Novel, Potent, and Druglike Tetrahydroquinazoline Inhibitor That Is Highly Selective for Human Topoisomerase II α over ß.

We disclose a novel class of 6-amino-tetrahydroquinazoline derivatives that inhibit human topoisomerase II (topoII), a validated target of anticancer drugs. In contrast to topoII-targeted drugs currently in clinical use, these compounds do not act as topoII poisons that enhance enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage, a mechanism that is linked to the development of secondary leukemias. Instead, these tetrahydroquinazolines block the topoII function with no evidence of DNA intercalation. We identified a potent lead compound [compound 14 (ARN-21934) IC50 = 2 µM for inhibition of DNA relaxation, as compared to an IC50 = 120 µM for the anticancer drug etoposide] with excellent metabolic stability and solubility. This new compound also shows ~100-fold selectivity for topoIIα over topoß, a broad antiproliferative activity toward cultured human cancer cells, a favorable in vivo pharmacokinetic profile, and the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Thus, ARN-21934 is a highly promising lead for the development of novel and potentially safer topoII-targeted anticancer drugs.

The Prediction of the Relative Importance of CYP3A/P-glycoprotein to the Nonlinear Intestinal Absorption of Drugs by Advanced Compartmental Absorption and Transit Model.

Intestinal CYP3A and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) decrease the intestinal absorption of substrate drugs. Since substrate specificity of CYP3A often overlaps that of P-gp, and estimation of their saturability in the intestine is difficult, dose-dependent FaFg (fraction of the administered drugs that reach the portal blood) of substrate drugs and the relative importance of CYP3A and P-gp have not been clarified in many cases. Thus, we tried to establish the universal methodology for predicting the in vivo absorption of several CYP3A and/or P-gp substrates from in vitro assays. One of the key points is to set up the scaling factor (SF), correcting the difference between the observed in vivo clearance and the predicted clearance from in vitro data. The SFs of Vmax for CYP3A (SFCYP3A) and P-gp (SFP-gp) were simultaneously optimized to explain the FaFg of CYP3A and/or P-gp substrate drugs. The best predictability of FaFg was achieved when considering both SFCYP3A and SFP-gp The simulation also clarified the relative importance of CYP3A and P-gp in determining FaFg In particular, the nonlinear intestinal absorption of verapamil was caused by the saturation of intestinal CYP3A, whereas that of quinidine was governed by the saturation of both CYP3A and P-gp. In addition, the dose-dependent FaFg of selective and dual CYP3A and/or P-gp substrates was well predicted. We therefore propose a methodology for predicting the FaFg of drugs using a mathematical model with optimized SFCYP3A and SFP-gp Our methodology is applicable to in vitro-in vivo extrapolation of intestinal absorption, even if absolute in vivo functions of enzymes/transporters are unclear.

Novel in vitro transport method for screening the reversibility of P-glycoprotein inhibitors.

The purpose of this study was to establish a novel in vitro method for screening reversibility of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors. Caco-2 cells with 21days of cultivation were used as an in vitro model. Transport of rhodamine 123 in the presence of various inhibitors and after removing of inhibitors was determined. Transport of rhodamine 123 at 4°C and in the secretory direction assured that Caco-2 cells exhibited P-gp function at all time of experiment. The apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) of rhodamine 123 in the presence of verapamil, cyclosporin A, ritonavir, quinidine, N-ethylmaleimide, Cremophor® EL, Tween 80 and poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine-2-mercaptonicotinic acid (PAA-cys-2MNA) was 2.3-, 3.8-, 2.3-, 3.1, 7.5-, 2.1-, 2.9- and 2.5-fold higher than Papp of rhodamine 123 alone. After removing of the inhibitors, Papp decreased to the same range of control except in the case of N-ethylmaleimide which was 2.4-fold higher than the control. These results revealed a reversible inhibition of verapamil, cyclosporin A, ritonavir, quinidine, Cremophor® EL, Tween 80 and PAA-cys-2MNA and an irreversible inhibition of N-ethylmaleimide for P-gp. Thus, this novel established that in vitro method might be an effective tool for screening the reversibility of inhibition of P-gp inhibitors.

Alkoxide coordination of iron(III) protoporphyrin IX by antimalarial quinoline methanols: a key interaction observed in the solid-state and solution.

