Toxicokinetic modeling of folpet fungicide and its ring-biomarkers of exposure in humans.

A human in vivo toxicokinetic model was built to allow a better understanding of the toxicokinetics of folpet fungicide and its key ring biomarkers of exposure: phthalimide (PI), phthalamic acid (PAA) and phthalic acid (PA). Both PI and the sum of ring metabolites, expressed as PA equivalents (PAeq), may be used as biomarkers of exposure. The conceptual representation of the model was based on the analysis of the time course of these biomarkers in volunteers orally and dermally exposed to folpet. In the model, compartments were also used to represent the body burden of folpet and experimentally relevant PI, PAA and PA ring metabolites in blood and in key tissues as well as in excreta, hence urinary and feces. The time evolution of these biomarkers in each compartment of the model was then mathematically described by a system of coupled differential equations. The mathematical parameters of the model were then determined from best fits to the time courses of PI and PAeq in blood and urine of five volunteers administered orally 1 mg kg(-1) and dermally 10 mg kg(-1) of folpet. In the case of oral administration, the mean elimination half-life of PI from blood (through feces, urine or metabolism) was found to be 39.9 h as compared with 28.0 h for PAeq. In the case of a dermal application, mean elimination half-life of PI and PAeq was estimated to be 34.3 and 29.3 h, respectively. The average final fractions of administered dose recovered in urine as PI over the 0-96 h period were 0.030 and 0.002%, for oral and dermal exposure, respectively. Corresponding values for PAeq were 24.5 and 1.83%, respectively. Finally, the average clearance rate of PI from blood calculated from the oral and dermal data was 0.09 ± 0.03 and 0.13 ± 0.05 ml h(-1) while the volume of distribution was 4.30 ± 1.12 and 6.05 ± 2.22 l, respectively. It was not possible to obtain the corresponding values from PAeq data owing to the lack of blood time course data.

Understanding the linked kinetics of benzo(a)pyrene and 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene biomarker of exposure using physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modelling in rats.

3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (3-OHBaP) in urine has been proposed as a biomarker of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. However, to reconstruct exposure doses in workers from biomarker measurements, a thorough knowledge of the kinetics of the benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 3-OHBaP given different routes of exposure is needed. A rat physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model of BaP and 3-OHBaP was built. Organs (tissues) represented as compartments were based on in vivo experimental data in rats. Tissue: blood partition coefficients, permeability coefficients, metabolism rates, excretion parameters, and absorption fractions and rates for different routes-of-entry were obtained directly from published in vivo time courses of BaP and 3-OHBaP in blood, various tissues and excreta of rats. The latter parameter values were best-fitted by least square procedures and Monte Carlo simulations. Sensitivity analyses were then carried out to ensure the stability of the model and the key parameters driving the overall modeled kinetics. This modeling pointed out critical determinants of the kinetics: (1) hepatic metabolism of BaP and 3-OHBaP elimination rate as the most sensitive parameters; (2) the strong partition of BaP in lungs compared to other tissues, followed by adipose tissues and liver; (3) the strong partition of 3-OHBaP in kidneys; (4) diffusion-limited tissue transfers of BaP in lungs and 3-OHBaP in lungs, adipose tissues and kidneys; (5) significant entero-hepatic recycling of 3-OHBaP. Very good fits to various sets of experimental data in rats from four different routes-of-entry (intravenous, oral, dermal and inhalation) were obtained with the model.

A detailed urinary excretion time course study of captan and folpet biomarkers in workers for the estimation of dose, main route-of-entry and most appropriate sampling and analysis strategies.

Captan and folpet are two fungicides largely used in agriculture, but biomonitoring data are mostly limited to measurements of captan metabolite concentrations in spot urine samples of workers, which complicate interpretation of results in terms of internal dose estimation, daily variations according to tasks performed, and most plausible routes of exposure. This study aimed at performing repeated biological measurements of exposure to captan and folpet in field workers (i) to better assess internal dose along with main routes-of-entry according to tasks and (ii) to establish most appropriate sampling and analysis strategies. The detailed urinary excretion time courses of specific and non-specific biomarkers of exposure to captan and folpet were established in tree farmers (n = 2) and grape growers (n = 3) over a typical workweek (seven consecutive days), including spraying and harvest activities. The impact of the expression of urinary measurements [excretion rate values adjusted or not for creatinine or cumulative amounts over given time periods (8, 12, and 24 h)] was evaluated. Absorbed doses and main routes-of-entry were then estimated from the 24-h cumulative urinary amounts through the use of a kinetic model. The time courses showed that exposure levels were higher during spraying than harvest activities. Model simulations also suggest a limited absorption in the studied workers and an exposure mostly through the dermal route. It further pointed out the advantage of expressing biomarker values in terms of body weight-adjusted amounts in repeated 24-h urine collections as compared to concentrations or excretion rates in spot samples, without the necessity for creatinine corrections.

A toxicokinetic study to elucidate 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene atypical urinary excretion profile following intravenous injection of benzo(a)pyrene in rats.

