDI. Unlike other estrogens, CYP enzymes do not play a major role in the metabolism of E4 and can therefore be combined with drugs that inhibit or induce CYP or UGT enzymes without compromising its safety or efficacy. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Estetra an affiliate company of Mithra Pharmaceuticals Clarification: Industry initiated, executed and funded study Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Estetra an affiliate company of Mithra Pharmaceuticals.

Effects of drug-drug interactions and CYP3A4 variants on alectinib metabolism.

In this study, the effects of 17 CYP3A4 variants and drug-drug interactions (DDI) with its mechanism on alectinib metabolism were investigated. In vitro incubation systems of rat liver microsomes (RLM), human liver microsomes (HLM) and recombinant human CYP3A4 variants were established. The formers were used to screen potential drugs that inhibited alectinib metabolism and study the underlying mechanism, and the latter was used to determine the dynamic characteristics of CYP3A4 variants. Alectinib and its main metabolite M4 were quantitatively determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The results showed that compared with CYP3A4.1, only CYP3A4.29 showed higher catalytic activity, while the catalytic activity of CYP3A4.4, .7, .8, .12, .14, .16, .17, .18, .19, .20, .23, and .24 decreased significantly. Among them, the catalytic activity of CYP3A4.20 is the lowest, only 2.63% of that of CYP3A4.1. Based on the RLM incubation system in vitro, 81 drugs that may be combined with alectinib were screened, among which 18 drugs had an inhibition rate higher than 80%. In addition, nicardipine had an inhibition rate of 95.09% with a half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 3.54 ± 0.96μM in RLM and 1.52 ± 0.038μM in HLM, respectively. There was a mixture of non-competitive and anti-competitive inhibition of alectinib metabolism in both RLM and HLM. In vivo experiments of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, compared with the control group (30mg/kg alectinib alone), the AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞), Tmax and Cmax of alectinib administered in combination with 6mg/kg nicardipine were significantly increased in the experimental group. In conclusion, the metabolism of alectinib was affected by polymorphisms of the CYP3A4 gene and nicardipine. This study provides reference data for clinical individualized administration of alectinib in the future.

Identification of human in vitro metabolites of the haemoglobin S polymerization inhibitor voxelotor for doping control purposes.

Voxelotor (GBT440) is a haemoglobin S polymerization inhibitor used to treat anaemia in sickle cell disease. Due to an increase of arterial oxygen saturation as well as serum erythropoietin and haemoglobin, the World Anti-Doping Agency included voxelotor in the list of prohibited substances and methods in 2023. The objective of the present study was to identify and characterize metabolites of voxelotor to detect a potential misuse by athletes. The biotransformation was studied in vitro using the human hepatocellular cell line HepG2 and pooled human liver microsomes. The metabolites were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (high-resolution) mass spectrometry. In total, three phase I metabolites and six phase II metabolites (resulting from glucuro-conjugation and O-methylation) were formed by the HepG2 cells in a time-dependent manner, and two phase I metabolites were generated by the liver microsomes, among them one also found in the HepG2 incubations. A reduced metabolite and the glucuro-conjugate of a reduced metabolite were the most abundant formed by HepG2 cells. In addition, metabolites resulting from mono-hydroxylation, reduction and O-methylation in different combinations were identified. Voxelotor was also found as glucuro-conjugate with a low abundance. With the spectrometric behaviour of voxelotor and its in vitro metabolites described herein, an implementation in doping control screening and, consequently, a detection of an abuse in an athlete urine sample might be possible.

