Na etapa inicial do desenvolvimento de novos fármacos, a avaliação do metabolismo e da toxicidade é fundamental para definir seu potencial emprego como candidato a fármaco. Nestes estudos, diversos modelos in vitro são empregados, dentre eles linhagens de hepatoma humano. Entretanto, uma grande limitação ao uso deste modelo in vitro é a baixa expressão das enzimas do sistema citocromo P450. O carotenóide bixina, componente majoritário do anato (urucum), apresentou em estudos in vivo, a capacidade de induzir algumas isoformas do sistema citocromo P450, com a vantagem de apresentar baixa toxicidade. Neste trabalho, a fração lipossolúvel do anato (bixina) e hidrossolúvel (norbixina) foram avaliadas como indutores do sistema citocromo P450 em linhagens de hepatoma humano. Ensaios de MTT, empregando as linhagens HepG2, C3A e SK-HEP-1 indicaram que bixina e norbixina em concentrações abaixo de 0,22 mM são seguras quanto à citotoxicidade. A expressão dos genes CYP 1A1, 1A2, 2C9, 2B6, 2E1 e 3A4 foi avaliada, através de ensaios de RT-PCR em tempo real, em linhagens de hepatoma humano submetidas a tratamento com os compostos bixina e norbixina. Os resultados mostraram que células HepG2 e C3A tratadas com bixina nas concentrações de 0,05 e 0,1 mM, por períodos de 24 e 48 horas, apresentaram aumento de expressão da CYP 1A1 e CYP 1A2. Porém, a exposição de células HepG2 e C3A ao composto norbixina não resultou em aumento de expressão das isoformas avaliadas neste estudo. Os resultados deste trabalho indicaram o potencial emprego de bixina como agente indutor das CYPs 1A1 e 1A2, em linhagens de hepatoma humano utilizadas como modelo in vitro, para estudo de compostos cuja metabolização envolva uma destas vias, entretanto, estudos adicionais são fundamentais, a fim de avaliar a ação deste composto sobre outras isoformas do sistema citocromo P-450, bem como outros sistemas enzimáticos. / In the early development stage of the new drugs, the pharmacological and toxicological properties are critical to define the potential use of the candidate drug. During this stage, several in vitro models systems are employed, including human hepatoma cell lines. However, the main limitation of the use of cell lines as in vitro model is the low expression level of cytochrome P450 enzymes. A carotenoid knowed as bixin, the main pigment in the annatto (urucum), it has been reported to induce some isoforms of cytochrome P450 in rats, with the advantage of its low toxicity. In this work, the oil-soluble (bixin) and aqueous soluble extracts (norbixin) were evaluated as inducers of the cytochrome P450 system in human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2, C3A, SK-HEP-1). The results of MTT assays showed that bixin concentrations below 0.22 mM were not cytotoxic in HepG2, C3A and SK-HEP-1 cell lines. Expression changes in CYP 1A1, 1A2, 2C9, 2B6, 2E1 and 3A4 were evaluated, by real time RT-PCR and the results showed that the exposition to 0,05 mM and 0,1 mM bixin, for 24 and 48 hours of treatment, lead to an increase in CYP 1A1 and CYP 1A2 expression level. By contrast, the cytochrome P450 isoforms were not affected by the exposition to norbixin. In conclusion, this work indicated the potential use of bixin induced hepatoma cell lines as in vitro model for studies of biotransformation and toxicity of drugs involving CYP 1A, however, further studies are necessary to evaluate the effect of bixin on the other cytochrome P450 isoforms as well as other enzymatic systems.

