ABCC2/Abcc2 is a member of the ABC transporter family expressed mainly in the liver bile canalicular membrane and involved in the excretion of various kinds of organic anions from hepatocytes into bile. During the drug development process, species differences in the pharmaco- and toxicokinetics of candidate drugs are a major problem. It is possible that ABCC2/Abcc2 transport activity as well as inhibitor sensitivity could lead to a number of phenomena (e.g. a difference in the biliary excretion clearance, a delay in the elimination half-life from the circulating blood and toxic side effects on ABCC2 -mediated drug-drug interactions, such as drug-induced hyperbilirubinemia). From this point of view, it is useful to be able to predict during preclinical development if certain compounds of interest are substrates and/or modulators of ABCC2. Although an in vivo animal model or an in vitro model expressing ABCC2 are useful assay systems, these have some limitations as far as predicting the transport profile of compounds in vivo is concerned. I will present an overview of the species differences in the tissue distribution, function, and also characteristic transport properties of ABCC2/Abcc2 mainly in an in vitro experimental model.

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  Digoxin (DX) is mainly excreted unchanged in the urine. In patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD patients), the relative contribution of hepatic elimination is increased. DX is a substrate of OATP1B3 (SLCO1B3), expressed on the sinusoidal membranes of hepatocytes in humans. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between SLCO1B3 gene polymorphisms and the value of trough concentration-to-dose ratio (C/D ratio) of DX in HD patients.
   We investigated two deletion polymorphisms in complete linkage disequilibrium (-28 to -11 and -7 to -4) and two SNPs in complete linkage disequilibrium (T334G and G699A). Blood was sampled 62-72 hours after the oral administration of DX.
   The C/D ratio of DX was lower in patients with the deletion allele than in those homozygous for the insertion allele, and was lower in patients with the 334T/669G allele than in those homozygous for the 334G/699A allele, although the differences were not statistically significant. The C/D ratio of DX was significantly higher in patients with homozygous for the insert-variant allele (median: 121.8 (ng/mL)/(mg/week/kg), range: 92.5-259.4 (ng/mL)/(mg/week/kg) than in others (median: 93.4 (ng/mL)/(mg/week/kg), range: 66.5-154.3 (ng/mL)/(mg/week/kg)).
   In conclusion, the insert-variant allele of the OATP1B3 gene may increase the C/D ratio of DX in HD patients.

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  Differences in the inhibition of cytochrome P450 activities among thienopyridine antiplatelet agents, ticlopidine, clopidogrel, prasugrel, and the metabolites, 2-oxo-clopidogrel, clopidogrel acid metabolite, deacetylated metabolite of prasugrel (R-95913) and the pharmacologically active metabolites of clopidogrel and prasugrel, were examined using recombinant cytochromes P450 and fluorescent probe substrates. Ticlopidine and clopidogrel inhibited CYP2B6 with IC₅₀ values of 0.0517±0.0323 μM and 0.0182±0.0069 μM, respectively, and inhibited CYP2C19 with IC₅₀ values of 0.203±0.124 μM and 0.524±0.160 μM, respectively. Ticlopidine also inhibited CYP2D6 (IC₅₀ of 0.354±0.158 μM). In contrast, 2-oxo-clopidogrel, prasugrel and R-95913 were much weaker inhibitors of CYP2B6, CYP2C19 and CYP2D6. The inhibitory effects of all the compounds tested were much weaker on the isoforms other than those indicated above. The active metabolites of clopidogrel and prasugrel and clopidogrel acid metabolite also did not affect the activities of the P450s examined.

