Yasushi Takagishi

Effect of Oily Vehicles on Absorption of Mepitiostane by the Lymphatic System in Rats

Abstract— [14C]Mepitiostane in various vehicles was administered to the small intestine of anaesthetized rats with cannulated thoracic ducts, and the effect of lipids on lymphatic absorption was examined. The extent of lymphatic absorption was greatest when administered in triolein and sesame oil, which are triglycerides of long‐chain fatty acids. Absorption in the presence of other vehicles was in the order of 10% Tween 80 aqueous solution > monolein > oleic acid ∼ oleic acid/monolein (2:1 mol/mol) > aqueous suspension. Differences between the extents of lymphatic absorption of mepitiostane in the various formulations were not due to variation in the lymph flow but to the increased secretion of chylomicron and very low density lipoproteins. During absorption of mepitiostane from the small intestine, oil affected not only the penetration into epithelium cells and the metabolism in them, but also the partition between blood and lymph.

Effect of Bile on Absorption of Mepitiostane by the Lymphatic System in Rats

Abstract— The effects of bile and site of gastrointestinal absorption on the lymphatic absorption of the highly lipophilic drug, mepitiostane were examined using thoracic duct‐cannulated rats. The lymphatic absorption from the small intestine was very small in the absence of bile compared with that when bile was present. The lymphatic absorption was greatest when drug was administered to the upper small intestine with bile, was smaller for the lower regions of the small intestine, and was negligible for the stomach and the large intestine. A correlation was observed between the extent of lymphatic absorption and the secretion of chylomicron and very low density lipoproteins after administration to various regions with or without bile. The portal absorption data of mepitiostane confirmed that site specificity occurs in the partition of drug between blood and lymph.

Intrinsic lymphatic partition rate of mepitiostane, epitiostanol, and oleic acid absorbed from rat intestine.

Mepitiostane (MP), epitiostanol (EP), and oleic acid were administered to the jejunal loop of mesenteric vein- and thoracic duct-cannulated rats, and the intrinsic lymphatic partition rate (ILPR) of the absorbed compounds was directly determined. When 14C-EP was administered to the jejunal loop, recovery of unchanged EP in the mesenteric blood and the lymph was 7.9 and 0.03% of the administered dose, respectively. In contrast, following administration of 14C-MP, recovery of unchanged MP in the mesenteric blood and the lymph was 1.2 and 15.0%, respectively. Thus, following passage through the mucosal cell, 99.6% of the unchanged EP was partitioned into the blood and 0.4% into the lymph, while for unchanged MP, 7.6% was partitioned into the blood and 92.4% into the lymph. When 14C-oleic acid was administered to the jejunal loop, most of the penetrating oleic acid was incorporated into triglycerides in epithelial cells and transferred exclusively into the lymph. However, of the unchanged oleic acid, only 37.6% was partitioned into the lymph and 62.4% into the blood. The ILPR was 92.4% for MP, 0.4% for EP, and 37.6% for oleic acid. We conclude that the ILPR values indicate the true lymphotropic property of the compounds.

A quantitative concept of the mechanism of intestinal lymphatic transfer of lipophilic molecules.

The partition of mepitiostane, testosterone, and some structurally related compounds between lymph and blood in rat jejunum (lymph–blood partition ratio; LBPR) was determined, and the quantitative relationship between LBPR and lipophilicity was examined. When the ΔRm values (hydrophobic parameter derived from the mobility) relative to testosterone were <0.2, their logLBPRs remained approximately constant in the range of −2 to −3. When the ΔRm values of the compounds were >0.2, a linear correlation (r = 0.986, n = 8) was observed between these values and the logLBPRs. The LBPR, but not the extent of lymphatic absorption, of lipophilic molecules was determined strictly by the superlipophilicity, and for high partitioning into the lymph (>50% of the absorbed amount), the ΔRm value had to be >0.50 (5.65 as the logP value). The relationship between LBPR and superlipophilicity could be explained on the basis of the theoretical equations derived from absorption kinetics based on a dynamic partitioning model.

乳酸・グリコール酸共重合体のマイクロスフェアの製剤設計.ゲンタマイシンのin Vitroの放出性の解析

The sustained release mechanism of gentamicin (GM) from lactic acid/glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA) microspheres was investigated. The terminal free carboxyl group of polymer was proved to be necessary for GM to be highly incorporated into microspheres by comparing interactions with GM and two types of polymers; free (ionized and non ionized) and the terminal esterified carboxyl group of polymer. The weight-average molecular weights (Mws) of component PLGAs of microspheres with an ionizable carboxyl group used here were approximately 4900 and 10000. The release pattern of GM was tested in phosphate buffered saline. The release rate of GM was dependent on the initial Mw and surface form. The GM release continued for 20 and 30 d from PLGA 4900- and PLGA10000-microspheres, respectively. The changes of total weight of microspheres tended to decrease with time, and the molecular weight distribution of PLGA gradually shifted to lower distribution, indicating a decrease in Mw. The changes and the shifts were dependent on the initial Mws of PLGAs but independent of their surface form. The half-times of wight loss of PLGA 4900- and PLGA10000-microspheres were about 10 and 20 d, respectively. From these results, the release profile of GM from PLGA microspheres was explained by the following three steps, i.e., 1) the release from the surface, 2) the relatively slow release caused by the obstruction of channels followed by the degradation of PLGA, 3) the release accompanied by the erosion of microspheres.

