Different Reactive Metabolites of Nevirapine Require Distinct Glutathione S-Transferase Isoforms for Bioinactivation.

Nevirapine (NVP) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase-inhibitor, which is associated with severe idiosyncratic skin rash and hepatotoxicity. These adverse drug reactions are believed to be mediated by the formation of epoxides and/or quinone methide formed by oxidative metabolism by P450s and 12-sulfoxyl-NVP formed by sequential 12-hydroxylation and O-sulfonation. Although different GSH-conjugates and corresponding mercapturic acids have been demonstrated previously in vitro and in vivo, the role of the glutathione S-transferases in the inactivation of the different reactive metabolites has not been studied so far.

Characterization of human cytochrome P450 mediated bioactivation of amodiaquine and its major metabolite N-desethylamodiaquine.

Aims: Oxidative bioactivation of amodiaquine (AQ) by cytochrome P450s to a reactive quinoneimine is considered as an important mechanism underlying its idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity. However, because internal exposure to its major metabolite N-desethylamodiaquine (DEAQ) is up to 240-fold higher than AQ, bioactivation of DEAQ might significantly contribute to covalent binding. The aim of the present study was to compare the kinetics of bioactivation of AQ and DEAQ by human liver microsomes (HLM) and to characterize the CYPs involved in bioactivation of AQ and DEAQ.

Simulation of interindividual differences in inactivation of reactive para-benzoquinone imine metabolites of diclofenac by glutathione S-transferases in human liver cytosol.

Diclofenac is a widely prescribed NSAID that causes severe idiosyncratic drug induced liver injury (IDILI) in a small part of the patient population. Formation of protein-reactive metabolites is considered to play a role in the development of diclofenac-induced IDILI. Therefore, a high hepatic activity of enzymes involved in bioactivation of diclofenac is expected to increase the risk for liver injury.

Characterization of cytochrome P450 isoforms involved in sequential two-step bioactivation of diclofenac to reactive p-benzoquinone imines.

Idiosyncratic drug-induced lever injury (IDILI) is a rare but severe side effect of diclofenac (DF). Several mechanisms have been proposed as cause of DF-induced toxicity including the formation of protein-reactive diclofenac-1',4'-quinone imine (DF-1',4'-QI) and diclofenac-2,5-quinone imine (DF-2,5-QI). Formation of these p-benzoquinone imines result from two-step oxidative metabolism involving aromatic hydroxylation to 4'-hydroxydiclofenac and 5-hydroxydiclofenac followed by dehydrogenation to DF-1',4'-QI and DF-2,5-QI, respectively.

Inter-donor variability of phase I/phase II metabolism of three reference drugs in cryopreserved primary human hepatocytes in suspension and monolayer.

Cytochrome P450s (CYPs), UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) and sulfotransferases (SULTs) are the most important enzymes for metabolic clearance. Characterization of phase I and phase II metabolism of a given drug in cellular models is therefore important for an adequate interpretation of the role of drug metabolism in toxicity. We investigated phase I (CYP) and phase II (UGT and SULT) metabolism of three drugs related to drug-induced liver injury (DILI), namely acetaminophen (APAP), diclofenac (DF) and tolcapone (TC), in cryopreserved primary human hepatocytes from 5 donors in suspension and monolayer.

Insights into regioselective metabolism of mefenamic acid by cytochrome P450 BM3 mutants through crystallography, docking, molecular dynamics, and free energy calculations.

Cytochrome P450 BM3 (CYP102A1) mutant M11 is able to metabolize a wide range of drugs and drug-like compounds. Among these, M11 was recently found to be able to catalyze formation of human metabolites of mefenamic acid and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Interestingly, single active-site mutations such as V87I were reported to invert regioselectivity in NSAID hydroxylation.

Application of a cocktail approach to screen cytochrome P450 BM3 libraries for metabolic activity and diversity.

In the present study, the validity of using a cocktail screening method in combination with a chemometrical data mining approach to evaluate metabolic activity and diversity of drug-metabolizing bacterial Cytochrome P450 (CYP) BM3 mutants was investigated. In addition, the concept of utilizing an in-house-developed library of CYP BM3 mutants as a unique biocatalytic synthetic tool to support medicinal chemistry was evaluated. Metabolic efficiency of the mutant library towards a selection of CYP model substrates, being amitriptyline (AMI), buspirone (BUS), coumarine (COU), dextromethorphan (DEX), diclofenac (DIC) and norethisterone (NET), was investigated.

Linear Interaction Energy Based Prediction of Cytochrome P450 1A2 Binding Affinities with Reliability Estimation.

Prediction of human Cytochrome P450 (CYP) binding affinities of small ligands, i.e., substrates and inhibitors, represents an important task for predicting drug-drug interactions.

