Characterization and Prevention of Hypovitaminosis C in Chimeric Mice with Humanized Livers.

Humanized liver chimeric mice (PXB-mice) are generated by the transplantation of human hepatocytes into mice that have severe combined immunodeficiency and express an albumin-promoted urokinase-type plasminogen activator (cDNA-uPA/SCID) transgene. Human hepatocytes cannot synthesize ascorbic acid (AA; commonly called vitamin C) and humans require supplementation to prevent vitamin C deficiency. PXB-mouse livers contain up to approximately 95% human hepatocytes, which likely affects AA synthesis. To determine whether dietary AA supplementation prevents scurvy-like symptoms and death in PXB-mice, a 12 week study that compared nonsupplemented and supplemented PXB-mice was conducted. Approximately 4 weeks into the study, PXB-mice without dietary supplementation of AA displayed weight loss and clinical signs of hypovitaminosis C, including hunched posture, unkempt appearance, and lameness. Pathologic evaluation of nonsupplemented PXB-mice revealed lesions consistent with hypovitaminosis C. Mean serum AA concentrations in the nonsupplemented PXB-mice were below the limit of quantitation (0.5 µg/mL) and were substantially less than those of controls. AA was also measured in a number of tissues, including adrenal gland, brain, liver, and testis; low AA concentrations were similarly observed in tissues obtained from the nonsupplemented PXB-mice. Collectively, these findings support AA supplementation in PXB-mice to prevent the development of hypovitaminosis C and the potential utility of nonsupplemented PXB-mice as an animal model of scurvy.

Nucleotide P2Y1 receptor agonists are in vitro and in vivo prodrugs of A1/A3 adenosine receptor agonists: implications for roles of P2Y1 and A1/A3 receptors in physiology and pathology.

Rapid phosphoester hydrolysis of endogenous purine and pyrimidine nucleotides has challenged the characterization of the role of P2 receptors in physiology and pathology. Nucleotide phosphoester stabilization has been pursued on a number of medicinal chemistry fronts. We investigated the in vitro and in vivo stability and pharmacokinetics of prototypical nucleotide P2Y1 receptor (P2Y1R) agonists and antagonists. These included the riboside nucleotide agonist 2-methylthio-ADP and antagonist MRS2179, as well as agonist MRS2365 and antagonist MRS2500 containing constrained (N)-methanocarba rings, which were previously reported to form nucleotides that are more slowly hydrolyzed at the α-phosphoester compared with the ribosides. In vitro incubations in mouse and human plasma and blood demonstrated the rapid hydrolysis of these compounds to nucleoside metabolites. This metabolism was inhibited by EDTA to chelate divalent cations required by ectonucleotidases for nucleotide hydrolysis. This rapid hydrolysis was confirmed in vivo in mouse pharmacokinetic studies that demonstrate that MRS2365 is a prodrug of the nucleoside metabolite AST-004 (MRS4322). Furthermore, we demonstrate that the nucleoside metabolites of MRS2365 and 2-methylthio-ADP are adenosine receptor (AR) agonists, notably at A3 and A1ARs. In vivo efficacy of MRS2365 in murine models of traumatic brain injury and stroke can be attributed to AR activation by its nucleoside metabolite AST-004, rather than P2Y1R activation. This research suggests the importance of reevaluation of previous in vitro and in vivo research of P2YRs and P2XRs as there is a potential that the pharmacology attributed to nucleotide agonists is due to AR activation by active nucleoside metabolites.

First-in-human phase 1/2a trial of CRLX101, a cyclodextrin-containing polymer-camptothecin nanopharmaceutical in patients with advanced solid tumor malignancies.

Patients with advanced solid malignancies were enrolled to an open-label, single-arm, dose-escalation study, in which CRLX101 was administered intravenously over 60 min among two dosing schedules, initially weekly at 6, 12, and 18 mg/m(2) and later bi-weekly at 12, 15, and 18 mg/m(2). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was determined at 15 mg/m(2) bi-weekly, and an expansion phase 2a study was completed. Patient samples were obtained for pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) assessments. Response was evaluated per RECIST criteria v1.0 every 8 weeks. Sixty-two patients (31 male; median age 63 years, range 39-79) received treatment. Bi-weekly dosing was generally well tolerated with myelosuppression being the dose-limiting toxicity. Among all phase 1/2a patients receiving the MTD (n = 44), most common grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia and fatigue. Evidence of systemic plasma exposure to both the polymer-conjugated and unconjugated CPT was observed in all treated patients. Mean elimination unconjugated CPT Tmax values ranged from 17.7 to 24.5 h, and maximum plasma concentrations and areas under the curve were generally proportional to dose for both polymer-conjugated and unconjugated CPT. Best overall response was stable disease in 28 patients (64 %) treated at the MTD and 16 (73 %) of a subset of NSCLC patients. Median progression-free survival (PFS) for patients treated at the MTD was 3.7 months and for the subset of NSCLC patients was 4.4 months. These combined phase 1/2a data demonstrate encouraging safety, pharmacokinetic, and efficacy results. Multinational phase 2 clinical development of CRLX101 across multiple tumor types is ongoing.

