Membrane transport mechanisms of choline in human intestinal epithelial LS180 cells.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the membrane transport mechanisms of choline using human intestinal epithelial LS180 cells. The mRNA of choline transporter-like proteins (CTLs) was expressed significantly in LS180 cells, and the rank order was CTL1 > CTL4 > CTL3 > CTL2 > CTL5. In contrast, the mRNA expression of other choline transporters, organic cation transporter (OCT) 1, OCT2 and high-affinity choline transporter 1 (CHT1), was considerably lower in LS180 cells. Five mm unlabelled choline, hemicolinium-3 and guanidine, but not tetraethylammonium, inhibited the cellular uptake of 100 µm choline in LS180 cells. The uptake of choline into LS180 cells was virtually Na(+)-independent. The uptake of choline was significantly decreased by acidification of the extracellular pH; however, it was not increased by alkalization of the extracellular pH. In addition, both acidification and alkalization of intracellular pH decreased the uptake of choline, indicating that the choline uptake in LS180 cells is not stimulated by the outward H(+) gradient. On the other hand, the uptake of choline was decreased by membrane depolarization along with increasing extracellular K(+) concentration. In addition, the Na(+)-independent uptake of choline was saturable, and the Km value was estimated to be 108 µm. These findings suggest that the uptake of choline into LS180 cells is membrane potential-dependent, but not outward H(+) gradient-dependent.

Pharmacokinetic variability of flecainide in younger Japanese patients and mechanisms for renal excretion and intestinal absorption.

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the variability of pharmacokinetics of flecainide in young Japanese patients and to investigate the mechanisms of renal excretion and intestinal absorption of the drug using cultured epithelial cells. First the plasma concentration data of flecainide was analysed in 16 Japanese patients aged between 0.07 and 18.30 years using a one-compartment model. Considerable interindividual variability was observed in the oral clearance (CL/F) and the apparent volume of distribution (V/F) of flecainide in the young patients. Flecainide was transported selectively in the basolateral-to-apical direction in P-glycoprotein-expressing renal epithelial LLC-GA5-COL150 cell monolayers. The uptake of flecainide into intestinal epithelial LS180 cells was decreased significantly by acidification of the extracellular medium, and was inhibited by tertiary amines, such as diphenhydramine and quinidine. These findings in the present study suggest that flecainide is excreted by P-glycoprotein in the renal tubule and is taken up by the postulated H(+)/tertiary amine antiporter in the intestine, and that functional variability of not only the hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes, but also the transporters in the kidney and intestine, may be responsible for the interindividual variability of systemic clearance (CL) and/or the bioavailability (F) of flecainide.

Variability of bioavailability and intestinal absorption characteristics of bisoprolol.

We previously reported that renal function is partly responsible for the interindividual variability of the pharmacokinetics of bisoprolol. The aim of the present study was to examine the variability of bioavailability (F) of bisoprolol in routinely treated Japanese patients and intestinal absorption characteristics of the drug. We first analyzed the plasma concentration data of bisoprolol in 52 Japanese patients using a nonlinear mixed effects model. We also investigated the cellular uptake of bisoprolol using human intestinal epithelial LS180 cells. The oral clearance (CL/F) of bisoprolol in Japanese patients was positively correlated with the apparent volume of distribution (V/F), implying variable F. The uptake of bisoprolol in LS180 cells was temperature-dependent and saturable, and was significantly decreased in the presence of quinidine and diphenhydramine. In addition, the cellular uptake of bisoprolol dissolved in an acidic buffer was markedly less than that dissolved in a neutral buffer. These findings suggest that the rate/extent of the intestinal absorption of bisoprolol is another cause of the interindividual variability of the pharmacokinetics, and that the uptake of bisoprolol in intestinal epithelial cells is highly pH-dependent and also variable.

Effect of genetic polymorphisms of SLC28A1, ABCG2, and ABCC4 on bioavailability of mizoribine in healthy Japanese males.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic factors responsible for the interindividual variability in the bioavailability of mizoribine. Thirty healthy Japanese men aged 20-49 years and weighing 53-75 kg participated in the present study and took 150 mg of mizoribine. Urine samples were collected periodically for 12 h after the dose, and the bioavailability of mizoribine was calculated from the estimated total urinary excretion from time zero to infinity. The bioavailability of mizoribine in the 30 subjects ranged from 60.3% to 99.4%. The mean bioavailability of mizoribine in subjects with the concentrative nucleoside transporter 1 (SLC28A1) 565-A/A allele (75.4%) was significantly lower than that in subjects with the SLC28A1 565-G/G allele (90.1%). On the other hand, the bioavailability of mizoribine was not affected by polymorphisms of breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2) C421A and multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (ABCC4) G2269A. The findings in the present prospective study suggested that the genetic test for the SLC28A1 G565A polymorphism is promising for predicting the Japanese subjects with lower bioavailability of mizoribine.