Establishment of LC–MS/MS method for quantifying chlorpromazine metabolites with application to its metabolism in liver and placenta microsomes

Chlorpromazine has sedative and antiemetic pharmacological effects and is widely used in clinic. Its main metabolites include 7-hydroxychlorpromazine, N-monodesmethylchlorpromazine and chlorpromazine sulfoxide, which affect the therapeutic efficacy. To support metabolism research, the quantitative analysis method of 7-hydroxychlorpromazine, N-monodesmethylchlorpromazine and chlorpromazine sulfoxide in microsomal enzymes was established for the first time by LC-MS/MS. This method has been fully validated in rat liver microsomes, and partially verified in human liver microsomes and human placenta microsomes. The intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision of the analytes were all within ± 15%. The extraction recovery was good, and no matrix effect was detected. This accurate and sensitive method was successfully applied to chlorpromazine metabolism in different microsomal enzymes. In particular, the biotransformation of chlorpromazine in human placenta microsomes was detected for the first time. The metabolites detected in human liver and placenta microsomes presented different formation rates, indicating the wide distribution and different activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes.

Evaluation potential effects of Picroside II on cytochrome P450 enzymes in vitro and in vivo

Ethnopharmacology relevancePicrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell, a well-known Chinese herb, has been traditionally utilized as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. One of its main bioactive components is Picroside II, a glycoside derivative. However, there is limited information on the effects of Picroside II on the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes nor on potential herb-drug interactions are rarely studied. Aim of the studyThe purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of Picroside II on the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes in vitro and in vivo and its potential herb-drug interactions. Materials and methodsSpecific probe substrates were employed to assess the effect of Picroside II on the activity of P450 enzymes. The inhibitory effects of Picroside II on CYP enzymes were assayed both in human (i.e., 1A, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A) and rat (i.e., 1A, 2C6/11, 2D1, 2E1, and 3A) liver microsomes in vitro. The inductive effects were investigated in rats following oral gavage of 2.5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg Picroside II. A specific Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to determine the formation of specific metabolites. ResultsEnzyme inhibition results showed that Picroside II (0.5–200 μM) had no evident inhibitory effects on rat and human liver microsomes in vitro. Interestingly, the administration of multiple doses of 10 mg/kg Picroside II inhibited the activity of CYP2C6/11 by reducing the rate of formation of 4-hydroxydiclofenac and 4-hydroxymephenytoin, while Picroside II at 2.5 mg/kg increased the activity of CYP3A by promoting the formation of 1-hydroxymidazolam and 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone in rats. In addition, there were negligible effects on CYP1A, CYP2D1, and CYP2E1 in rats. ConclusionsThe results indicated that Picroside II modulated the activities of CYP enzymes and was involved in CYP2C and CYP3A medicated herb-drug interactions. Therefore, careful monitoring is necessary when Picroside II is used in combination with related conventional drugs.

Interaction and potential mechanisms between atorvastatin and voriconazole, agents used to treat dyslipidemia and fungal infections.

Purpose: Voriconazole (VOR) is combined with atorvastatin (ATO) to treat fungal infections in patients with dyslipidemia in clinical practice. However, the pharmacokinetic interactions and potential mechanisms between them are unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic interactions and potential mechanisms between ATO and VOR. Patients and methods: We collected plasma samples from three patients using ATO and VOR. Rats were administered either VOR or normal saline for 6days, followed by a single dose of 2mg/kg ATO, and then plasma samples were collected at different time points. The incubation models of human liver microsomes or HepG2 cells were constructed in vitro. A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) system was developed to determine the concentration of ATO, 2-hydroxy-ATO, 4-hydroxy-ATO, and VOR. Results: In patients, VOR significantly reduced the metabolism of ATO and slowed the formation of 2-hydroxy- and 4-hydroxy-ATO. In rats pretreated with orally administered VOR for 6 days or normal saline given a single dose of 2mg/kg ATO administered orally on Day 6, the t1/2 of ATO was significantly prolonged from 3.61 to 6.43h, and the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-24h) values of ATO increased from 53.86 to 176.84h μg.L-1. However, the pharmacokinetic parameters of VOR (20mg/kg) with or without pretreatment with ATO (2mg/kg) only slightly changed. In vitro studies indicated that VOR inhibited the metabolism of ATO and testosterone, and the IC50 values were 45.94 and 49.81μM. However, no significant change in transporter behaviors of ATO was observed when VOR or transporter inhibitors were co-administered. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that VOR has significant interactions with ATO, probably due to VOR's inhibition of the CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of ATO. Based on the clinical cases and potential interactions, the basic data obtained in our study are expected to help adjust the dose of ATO and promote the design of rational dosage regimens for pharmacotherapy for fungal infections in patients with dyslipidemia.