In vitro-in vivo correlation and translation to the clinical outcome for CJ-13,610, a novel inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase.

The metabolism of the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, 4-(3-(4-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenylthio)phenyl)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-carboxamide (CJ-13,610), was investigated in liver microsomes from human and preclinical species in an effort to compare metabolite profiles and evaluate the in vitro-in vivo correlation for metabolic clearance. Overall, the metabolite profile of CJ-13,610 was comparable across the species tested with multiple oxidative metabolites observed, including sulfoxidation. The sulfoxidation kinetics characterized in rat, dog, and human liver microsomes (HLM) indicated a low apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m, app)) of 4 to 5 microM. Results from cDNA-expressed cytochrome P450 (P450) studies indicated that the metabolism in HLM was primarily mediated by CYP3A4 and 3A5. A subsequent in vitro study using ketoconazole as an inhibitor of CJ-13,610 sulfoxidation corroborated the CYP3A4/5-mediated pathway (IC(50) = 7 nM). Assessment of multiple methods for predicting the human pharmacokinetic profile observed with CJ-13,610 after a 30-mg single oral dose indicated that clearance scaled from human liver microsomes yielded a better prediction when coupled with a Vd(ss) term that was scaled from dog [area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and half-life within 1.3-fold of actual] versus a Vd(ss) term obtained from rat. Single-species allometric scaling of clearance and Vd(ss) from dog pharmacokinetic studies was equally predictive, whereas scaling from rat resulted in underpredictions of both AUC and maximal concentration (C(max)). Results from these studies support the strategy of predicting human pharmacokinetics using human liver microsomal intrinsic clearance data. More importantly, results from the present investigation enabled the selection of alternative drug candidates from the chemical series via in vitro screening, while subsequently eliminating costly routine preclinical in vivo studies.

Expression and characterization of functional dog flavin-containing monooxygenase 3.

Mammalian flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) enzymes catalyze oxidation at nucleophilic, heteroatom centers and are important for drug, xenobiotic, and endogenous substrate metabolism. In human liver, human FMO3 (hFMO3) is the most abundant FMO isoform and is known to contribute to the hepatic clearance of a variety of clinical drugs. The purpose of the current study was to express and compare the dog (beagle) FMO3 (dFMO3) to hFMO3. A full-length dFMO3 cDNA was obtained from liver by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Using a baculovirus expression system in Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells, dFMO3 was expressed to protein levels of 0.50 nmol/mg, as determined by liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. Expressed dFMO3 displayed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, catalyzing NADPH-dependent N-oxidation of benzydamine, with K(m) and V(max) values of 18.6 microM and 0.63 nmol N-oxide formed/min/nmol of enzyme, respectively. Benzydamine N-oxidation catalyzed by hFMO3 showed values of 42.6 microM (K(m)) and 3.56 nmol/min/nmol of enzyme (V(max)). Human FMO3 was observed to catalyze the S-oxidation of sulindac sulfide, with respective K(m) and V(max) values of 69.3 microM and 35.4 nmol/min/nmol of enzyme. dFMO3 also catalyzed sulindac sulfide S-oxidation with 6.8 nmol/min/nmol of enzyme being the highest velocity observed. Finally, Western blot analysis indicated protein expression levels of dFMO3 in pooled dog liver and lung microsomes to be 27 and 9 pmol/mg, respectively. In summary, dFMO3 appears to be a functional enzyme expressed at appreciable levels in liver, but one with some kinetic properties that are substantially different from its human homolog hFMO3.

Assessment of the metabolism and intrinsic reactivity of a novel catechol metabolite.