Pharmacokinetics of bosentan in routinely treated Japanese pediatric patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

We evaluated the pharmacokinetics of routinely administered bosentan in 46 Japanese pediatric patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Plasma samples were taken twice at times corresponding to the peak and trough concentrations following repetitive oral administration. The population pharmacokinetic parameters of bosentan were estimated by use of the NONMEM program, in which a one-compartment model with repetitive bolus dosing was parameterized in terms of the oral clearance (CL/F) and elimination rate constant (k). Polymorphisms of CYP3A5, SLCO1B1, SLCO1B3, and SLCO2B1 had no significant effect on the disposition of bosentan. In addition, the pharmacokinetics of bosentan was not altered by heart failure or coadministration of sildenafil. In contrast, weight (WT)-normalized values of CL/F were correlated negatively with age (AGE). The final population mean values of CL/F and k were estimated to be 0.409 · (1 - 0.0377 · (AGE - 3.81)) · WT L/h and 0.175 h(-1), respectively.

Membrane transport mechanisms of quinidine and procainamide in renal LLC-PK1 and intestinal LS180 cells.

The aim of the present study was to compare the membrane transport mechanisms of procainamide with those of quinidine using renal epithelial LLC-PK(1) and intestinal epithelial LS180 cells. In LLC-PK(1) cells, the transcellular transport of 10 microM quinidine in the basolateral-to-apical direction was similar to that in the opposite direction, and 1 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA) did not affect the transcellular transport of the drug. On the other hand, the transcellular transport of 10 microM TEA and procainamide in LLC-PK(1) cells was directional from the basolateral side to the apical side. In addition, this directional transcellular transport of procainamide was diminished in the presence of 1 mM TEA. In LS180 cells, the temperature-dependent cellular uptake of 100 microM quinidine and procainamide was markedly increased by alkalization of the apical medium, and was inhibited significantly by 1 mM several hydrophobic cationic drugs, but not by TEA. The rank order of the inhibitory effects of hydrophobic cationic drugs on the uptake of procainamide in LS180 cells was imipramine>quinidine>diphenhydramine asymptotically equal topyrilamine>procainamide, which was consistent with that on the uptake of quinidine. These findings suggested that procainamide (but not quinidine) was transported by cation transport systems in renal epithelial cells, but that both procainamide and quinidine were taken up by another cation transport system in intestinal epithelial cells.

Temperature-dependent specific transport of levofloxacin in human intestinal epithelial LS180 cells.

It was reported previously that specific levofloxacin uptake in Caco-2 cells was inhibited by nicotine, enalapril, L-carnitine and fexofenadine. The aim of the present study was to characterize the cellular uptake of levofloxacin using another human intestinal cell line, LS180. Levofloxacin uptake in LS180 cells was temperature-dependent and optimal at neutral pH, but was Na(+)-independent. The rank order of inhibitory effects of the four compounds on [(14)C] levofloxacin uptake in LS180 cells was nicotine>enalapril>L-carnitine>fexofenadine, which is consistent with that in Caco-2 cells. The mRNA levels of OATP1A2, 1B1, 1B3 and 2B1 in LS180 cells were markedly different from those in Caco-2 cells, and OATP substrates/inhibitors had no systematic effect on the levofloxacin uptake. The mRNA levels of OCTN1 and 2 in LS180 cells were similar to those in Caco-2 cells. However, the inhibitory effect of nicotine on L-[(3)H]carnitine uptake was much less potent than that of unlabeled L-carnitine. These results indicate that the specific uptake system for levofloxacin in LS180 cells is identical/similar to that in Caco-2 cells, but that OATPs and OCTNs contribute little to levofloxacin uptake in the human intestinal epithelial cells.

Membrane transport mechanisms of mizoribine in the rat intestine and human epithelial LS180 cells.