Orientador: Marcelo Lancellotti / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Insituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T17:20:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pereira_RafaellaFabianaCarneiro_M.pdf: 1664553 bytes, checksum: 346b9075da4d999b30fc615fe83733fd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Neisseria meningitdis, ou meningococo, é uma bactéria comensal da nasofaringe humana. Contudo, algumas linhagens meningocócicas ocasionalmente ultrapassam a mucosa respiratória e a barreira hematoencefálica e causam enfermidades como meningite e septicemia. Como a espécie humana é o único hospedeiro natural para esse patógeno, estudos in vitro com modelos celulares são uma ferramenta importante para a análise da interação entre o meningococo e seu hospedeiro. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a influência de diferentes linhagens de N. meningitidis na adesão celular, morfologia e expressão de quimiocinas inflamatórias em culturas in vitro de células humanas. Tais parâmetros também foram avaliados em um sistema in vitro de co-cultura celular entre células de origem nervosa e endotelial a fim de mimetizar a barrreira hematoencefálica humana. Os resultados obtidos indicam que a adesão de diferentes linhagens bacterianas em células humanas de sítios específicos do processo infeccioso do meningococo, como Hep-2 (laringe), NCIH460 (pulmão), Hec1b (endotelial) e NG97 (neuroglia) foi capaz de mimetizar o processo fisiopatológico deste microrganismo. Em condições in vitro, células de origem nervosa mostraram-se mais suscetíveis à infecção nos parâmetros avaliados como uma elevada expressão de TNF-?, quimiocina característica em infecções meningocócicas. A linhagem B4 destacou-se entre as linhagens meningocócicas estudadas, apresentando elevados percentuais de adesão em células humanas com valor máximo de adesão em NG97. Células HEp-2 apresentaram poucas alterações morfológicas significativas frente à infecção por N. meningitidis. Tais resultados podem estar associados ao fato do trato respiratório superior ser o habitat natural do meningococo, no qual a interação entre este patógeno e as células hospedeiras seja comensal e não-invasiva. O modelo mimético de barreira hematoencefálica, realizado em transwell, indicou comunicação entre as células que o compõem e uma maior expressão dos níveis de quimiocinas inflamatórias quando comparada à infecção desta bactéria por cada uma das células estudadas isoladamente. Tal modelo foi capaz de mimetizar a barreira hematoencefálica, fato o que torna possível sua aplicação em estudos da passagem de fármacos e outros patógenos por essa barreira. / Abstract: Neisseria meningitidis,or meningococci, is a commensal bacterium of the human nasopharynx. However, occasionally some meningococcal strains can cross the respiratory mucosa and the blood-brain barrier and cause life-threatening diseases such as meningitis and septicaemia. Since the human species is the only natural host for this pathogen, in vitro studies with cellular models are an important tool for the analysis of the meningococci and its host. The aim of this present work was to value the influence of several strains of N. meningitidis in cellular adhesion, morphology and inflammatory chemokines expression in human cells cultivated in vitro. These parameters were also evaluated in a co-cultivated cellular system with glial and endothelial cells aiming mimicking the human blood brain barrier. The results indicate that the adhesion of different bacterial strains from specific sites of infectious process of meningococci as Hep-2 (larynges), NCIH460 (lung), Hec1b (endothelial) and NG97 (glial cells) was capable of mimicking, partially, the pathophysiology of this microorganism. In in vitro conditions, cells from nervous origin showed more susceptibility to infection then others in this evaluated parameters such as a high TNF-? expression, a common chemokine in meningococcals diseases. The B4 strain distinguished from the others by presenting high rates of adhesion in human cells with maximum value on NG97. HEp-2 cells showed few expressives morphologic alterations after meningococcal infection. These results may be associated with the fact that the upper human respiratory tract is the meningoccci natural habitat, in which the interaction between this pathogen and host cells are commensal and not-invasive.The mimicking blood-brain barrier model, performed in transweel, has demonstrated some communication between the cells and greater expression of inflammatory chemokines when compared to the infection in isolated cells. This model was capable of mimicing the blood-brain barrier, which makes its application possible in studies of drugs and others pathogens who might crossover though this barrier. / Mestrado / Bioquimica / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Brucella est une bactérie à Gram négatif, responsable de la brucellose, une zoonose ré-émergente. Sans traitement efficace, la pathologie peut devenir chronique et atteindre une grande variété de cellules et d'organes. Il a été montré que cette capacité à persister dans l'organisme pourrait être facilitée par son aptitude à se répliquer dans les cellules dendritiques (DCs) et à contrôler leur maturation in vitro. Les DCs sont considérées comme les cellules présentatrices d'antigènes les plus efficaces du système immunitaire. Elles forment un réseau complexe de cellules composé de plusieurs populations qui différent par leur origine, leur fonction ou leur localisation. Ainsi l'étude des interactions entre Brucella et les DCs doit être approfondie à ces différents sous-types. Dans ce but, nous avons utilisé différents modèles d'obtention de DCs in vitro précédemment décrits dans la littérature. Ces différentes méthodes de culture nous permettent d'obtenir plusieurs populations de cellules qui partagent des caractéristiques phénotypiques et fonctionnelles avec les sous-types observés in vivo. Nous avons ensuite comparé l'infection par Brucella entre le modèle classique utilisant du GMCSF à des méthodes utilisant du Flt3l ou du GMCSF combiné au Flt3l, à l'IL15 encore à l'IL4. Les résultats obtenus montrent que le contrôle de la maturation des DCs n'est pas un phénomène retrouvé dans toutes les populations. Nous avons pu montrer que dans certaines conditions la réplication de Brucella est moins efficace. Le champ d'étude des interactions entre Brucella et les DCs reste étendu et la compréhension de ces mécanismes pourrait fournir des clés pour combattre cette bactérie. / Brucella is a facultative intracellular gram-negative bacterium, responsible for a re-emergent zoonosis called brucellosis. Without effective treatment, the pathology may become chronic and reach a wide variety of cells and organs. This ability to persist into the organism has been pointed out as being presumably facilitated by its aptitude to replicate into dendritic cells (DCs) and to control their in vitro maturation. These cells are regarded as the most efficient antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. They form a complex network of cells consisting of several populations differing from each other from their origin, function or location. As a consequence, the interactions between Brucella and DCs should be studied more deeply as regarding the different subset. For that purpose, we used different models of in vitro DCs from former descriptive studies. These various culture methods allow us to get different population sharing phenotypic and functional features with the subtypes examined in vivo. Then, we compared Brucella infection of classical model using GMCSF to methods using Flt3l or GMCSF combined with Flt3l, IL15 or IL4. The results demonstrate that the control of DCs maturation is not a phenomenon that we can find again in every population. Moreover, we showed that the replication of Brucella is less active under certain conditions. The scope of the study on the interactions between Brucella and DCs remains extensive, and the understanding of those mechanisms might open doors in the fight against this bacterium.

Yes / One of the main obstacles to therapeutic success in colorectal cancer (CRC) is the development of acquired resistance to treatment with drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Whilst some resistance mechanisms are well known, it is clear from the stasis in therapy success rate that much is still unknown. Here, a proteomics approach is taken towards identification of candidate proteins using 5-FU-resistant sublines of human CRC cell lines generated in house. Using a multiplexed stable isotope labelling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) strategy, 5-FU-resistant and equivalently passaged sensitive cell lines were compared to parent cell lines by growing in Heavy medium with 2D liquid chromatography and Orbitrap Fusion™ Tribrid™ Mass Spectrometry analysis. Among 3003 commonly quantified proteins, six (CD44, APP, NAGLU, CORO7, AGR2, PLSCR1) were found up-regulated, and six (VPS45, RBMS2, RIOK1, RAP1GDS1, POLR3D, CD55) down-regulated. A total of 11 of the 12 proteins have a known association with drug resistance mechanisms or role in CRC oncogenesis. Validation through immunodetection techniques confirmed high expression of CD44 and CD63, two known drug resistance mediators with elevated proteomics expression results. The information revealed by the sensitivity of this method warrants it as an important tool for elaborating the complexity of acquired drug resistance in CRC. / Sadr ul-Shaheed and the University of Bradford Proteomics Facility were supported by Yorkshire Cancer Research, UK (Cancer Medicine Discovery II, grant B381PA).

