The ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the precursors of various bioactive lipid mediators including prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, isoprostanes, lipoxins, and resolvins (Rvs). These lipid mediators play important roles in various physiological and pathological processes. The quantitative determination of PUFA metabolites seems necessary for disease research and for developing biomarkers. However, there is a paucity of analytical methods for the quantification of ω-6 and ω-3 PUFA metabolites—the specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) present in the human urine. We developed a method for the quantification of ω-6 and ω-3 PUFA metabolites present in human urine using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS). The developed method shows good linearity, with a correlation coefficient >0.99 for all of the analytes. The validation results indicate that our method is adequately reliable, accurate, and precise. The method was successfully used to examine urine samples obtained from 43 healthy volunteers. We could identify 20 PUFA metabolites, and this is the first report of the quantitative determination of RvD1, 17(R)-RvD1, 11-dehydro thromboxane B3, RvE2, and 5(S)-HETE in human urine. The urinary 8-iso PGF(2α) and PGE2 levels were significantly higher in the men smokers than in the men nonsmokers (p < 0.05). In this study, we developed an accurate, precise, and novel analytical method for estimating the ω-6 and ω-3 PUFA metabolites, and this is the first report that the SPMs derived from EPA and DHA are present in human urine.

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The human monocarboxylate transporters (hMCTs/SLC16As) mediate the uptake of various monocarboxylates. Several isoforms of hMCTs are expressed in cancerous tissue as well as in normal tissue. In cancerous tissue, hypoxia induces the expression of hMCT4, which transports the energetic metabolite l-lactate across the plasma membrane. Since hMCT4 is involved in pH regulation and the transport of l-lactate in cancer cells, an hMCT4 inhibitor could function as an anticancer agent. Although several non specific hMCT inhibitors have been developed, a selective hMCT4 inhibitor has not yet been identified. The aim of this study was therefore to identify a selective hMCT4 inhibitor for use as a pharmacological tool for studying hMCT4. The heterologous expression system of the Xenopus oocyte was used to assess the effects of test compounds on hMCT4, whereupon isobutyrate derivatives, fibrates, and bindarit (2-[(1-benzyl-1H-indazol-3-yl)methoxy]-2-methylpropanoic acid) were demonstrated to exhibit selective inhibitory effects against this transporter. It is suggested that the structure formed from the joining of an isobutyrate moiety and two aromatic rings by appropriate linkers is important for acquiring the selective hMCT4-inhibiting activity. These findings provide novel insights into the ligand recognition of hMCT4, and contribute to the development of novel anticancer agents.

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Methotrexate (MTX) is an antifolate agent used in the treatment of numerous types of cancer, and eliminated by active tubular secretion via organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3). Gastric antisecretory drugs, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine H receptor antagonists, are widely used among patients with cancer in clinical practice. The aim of the present study was to analyse the potential drug-drug interactions between MTX and gastric antisecretory drugs in high-dose MTX (HD-MTX) therapy. The impact of PPIs on the plasma MTX concentration on 73 cycles of HD-MTX therapy was analysed retrospectively in 43 patients. Also investigated was the involvement of OAT3 in PPI-MTX drug interaction in an in vitro study using human OAT3 expressing HEK293 cells. In a retrospective study, patients who received a PPI had significantly higher MTX levels at 48 h (0.38 vs. 0.15 μmol l , respectively, p = 0.000018) and 72 h (0.13 vs. 0.05 μmol l , respectively, p = 0.0002) compared with patients who did not receive a PPI (but received famotidine). Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrated that PPIs (esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole and rabeprazole) inhibited hOAT3-mediated uptake of MTX in a concentration-dependent manner (IC values of 0.40-5.5 μ m), with a rank order of lansoprazole > esomeprazole > rabeprazole > omeprazole. In contrast to PPIs, famotidine showed little inhibitory effect on hOAT3-mediated MTX uptake. These results demonstrated that co-administration of PPI, but not famotidine, could result in a pharmacokinetic interaction that increases the plasma MTX levels, at least in part, via hOAT3 inhibition.

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