The aim of the present study was to characterize membrane transport mechanisms of mizoribine in the intestinal epithelial cells. We evaluated the contribution of Na(+)-dependent and -independent membrane transporters to mizoribine absorption in the rat intestine using an in situ closed loop method. In addition, we evaluated the effects of structurally related compounds, extracellular Na(+) concentrations, and an inhibitor of Na(+)-independent equilibrative nucleoside transporter, nitrobenzylmercaptopurine ribonucleoside (NBMPR), on the uptake of mizoribine in human intestinal epithelial LS180 cells. In the presence and also absence of Na(+) in rat intestinal loops, more than 60% of the administered dose (50 microg at the concentration of 100 microg/ml=386 microM) of mizoribine was absorbed in 40 min. In the LS180 cells, ribavirin and inosine reduced the uptake of 400 microM mizoribine with the increasing concentrations (from 5 to 50 mM) of the inhibitors. The cellular uptake of mizoribine in the absence of extracellular Na(+) decreased to 72.7% of the uptake in the presence of extracellular Na(+), whereas 100 microM NBMPR decreased the uptake of mizoribine markedly to 34.7% of that without NBMPR. These findings suggest that Na(+)-independent nucleoside transporters are largely responsible for absorption of mizoribine in the intestine.

Pharmacokinetics of R- and S-carvedilol in routinely treated Japanese patients with heart failure.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of R- and S-carvedilol in routinely treated Japanese patients with heart failure. We measured peak and trough blood concentrations at steady state following repeated oral administration to 24 patients. The blood concentration of S-carvedilol with potent beta-blocking activity was lower than that of R-carvedilol. The mean oral clearance (CL/F) of R- and S-carvedilol was not altered by CYP2D6*10, UGT2B7*3, and the etiology of heart failure. In addition, the CL/F values of enantiomers were not correlated with age, creatinine clearance, and plasma concentrations of alpha1-acid glycoprotein and brain natriuretic peptide. On the other hand, the mean CL/F values of R- and S-carvedilol in patients with heart failure were 0.89 and 1.52 l/h/kg, respectively, considerably lower than those estimated previously in healthy subjects. These results suggested that the pharmacokinetics of R- and S-carvedilol was altered significantly by heart failure.

UGT2B7*3 did not affect the pharmacokinetics of R- and S-carvedilol in healthy Japanese.

We previously investigated the pharmacokinetics of R- and S-carvedilol in 54 healthy Japanese subjects, and reported that the oral clearance (CL/F) and apparent volume of distribution (V/F) of both enantiomers in subjects with the CYP2D6*10 allele were significantly lower than those in subjects without the CYP2D6*10 allele. In the present study, we examined the genotype of UGT2B7 in these 54 subjects, and investigated the effect of UGT2B7*3 on the pharmacokinetics of R- and S-carvedilol. Forty-three subjects did not have the UGT2B7*3 allele, and 11 subjects had one UGT2B7*3 allele. CL/F and V/F values of R- and S-carvedilol in the subjects with one UGT2B7*3 allele were similar to those without the UGT2B7*3 allele, indicating that the UGT2B7*3 allele did not significantly affect the systemic clearance (CL) and bioavailability (F) of the two enantiomers.

Stereoselective metabolism of carvedilol by the beta-naphthoflavone-inducible enzyme in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells.

Treatment of Caco-2 cells with beta-naphthoflavone (beta-NF) and 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (VD(3)) induces UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, respectively. In the present study, we evaluated the metabolism of carvedilol in beta-NF- and VD(3)-treated Caco-2 cells. The metabolism of R-carvedilol was not significant in non-treated Caco-2 cells, whereas S-carvedilol was significantly metabolized in the cells. The metabolism of R- and S-carvedilol was significantly increased by the treatment of Caco-2 cells with 50 microM beta-NF for 3 d. In contrast, the treatment of Caco-2 cells with 250 nM VD(3) for 2 weeks did not induce a significant change in the metabolism of R- and S-carvedilol. The metabolism of carvedilol in beta-NF-treated Caco-2 cells was markedly inhibited by a substrate of UGTs, baicalein. In addition, the expression of UGT1A1, 1A6, and 1A9 mRNA was increased in beta-NF-treated Caco-2 cells as compared with non-treated cells. These findings indicated that carvedilol was metabolized stereoselectively by the beta-NF-inducible enzyme in Caco-2 cells. The UGT1A subfamily in intestinal epithelial cells may be partly responsible for first-pass (presystemic) metabolism of the drug.

