Jakub Hofman

Transplacental Pharmacokinetics of Glyburide, Rhodamine 123, and BODIPY FL Prazosin: Effect of Drug Efflux Transporters and Lipid Solubility

Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) are the most abundantly expressed ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drug transporters in the placenta. They recognize a large, partly overlapping spectrum of chemically unrelated compounds and affect their transplacental passage. In this study we investigate the effect of Bcrp and P-gp on the transplacental pharmacokinetics of their specific and common substrates employing the technique of dually perfused rat placenta. We show that the clearance of rhodamine 123 (P-gp substrate), glyburide (BCRP substrate) and BODIPY FL prazosin (P-gp and BCRP substrate) in fetal-to-maternal direction is 11, 11.2 and 4 times higher, respectively, than that in the maternal-to-fetal direction. In addition, all of these substances were found to be transported from the fetal compartment even against concentration gradient. We thus demonstrate the ability of placental ABC transporters to hinder maternal-to-fetal and accelerate fetal-to-maternal transport in a concentration-dependent manner. However, by means of pharmacokinetic modeling we describe the inverse correlation between lipid solubility of a molecule and its active transport by placental ABC efflux transporters. Therefore, in the case of highly lipophilic substrates, such as BODIPY FL prazosin in this study, the efficacy of efflux transporters to pump the molecule back to the maternal circulation is markedly limited.

Synchronized Activity of Organic Cation Transporter 3 (Oct3/Slc22a3) and Multidrug and Toxin Extrusion 1 (Mate1/Slc47a1) Transporter in Transplacental Passage of MPP+ in Rat

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression, localization, and function of organic cation transporter 3 (Oct3, Slc22a3) and multidrug and toxin extrusion protein 1 (Mate1, Slc47a1) in the rat placenta. Using qRT-PCR and Western blotting techniques, we demonstrated abundant Oct3 and Mate1 mRNA and protein expression achieving significantly higher levels than those in the maternal kidney (positive control). Immunohistochemical visualization revealed preferential localization of Oct3 on the basolateral, i.e., fetus facing side of the placenta, whereas Mate1 positivity was located in the labyrinth area predominantly on the apical, i.e., maternal side of the placenta. To investigate the role of these transporters in the transplacental pharmacokinetics, the in situ method of dually perfused rat term placenta was employed in open- and closed-circuit arrangements; 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) was used as a model substrate of both Oct3 and Mate1. We provide evidence that Oct3 and Mate1 cause considerable asymmetry between maternal-to-fetal and fetal-to-maternal transport of MPP(+) in favor of fetomaternal direction. Using closed-circuit experimental setup, we further describe the capacity of Oct3 and Mate1 to transport their substrate from fetus to mother even against a concentration gradient. We conclude that Oct3, in a concentration-dependent manner, takes up MPP(+) from the fetal circulation into the placenta, whereas Mate1, on the other side of the barrier, is responsible for MPP(+) efflux from placenta to the maternal circulation. These two transport proteins, thus, form an efficient transplacental eliminatory pathway and play an important role in fetal protection and detoxication.

Olomoucine II and purvalanol A inhibit ABCG2 transporter in vitro and in situ and synergistically potentiate cytostatic effect of mitoxantrone.

Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases by specific small molecules, purine cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKi), has become a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Although pharmacodynamic properties of these compounds have been studied extensively, their pharmacokinetic behavior has not been addressed in detail. In this study, we investigated possible inhibitory effect of five purine CDKi on breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2) transport activity employing in vitro transport and accumulation methods in MCDKII cells transduced with human ABCG2. Hoechst 33342 and glyburide were used as model ABCG2 substrates for these experiments. In addition, in situ method of dually perfused rat term placenta was utilized to confirm our in vitro results at the organ level. Fumitremorgin C was used as a model inhibitor of ABCG2 for comparison purposes. We demonstrate significant inhibition of ABCG2 by four of the five CDKi tested. Regarding their ABCG2-inhibitory potencies, the investigated compounds can be ranked as follows: purvalanol A>olomoucine II≈fumitremorgin C>roscovitine≈bohemine, with slight differences among substrates, concentrations and methods used. Based on our findings, it is reasonable to expect a substantial impact of the studied CDKi on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior of concomitantly administered ABCG2 substrates. Moreover, using combination index method of Chou-Talalay, we confirmed that the strongest inhibitors, purvalanol A and olomoucine II, can synergistically potentiate cytostatic effect of mitoxantrone, an ABCG2 substrate, in ABCG2 expressing cell lines.

