Less invasive, simultaneous, and continuous measurements of locomotor activity and body temperature using the nano tag® small accelerometer device in cynomolgus monkeys.

Locomotor activity and body temperature evaluations of cynomolgus monkeys are useful to understand the effects of drugs on the central nervous system. Here, we describe a simple, inexpensive, and less invasive evaluation method using the nano tag® (KISSEI COMTEC Co., Ltd.), a small three-axis accelerometer device with a temperature sensor. Nano tags® were subcutaneously implanted in four cynomolgus monkeys that had been intraperitoneally implanted with a telemetry transmitter. Then, body temperature and locomotor activity counts were simultaneously and continuously measured by both the nano tag® and telemetry transmitter for 14 days after nano tag® implantation. The invasiveness of the implantation surgery was evaluated by recovery after surgery, and the validity of each nano tag® parameter was evaluated by comparison with the telemetry system data. Additionally, locomotor activity and body temperature changes induced by treatment with ketamine, a noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, were evaluated by the nano tag®. Recovery from nano tag® implantation surgery was observed at 7 days postoperative, indicating that nano tag® was less invasive than a telemetry transmitter. Both of the parameter profiles measured by nano tag® were approximately comparable to those of the telemetry system. Moreover, the nano tag® could detect ketamine-induced pharmacological changes of decreases in both parameters. The present study demonstrates that nano tag® is an effective, simple, and less invasive tool for locomotor activity and body temperature evaluations in cynomolgus monkeys. This proposed easier method could help researchers evaluate central nervous system effects in cynomolgus monkeys.

Estradiol dominance induces hemodilution and mild hematological alterations in mifepristone-treated rats.

We examined that an estradiol-dominant state against progesterone could affect hematological parameters through hemodilution because estradiol is known to increase plasma volume via oncotic pressure. We performed a 2- and 3-week repeated oral dose study with mifepristone, a progesterone receptor antagonist, in female rats and examined erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, plasma volume, levels of estradiol and progesterone, water intake, and water loss. Mifepristone treatment decreased some hematological parameters mildly and increased plasma volume. There were no remarkable changes in the balance of water intake and water loss through urination. Both estradiol and progesterone levels and the ratio of estradiol to progesterone increased. Therefore, our findings indicate that repeated mifepristone treatment increases estradiol levels and plasma volume, resulting in lower erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. The present study proved the possible contribution of estradiol to understanding the toxicological significance of mifepristone-induced hemodilution.

Increase in covalent binding of 5-hydroxydiclofenac to hepatic tissues in rats co-treated with lipopolysaccharide and diclofenac: involvement in the onset of diclofenac-induced idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity.

Diclofenac (DCF), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is well known to induce idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity. Although there remains much to be elucidated about its onset mechanism, it is widely accepted as a hypothesis that idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity arises from a specific immune response to a hapten formed by covalent binding of drugs or their reactive metabolites to hepatic tissues. In this study, we investigated the effects of covalent binding of DCF reactive metabolites to hepatic tissues using a rat model of liver injury induced by co-treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a non-hepatotoxic dose. In studies done in vitro using hepatic microsomes prepared from rats treated with LPS alone, 4'- and 5-hydroxylation activities on DCF metabolism and adducts of reactive metabolites to dansyl glutathione (dGSH) were markedly decreased associated with a decrease in total P450 content. However, in studies done in vivo, the LPS/DCF co-treatment significantly increased adducts of 5-hydroxydiclofenac (5-OH-DCF) to rat hepatic tissues and delayed the elimination of 5-OH-DCF from plasma. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of co-treatment on hepatic GSH level in rats. A decrease of hepatic GSH was observed with the LPS/DCF co-treatment but not with LPS or DCF alone. The results suggest that covalent binding of reactive metabolites via 5-OH-DCF to hepatic tissues may play an important role in the onset of DCF-induced idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, especially under decreased GSH conditions.