Application of a Continuous-Flow Bioassay to Investigate the Organic Solvent Tolerability of Cytochrome P450 BM3 Mutants.

A novel methodology is presented to investigate the organic solvent tolerability of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase BM3 (CYP BM3) mutants. A fluorescence-based continuous-flow enzyme activity detection (EAD) setup was used to screen the activity of CYP BM3 mutants in the presence of organic solvents. The methodology is based on the CYP BM3-mediated O-dealkylation of benzyloxyresorufin to form the highly fluorescent product resorufin.

Characterization of human cytochrome P450s involved in the bioactivation of tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (ToCP).

Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (ToCP) is a multipurpose organophosphorus compound that is neurotoxic and suspected to be involved in aerotoxic syndrome in humans. It has been reported that not ToCP itself but a metabolite of ToCP, namely, 2-(ortho-cresyl)-4H-1,2,3-benzodioxaphosphoran-2-one (CBDP), may be responsible for this effect as it can irreversibly bind to human butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and human acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The bioactivation of ToCP into CBDP involves Cytochrome P450s (P450s).

Biosynthesis of a steroid metabolite by an engineered Rhodococcus erythropolis strain expressing a mutant cytochrome P450 BM3 enzyme.

In the present study, the use of Rhodococcus erythropolis mutant strain RG9 expressing the cytochrome P450 BM3 mutant M02 enzyme has been evaluated for whole-cell biotransformation of a 17-ketosteroid, norandrostenedione, as a model substrate. Purified P450 BM3 mutant M02 enzyme hydroxylated the steroid with >95 % regioselectivity to form 16-β-OH norandrostenedione, as confirmed by NMR analysis. Whole cells of R.

Mini-dialysis tubes as tools to prepare drug-protein adducts of P450-dependent reactive drug metabolites.

The modification of critical cellular proteins by reactive metabolites (RMs) resulting from P450-dependent drug bioactivation is considered essential to the onset of many idiosyncratic drug reactions. In this study, we report a novel method that can be used to prepare and study drug-protein adducts. Drug bioactivation by P450s was performed in a small container containing a mini-dialysis tube with the model target protein human glutathione-S-transferase P1-1 (hGST P1-1), allowing RMs to translocate from P450 to hGST P1-1 via a semi-permeable membrane (6-8kDa).

Activation of the anticancer drugs cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide by cytochrome P450 BM3 mutants.

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) and ifosfamide (IFA) are widely used anticancer agents that require metabolic activation by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. While 4-hydroxylation yields DNA-alkylating and cytotoxic metabolites, N-dechloroethylation results in the generation of neuro- and nephrotoxic byproducts. Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapies (GDEPT) have been suggested to facilitate local CPA and IFA bioactivation by expressing CYP enzymes within the tumor cells, thereby increasing efficacy.

Cytochrome P450-mediated bioactivation of mefenamic acid to quinoneimine intermediates and inactivation by human glutathione S-transferases.

Mefenamic acid (MFA) has been associated with rare but severe cases of hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and hypersensitivity reactions that are believed to result from the formation of reactive metabolites. Although formation of protein-reactive acylating metabolites by phase II metabolism has been well-studied and proposed to be the cause of these toxic side effects, the oxidative bioactivation of MFA has not yet been competely characterized. In the present study, the oxidative bioactivation of MFA was studied using human liver microsomes (HLM) and recombinant human P450 enzymes.

Application of engineered cytochrome P450 mutants as biocatalysts for the synthesis of benzylic and aromatic metabolites of fenamic acid NSAIDs.

Cytochrome P450 BM3 mutants are promising biocatalysts for the production of drug metabolites. In the present study, the ability of cytochrome P450 BM3 mutants to produce oxidative metabolites of structurally related NSAIDs meclofenamic acid, mefenamic acid and tolfenamic acid was investigated. A library of engineered P450 BM3 mutants was screened with meclofenamic acid (1) to identify catalytically active and selective mutants.

A 3D in vitro model of differentiated HepG2 cell spheroids with improved liver-like properties for repeated dose high-throughput toxicity studies.

Immortalized hepatocyte cell lines show only a weak resemblance to primary hepatocytes in terms of gene expression and function, limiting their value in predicting drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Furthermore, primary hepatocytes cultured on two-dimensional tissue culture plastic surfaces rapidly dedifferentiate losing their hepatocyte functions and metabolic competence. We have developed a three-dimensional in vitro model using extracellular matrix-based hydrogel for long-term culture of the human hepatoma cell line HepG2.