Isoquinoline alkaloids as a novel type of AKR1C3 inhibitors

AKR1C3 is an important human enzyme that participates in the reduction of steroids and prostaglandins, which leads to proliferative signalling. In addition, this enzyme also participates in the biotransformation of xenobiotics, such as drugs and procarcinogens. AKR1C3 is involved in the development of both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent cancers and was recently demonstrated to confer cell resistance to anthracyclines. Because AKR1C3 is frequently upregulated in various cancers, this enzyme has been suggested as a therapeutic target for the treatment of these pathological conditions. In this study, nineteen isoquinoline alkaloids were examined for their ability to inhibit a recombinant AKR1C3 enzyme. As a result, stylopine was demonstrated to be the most potent inhibitor among the tested compounds and exhibited moderate selectivity towards AKR1C3. In the follow-up cellular studies, stylopine significantly inhibited the AKR1C3-mediated reduction of daunorubicin in intact cells without considerable cytotoxic effects. This inhibitor could therefore be used as a model AKR1C3 inhibitor in research or evaluated as a possible therapeutic anticancer drug. Furthermore, based on our results, stylopine can serve as a model compound for the design and future development of structurally related AKR1C3 inhibitors.

Purvalanol A, Olomoucine II and Roscovitine Inhibit ABCB1 Transporter and Synergistically Potentiate Cytotoxic Effects of Daunorubicin In Vitro

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKi) have high potential applicability in anticancer therapy, but various aspects of their pharmacokinetics, especially their interactions with drug efflux transporters, have not yet been evaluated in detail. Thus, we investigated interactions of five CDKi (purvalanol A, olomoucine II, roscovitine, flavopiridol and SNS-032) with the ABCB1 transporter. Four of the compounds inhibited efflux of two ABCB1 substrates, Hoechst 33342 and daunorubicin, in MDCKII-ABCB1 cells: Olomoucine II most strongly, followed by roscovitine, purvalanol A, and flavopiridol. SNS-032 inhibited ABCB1-mediated efflux of Hoechst 33342 but not daunorubicin. In addition, purvalanol A, SNS-032 and flavopiridol lowered the stimulated ATPase activity in ABCB1 membrane preparations, while olomoucine II and roscovitine not only inhibited the stimulated ATPase but also significantly activated the basal ABCB1 ATPase, suggesting that these two CDKi are ABCB1 substrates. We further revealed that the strongest ABCB1 inhibitors (purvalanol A, olomoucine II and roscovitine) synergistically potentiate the antiproliferative effect of daunorubicin, a commonly used anticancer drug and ABCB1 substrate, in MDCKII-ABCB1 cells as well as in human carcinoma HCT-8 and HepG2 cells. We suggest that this pronounced synergism is at least partly caused by (i) CDKi-mediated inhibition of ABCB1 transporter leading to increased intracellular retention of daunorubicin and (ii) native cytotoxic activity of the CDKi. Our results indicate that co-administration of the tested CDKi with anticancer drugs that are ABCB1 substrates may allow significant dose reduction in the treatment of ABCB1-expressing tumors.

Flavones Inhibit the Activity of AKR1B10, a Promising Therapeutic Target for Cancer Treatment.

