Single Donor Human Liver Microsomes Research Articles

Formation of CYP3A-specific metabolites of ibrutinib in vitro is correlated with hepatic CYP3A activity and 4β-hydroxycholesterol/cholesterol ratio.

Ibrutinib is an orally administered Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Ibrutinib is metabolized primarily via oxidation by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4/5 to M37 (the primary active metabolite), M34, and M25. The objectives of this study were to assess the relationship between formation of the major CYP3A-specific ibrutinib metabolites in vitro and hepatic CYP3A activity and protein abundance, and to evaluate the utility of the endogenous CYP3A biomarker, plasma 4β-hydroxycholesterol (4β-HC) to cholesterol ratio, to predict ibrutinib metabolite formation in individual cadaveric donors with matching hepatocytes. Ibrutinib (5μM) was incubated with single-donor human liver microsomes (n=20) and primary human hepatocytes (n=15), and metabolites (M37, M34, and M25) were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. CYP3A4/5 protein concentrations were measured by quantitative targeted absolute proteomics, and CYP3A activity was measured by midazolam 1'-hydroxylation. Ibrutinib metabolite formation positively correlated with midazolam 1'-hydroxylation in human liver microsomes and hepatocytes. Plasma 4β-HC and cholesterol concentrations were measured in plasma samples obtained at the time of liver harvest from the same 15 donors with matching hepatocytes. Midazolam 1'-hydroxylation in hepatocytes correlated with plasma 4β-HC/cholesterol ratio. When an infant donor (1 year old) was excluded based on previous ontogeny studies, M37 and M25 formation correlated with plasma 4β-HC/cholesterol ratio in the remaining 14 donors (Spearman correlation coefficients [r] 0.62 and 0.67, respectively). Collectively, these data indicate a positive association among formation of CYP3A-specific ibrutinib metabolites in human hepatocytes, hepatic CYP3A activity, and plasma 4β-HC/cholesterol ratio in the same non-infant donors.

Impact of Interindividual Variability in CYP3A Activity on Ibrutinib and Venetoclax Metabolism In Vitro

Ibrutinib and venetoclax are orally administered active agents approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common form of adult leukemia in the Western world. Ibrutinib is an irreversible inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), whereas venetoclax is a B‐cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) inhibitor. Although these drugs are effective in CLL treatment, managing life‐threatening side effects remains a clinical challenge. Previous studies have shown that ibrutinib and venetoclax are primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. However, the influence of interindividual variation in CYP3A activity on the metabolism of ibrutinib and venetoclax has not been addressed. The objectives of this study were to 1) examine ibrutinib and venetoclax metabolism in single‐donor human liver microsomes and cryopreserved human hepatocytes, and 2) assess the correlation between metabolite formation and CYP3A activity markers. Ibrutinib (5 μM) or venetoclax (2.5 μM) were incubated with human liver microsomes from 20 individual donors. Relative levels of ibrutinib metabolites (PCI45227 and PCI45752) and venetoclax metabolites (M5, M4, and M3) were measured by LC‐MS/MS analysis. Formation of metabolites varied widely between the donors. Metabolite formation was highly correlated with CYP3A activity, as measured by midazolam 1’‐hydroxylation. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) for PCI45227, PCI45752, M5, M4, and M3 were 0.97, 0.85, 0.92, 0.93, and 0.95, respectively. These findings indicate that CYP3A phenotype may have a significant influence on the pharmacokinetics of ibrutinib and venetoclax in CLL treatment. Future studies will be conducted in human hepatocytes to evaluate the effect of CYP3A activity and protein levels on ibrutinib and venetoclax metabolism.

Interindividual Variability in Cytochrome P450 3A and 1A Activity Influences Sunitinib Metabolism and Bioactivation.

