Potential pharmacokinetic effect of rifampicin on enrofloxacin in broilers: Roles of P-glycoprotein and BCRP induction by rifampicin.

P-glycoprotein ( P-GP: , encoding gene Abcb1) and Breast Cancer Resistance Protein ( BCRP: , encoding gene Abcg2) are transport proteins that play a major role in modulating the bioavailability of oral drugs in humans and rodents. It has been shown that rifampicin is the typical inducer of P-gp in rodents by activating the nuclear receptor. However, its effect on Abcb1, Abcg2, CYP3A, and chicken xenobiotic-sensing orphan nuclear receptor ( CXR: ) mRNA expression in broilers is poorly understood. This study explored the effect of rifampicin on mRNA expression of Abcb1, Abcg2, CYP3A37, CXR as well as its effect on the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin in broilers. The mRNA levels of Abcb1, Abcg2, CYP3A37, and CXR were significantly increased in the liver (except Abcg2), kidney, jejunum, and ileum (P < 0.05) but not significantly changed in the duodenum (P > 0.05) after treated with rifampicin. Further analysis revealed that the variation tendencies of Abcb1, Abcg2, and CYP3A37 expression levels were significantly correlated with CXR mRNA expression levels in liver, kidney, jejunum, and ileum. Coadministration of rifampicin significantly changed the pharmacokinetic behavior of enrofloxacin orally administered by showing clearly lower AUC0-∞, AUC0-t, and Cmax as well as longer Tmax. The bioavailability of orally administered enrofloxacin was decreased from 72.5% to 24.8% by rifampicin. However, rifampicin did not significantly change the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin following intravenous administration. Our study shows that rifampicin up-regulated the small intestinal level of P-gp and BCRP and suggests that P-gp and BCRP are key factors that affected pharmacokinetic behavior of orally administered enrofloxacin by limiting its absorption from the intestine in broilers.

E. coli infection modulates the pharmacokinetics of oral enrofloxacin by targeting P-glycoprotein in small intestine and CYP450 3A in liver and kidney of broilers.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression determines the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of many drugs in the body. Also, up-regulation of P-gp acts as a defense mechanism against acute inflammation. This study examined expression levels of abcb1 mRNA and localization of P-gp protein in the liver, kidney, duodenum, jejunum and ileum in healthy and E. coli infected broilers by real time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Meanwhile, pharmacokinetics of orally administered enrofloxacin was also investigated in healthy and infected broilers by HPLC. The results indicated that E. coli infection up-regulated expression of abcb1 mRNA levels significantly in the kidney, jejunum and ileum (P<0.05), but not significantly in the liver and duodenum (P>0.05). However, the expression level of CYP 3A37 mRNA were observed significantly decreased only in liver and kidney of E. coli infected broilers (P<0.05) compared with healthy birds. Furthermore, the infection reduced absorption of orally administered enrofloxacin, significantly decreased Cmax (0.34 vs 0.98 µg mL(-1), P = 0.000) and AUC0-12h (4.37 vs 8.88 µg mL(-1) h, P = 0.042) of enrofloxacin, but increased Tmax (8.32 vs 3.28 h, P = 0.040), T1/2a(2.66 vs 1.64 h(-1), P = 0.050) and V/F (26.7 vs 5.2 L, P = 0.040). Treatment with verapamil, an inhibitor of P-gp, significantly improved the absorption of enrofloxacin in both healthy and infected broilers. The results suggest that the E. coli infection induces intestine P-gp expression, altering the absorption of orally administered enrofloxacin in broilers.