Le rein joue un rôle essentiel dans l’élimination des médicaments et de leurs métabolites, de ce fait il assure la défense de l'organisme contre de potentiels xénobiotiques toxiques. Particulièrement, les transporteurs des tubules proximaux rénaux qui ont un rôle dans la sécrétion tubulaire des médicaments. Ainsi, ils sont des déterminants important de la biodisponibilité des xénobiotiques dans l’organisme.Dans cette thèse nous nous sommes intéressés à l’implication des transporteurs rénaux humains hOAT1 et hOAT3 dans des interactions médicamenteuses moyennant des modèles in vitro. Après construction et validation des modèles d’études cellulaires HEK-hOAT1 et HEK-hOAT3, nous avons testé l’effet des inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons sur le transport du méthotrexate par les OATs ainsi que l’effet des antiviraux sur l’influx du tenofovir par ces mêmes transporteurs. Grâce à nos modèles cellulaires nous avons tenté d’expliquer in vitro de probables interactions médicamenteuses décrites en clinique. / The kidney plays an essential role in the elimination of drugs and their metabolites, thus it ensures the defense of the body against potential toxic xenobiotic. Particularly, the secretory transporters in the proximal tubule are major determinants of the disposition of xenobiotic in the body.In this thesis we investigated the involvement of human organic anions transporters hOAT1 and hOAT3 in drug drug interactions through study on in vitro cell models. After construction and validation of cells models studies HEK-hOAT1 and HEK-hOAT3, we tested the effect of proton pump inhibitors on methotrexate transport by OATs and the effect of antivirals on the influx of tenofovir by these two transporters. With our models we tried to explain in vitro probable drug interactions described in the clinic.

Absorption of drug substances across the intestinal epithelium is a complex and dynamic process. Counter transport proteins are responsible for the efflux of specific drug molecules after they have been absorbed. One of the key counter transport efflux proteins, which is of importance in this study, is P–glycoprotein. The efflux pump P–glycoprotein plays a major role in altering the pharmacokinetics of a wide variety of drugs limiting their absorption and therefore also bioavailability. Many flavonoids have been shown to interact with P–glycoprotein mediated efflux in vitro studies. Numerous in vitro methods have been used to study drug absorption across the intestinal membranes, but it is often not possible to use only one in vitro model to accurately predict permeability characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of four selected hydroxy– and methoxy– flavonoids on the in vitro transport of Rhodamine 123, a known P–gp substrate, across excised rat and pig intestinal tissue using the Sweetana–Grass diffusion apparatus. The results were further used to determine if the two different animal tissue models corresponded with regard to the flavonoids' effects on P–glycoprotein related efflux. Two control groups were included in the experimental design. In the negative control group, the transport of Rhodamine 123 was tested alone and no modulator was added. In the positive control group, the transport of Rhodamine 123 was determined in the presence of Verapamil, which is a known P–glycoprotein inhibitor. The experiments with the flavonoids Morin, Galangin, 6–Methoxyflavone and 7–Methoxyflavone were done in triplicate to determine repeatability of the results. The transport of Rhodamine 123 was evaluated in both the apical to basolateral (absorptive) and basolateral to apical (secretory) directions. The relative transport of Rhodamine 123, the apparent permeability coefficient (P app) values and flux (J) values in both directions as well as the efflux ratio (ER) and net flux (J net) were calculated. The concentration Rhodamine 123 present in the acceptor chamber was determined by means of a validated HPLC method. Statistical analysis was used to compare the results of the test groups with the control groups in order to indicate significant differences. It has been found that Morin, Galangin and 6–Methoxyflavone have a significant inhibitory effect on the Rhodamine 123 efflux (probably P–glycoprotein related) in