Salbutamol inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in rat peritoneal macrophages.

Acute and chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and inducible heme oxygenase (HO-1). These inducible enzymes are up-regulated in macrophages subjected to inflammatory stimuli and oxidative stress. beta(2)-Adrenoceptor (AR) agonists, which function as bronchial dilators, are widely used for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We examined whether salbutamol, a classical beta(2)-AR agonist, inhibits the induction of proinflammatory cytokines and stress inducible proteins. Rat macrophages obtained from the abdominal cavity were incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with or without salbutamol. Induction by LPS of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) by salbutamol treatment. Induction by LPS of iNOS mRNA and protein was also significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) by salbutamol. LPS-mediated increases in HO-1 mRNA and protein were not appreciably affected by salbutamol. One of the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of salbutamol was thus found to be inhibition of induction by LPS of extracellular stimulus-responsive kinase (ERK) 1/2 in macrophages. These findings suggest that salbutamol has the potential for use as an anti-inflammatory agent due to its suppression of LPS-induced TNF-alpha, and IL-6 and iNOS via ERK pathway without affecting HO-1 expression.

Strain differences in hepatic cytochrome P450 1A and 3A expression between Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats.

Expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms was compared in Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar (WI) rats, which are commonly used strains in preclinical studies. Basal CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP3A2 mRNA levels were higher in WI rats than in SD rats (by 8-, 3- and 2-fold, respectively). Treatment with phenobarbital, a potent CYP inducer, increased the predominance of expression of these three mRNAs in WI rats (by 26-, 4-, and 2-fold, respectively) along with the predominance of increased microsomal total P450 contents and smooth-surface endoplasmic reticulum in the centrilobular hepatocytes. CYP1A enzymatic activity was also higher in WI rats than in SD rats. No strain differences were observed in phenobarbital induction of CYP2B1/2, CYP2C6, or CYP3A1. CYP3A2 mRNA was more strongly induced by dexamethasone, a typical inducer of CYP3A, together with CYP3A1 mRNA, in WI rats than in SD rats (by 2-fold), whereas the CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 mRNA expression induced by beta-naphtoflavone, a typical inducer of CYP1A, did not differ between the two strains. Furthermore, WI rats exhibited predominantly arylhydrocarbon receptor, pregnane X receptor, and constitutive androstane receptor mRNAs, responsible for CYP1A or CYP3A induction, with phenobarbital or dexamethasone induction. In conclusion, significant, predominant expression of hepatic CYP1A and CYP3A mRNAs in WI rats was observed, possibly related to nuclear receptor-mediated induction. Considering the pharmacokinetic and toxicological importance of CYP1A and CYP3A, different outcomes might arise depending on the rat strains used in preclinical studies of drugs metabolized typically or mainly by both isoforms.

Characterization of cytochrome P450 expression in murine embryonic stem cell-derived hepatic tissue system.

An in vitro system for liver organogenesis from murine embryonic stem (ES) cells has been recently established. This system is expected to be applied to the development of a new drug metabolism assay system that uses ES cells as a substitute for animal experiments. The objective of this study was to elucidate the drug metabolism profiles of the murine ES cell-derived hepatic tissue system compared with those of primary cultures of murine adult and fetal hepatocytes. The expression of the genes of the cytochrome P450 (P450) family, such as Cyp2a5, Cyp2b10, Cyp2c29, Cyp2d9, Cyp3a11, and Cyp7a1, was observed in the murine ES cell-derived hepatic tissue system at 16 days and 18 days after plating (A16 and A18). To investigate the activities of these P450 family enzymes in the murine ES cell-derived hepatic tissue system at A16 and A18, testosterone metabolism in this system was analyzed. Testosterone was hydroxylated to 6beta-hydroxytestosterone (6beta-OHT), 16alpha-OHT, 2alpha-OHT, and 2beta-OHT in this system, and was not hydroxylated to 15alpha-OHT, 7alpha-OHT, and 16beta-OHT. This metabolism profile was similar to that of fetal hepatocytes and different from that of adult hepatocytes. Furthermore, pretreatment with phenobarbital resulted in a 2.5- and 2.6-fold increase in the production of 6beta-OHT and 16beta-OHT. Thus, evidence for drug metabolic activities in relation to P450s has been demonstrated in this system. These results in this system would be a stepping stone of the research on the development and differentiation to adult liver.

