Generation of Novel Chimeric Mice with Humanized Livers by Using Hemizygous cDNA-uPA/SCID Mice.

We have used homozygous albumin enhancer/promoter-driven urokinase-type plasminogen activator/severe combined immunodeficient (uPA/SCID) mice as hosts for chimeric mice with humanized livers. However, uPA/SCID mice show four disadvantages: the human hepatocytes (h-heps) replacement index in mouse liver is decreased due to deletion of uPA transgene by homologous recombination, kidney disorders are likely to develop, body size is small, and hemizygotes cannot be used as hosts as more frequent homologous recombination than homozygotes. To solve these disadvantages, we have established a novel host strain that has a transgene containing albumin promoter/enhancer and urokinase-type plasminogen activator cDNA and has a SCID background (cDNA-uPA/SCID). We applied the embryonic stem cell technique to simultaneously generate a number of transgenic lines, and found the line with the most appropriate levels of uPA expression-not detrimental but with a sufficiently damaged liver. We transplanted h-heps into homozygous and hemizygous cDNA-uPA/SCID mice via the spleen, and monitored their human albumin (h-alb) levels and body weight. Blood h-alb levels and body weight gradually increased in the hemizygous cDNA-uPA/SCID mice and were maintained until they were approximately 30 weeks old. By contrast, blood h-alb levels and body weight in uPA/SCID chimeric mice decreased from 16 weeks of age onwards. A similar decrease in body weight was observed in the homozygous cDNA-uPA/SCID genotype, but h-alb levels were maintained until they were approximately 30 weeks old. Microarray analyses revealed identical h-heps gene expression profiles in homozygous and hemizygous cDNA-uPA/SCID mice were identical to that observed in the uPA/SCID mice. Furthermore, like uPA/SCID chimeric mice, homozygous and hemizygous cDNA-uPA/SCID chimeric mice were successfully infected with hepatitis B virus and C virus. These results indicate that hemizygous cDNA-uPA/SCID mice may be novel and useful hosts for producing chimeric mice for use in future long-term studies, including hepatitis virus infection analysis or drug toxicity studies.

Formation of the accumulative human metabolite and human-specific glutathione conjugate of diclofenac in TK-NOG chimeric mice with humanized livers.

3'-Hydroxy-4'-methoxydiclofenac (VI) is a human-specific metabolite known to accumulate in the plasma of patients after repeated administration of diclofenac sodium. Diclofenac also produces glutathione-conjugated metabolites, some of which are human-specific. In the present study, we investigated whether these metabolites could be generated in humanized chimeric mice produced from TK-NOG mice. After a single oral administration of diclofenac to humanized mice, the unchanged drug in plasma peaked at 0.25 hour and then declined with a half-life (t1/2) of 2.4 hours. 4'-Hydroxydiclofenac (II) and 3'-hydroxydiclofenac also peaked at 0.25 hour and were undetectable within 24 hours. However, VI peaked at 8 hours and declined with a t1/2 of 13 hours. When diclofenac was given once per day, peak and trough levels of VI reached plateau within 3 days. Studies with administration of II suggested VI was generated via II as an intermediate. Among six reported glutathione-conjugated metabolites of diclofenac, M1 (5-hydroxy-4-(glutathion-S-yl)diclofenac) to M6 (2'-(glutathion-S-yl)monoclofenac), we found three dichlorinated conjugates [M1, M2 (4'-hydroxy-3'-(glutathion-S-yl)diclofenac), and M3 (5-hydroxy-6-(glutathion-S-yl)diclofenac)], and a single monochlorinated conjugate [M4 (2'-hydroxy-3'-(glutathion-S-yl)monoclofenac) or M5 (4'-hydroxy-2'-(glutathion-S-yl)monoclofenac)], in the bile of humanized chimeric mice. M4 and M5 are positional isomers and have been previously reported as human-specific in vitro metabolites likely generated via arene oxide and quinone imine-type intermediates, respectively. The biliary monochlorinated metabolite exhibited the same mass spectrum as those of M4 and M5, and we discuss whether this conjugate corresponded to M4 or M5. Overall, humanized TK-NOG chimeric mice were considered to be a functional tool for the study of drug metabolism of diclofenac in humans.

Estimation of plasma IC50 of donepezil hydrochloride for brain acetylcholinesterase inhibition in monkey using N-[11C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate ([11C]MP4A) and PET.

