Differentiated HepaRG cells maintain liver-specific functions such as drug-metabolizing enzymes. In this study, the feasibility of HepaRG cells as a human hepatocyte model for in vitro toxicity ...assessment was examined using selected hepatotoxic compounds. First, basal drug-metabolizing enzyme activities (CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, uridine 5′-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase UGT, and sulfotransferases SULT) were measured in HepaRG, human hepatocytes, and HepG2 cells. Enzyme activities in differentiated HepaRG cells were comparable to those in human hepatocytes and much higher than those in HepG2 cells, except for SULT activity. Second, we examined the cytotoxicity of hepatotoxic compounds, acetaminophen (APAP), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), cyclophosphamide (CPA), tamoxifen (TAM), and troglitazone (TGZ) in HepaRG cells and human hepatocytes. AFB1- and CPA-induced cytotoxicities against HepaRG cells were comparable to those against human hepatocytes. Furthermore, the cytotoxicities of these compounds were inhibited by 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT), a broad CYP inhibitor, in both cells and were likely mediated by metabolic activation by CYP. Finally, toxicogenomics analysis of HepG2 and HepaRG cells after exposure to AFB1 and CPA revealed that numerous p53-related genes were upregulated- and the expression of these genes was greater in HepaRG than in HepG2 cells. These results suggest that gene expression profiles of HepaRG cells were affected more considerably by the toxic mechanisms of AFB1 and CPA than the profiles of HepG2 cells were. Therefore, our investigation shows that HepaRG cells could be useful human hepatic cellular models for toxicity studies.
Lead is a persistent environmental pollutant and exposure to high environmental levels causes various deleterious toxicities, especially to the central nervous system (CNS). The ...α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor that is devoid of the glutamate receptor 2 (GluR2) subunit is Ca2+-permeable, which increases the neuronal vulnerability to excitotoxicity. We have previously reported that long-term exposure of rat cortical neurons to lead acetate induces decrease of GluR2 expression. However, it is not clarified whether lead-induced GluR2 decrease is involved in neurotoxicity. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of GluR2 non-containing AMPA receptor to lead-induced neurotoxic events. Although the expression of four AMPA receptor subunits (GluR1, GluR2, GluR3, and GluR4) was decreased by lead exposure, the decrease in GluR2 expression was remarkable among four subunits. Lead-induced neuronal cell death was rescued by three glutamate receptor antagonists, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, a non-selective AMPA receptor blocker), MK-801 (N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocker), and 1-naphthyl acetyl spermine (NAS, a specific Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptor blocker). Lead exposure activated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2, which was significantly ameliorated by CNQX. In addition, lead exposure activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK p38), and protein kinase C (PKC), which was partially ameliorated by CNQX. Our findings indicate that Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors resulting from GluR2 decrease may be involved in lead-induced neurotoxicity.
Predicting human drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (PK) is key to drug discovery. In particular, it is important to predict human PK, metabolite profiles and drug-drug interactions (DDIs). Various ...methods have been used for such predictions, including in vitro metabolic studies using human biological samples, such as hepatic microsomes and hepatocytes, and in vivo studies using experimental animals. However, prediction studies using these methods are often inconclusive due to discrepancies between in vitro and in vivo results, and interspecies differences in drug metabolism. Further, the prediction methods have changed from qualitative to quantitative to solve these issues. Chimeric mice with humanized liver have been developed, in which mouse liver cells are mostly replaced with human hepatocytes. Since human drug metabolizing enzymes are expressed in the liver of these mice, they are regarded as suitable models for mimicking the drug metabolism and PK observed in humans; therefore, these mice are useful for predicting human drug metabolism and PK. In this review, we discuss the current state, issues, and future directions of predicting human drug metabolism and PK using chimeric mice with humanized liver in drug discovery.