The quinoline methanol antimalarial drug mefloquine is a structural analogue of the Cinchona alkaloids, quinine and quinidine. We have elucidated the single crystal X-ray diffraction structure of the complexes formed between racemic erythro mefloquine and ferriprotoporphyrin IX (Fe(iii)PPIX) and show that alkoxide coordination is a key interaction in the solid-state. Mass spectrometry confirms the existence of coordination complexes of quinine, quinidine and mefloquine to Fe(iii)PPIX in acetonitrile. The length of the iron(iii)-O bond in the quinine and quinidine complexes as determined by Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy unequivocally confirms that coordination of the quinoline methanol compounds to Fe(iii)PPIX occurs in non-aqueous aprotic solution via their benzylic alkoxide functional group. UV-visible spectrophotometric titrations of the low-spin bis-pyridyl-Fe(iii)PPIX complex with each of the quinoline methanol compounds results in the displacement of a single pyridine molecule and subsequent formation of a six-coordinate pyridine-Fe(iii)PPIX-drug complex. We propose that formation of the drug-Fe(iii)PPIX coordination complexes is favoured in a non-aqueous environment, such as that found in lipid bodies or membranes in the malaria parasite, and that their existence may contribute to the mechanism of haemozoin inhibition or other toxicity effects that lead ultimately to parasite death. In either case, coordination is a key interaction to be considered in the design of novel antimalarial drug candidates.

Amino acid ester prodrugs conjugated to the α-carboxylic acid group do not display affinity for the L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1).

L-type amino acid transporter (LAT1) is an intriguing target for carrier-mediated transport of drugs as it is highly expressed in the blood-brain barrier and also in various types of cancer. Several studies have proposed that in order for compounds to act as LAT1 substrates they should possess both negatively charged α-carboxyl and positively charged α-amino groups. However, in some reports, such as in two recent publications describing an isoleucine-quinidine ester prodrug (1), compounds having no free α-carboxyl group have been reported to exhibit high affinity for LAT1 in vitro. In the present study, 1 was synthesized and its affinity for LAT1 was evaluated both with an in situ rat brain perfusion technique and in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in vitro. 1 showed no affinity for LAT1 in either model nor did it show any affinity for LAT2 in an in vitro study. Our results confirm the earlier reported requirements for LAT1 substrates. Thus drugs or prodrugs with substituted α-carboxyl group cannot bind to LAT with high affinity.

Transport inhibition of digoxin using several common P-gp expressing cell lines is not necessarily reporting only on inhibitor binding to P-gp.

We have reported that the P-gp substrate digoxin required basolateral and apical uptake transport in excess of that allowed by digoxin passive permeability (as measured in the presence of GF120918) to achieve the observed efflux kinetics across MDCK-MDR1-NKI (The Netherlands Cancer Institute) confluent cell monolayers. That is, GF120918 inhibitable uptake transport was kinetically required. Therefore, IC50 measurements using digoxin as a probe substrate in this cell line could be due to inhibition of P-gp, of digoxin uptake transport, or both. This kinetic analysis is now extended to include three additional cell lines: MDCK-MDR1-NIH (National Institute of Health), Caco-2 and CPT-B2 (Caco-2 cells with BCRP knockdown). These cells similarly exhibit GF120918 inhibitable uptake transport of digoxin. We demonstrate that inhibition of digoxin transport across these cell lines by GF120918, cyclosporine, ketoconazole and verapamil is greater than can be explained by inhibition of P-gp alone. We examined three hypotheses for this non-P-gp inhibition. The inhibitors can: (1) bind to a basolateral digoxin uptake transporter, thereby inhibiting digoxin's cellular uptake; (2) partition into the basolateral membrane and directly reduce membrane permeability; (3) aggregate with digoxin in the donor chamber, thereby reducing the free concentration of digoxin, with concomitant reduction in digoxin uptake. Data and simulations show that hypothesis 1 was found to be uniformly acceptable. Hypothesis 2 was found to be uniformly unlikely. Hypothesis 3 was unlikely for GF120918 and cyclosporine, but further studies are needed to completely adjudicate whether hetero-dimerization contributes to the non-P-gp inhibition for ketoconazole and verapamil. We also find that P-gp substrates with relatively low passive permeability such as digoxin, loperamide and vinblastine kinetically require basolateral uptake transport over that allowed by +GF120918 passive permeability, while highly permeable P-gp substrates such as amprenavir, quinidine, ketoconazole and verapamil do not, regardless of whether they actually use the basolateral transporter.