Tissue- and dose-dependent alteration of stress-inducible proteins by beta2-adrenoceptor agonist, salbutamol, in rats.

The effects of selective beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists on proinflammatory cytokines and the expression of stress-inducible proteins have not yet been clarified. We investigated the effect of a higher dose (60 mg/kg intravenously) of salbutamol, a selective beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonist, on the induction of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in plasma and the expression of protein and mRNA of metallothioein-1 (MT-1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in heart, lung, liver and spleen in rats. The plasma IL-6 concentration was significantly increased after administration with a maximum increase at 3 hr in a dose-dependent manner, but IL-1beta and TNF-alpha concentrations were not changed. MT-1 mRNA increased in heart, lung and liver, but not in spleen, and MT-1 protein increased in endocardium, fibroblasts of lung and periportal regions in liver. HO-1 mRNA was not changed in lung, decreased at 3 hr in liver and spleen, and increased at 6 hr in liver. Contrary to liver, HO-1 mRNA in the heart increased at 3 hr and decreased at 6 hr. HO-1 protein increased in cardiomyocytes and centrilobular regions in the liver. iNOS mRNA increased in lung, liver and spleen, but decreased in the heart, and iNOS protein increased in alveolar type II cells and hepatocytes, and decreased in necrotic cardiomyocytes. In contrast, a lower dose (6 mg/kg intravenously) of salbutamol suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced HO-1 and iNOS mRNA. We conclude that salbutamol tissue- and dose-dependently alters the expression of stress-inducible proteins.

Quantitative estimation of myocardial fibrosis based on receptor occupancy for beta2-adrenergic receptor agonists in rats.

To develop beta2-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonists with higher selectivity, it is essential to evaluate the cardiac side effects which are the most serious side effects of this class of drugs. We studied receptor occupancy of beta1-ARs in rats as a possible cause for the side effect of beta2-AR agonists, namely myocardial fibrosis. Myocardial fibrosis in rats was observed on Day 7 after the administration of salbutamol and terbutaline, both of which are selective beta2-AR agonists, at higher dose levels. To evaluate receptor occupancy, plasma concentrations of (R)-salbutamol and (R)-terbutaline, plasma protein binding and the EC50 for chronotropic effects in rats were determined. Based on the plasma concentrations, the plasma protein binding and EC50, receptor occupancy-time profiles were constructed. The relationship between the receptor occupancy-time profile under the curve, the AUCphi, and the degree of myocardial fibrosis was evaluated with a multiple correlation analysis. Myocardial fibrosis was significantly correlated (r2 > 0.78) to the AUCphi with the threshold above approximately 50%, but not to plasma concentrations. These results indicate that the receptor occupancy theory is also useful for the evaluation of the chronotropic side effects of beta2-AR agonists.

Pharmacokinetic characterization of a human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor, saquinavir, during ethanol intake in rats.