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Predicting human pharmacokinetics (PK) such as clearance (CL) and volume of distribution (Vd) is a critical component of drug discovery. These predictions are mainly performed by in vitro–in vivo ...extrapolation (IVIVE) using human biological samples, such as hepatic microsomes and hepatocytes. However, some issues with this process have arisen, such as inconsistencies between in vitro and in vivo findings; the integration of predicted CYP, non-CYP and transporter-mediated human PK; and the difficulty of evaluating very metabolically stable compounds. Various approaches to solving these issues have been reported. Allometric scaling using experimental animals has also often been used. However, this method has also shown many problems due to interspecies differences, albeit that various correction methods have been proposed. Another approach involves the production of chimeric mice with humanized liver via the transplantation of human hepatocytes into mice. The livers of these mice are repopulated mostly with human hepatocytes and express human drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters, suggesting that these mice are useful for solving the issues of IVIVE and allometric scaling, and more reliably predicting human PK. In this review, we summarize human PK prediction methods using IVIVE, allometric scaling and chimeric mice with humanized liver, and discuss the utility of predicting human PK in drug discovery by comparing these chimeric mice with IVIVE and allometric scaling.
•An antibody purification process entirely in flow-through mode was achieved.•Buffer exchange improved the impurity clearance by depth filtration.•A combination of depth filters improved impurity ...clearance.
A depth filter is widely used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing process. In this study, we found that buffer exchange to reduce conductivity dramatically improved the removal of impurities in depth filtration. The host cell protein clearance was comparable to that of protein A affinity chromatography, which is generally used as a first capture step in monoclonal antibody purification. In addition, a combination of different depth filters showed enhanced purification. Additional flow-through purification is possible without any sample preparation, and a biopharmaceutical-quality purity level (<100ppm for host cell protein and <5% for high molecular weight species) can be attained. These results represent the possibility of an antibody manufacturing process using an entirely flow-through mode.
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a well-known environmental pollutant that has harmful effects on the central nervous systems of humans and animals. The molecular mechanisms of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity at ...low concentrations are not fully understood. Here, we investigated the effects of low-concentration MeHg on the cell viability, Ca2+ homeostasis, and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit GluA2 levels, which determine Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors, in rat primary cortical neurons. Exposure of cortical neurons to 100 and 300 nM MeHg for 7 d resulted in a decrease in GluA2 levels, an increase in basal intracellular Ca2+ concentration, increased phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and p38, and decreased cell viability. Moreover, glutamate stimulation exacerbated the decrease in cell viability and increased intracellular Ca2+ levels in MeHg-treated neurons compared to control neurons. MeHg-induced neuronal cell death was ameliorated by 1-naphthyl acetyl spermine, a specific antagonist of Ca2+-permeable, GluA2-lacking AMPA receptors. Our findings raise the possibility that decreased neuronal GluA2 levels and the subsequent increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration may contribute to MeHg-induced neurotoxicity.
Molybdenum hydroxylases, which include aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidoreductase, are involved in the metabolism of some medicines in humans. They exhibit oxidase activity towards various ...heterocyclic compounds and aldehydes. The liver cytosol of various mammals also exhibits a significant reductase activity toward nitro, sulfoxide, N-oxide and other moieties, catalyzed by aldehyde oxidase. There is considerable variability of aldehyde oxidase activity in liver cytosol of mammals: humans show the highest activity, rats and mice show low activity, and dogs have no detectable activity. On the other hand, xanthine oxidoreductase activity is present widely among species. Interindividual variation of aldehyde oxidase activity is present in humans. Drug-drug interactions associated with aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidoreductase are of potential clinical significance. Drug metabolizing ability of molybdenum hydroxylases and the variation of the activity are described in this review.
Benzophenone-3 (2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone; BP-3) is widely used as sunscreen for protection of human skin and hair from damage by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In this study, we examined the ...metabolism of BP-3 by rat and human liver microsomes, and the estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities of the metabolites. When BP-3 was incubated with rat liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH, 2,4,5-trihydroxybenzophenone (2,4,5-triOH BP) and 3-hydroxylated BP-3 (3-OH BP-3) were newly identified as metabolites, together with previously detected metabolites 5-hydroxylated BP-3 (5-OH BP-3), a 4-desmethylated metabolite (2,4-diOH BP) and 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone (2,3,4-triOH BP). In studies with recombinant rat cytochrome P450, 3-OH BP-3 and 2,4,5-triOH BP were mainly formed by CYP1A1. BP-3 was also metabolized by human liver microsomes and CYP isoforms. In estrogen reporter (ER) assays using estrogen-responsive CHO cells, 2,4-diOH BP exhibited stronger estrogenic activity, 2,3,4-triOH BP exhibited similar activity, and 5-OH BP-3, 2,4,5-triOH BP and 3-OH BP-3 showed lower activity as compared to BP-3. Structural requirements for activity were investigated in a series of 14 BP-3 derivatives. When BP-3 was incubated with liver microsomes from untreated rats or phenobarbital-, 3-methylcholanthrene-, or acetone-treated rats in the presence of NADPH, estrogenic activity was increased. However, liver microsomes from dexamethasone-treated rats showed decreased estrogenic activity due to formation of inactive 5-OH BP-3 and reduced formation of active 2,4-diOH BP. Anti-androgenic activity of BP-3 was decreased after incubation with liver microsomes.
