Accurate determination of the in vitro kinetic parameters Km (Michaelis constant) and Ki (inhibition constant) is critical for the quantitative prediction of in vivo drug clearance and the magnitude of inhibitory drug interactions. A cause of inaccuracy in vitro arises from the assumption that all drug added to an incubation mixture is available for metabolism or inhibition. Many drugs bind non-specifically to the membrane of the in vitro enzyme source. The aims of this thesis were to: 1) investigate the comparative importance of lipophilicity (as log P), and pKa as determinants of the non-specific binding of drugs to human liver microsomes; 2) develop and validate an ANS fluorescence technique for measuring the non-specific binding of drugs to human liver microsomes; 3) characterise the non-specific binding of a large dataset of physicochemically diverse drugs using the ANS fluorescence procedure; 4) evaluate relationships between selected physicochemical characteristics and the extent of non-specific binding of drugs to human liver microsomes and; 5) computationally model the non-specific binding of drugs to discriminate between high binding (fu(mic) less than 0.5) and low binding (fu(mic) greater than 0.5) drugs. The comparative binding of the basic drugs atenolol (log P = 0.1; fu(mic) = 1.00), of propranolol (log P = 3.1; fu(mic) = 0.36 - 0.84), and imipramine (log P = 4.8; fu(mic) = 0.42 - 0.82) suggested that lipophilicity is a major determinant of non-specific binding. In contrast, the comparative binding of diazepam (pKa = 3.3; fu(mic) = 0.69 - 0.80), a neutral compound; and the bases propranolol (pKa = 9.5; fu(mic) = 0.36 - 0.84) and lignocaine (pKa = 9.5; fu(mic) = 0.98), indicated that pKa was not a determinant of the extent of non-specific binding. The non-binding of lignocaine, a relatively lipophilic base, was unexpected and confirmed by the non-binding of the structurally related compounds bupivacaine and ropivacaine. These results implicated physicochemical characteristics other than lipophilicity and charge as important for the non-specific binding of drugs to human liver microsomes. An assay based on 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) fluorescence was developed using the seven drugs employed in the initial study. Non-specific binding data from equilibrium dialysis and the ANS fluorescence methods were compared and a linear correlation (r2 = 0.92, p less than 0.01) was observed at drug concentrations of 100 and 200 micromolar. The approach was further validated by characterising the microsomal binding of nine compounds (bupropion, chloroquine, chlorpromazine, diflunisal, flufenamic acid, meclofenamic acid, mianserine, triflupromazine, and verapamil) using both binding methods (i.e. equilibrium dialysis and ANS fluorescence). A significant logarithmic relationship (r2 greater than or equal to 0.90) was demonstrated between fu(mic) and the modulus of ANS fluorescence for all drugs and for basic drugs alone at concentrations of 100 and 200 micromolar, while the acidic/neutral drugs showed a significant linear relationship (r2 greater than or equal to 0.84) at these two concentrations (p less than 0.01). The non binding of bupropion provided further evidence that physicochemical properties other than log P and charge were important for non-specific binding of drugs to human liver microsomes. The ANS fluorescence technique was then used to characterise the non-specific binding of 88 physicochemically diverse compounds. In general, acids and neutrals bound to a ‘low’ extent (fu(mic) greater than 0.5) whereas bases bound the full fu(mic) range (0.0001 to 1). Statistically significant relationships were observed between the non-specific binding of bases and log P, the number of hydrogen bond donors and hydrogen bond acceptors per molecule, and molecular mass. Preliminary in silico modeling of the dataset generated by the ANS fluorescence technique, using the program ROCS, provided discrimination of all but one (itraconazole) of the ‘high’ binding bases. However, there were 14 false positives, resulting in low overall prediction accuracy. Taken together, the studies conducted in this thesis provide important insights into the physicochemical factors that determine the non-specific binding of drugs to human liver microsomes.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Nanoscience is the study of phenomena and objects at the nanoscale (around 1-100 nm), socalled nanomaterials. These nanomaterials exhibit novel properties that are often very different to those of the bulk materials used for their synthesis. Hence, nanoparticles are widely commercialised, especially silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) due to their antimicrobial properties and some other useful phenomena. This commercialisation leads to inevitable exposure to the environment and humans, which leads to inhalation, ingestion or dermal uptake of AgNPs by the human body culminating in distribution to several major organs, including the liver. Both chronic and acute exposure to AgNPs have been linked to detrimental effects in both in vitro and in vivo studies. These include oxidative stress, induction of inflammation, DNA damage, cell death and many others.