AKR1B10 is an NADPH-dependent reductase that plays an important function in several physiological reactions such as the conversion of retinal to retinol, reduction of isoprenyl aldehydes, and biotransformation of procarcinogens and drugs. A growing body of evidence points to the important role of the enzyme in the development of several types of cancer (e.g., breast, hepatocellular), in which it is highly overexpressed. AKR1B10 is regarded as a therapeutic target for the treatment of these diseases, and potent and specific inhibitors may be promising therapeutic agents. Several inhibitors of AKR1B10 have been described, but the area of natural plant products has been investigated sparingly. In the present study almost 40 diverse phenolic compounds and alkaloids were examined for their ability to inhibit the recombinant AKR1B10 enzyme. The most potent inhibitors-apigenin, luteolin, and 7-hydroxyflavone-were further characterized in terms of IC50, selectivity, and mode of action. Molecular docking studies were also conducted, which identified putative binding residues important for the interaction. In addition, cellular studies demonstrated a significant inhibition of the AKR1B10-mediated reduction of daunorubicin in intact cells by these inhibitors without a considerable cytotoxic effect. Although these compounds are moderately potent and selective inhibitors of AKR1B10, they constitute a new structural type of AKR1B10 inhibitor and may serve as a template for the development of better inhibitors.

Pharmacokinetic interactions of breast cancer chemotherapeutics with human doxorubicin reductases

Paclitaxel (PTX), docetaxel (DTX), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cyclophosphamide (CYC) or tamoxifen (TMX) are combined with doxorubicin (DOX) in first-line chemotherapy regimens that are indicated for breast cancer patients. Although the efficacies of these drugs in combination treatments have been demonstrated in clinical practice, their possible interference with DOX metabolism has not been described in detail to date. In the present study, we investigated the possible interactions of human carbonyl reducing enzymes with 5-FU, PTX, DTX, CYC and TMX. First, the reducing activities of carbonyl reducing enzymes toward DOX were tested using incubations with purified recombinant enzymes. In the subsequent studies, we investigated the possible effects of the tested anticancer agents on the DOX-reducing activities of the most potent enzymes (AKR1C3, CBR1 and AKR1A1) and on the DOX metabolism driven by MCF7, HepG2 and human liver cytosols. In both of these assays, we observed that CYC and its active metabolites inhibited DOX metabolism. In the final study, we tracked the changes in AKR1C3, CBR1 and AKR1A1 expression levels following exposure to the tested cytostatics in MCF7 and HepG2 cells. Consequently, no significant changes in the expression levels of tested enzymes were detected in either cell line. Based on these findings, it is feasible to presume that inhibition rather than induction plays a role in the interactions of the tested anticancer agents with DOX-reducing enzymes. In conclusion, our results describe important molecular events that occur during combination breast cancer therapies and might modulate pharmacokinetic DOX resistance and/or behaviour.

Olomoucine II, but not purvalanol A, is transported by breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2) and P-glycoprotein (ABCB1).

Purine cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors have been recognized as promising candidates for the treatment of various cancers; nevertheless, data regarding interaction of these substances with drug efflux transporters is still lacking. Recently, we have demonstrated inhibition of breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2) by olomoucine II and purvalanol A and shown that these compounds are able to synergistically potentiate the antiproliferative effect of mitoxantrone, an ABCG2 substrate. In this follow up study, we investigated whether olomoucine II and purvalanol A are transported by ABCG2 and ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein). Using monolayers of MDCKII cells stably expressing human ABCB1 or ABCG2, we demonstrated that olomoucine II, but not purvalanol A, is a dual substrate of both ABCG2 and ABCB1. We, therefore, assume that pharmacokinetics of olomoucine II will be affected by both ABCB1 and ABCG2 transport proteins, which might potentially result in limited accumulation of the compound in tumor tissues or lead to drug-drug interactions. Pharmacokinetic behavior of purvalanol A, on the other hand, does not seem to be affected by either ABCG2 or ABCB1, theoretically favoring this drug in the potential treatment of efflux transporter-based multidrug resistant tumors. In addition, we observed intensive sulfatation of olomoucine II in MDCKII cell lines with subsequent active efflux of the metabolite out of the cells. Therefore, care should be taken when performing pharmacokinetic studies in MDCKII cells, especially if radiolabeled substrates are used; the generated sulfated conjugate may largely contaminate pharmacokinetic analysis and result in misleading interpretation. With regard to chemical structures of olomoucine II and purvalanol A, our data emphasize that even drugs with remarkable structure similarity may show different pharmacokinetic behavior such as interactions with ABC transporters or biotransformation enzymes.

