Optimization and validation of a label-free MRM method for the quantification of cytochrome P450 isoforms in biological samples.

Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play critical roles in oxidative metabolism of many endogenous and exogenous compounds. Protein expression levels of CYPs in liver provide relevant information for a better understanding of the importance of CYPs in pharmacology and toxicology. This work aimed at establishing a simple method to quantify six CYPs (CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2J2) in various biological samples without isotopic labeling. The biological matrix was spiked with the standard peptides prior to the digestion step to realize a label-free quantification by mass spectrometry. The method was validated and applied to quantify these six isoforms in both human liver microsomes and mitochondria, but also in recombinant expression systems such as baculosomes and the HepG2 cell line. The results showed intra-assay and interassay accuracy and precision within 16 % and 5 %, respectively, at the low quality control level, and demonstrated the advantages of the method in terms of reproducibility and cost.

A suicide gene therapy combining the improvement of cyclophosphamide tumor cytotoxicity and the development of an anti-tumor immune response.

Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) consists in targeted delivery to tumor cells of a suicide gene responsible for in situ conversion of a prodrug into cytotoxic metabolites. One of the major limitations of this strategy in clinical application was the poor prodrug activation capacity of suicide gene. We built a highly efficient suicide gene capable of bioactivating the prodrug cyclophosphamide (CPA) by fusing a CYP2B6 triple mutant with NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (CYP2B6TM-RED). Expression of this fusion gene via a recombinant lentivirus (LV) vector converted resistant human (A549) and murine (TC1) pulmonary cell lines into CPA-susceptible cell lines. We tested the efficiency of our GDEPT strategy in C57Bl/6 immunocompetent mice, using TC1 cells expressing the HPV-16 E6/E7 oncoproteins. In mice bearing tumors composed only of TC1-CYP2B6TM-RED cells, four CPA injections (140 mg/Kg once a week) completely eradicated the tumors for more than two months. Tumors having only 25% of TC1-CYP2B6TM-RED cells were also completely eradicated by five CPA injections, demonstrating a major in vivo bystander effect. Moreover, surviving mice were rechallenged with parental TC1 cells. The tumors regressed spontaneously 7 days after cell inoculation or grew more slowly than in control naive mice due to a strong immune response mediated by anti-E7CD8(+)T cells. These data suggest that combining the CYPB6TM-RED gene with CPA may hold promise as a highly effective treatment for solid tumors in humans.

Tissue accumulation of lanthanum as compared to aluminum in rats with chronic renal failure--possible harmful effects after long-term exposure.

BACKGROUND: Lanthanum (La) carbonate is a new treatment for hyperphosphatemia. We tested the effects of oral La carbonate and aluminum hydroxide, respectively, on tissue accumulation and liver function in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF). METHODS: Adult male non-CRF and CRF rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups receiving either standard diet (St.D), or the same diet supplemented with 3% La carbonate (non-CRF La vs. CRF La) or 3% aluminum hydroxide (non-CRF Al vs. CRF Al). RESULTS: After 12 weeks, serum phosphorus was decreased in both CRF La and Al groups. Urinary La and Al excretion was increased in these two groups, and so was liver and bone La content, and liver Al content. Both total body and liver weight were decreased in CRF La and CRF Al rats. Liver cell proliferation was decreased in these groups, while plasma total alkaline phosphatases and alanine aminotransferase were increased. Hepatic total cytochrome p450 content was reduced in CRF La, but not in CRF Al rats. CONCLUSION: Long-term oral La overload in rats with CRF was associated with a decrease in liver (and total body) weight and mild alterations of liver function, as was Al overload, possibly as a consequence of trace element accumulation.

Xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes and transporters in the normal human brain: regional and cellular mapping as a basis for putative roles in cerebral function.

Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters modulate the transport and metabolism of both endogenous and exogenous substrates and could play crucial roles in the human brain. In this study, we report the transcript expression profile of seven ABC transporters (ABCB1, ABCC1-C5, and ABCG2), 24 P450s (CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 families and CYP46A1), and 14 related transcription factors [aryl hydrocarbon receptor, nuclear receptor (NR)1I2/pregnane X receptor, NR1I3/constitutive androstane receptor and NR1C/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NR1H/liver X receptor, NR2B/retinoid X receptor, and NR3A/estrogen receptor subfamilies] in the whole brain, the dura mater, and 17 different encephalic areas. In addition, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to characterize the distribution of the P450s at the cellular and subcellular levels in some brain regions. Our results show the presence of a large variety of xenobiotic transporters and metabolizing enzymes in human brain and show for the first time their apparent selective distribution in different cerebral regions. The most abundant transporters were ABCC5 and ABCG2, which, interestingly, had a higher mRNA expression in the brain compared with that found in the liver. CYP46A1, CYP2J2, CYP2U1, CYP1B1, CYP2E1, and CYP2D6 represented more than 90% of the total P450 and showed selective distribution in different brain regions. Their presence in both microsomal and mitochondrial fractions was shown both in neuronal and glial cells in several brain areas. Thus, our study shows key enzymes of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism to be present in the human brain and provides novel information of importance for elucidation of enzymes responsible for normal and pathological processes in the human brain.

