1. The aims were to refine experimental conditions (using 76 human hepatocyte preparations) in terms of the selection of enzyme inducers and their optimal concentration, the treatment duration with inducers and the choice of specific cytochrome P450 isoform(s) probes to optimize the use of primary hepatocytes for predicting the potential induction by new chemical entities of cytochrome P450 isoforms in vivo in man. 2. In the absence of any inducer, basal cytochrome P450 isoform(s)-mediated activities decreased to 20% of their initial activity (end of the seeding period) by 72-96 h. In contrast, UGT-dependent enzyme activities remained at a constant level (+/- 20%) up to the fifth day of culture. 3. Beta-naphthoflavone, at an optimal concentration of 50 microM and after a 3-day treatment, specifically and potently induced 7-ethoxyresorufin (10.4 +/- 10.4-fold, n = 74) and phenacetin (6.6 +/- 6.4-fold, n = 60) O-deethylation processes, markers for CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 isoforms respectively. Only a 2-fold increase was noted following treatment with 2 mM phenobarbitone, whereas dexamethasone and rifampicin had no effect at all. 4. A 3-day treatment of human hepatocytes with 50 microM dexamethasone was associated with a major induction of both coumarin 7-hydroxylation (9.4 +/- 11.4-fold, n = 49) and nifedipine dehydrogenation (4.7 +/- 3.8-fold, n = 61), markers for CYP2A6 and CYP3A4 respectively. Phenobarbitone, however, exhibited a broad but moderate inducing effect on 7-ethoxyresorufin (2.2 +/- 1.5-fold, n = 55) and phenacetin (1.7 +/- 0.9-fold, n = 54) O-deethylation, coumarin 7-hydroxylation (3.9 +/- 9.2-fold, n = 50) and nifedipine dehydrogenation (2.1 +/- 2.0-fold, n = 47). 5. Km obtained for the different cytochrome P450 isoform substrates in untreated hepatocytes were in the same range of magnitude that those determined on human hepatic microsomal fractions. Enzyme induction processes were characterized by a large increase in apparent Vmax whereas apparent Km were not affected. 6. These studies demonstrate that human hepatocytes in primary culture can respond specifically and quantitatively to model inducers. This in vitro system offers a useful approach to study the regulation of human hepatic biotransformation activities and should facilitate the demand for a reproducible method for addressing cytochrome P450 induction.

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The in vitro metabolism of dronedarone and its major metabolites has been studied in human liver microsomes and cryopreserved hepatocytes in primary culture through the use of specific or total cytochrome P450 (CYP) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. The identification of the main metabolites and enzymes participating in their metabolism was also elucidated by using rhCYP, rhMAO, flavin monooxygenases (rhFMO) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (rhUGT) and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) analysis. Dronedarone was extensively metabolized in human hepatocytes with a metabolic clearance being almost completely inhibited (98 ± 2%) by 1-aminobenzotriazole. Ketoconazole also inhibited dronedarone metabolism by 89 ± 7%, demonstrating the crucial role of CYP3A in its metabolism. CYP3A isoforms mostly contributed to N-debutylation while hydroxylation on the butyl-benzofuran moiety was catalyzed by CYP2D6. However, hydroxylation on the dibutylamine moiety did not appear to be CYP-dependent. N-debutyl-dronedarone was less rapidly metabolized than dronedarone, the major metabolic pathway being catalyzed by MAO-A to form propanoic acid-dronedarone and phenol-dronedarone. Propanoic acid-dronedarone was metabolized at a similar rate to that of N-debutyl-dronedarone and was predominantly hydroxylated by CYP2C8 and CYP1A1. Phenol-dronedarone was extensively glucuronidated while C-dealkyl-dronedarone was metabolized at a slow rate. The evaluation of the systemic clearance of each metabolic process together with the identification of both the major metabolites and predominant enzyme systems and isoforms involved in the formation and subsequent metabolism of these metabolites has enhanced the overall understanding of metabolism of dronedarone in humans.

The metabolism of 2-n-propyl-2-pentenoate (delta 2-VPA) was evaluated in human hepatic microsomal fractions. Two biotransformation pathways have been particularly investigated. In the presence of the cytochrome P-450 co-factor, NADPH, the main metabolites recovered were delta 3-VPA, delta 2,4-VPA and VPA. The glucuronidation of delta 2-VPA was also studied on various hepatic microsomal fractions using Brij 35 as activator and UDP-glucuronic acid as co-factor. A large interindividual variability occurred in this metabolic pathway. Km and Vmax were 0.85 mmol/l and 1.75 nmol.min-1.mg-1, respectively, for delta 2-VPA and 1.11 mmol/l and 5.71 nmol.min-1.mg-1 for VPA, respectively. The good correlation (r = 0.82; p less than 0.001) observed between the glucuronidation of VPA and delta 2-VPA as well as the mutual inhibition of each other's glucuronidation strongly suggests that (a) common single UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoenzyme(s) was (were) involved in this glucuronidation step. The glucuronidation of specific substrates for various UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoenzymes showed a good relationship between the glucuronidations of delta 2-VPA and morphine, a substrate for UDP-glucuronosyltransferase-2B. Moreover, morphine competitively inhibits delta 2-VPA glucuronidation. It seems the same isoenzyme or, at least, (a) very closely related isoenzyme(s) belonging to UDP-glucuronosyltransferase-2 isoenzyme, is involved in delta 2-VPA glucuronidation.

A mixture of 15N-labelled, 14C-labelled and unlabelled minaprine was administered orally to three baboons, and metabolites in blood, urine and brain investigated. Biological samples were extracted with dichloromethane and the radioactive components extracted were analysed by t.l.c. and autoradiography. Compounds identified by comparing their physiochemical properties with those of synthetic standards and by g.l.c.-mass spectrometry were minaprine, 3-[2-(3-oxo)morpholino-ethylamino]-4-methyl-6-phenylpyridazine, 3-amino-4-methyl-6-phenylpyridazine, 3-[2-(aminoethyl)ethylamino]-4-methyl-6-phenylpyridazine, p-hydroxyminaprine and minaprine N-oxide. In addition to the urinary metabolites, two circulating metabolites were detected: metabolite A, 3-[2-(3-oxo)morpholino-ethylamino]-4-methyl-6-phenylpyridazine, and metabolite B (unidentified). All circulating metabolites appeared very early in blood, confirming the rapid and extensive metabolism of the drug. Metabolites A, B and 3 (p-hydroxyminaprine) were the major metabolites present in plasma. The parent drug was not the major circulating form, and was present in a higher concentration in erythrocytes than in plasma. Erythrocytes might act as a reservoir of the drug and could explain the relatively slow blood clearance of minaprine despite its rapid metabolism. The qualitative metabolic profile in brain tissue was similar to that in blood.