Quantitative analysis of O-isopropyl methylphosphonic acid in serum samples of Japanese citizens allegedly exposed to sarin: estimation of internal dosage.

A convenient and rapid micro-anion exchange liquid chromatography (LC) tandem electrospray mass spectrometry (MS) procedure was developed for quantitative analysis in serum of O-isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA), the hydrolysis product of the nerve agent sarin. The mass spectrometric procedure involves negative or positive ion electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) detection. The method could be successfully applied to the analysis of serum samples from victims of the Tokyo subway attack and of an earlier incident at Matsumoto, Japan. IMPA levels ranging from 2 to 135 ng/ml were found. High levels of IMPA appear to correlate with low levels of residual butyrylcholinesterase activity in the samples and vice versa. Based on our analyses, the internal and exposure doses of the victims were estimated. In several cases, the doses appeared to be substantially higher than the assumed lethal doses in man.

New method for retrospective detection of exposure to organophosphorus anticholinesterases: application to alleged sarin victims of Japanese terrorists.

With regard to detection of exposure to anticholinesterase, the presently used methods have the disadvantage that they cannot detect either low-level exposures with certainty or the structure of the agent and the extent of poisoning. In principle, organophosphate-inhibited butyrylcholinesterase in human plasma is the most persistent and abundant source for biomonitoring of exposure to organophosphate anticholinesterases. Fluoride ions reactivate the inhibited enzyme readily at pH 4, converting the organophosphate moiety into the corresponding phosphofluoridate. Subsequent quantitation of the latter product provides a reliable, highly sensitive and retrospective method for detection of exposure to, or handling of, organophosphates such as nerve agents and organophosphorus pesticides. We applied the new procedure to serum samples from victims of the Tokyo subway attack by the AUM Shinriyko sect and from an earlier incident at Matsumoto. In serum of 10 of 11 victims from the Tokyo incident and of 2 of the 7 samples from the Matsumoto incident, reactivation with fluoride ions yielded sarin concentrations in the range of 0.2-4.1 ng/ml serum. Evidently, these victims had been exposed to an organophosphate with the structure PriO(CH3)P(O)X, presumably with X = F (sarin). Several applications of the new procedure to establish nerve agent and/or organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure can be envisaged, e.g., (i) in biomonitoring of exposure for health surveillance of those handling organophosphates, (ii) in cases of alleged exposure to nerve agents and/or OP pesticides in armed conflict situations or terrorist attacks, (iii) in medical treatment of intoxication, and (iv) in forensic cases against suspected terrorists that may have handled anticholinesterases.

Stereoselectivity in glutathione conjugation and amidase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the 2-bromoisovalerylurea enantiomers in the single-pass perfused rat liver.

Stereoselective glutathione conjugation and amidase-catalyzed hydrolysis of [(R)- and (S)-]2-bromoisovalerylurea (BIU), yielding bromoisovaleric acid (BI) and urea, have been observed in the rat in vivo and in isolated rat hepatocytes. The metabolism of enantiomeric (R)- and (S)-BIU was presently examined in the single-pass perfused rat liver with varying input concentrations (8-250 microM). Steady-state hepatic extraction ratios for (R)-BIU (0.6) were constant and higher than those for (S)-BIU, whose extraction ratio decreased from 0.36 (8 microM) to 0.23 (236 microM). (R)- and (S)-BIU were excreted unchanged only minimally into bile. [14C-Urea](R)-BIU underwent amidase-catalyzed hydrolysis to yield [14C]urea (15-24% of rate in) and conjugation to form the (S)-glutathionyl conjugate (31-35% of rate in); two metabolites, most likely the cysteinyl and dipeptide conjugates of BIU (10% of rate in), were found. [3H-Isovaleryl](S)-BIU formed much less amidase-hydrolyzed product, [3H]BI (1-2% of rate in) less (R)-glutathionyl conjugate (9-18% of rate in), but appreciable amounts (14-17% of rate in) of three other metabolites, of which two were most likely the cysteinyl and glycinylcysteinyl conjugates of BIU. When the glutathione conjugation products (glutathione, cysteine and cysteinylglycine conjugates) were summed, the total glutathione conjugation rate for (R)-BIU (44% of rate in) exceeded that for (S)-BIU (34 to 24% of rate in). Fitting of data to the Michaelis-Menten equation revealed similar Km for glutathione conjugation, but a 2-fold higher Vmax for (R)-BIU.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Stereoselective conjugation of 2-bromocarboxylic acids and their urea derivatives by rat liver glutathione transferase 12-12 and some other isoforms.

