DB289 [2,5-bis(4-amidinophenyl)furan-bis-O-methylamidoxime] is biotransformed to the potent antiparasitic diamidine DB75 [2,5-bis(4-amidinophenyl) furan] by sequential oxidative O-demethyl-ation and reductive N-dehydroxylation reactions. Previous work demonstrated that the N-dehydroxylation reactions are catalyzed by cytochrome b 5 /NADH-cytochrome b 5 reductase. Enzymes responsible for catalyzing the DB289 O-demethylation pathway have not been identified. We report an in vitro metabolism study to characterize enzymes in human liver microsomes (HLMs) that catalyze the initial O-demethylation of DB289 (M1 formation). Potent inhibition by 1-aminobenzotriazole confirmed that M1 formation is catalyzed by P450 enzymes. M1 formation by HLMs was NADPHdependent, with a K m and V max of 0.5 M and 3.8 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Initial screening showed that recombinant CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 were efficient catalysts of M1 formation. However, none of these three enzymes was responsible for M1 formation by HLMs. Further screening showed that recombinant CYP2J2, CYP4F2, and CYP4F3B could also catalyze M1 formation. An antibody against CYP4F2, which inhibited both CYP4F2 and CYP4F3B, inhibited 91% of M1 formation by HLMs. Two inhibitors of P450-mediated arachidonic acid metabolism, HET0016 (Nhydroxy-N-(4-n-butyl-2-methylphenyl)formamidine) and 17-octadecynoic acid, effectively inhibited M1 formation by HLMs. Inhibition studies with ebastine and antibodies against CYP2J2 suggested that CYP2J2 was not involved in M1 formation by HLMs. Additionally, ketoconazole preferentially inhibited CYP4F2, but not CYP4F3B, and partially inhibited M1 formation by HLMs. We conclude that CYP4F enzymes (e.g., CYP4F2, CYP4F3B) are the major enzymes responsible for M1 formation by HLMs. These findings indicate that, in human liver, members of the CYP4F subfamily biotransform not only endogenous compounds but also xenobiotics.As part of our search for new lead compounds for the treatment of African trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness) and other parasitic infections, aromatic dicationic compounds, such as DB75 [2,5-bis(4-amidinophenyl) furan], have been evaluated for efficacy in multiple models of infection. These diamidine-type compounds are effective against a broad range of pathogens in vitro, including Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania spp., Pneumocystis carinii, and

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Felbamate is an antiepileptic drug that is associated with minimal toxicity in preclinical species such as rat and dog but has an unacceptable incidence of serious idiosyncratic reactions in man. Idiosyncratic reactions account for over half of toxicity-related drug failures in the marketplace, and improving the preclinical detection of idiosyncratic toxicities is thus of paramount importance to the pharmaceutical industry. The formation of reactive metabolites is common among most drugs associated with idiosyncratic drug reactions and may cause deleterious effects through covalent binding and/or oxidative stress. In the present study, felbamate was compared to several other antiepileptic drugs (valproic acid, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and phenytoin), using covalent binding of radiolabeled drugs and hepatic gene expression responses to evaluate oxidative stress/reactive metabolite potential. Despite causing only very mild effects on covalent binding parameters, felbamate produced robust effects on a previously established oxidative stress/reactive metabolite gene expression signature. The other antiepileptic drugs and acetaminophen are known hepatotoxicants at high doses in the rat, and all increased covalent binding to liver proteins in vivo and/or to liver microsomes from human and rat. With the exception of acetaminophen, valproic acid exhibited the highest covalent binding in vivo, whereas carbamazepine exhibited the highest levels in vitro. Pronounced effects on oxidative stress/reactive metabolite-responsive gene expression were observed after carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and phenytoin administration. Valproic acid had only minor effects on the oxidative stress/reactive metabolite indicator genes. The relative ease of detection of felbamate based on gene expression results in rat liver as having potential oxidative stressor/reactive metabolites indicates that this approach may be useful in screening for potential idiosyncratic toxicity. Together, measurements of gene expression along with covalent binding should improve the safety assessment of candidate drugs.

The neuroleptic agent haloperidol (HP) and its tetrahydropyridine dehydration product HPTP are biotransformed to the potentially neurotoxic HP pyridinium species HPP+ and the reduced HP pyridinium species RHPP+ in humans and rodents. The studies reported here were designed to identify the specific form(s) of human cytochrome P450 that catalyze(s) these transformations. Fifteen human liver microsomal preparations all catalyzed the oxidation of HP and HPTP to HPP+ and HPTP to RHPP+. Values for kcat/KM averaged 6.71 and 1.24 min-1 mM-1 for HPP+ and RHPP+ formation, respectively. The rates of conversion of HP and HPTP to HPP+ correlated well with testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylase activity, a marker of P450 3A activity. Microsomes prepared from a human lymphoblastoid cell line co-expressing human P450 3A4 and cytochrome P450 reductase also catalyzed the formation of HPP+ from HP and HPTP. Troleandomycin and ketoconazole, potent P450 3A inhibitors, and antibodies against P450 3A were effective inhibitors of HPP+ formation. We conclude that the conversions of HP and HPTP to potentially neurotoxic pyridinium metabolite HPP+ are catalyzed selectively by P450 3A4 in human liver microsomes.