Development of a Fast and Sensitive UPLC–MS/MS Analytical Methodology for Fenebrutinib Estimation in Human Liver Microsomes: In Vitro and In Silico Metabolic Stability Evaluation

Fenebrutinib (GDC-0853; FNB) is an oral small molecule that was developed by Roche Pharmaceuticals to slow multiple sclerosis progression. FNB is a reversible bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, which showed the maximum potency of BTK inhibitors in phase III clinical trials for multiple sclerosis. In the current study, a fast, specific, and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for FNB quantification in human liver microsomes (HLMs) was established with application to the evaluation of metabolic stability. The UPLC-MS/MS methodology was verified using the stated USFDA validation guidelines for bioanalytical methodologies that involve selectivity, linearity, accuracy and precision, carryover and extraction recovery, stability, and matrix effect. The FNB calibration curve displayed a linearity in the range from 1 ng/mL to 3000 ng/mL (y = 1.731x + 2.013; R2: 0.9954; RSD &lt; 4.37%) in the HLMs matrix. The limit of quantification was 0.88 ng/mL, which verified the UPLC-MS/MS analytical method sensitivity. The intraday and interday precision and accuracy results of the developed UPLC-MS/MS method were −3.99–14.0% and 0.52–3.83%, respectively. FNB and savolitinib (SVB) (internal standard) were chromatographically separated utilizing an isocratic mobile phase system with a ZORBAX Eclipse plus-C18 (50 mm, 2.1 mm, and 1.8 μm) column. The metabolic stability parameters for FNB, involving high intrinsic clearance (58.21 mL/min/kg) and a short in vitro half-life (13.93 min), revealed the high extraction ratio of FNB. Reviewing the literature revealed that the current UPLC-MS/MS method is the first analytical method for FNB quantification in the HLMs matrix with application to the assessment of FNB metabolic stability.

In vitro and in vivo metabolism of 3-Methoxyeticyclidine in human liver microsomes, a zebrafish model, and two human urine samples based on liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry.

3-Methoxyeticyclidine (3-MeO-PCE), a phencyclidine-type substance, has a higher N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor binding affinity than phencyclidine and an involvement in fatal intoxication cases. The aim of this study was to identify new biomarkers and biotransformation pathways for 3-MeO-PCE. In vitro models were established using zebrafish and human liver microsomes for analysis of the phases I and II metabolites of 3-MeO-PCE by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Urine samples of known 3-MeO-PCE consumers in forensic cases were then subjected to analysis. Overall, 14 metabolites were identified in zebrafish and human liver microsomes, allowing postulation of the following metabolic pathways: hydroxylation, O-demethylation, N-dealkylation, dehydrogenation, combination, and glucuronidation or sulfation. 3-MeO-PCE and three metabolites (M2, M3, and M6) were detected in urine. We recommended M2 (the hydroxylation product) as a potential biomarker for documenting 3-MeO-PCE intake in clinical and forensic cases.

