J. Hendrickx

CYP2C8 polymorphisms in Caucasians and their relationship with paclitaxel 6α-hydroxylase activity in human liver microsomes

Published cDNA sequences suggest the existence of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the cytochrome P450 CYP2C8. To determine whether these polymorphisms could be confirmed in a Caucasian population and to investigate whether additional polymorphisms occur in the coding and upstream regions of this gene, we screened for previously described and for novel polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP and SSCP analysis. We confirmed the existence of two of the previously detected polymorphisms which give rise to the amino acid substitutions I264M and K399R, respectively, but failed to detect three others in our population. We also confirmed that a recently identified polymorphism (R139K) is linked to K399R (CYP2C8*3) in our study population. The allele frequencies for the I264M (CYP2C8*4 allele) and the CYP2C8*3 allele were 0.075 and 0.15, respectively. Three novel polymorphisms (T-370G, C-271A and T1196C/L390S) were also detected with the upstream polymorphisms showing allele frequencies of 0.061 and 0.196, respectively, but the L390S polymorphism detected only in a single subject. An additional single subject was heterozygous for a polymorphism recently described in African-Americans (A805T; CYP2C8*2 allele). The functional significance of the two upstream polymorphisms and the CYP2C8*3 and CYP2C8*4 alleles was investigated in human liver microsomes. Samples heterozygous for CYP2C8*3 showed significantly lower paclitaxel 6alpha-hydroxylase activity compared with wild-type samples. Median activity associated with CYP2C8*4 also appeared lower than the wild-type but the difference was not significant. There was no evidence that either upstream polymorphism gave rise to altered CYP2C8 expression.

On the pharmacokinetics of domperidone in animals and man III. Comparative study on the excretion and metabolism of domperidone in rats, dogs and man

SummaryThe excretion and metabolism of the novel gastrokinetic and antinauseant drug domperidone were studied after oral administration of the14C-labelled compound to rats, dogs and man, and after intravenous administration to rats and dogs.Excretion of the radioactivity was almost complete within four days. In the three species, the radioactivity was excreted for the greater part with the faeces. Biliary excretion of the radioactivity amounted to 65% of the dose 24 hours after intravenous administration in rats.Unchanged domperidone as determined by radioimmunoassay, accounted in urine for 0.3% in dogs, 0.4% in man, and in faeces for 9% in dogs and 7% in man. The main metabolic pathways of domperidone in the three species were the aromatic hydroxylation at the benzimidazolone moiety, resulting in hydroxy-domperidone -the main faecal metabolite-, and the oxidativeN-dealkylation at the piperidine nitrogen, resulting in 2,3-dihydro-2-oxo-1H-benzamidazole-1-propanoic acid the major radioactive urinary metabolite- and 5-chloro-4-piperidinyl-1,3-dihydro-benzimidazol-2-one. In urine the two first metabolites were present partly as conjugates.A mass balance for the major metabolites in urine, faeces, bile and plasma samples was made up after radio-HPLC (reversephase HPLC with on-line radioactivity detection) of various extracts. Only minor species differences were detected.

Identification of the cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the metabolism of cisapride: in vitro studies of potential co‐medication interactions

Cisapride is a prokinetic drug that is widely used to facilitate gastrointestinal tract motility. Structurally, cisapride is a substituted piperidinyl benzamide that interacts with 5‐hydroxytryptamine‐4 receptors and which is largely without central depressant or antidopaminergic side‐effects. The aims of this study were to investigate the metabolism of cisapride in human liver microsomes and to determine which cytochrome P‐450 (CYP) isoenzyme(s) are involved in cisapride biotransformation. Additionally, the effects of various drugs on the metabolism of cisapride were investigated. The major in vitro metabolite of cisapride was formed by oxidative N‐dealkylation at the piperidine nitrogen, leading to the production of norcisapride. By using competitive inhibition data, correlation studies and heterologous expression systems, it was demonstrated that CYP3A4 was the major CYP involved. CYP2A6 also contributed to the metabolism of cisapride, albeit to a much lesser extent. The mean apparent Km against cisapride was 8.6±3.5 μM (n=3). The peak plasma levels of cisapride under normal clinical practice are approximately 0.17 μM; therefore it is unlikely that cisapride would inhibit the metabolism of co‐administered drugs. In this in vitro study the inhibitory effects of 44 drugs were tested for any effect on cisapride biotransformation. In conclusion, 34 of the drugs are unlikely to have a clinically relevant interaction; however, the antidepressant nefazodone, the macrolide antibiotic troleandomycin, the HIV‐1 protease inhibitors ritonavir and indinavir and the calcium channel blocker mibefradil inhibited the metabolism of cisapride and these interactions are likely to be of clinical relevance. Furthermore, the antimycotics ketoconazole, miconazole, hydroxy‐itraconazole, itraconazole and fluconazole, when administered orally or intravenously, would inhibit cisapride metabolism.