Sunitinib is an orally administered tyrosine kinase inhibitor associated with idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity; however, the mechanisms of this toxicity remain unclear. We have previously shown that cytochromes P450 1A2 and 3A4 catalyze sunitinib metabolic activation via oxidative defluorination leading to a chemically reactive, potentially toxic quinoneimine, trapped as a glutathione (GSH) conjugate (M5). The goals of this study were to determine the impact of interindividual variability in P450 1A and 3A activity on sunitinib bioactivation to the reactive quinoneimine and sunitinib N-dealkylation to the primary active metabolite N-desethylsunitinib (M1). Experiments were conducted in vitro using single-donor human liver microsomes and human hepatocytes. Relative sunitinib metabolite levels were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In human liver microsomes, the P450 3A inhibitor ketoconazole significantly reduced M1 formation compared to the control. The P450 1A2 inhibitor furafylline significantly reduced defluorosunitinib (M3) and M5 formation compared to the control but had minimal effect on M1. In CYP3A5-genotyped human liver microsomes from 12 individual donors, M1 formation was highly correlated with P450 3A activity measured by midazolam 1'-hydroxylation, and M3 and M5 formation was correlated with P450 1A2 activity estimated by phenacetin O-deethylation. M3 and M5 formation was also associated with P450 3A5-selective activity. In sandwich-cultured human hepatocytes, the P450 3A inducer rifampicin significantly increased M1 levels. P450 1A induction by omeprazole markedly increased M3 formation and the generation of a quinoneimine-cysteine conjugate (M6) identified as a downstream metabolite of M5. The nonselective P450 inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole reduced each of these metabolites (M1, M3, and M6). Collectively, these findings indicate that P450 3A activity is a key determinant of sunitinib N-dealkylation to the active metabolite M1, and P450 1A (and potentially 3A5) activity influences sunitinib bioactivation to the reactive quinoneimine metabolite. Accordingly, modulation of P450 activity due to genetic and/or nongenetic factors may impact the risk of sunitinib-associated toxicities.

Atropselective Oxidation of 2,2',3,3',4,6'-Hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 132) to Hydroxylated Metabolites by Human Liver Microsomes and Its Implications for PCB 132 Neurotoxicity.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Several neurotoxic congeners display axial chirality and atropselectively affect cellular targets implicated in PCB neurotoxicity. Only limited information is available regarding the atropselective metabolism of these congeners in humans and their atropselective effects on neurotoxic outcomes. Here we investigate the hypothesis that the oxidation of 2,2',3,3',4,6'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 132) by human liver microsomes (HLMs) and their effects on dopaminergic cells in culture are atropselective. Racemic PCB 132 was incubated with pooled or single donor HLMs, and levels and enantiomeric fractions of PCB 132 and its metabolites were determined gas chromatographically. The major metabolite was either 2,2',3,4,4',6'-hexachlorobiphenyl-3'-ol (3'-140), a 1,2-shift product, or 2,2',3,3',4,6'-hexachlorobiphenyl-5'-ol (5'-132). The PCB 132 metabolite profiles displayed interindividual differences and depended on the PCB 132 atropisomer. Computational studies suggested that 3'-140 is formed via a 3,4-arene oxide intermediate. The second eluting atropisomer of PCB 132, first eluting atropisomer of 3'-140, and second eluting atropisomer of 5'-132 were enriched in all HLM incubations. Enantiomeric fractions of the PCB 132 metabolites differed only slightly between the single donor HLM preparations investigated. Reactive oxygen species and levels of dopamine and its metabolites were not significantly altered after a 24 h exposure of dopaminergic cells to pure PCB 132 atropisomers. These findings suggest that there are interindividual differences in the atropselective biotransformation of PCB 132 to its metabolites in humans; however, the resulting atropisomeric enrichment of PCB 132 is unlikely to affect neurotoxic outcomes associated with the endpoints investigated in the study.

2,2',3,5',6-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 95) Is Atropselectively Metabolized to para-Hydroxylated Metabolites by Human Liver Microsomes.

Exposure to neurotoxic, chiral PCBs has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, but their metabolism in humans remains unexplored. We investigated the enantioselective metabolism of PCB 95 by human liver microsomes (HLMs) to potentially neurotoxic, hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs). OH-PCB profiles formed in experiments with HLMs differed from metabolite profiles reported for rodent species. The second eluting atropisomer of 2,2′,3,5′,6-pentachlorobiphenyl-4′-ol, the major metabolite, was preferentially formed by all HLM preparations investigated. Differences in metabolite formation rates were observed with single donor HLMs. The metabolism of PCBs and its role in PCB-mediated neurodevelopmental disorders need to be further characterized.

Characterization of the hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the metabolism of 25I-NBOMe and 25I-NBOH.