Throughout therapeutic drug monitoring of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors in HIV-infected patients, it was found that plasma concentrations of saquinavir (SQV) were reduced in patients who had a habit of alcohol intake during double protease therapy with SQV and ritonavir (RTV). This study confirmed the pharmacokinetic profiles of SQV during ethanol intake in rats. After oral administration of SQV alone (20 mg/kg) in rats prepared by free access to 15% ethanol solution for 14 days (day 14 rats), the area under the concentration vs time curves (AUC) showed a significant decrease (p<0.01) in comparison with control rats from 0.78+/-0.10 to 0.38+/-0.03 microg h/ml. For intravenous administration of SQV alone (5 mg/kg) to day 14 rats, the total body clearance increased significantly by 1.4-fold (p<0.05), whereas for intracolonic administration of SQV alone, no significant differences in the values of pharmacokinetic parameters were found between control and day 14 rats. With RTV, which has the strongest inhibitory effect on the CYP3A enzyme of the current HIV protease inhibitors, the AUC values of SQV at RTV doses of 2 and 20 mg/kg in day 14 rats also decreased significantly (p<0.01) from 1.30+/-0.06 to 0.57+/-0.05 microg h/ml and from 17.63+/-1.66 to 4.18+/-0.94 microg h/ml, respectively, indicating that the degree of the decrease of AUC values after oral administration with RTV after ethanol intake was larger than the mono-therapy with SQV. This study showed that ethanol-intake decreases the bioavailability of SQV after oral administration alone or with RTV. These observations provide useful information for the treatment of HIV-infected patients when they receive a combination therapy with SQV and RTV, and arouse attention for the effects of alcohol intake.

Hepatic and intestinal contributions to pharmacokinetic interaction of indinavir with amprenavir, nelfinavir and saquinavir in rats.

To elucidate the aspects of pharmacokinetic interactions among HIV protease inhibitors (PIs), we investigated the effects of indinavir (IDV) on the hepatic and intestinal first-pass metabolism of other HIV PIs, amprenavir (APV), saquinavir (SQV) and nelfinavir (NFV), in rats. After oral co-administration with IDV, the area under the concentration versus time curves (AUC) of APV, SQV and NFV increased significantly by 1.6-, 9.5- and 2.3-fold, respectively, compared with mono-administration. After intravenous administration, the AUC of APV, SQV and NFV also increased in the presence of IDV by 1.4-, 1.2- and 1.5-fold, respectively. Mean concentrations of APV, SQV and NFV in the liver extracellular fluid, measured using a liver microdialysis method, were very low compared with their Michaelis constants regardless of co-administration of IDV, suggesting that APV, SQV and NFV metabolism follows linear kinetics in the liver. This finding also indicates that metabolism of PIs depended on the metabolic clearance rate in the liver microsomes. The oral bioavailability of SQV in the presence of IDV increased markedly by 8.5-fold, and that of APV and NFV also increased by 1.2- and 1.5-fold, respectively. On the basis of the well-stirred model, the hepatic availabilities of APV, SQV and NFV in the presence of IDV increased by 1.1-, 1.4- and 1.5-fold, and the intestinal availabilities increased by 1.1-, 6.2- and 1.1-fold, respectively. These results suggest that both hepatic and intestinal metabolism were essentially involved in the interactions between IDV and other HIV PIs, and the degree of those contributions varied with each combination of HIV PIs.

Sensitive and simultaneous determination of HIV protease inhibitors in rat biological samples by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and simultaneous liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric (LC/MS) method for the determination of current four HIV protease inhibitors (PIs), indinavir (IDV), saquinavir (SQV), nelfinavir (NFV) and amprenavir (APV) in rat plasma and liver dialysate by a microdialysis method was described. An isocratic LC/MS method in combination with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization was developed for the determination of these four PIs in biological samples in the same run. The analytes including an internal standard were extracted from 100 microL of plasma or 150 microL of liver dialysate samples by salting-out with 100 microL of ice-cold 2 M K(3)PO(4) followed by ether extraction. The separation of analytes was carried out on a reversed-phase semi-micro column using 50% of acetonitrile containing 1% acetic acid as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2mL/min(-1). The separation was completed within 5 min. Precision, recovery and limits of detection indicated that the method was suitable for the quantitative determination of these PIs in rat plasma or liver dialysate. This simple, sensitive and highly specific LC/MS method is suitable for pharmacokinetic studies and therapeutic drug monitoring in AIDS patients who receive double protease therapy.

