Narang VS, Fraga C, Kumar N, Shen J, Throm S, Stewart CF, Waters CM. Dexamethasone increases expression and activity of multidrug resistance transporters at the rat blood-brain barrier. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 295: C440 -C450, 2008. First published June 4, 2008 doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00491.2007.-Brain edema is an important factor leading to morbidity and mortality associated with primary brain tumors. Dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, is routinely prescribed with antineoplastic agents to alleviate pain associated with chemotherapy and reduce intracranial pressure. We investigated whether dexamethasone treatment increased the expression and activity of multidrug resistance (MDR) transporters at the blood-brain barrier. Treatment of primary rat brain microvascular endothelial cells with submicromolar concentrations of dexamethasone induced significantly higher levels of drug efflux transporters such as breast cancer resistance protein (abcg2), P-glycoprotein (P-gp; abcb1a/abcb1b), and MDR protein 2 (Mrp2; abcc2) as indicted by protein and mRNA levels as well as by functional activity. The effect of dexamethasone on transporter function was significant within 6 h of treatment, was dose dependent, and was reversible. Dexamethasone-induced upregulation of Bcrp and P-gp expression and function was partially abrogated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist RU486. In contrast, RU486 had no effect on the dexamethasone-induced upregulation of Mrp2, suggesting a GR-independent regulation of Mrp2, and a GR-dependent regulation of P-gp and Bcrp. In addition to the dexamethasone-induced upregulation of MDR transporters, we measured a dose-dependent and reversible increase in the expression of the nuclear transcription factor pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR). Administering dexamethasone to rats caused increased expression of PXR in brain microvessels within 24 h. These results suggest that adjuvant therapy with corticosteroids such as dexamethasone in the treatment of brain tumors may increase the expression of MDR transporters at the blood-brain barrier through pathways involving GR and PXR. multidrug resistance proteins; pregnane xenobiotic receptor; breast cancer resistance protein BRAIN TUMORS ACCOUNT for approximately 2-3% of all cancers and approximately 25-30% of solid pediatric tumors (20). Treatment of brain tumors and other central nervous system diseases is limited by the ability of therapeutic drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Beyond the tight physical barrier provided by the endothelial cells, drug penetration is substantially reduced by the presence of multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux transporters of the ATP-binding cassette family (28). Previous in vitro studies have identified functionally active MDR efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp, or abcb1a/abcb1b), breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp, or abcg2), MDR-associated protein 2 (Mrp2, or abcc2), and Mrp4 (or abcc4) in primary cultures of human, rat, and bovine cerebral endothelial cells (19,26). These transporters...

Severe toxicity was not increased in pediatric patients with the 7/7 genotype when treated with a low-dose protracted schedule of irinotecan. Therefore, UGT1A1 genotyping is not a useful prognostic indicator of severe toxicity for patients treated with this irinotecan dosage and schedule.

ABSTRACT:Nutlin-3a is an MDM2 inhibitor that is under investigation in preclinical models for a variety of pediatric malignancies, including retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, and leukemia. We used physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to characterize the disposition of nutlin-3a in the mouse. Plasma protein binding and blood partitioning were assessed by in vitro studies. After intravenous (10 and 20 mg/kg) and oral (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) dosing, tissue concentrations of nutlin-3a were determined in plasma, liver, spleen, intestine, muscle, lung, adipose, bone marrow, adrenal gland, brain, retina, and vitreous fluid. The PBPK model was simultaneously fit to all pharmacokinetic data using NONMEM. Nutlin-3a exhibited nonlinear binding to murine plasma proteins, with the unbound fraction ranging from 0.7 to 11.8%. Nutlin-3a disposition was characterized by rapid absorption with peak plasma concentrations at approximately 2 h and biphasic elimination consistent with a saturable clearance process. The final PBPK model successfully described the plasma and tissue disposition of nutlin-3a. Simulations suggested high bioavailability, rapid attainment of steady state, and little accumulation when administered once or twice daily at dosages up to 400 mg/kg. The final model was used to perform simulations of unbound tissue concentrations to determine which dosing regimens are appropriate for preclinical models of several pediatric malignancies.

Purpose To describe sources of interindividual variability in bevacizumab disposition in pediatric patients and explore associations among bevacizumab pharmacokinetics and clinical wound healing outcomes. Experimental Design Prior to tumor resection, three doses of bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) were administered to patients (median age 12.2 years) enrolled on a multi-institutional osteosarcoma trial. Serial sampling for bevacizumab pharmacokinetics was obtained from 27 patients. A population pharmacokinetic model was fit to the data, and patient demographics and clinical chemistry values were systematically tested as predictive covariates on model parameters. Associations between bevacizumab exposure and wound healing status were evaluated by logistic regression. Results Bevacizumab concentration-time data were adequately described by a two-compartment model. Pharmacokinetic parameter estimates were similar to those previously reported in adults with a long median (range) terminal half-life of 12.2 days (8.6 to 32.4 days) and a volume of distribution indicating confinement primarily to the vascular space,49.1 mL/kg (27.1 to 68.3 mL/kg). Body composition was a key determinant of bevacizumab exposure as body mass index percentile was significantly (p<0.05) correlated to body-weight normalized clearance and volume of distribution. Furthermore, bevacizumab exposure prior to primary tumor resection was associated with increased risk of major wound healing complications after surgery (p<0.05). Conclusion A population pharmacokinetic model for bevacizumab was developed which demonstrated that variability in bevacizumab exposure using weight-based dosing is related to body composition. Bevacizumab dosage scaling using ideal body weight would provide an improved dosing approach in children by minimizing pharmacokinetic variability and reducing likelihood of major wound healing complications.