An allosteric mechanism for drug block of the human cardiac potassium channel KCNQ1.

The intracellular aspect of the sixth transmembrane segment within the ion-permeating pore is a common binding site for many voltage-gated ion channel blockers. However, the exact site(s) at which drugs bind remain controversial. We used extensive site-directed mutagenesis coupled with molecular modeling to examine mechanisms in drug block of the human cardiac potassium channel KCNQ1. A total of 48 amino acid residues in the S6 segment, S4-S5 linker, and the proximal C-terminus of the KCNQ1 channel were mutated individually to alanine; alanines were mutated to cysteines. Residues modulating drug block were identified when mutant channels displayed <50% block on exposure to drug concentrations that inhibited wild-type current by ≥90%. Homology modeling of the KCNQ1 channel based on the Kv1.2 structure unexpectedly predicted that the key residue modulating drug block (F351) faces away from the permeating pore. In the open-state channel model, F351 lines a pocket that also includes residues L251 and V254 in S4-S5 linker. Docking calculations indicated that this pocket is large enough to accommodate quinidine. To test this hypothesis, L251A and V254A mutants were generated that display a reduced sensitivity to blockage with quinidine. Thus, our data support a model in which open state block of this channel occurs not via binding to a site directly in the pore but rather by a novel allosteric mechanism: drug access to a side pocket generated in the open-state channel configuration and lined by S6 and S4-S5 residues.

Quantitative evaluation of the impact of active efflux by p-glycoprotein and breast cancer resistance protein at the blood-brain barrier on the predictability of the unbound concentrations of drugs in the brain using cerebrospinal fluid concentration as a surrogate.

This study investigated the impact of the active efflux mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) on the predictability of the unbound brain concentration (C(u,brain)) by the concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (C(u,CSF)) in rats. C(u,brain) is obtained as the product of the total brain concentration and unbound fraction in the brain (f(u,brain)) determined in vitro in brain slices. Twenty-five compounds, including P-gp and/or Bcrp substrates, were given a constant intravenous infusion, and their plasma, brain, and CSF concentrations were determined. P-gp and/or Bcrp substrates, such as verapamil, loperamide, flavopiridol, genistein, quinidine, dantrolene, daidzein, cimetidine, and pefloxacin, showed a higher CSF-to-brain unbound concentration ratio (K(p,uu,CSF/brain)) compared with non-P-gp and non-Bcrp substrates. K(p,uu,CSF/brain) values of P-gp-specific (quinidine and verapamil) and Bcrp-specific (daidzein and genistein) substrates were significantly decreased in Mdr1a/1b(-/-) and Bcrp(-/-) mice, respectively. Furthermore, consistent with the contribution of P-gp and Bcrp to the net efflux at the BBB, K(p,uu,CSF/brain) values of the common substrates (flavopiridol and erlotinib) were markedly decreased in Mdr1a/1b(-/-)/Bcrp(-/-) mice, but only moderately or weakly in Mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice and negligibly in Bcrp(-/-) mice. In conclusion, predictability of C(u,brain) by C(u,CSF) decreases along with the net transport activities by P-gp and Bcrp at the BBB. C(u,CSF) of non-P-gp and non-Bcrp substrates can be a reliable surrogate of C(u,brain) for lipophilic compounds.

Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing human P-glycoprotein: probing trans- and cis-inhibitory effects on [3H]vinblastine and [3H]digoxin efflux.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp; MDR1) recognizes and actively transports many structurally diverse compounds (hydrophobic neutral and cationic). We studied MDR1-mediated drug transport using a high-throughput (96-well) oocyte expression system. MDR1-expressing oocytes contained sufficient ATP levels to conduct fundamental efflux studies; the optimal experimental temperature was 25 degrees C. [(3)H]Vinblastine efflux by MDR1-expressing oocytes was detectable and afforded a K(m) of 145.5+/-25.4microM. [(3)H]Vinblastine (5.6+/-0.3microM) and [(3)H]digoxin (1.0+/-0.1microM) were individually injected into MDR1-expressing oocytes and their efflux monitored. Quinidine and verapamil, known MDR1 substrates/inhibitors, showed trans-inhibition on MDR1-mediated [(3)H]vinblastine and [(3)H]digoxin efflux. Conversely, doxorubicin demonstrated cis-inhibition without trans-inhibition on MDR1-mediated [(3)H]vinblastine efflux. The MDR1-expressing oocyte system offers researchers with an alternative in vitro method to screen compounds and may allow one to probe P-gp drug-drug and/or drug-inhibitor interactions.

