Microsomal Incubation Mixtures Research Articles

Piperine Is a Mechanism-Based Inactivator of CYP3A.

Piperine (PPR) is the representative alkaloid component of the piper species (family: Piperaceae). Our rapid screening study found PPR caused time-dependent inhibition of cytochrome P450s (CYP) 3A and 2D6, and CYP3A was inactivated the most. Further study demonstrated that PPR is a time-, concentration-, and NADPH-dependent inhibitor of CYP3A, and significant loss (49.5% ± 3.9%) of CYP3A activity was observed after 20minute incubations with 80 μM PPR at 37°C. The values of K I and k inact were 30.7 μM and 0.041 minutes-1, respectively. CYP3A competitive inhibitor ketoconazole showed protective effect against the enzyme inactivation. Superoxide dismutase/catalase and GSH displayed minor protection against the PPR-caused enzyme inactivation. Ferricyanide partially reduced the enzyme inhibition by PPR. Additionally, NADPH-dependent formation of reactive metabolites from PPR were found in human liver microsomal incubation mixtures. An ortho-quinone intermediate was trapped by NAC in microsomal incubations with PPR. DM-PPR, demethylene metabolite of PPR, showed weak enzyme inactivation relative to that caused by PPR. It appears that both carbene and ortho-quinone intermediates were involved in the inactivation of CYP3A caused by PPR. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: CYP3A subfamily members (mainly CYP3A4 and CYP3A5) play a critical role in drug metabolism. Piperine (PPR), a methylenedioxyphenyl derivative combined with an unsaturated ketone, is the major active ingredient of pepper. PPR revealed time-, concentration-, and NADPH-dependent inhibitory effect on CYP3A. Carbene and quinone metabolites were both involved in the observed CYP3A inactivation by PPR. Apparently, the unsaturated ketone moiety did not participate in the enzyme inactivation. The present study sounds an alert of potential risk for food-drug interactions.

LC-MSMS characterisations of scymnol and oxoscymnol biotransformations in incubation mixtures of rat liver microsomes

The bile alcohol 5β-scymnol ([24R]-(+)-5β-cholestan-3α,7α,12α,24,26,27-hexol) is a therapeutic nutraceutical derived from marine sources, however very little is known about its potential for biotransformation as a xenobiotic in higher vertebrates. In this study, biotransformation products of scymnol catalysed by liver microsomes isolated from normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-treated male Wistar rats were characterised by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MSMS). In order of increasing polarity relative to the reversed phase sorbent, structural assignments were made for four biotransformation products, namely 3-oxoscymnol (5β-cholestan-3-one-7α,12α,24,26,27-pentol); 7-oxoscymnol (5β-cholestan-7-one-3α,12α,24,26,27-pentol); 3β-scymnol (5β-cholestan-3β,7α,12α,24,26,27-hexol) and 6β-hydroxyscymnol (5β-cholestan-3α,6β,7α,12α,24,26,27-heptol). In addition, a total of eight biotransformation products were characterised from microsomal incubations of crude oxoscymnol compounds, namely 7β-scymnol; 3,12-dioxoscymnol; 3,7-dioxoscymnol; 7,12-dioxoscymnol; 12-oxo-3β-scymnol; 7-oxo-3β-scymnol; 6β-hydroxy-12-oxoscymnol and 6β-hydroxy-7-oxoscymnol. Collectively, the results indicate hepatic enzyme-catalysed hydroxylation, dehydrogenation and epimerisation reactions on the steroid nucleus of scymnol, and provide an insight into biotransformation pathways for scymnol use as a therapeutic nutraceutical in higher vertebrates.

Invitro inhibitory effects of plumbagin, the promising antimalarial candidate, on human cytochrome P450 enzymes.