Donepezil hydrochloride is a potent and selective inhibitor for brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and is currently used worldwide for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Until now, there is no in vivo study on the relation between the plasma concentration and the brain AChE inhibition. The purpose of this study was to estimate in vivo plasma IC(50) of donepezil in living monkeys by measuring plasma donepezil concentration (LC/MS/MS) and brain AChE activity with positron emission tomography (PET) and N-[(11)C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate, which is an acetylcholine analog recently developed by us for quantifying in vivo brain AChE activity. PET scans with donepezil at two doses, 100 microg/kg (donepezil-1; N=5) or 250 microg/kg (donepezil-2; N=5), were performed using the same monkeys at 4-week intervals. Before each PET scan, baseline PET scans (N=10 in total) were performed without donepezil. The plasma donepezil concentrations 14 min after intravenous injection were proportional to the doses, 17.2+/-2.9 ng/ml (donepezil-1) and 44.0+/-5.0 ng/ml (donepezil-2), and the mean AChE inhibitions in four neocortical regions as evaluated by PET were also dose-dependent, 27% (donepezil-1) and 53% (donepezil-2). In IC(50) estimation, measured plasma donepezil concentrations were corrected for the change during PET scan. The IC(50) values (estimate+/-SE) were 42+/-9.0 (ng/ml; donepezil-1), 34+/-3.2 (donepezil-2), and 37+/-4.1 (combined data). The present method may be useful for in vivo evaluation of other AChE inhibitors and novel drugs.

Disposition of low doses of 14C-bisphenol A in male, female, pregnant, fetal, and neonatal rats.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a weak xenestrogen (ADI = 50 microg kg(-1), US EPA) which is mass-produced, with potential for human exposure. To study absorption, distribution, excretion, and metabolism of BPA, BPA labeled with carbon-14 was administered p.o. to male and female Fischer (F344) rats at relatively low doses (20, 100, and 500 microg kg(-1)), and i.v. injected at 100 and 500 microg kg(-1). 14C-BPA (500 microg kg(-1)) was also administered orally to pregnant and lactating rats to examine the transfer of radioactivity to fetuses, neonatal rats, and milk. Radioluminographic determination using phosphor imaging plates was employed to achieve highly sensitive determination of radioactivity. Absorption ratios of radioactivity after three oral doses were high (35-82%); parent 14C-BPA in the circulating blood was quite low, however, suggesting considerable first-pass effect. After an oral dose of 100 microg kg(-1) 14C-BPA, the radioactivity was distributed and eliminated rapidly, but remained in the intestinal contents, liver, and kidney for 72 h. The major metabolite in the plasma and urine was BPA glucuronide, whereas most of the BPA was excreted with the feces as free BPA. A second peak in the time-course of plasma radioactivity suggested enterohepatic recirculation of BPA glucuronide. There was limited distribution of 14C-BPA to the fetus and neonate after oral administration to the dam. Significant radioactivity was not detected in fetuses on gestation days 12 and 15. On day 18, however, radioactivity was detected in the fetal intestine and urinary bladder 24 h after oral dosing of 14C-BPA to the pregnant rats. Part of radioactivity was transferred to neonatal rats from the milk of the treated lactating dam and remained in the intestine of the neonates after 24-h nursing by an untreated dam.

A simple method for the detection of abnormal brain regions in Alzheimer's disease patients using [11C]MP4A: comparison with [123I]IMP SPECT.

We have developed a radiolabeled lipophilic acetylcholine analogue, N-[11C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate ([11C]MP4A) to measure brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity by positron emission tomography (PET) in vivo. Aiming to develop a new SPECT tracer similar to MP4A, we first proposed a simple method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) using [11C]MP4A PET. We performed [11C]MP4A PET and N-isopropyl [123I]iodoamphetamine ([123I]IMP) SPECT in 13 patients with AD and in 17 normal controls (NC). We calculated the ratio of radioactivity of the cortical region of interest (ROI) to that of the cerebellum measured with [11C]MP4A PET (MP4A ratio) and the ratio of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to that of the cerebellum measured with [123I]IMP SPECT (IMP ratio). Eleven cortical ROIs were placed in the frontal, sensorimotor, temporal, parietal, and occipital cortices in both hemispheres and in the posterior cingulate cortex, and z-score was calculated in each ROI in patients with AD compared with NC. When the z-score was 2 or more in a ROI, it was defined as a positive ROI. When a patient had 3 or more positive ROIs, the patient was diagnosed as having AD. The reduction in the MP4A ratio was greater than that in the IMP ratio in all cortical ROIs except for in the right parietal cortex and cingulate cortex in patients with AD. MP4A ratio method showed 92% sensitivity and the IMP ratio method 69% sensitivity for the diagnosis of AD. These results encourage us to develop a new SPECT tracer similar to MP4A for the diagnosis of AD.

