ABSTRACT
The promising benefits of salidroside (SAL) in alleviating high altitude sickness boost investigations on its pharmacokinetics and biological activity. However, the transportation and disposition process of SAL under hypoxic conditions has never been explored. The current study was proposed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of SAL in hypoxic rats and to explore the underlying mechanisms for the distinct metabolic fate of SAL under hypoxia. Pharmacokinetic studies on SAL was conducted in both hypoxic and normoxic rats. The transport properties of SAL were investigated on both hypoxic and normoxic Caco-2 monolayer models. Enzymes involved in SAL metabolism were identified and the effects of hypoxia on these enzymes were assessed by real-time PCR, western blotting analyses, and rat liver homogenate incubation. The renal clearance (CLr) of SAL, effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in both hypoxic and normoxic rats were also determined for renal function assessment. It was found that the systemic exposure of SAL in hypoxic rats was remarkably higher than that in normoxic rats. The barrier function of Caco-2 monolayer was weakened under hypoxia due to the impaired brush border microvilli and decreased expression of tight junction protein. Hepatic metabolism of SAL in hypoxic rats was attenuated due to the reduced activity of cytosolic ß-glucosidase (CBG). Moreover, CLr of SAL was reduced in hypoxic rats due to the suppressed ERPF. Our findings suggest the potential need for dose-adjustment of SAL or its structural analogs under hypoxic conditions.
ABSTRACT
Hypermethylation of the cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites located at the 3'-major capsid protein L1 (3'L1) and the long control region (LCR) of the human papillomavirus (HPV) genome may be associated with the progression of cervical cancer (CC). However, the methylation status of the LCR of HPV type 16 DNA remains to be elucidated in an infected Chinese population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between methylation of the HPV 16 L1 gene and LCR, and the severity of cervical lesions in infected female patients. Therefore, bisulfite modification, polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing were used to analyze 122 HPV 16-positive clinical cervical swabs obtained from patients in northeastern China. The proportion of methylated samples at each of the 7 CpG sites within the 3'-L1/5'-LCR and 5 CpG sites within the promoter region was significantly increased in patients with CC, compared with that observed in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and normal tissue/low-grade intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) (χ2 test, P<0.01). The mean methylation frequencies of the CpG sites 7,089 and 7,143 exhibited an area under the curve value of 0.822 [95% confidence interval (CI)=0.733-0.911] for distinguishing CC from other lesions, 0.787 (95% CI=0.700-0.874) for distinguishing normal/LSIL from HSIL and CC, and 0.763 (95% CI=0.652-0.874) for distinguishing CC from HSIL. These results suggest that the methylation of CpG sites within the HPV 16 3'-L1 and LCR region is correlated with the severity of cervical lesions. Quantification of HPV DNA methylation in the L1 gene and promoter region appears to provide a promising novel marker for distinguishing between normal tissue/LSIL, HSIL and CC in a Chinese population.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of hypoxia on the pharmacokinetic process of salidrosidein rats and to explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS The Caco-2 cell monolayerwas exposed to 1% oxygen (O2) concentration for 24 h to build the hypoxiccell model. The transportation mode of salidroside was investigated with the aid of this hypoxia model by detecting the apparent permeability coefficient(Papp). Healthy Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to 9% O2 for 72 h for the construction of hypoxic rat model. Liver sample was subsequently collected from the hypoxic rats with an aim to identify enzymes responsible for salidroside metabolism. The expression levels of sali?droside-transporting and salidroside-metabolizing enzymes, including Sodium-dependent glucose cotrans?porters (SGLT1), β-glucosidase (GBA3)and sulfotransferase (SULT2A1), were thereafter detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The metabolic activity of GBA3 and SULT2A1 was monitored by rat liver microsome incubation.In addition, the renal function of rats under hypoxia was assessed by detecting concentrations of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. RESULTS The AUC and t1/2 values of salidroside in hypoxic rats were more than doubled, while the in vivo clearance was significantly reduced. Mechanistic study demonstrated that the PappA- B/PappB- A eualsto 10.3, indicating the potential active transport of salidrosile. The expression of SGLT1 and GBA3 was significantly decreased, which indicated a reduced metabolism of salidroside under hypoxia. Moreover, rat under hypoxia was found to suffer from renal dysfunction, with an abnormal value of blood urea nitrogen. CONCLUSION Due to the reduced metabolism and the abnormal renal function under hypoxia, the systemic exposure of salidroside in rats was signifi?cantly enhanced.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To map a comprehensive metabolic pathway of herbacetin in rats, specifically, to elucidate the biotransformation of herbacetin in vivo and to simultaneously monitor the pharmacokinetic process of both parent drug and its major metabolites. METHODS liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/MSn) and ultra-liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) were combined in the current study for qualitative and quantitative determinations of herbacetin and its metabolites in bile, urine and feces after both oral and intravenous administration of herbacetin to rats. Enzyme kinetic studies on the intestinal and hepatic metabolism of herbacetin were further conducted to elucidate metabolic profiles of herbacetin in rat tissues and organs. Additionally, plasma concentration profiles of herbacetin and its metabolites in rats were obtained to characterize the overall pharmacokinetic behavior of herbacetin. RESULTS It was found that herbacetin was excreted primarily from rat urine in the form of glucuronide-conjugations. Subsequent in vitro enzyme kinetic studies and in vivo pharmacokinetic investigations suggested an extensive hepatic metabolism of herbacetin and the high exposure of herbacetin- glucuronides in systemic circulation. The clearance, half- life and bioavailability of herbacetin in rats were determined as (16.4±1.92)mL·kg-1·min-1, (11.9±2.7)min, and 1.32%, respectively. On basis of these findings, a comprehensive metabolic pathway of herbacetin in rats was composed. In addition, a physiology based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was successfully developed with the aid of the GastroPlus to simulate the pharmacokinetic process of herbacetin in rats. Application of the PBPK modeling can provide a useful starting point to understand and extrapolate pharmacokinetic parameters among different species, populations, and disease states. CONCLUSION After oral administration, herbacetin was subjected to colonic degradation and extensive first pass metabolism, with glucuronidation as its dominating in vivo metabolic pathway.