Multiple regression analysis of pharmacogenetic variability of carvedilol disposition in 54 healthy Japanese volunteers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacogenetic variability in the disposition of carvedilol in the Japanese population. Five or 10 mg of carvedilol was orally administered to 54 healthy Japanese subjects (22-44 years old), and blood samples were taken at 2 and 6 h after dosing. We determined the polymorphic alleles of CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A5, UGT2B7, and MDR1 in each subject. The whole blood concentration of R- and S-carvedilol was measured by an HPLC method. The pharmacokinetic parameters in individual subjects were estimated by the Bayesian method using the nonlinear mixed effects model (NONMEM) program. We then examined the effect of the genetic polymorphisms on the variability in the pharmacokinetics of carvedilol using a multiple regression analysis. The oral clearance (CL/F) and also apparent volume of distribution (V/F) of both enantiomers were significantly lower in the subjects with the CYP2D6*10 allele than those with the CYP2D6*1/*1, *1/*2, or *2/*2 genotype, confirming our previous finding that the bioavailability (F) and systemic clearance (CL) of R- and S-carvedilol in the liver is significantly altered in Japanese with the CYP2D6*10 allele. On the other hand, CYP2C9*3, CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3, CYP3A5*3, UGT2B7*2, and MDR1 C3435T did not significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of carvedilol in Japanese subjects.

The hepatic and intestinal metabolic activities of P450 in rats with surgery- and drug-induced renal dysfunction.

PURPOSE: The hepatic and intestinal metabolic activities of P450 were evaluated in rats with surgery- and drug-induced renal dysfunction. METHODS: Renal failure was induced by five-sixths nephrectomy (NR), bilateral ureter ligation (BUL), the intramuscular injection of glycerol (GL), and the intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin (CDDP). Phenytoin 4-hydroxylation, debrisoquine 4-hydroxylation, and testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation were estimated to evaluate the metabolic activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C, 2D, and 3A, respectively. RESULTS: The hepatic CYP3A metabolic activities were decreased by 65.9% and 60.2% in NR and GL rats, respectively. The hepatic CYP2C metabolic activity was decreased by 48.8% in CDDP rats. No alteration in hepatic drug-metabolizing activities was observed in BUL rats. On the other hand, the intestinal CYP3A metabolic activity was weakly increased in GL rats but not significantly altered in NR, CDDP, and BUL rats. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested (a) that only selected P450 metabolic activity in the liver is decreased in renal failure, (b) that extent of the decrease in hepatic metabolic activities of P450 is dependent on the etiology of renal failure, and (c) that alteration of CYP3A metabolic activity in the intestine is not always correlated with that in the liver.

Evaluation of increased bioavailability of tacrolimus in rats with experimental renal dysfunction.

The effects of renal failure on the hepatic and intestinal extraction of tacrolimus were evaluated to examine the mechanisms for the increased bioavailability of this drug in cisplatin-induced renal failure model rats. Tacrolimus extractions in the liver and intestine were evaluated by intravenous, intraportal and intraintestinal infusion. The intestinal metabolism and absorption rate were estimated by incubating the isolated intestine with drug solution and by an in situ loop method, respectively. Blood concentrations of tacrolimus following the intraintestinal infusion were significantly increased in rats with renal failure compared with those in normal rats. The blood concentration of tacrolimus during intraportal infusion in rats with renal failure showed non-linearity against dose, and was increased as compared with that in normal rats. The intestinal metabolism was not altered, but the absorption rate was significantly increased in the intestine from rats with renal dysfunction. These results suggest that the hepatic metabolism of tacrolimus is impaired in rats with renal failure, and that the accelerated absorption rate in the intestine in renal dysfunction is followed by partial saturation of hepatic extraction, which may be one of the mechanisms of increased bioavailability of tacrolimus.

p-Aminohippurate transport at the apical membrane in the OK kidney epithelial cell line.

PURPOSE: We investigated the characteristics of transport of an organic anion, p-aminohippurate (PAH), at the apical membrane in a kidney epithelial cell line OK. METHODS: Efflux and uptake of [14C]PAH across the apical membrane were measured using OK cell monolayers grown on microporous membrane filters. RESULTS: PAH efflux to the apical side was greater than that to the basolateral side and significantly inhibited by probenecid. Diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC), an inhibitor of potential-sensitive organic anion transport, significantly decreased PAH efflux to the apical side. Moreover, PAH efflux to the apical side was significantly decreased on incubation with high potassium buffer, as compared with control condition. Extracellular pH and Cl- had no effect on PAH efflux across the apical membrane. PAH uptake from the apical side was inhibited by various organic anions, and the inhibition patterns of PAH uptake from the apical and basolateral sides by various dicarboxylates were similar. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that PAH efflux to the apical side in OK cells was mediated by a potential-sensitive transport system, but not by an anion exchanger. Moreover, PAH uptake from the apical side was mediated by a specific transport system, which interacts with various organic anions and dicarboxylates.