Discovery of pyrimidine-5-carboxamide derivatives as novel salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) inhibitors for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment

Salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) play a crucial role in inflammation process, acting as molecular switches that regulate the transformation of M1/M2 macrophages. HG-9-91–01 is a SIKs inhibitor with potent inhibitory activity against SIKs in the nanomolar range. However, its poor drug-like properties, including a rapid elimination rate, low in vivo exposure and high plasma protein binding rate, have hindered further research and clinical application. To improve the drug-like properties of HG-9-91–01, a series of pyrimidine-5-carboxamide derivatives were designed and synthesized through a molecular hybridization strategy. The most promising compound 8h was obtained with favorable activity and selectivity on SIK1/2, excellent metabolic stability in human liver microsome, enhanced in vivo exposure and suitable plasma protein binding rate. Mechanism research showed that compound 8h significantly up-regulated the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-12 in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Furthermore, it significantly elevated expression of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) target genes IL-10, c-FOS and Nurr77. Compound 8h also induced the translocation of CREB-regulated transcriptional coactivator 3 (CRTC3) and elevated the expression of LIGHT, SPHK1 and Arginase 1. Additionally, compound 8h demonstrated excellent anti-inflammatory effects in a DSS-induced colitis model. Generally, this research indicated that compound 8h has the potential to be developed as an anti-inflammatory drug candidate.

Mitigating a Bioactivation Liability with an Azetidine-Based Inhibitor of Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) En Route to the Discovery of the Clinical Candidate Ervogastat.

We recently disclosed SAR studies on systemically acting, amide-based inhibitors of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) that addressed metabolic liabilities with the liver-targeted DGAT2 inhibitor PF-06427878. Despite strategic placement of a nitrogen atom in the dialkoxyaromatic ring in PF-06427878 to evade oxidative O-dearylation, metabolic intrinsic clearance remained high due to extensive piperidine ring oxidation as exemplified with compound 1. Piperidine ring modifications through alternate N-linked heterocyclic ring/spacer combination led to azetidine 2 that demonstrated lower intrinsic clearance. However, 2 underwent a facile cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated α-carbon oxidation followed by azetidine ring scission, resulting in the formation of ketone (M2) and aldehyde (M6) as stable metabolites in NADPH-supplemented human liver microsomes. Inclusion of GSH or semicarbazide in microsomal incubations led to the formation of Cys-Gly-thiazolidine (M3), Cys-thiazolidine (M5), and semicarbazone (M7) conjugates, which were derived from reaction of the nucleophilic trapping agents with aldehyde M6. Metabolites M2 and M5 were biosynthesized from NADPH- and l-cysteine-fortified human liver microsomal incubations with 2, and proposed metabolite structures were verified using one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Replacement of the azetidine substituent with a pyridine ring furnished 8, which mitigated the formation of the electrophilic aldehyde metabolite, and was a more potent DGAT2 inhibitor than 2. Further structural refinements in 8, specifically introducing amide bond substituents with greater metabolic stability, led to the discovery of PF-06865571 (ervogastat) that is currently in phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Studies on the inhibitory effect of isavuconazole on flumatinib metabolism in vitro and in vivo.

As the validated agent for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), flumatinib is a novel oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with higher potency and selectivity for BCR-ABL1 kinase compared to imatinib. Many patients experience aspergillosis infection and they may start using isavuconazole, which is an inhibitor of CYP3A4. However, there is no study on their interaction in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, the concentrations of flumatinib and its major metabolite M1 were rapidly determined using an stable ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 6.66μM in human liver microsomes (HLM), while 0.62μM in rat liver microsomes (RLM) and 2.90μM in recombinant human CYP3A4 (rCYP3A4). Furthermore, the mechanisms of inhibition of flumatinib in human liver microsomes, rat liver microsomes and rCYP3A4 by isavuconazole were mixed. Moreover, ketoconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole showed more potent inhibitory effects than itraconazole, fluconazole, and voriconazole on HLM-mediated flumatinib metabolism. In pharmacokinetic experiments of rats, it was observed that isavuconazole could greatly change the pharmacokinetic parameters of flumatinib, including AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞), Cmax and CLz/F, but had no effect on the metabolism of M1. According to the results of in vitro and in vivo studies, the metabolism of flumatinib was inhibited by isavuconazole, suggesting that isavuconazole may raise the plasma concentration of flumatinib. Thus, it is important to take special care of the interactions between flumatinib and isavuconazole in clinical applications.