PH-302 ( 1) demonstrates potent inhibitory activity against the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The primary metabolite of PH-302 is a catechol ( 2) resulting from oxidative demethylenation of the methylenedioxyphenyl moiety by cytochrome P450 3A4. Concerns regarding subsequent two-electron oxidation of 2 to an electrophilic quinone species and the potential for resulting toxicity prompted additional studies to examine the reactivity and metabolic fate of this metabolite. Contrary to literature reports of catechol reactivity, 2 appeared to be resistant to quinone formation in human liver microsomal incubations, as determined by the lack of detectable glutathione (GSH) adducts and no covalent binding to microsomal proteins. In addition, 2 showed no evidence of depletion of intracellular glutathione or cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 1 mM in primary human and rat hepatocytes. In the presence of tyrosinase, spectral evidence indicated that 2 was oxidized to the ortho-quinone, and upon incubation in the presence of GSH, two conjugates were detected and characterized by LC/MS/MS. Lastly, the metabolic pathways of 2 were investigated in rat and human hepatocytes and found to be similar, proceeding via glucuronidation, sulfation, and methylation of the catechol. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that 2 appears to be resistant to further oxidation to quinone in liver microsomes, as well as spontaneous redox cycling, while the formation of phase II metabolites in hepatocytes suggests that multiple detoxication pathways may provide added protection against toxicity in the liver.

Inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 by a pyrimidineimidazole: Evidence for complex heme interactions.

PH-302 inhibits the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by coordinating with the heme of the monomeric form and preventing formation of the active dimer. Inherent with the mechanism of pharmacology for this compound was the inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 (P450 3A4), observed from early ADME screening. Further investigation showed that PH-302 inhibited P450 3A4 competitively with a Ki of approximately 2.0 microM against both midazolam and testosterone hydroxylation in human liver microsomes. As expected, spectral binding analysis demonstrated that inhibition was a result of type II coordination to the P450 heme with the imidazole moiety of PH-302, although only 72% of the maximal absorbance difference was achievable with PH-302 compared to that of the smaller ligand imidazole. Time-dependent inhibition of P450 3A4 by PH-302 was also observed because of metabolite-inhibitory (MI) complex formation via metabolism of the methylenedioxyphenyl group. The profile for time-dependent inhibition in recombinant P450 3A4 was biphasic, and was kinetically characterized by a kinact of 0.08 min-1 and a Ki of 1.2 microM for the first phase (0-1.5 min) and a kinact of 0.06 min-1 and a Ki of 23.8 microM for the second phase (1.5-10 min). Spectral characterization of the PH-302 MI complex demonstrated that formation began to plateau within 3 min, consistent with the kinetic profile of inactivation by PH-302. Meanwhile, spectral evidence for the imidazole-derived type II difference spectrum of PH-302 was captured simultaneously with the formation of the MI complex. The presence of simultaneously operable type II coordination and rapidly saturable MI complex formation with heme by PH-302 indicates the presence of complex heme interactions with this unique molecule. Information from these mechanistic studies adds to our understanding of the nature of P450 3A4 inhibition by PH-302 and provides a potentially useful tool compound for future studies investigating binding interactions in this important drug-metabolizing enzyme.

Expression and characterization of functional dog flavin-containing monooxygenase 1.

A full-length dog (beagle) flavin-containing monooxygenase 1 (FMO1) cDNA (dFMO1) was obtained from liver by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The amino acid sequence of dFMO1 was 89% homologous to human FMO1. Using a baculovirus expression system in Sf-9 insect cells, dFMO1 was expressed to protein levels of 0.4 nmol/mg, as determined by immunoquantitation. The flavin content of the expressed enzyme was consistent with immunodetectable dFMO1 protein levels. Expressed dFMO1 catalyzed NADPH-dependent methyl p-tolyl sulfide oxidation, with K(m) and V(max) values of 98.6 microM and 63.8 nmol of S-oxide formed/min/mg of protein, respectively. By comparison, human FMO1 showed similar values of 87.1 microM (K(m)) and 51.0 nmol/min/mg (V(max)). Activity for dFMO1 showed characteristic pH dependence, with a 4.5-fold increase in S-oxidase activity as the incubation pH increased from 7.6 to 9.0. Human FMO1 also showed an increase in reaction rate with pH but a somewhat lower optimum of 8.0 to 8.4. dFMO1 also catalyzed imipramine N-oxidation, with a K(m) of 4.7 microM and a V(max) of 82.1 nmol/min/mg of protein. This enzyme displayed other characteristics of FMO enzymes, with rapid depletion of enzyme activity upon heating in the absence of NADPH. Protein levels of 74 pmol of dFMO1/mg of microsomal protein were determined for a pooled liver microsome sample, suggesting that this enzyme is a major canine hepatic monooxygenase. In conclusion, the expression and characterization of catalytically active dFMO1 will allow the role of this enzyme in the metabolism of xenobiotics to be determined.