Investigation of Endogenous Compounds Applicable to Drug-Drug Interaction Studies Involving the Renal Organic Anion Transporters, OAT1 and OAT3, in Humans.

This study was a comprehensive analysis of metabolites in plasma and urine specimens from subjects who received probenecid, a potent inhibitor of renal organic anion transporters (OATs). Taurine and glycochenodeoxycholate sulfate (GCDCA-S) could be identified using authentic standards. Probenecid had no effect on the area under the plasma-concentration time curves of taurine and GCDCA-S, whereas it significantly inhibited their urinary excretion in a dose-dependent manner. Probenecid at 500, 750, and 1500 mg orally decreased the renal clearance (CLR) values of taurine and GCDCA-S by 45% and 60%, 59% and 79%, and 70% and 88%, respectively. The CLR values correlated strongly (r > 0.96) between the test compounds (benzylpenicillin, 6ß-hydroxycortisol, taurine, and GCDCA-S). Taurine and GCDCA-S were substrates of OAT1 and OAT3, with Km values of 379 ± 58 and 64.3 ± 3.9 µM, respectively. The Ki values of probenecid for the OAT1- and OAT3-mediated uptake of taurine and GCDCA-S (9.49 ± 1.27 and 7.40 ± 0.70 µM, respectively) were similar to those of their typical substrate drugs. The magnitude of the reduction in the CLR of taurine and GCDCA-S by probenecid could be reasonably explained using the geometric mean values of unbound probenecid concentration and Ki values. These results suggest that taurine and GCDCA-S can be used as probes for evaluating pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions involving OAT1 and OAT3, respectively, in humans.

6ß-Hydroxycortisol is an endogenous probe for evaluation of drug-drug interactions involving a multispecific renal organic anion transporter, OAT3/SLC22A8, in healthy subjects.

6ß-Hydroxycortisol (6ß-OHF) is a substrate of the organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3) and the multidrug and toxin extrusion proteins MATE1 and MATE-2K in the corresponding cDNA-transfected cells. This study aimed to examine the contribution of OAT3 and MATEs to the urinary excretion of 6ß-OHF in humans using the appropriate in vivo inhibitors, probenecid and pyrimethamine, for OAT3 and MATEs, respectively. Oat3(-/-) mice showed significantly reduced renal clearance of 6ß-OHF (CL(renal, 6ß-OHF)) compared with wild-type mice (18.1 ± 1.5 versus 7.60 ± 1.8 ml/min/kg). 6ß-OHF uptake by human kidney slices was inhibited significantly by probenecid to 20-45% of the control values and partly by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium. 6ß-OHF plasma concentration and the amount of 6ß-OHF excreted into the urine (X(6ß-OHF)) were measured in healthy subjects enrolled in drug-drug interaction studies of benzylpenicillin alone or with probenecid (study 1), adefovir alone or with probenecid (study 2), and metformin alone or with pyrimethamine (study 3). Probenecid treatment caused a 57 and 76% increase in the area under the plasma concentration-time curve for 6ß-OHF (AUC(6ß-OHF)) in studies 1 and 2, respectively, but did not affect X(6ß-OHF). Consequently, CL(renal, 6ß-OHF) (milliliters per minute) decreased significantly from 231 ± 11 to 135 ± 9 and from 225 ± 26 to 141 ± 12 after probenecid administration in studies 1 and 2, respectively. By contrast, neither AUC(6ß-OHF) nor CL(renal, 6ß-OHF) was significantly altered by pyrimethamine administration. Taken together, these data suggest that OAT3 plays a significant role in the urinary excretion of 6ß-OHF, and that 6ß-OHF can be used to investigate the perpetrators of the pharmacokinetic drug interactions involving OAT3 in humans.

Epigenetic regulation of organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B3 in cancer cell lines.