Comparative metabolism of flunarizine in rats, dogs and man: an in vitro study with subcellular liver fractions and isolated hepatocytes

1. The biotransformation of 3H-flunarizine ((E)-1-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-4-(3-phenyl-2-propenyl)piperazine dihydrochloride, FLUN) was studied in subcellular liver fractions (microsomes and 12,000 g fraction) and in suspensions or primary cell cultures of isolated hepatocytes of rats, dogs and man. The major in vitro metabolites were characterized by h.p.l.c. co-chromatography and/or by mass spectrometric analysis. 2. The kinetics of FLUN metabolism was studied in microsomes of dog and man. The metabolism followed linear Michaelis-Menten kinetics over the concentration range 0.1-20 microM FLUN. 3. A striking sex difference was observed for the in vitro metabolism of FLUN in rat. In male rats, oxidative N-dealkylation at one of the piperazine nitrogens, resulting in bis(4-fluorophenyl) methanol, was a major metabolic pathway, whereas aromatic hydroxylation at the phenyl of the cinnamyl moiety, resulting in hydroxy-FLUN, was a major metabolic pathway in female rats. In incubates with hepatocytes, these two metabolites were converted to the corresponding glucuronides. 4. In human subcellular fractions, aromatic hydroxylation to hydroxy-FLUN was the major metabolic pathway. In primary cell cultures of human hepatocytes, oxidative N-dealkylation at the 1- and 4-piperazine nitrogen and glucuronidation of bis(4-fluorophenyl)methanol were observed. The in vitro metabolism of FLUN in humans, resembled more than in female rats and in dogs than that in male rats. 5. The present in vitro results are compared with data of previous in vivo studies in rats and dogs. The use of subcellular fractions and/or isolated hepatocytes for the study of species differences in the biotransformation of xenobiotics is discussed.

Is the Metabolism of Alfentanil Subject to Debrisoquine Polymorphism? A Study Using Human Liver Microsomes

The present study was designed to investigate whether the metabolism of the opiate analgesic alfentanil in humans is subject to the debrisoquine 4-hydroxylation polymorphism. The role of a specific cytochrome P-450 form, debrisoquine 4-hydroxylase, in the metabolism of alfentanil was investigated by competitive inhibition experiments over the concentration range 4–100 μM. Alfentanil was incubated with human liver microsomes in the presence of an NADPH-generating system. Alfentanil and its major metabolites were quantified in the incubates by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Alfentanil was rapidly metabolized, yielding noralfentanil as the main metabolite. Kinetically, alfentänil metabolism occurred monophasically and the kinetic parameters were 22.8 μM for Km app and 3.86 nmol alfentanil metabolized min-1 ·mg protein-1 for Vm app. Debrisoquine was a weak, noncompetitive inhibitor of alfentanil metabolism and of the formation of its major metabolites, with K1 values between 2.00 and 3.21 mM. It can be concluded that alfentanil is not metabolized tit vitro by the human cytochrome P-450 form involved in debrisoquine 4-hydroxylation; therefore, the in vivo disposition of the drug is most likely not affected by deficiency of this enzyme.

Plasma levels, biotransformation and excretion of oxatomide (R 35 443) in rats, dogs and man

Plasma levels, biotransformation and excretion of oxatomide were studied after single oral doses of 14C-oxatomide in male rats, dogs and humans. Oxatomide was very well absorbed, and almost completely metabolized in the three species. Excretion of the metabolites was very rapid and complete within a few days; the 14C label was excreted more in the faeces (54-62%) than in the urine (27-40%). Major metabolic pathways of oxatomide were oxidative N-dealkylations at the piperazine nitrogens and at the benzimidazolone nitrogen in rats and man, and also aromatic hydroxylation at the benzimidazolone moiety in man. The main urinary metabolite in the three species was 2,3-dihydro-2-oxo-1H-benzimidazole-1-propanoic acid, resulting from the oxidative N-dealkylation at the 1-piperazine nitrogen.

Location of the hydroxyl functions in hydroxylated metabolites of nebivolol in different animal species and human subjects as determined by on-line high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detection

Nebivolol hydrochloride (R067555), is a new antihypertensive drug. Aromatic and alicyclic hydroxylation at the benzopyran ring systems of nebivolol are important metabolic pathways. Generally, NMR is used to unambiguously assign the sites of hydroxylation. Because of the low dose rates and the extensive metabolism of nebivolol in the different species, NMR identification is not always possible, and therefore another spectroscopic technique was searched for to address this problem. UV-chromophore absorption is affected by the kind and arrangement of adjacent atoms and groups (auxochromes). The effect of these auxochromes (e.g. -NH2, -NR2, -SH, -OH, -OR and halogens) can be strongly influenced by the pH. This paper proves that HPLC at high pH combined with on-line diode-array detection is an excellent technique for the location of the hydroxyl functions in hydroxylated metabolites of nebivolol. With this technique it is possible to differentiate between glucuronidation at the automatic and aliphatic or alicyclic hydroxyl functions.

Excretion and metabolism of lorcainide in rats, dogs and man

SummaryAfter p.o. or i.v. administration of3H-lorcainide, excretion of the radioactivity was almost complete within four days. In rats and dogs, about 35 % of the dose was excreted in the urine and about 60 % in the faeces. However, in humans, 62 % was excreted in the urine and 35 % in the faeces. In rats, about 70 % of the orally administered radioactivity was excreted in the bile within 24 hours. Enterohepatic circulation was proven by “donor-acceptor” coupling in rats. Lorcainide was extensively metabolized. Urinary and faecal metabolites were isolated by extraction and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), and characterized by chromatographic comparison with reference compounds, by mass spectrometry, and NMR. The mass balance for unchanged lorcainide and its major metabolites (determined by radio-HPLC) was very similar in the urine and faeces. Only minor quantitative differences were observed between intravenously and orally dosed animals, and between male and female rats.Major biotransformation pathways in the three species were : hydroxylation,O-methylation and glucuronidation. 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-lorcainide was the main metabolite. α-Oxidation resulting in α,4-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-lorcainide, was observed in dogs only. Minor pathways were : oxidativeN-dealkylation and amide hydrolysis. A remarkable 5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethoxy-metabolite was identified unambiguously in the three species.