Factors Determining the Intrinsic Lymphatic Partition Rate of Epitiostanol and Mepitiostane

Substitution of the steroid epitiostanol (EP) at position 17 with methoxycyclopentane yields the extremely lipophilic mepitiostane (MP) with preferential partitioning into the lymph. Most of the MP in the lymph was associated with the core lipids of chylomicrons and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), as was also the case for EP. However, the dialysis velocity of EP and MP from lymph to plasma differed greatly; EP, but not MP, was transferred from the lymph to the plasma. This difference was attributed to differences in their unbound fraction in the lymph. Lymphatic transfer and the logP value of several tested steroids correlated well. Therefore, the oral EP prodrug, MP, partitioned into the lymph because of its superlipophilicity and resultant retention in the core lipids of chylomicrons and VLDL.

Monoclonal Antibodies against Human α-Fetoprotein More Reactive to Cell-Surface α-Fetoprotein than to Free α-Fetoprotein

This paper describes the finding of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) more reactive to cell‐surface α‐fetoprotein (AFP) than to free AFP by using a simple in vitro system. Twelve mouse MoAbs, ten IgG1, one IgG2a and one IgG2b, against human AFP from hepatocellular carcinoma were obtained by the cell fusion technique. Each hybridoma supernatant was assayed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to solid‐phase AFP. The assay results showed that two MoAbs, 67D and 80G, were most reactive to AFP. 80G had a higher affinity constant than 67D, while the both reactions were similarly difficult to inhibit by free AFP in ELISA. 67D and 80G reacted with AFP on the surface of ethanol‐fixed cells from the human hepatoma cell line HuH‐7 and this reaction was also difficult to inhibit by free AFP in Cell ELISA. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that 67D and 80G were more reactive to membrane‐bound AFP than other antibodies. These findings first suggest that there could be anti‐AFP MoAbs preferably binding to cell‐surface AFP rather than to serum AFP.

Immunotoxins Composed of Monoclonal Antibody to α-Fetoprotein and Gelonin as a Potent Hepatoma-Targeted Drug Delivery System

This study was carried out to evaluate our monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), 80G, as a carrier for targeting AFP-producing hepatoma. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that the MoAb 80G was actively incorporated into AFP-producing HuH-7N cells (xenograft of human hepatoma cell line, HuH-7) in nude mice. Four conjugates composed of MoAb 80G, and a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein, gelonin, were prepared. They involve two disulfide-linked and two thioether-linked conjugates. The binding activity of conjugates against AFP remained as high as that of intact 80G according to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The in vitro cytotoxic effects of all the conjugates were specific against AFP-producing HuH-7 cells. Of these conjugates, two containing gelonin modified with 2-iminothiolane were more potent than the others. They showed significant antitumor activity upon AFP-producing HuH-7N cells in nude mice. However, the disulfide conjugate was more toxic to mice than the thioether conjugate judging from the loss in body weight and the liver damage. These results suggest that our MoAb 80G is a suitable carrier for targeting AFP-producing hepatoma cells, and that the noncleavable thioether conjugate is promising as an AFP-producing hepatoma-targeted drug delivery system.

Cytotoxicity Induced by Monoclonal Antibody to α-Fetoprotein Coadministered with Spleen Cells of Nude Mice

This paper describes an attempt to effectively induce antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in nude mice. A monoclonal antibody against α‐fetoprotein, 80G, coadministered with spleen cells from other nude mice bearing HuH‐7N (xenograft of human hepatoma cell line, HuH‐7) significantly suppressed the growth of HuH‐7N as compared to treatment with 80G alone. 80G with spleen cells from normal nude mice also had some suppressive effect. In contrast, no effect was observed with each spleen cells alone as well as 80G alone. These results suggest that further supply of effector cells could enhance ADCC activity in nude mice.

Elevated serum α-fetoprotein level of nude mice bearing hepatoma cells by treatment with monoclonal antibodies to α-fetoprotein

Abstract This study was carried out to clarify the reason for elevation of serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level of nude mice bearing hepatoma cells after treatment with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to AFP. MoAbs to AFP showed no effect on the cumulative amounts of AFP secreted from human hepatoma cell line, HuH-7, in vitro. However, the treatment of nude mice bearing HuH-7N cells (HuH-7 xenograft) with MoAbs to AFP led to elevation of the serum AFP level in spite of the fact that the growth curve of HuH-7N cells was similar to that for PBS treatment. This apparent elevation of the serum AFP level is thought to be due to the slow elimination of AFP-MoAb immune complexes with little lattice structure from circulation, but not the enhancement of AFP secretion of HuH-7N cells. Thus, when using a MoAb alone or MoAb-drug conjugate, the serum AFP level should only be cautiously used as a tumor marker for evaluating the targeting immunotherapy.