Probing the mechanisms underlying modulation of quinidine sensitivity to cardiac I(Ks) block by protein kinase A-mediated I(Ks) phosphorylation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cardiac I(Ks) is enhanced by protein kinase A (PKA) stimulation. And PKA-stimulated I(Ks) is about threefold less sensitive to quinidine block than basal current. In this study, we further tested two competing hypotheses: I(Ks) phosphorylation either (i) modulates access of blocking drugs to a binding site; or (ii) destabilizes the drug-channel interaction. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: To distinguish between these hypotheses, we studied quinidine block of I(Ks) channels in which three PKA site residues of the alpha-subunit KCNQ1 were mutated with a bulky negative charged aspartic acid (D). To study alleviation of I(Ks) block by quinidine, we compared activating current at +60 mV, either with or without 5 s hyperpolarizing prepulses to -120 mV. KEY RESULTS: Without PKA stimulation, quinidine (100 microM) blocked wild-type current to a similar extent with and without the prepulse (93 +/- 2% of pre-drug current at +60 mV vs. 95 +/- 1%). With PKA-stimulated wild-type channels, however, there was less block with the hyperpolarization to -120 mV: at +60 mV, block was 71 +/- 2% (-prepulse) versus 58 +/- 3% (+prepulse). Individual D-mutations and the triple-D mutant were resistant to quinidine block similar to that seen with PKA-stimulated wild-type I(Ks). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: We conclude that phosphorylation-induced insertion of bulky negative charges alleviates quinidine block and that PKA-induced stimulation, by conferring negative charges to the channels, blunts I(Ks) block as the interaction between the channels and blockers becomes destabilized. These effects would be of clinical significance in providing protective mechanisms against pro-arrhythmias caused by drug-induced inhibition of I(Ks) and I(Kr).

Kinetic identification of membrane transporters that assist P-glycoprotein-mediated transport of digoxin and loperamide through a confluent monolayer of MDCKII-hMDR1 cells.

A robust screen for compound interaction with P-glycoprotein (P-gp) has some obvious requirements, such as a cell line expressing P-gp and a probe substrate that is transported solely by P-gp and passive permeability. It is actually difficult to prove that a particular probe substrate interacts only with P-gp in the chosen cell line. Using a confluent monolayer of MDCKII-hMDR1 cells, we have determined the elementary rate constants for the P-gp efflux of amprenavir, digoxin, loperamide, and quinidine. For amprenavir and quinidine, transport was fitted with just P-gp and passive permeability. For digoxin and loperamide, fitting required a basolateral transporter (p < 0.01), which was inhibited by the P-gp inhibitor N-(4-[2-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethoxy-2-isoquinolinyl)ethyl]-phenyl)-9,10-dihydro-5-methoxy-9-oxo-4-acridine carboxamide (GF120918). This means that when digoxin is used as a probe substrate and a compound is shown to inhibit digoxin flux, it could be that the inhibition occurs at the basolateral transporter rather than at P-gp. Digoxin basolateral>apical efflux also required an apical importer (p < 0.05). We propose that amprenavir and quinidine are robust probe substrates for assessing P-gp interactions using the MDCKII-hMDR1 confluent cell monolayer. Usage of another cell line, e.g., LLC-hMDR1 or Caco-2, would require the same kinetic validation to ensure that the probe substrate interacts only with P-gp. Attempts to identify the additional digoxin and loperamide transporters using a wide range of substrates/inhibitors of known epithelial transporters (organic cation transporters, organic anion transporters, organic ion-transporting polypeptide, uric acid transporter, or multidrug resistance-associated protein) failed to inhibit the digoxin or loperamide transport through their basolateral transporter.

Staurosporine-induced cell death in salmonid cells: the role of apoptotic volume decrease, ion fluxes and MAP kinase signaling.