The toxicokinetics of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (3-OHBaP) were assessed in 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats injected intravenously with 40 micromol kg(1) of BaP to explain the reported atypical urinary excretion profile of 3-OHBaP. Blood, liver, kidney, lung, adipose tissue, skin, urine and feces were collected at t = 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 33, 48, 72 h post-dosing. BaP and 3-OHBaP were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorescence. A biexponential elimination of BaP was observed in blood, liver, skin and kidney (t((1/2)) of 4.2-6.1 h and 12.3-14.9 h for initial and terminal phases, respectively), while a monoexponential elimination was found in adipose tissue and lung (t((1/2)) of 31.2 and 31.5 h, respectively). A biexponential elimination of 3-OHBaP was apparent in blood, liver and skin (t((1/2)) of 7.3-11.7 h and 15.6-17.8 h for initial and terminal phases, respectively), contrary to adipose tissue, lung and kidney. In adipose tissue and lung, a monophasic elimination of 3-OHBaP was observed (t((1/2)) of 27.0 h and 24.1 h, respectively). In kidney, 3-OHBaP kinetics showed a distinct pattern with an initial buildup during the first 8 h post-dosing followed by a gradual elimination (t((1/2)) of 15.6 h). In the 72-h post-treatment, 0.21 +/- 0.09% (mean +/- SD) of dose was excreted as 3-OHBaP in urine and 12.9 +/- 1.0% in feces while total BaP in feces represented 0.40 +/- 0.16% of dose. This study allowed the identification of the kidney as a retention compartment governing 3-OHBaP atypical urinary excretion.

Use of physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling to simulate the profiles of 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene in workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Biomathematical modeling has become an important tool to assess xenobiotic exposure in humans. In the present study, we have used a human physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model and an simple compartmental toxicokinetic model of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) kinetics and its 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (3-OHBaP) metabolite to reproduce the time-course of this biomarker of exposure in the urine of industrially exposed workers and in turn predict the most plausible exposure scenarios. The models were constructed from in vivo experimental data in rats and then extrapolated from animals to humans after assessing and adjusting the most sensitive model parameters as well as species specific physiological parameters. Repeated urinary voids from workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been collected over the course of a typical workweek and during subsequent days off work; urinary concentrations of 3-OHBaP were then determined. Based on the information obtained for each worker (BaP air concentration, daily shift hours, tasks, protective equipment), the time courses of 3-OHBaP in the urine of the different workers have been simulated using the PBPK and toxicokinetic models, considering the various possible exposure routes, oral, dermal and inhalation. Both models were equally able to closely reproduce the observed time course of 3-OHBaP in the urine of workers and predicted similar exposure scenarios. Simulations of various scenarios suggest that the workers under study were exposed mainly by the dermal route. Comparison of measured air concentration levels of BaP with simulated values needed to obtain a good approximation of observed time course further pointed out that inhalation was not the main route of exposure for most of the studied workers. Both kinetic models appear as a useful tool to interpret biomonitoring data of PAH exposure on the basis of 3-OHBaP levels.

Toxicokinetic modeling of captan fungicide and its tetrahydrophthalimide biomarker of exposure in humans.

Measurement of tetrahydrophthalimide (THPI) in urine has been used for the biomonitoring of exposure to the widely used captan fungicide in workers. To allow a better understanding of the toxicokinetics of captan and its key biomarker of exposure, a human multi-compartment model was built to simulate the transformation of captan into THPI and its subsequent excretion while accounting for other non-monitored metabolites. The mathematical parameters of the model were determined from best-fits to the time courses of THPI in blood and urine of five volunteers administered orally 1mg/kg and dermally 10mg/kg of captan. In the case of oral administration, the mean elimination half-life of THPI from the body (either through faeces, urine or metabolism) was found to be 13.43 h. In the case of dermal application, mean THPI elimination half-life was estimated to be 21.27 h and was governed by the dermal absorption rate. The average final fractions of administered dose recovered in urine as THPI were 3.6% and 0.02%, for oral and dermal administration, respectively. Furthermore, according to the model, after oral exposure, only 8.6% of the THPI formed in the GI reaches the bloodstream. As for the dermal absorption fraction of captan, it was estimated to be 0.09%. Finally, the average blood clearance rate of THPI calculated from the oral and dermal data was 0.18 ± 0.03 ml/h and 0.24 ± 0.6 ml/h while the predicted volume of distribution was 3.5 ± 0.6l and 7.5 ± 1.9l, respectively. Our mathematical model is in complete accordance with both independent measurements of THPI levels in blood (R(2)=0.996 for oral and R(2)=0.908 for dermal) and urine (R(2)=0.979 for oral and R(2)=0.982 for dermal) as well as previous experimental data published in the literature.

Modeling of the internal kinetics of benzo(a)pyrene and 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene biomarker from rat data.

Measurements of 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (3-OHBaP) in urine has been proposed for the biomonitoring of exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) in workers. To allow a better understanding of the toxicokinetics of BaP and its key biomarker, a multicompartment model was developed based on rat data previously obtained by this group. According to the model, iv injected BaP is rapidly distributed from blood to tissues (t1/2 = 3.65 h), with particular affinity for tissue lipid components and liver and lung proteins. BaP is then rapidly distributed to lungs, where significant tissue uptake occurs, followed by the skin, liver, and adipose tissues. Once in liver, BaP is readily metabolized, and 3-OHBaP is formed with a t1/2 of 3.32 h. Lung metabolism of BaP was also accounted for, but its contribution to the whole kinetics was found to be negligible. Once formed, 3-OHBaP is distributed from blood to the various organs almost as fast as the parent compound (t1/2 = 2.26 h). In kidneys, 3-OHBaP builds up as a result of the smaller rate of 3-OHBaP urinary excretion (t1/2 = 4.52 h) as compared with its transfer rate from blood to kidneys (t1/2 = 27.8 min). However, overall clearance of 3-OHBaP from the body is driven by its biliary transfer from liver to the gastrointestinal tract (t1/2 = 3.81 h). The model provides a great fit to independent sets of published data on 3-OHBaP urinary excretion time course (χ² = 0.019). This model proves useful in establishing the main biological determinants of the overall kinetics of these compounds.