Determination of CYP450 Expression Levels in the Human Small Intestine by Mass Spectrometry-Based Targeted Proteomics.

The human small intestine can be involved in the first-pass metabolism of drugs. Under this condition, members of the CYP450 superfamily are expected to contribute to drug presystemic biotransformation. The aim of this study was to quantify protein expression levels of 16 major CYP450 isoforms in tissue obtained from nine human organ donors in seven subsections of the small intestine, i.e., duodenum (one section, N = 7 tissue samples), jejunum (three subsections (proximal, mid and distal), N = 9 tissue samples) and ileum (three subsections, (proximal, mid and distal), N = 9 tissue samples), using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based targeted proteomics. CYP450 absolute protein expression levels were compared to mRNA levels and enzyme activities by using established probe drugs. Proteins corresponding to seven of sixteen potential CYP450 isoforms were detected and quantified in various sections of the small intestine: CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2J2, CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and CYP4F2. Wide inter-subject variability was observed, especially for CYP2D6. CYP2C9 (p = 0.004) and CYP2C19 (p = 0.005) expression levels decreased along the small intestine. From the duodenum to the ileum, CYP2J2 (p = 0.001) increased, and a trend was observed for CYP3A5 (p = 0.13). CYP3A4 expression was higher in the jejunum than in the ileum (p = 0.03), while CYP4F2 expression was lower in the duodenum compared to the jejunum and the ileum (p = 0.005). CYP450 protein levels were better correlated with specific isoform activities than with mRNA levels. This study provides new data on absolute CYP450 quantification in human small intestine that could improve physiologically based pharmacokinetic models. These data could better inform drug absorption profiles while considering the regional expression of CYP450 isoforms.

Development and validation of an absolute protein assay for the simultaneous quantification of fourteen CYP450s in human microsomes by HPLC-MS/MS-based targeted proteomics.

The cytochrome P450 (CYP450) superfamily constitutes the major enzymatic system involved in drug metabolism. CYP450s are highly expressed in the liver and other tissues and limited data on absolute characterization of CYP450s in extra hepatic organs, such as the small intestine, are available. Our objective was to develop and validate an absolute quantification assay by HPLC-MS/MS-based targeted proteomics allowing the simultaneous quantification of fourteen major human CYP450 isoforms (CYP1A1, 1A2, 1B1, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 2E1, 2J2, 3A4, 3A5, 3A7 and 4F2) in human liver and intestine microsomes. Absolute protein quantification was performed using two proteotypic peptides for each of the fourteen CYP450s. Peptides were obtained after a tryptic digestion of microsomes and samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with heated electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-HESI-MS/MS). Chromatographic separation was performed on a Biobasic-8 analytical column (5 µm 100 x 1 mm) with a gradient elution using acetonitrile and water both fortified with 0.1% formic acid (flow rate: 75 µL/min). Calibration curves were linear over a wide range of concentrations (0.1-50 nM) and the assay met all requirements of sensitivity, linearity, precision, accuracy and matrix effect. Strong correlations were observed between the two proteotypic peptides for each isoenzyme, corroborating the strength of this method. Twelve CYP450s were detected in commercially available human liver microsomes while seven CYP450s were detected in human intestine microsomes. To our knowledge, this is the most sensitive (0.1 nM) and the first most extensively validated assay that can be applied to the absolute quantification of CYP450s in human tissues.

Modulation of CYP450 Activities in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

We conducted a comprehensive in vivo study evaluating the influence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) on major cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activities. These activities were assessed in 38 T2D and 35 non-T2D subjects after a single oral administration of a cocktail of probe drugs: 100 mg caffeine (CYP1A2), 100 mg bupropion (CYP2B6), 250 mg tolbutamide (CYP2C9), 20 mg omeprazole (CYP2C19), 30 mg dextromethorphan (CYP2D6), 2 mg midazolam (CYP3As), and 250 mg chlorzoxazone (alone; CYP2E1). Mean metabolic activity for CYP2C19, CYP2B6, and CYP3A was decreased in subjects with T2D by about 46%, 45%, and 38% (P < 0.01), respectively. CYP1A2 and CYP2C9 activities seemed slightly increased in subjects with diabetes, and no difference was observed for CYP2D6 or CYP2E1 activities. Several covariables, such as inflammatory markers (interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, gamma interferon, and tumor necrosis factor alpha), genotypes, and diabetes-related and demographic-related factors were considered in our analyses. Our results indicate that low chronic inflammatory status associated with T2D modulates CYP450 activities in an isoform-specific manner.