To investigate the propensity of plumbagin to inhibit the three isoforms of human cytochrome P450 (CYP), i.e., CYP1A2, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 using human liver microsomes invitro. Inhibitory effects of plumbagin on the three human CYP isoforms were investigated using pooled human liver microsomes. Phenacetin O-deethylation, omeprazole hydroxylation and nifedipine oxidation were used as selective substrates for CYP1A2, CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 activities, respectively. Concentrations of paracetamol, 5-hydroxyomeprazole, and oxidized nifedipine were determined in microsomal incubation mixture using high-performance liquid chromatography. Plumbagin showed significant inhibitory effects on all CYP isoforms, but with the most potent activity on CYP2C19-mediated omeprazole hydroxylation. The IC50 (concentration that inhibits enzyme activity by 50%) values of plumbagin and nootkatone (selective inhibitor) for CYP2C19 were (0.78±0.01) and (27.31±0.66) μM, respectively. The inhibitory activities on CYP1A2-mediated phenacetin O-deethylation and CYP3A4-mediated nifedipine oxidation were moderate. The IC50 values of plumbagin and α-naphthoflavone (selective inhibitor) for CYP1A2 were (1.39±0.01) and (0.02±0.36) μM, respectively. The corresponding IC50 values of plumbagin and ketoconazole (selective inhibitor) for CYP3A4 were (2.37±0.10) and (0.18±0.06) μM, respectively. Clinical relevance of the interference of human drug metabolizing enzymes should be aware of for further development scheme of plumbagin as antimalarial drug when used in combination with other antimalarial drugs which are metabolized by these CYP isoforms.

LC–MS–MS Method to Simultaneously Determine Six Probe Drugs for CYP450 Isozymes in Human Liver Microsomes

Here, we report a rapid and specific method based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS) capable of quantifying six CYP450-specific probe substrates in human liver microsomal incubation mixtures simultaneously. These analytes were prepared by single-step extraction and detected in one run by switching polarity of electrospray ionization mode three times. Following optimization of the chromatographic conditions, the peaks were well separated, and retention times ranged between 2.0 and 8.4 min. The total run time for a single injection was within 9 min. This method was fully validated over linear range of 18.8–3,000.0 ng mL−1 for diclofenac, 0.8–3,000.0 ng mL−1 for dapson, 1.5–3,000.0 ng mL−1 for dextromethorphan, 2.0–4,000.0 ng mL−1 for omeprazole, 75.0–3,000.0 ng mL−1 for chlorzoxazone and 0.8–3,000.0 ng mL−1 for phenacetin using diazepam as internal standard. Samples were prepared by protein precipitation and analyzed on the LC–MS–MS equipped with ESI interface. For each analyte, inter- and intra-day precision (RSD%) were <15 % and accuracy was within 85–115 %. The specificity, precision, accuracy, stabilities and matrix effect were evaluated.

Transesterification of a series of 12 parabens by liver and small-intestinal microsomes of rats and humans

Hydrolytic transformation of parabens (4-hydroxybenzoic acid esters; used as antibacterial agents) to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and alcohols by tissue microsomes is well-known both in vitro and in vivo. Here, we investigated transesterification reactions of parabens catalyzed by rat and human microsomes, using a series of 12 parabens with C1–C12 alcohol side chains. Transesterification of parabens by rat liver and small-intestinal microsomes occurred in the presence of alcohols in the microsomal incubation mixture. Among the 12 parabens, propylparaben was most effectively transesterified by rat liver microsomes with methanol or ethanol, followed by butylparaben. Relatively low activity was observed with longer-side-chain parabens. In contrast, small-intestinal microsomes exhibited higher activity towards moderately long side-chain parabens, and showed the highest activity toward octylparaben. When parabens were incubated with liver or small-intestinal microsomes in the presence of C1–C12 alcohols, ethanol and decanol were most effectively transferred to parabens by rat liver microsomes and small-intestinal microsomes, respectively. Human liver and small-intestinal microsomes also exhibited significant transesterification activities with different substrate specificities, like rat microsomes. Carboxylesterase isoforms, CES1b and CES1c, and CES2, exhibited significant transesterification activity toward parabens, and showed similar substrate specificity to human liver and small-intestinal microsomes, respectively.