Inhibition of human anthracycline reductases by emodin — A possible remedy for anthracycline resistance

The clinical application of anthracyclines, like daunorubicin and doxorubicin, is limited by two factors: dose-related cardiotoxicity and drug resistance. Both have been linked to reductive metabolism of the parent drug to their metabolites daunorubicinol and doxorubicinol, respectively. These metabolites show significantly less anti-neoplastic properties as their parent drugs and accumulate in cardiac tissue leading to chronic cardiotoxicity. Therefore, we aimed to identify novel and potent natural inhibitors for anthracycline reductases, which enhance the anticancer effect of anthracyclines by preventing the development of anthracycline resistance. Human enzymes responsible for the reductive metabolism of daunorubicin were tested for their sensitivity towards anthrachinones, in particular emodin and anthraflavic acid. Intense inhibition kinetic data for the most effective daunorubicin reductases, including IC50- and Ki-values, the mode of inhibition, as well as molecular docking, were compiled. Subsequently, a cytotoxicity profile and the ability of emodin to reverse daunorubicin resistance were determined using multiresistant A549 lung cancer and HepG2 liver cancer cells. Emodin potently inhibited the four main human daunorubicin reductases in vitro. Further, we could demonstrate that emodin is able to synergistically sensitize human cancer cells towards daunorubicin at clinically relevant concentrations. Therefore, emodin may yield the potential to enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of anthracyclines by preventing anthracycline resistance via inhibition of the anthracycline reductases. In symphony with its known pharmacological properties, emodin might be a compound of particular interest in the management of anthracycline chemotherapy efficacy and their adverse effects.

Ribociclib shows potential for pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions being a substrate of ABCB1 and potent inhibitor of ABCB1, ABCG2 and CYP450 isoforms in vitro

Graphical abstract Figure. No Caption available. ABSTRACT Ribociclib is a novel cyclin‐dependent kinase (CDK) 4 and 6 selective inhibitor that recently gained breakthrough therapy status and global approval for advanced breast cancer treatment. ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters may become a site of severe drug interactions and a mechanism of multidrug resistance (MDR) development. With respect to rapid progress of ribociclib in the clinical field, we aimed to identify its interactions with ABC transporters and cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes and evaluate its potential to overcome transporter‐mediated MDR using established in vitro methods. Our data showed accelerated ABCB1 inhibitor LY335979‐sensitive, basolateral‐to‐apical transport of ribociclib across MDCKII‐ABCB1 cell monolayers, which identified ribociclib as an ABCB1 substrate. The antiproliferative studies supported this finding by demonstrating significantly higher EC50 value in ABCB1‐, but not ABCG2‐ or ABCC1‐expressing MDCKII cells, than in the parent MDCKII cell line. Furthermore, we observed significant inhibitory effects of ribociclib on ABCB1 and ABCG2 transporters and CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP2C9 isoform activity in human CYP‐expressing insect microsomes. The ribociclib‐induced ABCB1 and ABCG2 inhibition further reversed daunorubicin and mitoxantrone resistance in MDCKII and human MCF‐7 breast carcinoma cell lines, indicating a synergistic antiproliferative effect, without affecting ABCB1 or ABCG2 expression. In summary, our data indicate that ABCB1 affects ribociclib transport across the membranes and the high potential of ribociclib for drug‐drug interactions (DDIs) through ABCB1 and ABCG2 transporters and CYP isoforms. Moreover, we demonstrate the beneficial MDR‐reversing potential of ribociclib, which could be further exploited in novel anticancer treatment strategies.