both the rat and pig intestinal tissue models with p–values smaller than 0.05. On the other hand, 7–Methoxyflavone showed a significant effect on the efflux of Rhodamine 123 in the pig intestinal tissue model (p < 0.05) but not in the rat intestinal tissue model (p > 0.05). These flavonoids may increase the bioavailability of drugs that are substrates for P–glycoprotein and thereby cause clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions, however, this should be confirmed with in vivo studies. On the other hand, these flavonoids may be used for drug absorption enhancement when applied under controlled circumstances. With regard to the different animal tissue models used it can be concluded that data obtained from the rat intestinal tissue model cannot be compared and extrapolated to data obtained from the pig intestinal tissue model. It is recommended that the in vitro results be correlated to in vivo findings to identify the most suitable model. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Absorption of drug substances across the intestinal epithelium is a complex and dynamic process. Counter transport proteins are responsible for the efflux of specific drug molecules after they have been absorbed. One of the key counter transport efflux proteins, which is of importance in this study, is P–glycoprotein. The efflux pump P–glycoprotein plays a major role in altering the pharmacokinetics of a wide variety of drugs limiting their absorption and therefore also bioavailability. Many flavonoids have been shown to interact with P–glycoprotein mediated efflux in vitro studies. Numerous in vitro methods have been used to study drug absorption across the intestinal membranes, but it is often not possible to use only one in vitro model to accurately predict permeability characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of four selected hydroxy– and methoxy– flavonoids on the in vitro transport of Rhodamine 123, a known P–gp substrate, across excised rat and pig intestinal tissue using the Sweetana–Grass diffusion apparatus. The results were further used to determine if the two different animal tissue models corresponded with regard to the flavonoids' effects on P–glycoprotein related efflux. Two control groups were included in the experimental design. In the negative control group, the transport of Rhodamine 123 was tested alone and no modulator was added. In the positive control group, the transport of Rhodamine 123 was determined in the presence of Verapamil, which is a known P–glycoprotein inhibitor. The experiments with the flavonoids Morin, Galangin, 6–Methoxyflavone and 7–Methoxyflavone were done in triplicate to determine repeatability of the results. The transport of Rhodamine 123 was evaluated in both the apical to basolateral (absorptive) and basolateral to apical (secretory) directions. The relative transport of Rhodamine 123, the apparent permeability coefficient (P app) values and flux (J) values in both directions as well as the efflux ratio (ER) and net flux (J net) were calculated. The concentration Rhodamine 123 present in the acceptor chamber was determined by means of a validated HPLC method. Statistical analysis was used to compare the results of the test groups with the control groups in order to indicate significant differences. It has been found that Morin, Galangin and 6–Methoxyflavone have a significant inhibitory effect on the Rhodamine 123 efflux (probably P–glycoprotein related) in both the rat and pig intestinal tissue models with p–values smaller than 0.05. On the other hand, 7–Methoxyflavone showed a significant effect on the efflux of Rhodamine 123 in the pig intestinal tissue model (p < 0.05) but not in the rat intestinal tissue model (p > 0.05). These flavonoids may increase the bioavailability of drugs that are substrates for P–glycoprotein and thereby cause clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions, however, this should be confirmed with in vivo studies. On the other hand, these flavonoids may be used for drug absorption enhancement when applied under controlled circumstances. With regard to the different animal tissue models used it can be concluded that data obtained from the rat intestinal tissue model cannot be compared and extrapolated to data obtained from the pig intestinal tissue model. It is recommended that the in vitro results be correlated to in vivo findings to identify the most suitable model. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Les gliomes sont les principales tumeurs primitives du cerveau affectant environ 4000 nouveaux patients par an en France. La moitié des gliomes est détectée au stade avancé de glioblastome (grade IV) tandis que 15% des tumeurs sont diagnostiquées au stade II de gliomes diffus dit de bas grade. Ces tumeurs affectent des patients jeunes et présentent des mutations caractéristiques, notamment une mutation pour l’enzyme IDH1 communément retrouvée dans les glioblastomes secondaires. Ces tumeurs de bas grade sont traitées par une chirurgie, idéalement en condition éveillée mais du fait de leur nature diffuse, la partie résiduelle progressera inexorablement vers un stade III ou IV avec une survie globale entre 5 ans et 15 ans après diagnostique. La progression tumorale est hautement variable et non prédictible d’un patient à l’autre. Des foyers de progression tumorale chez 20% des patients atteints de gliome diffus de bas grade ont été identifiés. Ces foyers montrent une densité cellulaire plus élevée ainsi qu’un Ki67 augmenté. Mon travail de thèse aura consisté à étudier les modifications cellulaires et moléculaires associées à ces foyers de progression tumorale. À partir du profil ARN des foyers et des territoires adjacents, j’ai pu mettre en évidence par des techniques haut-débit la baisse d’expression significative de gènes dans les foyers notamment de AGXT2L1/ETNPPL, carboxypeptidase E, EDNRB, SFRP2. J’ai émis l’hypothèse que SFRP2 et ETNPLL pourraient s’opposer à la prolifération cellulaire et que leur diminution dans les foyers ouvrirait la voie à la transformation tumorale. Une corrélation inverse entre la quantité d’ETNPPL enzyme et la survie de patients atteints d’hépatocarcinomes a été publiée. En limitant la quantité de précurseurs de phospholipides dans la cellule, ETNPPL pourrait agir comme un frein en s’opposant à la prolifération et de fait, sa diminution dans les foyers de transformation des gliomes pourrait lever cette inhibition. Mes travaux auront été innovants tant dans leur approche comparative des différents compartiments tumoraux pour chaque patient étudié et auront révélés ETNPPL comme corrélé à la gliomagenèse et potentielle cible thérapeutique. / Gliomas are the main primary brain tumours affecting around 4000 new patients in France each year. Half of gliomas are detected in the advanced stage of glioblastoma (grade IV) while 15% of tumours are diagnosed in stage II (diffuse low-grade gliomas-DLGG). These tumors affect young patients and bear characteristic mutations, including a mutation for the enzyme IDH1 commonly found in secondary glioblastomas. These low-grade tumours are treated by surgery, ideally in awake condition but due to their diffuse nature, the residual part will progress inexorably to stage III or IV with overall survival between 5 and 15 years after diagnosis. Tumor progression is highly variable and unpredictable from one patient to another. Foci of tumor progression have been identified in 20% of patients with DLGG. These foci show a higher cell density and an increased Ki67. My thesis work consisted in studying the cellular and molecular changes associated with tumor progression. From the RNA profile of the foci and adjacent territories, I was able to highlight through high-throughput techniques significant decrease in gene expression in the foci, particularly of AGXT2L1/ETNPPL, carboxypeptidase E, EDNRB, SFRP2. I hypothesized that SFRP2 and ETNPLL could oppose cell proliferation and that their decrease would pave the way for tumor transformation. An inverse correlation between the amount of ETNPPL and the survival of patients with hepatocarcinoma has been published. By limiting the amount of phospholipid precursors in the cell, ETNPPL could act as a brake against proliferation and indeed, its decrease in glioma transformation foci could remove this inhibition. My PhD work will have been innovative in the comparative approach of the different tumors’ compartments for each patient studied and will have revealed ETNPPL as correlated to gliomagenesis and as potential therapeutic target.