Liver macrophages (LMs) play a central role in acute and chronic liver pathologies. Investigation of these processes in humans as well as the development of diagnostic tools and new therapeutic strategies require in vitro models that closely resemble the in vivo situation. In our study, we sought to gain further insight into the role of LMs in different liver pathologies and into their characteristics after isolation from liver tissue. For this purpose, LMs were characterized in human liver tissue sections using immunohistochemistry and bioinformatic image analysis. Isolated cells were characterized in suspension using FACS analyses and in culture using immunofluorescence staining and laser scanning microscopy as well as functional assays. The majority of our investigated liver tissues were characterized by anti-inflammatory LMs which showed a homogeneous distribution and increased cell numbers in correlation with chronic liver injuries. In contrast, pro-inflammatory LMs appeared as temporary and locally restricted reactions. Detailed characterization of isolated macrophages revealed a complex disease dependent pattern of LMs consisting of pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophages of different origins, regulatory macrophages and monocytes. Our study showed that in most cases the macrophage pattern can be transferred in adherent cultures. The observed exceptions were restricted to LMs with pro-inflammatory characteristics.

Vemurafenib is a potent serine/threonine kinase inhibitor and is registered as Zelboraf® for the treatment of metastatic melanomas harboring BRAFV600E mutations. There is a large individual variation in drug response and the side effects observed among patients treated with Zelboraf® has proven to be severe.  LC-MS/MS methods were developed to measure vemurafenib and its metabolites in human plasma for prediction of treatment outcome and side effects in order to individualize treatment with Zelboraf®.  A novel, rapid quantification method was developed for vemurafenib using a stable isotope labeled internal standard. The method was validated according to international guidelines with regard to calibration range, accuracy, precision, carry-over, dilution integrity, selectivity, matrix effects, recovery and stability. All parameters met the set acceptance criteria.  The first method suitable for quantifying vemurafenib metabolites in human plasma is presented. Lacking commercially available reference substances, human liver microsomes were used to produce the metabolites. In patient samples at steady-state five previously in vitro identified metabolites were quantified for the first time.

The microscopic distribution of microspheres and the resulting radiation dose deposition patterns in human liver following hepatic arterial infusion of 90Y labelled microspheres have been investigated. Tissue samples from normal liver, the tumour periphery and tumour centre were taken from a patient following infusion of 3 GBq of 32 pm diameter resin microspheres labelled with 90Y as treatment for an 80 millimetre diameter metastatic liver tumour. Microspheres were found to deposit inhomogeneously in tissues, preferentially lodging in a region approximately 6 mm wide around the periphery of the tumour. A relative concentration of microspheres of 50 to 70 times that of normal hepatic parenchyma and 65 to 94 times that in the tumour centre was measured in this region. The deposition of microspheres in the tumour periphery was not uniform, and cluster analysis showed that the spheres could be classified into clusters. The number of microspheres in a cluster was skewed towards low numbers and cluster sizes varied from 20 pm to 1500 pm. Microsphere deposition in normal liver was demonstrated to be non-uniform, there being significant variations in concentration over distances on the order of 3 to 4 millimetres. The observed microsphere distributions in three dimensions were used to calculate radiation dose patterns, and the results showed that heterogeneous doses were delivered to all tissues. Within the tumour periphery average doses ranged from 200 Gy to 600 Gy with minimum doses between 70 Gy and 190 Gy. The maximum and minimum doses for the tumour centre sample were 920 Gy and 3.7 Gy respectively, the median dose was 5.8 Gy. In the normal liver sample the median dose was 7.3 Gy with maximum and minimum doses of 753 Gy and 5 Gy respectively. Less than 1% of the normal liver tissue volume received more than 30 GY, the level above which complications have resulted for ++ / whole liver exposure using external beam radiotherapy. These calculations suggest that preferential deposition of microspheres in the well vascularised periphery of large tumours will lead to a high proportion of the tumour volume receiving a therapeutic dose, with most of the normal liver tissue being spared substantial damage.