Identification of metabolites of tectoridin in-vivo and in-vitro by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

In this work, liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem ion-trap mass spectrometry (LC-MS(n)) was used to investigate the in-vivo and in-vitro metabolism of tectoridin. After oral administration of a single dose (100 mg kg(-1)) of tectoridin to healthy rats, faeces and urine samples were collected for 0-48 h and 0-24 h, respectively. Tectoridin was also incubated with rat intestinal flora and rat liver microsomes. Samples from in-vivo and in-vitro metabolism studies were purified using a C(18) solid-phase extraction cartridge, then separated using a reverse-phase C(18) column with methanol/ water (30:70, v/v, adjusted to pH 10.0 with ammonia water) as mobile phase and detected by an on-line MS(n) system. The structure of the metabolites was elucidated by comparing their molecular weights, retention times and full-scan MS(n) spectra with those of the parent drug. The results revealed six metabolites of tectoridin in urine (tectorigenin, hydrogenated tectorigenin, mono-hydroxylated tectorigenin, di-hydroxylated tectorigenin, glucuronide-conjugated tectorigenin and sulfate-conjugated tectorigenin); three metabolites in faeces (tectorigenin, di-hydroxylated tectorigenin and sulfateconjugated tectorigenin); one metabolite in the intestinal flora incubation mixture (tectorigenin), and four in the liver microsomal incubation mixture (tectorigenin, hydrogenated tectorigenin, mono-hydroxylated tectorigenin and di-hydroxylated tectorigenin). Except for tectorigenin, all other metabolites of tectoridin are reported for the first time.

EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL GINSENOSIDES, GINKGOLIDES AND FLAVONOIDS ON CYP2C19 AND CYP2D6 ACTIVITY IN HUMAN LIVER MICROSOMES

1. The effects of four individual ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc and Rd), two ginkgolides (A and B) and one flavonoid (quercetin) on CYP2C19-dependent S-mephenytoin 4 cent-hydroxylation and CYP2D6-mediated bufuralol 1 cent-hydroxylation were evaluated in human liver microsomes. 2. Increasing concentrations of each test compound were added to microsomal incubation mixtures containing a well-characterized marker substrate (S-mephenytoin for CYP2C19 or bufuralol for CYP2D6) to determine their IC(50) values (compound concentration yielding 50% inhibition of a marker enzyme activity), which were estimated by graphical inspection. 3. For CYP2C19, the IC(50) values were 46, 46 and 62 micromol/L for ginsenoside Rd, quercetin and ginsenoside Rb2, respectively, whereas only ginsenoside Rd had an IC(50) value of 57 micromol/L for CYP2D6. 4. The data suggest that the tested compounds are not likely to inhibit the metabolism of the concurrent use of a given drug whose primary route of elimination is through CYP2C19 or CYP2D6.

DIFFERENTIAL RATES OF GLUCURONIDATION FOR 7-ETHYL-10-HYDROXY-CAMPTOTHECIN (SN-38) LACTONE AND CARBOXYLATE IN HUMAN AND RAT MICROSOMES AND RECOMBINANT UDP-GLUCURONOSYLTRANSFERASE ISOFORMS

7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin (SN-38), the active metabolite of the anti-cancer agent irinotecan, contains a lactone ring that equilibrates with a carboxylate form. Since SN-38 lactone is the active and toxic form, it is prudent to examine whether the more soluble carboxylate is a surrogate for SN-38 lactone conjugation. Therefore, relative rates of glucuronidation and isoform specificity of SN-38 lactone and carboxylate were characterized. The stability of SN-38 lactone and carboxylate in incubation mixtures of microsomes and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms was used to determine optimal incubation times. Microsomal incubations were conducted using rat and human intestinal and hepatic microsomes and human and rat recombinant UGT1A isoforms. Where estimates of lactone and carboxylate glucuronidation rates could not be established due to short incubation times and detection limits, kinetic modeling was used to recover these rate constants. The stability experiments revealed that the lactone was stabilized by rat microsomes, however, the opposite was observed in human microsomes and recombinant isoforms. For all tissues and most UGT isoforms examined, the lactone consistently had catalytic rates up to 6-fold greater than the carboxylate. The rank order of glucuronidation for both SN-38 lactone and carboxylate was 1A7 > 1A1 > 1A9 > 1A8 and 1A7 > 1A8 > 1A1 for human and rat isoforms, respectively. This study provides further support that SN-38 lactone and carboxylate may be considered pharmacokinetically distinct agents. The in vivo impact of this conjugation difference is unknown, since variations in protein binding and transport proteins may affect intracellular concentrations of the lactone or carboxylate.

