ABSTRACT:The role of the genetically polymorphic CYP3A5 in the metabolism of CYP3A substrates is unclear. We investigated the contributions of the CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 isoforms to the metabolism of the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) sildenafil, udenafil, and vardenafil. In vitro incubation studies of sildenafil N-demethylation, udenafil N-dealkylation, and vardenafil N-deethylation were conducted using recombinant CYP3A enzymes and 15 human liver microsome (HLM) preparations with predetermined CYP3A5 genotypes. Recombinant CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 both produced N-desalkyl metabolites of sildenafil, udenafil, and vardenafil. The catalytic efficiency (Cl int ‫؍‬ V max /apparent K m ) of the rCYP3A5 isoform for vardenafil N-deethylation was about 3.2-fold that of rCYP3A4, whereas the intrinsic clearance rates for N-dealkylation of both sildenafil and udenafil were similar between rCYP3A5 and rCYP3A4. The metabolite formation activity was higher in HLMs heterozygous for the CYP3A5*3 allele (n ‫؍‬ 9) than in HLMs homozygous for CYP3A5*3 (n ‫؍‬ 6). These findings suggest that CYP3A5 and CYP3A4 play a significant role in the metabolism of PDE5Is. The genetic polymorphism of CYP3A5 may contribute to interindividual variability in the disposition of PDE5Is, especially vardenafil. Further in vivo studies are needed to confirm the effects of CYP3A5 genotypes on the pharmacokinetics of PDE5Is.Sildenafil, udenafil, and vardenafil are potent, selective inhibitors of cyclic GMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) in the smooth muscle cells lining blood vessels, especially in the corpus cavernosum of the penis. These drugs are used for effective p.o. treatment of erectile dysfunction. Previous studies have reported large interindividual variability in the pharmacokinetic disposition of sildenafil, udenafil, and vardenafil (Klotz et al., 2001;Rajagopalan et al., 2003;Shim et al., 2003;Bischoff, 2004;Gupta et al., 2005;Mehrotra et al., 2007). Vardenafil showed the highest interindividual variation among three PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5Is), with a 14-fold variability among subjects receiving 20 mg of vardenafil (Klotz et al., 2001;Rajagopalan et al., 2003). The mechanisms of these large interindividual variations in vivo have not been elucidated.Sildenafil, udenafil, and vardenafil undergo N-dealkylation in the liver and intestine, and cytochrome P450 (P450) 3A is primarily involved in their metabolism (Fig. 1) (Ji et al., 2004; Kivisto et al., 2004;Mehrotra et al., 2007). CYP3A is most abundant human hepatic P450 and is involved in the metabolism of approximately 50% of commonly administered drugs (Evans and Relling, 1999). In adults, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 are predominant among the four known isoforms (CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP3A7, and CYP3A43) in the liver and intestine (Nelson et al., 1996). CYP3A5 is similar to CYP3A4 with regard to sequence and substrate selectivity (Kuehl et al., 2001). There are 84% amino acid sequence similarity and overlapping substrate specificities between CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 (Aoyama et al., 1989;Wrighton and ...

The superior colliculus (SC) is a midbrain center involved in controlling head and eye movements in response to inputs from multiple sensory modalities. Visual inputs arise from both the retina and visual cortex and converge onto the superficial layer of the SC (sSC). Neurons in sSC send information to deeper layers of SC and to thalamic nuclei that modulate visually guided behaviors. Presently, our understanding of sSC neurons is impeded by a lack of molecular markers that define specific cell types. To better understand the identity and organization of sSC neurons, we took a systematic approach to investigate gene expression within four molecular families: transcription factors, cell adhesion molecules, neuropeptides and calcium binding proteins. Our analysis revealed 12 molecules with distinct expression patterns in mouse sSC: cadherin 7, contactin 3, netrin G2, cadherin 6, protocadherin 20, retinoid-related orphan receptor β, brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3b, Ets variant gene 1, substance P, somatostatin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and parvalbumin. Double labeling experiments, by either in situ hybridization or immunostaining, demonstrated that the 12 molecular markers collectively define 10 different sSC neuronal types. The characteristic positions of these cell types divide sSC into 4 distinct layers. The 12 markers identified here will serve as valuable tools to examine molecular mechanisms that regulate development of sSC neuron types. These markers could also be used to examine the connections between specific cell types that form retinocollicular, corticocollicular or colliculothalamic pathways.

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