<div><div><div><p>Transcriptomic regulation of human liver is a tightly controlled and highly dynamic process. Genetic and environmental exposures to this process play pivotal roles in the development of multiple liver disorders. Despite accumulating knowledge have gained through large-scale genomics studies in the developed adult livers, the contributing factors to the interindividual variability in the pediatric livers remain largely uninvestigated. In the first two chapters of the present study, we addressed this question through an integrative analysis of both genetic variations and transcriptome-wide RNA expression profiles in a pediatric human liver cohort with different developmental stages ranging from embryonic to adulthood. Our systematic analysis revealed a transcriptome-wide transition from stem-cell-like to liver-specific profiles during the course of human liver development. Moreover, for the first time, we observed different genetic control of hepatic gene expression in different developmental stages. Motivated by the critical roles of genetics variations and development in regulating hepatic gene expression, we constructed robust predictive models to impute the virtual liver gene expression using easily available genotype and demographic information. Our model is promising in improving both PK/PD modeling and disease diagnosis for pediatric patients. In the last two chapters of the study, we analyzed the genomics data in a more liver disease- related context. Specifically, in the third chapter, we identified Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and its related pathways as potential targets underlying human liver fibrosis through an integrative omics analysis. In the last chapter, utilizing the largest-to-date publicly available GWAS summary data, we dissected the causal relationships among three important and clinically related metabolic diseases: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and obesity. Our analysis suggested new subtypes and provided insights into the precision treatment or prevention for the three complex diseases. Taken together, through integrative analysis of multiple levels of genomics information, we improved the current understanding of human liver development, the pathogenesis of liver disorders, and provided implications to precision medicine.</p></div></div></div>

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) continue to pose a health concern because of their predominance in the diet and air as well as in environmental samples and humans. PCB congeners with 3 or 4 chlorine substituents in ortho position have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs) of these PCBs are also potentially toxic to the developing brain. Metabolism studies have mainly focused on animal models. However, preliminary data from this dissertation work have revealed PCB metabolism differences between laboratory animal models and humans in terms of metabolite profiles, chiral signatures. More concerning, biotransformation of chiral PCBs is poorly investigated in humans. The objective of this dissertation research was to study the biotransformation of chiral and prochiral PCBs to chiral hydroxylated metabolites in humans and rats and to identify individual human P450 enzymes involved in the metabolism of these PCBs. I chose chiral PCB congeners 2,2',3,4',6-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 91); 2,2',3,5',6-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 95), 2,2',3,3',4,6'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 132) and 2,2',3,3',6,6'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 136) for this investigation because they are environmentally relevant and their metabolism has been studied in rodents and other laboratory animal species (Kania-Korwel et al., 2016a). Prochiral PCB congeners 2,2′,4,6′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 51) and 2,2′,4,5,6′-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 102) were selected because their considerable presence in technical PCB mixtures. To test the hypothesis that P450 enzyme and species differences mediate the congener-specific enantioselective metabolism of chiral PCBs to hydroxylated metabolites, I sought to establish structure-metabolism relationships by studying the enantioselective metabolism of structurally diverse chiral PCBs by human liver microsomes (HLMs). Racemic PCB 91, PCB 95 and PCB 132 were incubated in vitro with pooled or individual donor HLMs at 37 °C, and levels and chiral signatures of the parent PCB and its hydroxylated metabolites were determined by high-resolution gas chromatography equipped with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOF-MS) or electron capture detection (GC-ECD). Hydroxylated metabolites formed were identified and metabolic schemes for these PCBs proposed. I found inter-individual differences in the formation of OH-PCBs by individual donor HLMs. Comparison of the metabolite profiles of PCB 91, PCB 95, PCB 132 and PCB 136 (PCB 136 metabolism by HLMs was investigated by other researchers) revealed congener-specific differences in the oxidation of PCBs by human cytochrome P450 enzymes. PCB 91 and PCB 132 were mainly hydroxylated in meta position, with the 1,2-shift metabolites being the major metabolites formed from both PCB congeners by HLMs. In contrast, PCB 95 and PCB 136 were primarily hydroxylated in the para position. Moreover, we determined human P450 isoforms involved in the metabolism of neurotoxic PCBs using in silico and in vitro approaches. In silico predictions suggested that chiral PCBs are metabolized by CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2B6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4. Experimentally we found that CYP2A6, CYP2B6 and to a minor extent CYP2E1 were the enzymes involved in the metabolism of these chiral PCBS. We also investigated nonchiral sources of chiral OH-PCBs by studying the P450- and species-dependent biotransformation of prochiral PCB 51 and PCB 102 to chiral OH-PCB metabolites. Prochiral PCB 51 and PCB 102 were incubated with liver microsomes prepared from male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with various inducers of P450 enzymes including phenobarbital (PB), dexamethasone (DEX), isoniazid (INH), β-naphthoflavone (BNF), clofibric acid (CFA) or corn oil (CO); and untreated male cynomolgus monkeys, Hartley albino guinea pigs, New Zealand rabbits, golden Syrian hamsters; and untreated female Beagle dogs. PCB 51 and PCB 102 were metabolized to 2,2',4,6'-tetrachlorobiphenyl-3'-ol (OH-PCB 51) and 2,2',4,5,6'-pentachlorobiphenyl-3'-ol (OH-PCB 102), respectively. The formation of both metabolites was P450 isoforms- and species-dependent. Moreover, OH-PCB 51 and OH-PCB 102 were chiral and were formed enantioselectively in all microsomes investigated. Taken together, my findings demonstrate (1) considerable inter-individual variability in the congener-specific metabolism of PCBs to OH-PCBs; (2) the enantioselective formation of OH-PCBs by human CYP2A6, CYP2B6, and CYP2E1; and (3) that chiral PCB metabolites are formed enantioselectively from prochiral PCB congeners. Interestingly, the metabolism of PCBs by CYP2A6 appears to involve arene oxide intermediates, as suggested by the formation of 1,2-shift products as major metabolites of PCB 91 and PCB 132. In contrast, 1,2-shift products are minor PCB metabolites formed in rodents. Therefore extrapolation of hepatic metabolism across species may not be consistent and these differences should be considered in future toxicity and risk assessment studies.