Cyclosporine triggers endoplasmic reticulum stress in endothelial cells: a role for endothelial phenotypic changes and death.

Calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporine and tacrolimus are effective immunosuppressants, but both substances have the same intrinsic nephrotoxic potential that adversely affects allograft survival in renal transplant patients and causes end-stage renal disease in other solid organ or bone marrow transplant recipients. Endothelial cells are the first biological interface between drugs and the kidney, and calcineurin inhibitors may influence endothelial function and viability in a number of ways. Notably, endothelial cells have recently been shown to contribute to the accumulation of interstitial fibroblasts in nonrenal models, through endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Here we demonstrate that cyclosporine, but not tacrolimus or its metabolites, induces morphological and phenotypic endothelial changes suggestive of a partial endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human umbilical arterial endothelial cells. We identify for the first time a contingent of interstitial myofibroblasts that coexpress endothelial markers in rat kidneys treated with cyclosporine, suggesting that endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition could occur in vivo. Finally, our findings suggest that endoplasmic reticulum stress triggered by cyclosporine induces endothelial cells to undergo endothelial phenotypic changes suggestive of a partial endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, whereas salubrinal partially preserves the endothelial phenotype. Inversely, tacrolimus does not induce endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition or endoplasmic reticulum stress. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time that cyclosporine, and not tacrolimus, induces endoplasmic reticulum stress in endothelial cells. Our findings also suggest that endoplasmic reticulum stress contributes to endothelial cell death and phenotypic changes similar to a partial endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Prediction of drug-induced liver injury in humans by using in vitro methods: the case of ximelagatran.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible mechanisms underlying the liver enzyme elevations seen during clinical studies of long-term treatment (>35 days) with ximelagatran, and investigate the usefulness of pre-clinical in vitro systems to predict drug-induced liver effects. METHODS: Ximelagatran and its metabolites were tested for effects on cell viability, mitochondrial function, formation of reactive metabolites and reactive oxygen species, protein binding, and induction of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) gene expression or nuclear orphan receptors. Experimental systems included fresh and cryopreserved hepatocytes, human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 and HuH-7) and subcellular human liver fractions. RESULTS: Loss of cell viability was only seen in HepG2 cells at ximelagatran concentrations 100 microM and in cryopreserved human hepatocytes at 300 microM, while HuH-7 cells were not affected by 24 h exposure at up to 300 microM ximelagatran. Calcium homeostasis was not affected in HepG2 cells exposed to ximelagatran up to 300 microM for 15 min. There was no evidence for the formation of reactive metabolites when cell systems were exposed to ximelagatran. ALT and AST expression in human hepatoma cell lines were also unchanged by ximelagatran. Mitochondrial functions such as respiration, opening of the transition pore, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and beta-oxidation were not affected by ximelagatran or its metabolites. CONCLUSION: Ximelagatran at concentrations considerably higher than that found in plasma following therapeutic dosing had little or no effect on cellular functions studied in vitro. The in vitro studies therefore did not elucidate the mechanism by which ximelagatran induces liver effects in humans, possibly because of limitations in the experimental systems not reflecting characteristics of the human hepatocyte, restricted exposure time, or because the primary mechanism for the observed clinical liver effects is not on the parenchymal liver cell.

Improvement of cyclophosphamide activation by CYP2B6 mutants: from in silico to ex vivo.

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is a chemotherapeutic agent that is primarily activated in the liver by cytochrome P4502B6 (CYP2B6) and then transported to the tumor via blood flow. To prevent deleterious secondary effects, P450-based gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) consists of expressing CYP2B6 in tumor cells before CPA treatment. Given the relatively low affinity of CYP2B6 for CPA, the aim of our work was to modify CYP2B6 to increase its catalytic efficiency (V(max)/K(m)) to metabolize CPA into 4'-OH CPA. A molecular model of CYP2B6 was built, and four residues in close contact with the substrate were subjected to mutagenesis. Canine CYP2B11 exhibiting a particularly low K(m) to CPA, the amino acids exclusively present in the CYP2B11 substrate recognition sequences were substituted in human CYP2B6. All mutants (n = 26) were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and their enzymatic constants (K(m), V(max)) evaluated using CPA as substrate. Five mutants exhibited a 2- to 3-fold higher catalytic efficiency than wild-type CYP2B6. A double mutant, comprising the two most effective mutations, showed a 4-fold increase in K(m)/V(max). Molecular dynamic simulations of several mutants were found to be consistent with the observed modifications in catalytic efficiency. Finally, expression of the CYP2B6 114V/477W double mutant, contrary to wt CYP2B6, allowed switching of a resistant human head and neck cancer cell line (A-253) into a sensitive cell line toward CPA. Thus, we were able to obtain a new efficient CYP2B6 mutant able to metabolize CPA, an important step in the GDEPT strategy for human cancer treatment.