Human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1)-mediated inactivation of reactive quinoneimine metabolites of diclofenac and mefenamic acid.

quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is an enzyme capable of reducing a broad range of chemically reactive quinones and quinoneimines (QIs) and can be strongly upregulated by Nrf2/Keap1-mediated stress responses. Several commonly used drugs implicated in adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are known to form reactive QI metabolites upon bioactivation by P450, such as acetaminophen (APAP), diclofenac (DF), and mefenamic acid (MFA). In the present study, the reductive activity of human NQO1 toward the QI metabolites derived from APAP and hydroxy-metabolites of DF and MFA was studied, using purified bacterial P450 BM3 (CYP102A1) mutant M11 as a bioactivation system.

One-electron oxidation of diclofenac by human cytochrome P450s as a potential bioactivation mechanism for formation of 2'-(glutathion-S-yl)-deschloro-diclofenac.

Reactive metabolites have been suggested to play a role in the idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity observed with diclofenac (DF). By structural identification of the GSH conjugates formed after P450-catalyzed bioactivation of DF, it was shown that three types of reactive intermediates were formed: p-benzoquinone imines, o-imine methide and arene-oxide. Recently, detection of 2'-(glutathion-S-yl)-deschloro-diclofenac (DDF-SG), resulting from chlorine substitution, suggested the existence of a fourth type of P450-dependent reactive intermediate whose inactivation by GSH is completely dependent on presence of glutathione S-transferase.

Effect of human glutathione S-transferase hGSTP1-1 polymorphism on the detoxification of reactive metabolites of clozapine, diclofenac and acetaminophen.

Recent association studies suggest that genetically determined deficiencies in GSTs might be a risk factor for idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions resulting from the formation of reactive drug metabolites. hGSTP1-1 is polymorphic in the human population with a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms that yield an amino acid change in the encoded protein. Three allelic variants of hGSTP1-1 containing an Ile105Val or Ala114Val substitution, or a combination of both, have been the most widely studied and showed different activity when compared to wild-type hGSTP1-1*A (Ile105/Ala114).

Effect of human glutathione S-transferases on glutathione-dependent inactivation of cytochrome P450-dependent reactive intermediates of diclofenac.

Idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions due to the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac have been proposed to be caused by the generation of reactive acyl glucuronides and oxidative metabolites. For the oxidative metabolism of diclofenac by cytochromes P450 at least five different reactive intermediates have been proposed previously based on structural identification of their corresponding GSH-conjugates. In the present study, the ability of four human glutathione S-transferases (hGSTs) to catalyze the GSH-conjugation of the different reactive intermediates formed by P450s was investigated.

Reconstitution of the interplay between cytochrome P450 and human glutathione S-transferases in clozapine metabolism in yeast.

Clozapine, an often-prescribed antipsychotic drug, is implicated in severe adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Formation of reactive intermediates by cytochrome P450s (CYPs) has been proposed as a possible explanation for these ADRs. Moreover, a protective role for human glutathione S-transferases (hGSTs) was recently shown using purified enzymes.

Characterization of human cytochrome P450s involved in the bioactivation of clozapine.

Clozapine is known to cause hepatotoxicity in a small percentage of patients. Oxidative bioactivation to reactive intermediates by hepatic cytochrome P450s (P450s) has be proposed as a possible mechanism. However, in contrast to their role in formation of N-desmethylclozapine and clozapine N-oxide, the involvement of individual P450s in the bioactivation to reactive intermediates is much less well characterized.

Mass spectrometric characterization of protein adducts of multiple P450-dependent reactive intermediates of diclofenac to human glutathione-S-transferase P1-1.

Use of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (DF) is associated with serious idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity. Covalent binding of reactive intermediates of DF to proteins is considered to initiate the process leading to this severe side-effect. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature of covalent protein modifications by reactive metabolites of DF which result from bioactivation by cytochrome P450.

AMAP, the alleged non-toxic isomer of acetaminophen, is toxic in rat and human liver.

N-acetyl-meta-aminophenol (AMAP) is generally considered as a non-toxic regioisomer of the well-known hepatotoxicant acetaminophen (APAP). However, so far, AMAP has only been shown to be non-toxic in mice and hamsters. To investigate whether AMAP could also be used as non-toxic analog of APAP in rat and human, the toxicity of APAP and AMAP was tested ex vivo in precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) of mouse, rat and human.

A single active site mutation inverts stereoselectivity of 16-hydroxylation of testosterone catalyzed by engineered cytochrome P450 BM3.

Inversion of stereoselectivity: screening of a minimal mutant library revealed a cytochrome P450 BM3 variant M01 A82W S72I capable of producing 16 α-OH-testosterone. Remarkably, a single active site mutation S72I in M01 A82W inverted the stereoselectivity of hydroxylation from 16 β to 16 α. Introduction of S72I mutation in another 16 β-OH-selective variant M11 V87I, also resulted in similar inversion of stereoselectivity.