Alterations in glutathione homeostasis in mutant Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats

Modulation of trabectedin (ET-743) hepatobiliary disposition by multidrug resistance-associated proteins (Mrps) may prevent hepatotoxicity

Trabectedin is a promising anticancer agent, but dose-limiting hepatotoxicity was observed during phase I/II clinical trials. Dexamethasone (DEX) has been shown to significantly reduce trabectedin-mediated hepatotoxicity. The current study was designed to assess the capability of sandwich-cultured primary rat hepatocytes (SCRH) to predict the hepato-protective effect of DEX against trabectedin-mediated cytotoxicity. The role of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2; Abcc2) in trabectedin hepatic disposition also was examined. In SCRH from wild-type Wistar rats, cytotoxicity was observed after 24-h continuous exposure to trabectedin. SCRH pretreated with additional DEX (1 microM) exhibited a 2- to 3-fold decrease in toxicity at 100 nM and 1000 nM trabectedin. Unexpectedly, toxicity in SCRH from Mrp2-deficient (TR(-)) compared to wild-type Wistar rats was markedly reduced. Depletion of glutathione from SCRH using buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) mitigated trabectedin toxicity associated with 100 nM and 1000 nM trabectedin. Western blot analysis demonstrated increased levels of CYP3A1/2 and Mrp2 in SCRH pretreated with DEX; interestingly, Mrp4 expression was increased in SCRH after BSO exposure. Trabectedin biliary recovery in isolated perfused livers from TR(-) rats was decreased by approximately 75% compared to wild-type livers. In conclusion, SCRH represent a useful in vitro model to predict the hepatotoxicity of trabectedin observed in vivo. The protection by DEX against trabectedin-mediated cytotoxicity may be attributed, in part, to enhanced Mrp2 biliary excretion and increased metabolism by CYP3A1/2. Decreased trabectedin toxicity in SCRH from TR(-) rats, and in SCRH pretreated with BSO, may be due to increased basolateral excretion of trabectedin by Mrp3 and/or Mrp4.

ATP-dependent transport of unconjugated bilirubin by rat liver canalicular plasma membrane vesicles

The transport of highly purified 3H-labelled unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) was investigated in rat liver plasma membrane vesicles enriched in the canalicular domain and found to be stimulated (more than 5-fold) by the addition of ATP. Other nucleotides, such as AMP, ADP, GTP and a non-hydrolysable ATP analogue (adenosine 5'-[alpha, beta-methylene] triphosphate), did not stimulate [3H]UCB transport, indicating that ATP hydrolysis was necessary for the stimulatory effect. [3H]UCB uptake occurred into an osmotically sensitive space. At an unbound bilirubin concentration ([Bf]) below saturation of the aqueous phase (no more than 70 nM UCB), the ATP-dependent transport followed saturation kinetics with respect to [Bf], with a Km of 26+/-8 nM and a Vmax of 117+/-11 pmol per 15 s per mg of protein. Unlabelled UCB inhibited the uptake of [3H]UCB, indicating that UCB was the transported species. Inhibitors of ATPase activity such as vanadate or diethyl pyrocarbonate decreased the ATP effect (59+/-11% and 100% respectively). Daunomycin, a known substrate for multidrug resistance protein-1, and taurocholate did not inhibit the ATP-dependent [3H]UCB transport, suggesting that neither mdr-1 nor the canalicular bile acid transporter is involved in the canalicular transport of UCB. [3H]UCB uptake (both with and without ATP) in canalicular vesicles obtained from TR- rats was comparable to that in vesicles obtained from Wistar rats, indicating that the canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter, cMOAT, does not account for UCB transport. These results indicate that UCB is transported across the canalicular membrane of the liver cell by an ATP-dependent mechanism involving an as yet unidentified transporter.