Activity and mRNA expression levels of selected cytochromes P450 in various sections of the human small intestine.

AIMS: To characterize mRNA expression levels (17 cytochromes P450) and activity (9 isoforms) of major cytochromes P450 expressed throughout the human small intestine. METHODS: Tissue samples were obtained from 9 deceased subjects and intestinal sections (n = 10) were isolated for each subject. Relative mRNA expression levels were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Intestinal microsomes were prepared from 5 subsections: duodenum, jejunum (proximal and mid-jejunum) and ileum (proximal and mid-ileum) regions. In vitro incubations were performed with various cytochrome P450 probe substrates: bupropion (CYP2B6), repaglinide (CYP2C8), tolbutamide (CYP2C9), S-mephenytoin (CYP2C19), bufuralol (CYP2D6), chlorzoxazone (CYP2E1), ebastine (CYP2J2), midazolam (CYP3A4/5) and lauric acid (CYP4A11). Metabolite formation was assessed using validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assays. RESULTS: Cytochrome P450 mRNA levels ranked as follows: CYP3A4 > CYP2C9 > CYP2C19 > CYP2J2 > CYP4F2. Cytochrome P450 mRNA transcripts showed different patterns in their relative expression from 1 region to the other but CYP3A4, CYP2C9, CYP2C19 and CYP2J2 displayed the highest levels of mRNA expression (>5%) in all intestinal sections. Cytochrome P450 activities were greater in proximal part of the small intestine with the jejunum showing the greatest drug-metabolism activity. Spearman's correlation analyses indicated that cytochrome P450 mRNA expressions and corresponding cytochrome P450 activities in the human intestine were moderately associated for CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP4A11 (rs  = 0.44-0.56). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides new and additional information on the expression and activities of selected cytochromes P450 in various sections of the human small intestine.

Highly sensitive LC-MS/MS methods for the determination of seven human CYP450 activities using small oral doses of probe-drugs in human.

Cocktails composed of several Cytochrome P450 (CYP450)-selective probe drugs have been shown of value to characterize in vivo drug-metabolism activities. Our objective was to develop and validate highly sensitive and selective LC-MS/MS assays allowing the determination of seven major human CYP450 isoenzyme activities following administration of low oral doses of a modified CYP450 probe-drug cocktail in patients. The seven-drug cocktail was composed of caffeine, bupropion, tolbutamide, omeprazole, dextromethorphan, midazolam (all administered concomitantly) and chlorzoxazone (administered separately) to phenotype for CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4/5 and 2E1, respectively. Serial plasma and urine samples were collected over an 8h period. The probe-drugs and their respective metabolites were measured in both human plasma and urine, except for omeprazole (plasma only) and chlorzoxazone (urine only). Samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with heated electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-HESI-MS/MS) using a Phenomenex Luna PFP (2) analytical column (3µm PFP(2) 150×3mm) for chromatographic separation. Optimal detection was achieved based on 3 different analytical methods; (1) isocratic elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water both fortified with 0.01% formic acid for the analysis of bupropion, tolbutamide, chlorzoxazone and their respective metabolites; (2) isocratic elution with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and ammonium formate (pH 3; 10mM) for omeprazole, dextromethorphan, midazolam and their metabolites; (3) for caffeine and paraxanthine, gradient elution using acetonitrile and 0.01% formic acid in water was used. All calibration functions were linear for all probe drugs and metabolites in both matrices over wide analytical ranges. The main advantages of our methods are the use of specific probe drugs available in most countries, the administration of small doses of probe drugs, small volume of plasma required for the analyses and simple and rapid extraction procedures. The methods met all requirements of specificity, sensitivity, linearity, precision and accuracy and stability generally accepted in bioanalytical chemistry. Determination of CYP450 phenotype in patients will permit characterization of their capacities to metabolize drugs through CYP450 under specific conditions at a definite time. This tool will be highly clinically relevant since wide intersubject variability observed in drug response is largely explained by variation in drug metabolism; it will be particularly useful in polymedicated patients with multiple comorbidities. So far, our CYP450 cocktail assays have been successfully applied to phenotype CYP450 activities in patients.