Determination of (3S)-3-hydroxy quinidine for metabolism screening experiments using direct injection capillary electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been used with collinear laser-induced fluorescence detection (LIF) to determine the amount of (3S)-3-hydroxy quinidine (3OHQ) formed on direct injection of microsomal incubation mixtures. 3OHQ is the CYP 3A4 metabolite of quinidine sulfate (QS) and is therefore useful for metabolism screening studies. The method was validated analytically and tested for its capability of screening for a weak inhibitor of the CYP 3A4 isozyme. A linear calibration was found to provide the best fit for the standard curve with a correlation of 0.9950 and all concentration residuals less than 15%. The percentage relative standard deviations (RSDs) of two controls, 175 and 2250 ng/mL, were 9.29 and 5.68% and the percentage differences from normal (DFN) were 6.87 and −4.37%, respectively. The concentration limit of detection (LOD) for 3OHQ in the incubation matrix was 52.11 ng/mL and the mass LOD was ∼521.1 fg (injection volume 10 nL). The effectiveness of the method to screen for the weak inhibitor erythromycin has been shown by calculating percentage inhibition when incubating with different concentrations of QS. Sensitive detection coupled with the convenience of the direct injection technique makes this an attractive approach for metabolism screening. The small sample size capability of CE will further reduce the quantities of probe drug, microsomes and other reagents required for incubation studies. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Determination of (3S)‐3‐hydroxy quinidine for metabolism screening experiments using direct injection capillary electrophoresis and laser‐induced fluorescence detection

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been used with collinear laser-induced fluorescence detection (LIF) to determine the amount of (3S)-3-hydroxy quinidine (3OHQ) formed on direct injection of microsomal incubation mixtures. 3OHQ is the CYP 3A4 metabolite of quinidine sulfate (QS) and is therefore useful for metabolism screening studies. The method was validated analytically and tested for its capability of screening for a weak inhibitor of the CYP 3A4 isozyme. A linear calibration was found to provide the best fit for the standard curve with a correlation of 0.9950 and all concentration residuals less than 15%. The percentage relative standard deviations (RSDs) of two controls, 175 and 2250 ng/mL, were 9.29 and 5.68% and the percentage differences from normal (DFN) were 6.87 and -4.37%, respectively. The concentration limit of detection (LOD) for 3OHQ in the incubation matrix was 52.11ng/mL and the mass LOD was approximately 521.1 fg (injection volume 10 nL). The effectiveness of the method to screen for the weak inhibitor erythromycin has been shown by calculating percentage inhibition when incubating with different concentrations of QS. Sensitive detection coupled with the convenience of the direct injection technique makes this an attractive approach for metabolism screening. The small sample size capability of CE will further reduce the quantities of probe drug, microsomes and other reagents required for incubation studies.

Differentiation between isomeric oxidative metabolites of a piperidine-containing drug by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with stable-isotope tracer technique.

This report describes the application of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to differentiation of hydroxylations and N-oxidations and of two different aliphatic hydroxylations in the investigation of the metabolism of pibutidine hydrochloride, a novel H2 antagonist, the structure of which includes a piperidine ring. Pibutidine metabolites in urine samples from adult male volunteers after oral administration of pibutidine hydrochloride were separated by reversed-phase LC and ionized using an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface. A hydroxylated form of pibutidine was distinguished from the N-oxide by comparison of their product ion spectra, although their mass-to-charge ratios of protonated molecules were identical. Further, two hydroxylated compounds were present in rat microsomal incubation mixtures with pibutidine. The distinction between their positions of hydroxylation (beta- and gamma-carbon hydroxylation) on the piperidine ring was studied using [piperidine-2H10] pibutidine as incubation substrate. The production of the beta-hydroxylated form was accompanied by the elimination of three 2H, resulting from a mechanism including the formation of iminium/enamine. The participation of the iminium ion intermediate in the beta-hydroxylation was confirmed by the observation that a cyanide adduct of pibutidine was formed instead of the beta-hydroxylated form when another incubation was performed in the presence of cyanide.

