PMID: 9531525May 16, 1998Paper

Overlapping substrate specificities of cytochrome P450 3A and P-glycoprotein for a novel cysteine protease inhibitor

Drug Metabolism and Disposition : the Biological Fate of Chemicals
Y ZhangLeslie Z Benet

Abstract

K02 (morpholine-urea-Phe-Hphe-vinylsulfone), a newly developed peptidomimetic, acts as a potent cysteine protease inhibitor, especially of cathepsins B and L (which are associated with cancer progression) and cruzain (a cysteine protease of Trypanosoma cruzi, which is responsible for Chagas' disease). Here we investigated features of the disposition of K02 using in vitro systems, characterizing the interaction of the drug with human cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a mediator of multidrug resistance (MDR) to cancer chemotherapy and a countertransporter in the intestine that limits oral drug bioavailability. P-gp functions as an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump to reduce intracellular cytotoxic concentrations. An HPLC assay was developed to analyze K02 and its metabolites formed in human liver microsomes. Three major primary metabolites were determined by LC/MS/MS to be hydroxylated products of the parent compound. A rabbit anti-CYP3A polyclonal antibody (200 microl antibody/mg microsomal protein) produced 75-94% inhibition of the formation of these three hydroxylated metabolites. Ketoconazole (5 microM), a selective CYP3A inhibitor, produced up to 75% inhibition, whereas other CYP-specific inhibitors, i.e. quin...Continue Reading

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