Apoptotic cell death in mammalian models is frequently associated with cell shrinkage. Inhibition of apoptotic volume decrease (AVD) is cytoprotective, suggesting that cell shrinkage is an important early event in apoptosis. In salmonid hepatoma and gill cells staurosporine induced apoptosis, as assessed by activation of effector caspases, nuclear condensation, and a decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and these changes were accompanied by cell shrinkage. The Cl- transport inhibitor DIDS and the K+ channel inhibitor quinidine prevented AVD, but only DIDS inhibited apoptosis. Other Cl- flux inhibitors, as well as a pan-caspase inhibitor, did not prevent cell shrinkage, but still prevented caspase activation. Furthermore, regulatory volume decrease (RVD) under hypotonic conditions was not facilitated, but diminished in apoptotic cells. Since all transport inhibitors used blocked RVD, but only DIDS and quinidine inhibited AVD, the ion transporters involved in both processes are apparently not identical. In addition, our data indicate that inhibition of Cl- fluxes rather than blocking cell shrinkage or K+ fluxes is important for preventing apoptosis. In line with this, inhibition of MAP kinases reduced RVD and not AVD, but still diminished caspase activation. Finally, we observed that MAP kinases were activated upon staurosporine treatment and that at least activation of ERK was prevented when AVD was inhibited.

An in vitro approach to detect metabolite toxicity due to CYP3A4-dependent bioactivation of xenobiotics.

Many adverse drug reactions are caused by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) dependent activation of drugs into reactive metabolites. In order to reduce attrition due to metabolism-mediated toxicity and to improve safety of drug candidates, we developed two in vitro cell-based assays by combining an activating system (human CYP3A4) with target cells (HepG2 cells): in the first method we incubated microsomes containing cDNA-expressed CYP3A4 together with HepG2 cells; in the second approach HepG2 cells were transiently transfected with CYP3A4. In both assay systems, CYP3A4 catalyzed metabolism was found to be comparable to the high levels reported in hepatocytes. Both assay systems were used to study ten CYP3A4 substrates known for their potential to form metabolites that exhibit higher toxicity than the parent compounds. Several endpoints of toxicity were evaluated, and the measurement of MTT reduction and intracellular ATP levels were selected to assess cell viability. Results demonstrated that both assay systems are capable to metabolize the test compounds leading to increased toxicity, compared to their respective control systems. The co-incubation with the CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole confirmed that the formation of reactive metabolites was CYP3A4 dependent. To further validate the functionality of the two assay systems, they were also used as a "detoxification system" using selected compounds that can be metabolized by CYP3A4 to metabolites less toxic than their parent compounds. These results show that both assay systems can be used to screen for metabolic activation, or de-activation, which may be useful as a rapid and relatively inexpensive in vitro assay for the prediction of CYP3A4 metabolism-mediated toxicity.

Effects of cigarette smoking on quinine pharmacokinetics in malaria.

OBJECTIVE: Quinine is an important antimalarial drug that is metabolised mainly by the hepatic mixed-function microsomal enzyme cytochrome P(450). Cigarette smoking in healthy volunteers has been reported to enhance quinine clearance. The present study evaluated the effects of smoking on quinine pharmacokinetics in patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria treated with a 7-day course of oral quinine. Of 22 studied male patients, 10 were regular smokers and 12 were non-smokers. METHODS: All patients were treated with a 7-day oral regimen of quinine sulfate (10 mg salt/kg three times a day). Serial venous blood samples were taken for quinine levels before and during treatment at 12 h and 24 h and then daily until day 7. Plasma quinine and 3-hydroxyquinine concentrations were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Quinine pharmacokinetics were evaluated using non-compartmental modelling. RESULTS: All patients recovered, and there were no significant differences in clinical responses or cure rates between the two studied groups ( P> or =0.32). The median (range) fever clearance time was 51 h (4-152 h) and mean (SD) parasite clearance time was 74+/-28 h. The overall median times to maximum concentrations of quinine and its main metabolite 3-hydroxyquinine were 1.5 days and 4.0 days, respectively. The maximum concentrations of quinine were approximately tenfold higher than 3-hydroxyquinine. There were no significant differences in any pharmacokinetic variables for the parent compound or metabolite between the two groups. The median area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve to day 7 (AUC(0-7)) of quinine in non-smokers was 67.0 micro g/ml/day and in smokers was 51.3 micro g/ml/day, and AUC(0-7) values of 3-hydroxyquinine were 6.2 micro g/ml/day and 4.8 micro g/ml/day, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that cigarette smoking has no significant effects on quinine pharmacokinetics or the therapeutic response in patients with falciparum malaria.