HPLC analysis of 4-chlorophenyl methyl sulphide and diphenyl sulphide and their corresponding sulphoxides and sulphones in rat liver microsomes.

Simple high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods for the analysis of 4-chlorophenyl methyl sulphide (CPMS), diphenyl sulphide (DPS) and their corresponding sulphoxide and sulphone metabolites in rat liver microsomes are described. The assay methods are based on a reversed phase HPLC column (Spherisorb(R) 5 ODS, 15 x 0.46 cm) using a mixture of water and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min and ultraviolet detection at 260 nm. The compounds were extracted into diethyl ether (2 x 5 ml) from rat liver microsomal incubation mixture (2 ml) and the recoveries were more than 80%. The calibration curves for determining the sulphoxide and sulphone of CPMS or DPS were linear (r > or =0.995) in the range of 0-50 microg/ml and the assays were reproducible with low inter- and intra-assay variation of less than 13.5%. The lower limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 0.1 microg/ml for CPMSO and 0.025 microg/ml for CPMSO(2), diphenyl sulphoxide (DPSO) and diphenyl sulphone (DPSO(2)). The HPLC methods were successfully applied to measure enzymically formed CPMSO, CPMSO(2), DPSO and DPSO(2) in rat liver microsomes and to characterise the Michaelis-Menten kinetics associated with the metabolism of CPMS and DPS and their corresponding sulphoxides. About 20% of the initial CPMS (0.5 mM) concentration in the incubation was converted to the sulphoxide although the sulphone was not detected under these optimum incubation conditions. Similarly, about 15-20% of DPS was converted to the sulphoxide while less than 0.1% of DPS was converted to DPSO(2). Eadie-Hofstee plot of CPMS sulphoxidation was biphasic. This suggests that the sulphoxidation of CPMS is a consequence of at least two enzyme systems, one characterized by low affinity and high capacity (K(m)=0.1 mM; V(max)=2.1 nmoles/mg protein/min) and the other by high affinity and low capacity (K(m)=0.05 mM; V(max)=1.5 nmoles/mg protein/min). On the other hand, the Eadie-Hofstee plot of DPS sulphoxidation was monophasic with an apparent V(max) and K(m) of 1.8 nmoles/mg protein/min and 0.036 mM, respectively.

A direct injection capillary electrophoretic technique for miniaturized high-throughput metabolic screening of the CYP 3A4 enzyme using quinidine as a probe.

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method has been developed for the determination of quinidine sulfate (QS) and (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine (3-OHQ) by direct injection of microsomal incubation mixtures. 3-OHQ is the CYP 3A4 metabolite of QS and hence useful for metabolism screening studies. The method was validated analytically and tested for its effectiveness as a metabolic inhibition model. A linear calibration was found to provide the best fit for the standard curve with an r of 0.9966 and all residuals less than 12%. The percent relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the two controls, 2 and 8 microg/ml were 5.27 and 2.90% and the percent difference from normal (% DFN) were -12.58 and -0.31% respectively. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) in the incubation matrix was 0.5 microg/ml. 3-OHQ formation complied with Michaelis-Menten kinetics and the mean values+/-S.D. of Km and Vmax were 36.98+/-4.62 microg/ml and 321.39+/-3.88 ng/mg/h respectively. Preliminary inhibition studies suggest that the method has adequate sensitivity to screen for high and medium inhibitors of the CYP 3A4 isozyme. The lack of sample preparation coupled with the small sample size capability of CE would enable the direct injection technique to aid in miniaturized high-throughput screening.