Glutathione (GSH) conjugation of the separate enantiomers of five 2-bromocarboxylic acids and some of their urea derivatives by rat liver GSH transferases (GSTs) was studied. The liver cytosolic fraction conjugated all compounds, except for (R)-2-bromoisovaleric acid, with a variable degree of stereoselectivity. A GST pool, prepared by S-hexyl-GSH affinity chromatography, conjugated the urea derivatives at a somewhat higher rate but had very little activity towards the carboxylic acids, indicating that much activity towards the latter substrates was due to transferases not bound by the affinity column. Therefore, the activity was studied of some pure GSTs that are bound only slightly by the affinity column towards the separate enantiomers of 2-bromovaleric acid (BV), its urea derivative and 2-bromo-3-phenylpropionic acid (BPP). No activity was detected with transferases 5-5 and 8-8. Transferase 1-1 was active towards all compounds with high activity towards the urea derivatives. Transferase 12-12 showed high, stereospecific activity towards the R enantiomers of BV, its urea derivative and BPP.

Relationship between glutathione content in liver and glutathione conjugation rate in the rat in vivo. Effect of buthionine sulphoximine pretreatment on conjugation of the two 2-bromoisovalerylurea enantiomers during intravenous infusion.

The relationship between hepatic glutathione content and hepatic glutathione conjugation rate in the rat in vivo was investigated. As substrate for glutathione conjugation, racemic (R,S)-2-bromoisovalerylurea (BIU) was used which gives rise to the biliary excretion of two diastereoisomeric glutathione conjugates and the urinary excretion of two diastereoisomeric mercapturates. The excretion rate of the glutathione conjugate in bile reflects hepatic conjugation exclusively. An intravenous infusion of BIU was given and the excretion rates of the metabolites in bile and urine were determined. The glutathione concentration in the liver was followed by taking biopsies every hour. Glutathione was depleted by the infused substrate; in rats that were pretreated with the inhibitor of glutathione biosynthesis, buthionine sulphoximine (BSO), the depletion of the glutathione content was more rapid. The rate of excretion of the glutathione conjugate in bile was plotted against hepatic glutathione content. These results indicate that the 'organ Km' for glutathione in the liver is approximately 0.5 mumol/g of liver, so that the hepatic glutathione conjugation rate is decreased only at severe glutathione depletion.

Chiral inversion and stereoselective glutathione conjugation of the four 2-bromo-3-methylvaleric acid stereoisomers in the rat in vivo and in vitro.

Glutathione conjugation of the four 2-bromo-3-methylvaleric acid (BMV) stereoisomers was studied in vitro (rat liver cytosol) and in the rat in vivo (by monitoring biliary excretion of the glutathione conjugates). Rat liver cytosol catalyzed the formation of the corresponding glutathione conjugates in a ratio of 28:7:1:0 for the isomers 2S,3S-, 2S,3R-, 2R,3R- and 2R,3S-BMV, respectively. In the rat in vivo, a similar rank order was found: no conjugation of the 2R,3S isomer, whereas the biliary excretion half-lives of the GSH conjugates of the 2S,3S-, 2S,3R- and 2R,3R-isomers were 11, 36 and 70 min, respectively. These results show that isomers with the C2 carbon in the S configuration are more rapidly conjugated than those with the R configuration, and that the chiral center at the C3 carbon atom affects the conjugation rate at the C2 carbon. In addition to the SN2-type glutathione conjugates, from three substrates the glutathione conjugate of the corresponding diastereomer was formed, indicating bidirectional chiral inversion at the C2 carbon atom of the isomer. For instance, 2S,3R-BMV yielded both 2R,3R-MV-G and 2S,3R-MV-G. The biliary excretion half-lives of the "inverted" conjugates formed from the 2R,3S-, 2R,3R- and 2S,3R-isomer were 54 +/- 3, 75 +/- 3 and 38 +/- 3 min, respectively.