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  The anti-angiogenic agent TSU-68 is known to rapidly induce cytochrome P450 activity responsible for its own hydroxylation in rats. In this study, we identified CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 as the TSU-68-induced P450 and temporally characterized the rapid induction of these isoforms. Protein and mRNA levels of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 along with CYP1A activities were examined in rat liver after a single oral administration of 500 mg/kg TSU-68. CYP1A-mediated ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation and TSU-68 hydroxylation activities reached the maximum at 12 hr. The activities were maintained up to 24 hr and then slowly decreased down to control levels. Protein levels of both CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 were also rapidly induced with temporal profiles similar to the profile of CYP1A activity. In contrast, unlike CYP1A2 mRNA levels, which peaked at 12 hr and almost returned to control levels by 48 hr, CYP1A1 mRNA levels peaked as early as 3 hr and returned to control levels by 24 hr. Thus, CYP1A1 showed more rapid elevation and turnover of its mRNA than CYP1A2. In conclusion, TSU-68 administered to rats rapidly induced mRNA and protein of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 as well as CYP1A activity. Furthermore, the data showed a difference in the time-dependent induction between CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 mRNAs.

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  Pranlukast is a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist that has been used to treat bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. In vitro data suggest that pranlukast is a substrate of CYP3A4. Thus, the effect of clarithromycin, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, on the pharmacokinetics of pranlukast was examined in an open-label, randomized, two-way crossover study in 16 healthy male volunteers. In treatment A, volunteers received a single, 225 mg dose of pranlukast. In treatment B, 200 mg of clarithromycin was administered twice daily for 7 days and a single, 225 mg dose of pranlukast was coadministered on day 7. Blood samples were collected up to 24 hours after treatment, and pranlukast concentrations in the plasma were measured. The geometric mean ratios [GMR] (90% confidence intervals [CIs]) for pranlukast AUC_0-∞ and C_max (with/without clarithromycin) were 1.06 (0.91, 1.24) and 1.17 (0.95, 1.45), respectively. In conclusion, clarithromycin and pranlukast could be coadministered without dose adjustment because clarithromycin minimally affected the pharmacokinetics of pranlukast.

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  Tebipenem pivoxil (TBPM-PI, ME1211) has been under development as the world's first oral carbapenem for treatment of otolaryngological/respiratory infections caused by drug-resistant S. pneumoniae in pediatric patients. In order to treat these infections effectively, it is important to design optimal dosing regimens based on the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) relationships, which can be characterized by clarifying the pharmacokinetics of tebipenem (TBPM) in the pediatric population.
   We therefore performed an population pharmacokinetic analysis using plasma TBPM concentrations obtained from pediatric patients with otolaryngological infection or bacterial pneumonia (0.5-16 years old; n=217, 395 points), after repeated oral administration of TBPM-PI at a dose of 4 or 6 mg/kg b.i.d. A one-compartment model with first-order absorption was adopted. In analysis, weight-normalized creatinine clearance (Ccr) and age were the most significant covariates that respectively explained inter-subject variability in weight-normalized apparent clearance (CL/F) and volume of distribution (Vd/F) of TBPM. The CL/F of TBPM increased with Ccr, and the Vd/F decreased with age.
   Based on the results of the present analysis, validity of the presently recommended dosage regimen of TBPM-PI in pediatric patients is discussed.

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  Landiolol hydrochloride is a newly developed cardioselective, ultra short-acting β₁-adrenergic receptor blocking agent used for perioperative arrhythmia control. The objective of this study was to characterize the population pharmacokinetics of landiolol hydrochloride in healthy male subjects. A total of 420 blood concentration data points collected from 47 healthy male subjects were used for the population pharmacokinetic analysis. NONMEM was used for population pharmacokinetic analysis. In addition, the final pharmacokinetic model was evaluated using a bootstrap method and a leave-one-out cross validation method. The concentration time course of landiolol hydrochloride was best described by a two-compartment model with lag time. The final parameters were total body clearance (CL: 36.6 mL/min/kg), distribution volume of the central compartment (V1: 101 mL/kg), inter-compartmental clearance (16.1 mL/min/kg), distribution volume of the peripheral compartment (55.6 mL/kg), and lag time (0.82 min). The inter-individual variability in the CL and V1 were 21.8% and 46.3%, respectively. The residual variability was 22.1%. Model evaluation by the two different methods indicated that the final model was robust and parameter estimates were reasonable. The population pharmacokinetic model for landiolol hydrochloride in healthy subjects was developed and was shown to be appropriate by both bootstrap and leave-one-out cross validation methods.