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the simultaneous determination of lansoprazole enantiomers and metabolites in human liver microsomes

In this study, a simple, sensitive and enantioselective HPLC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of lansoprazole enantiomers: a proton pump inhibitor, and its major metabolites: 5-hydroxylansoprazole and lansoprazole sulfone in human liver microsomes. After extraction from the microsomal incubation mixture with a diethyl ether–dichloromethane (7:3, v/v) mixture, analytes were measured by reversed-phase HPLC on a Chiralcel ® OD-R column. Detection was made using an ultraviolet absorbance detector set at a wavelength of 285 nm. The mobile phase consisted of a methanol–water (75:25, v/v) mixture. At a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min, the total run time was 35 min. The limit of quantification for both lansoprazole enantiomers was 0.25 μ M and for the metabolites 0.13 μ M. The method is suitable for the analysis of lansoprazole enantiomers and its metabolites from human microsomal liver incubations.

Capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and nanoelectrospray-mass spectrometry of praziquantel metabolites

Capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry (CE–MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) coupling was used for the investigation of metabolites of the anthelmintic drug praziquantel. Human urine samples and microsomal incubation mixtures were investigated after preparation by solid-phase extraction. CE– and LC–MS coupling was performed using an electrospray ionization interface. An ion trap mass spectrometer equipped with a laboratory-made nanoelectrospray ion source was used for the investigation of the glucuronide conjugates by consecutive fragmentations. The nanoelectrospray interface offers the opportunity to perform complicated MS n spectrometric investigations. Different phase I metabolites of praziquantel and their glucuronidated and sulfated conjugates were detected.

Nonspecific binding of drugs to human liver microsomes.

To characterize the nonspecific binding to human liver microsomes of drugs with varying physicochemical characteristics, and to develop a model for the effect of nonspecific binding on the in vitro kinetics of drug metabolism enzymes. The extent of nonspecific binding to human liver microsomes of the acidic drugs caffeine, naproxen, tolbutamide and phenytoin, and of the basic drugs amiodarone, amitriptyline and nortriptyline was investigated. These drugs were chosen for study on the basis of their lipophilicity, charge, and extent of ionization at pH 7.4. The fraction of drug unbound in the microsomal mixture, fu(mic), was determined by equilibrium dialysis against 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. The data were fitted to a standard saturable binding model defined by the binding affinity KD, and the maximum binding capacity Bmax. The derived binding parameters, KD and Bmax, were used to simulate the effects of saturable nonspecific binding on in vitro enzyme kinetics. The acidic drugs caffeine, tolbutamide and naproxen did not bind appreciably to the microsomal membrane. Phenytoin, a lipophilic weak acid which is mainly unionized at pH 7. 4, was bound to a small extent (fu(mic) = 0.88) and the binding did not depend on drug concentration over the range used. The three weak bases amiodarone, amitriptyline and nortriptyline all bound extensively to the microsomal membrane. The binding was saturable for nortriptyline and amitriptyline. Bmax and KD values for nortriptyline at 1 mg ml-1 microsomal protein were 382 +/- 54 microM and 147 +/- 44 microM, respectively, and for amitriptyline were 375 +/- 23 microM and 178 +/- 33 microM, respectively. Bmax, but not KD, varied approximately proportionately with the microsome concentration. When KD is much less than the Km for a reaction, the apparent Km based on total drug can be corrected by multiplying by fu(mic). When the substrate concentration used in a kinetic study is similar to or greater than the KD (Km >/= KD), simulations predict complex effects on the reaction kinetics. When expressed in terms of total drug concentrations, sigmoidal reaction velocity vs substrate concentration plots and curved Eadie Hofstee plots are predicted. Nonspecific drug binding in microsomal incubation mixtures can be qualitatively predicted from the physicochemical characteristics of the drug substrate. The binding of lipophilic weak bases is saturable and can be described by a standard binding model. If the substrate concentrations used for in vitro kinetic studies are in the saturable binding range, complex effects are predicted on the reaction kinetics when expressed in terms of total (added) drug concentration. Sigmoidal reaction curves result which are similar to the Hill plots seen with cooperative substrate binding.