Glutathione conjugation and pharmacokinetics of 2-bromo-3-phenylpropionic acid in vitro and in the rat in vivo.

Glutathione (GSH) conjugation of the chiral compound 2-bromo-3-phenylpropionic acid (BPP) was studied in vitro and in the rat in vivo. GSH conjugation of BPP, catalyzed by a mixture of glutathione-S-transferases (GST's) from rat liver cytosol in vitro, was stereoselective: at a substrate concentration of 250 microM, (R)-BPP was more rapidly conjugated than (S)-BPP (R/S-ratio = 2.6). The blood elimination kinetics of the separate BPP enantiomers and the biliary excretion kinetics of the corresponding GSH conjugates were studied in the rat in vivo after administration of (R)- or (S)-BPP at a dose level of 50 mumol/kg. Elimination of (R)-BPP from blood was faster than that of (S)-BPP: half lives were 9 +/- 2 min for (R)-BPP and 13 +/- 1 min for (S)-BPP. The biliary excretion rate of the GSH conjugate of (R)-BPP declined monoexponentially, while that of the GSH conjugate of (S)-BPP displayed a biphasic profile. Half lives of excretion were 13 +/- 1 for the GSH conjugate of (R)-BPP, and 11 +/- 2 for the GSH conjugate of (S)-BPP (second phase). The first phase in the biliary excretion of the GSH conjugate of (S)-BPP could not be attributed to capacity limitation of biliary transport carriers as higher excretion rates were attained upon administration of higher doses (100 and 200 mumol/kg) of (S)-BPP). The blood elimination profiles of (R)- and (S)-BPP differed greatly from the biliary excretion profiles of the corresponding GSH conjugates. This suggests that the kinetics of BPP conjugate excretion are determined by other processes than hepatic GSH conjugation.

The fate of diastereomeric glutathione conjugates of alpha-bromoisovalerylurea in blood in the rat in vivo and in the perfused liver. Stereoselectivity in biliary and urinary excretion.

The mixture of the two diastereomeric glutathione (GSH) conjugates of alpha-bromoisovalerylurea, (RS)-IU-G, was administered i.v. to anesthetized rats. Bile and urine were collected for 6 hr. Some 70 to 75% was recovered in urine as mercapturates. The half-lives of the urinary excretion were the same for the two mercapturates: 18 min and approximately 130 min, respectively, for the rapid and the slow phase. In bile only 1.5% of the dose of (R) and (S)-IU-G was found; two unidentified metabolites were also found. In rats with ligated kidneys, 4% of the dose of each glutathione conjugate was excreted in bile. Again, the two unidentified metabolites were found. In the isolated recirculating liver perfusion experiments, 1.4% of the administered GSH conjugates was found in bile. The concentration of the GSH conjugates in the perfusion medium remained constant and no other metabolites were formed. When (RS)-alpha-bromoisovalerylurea itself was added to the perfusate, the GSH conjugates in bile increased rapidly. The results show that the GSH conjugate in blood is little excreted in bile due to a slow uptake of the conjugate by the liver. The diastereomeric GSH conjugates show no stereoselectivity in their pharmacokinetics, indicating that the rate limiting step in this process is not stereoselective.

Glutathione conjugation of the alpha-bromoisovaleric acid enantiomers in the rat in vivo and its stereoselectivity. Pharmacokinetics of biliary and urinary excretion of the glutathione conjugate and the mercapturate.

