Photoinduced covalent binding of frusemide and frusemide glucuronide to human serum albumin.

Aims: To study reaction of photoactivated frusemide (F) and F glucuronide (Fgnd metabolite) with human serum albumin in order to find a clue to clarify a mechanism of phototoxic blisters from high frusemide dosage.

Methods: F was exposed to light in the presence of human serum albumin (HSA). HSA treated with this method (TR-HSA) was characterized by fluorescence spectroscopic experiment, alkali treatment and reversible binding experiment.

Results: Less 4-hydroxyl-N-furfuryl-5-sulphamoylanthranilic acid (4HFSA, a photodegradation product of F) was formed in the presence of HSA than in the absence of HSA. A new fluorescence spectrum excited at 320 nm was observed for TR-HSA. Alkali treatment of TR-HSA released 4HFSA. Quenching of the fluorescence due to the lone tryptophan near the warfarin-binding site of HSA was observed in TR-HSA. The reversible binding of F or naproxen to the warfarin-binding site of TR-HSA was less than to that of native HSA. These results indicate the photoactivated F was covalently bound to the warfarin-binding site of HSA. The covalent binding of Fgnd, which is also reversibly bound to the warfarin-binding site of HSA, was also induced by exposure to sunlight. Fgnd was more photoactive than F, indicating that F could be activated by glucuronidation to become a more photoactive compound.

Conclusions: The reactivity of photoactivated F and Fgnd to HSA and/or to other endogenous compounds may cause the phototoxic blisters that result at high F dosage.