Regulation of 25- and 27-hydroxylation side chain cleavage pathways for cholic acid biosynthesis in humans, rabbits, and mice: assay of enzyme activities by high-resolution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

AbstractIn classic cholic acid biosynthesis, a series of ring modifications of cholesterol precede side chain cleavage and yield 5β-cholestane-3α, 7α, 12α-triol. Side chain reactions of the triol then proceed either by the mitochondrial 27-hydroxylation pathway or by the microsomal 25-hydroxylation pathway. We have developed specific and precise assay methods to measure the activities of key enzymes in both pathways, 5β-cholestane-3α, 7α, 12α-triol 25- and 27-hydroxylases and 5β-cholestane-3α, 7α, 12α, 25-tetrol 23R-, 24R-, 24S- and 27-hydroxylases. The extracts from either the mitochondrial or microsomal incubation mixtures were purified by means of a disposable silica cartridge column, derivatized into trimethylsilyl ethers, and quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring in a high resolution mode. Compared with the addition of substrates in acetone, those in 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin increased mitochondrial triol 27-hydroxylase activity 132% but decreased activities of the enzymes in microsomal 25-hydroxylation pathway (triol 25-hydroxylase and 5β-cholestane-3α, 7α, 12α, 25-tetrol 23R-, 24R-, 24S- and 27-hydroxylases) 13–60% in human liver. The enzyme activities in both pathways were generally 2- to 4-times higher in mouse and rabbit livers compared with human liver. In all species, microsomal triol 25-hydroxylase activities were 4- to 11-times larger than mitochondrial triol 27-hydroxylase activities but the activities of tetrol 24S-hydroxylase were similar to triol 27-hydroxylase activities in our assay conditions. The regulation of both pathways in rabbit liver was studied after bile acid synthesis was perturbed. Cholesterol feeding up-regulated enzyme activities involved in both 25- (64–142%) and 27- (77%) hydroxylation pathways, while bile drainage up-regulated only the enzymes in the 25-hydroxylation pathway (178–371%). Using these new assays, we demonstrated that the 25- and 27-hydroxylation pathways for cholic acid biosynthesis are more active in mouse and rabbit than human livers and are separately regulated in rabbit liver. —Honda, A., G. Salen, S. Shefer, Y. Matsuzaki, G. Xu, A. K. Batta, G. S. Tint, and N. Tanaka. Regulation of 25- and 27-hydroxylation side chain cleavage pathways for cholic acid biosynthesis in humans, rabbits, and mice: assay of enzyme activities by high-resolution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. J. Lipid Res. 2000. 41: 442–451.

Stereoselective measurement of E- and Z-doxepin and its N-desmethyl and hydroxylated metabolites by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A stereoselective method of analysis of the antidepressant drug doxepin (DOX, an 85:15% mixture of E– Z stereoisomers), its principal metabolites E- and Z- N-desmethyldoxepin (desDOX) and ring-hydroxylated metabolites in microsomal incubation mixtures is described. DOX and its metabolites were extracted from alkalinised incubation mixtures by either: 9:1 hexane–propan-2-ol (method 1) or 1:1 hexane–dichloromethane (method 2), derivatised with trifluoroacetic anhydride and analysed by GC–MS with selected ion monitoring. Both methods were suitable for the analysis of individual desDOX isomers as indicated by correlation coefficients of ≥0.999 for calibration curves constructed between 50 and 2500 n M, and good within-day precision at 125 n M (C.V. ≤14%) and 1000 n M (C.V. ≤8%). Method 1, however, was unsuitable for the analysis of ring-hydroxylated metabolites of DOX, whereas the hydroxylated metabolites of E-DOX and E-desDOX (generated in situ) were extracted by method 2 with a C.V. of ca. 13%. This is the first assay method that permits the simultaneous measurement of desDOX and hydroxylated metabolites of DOX in microsomal mixtures.