The glutathione (GSH) conjugation of (R)-and (S)-alpha-bromoisovaleric acid (BI) in the rat in vivo, and its stereoselectivity, have been characterized. After administration of racemic [1-14C]BI two radioactive metabolites were found in bile: only one of the possible diastereomeric BI-GSH conjugates, (R)-I-S-G (35 +/- 2% of the dose), and an unidentified metabolite "X" (6 +/- 1%). In urine, only one of the possible BI-mercapturates, (R)-I-S-MA (14 +/- 1%), minor unidentified polar metabolites (5 +/- 1%) and unchanged BI (13 +/- 2%) were excreted. When (R) or (S)-BI were administered separately, the same metabolites were found. However, a ten-fold difference in excretion half lives of the biliary metabolites was observed following (S)-and (R)-BI administration, (S)-BI being more rapidly excreted. The excretion of the mercapturate in urine shows the same difference in excretion rate: its half life after administration of (R)-BI was more than 10 times longer than after a dose of (S)-BI. More of the dose of (S)-BI was excreted after 5 hr in bile and urine: 58% and 23% respectively for (S)- and (R)-BI. Therefore, a pronounced stereoselectivity in GSH conjugation exists for the (R) and (S) enantiomers of BI in the rat in vivo, which is a major determinant of their pharmacokinetics. The results suggest that (slow) inversion of the chiral centre of BI occurred in the rat in vivo.

Stereoselectivity of glutathione conjugation: blood elimination of alpha-bromoisovalerylurea enantiomers and biliary excretion of the conjugates in unanesthetized normal or congenitally jaundiced rats.

Stereoselectivity of glutathione conjugation was studied in unanesthetized normal and congenitally jaundiced rats (Groningen Yellow), using the separate enantiomers of alpha-bromoisovalerylurea (BIU) as substrates. The blood elimination half-lives of (R)- or (S)-BIU were 8 and 38 min, respectively. The excretion half-lives of the GSH conjugates in bile in normal rats showed a similar difference: (R)-BIU yielded exclusively (S)-IU-S-G with a T1/2 of 12 min, and (S)-BIU yielded only (R)-IU-S-G with a T1/2 of 36 min. In normal rats 45-47% of the dose of (R)-BIU and (S)-BIU was found in bile as glutathione (GSH) conjugate, and 19-25% was excreted in urine as mercapturates. Similar values in the mutant rats indicated that BIU elimination by GSH conjugation was unimpaired, but the GSH conjugates were absent from bile. In the urine twice as much mercapturates was found as in normal rats. The GSH content and the activity of the glutathione-S-transferases in the liver were similar in mutant and controls. The data on blood elimination of the BIU enantiomers and biliary excretion of the GSH conjugates suggest that for (S)-BIU the conjugation step is rate-limiting, whereas for (R)-BIU a transport step into bile may be rate-limiting.

Altered pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship of heptabarbital in experimental renal failure in rats.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether renal dysfunction is associated with an alteration in the concentration-anesthetic effect relationship of heptabarbital (HB). Adult female rats were pretreated with uranyl nitrate (5 mg/kg i.v.) to produce renal dysfunction. Saline-injected rats served as controls. The concentration-effect relationship of HB was determined both at onset of loss of righting reflex (LRR) during an i.v. infusion (0.563 mg/min) and at offset of LRR after administration of a bolus dose (82 and 111 mg/kg in renal failure and controls, respectively, inducing similar durations of effect). In renal failure HB concentrations in serum (total and free) and in brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) both at onset and offset of LRR were reduced significantly. When HB was infused at different rates (0.225, 0.563 and 1.50 mg/min) rats with renal impairment had slightly increasing HB concentrations at onset of LRR with increasing infusion rate, not only in serum and brain but also in CSF. When HB was administered in different bolus doses (71, 77, 80 and 96 mg/kg i.v.) the duration of effect increased linearly with the logarithm of the dose, but HB concentrations in serum (both total and free), brain and CSF at offset of LRR were similar, indicating the absence of (inter)active metabolites. The results indicate that renal dysfunction is associated with an increased sensitivity of the brain to HB, which is unrelated to changes in the disposition of HB.