The dimethoxyphenyl-N-((2-methoxyphenyl)methyl)ethanamine (NBOMe) compounds are potent serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonists and have recently been subject to recreational use due to their hallucinogenic effects. Use of NBOMe compounds has been known since 2011, and several non-fatal and fatal intoxication cases have been reported in the scientific literature. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of the different cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP) involved in the metabolism of 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25I-NBOMe) and 2-[[2-(4-iodo-2,5dimethoxyphenyl)ethylamino]methyl]phenol (25I-NBOH) and to characterize the metabolites. The following approaches were used to identify the main enzymes involved in primary metabolism: incubation with a panel of CYP and monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes and incubation in pooled human liver microsomes (HLM) with and without specific CYP chemical inhibitors. The study was further substantiated by an evaluation of 25I-NBOMe and 25I-NBOH metabolism in single donor HLM. The metabolism pathways of 25I-NBOMe and 25I-NBOH were NADPHdependent with intrinsic clearance values of (CLint) of 70.1 and 118.7 mL/min/kg, respectively. The biotransformations included hydroxylation, O-demethylation, N-dealkylation, dehydrogenation, and combinations thereof. The most abundant metabolites were all identified by retention time and spectrum matching with synthesized reference standards. The major CYP enzymes involved in the metabolism of 25I-NBOMe and 25INBOH were identified as CYP3A4 and CYP2D6, respectively. The compound 25I-NBOH was also liable to direct glucuronidation, which may diminish the impact of CYP2D6 genetic polymorphism. Users of 25I-NBOMe may be subject to drug-drug interactions (DDI) if 25I-NBOMe is taken with a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Oxidative Metabolism of BDE-99 by Human Liver Microsomes: Predominant Role of CYP2B6

Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been found in human serum, suggesting that they are formed by in vivo oxidative metabolism of PBDEs. However, the biotransformation of 2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99), a major PBDE detected in human tissue and environmental samples, is poorly understood. In the present study, the oxidative metabolism of BDE-99 was assessed using pooled and single-donor human liver microsomes, a panel of human recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, and CYP-specific antibodies. Hydroxylated metabolites were quantified using a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry-based method. In total, 10 hydroxylated metabolites of BDE-99 were produced by human liver microsomes. Six metabolites were identified as 2,4,5-tribromophenol (2,4,5-TBP), 4-OH-BDE-90, 5'-OH-BDE-99, 6'-OH-BDE-99, 4'-OH-BDE-101, and 2-OH-BDE-123 using authentic standards. Three monohydroxy- and one dihydroxy-pentabrominated metabolites were unidentified. Rates of formation of the three major metabolites (2,4,5-TBP, 5'-OH-BDE-99, and 4'-OH-BDE-101) by human liver microsomes ranged from 24.4 to 44.8 pmol/min/mg protein. Additional experiments demonstrated that the dihydroxylated metabolite was a primary metabolite of BDE-99 and was not produced by hydroxylation of a monohydroxy metabolite. Among the panel of recombinant CYP enzymes tested, formation of all 10 hydroxylated metabolites was catalyzed solely by CYP2B6. A combined approach using antibodies to CYP2B6 and single-donor liver microsomes expressing a wide range of CYP2B6 levels confirmed that CYP2B6 was responsible for the biotransformation of BDE-99. Collectively, the results show that the oxidative metabolism of BDE-99 by human liver microsomes is catalyzed solely by CYP2B6 and is an important determinant of the toxicity and bioaccumulation of BDE-99 in humans.

The in vitro metabolism of bupropion revisited: concentration dependent involvement of cytochrome P450 2C19

The involvement of cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) to the in vitro and in vivo metabolism of bupropion has been well studied. In these investigations we performed a detailed in vitro phenotyping study to characterize isoforms other than CYP2B6.A total of nine metabolites were identified (M1–M9) in the incubations with cDNA-expressed P450s (rhCYP) and human liver microsomes (HLM).Incubations in rhCYP identified CYP2B6 as the isoform responsible for the formation of hydroxybupropion (M3). CYP2C19 was involved in bupropion metabolism primarily through alternate hydroxylation pathways (M4–M6) with higher activity at lower substrate concentrations, near 1 µM.The results from HLM inhibition studies using CYP2B6 and CYP2C19 inhibitory antibodies indicated that CYP2B6 contributed to approximately 90% of M3 formation, and CYP2C19 contributed to approximately 70–90% of M4, M5, and M6 formation.Studies using single donor HLM with varying degrees of CYP2B6 and CYP2C19 activities showed a good relationship between M3 formation and CYP2B6 activity and M4/M5 formation and CYP2C19 activity.These results confirmed the principle role of CYP2B6 in hydroxybupropion formation, as a selective CYP2B6 probe. In addition, the new findings revealed that CYP2C19 also contributes to bupropion metabolism through alternate hydroxylation pathways.