Rapamycin inhibits human renal epithelial cell proliferation: effect on cyclin D3 mRNA expression and stability.

BACKGROUND: Recent data have suggested that rapamycin use during the initial period after transplantation is associated with prolonged delayed graft function (DGF). Because of the known effects of rapamycin in other cell types, we speculated that this action may be secondary to human renal epithelial cells (HRECs) inhibition of proliferation. METHODS: Primary cultures of HRECs were incubated with various concentrations of rapamycin. Cell proliferation was evaluated by cytotoxicity assays. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Protein expression levels were assessed by Western blot. Cyclin D3 mRNA levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The transcriptional activity of the cyclin D3 gene was evaluated using transient transfection. RESULTS: Rapamycin exerted a significant concentration-dependent antiproliferative effect on growing HRECs by inhibiting the G(1) to S transition. The p70(S6) kinase pathway leading to cell cycle progression was found to be active, and low concentrations of rapamycin dramatically reduced p70(S6) kinase phosphorylation. Rapamycin completely inhibited the increase in cyclin D3 protein expression and mRNA accumulation induced by fetal calf serum, but did not affect cyclin E or cdk-inhibitor expression levels. This regulation of cyclin D3 protein expression is mainly due to a destabilization of its mRNA. Rapamycin reduced the mRNA half-life by 26% (4.8 +/- 1.3 hours vs. 6.5 +/- 1.0 hours, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Rapamycin inhibits the proliferative response of HRECs to mitogenic stimuli, and causes cell cycle arrest in the early G(1) phase, not only by a nonspecific process due to inhibition of the p70(S6k) pathway, but also by a direct effect on cyclin D3 mRNA stability.

In vitro metabolism of chloroquine: identification of CYP2C8, CYP3A4, and CYP2D6 as the main isoforms catalyzing N-desethylchloroquine formation.

In humans, the antimalarial drug chloroquine (CQ) is metabolized into one major metabolite, N-desethylchloroquine (DCQ). Using human liver microsomes (HLM) and recombinant human cytochrome P450 (P450), we performed studies to identify the P450 isoform(s) involved in the N-desethylation of CQ. In HLM incubated with CQ, only DCQ could be detected. Apparent Km and Vmax values (mean +/- S.D.) for metabolite formation were 444 +/- 121 microM and 617 +/- 128 pmol/min/mg protein, respectively. In microsomes from a panel of 16 human livers phenotyped for 10 different P450 isoforms, DCQ formation was highly correlated with testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation (r = 0.80; p < 0.001), a CYP3A-mediated reaction, and CYP2C8-mediated paclitaxel alpha-hydroxylation (r = 0.82; p < 0.001). CQ N-desethylation was diminished when coincubated with quercetin (20-40% inhibition), ketoconazole, or troleandomycin (20-30% inhibition) and was strongly inhibited (80% inhibition) by a combination of ketoconazole and quercetin, which further corroborates the contribution of CYP2C8 and CYP3As. Of 10 cDNA-expressed human P450s examined, only CYP1A1, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and CYP2C8 produced DCQ. CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 constituted low-affinity/high-capacity systems, whereas CYP2D6 was associated with higher affinity but a significantly lower capacity. This property may explain the ability of CQ to inhibit CYP2D6-mediated metabolism in vitro and in vivo. At therapeutically relevant concentrations ( approximately 100 microM CQ in the liver), CYP2C8, CYP3A4, and, to a much lesser extent, CYP2D6 are expected to account for most of the CQ N-desethylation.

Constitutive overexpression of immunoidentical forms of PCP-induced Euglena gracilis CYP-450.

Environmental pollutants are classically associated with increased drug metabolism. In this report, antibodies that are able to detect mammalian CYP proteins, namely the CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2B1/B2, and CYP3A4 proteins, were used to investigate the expression of CYP-related proteins in Euglena gracilis (EG) cells under normal and PCP-treated conditions and in a EG-cell line adapted to PCP. Compared to normal conditions, the presence of PCP in the culture medium induced elevated levels of EG CYP-like proteins. With the exception of CYP3A4, this overexpression was correlated with expression of additional forms of CYP proteins having, respectively, the same molecular weight but slightly different pIs. Even in EG cells which had lost their PCP-adapted property after having been cultured without PCP, these additional forms were continuously expressed. This observation raised the question about the definition of a biomarker of pollution.