Metabolic Fate of Azasetron Hydrochloride. (IV). In Vitro Metabolism of Azasetron Hydrochloride by Rat and Dog Liver Microsomes.

塩酸アザセトロンの代謝物の排泄率における性差および種差の原因を明らかにする目的で，雌雄ラットおよび雄イヌの肝ミクロソームを用いてin vitro代謝試験を行い，各代謝反応に関与している酵素を明らかにするとともに，酵素活性を雌雄ラットと雄イヌで比較した．各代謝反応の進行にはNADPHが必要であった．イヌにおける窒素原子の酸化活性は，反応液のpHを7.4から8.5にすると著しく増加したが，加熱した酵素液を用いると著しく減少した．また，酸化活性を，メチマゾール(MTZ)が阻害したが，メチラポンはほとんど阻害しなかった．これらの結果は，イヌでは窒素原子の酸化反応をフラビン含有モノオキシゲナーゼ(FMO)が触媒していることを示している．ラットにおける窒素原子の酸化活性は，pHを7.4から8.5にすると著しく増加したが，加熱した酵素液を用いても40%以上の酸化活性が残存した．また，MTZ，メチラポンおよびSKF-525Aは，酸化活性を中程度に阻害した．これらの結果は，ラットでは，FMOとP-450が窒素原子の酸化反応に同程度関与していることを示している．N-脱メチル化活性およびM1の水酸化活性は，加熱した酵素液を用いてもほとんど減少しなかった．さらにこれらの活性をSKF-525Aおよびメチラポンは強く阻害した．したがって，P-450が，N-脱メチル化反応およびM1の水酸化反応を触媒している可能性が高い．続いて，アザセトロソの各代謝反応の肝臓での固有クリアラソス(CLint)を比較した。アザセトロンのN-脱メチル化反応のCLintは雄ラットと雄イヌで大きな差異がないので，この反応が種差の原因ではない．雄イヌでは，雌雄ラットと比べて窒素原子の酸化反応およびベンゼン環の水酸化反応のCLintが大きいので，これが排泄率における種差の原因である可能性が高い．また，雄ラットでは，雌ラットと比べ，アザセトロンのN-脱メチル化反応のCLintが大きいので，これが排泄率における性差の原因である可能性が高い．

The quantitative determination of cilostazol and its four metabolites in human liver microsomal incubation mixtures by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) method for the quantitation of cilostazol and four of its principal metabolites (i.e. OPC-13015, OPC-13213, OPC-13217 and OPC-13326) in human liver microsomal solutions was developed and validated. Cilostazol, its metabolites, and the internal standard (OPC-3930), were analyzed by protein precipitation followed by reverse-phase HPLC separation on a TSK-Gel ODS-80TM (150×4.6 mm, 5 μm) column and a Cosmil C-18 column (150×4.6 mm, 5 μm) in tandem and UV detection at 254 nm. An 80 min gradient elution of mobile phase acetonitrile in acetate buffer (pH=6.50) was used to obtain quality chromatography and peak resolution. All the analytes were separated from each other, with the resolution being 2.43–17.59. The components of liver microsomal incubation mixture and five metabolic inhibitor probes (quinidine sulfate, diethyl dithiocarbamate (DEDTC), omeprazole, ketoconazole and furafylline) did not interfere with this analytical method. The LOQ was 1000 ng ml −1 for cilostazol and 100 ng ml −1 for each of the metabolites. This method has been validated for linear ranges of 100–4000 ng ml −1 for OPC-13213, OPC-13217 and OPC-13326; 100–2000 ng ml −1 for OPC-13015; and 1000–20 000 ng ml −1 for cilostazol. The percent relative recovery of this method was established to be 81.2–101.0% for analytes, with the precision (% coefficient of variation (CV)) being 2.8–7.7%. The autosampler stability of the analytes was evaluated and it was found that all analytes were stable at room temperature for a period of at least 17 h. This assay has been shown to be precise, accurate and reproducible.