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  The objectives of this study were to develop a population pharmacokinetic model of imidafenacin and to explore the factors that affect the pharmacokinetics of imidafenecin. A total of 2406 plasma samples were collected from 90 healthy volunteers and 457 patients with overactive bladder. We determined the plasma concentrations of imidafenacin by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry; resultant data were analyzed by a population approach using NONMEM software. The imidafenacin plasma concentration time course was described using a two-compartment model with first-order absorption and lag time. The robustness of the population pharmacokinetic model was evaluated by bootstrap resampling. The results of the population pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated that oral clearance was decreased with advancing age, increasing hepatic function parameters (AST and ALP), food intake, and itraconazole coadministration, while the first-order absorption rate constant was decreased with food intake. All parameter estimates from the final model fell within 20% of the bootstrapped mean. In conclusion, we developed a population pharmacokinetic model for imidafenacin that well-described plasma concentration profiles. We also identified the factors affecting imidafenacin pharmacokinetics.

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  Zinc is an essential metal ion for the body, and is widely used for nutritional and clinical purposes. Previously, we showed that zinc inhibits the transport of glycylsarcosine via the intestinal peptide transporter PEPT1 in the human intestinal cell line Caco-2. In this study, we examined the effect of zinc on the activity of peptide transporters in rats using the oral β-lactam antibiotic ceftibuten as a model drug. The plasma ceftibuten concentration after intraintestinal administration was decreased in the presence of zinc. The maximum plasma concentration (C_max) was significantly decreased and the time required to reach C_max (T_max) was prolonged by zinc coadministration. The plasma ceftibuten concentration after iron coadministration or two hours after zinc administration was not affected. The in situ loop technique revealed 50% inhibition of ceftibuten absorption by zinc. In conclusion, zinc inhibits the transport activity of PEPT1 in vivo as well in vitro.

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  The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the effects of intestinal and hepatic extraction on the pharmacokinetics of everolimus in rats. Everolimus was administered intravenously, intraportally or intraintestinally in order to separately evaluate the intestinal and hepatic first-pass extraction. Cyclosporine or tacrolimus was administered into rat intestines, and after 10 min everolimus pharmacokinetics were evaluated. The blood concentrations of everolimus were measured by the high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Total body clearance of everolimus was constant in the dosage from 0.2 to 1.0 mg/kg. The bioavailability after intraportal and intraintestinal administration were 48.0% and 21.2%, respectively. Concomitantly administered cyclosporine (5 mg/kg) , but not tacrolimus (1 mg/kg), significantly decreased the total body clearance of everolimus compared with the control, and also increased the bioavailabilty of everolimus after intraintestinal administration 1.75-fold. Cyclosporine significantly increased the area under the blood concentration-time curve of everolimus after the intraintestinal constant infusion 3-fold, and increased that after the intraportal constant infusion only 1.35-fold. In conclusion, the intestine as well as liver contributes to the first-pass extraction for everolimus in rats. Intestinally administered cyclosporine inhibited the intestinal extraction of everolimus more than its hepatic extraction.

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  OATP1B1 is a liver-specific transporter that mediates the uptake of various endogenous and exogenous compounds including many clinically used drugs from blood into hepatocytes. This study aims to identify genetic variations of SLCO1B1 gene in three distinct ethnic groups of the Singaporean population (n=288). The coding region of the gene encoding the transporter protein was screened for genetic variations in the study population by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and DNA sequencing. Twenty-five genetic variations of SLCO1B1, including 10 novel ones, were found: 13 in the coding exons (9 nonsynonymous and 4 synonymous variations), 6 in the introns, and 6 in the 3′ untranslated region. Four novel nonsynonymous variations: 633A>G (Ile211Met), 875C>T (Ala292Val), 1837T>C (Cys613Arg), and 1877T>A (Leu626Stop) were detected as heterozygotes. Among the novel nonsynonymous variations, 633A>G, 1837T>C, and 1877T>A were predicted to be functionally significant. These data would provide fundamental and useful information for pharmacogenetic studies on drugs that are substrates of OATP1B1 in Asians.

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