Human metabolism of atrazine

Atrazine (ATZ) metabolism by human liver microsomes (HLM), cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms, and human liver (HL) S9 fractions, was investigated using HPLC/PDA and LC/MS/MS. CYP-dependent metabolites from pooled HLM are desethylatrazine (DEA), desisopropylatrazine (DIA), 1-hydroxyisopropylatrazine (HIATZ), and 2-hydroxyethyl atrazine (HEATZ). DEA and DIA were major metabolites in pooled HLM. CYP1A2 and 2C19, respectively, were major isoforms for DEA and DIA production. CYP3A4, while less active, is generally at high concentrations, produces both DEA and DIA and is significant. The percent total normalized rates (%TNR) for CYP1A2 and 3A4 in pooled HLM were 63% and 24% for DEA, and 35% and 56% for DIA production. Single donor HLM samples, showed correlations for CYP1A2 ( r = 0.92) and 3A4 ( r = 0.81) for DEA and DIA production, while variations in production of DEA and DIA were 8.5- and 6.0-fold, respectively. Pooled S9 fractions also mediate glutathione conjugation of atrazine, DEA and DIA.

Identification of Cytochrome P450 Isoforms Involved in the Metabolism of Paroxetine and Estimation of Their Importance for Human Paroxetine Metabolism Using a Population-Based Simulator

We identify here for the first time the low-affinity cytochrome P450 (P450) isoforms that metabolize paroxetine, using cDNA-expressed human P450s measuring substrate depletion and paroxetine-catechol (product) formation by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 were identified as paroxetine-catechol-forming P450 isoforms, and CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 were identified as metabolizing P450 isoforms by substrate depletion. Michaelis-Menten constants K(m) and V(max) were determined by product formation and substrate depletion. Using selective inhibitory studies and a relative activity factor approach for pooled and single-donor human liver microsomes, we confirmed involvement of the identified P450 isoforms for paroxetine-catechol formation at 1 and 20 muM paroxetine. In addition, we used the population-based simulator Simcyp to estimate the importance of the identified paroxetine-metabolizing P450 isoforms for human metabolism, taking mechanism-based inhibition into account. The amount of active hepatic CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 (not inactivated by mechanism-based inhibition) was also estimated by Simcyp. For extensive and poor metabolizers of CYP2D6, Simcyp-estimated pharmacokinetic profiles were in good agreement with those reported in published in vivo studies. Considering the kinetic parameters, inhibition results, relative activity factor calculations, and Simcyp simulations, CYP2D6 (high affinity) and CYP3A4 (low affinity) are most likely to be the major contributors to paroxetine metabolism in humans. For some individuals CYP1A2 could be of importance for paroxetine metabolism, whereas the importance of CYP2C19 and CYP3A5 is probably limited.

In vivo metabolism of the new designer drug 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (MeOPP) in rat and identification of the human cytochrome P450 enzymes responsible for the major metabolic step

1. The in vivo metabolism of 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (MeOPP), a novel designer drug, was studied in male Wistar rats.2. MeOPP was mainly O-demethylated to 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)piperazine (4-HO-PP) in addition to degradation of the piperazine moiety.3. O-demethylation, the major metabolic step, was studied with cDNA-expressed human hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in pooled human liver microsomes (pHLM) and in single donor human liver microsomes with CYP2D6 poor metabolizer genotype (PM HLM).4. CYP2D6 catalysed O-demethylation with apparent Km and Vmax values of 48.34 ± 14.48 µM and 5.44 ± 0.47 pmol min−1 pmol−1 CYP, respectively. pHLM catalysed the monitored reaction with an apparent Km = 204.80 ± 51.81 µM and Vmax = 127.50 ± 13.25 pmol min−1 mg−1 protein.5. The CYP2D6-specific chemical inhibitor quinidine (1 and 3 µM) significantly inhibited 4-HO-PP formation by 71.9 ± 4.8% and by 98.5% ± 0.5%, respectively, in incubation mixtures with pHLM and 200 µM MeOPP.6. O-demethylation was significantly lower in PM HLM compared with pHLM (70.6% ± 7.2%).7. These data suggest that polymorphically expressed CYP2D6 is the enzyme mainly responsible for MeOPP O-demethylation.