FORTES, S.S. Estudo de metabolismo in vitro e inibição enzimática do produto natural Licarina A empregando microssomas hepático de humanos. 2017. Tese (Doutorado) - Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 2017. Muitos fármacos comercializados tiveram sua origem em produtos naturais e seus derivados. Devido ao grande potencial farmacológico destas novas moléculas pesquisadas, uma etapa importante e inicial no desenvolvimento de um novo fármaco é a avaliação do seu comportamento frente as enzimas do citocromo P450 (CYP 450), incluindo os estudos de interações medicamentosas. Neste contexto, um substrato que merece destaque é a Licarina A (Lic A). Este composto é uma neolignana encontrada em algumas espécies de plantas e vêm demonstrando várias propriedades biológicas promissoras, dentre elas destaca-se a atividade anti-leishimania. No entanto, para que esta substância com comprovada atividade se torne um fármaco é necessário realizar, na fase pré-clínica, estudos sobre seu perfil metabólico frente às enzimas do CYP450 e estudos de interação medicamentosa. Portanto, esta Tese teve como objetivo determinar os parâmetros enzimáticos utilizando microssomas hepáticos de humanos através do estudo de metabolismo in vitro com esta molécula e realizar estudos de interação medicamentosa através dos estudos de inibição enzimática e pesquisar a isoforma do CYP450 que metaboliza predominantemente este produto natural através do emprego de enzimas recombinantes de humanos. Primeiramente, foi desenvolvido um método analítico para a determinação do produto natural Licarina A em meio microssomal. As análises foram realizadas por cromatografia liquida de alta eficiência empregando a coluna Ascentis C18 e fase móvel composta por metanol: solução aquosa de ácido fórmico 0,1% (75:25, v/v); a vazão empregada foi de 1,0 mL min-1. O método foi validado na faixa de concentração de 0,383 a 76,65 ?mol L-1, com coeficiente de correlação linear de 0,99 e limite de quantificação de 0,383 ?mol L-1. A precisão e exatidão apresentaram resultados dentro do recomendável pela ANVISA. Após validação do método, estabeleceram-se as condições lineares para a depleção da Lic A no meio microssomal e posteriormente, a cinética foi determinada em condições de velocidade inicial utilizando para tanto 0,20 mg mL-1 de concentração de proteínas microssomais e 20 minutos de tempo de incubação. O comportamento observado na cinética enzimática para a depleção da Lic A foi um comportamento atípico, caracterizada pelo modelo cinético de Hill. Os valores de Vmax, S50 e coeficiente de Hill foram, 1,651 ?mol mg-1 min-1, 3,87 ?mol L-1 e 2,0 respectivamente. A partir dos parâmetros cinéticos o valor de clearance intrínseco (CLint) para a Lic A foi de 0,22 mL min-1 mg-1. Posteriormente, a correlação in vitro in vivo foi realizada e foi observado um clareance hepático (CLhep) de 20 mL min-1 kg-1 e taxa de extração hepática (E) de 1. As isoformas do CYP450 envolvidas no metabolismo da Lic A foram CYP 1A2 e 2B6. Os estudos de inibição mostraram que a Lic A é um inibidor fraco frente as isoformas do CYP450 estudadas, com valores de IC50 maiores do que 80 ?mol L-1. Embora já tenha sido estudada diferentes vias metabólicas da licarina A com vários metabólitos identificados, esta foi a primeira vez que foi observado a formação de um metabólito in vitro com o uso de microssomas hepático humano. Com o auxílio da espectrometria de massa foi possível a identificação do metabólito de m/z 343 [M+H]+, possivelmente um composto epoxidado, da licarina A. / FORTES, S.S. In vitro metabolism and enzymatic inhibition study of the natural product Licarin A employing human liver microsomes. 2017. Thesis (Doctoral) - Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 2017. Many marketed drugs had their origin in natural products and their derivatives. Due to the biological potential of these new molecules, an important initial step in the development of a new drug is the evaluation of its behavior in front of cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP 450), including studies of drug interactions. In this context, a substrate that deserves attention is Licarin A (Lic A). This compound is a neolignan found in some species of plants and several promising biological properties have been describing for this natural product, among them anti-leishimania activity. However, for this substance to become a drug, it is necessary to perform, in the preclinical phase, studies regarding its metabolic profile and drug