Acetylcholinesterase imaging: its use in therapy evaluation and drug design.

Several cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors have been labeled with carbon-11 for visualizing binding sites on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by positron emission tomography (PET). Following intravenous injection of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9-[(11)C]methylaminoacridine or [(11)C]donepezil, however, the radioactivity distribution does not reflect the regional distribution of AChE in the brain of animals, probably because these compounds have high non-specific binding and/or other specific binding sites in vivo in the brain. PET studies with [(11)C]physostigmine and [(11)C]CP-126,998 in the brain of healthy subjects have shown a radioactivity distribution corresponding to the regional distribution of AChE activity measured in postmortem human brains. These radiotracers may be useful for measuring the occupancy of binding sites on AChE by AChE inhibitors, and for investigating the cerebral pharmacokinetics of such therapeutic drugs. An alternative approach to map AChE is the use of acetylcholine analogue substrates. We have developed N-methylpiperidinyl esters labeled with carbon-11 for quantitative measurement of AChE activity. Currently, two N-[(11)C]methylpiperidine esters, N-[(11)C]methylipiperidin-4-ylacetate (MP4A) and N-[(11)C]methylpiperidin-4-yl propionate (MP4P or PMP), have been used for clinical studies of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Both [(11)C]MP4A- and [(11)C]MP4P-PET have demonstrated not only the reduction of AChE activity in the cerebral cortex of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) but also the inhibitory effects of donepezil and rivastigmine on AChE activity in the brain of AD patients. AChE imaging should prove useful for therapeutic monitoring of the effects of ChE inhibitors, including determination of the appropriate clinical doses of newly developed compounds, and can thus prompt the development of novel drugs targeting AChE.

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of radiolabelled SNI-2011, a novel muscarinic receptor agonist, in healthy volunteers. Comprehensive understanding of absorption, metabolism and excretion using radiolabelled SNI-2011.

The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of SNI-2011 ((+/-)-cis-2-methylspiro[1,3-oxathiolane-5,3'-quinuclidine]monohydrochloride hemihydrate, cevimeline, CAS 153504-70-2), a novel muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist developed for the treatment of Sjögen's syndrome, were investigated in six healthy volunteers after a single oral administration of 14C-SNI-2011. After administration, plasma concentrations of the radioactivity and SNI-2011 reached to Cmax at approximately 2 h, and then decreased with t 1/2 of 9 and 4 h, respectively. Cmax and AUC0-infinity of the radioactivity in plasma were 2.2 and 5.0 times higher than those of SNI-2011, respectively. The main excretion route of the radioactivity was urine, and 97.3% of the dose excreted in urine within 168 h, indicating that 14C-SNI-2011 was completely absorbed. The mean recoveries of the metabolites in urine at 24 h after administration were 16.0% for SNI-2011, 35.8% for SNI-2011 trans-sulfoxide (SNI-t-SO), 8.7% for SNI-2011 cis-sulfoxide, 4.1% for SNI-2011 N-oxide, furthermore, two unknown metabolites, UK-1 and UK-2, were detected 14.6% and 7.7%, respectively. LC/MS analysis and hydrolysis studies revealed that UK-1 and UK-2 were glucuronic acid conjugates of SNI-2011 and SNI-t-SO, respectively.

Positron emission tomography: quantitative measurement of brain acetylcholinesterase activity using radiolabeled substrates.

A new method for quantitative measurement of brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in living human brain using positron emission tomography (PET) is described. We tested several radiolabeled lipophilic acetylcholine analogs, e.g., N-methylpiperidyl esters, which readily entered the brain via the blood-brain barrier, were hydrolyzed selectively by AChE, and were then trapped in the brain. Among them, and tested and N-[11C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate ([11C]MP4A) was chosen as the tracer for PET. Quantitative measurement of cortical AChE was accomplished by fitting the time course of cerebral radioactivity concentration measured by PET and the metabolite-corrected arterial plasma input function using a nonlinear least-squares fitting method. Normal control studies of subjects with a wide range in age (24-89 years) showed no decrease in AChE activity in the cerebral cortex with age. Studies on patients with Alzheimer's disease demonstrated a widespread reduction of AChE activity in the cerebral cortex (more profound in early-onset than in late-onset Alzheimer's disease). Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, clinically similar disorders, could be differentiated with [11C]MP4A/PET studies. Simple methods without using an arterial input function are also proposed. The method provides a quantitative measure of the cholinergic aspect of brain function and proved to be useful in diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease.