Cytochrome P450 3A-dependent metabolism of a potent and selective gamma-aminobutyric acid Aalpha2/3 receptor agonist in vitro: involvement of cytochrome P450 3A5 displaying biphasic kinetics.

In vitro metabolism studies were conducted to determine the human cytochrome P450 enzyme(s) involved in the biotransformation of 7-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-6-(2-ethyl-2H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylmethoxy)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3b]pyridazine (TPA023), a selective agonist of human gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptor alpha2 and alpha3 subunits. Incubation of TPA023 with NADPH-fortified human liver microsomes resulted in the formation of t-butyl hydroxy TPA023, N-desethyl TPA023, and three minor metabolites. Both t-butyl hydroxylation and N-deethylation reactions were greatly inhibited (>85%) in the presence of CYP3A-selective inhibitory antibodies and chemical inhibitors, indicating that members of the CYP3A subfamily play an important role in TPA023 metabolism. Eadie-Hofstee plots of t-butyl hydroxylation and N-deethylation in pooled CYP3A5-rich human liver microsomes revealed a low K(m) (3.4 and 4.5 microM, respectively) and a high K(m) (12.7 and 40.0 microM, respectively) component. For both metabolites, the high K(m) component was not observed with a pool of microsomal preparations containing minimal levels of CYP3A5. Preincubation of liver microsomes with mifepristone (selectivity for CYP3A4 > CYP3A5) greatly inhibited both t-butyl hydroxylation and N-deethylation (>75%); however, the residual activities were significantly higher in the pooled CYP3A5-rich liver microsomes (p < 0.0005). In addition, elevated levels of residual t-butyl hydroxylase and N-deethylase activities were observed in the presence of both CYP3A5-rich and CYP3A5-deficient preparations when the substrate concentration increased from 4 to 40 microM. In agreement, metabolite formation catalyzed by recombinant CYP3A5 was described by a biphasic model. It is concluded that CYP3A4 plays a major role in TPA023 metabolism, and CYP3A5 may also contribute at higher concentrations of the compound.

Metabolism and disposition of a potent and selective GABA-Aalpha2/3 receptor agonist in healthy male volunteers.

[14C]7-(1,1-Dimethylethyl)-6-(2-ethyl-2H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylmethoxy)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine ([14C]-TPA023; 99 microCi/dose) was administered to five young, healthy, fasted male subjects as a single oral dose (3.0 mg) in solution (propylene glycol/water, 10:90 v/v). The parent compound was rapidly absorbed (plasma Tmax approximately 2 h), exhibited an apparent terminal half-life of 6.7 h, and accounted for approximately 53% of the total radioactivity in plasma. After 7 days of collection, the mean total recovery of radioactivity in the excreta was 82.6%, with 53.2% and 29.4% in urine and feces, respectively. Radiochromatographic analysis of the excreta revealed that TPA023 was metabolized extensively, and only trace amounts of unchanged parent were recovered. Radiochromatograms of urine and feces showed that TPA023 underwent metabolism via three pathways (t-butyl hydroxylation, N-deethylation, and direct N-glucuronidation). The products of t-butyl hydroxylation and N-deethylation, together with their corresponding secondary metabolites, accounted for the majority of the radioactivity in the excreta. In addition, approximately 10.3% of the dose was recovered in urine as the triazolo-pyridazine N1-glucuronide of TPA023. The t-butyl hydroxy and N-desethyl metabolites of TPA023, the TPA023 N1-glucuronide, and the triazolo-pyridazine N1-glucuronide of N-desethyl TPA023 were present in plasma. In healthy male subjects, therefore, TPA023 is well absorbed and is metabolized extensively (t-butyl hydroxylation and N-deethylation > glucuronidation), and the metabolites are excreted in urine and feces.