PURPOSE: The expression of a multispecific organic anion transporter, OATP1B3/SLCO1B3, is associated with clinical prognosis and survival of cancer cells. The aims of present study were to investigate the involvement of epigenetic regulation in mRNA expression of a cancer-type variant of OATP1B3 (Ct-OATP1B3) in cancer cell lines. METHODS: The membrane localization and transport functions of Ct-OATP1B3 were investigated in HEK293 cells transiently expressing Ct-OATP1B3. DNA methylation profiles around the transcriptional start site of Ct-OATP1B3 in cancer cell lines were determined. The effects of a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor and siRNA knockdown of methyl-DNA binding proteins (MBDs) on the expression of Ct-OATP1B3 mRNA were investigated. RESULTS: 5'-RACE identified the TSS of Ct-OATP1B3 in PK-8 cells. Ct-OATP1B3 was localized on the plasma membrane, and showed the transport activities of E217ßG, fluvastatin, rifampicin, and Gd-EOB-DTPA. The CpG dinucleotides were hypomethylated in Ct-OATP1B3-positive cell lines (DLD-1, TFK-1, PK-8, and PK-45P) but were hypermethylated in Ct-OATP1B3-negative cell lines (HepG2 and Caco-2). Treatment with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor and siRNA knockdown of MBD2 significantly increased the expression of Ct-OATP1B3 mRNA in HepG2 and Caco-2. CONCLUSIONS: Ct-OATP1B3 is capable of transporting its substrates into cancer cells. Its mRNA expression is regulated by DNA methylation-dependent gene silencing involving MBD2.

Population Pharmacokinetics, Exposure-Safety, and Probability of Target Attainment Analyses for Isavuconazole in Japanese Patients With Deep-Seated Mycoses.

Isavuconazonium sulfate is the water-soluble prodrug of the novel, broad-spectrum, triazole antifungal agent isavuconazole. Its pharmacokinetics (PK) and exposure-response relationship have been well investigated, but not in a Japanese patient population. The objectives of this analysis were to (1) develop a population PK model for Japanese patients with deep-seated mycoses and healthy subjects, and to identify significant covariates; (2) determine the probability of PK-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) target attainment in Japanese patients by a clinical dosing regimen; and (3) evaluate the exposure-safety relationship of isavuconazole in Japanese patients. Data from 2 phase 1 studies and 1 phase 3 study in Japanese patients were pooled to develop the population PK model using NONMEM. The PK of isavuconazole in Japanese patients was best described as a 2-compartment model with a Weibull absorption function and first-order elimination. The identified covariates on clearance were creatinine clearance and lean body mass. The probability of target attainment showed that >90% of simulated Japanese patients would achieve the PK-PD target, an exposure index corresponding to 50% survival of nonneutropenic infected mice, with minimal inhibitory concentration values of ≤1 mg/L according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methodology and of ≤2 mg/L according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing methodology by the clinical dosing regimen. No apparent relationships were found for any of the exposure parameters of isavuconazole with any assessed safety end points in Japanese patients. Taken together, the clinical dosing regimen is appropriate for the treatment of Japanese patients with deep-seated mycoses.

Different Involvement of OAT in Renal Disposition of Oral Anticoagulants Rivaroxaban, Dabigatran, and Apixaban.

This study aimed to investigate the interactions of 3 anticoagulants, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and dabigatran, with 5 human solute carrier transporters, hOAT1, hOAT3, hOCT2, hOATP1B1, and hOATP1B3. Apixaban inhibited hOAT3, hOATP1B1, and hOATP1B3, and rivaroxaban inhibited hOAT3 and hOATP1B3, with IC50 values of >20 and >5 µM, respectively. The effect of dabigatran was negligible or very weak, so significant drug interactions at therapeutic doses are unlikely. Specific uptake of rivaroxaban was observed only in human and mouse OAT3-expressing cells. The Km for mouse Oat3 (mOat3) was 1.01 ± 0.70 µM. A defect in mOat3 reduced the kidney-to-plasma concentration ratio of rivaroxaban by 38% in mice. Probenecid treatment also reduced the kidney-to-plasma concentration ratio of rivaroxaban in rats by 73%. Neither mOat3 defect nor probenecid administration in rats reduced the renal clearance of rivaroxaban. The uptake of rivaroxaban by monkey kidney slices was temperature dependent and inhibited by probenecid but not by tetraethylammonium. Taken together, organic anion transporters, mainly OAT3, may mediate basolateral uptake of rivaroxaban in kidneys. hOAT3 could be an additional factor that differentiates the potential drug-drug interactions of the 3 anticoagulants in the urinary excretion process in clinical settings.