P-glycoprotein polymorphism in hypo- and hyper-thyroidism patients

Functional significance of genetic polymorphisms in P-glycoprotein (MDR1, ABCB1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2)

Recent pharmacogenomic/pharmacogenetic (PGx) studies have disclosed important roles for drug transporters in the human body. Changes in the functions of drug transporters due to drug/food interactions or genetic polymorphisms, for example, are associated with large changes in pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of substrate drugs, leading to changes in drug response and side effects. This information is extremely useful not only for drug development but also for individualized treatment. Among drug transporters, the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are expressed in most tissues in humans, and play protective roles; reducing drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, enhancing drug elimination into bile and urine, and impeding the entry of drugs into the central nervous system and placenta. In addition to PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) issues, ABC transporters are reported as etiologic and prognostic factors (or biomarkers) for genetic disorders. Although a consensus has not yet been reached, clinical studies have demonstrated that the PGx of ABC transporters influences the overall outcome of pharmacotherapy and contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of certain disorders. This review explains the impact of PGx in ABC transporters in terms of PK/PD, focusing on P-glycoprotein and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP).

PpGalNacT2 participating in vanadium-induced HL-60 cell differentiation

The current study demonstrates vanadium plays the role of antitumor, and its antitumor effect is dosage-dependent. N-acetyl-galactosamine-transferase 2 (polypeptide: N-acetyl-α-galactosaminyl-transferases 2, ppGalNAc-T2) is a member of ppGalNAcTs (polypeptide: N-acetyl-α-galactosaminyl-transferases) family, which proves to play a vital role in the tumor emergence and development process. In this study, we focused on ppGalNAc-T2 and vanadium and aimed to determine whether ppGalNAc-T2 is correlated with vanadium's antitumor effect. We discovered that ppGalNAc-T2 changed with the variation of HL-60 cell growth induced by vanadium at mRNA level. Peanut agglutinin (PNA) is an exogenous lectin. PpGalNacT2 can be indirectly recognized by PNA. By means of flow cytometry and immunofluorescent staining, we found the deviation of PNA binding increased significantly at high concentration vanadium. Then we docked one of the possible compound substances of vanadium onto the body, VO(3) (molecular formula O(13)V(4), partial vanadate tetramer) and ppGalNAcT2, and simulated them via molecular dynamics, which showed that VO(3) may inhibit the activity of the enzyme by stemming conformational changes of a key loop of ppGalNAcT2. To sum up, our results suggested that ppGalNacT2 participated in vanadium induced HL-60 cell differentiation, which might be able to provide a new mechanism of vanadium's antitumor effect.

Radiosynthesis and in vivo evaluation of [(11)C]MC80 for P-glycoprotein imaging

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an ATP-dependent efflux pump protecting the body against xenobiotics. The in vitro characterized modulator 6,7-dimethoxy-2-(6-methoxy-naphthalen-2-ylmethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (MC80) of the P-gp pump was labelled with (11)C and evaluated in vivo for its potential to image P-gp function and expression. Radiochemical pure (>98%) [(11)C]MC80 was obtained within 25 min starting from [(11)C]methyl iodide with radiochemical yield of 26%. Biodistribution studies in FVB mice demonstrated a high baseline brain uptake (7.66 + or - 1.38%ID/g at 1 min pi). Cerebral uptake was increased in mdr1a knock-out mice as well as after CsA pretreatment. Pre-administration of an excess of non-radioactive MC80 caused a reduced uptake in several target organs including brain, pancreas and intestines. The results indicate that [(11)C]MC80 kinetics are modulated by P-gp. Reversed phase-HPLC analysis of brain revealed an excellent metabolic profile (>90% intact [(11)C]MC80).

In vivo evaluation of [123I]-4-(2-(bis(4-fluorophenyl)methoxy)ethyl)-1-(4-iodobenzyl)piperidine, an iodinated SPECT tracer for imaging the P-gp transporter

INTRODUCTION

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an energy-dependent transporter that contributes to the efflux of a wide range of xenobiotics at the blood-brain barrier playing a role in drug-resistance or therapy failure. In this study, we evaluated [(123)I]-4-(2-(bis(4-fluorophenyl)methoxy)ethyl)-1-(4-iodobenzyl)piperidine ([(123)I]-FMIP) as a novel single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) tracer for imaging P-gp at the brain in vivo.

METHODS

The tissue distribution and brain uptake as well as the metabolic profile of [(123)I]-FMIP in wild-type and mdr1a (-/-) mice after pretreatment with physiological saline or cyclosporin A (CsA) (50 mg/kg) was investigated. The influence of increasing doses CsA on brain uptake of [(123)I]-FMIP was explored. microSPECT images of mice brain after injection of 11.1 MBq [(123)I]-FMIP were obtained for different treatment strategies thereby using the Milabs U-SPECT-II.

RESULTS

Modulation of P-gp with CsA (50 mg/kg) as well as mdr1a gene depletion resulted in significant increase in cerebral uptake of [(123)I]-FMIP with only minor effect on blood activity. [(123)I]-FMIP is relative stable in vivo with >80% intact [(123)I]-FMIP in brain at 60 min p.i. in the different treatment regiments. A dose-dependent sigmoidal increase in brain uptake of [(123)I]-FMIP with increasing doses of CsA was observed. In vivo region of interest-based SPECT measurements correlated well with the observations of the biodistribution studies.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that [(123)I]-FMIP can be applied to assess the efficacy of newly developed P-gp modulators. It is also suggested that [(123)I]-FMIP is a promising SPECT tracer for imaging P-gp at the blood-brain barrier.