Stereoselective transport of hydrophilic quaternary drugs by human MDR1 and rat Mdr1b P-glycoproteins.

1. The present study was performed to evaluate and compare the ability of human MDR1-, and rat Mdr1b- and Mdr2-P-glycoproteins to transport hydrophilic monoquaternary drugs. Transport studies were performed with plasma membrane vesicles isolated from MDR1-, Mdr1b-, or Mdr2-overexpressing insect cells. 2. As model substrates we used the N-methylated derivatives of the diastereomers quinidine and quinine, the monoquaternary compounds N-methylquinidine and N-methylquinine. Vincristine, an established MDR1 substrate, was used as a reference. 3. We observed ATP-dependent uptake of all drugs studied into MDR1- and Mdr1b-expressing vesicles. Mdr2 was not able to transport these compounds. MDR1- and Mdr1b-mediated transport was saturable, and could be inhibited by various drugs, including PSC-833. 4. For both MDR1 and Mdr1b the V(max)/K(m) ratios (or clearance) of N-methylquinidine were greater than those determined for N-methylquinine. This stereoselective difference was also evident from differential inhibitory studies with the two isomers. 5. Comparison of normalized clearance indicated that human MDR1 was more effective in transporting the tested substrates than rat Mdr1b. 6. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that MDR1 and Mdr1b, but not Mdr2, are able to transport the monoquaternary model drugs; both MDR1 and Mdr1b display stereospecificity for these cations; and indicate human MDR1 is more efficient in transporting these cations than its rat orthologue Mdr1b.

An amino acid residue whose change by mutation affects drug binding to the HERG channel.

We did the experiments to search for amino acids that affect quinidine binding to the HERG channel, and have identified an amino acid whose change by mutation affects the binding of various drugs. The residue is located at position 647 in the S6 and is not involved in the recently identified methanesulfonanilide binding pocket. The homology model of the HERG channel indicated that the residue faces toward the outside of the channel pore. We conclude that the residue at position 647 does not interact directly with drug molecules but plays an important role in keeping the binding site's high affinity for drugs.

Redox cycling of 2-(x'-mono, -di, -trichlorophenyl)- 1, 4-benzoquinones, oxidation products of polychlorinated biphenyls.

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) preparations are complete liver carcinogens in rodents and efficacious promoters in two-stage hepatocarcinogenesis. Cytochrome P450 isozymes catalyze the oxidation of PCBs to mono- and dihydroxy metabolites. The potential for further enzymatic or nonenzymatic oxidation of ortho- and para-dihydroxy PCB metabolites to (semi)quinones raises the possibility that redox cycling involving reactive oxygen species may be involved in PCB toxicity. Seven synthetic 2-(x'-chlorophenyl)-1, 4-benzoquinones (containing one to three chlorines) were investigated for their participation in oxidation-reduction reactions by following the oxidation of NADPH. These observations were made: (i) NADPH alone directly reduced all quinones but only 2-(2'-chlorophenyl)- and 2-(4'-chlorophenyl)-1,4-benzoquinone supported NADPH consumption beyond that required to quantitatively reduce the quinone. (ii) For all quinones, superoxide dismutase increased NADPH oxidation in excess of the amount of quinone, demonstrating the participation of the superoxide radical. (iii) The presence of microsomal enzymes from rat liver increased the rate of NADPH consumption, but only 2-(2'-chlorophenyl)- and 2-(4'-chlorophenyl)-1,4-benzoquinone autoxidized. (iv) The combination of superoxide dismutase with microsomal enzymes accelerated autoxidation from 1.6- to 6.8-fold higher than that found in the absence of microsomal protein. These data support the concept that in the absence of microsomal protein, there occurs a two-electron reduction of the quinone by NADPH to the corresponding hydroquinone that comproportionates with the large reservoir of quinone to initiate autoxidation. In the presence of microsomes, enzymatic one-electron reduction generates a semiquinone radical whose autoxidation with oxygen propagates the redox cycle. These results show the potential of some 2-(x'-chlorophenyl)-1, 4-benzoquinones to initiate the wasteful loss of NADPH.

Influence of substrate structure on substrate binding to the renal organic cation/H+ exchanger.

The carrier-mediated exchange of H+ for organic cations ("OC/H+ exchange") is the active step in OC secretion in renal proximal tubules. Although hydrophobicity is known to be an important criterion for binding of substrates to this transporter, the degree to which steric parameters of substrate structure influence binding to the exchanger is unclear. We examined this issue by measuring the inhibition of OC/H+ exchange produced by a group of quaternary ammonium compounds which share a common structural motif: an N1-pyridinium residue. Activity of the OC/H+ exchanger was determined by measuring transport of [14C]tetraethylammonium (TEA) in brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from rabbit renal cortex. Transport was measured in the presence of a pH gradient (pHin 6.0; pHout 7.5) to maximize TEA/H+ exchange. Apparent inhibitory constants (Ki values) for each test agent were measured. The test agents included 4-phenylpyridiniums and 3-phenylpyridiniums, quinoliniums and acridiniums. The planar structure of these compounds permits a direct test of whether the presence of planar hydrophobic mass in different orientations relative to the pyridinium motif exerts a systematic effect on substrate binding to the OC/H+ exchanger. The hydrophobicity of each group of compounds was systematically varied by addition of different substituents at the quaternary nitrogen. Whereas decreases in Ki proved to be proportional to hydrophobicity, the position of the phenyl-ring substituent(s) had no effect on substrate interaction with the exchanger. The results led to the development of a preliminary quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) correlating substrate hydrophobicity and substrate binding to the OC/H+ exchanger. This QSAR was used to predict the binding of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), (+) and (-)nicotine, (+) and (-)ephedrine, quinine and quinidine to the OC/H+ exchanger. Molecular graphics representation of the 3D structures of the test agents was used to develop a working model of a hydrophobic, planar receptor surface on the OC/H+ exchanger against which substrates are suggested to interact during binding. Development of the QSAR and receptor surface model open the way to quantitative tests of the specific physical and structural determinants of substrate selectivity by the renal OC/H+ exchanger.

The in vitro interaction of dexmedetomidine with human liver microsomal cytochrome P4502D6 (CYP2D6).

The effect of dexmedetomidine DEX on cytochrome P4502D6 (CYP2D6)-dependent dextromethorphan O-demethylase (DEXTROase) activity was studied using native human liver microsomes. DEX (0.01-4.0 microM inhibited DEXTROase activity (IC50 = 1.8 +/- 0.25 microM; mean +/- SD; N = 5 livers) and was less potent than quinidine (QND), prototypical and clinically relevant CYP2D6 inhibitor (IC50 = 0.22 +/- 0.02 microM; mean Ki = 0.07 microM). Similar results were obtained with human B-lymphoblast microsomes containing cDNA-expressed CYP2D6 (DEX, IC50 = 2.2 microM; QND, IC50 0.15 microM). Formal kinetic analyses indicated that DEX was a reversible mixed (competitive/noncompetitive) inhibitor of DEXTROase activity in human liver microsomes, where Kies > Ki and alpha > 1 (Ki = 0.4 +/- 0.2 microM; Kies = 2.3 +/- 0.9 microM; alpha = 8.1 +/- 6.8; N = 3 livers). In addition, DEX elicited a Type IIb difference spectrum (lambda max approximately 436 nm; lambda min approximately 414 nm) when added to cDNA-expressed CYP2D6 under aerobic (oxidized) conditions. These data indicated that DEX was able to bind reversibly to the heme (ferric) iron of CYP2D6. It is postulated that binding occurs via the 4(5)-substituted imidazole moiety. In this instance, binding was characterized by a spectral dissociation constant (Ks) of 0.4 microM that was identical to the Ki obtained with native human liver microsomes.

Pharmacological characterization of LY335979: a potent cyclopropyldibenzosuberane modulator of P-glycoprotein.

The above data indicate that LY335979 displays the following characteristics of an 'ideal modulator' of Pgp-mediated multidrug resistance: high affinity binding to Pgp, high potency for in vitro reversal of drug resistance, high therapeutic index (activity was demonstrated at doses ranging from 1-30 mg/kg) observed in in vivo antitumor efficacy experiments, and a lack of pharmacokinetic interactions that alter the plasma concentration of coadministered oncolytic agents. These desirable features strongly suggest that LY335979 is an exciting new clinical agent to test the hypothesis that inhibition of P-glycoprotein activity will result in reversal of multidrug resistance in human tumors.