Drug interactions between HIV protease inhibitors based on physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model.

A Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PB-PK) model was developed to describe the aspects of pharmacokinetic interactions between five HIV protease inhibitors (ritonavir, amprenavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir, indinavir) in rats. To increase usefulness of this BP-PK model, liver, intestinal tissue and other organ were assumed as compartments in this model. Each compartment was linked with the blood flow and the blood-to-plasma concentration ratios of those drugs, and the absorption process in the intestinal tract was presumed as a first-order kinetics. In addition, this PB-PK model incorporates two elimination processes due to hepatic and intestinal metabolism constructed by in vitro metabolic clearance rates and inhibition constants between HIV protease inhibitors. Excellent agreements were obtained between the predicted and observed concentrations of HIV protease inhibitors in rat plasma after a 20 mg/kg oral dose or co-administration of two kinds of HIV protease inhibitors (amprenavir/indinavir, nelfinavir/amprenavir, saquinavir/amprenavir, amprenavir/ritonavir, indinavir/ritonavir, nelfinavir/ritonavir, and saquinavir/ritonavir) with each 20 mg/kg oral dose. However, underestimates in the predicted plasma concentrations of saquinavir, indinavir and amprenavir were observed during the terminal phase after co-administration with ritonavir or amprenavir, suggesting that a term of other inhibitory process, such as a mechanism-based inhibition, might be incorporated into this PB-PK model. This BP-PK model enables us to know useful information about pharmacokinetic interaction when HIV infected patients would receive double protease therapy.

In-vitro and in-vivo pharmacokinetic interactions of amprenavir, an HIV protease inhibitor, with other current HIV protease inhibitors in rats.

The drug interactions between a new human immune deficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitor, amprenavir, and four other protease inhibitors which are presently used have been characterized by in-vitro metabolic studies using rat liver microsomal fractions and in-vivo oral administration studies. The metabolic clearance rates (Vmax/Km) of amprenavir, saquinavir, indinavir and nelfinavir in rat liver microsomes were 50.67+/- 3.77, 170.88 +/- 15.34, 73.01 +/- 2.76 and 126.06 +/- 6.23 microLmin(-1) (mg protein)(-1), respectively, and the degree of metabolicclearance was in the order of saquinavir > nelfinavir > indinavir > amprenavir > ritonavir. The inhibition constants (Ki) of ritonavir for amprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir and saquinavir were 2.29, 0.95, 1.01 and 1.64 microM, respectively, and that of indinavir for amprenavir was 0.67, indicating that amprenavir metabolism in rat liver microsomes was strongly inhibited by indinavir. The Ki values of amprenavir for indinavir, nelfinavir and saquinavir were 7.41, 2.13 and 16.11 microM, respectively, and those of nelfinavirand saquinavirforamprenavirwere 9.15 and 34.57 microM, respectively. The area under the concentration vs time curve (AUC) of amprenavir after oral co-administration with saquinavir, indinavir, nelfinavir or ritonavir (20 mg kg(-1) for each oral dose in rats) was increased by 1.6-, 2.0-, 1.2- and 9.1-fold, respectively. The AUC values of saquinavir, indinavir and nelfinavir by co-administration with amprenavir showed about 7.3-, 1.3-, and 7.9-fold increase, respectively. These observations suggested that the oral bioavailability of amprenavir was not so affected by co-administration with saquinavir, nelfinavir or indinavir, compared with ritonavir, whereas amprenavir markedly affected the oral bioavailability of saquinavir and nelfinavir. In addition, the in-vivo effects after co-administration of two kinds of HIV protease inhibitors cannot always be predicted from in-vitro data, suggesting the presence of other interaction processes besides metabolism in the liver. However, these results provide useful information for the treatment of AIDS patients when they receive a combination therapy with two kinds of HIV protease inhibitor.