interactions. Therefore, this thesis aimed to determine the enzymatic parameters by using human liver microsomes through in vitro metabolism study with this molecule and to conduct drug interaction studies through the enzyme inhibition studies and finally, to investigate the CYP450 isoforms that metabolize predominantly this natural product through the use of recombinant human enzymes. Firstly, an analytical method was developed for the quantification of the natural product Licarin A in microsomal medium. The analyzes were performed by high performance liquid chromatography employing an Ascentis C18 column and mobile phase composed of methanol: 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution (75:25, v / v); the flow rate used was 1.0 mL min-1. The method was validated in the concentration range of 0.333 to 76.65 ?mol L-1, with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.99 and a quantification limit of 0.333 ?mol L-1. Accuracy and precision showed results in agreement with ANVISA guidelines. After method validation, the linear conditions for depletion of Lic A in the microsomal medium were established. Subsequently, the kinetics were determined under initial velocity conditions using 0.20 mg mL-1 of microsomal protein concentration and 20 minutes of incubation time. The behavior observed in the enzymatic kinetics for the depletion of Lic A was an atypical behavior, characterized by the Hill kinetic model. The values of Vmax, S50 and Hill coefficient were 1.651 ?mol mg-1 min-1, 3.87 ?mol L-1 and 2.0, respectively. From the kinetic parameters, the intrinsic clearance (CLint) for Lic A was 0.22 mL min-1 mg-1. Subsequently, in vitro in vivo correlation was performed and a hepatic clareance (CLhep) of 20 mL min-1 kg-1 and a hepatic extraction rate (E) of 1 was observed. The CYP450 isoforms involved in the metabolism of Lic A were CYP 1A2 and 2B6. Inhibition studies have shown that Lic A is a weak CYP450 inhibitor, with IC50 values greater than 80 ?mol L-1. Although different metabolic pathways of licanin A have been studied and several metabolites were identified, this is the first report about the formation of an in vitro metabolite after metabolism by human liver microsomes. With the aid of mass spectrometry it was possible to identify the metabolite of m/z 343 [M+H]+, possibly an epoxidized compound, of licanin A.

No description available.

Realistic assessments of liver injury risk for the entire occupant population require incorporating inter-subject variations into numerical human models. The main objective of this study was to quantify the variations in shape and material properties of the human liver. Statistical shape analysis was applied to analyze the geometrical variation using a surface set of 15 adult human livers recorded in an occupant posture. Principal component analysis was then utilized to obtain the modes of variation, the mean model, and a set of 95% statistical boundary shape models. Specimen-specific finite element (FE) models were employed to quantify material and failure properties of human liver parenchyma. The mean material model parameters were then determined, and a stochastic optimization approach was utilized to determine the standard deviations of the material model parameters. The distributions of the material parameters were used to develop probabilistic FE models of the liver implemented in THUMS human FE model to simulate oblique impact tests under three impact speeds. In addition, the influence of organ preservation on the biomechanical responses of animal livers was investigated using indentation and tensile tests. Results showed that the first five modes of the human liver shape models accounted for more than 70% of the overall anatomical variations. The Ogden material model with two parameters showed a good fit to experimental tensile data before failure. Significant changes of the biomechanical responses of liver parenchyma were found after cooling or freezing storage. The force-deflection responses of THUMS model with probabilistic liver material models were within the test corridors obtained from cadaveric tests. Significant differences were observed in the maximum and minimum principal Green-Lagrangian strain values recorded in the THUMS liver model with the default and updated average material properties. The results from this study could help in the development of more biofidelic human models, which may provide a better understanding of injury mechanisms of the liver during automobile collisions. / Ph. D.