•Metabolic modification of the endocrine-disrupting activity of BP-3 was examined.•2,4,5-TriOH BP and 3-OH BP-3 were identified as new BP-3 metabolites.•2,4-DiOH BP and 2,3,4-triOH BP exhibited high or similar estrogenic activities.•Estrogenic activity of BP-3 was enhanced by incubation with rat liver microsomes.•Structural requirements for the activities of BP-3 derivatives were demonstrated.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, but its underlying cause remains unknown. Although recent studies using PD‐related neurotoxin MPP+ suggest autophagy ...involvement in the pathogenesis of PD, the effect of MPP+ on autophagic processes under mild exposure, which mimics the slow progressive nature of PD, remains largely unclear. We examined the effect of mild MPP+ exposure (10 and 200 μM for 48 h), which induces a more slowly developing cell death, on autophagic processes and the mechanistic differences with acute MPP+ toxicity (2.5 and 5 mM for 24 h). In SH‐SY5Y cells, mild MPP+ exposure predominantly inhibited autophagosome degradation, whereas acute MPP+ exposure inhibited both autophagosome degradation and basal autophagy. Mild MPP+ exposure reduced lysosomal hydrolase cathepsin D activity without changing lysosomal acidity, whereas acute exposure decreased lysosomal density. Lysosome biogenesis enhancers trehalose and rapamycin partially alleviated mild MPP+ exposure induced impaired autophagosome degradation and cell death, but did not prevent the pathogenic response to acute MPP+ exposure, suggesting irreversible lysosomal damage. We demonstrated impaired autophagic degradation by MPP+ exposure and mechanistic differences between mild and acute MPP+ toxicities. Mild MPP+ toxicity impaired autophagosome degradation through novel lysosomal acidity‐independent mechanisms. Sustained mild lysosomal damage may contribute to PD.
We examined the effects of MPP+ on autophagic processes under mild exposure, which mimics the slow progressive nature of Parkinson's disease, in SH‐SY5Y cells. This study demonstrated impaired autophagic degradation through a reduction in lysosomal cathepsin D activity without altering lysosomal acidity by mild MPP+ exposure. Mechanistic differences between acute and mild MPP+ toxicity were also observed. Sustained mild damage of lysosome may be an underlying cause of Parkinson's disease.
Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.13338.
We examined the effects of MPP+ on autophagic processes under mild exposure, which mimics the slow progressive nature of Parkinson's disease, in SH‐SY5Y cells. This study demonstrated impaired autophagic degradation through a reduction in lysosomal cathepsin D activity without altering lysosomal acidity by mild MPP+ exposure. Mechanistic differences between acute and mild MPP+ toxicity were also observed. Sustained mild damage of lysosome may be an underlying cause of Parkinson's disease.
Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.13338.
To develop novel nonallergenic pyrazolone analgesics, we synthesized a series of compounds in which position 1 of the pyrazolone ring was substituted in place of the original methyl group in order to ...block the formation of allergenic metabolites via N-dealkylation. These pyrazolone analogues were found to show as potent an antipyretic and analgesic effect as antipyrine (AT). In an examination of allergenicity, AT induced a typical skin reaction in guinea pigs, whereas the pyrazolone analogues were inactive. When AT was administered (po) to rats, norantipyrine (NORA) as an active metabolite was detected in the urine, whereas similar administration of the pyrazolone analogues did not afford NORA. We conclude that these novel pyrazolone analogues were nonallergenic because they were not converted to allergenic metabolites in vivo. Because these compounds retain the antipyretic and analgesic activities of AT, they are considered to be promising candidates for nonallergenic antipyretic analgesics.
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