La barrière hémato-encéphalique (BHE), localisée au niveau des capillaires cérébraux, contrôle les échanges entre le sang et le compartiment cérébral et assure ainsi le maintien de l'homéostasie du système nerveux central (SNC). La présence de la BHE est un atout lors du développement de médicament à visée périphérique. En effet, en limitant le passage de nombreuses molécules, la BHE protège le SNC des effets potentiellement neurotoxiques de ces molécules. Toutefois, l‟exposition des cellules endothéliales des capillaires cérébraux à des agents chimiques est susceptible d‟engendrer une augmentation transitoire de la perméabilité de la BHE. Cette augmentation peut perturber l‟homéostasie cérébrale et permettre l‟entrée massive de molécules potentiellement neurotoxiques dans le SNC. La prise en compte de la BHE en amont de l‟étude de la neurotoxicité d‟un médicament est donc un élément important. De plus, la majorité des médicaments sont utilisés de façon chronique et les effets secondaires indésirables résultant d‟une administration chronique sont fréquemment liés à une atteinte cérébrale. Afin de répondre à cette problématique, notre modèle in vitro de BHE, qui consiste en une co-culture de cellules endothéliales de capillaires cérébraux et de cellules gliales, a été adapté à l‟étude de la toxicité de molécules lors d‟un traitement prolongé. Les propriétés protectrices de la BHE deviennent une contrainte importante lors du développement de médicament à visée cérébrale. En effet, la présence de la BHE explique en partie les taux de succès très faibles des molécules lors du développement de médicaments à visée cérébrale. Afin de limiter les taux d‟échec, il est nécessaire de prédire efficacement la distribution cérébrale des composés en prenant en compte la BHE. Or, il est admis que l‟effet pharmacologique est lié à la concentration libre du médicament au niveau de sa cible. Ainsi, les nouvelles approches visent à prédire la concentration libre que la molécule atteindra dans le cerveau. Toutefois, les méthodes existantes pour prédire ce paramètre reposent sur une méthodologie in vivo et ne présentent pas un débit suffisant pour être utilisées lors des phases précoces du développement de médicaments. Une méthodologie in vitro pour obtenir le ratio de concentrations libres d‟une molécule entre le cerveau et le sang a été développée pour répondre à ce besoin. Le travail réalisé a permis de développer deux méthodologies in vitro. La première permet de prédire la toxicité chronique des molécules. En prédisant le ratio des concentrations libres entre le compartiment cérébral et sanguin des composés, la seconde facilite la sélection des médicaments candidats lors du développement de médicaments à visée cérébrale. Ces méthodologies pourront donc contribuer à diminuer les taux d‟échecs lors des phases précliniques et cliniques du développement de médicaments. / The blood-brain barrier (BBB), located at the level of brain capillaries, is responsible for brain homeostasis maintenance by tightly controlling blood-borne substances access to the brain. The presence of the BBB is an asset during peripheral drug development. Indeed, the BBB protects the central nervous system (CNS) against potential neurotoxic effects of compounds by strongly limiting their passage. However, exposure of brain capillaries endothelial cells to chemical agents is likely to cause a transient increase in BBB permeability. This increase can disrupt brain homeostasis and allow the massive entry of potentially neurotoxic molecules in the CNS. Hence, taking into account BBB toxicity in alternative neurotoxicity studies is important. In addition, the CNS side effects of several drugs used chronically could be at least partly attributed to their toxicity at the level of the BBB causing unwanted, indirect effect on brain cells. To address this issue, our in vitro BBB model, which consist of a co-culture of brain capillary endothelial cells and glial cells, has been adapted to the evaluation of repeated-dose toxicity at the BBB. The protective properties of the BBB become a major hurdle during CNS drug development. One way to reduce theimportant attrition rate, consists in predicting the CNS distribution of drug candidates early in CNS drug discovery programs. The use of unbound brain concentrations has been shown to provide the best correlations with pharmacological data. Hence, new approaches aim to predict the free brain concentration of compounds. However, the determination of free brain / free plasma ratios requires both in vitro and in vivo experiments that are both animal and time consuming. Consequently, we have explored the possibility to directly generate free brain / free plasma ratios under steady-state and non-steady state conditions in our in vitro BBB model, thereby greatly simplifying existing experimental procedures.. The work presented herein aimed to develop two in vitro methodologies. The first one allows the study of repeated-dose BBB toxicity. The second one allows free brain / free plasma ratios assessment using an in vitro model of the blood brain barrier, which can drive the selection of CNS drug candidates with the most favourable target engagement. The use of these two methodologies may help to reduce attrition rates in drug discovery and development by appreciating the eventual central toxicity of systemic drug associated with BBB dysfunction and by identifying centrally acting-compounds with a desirable in vivo response in the CNS early on in the drug discovery process.

There is a global rise in the use of herbal products in combination with allopathic medicines, while most patients do not inform their health care providers of the use of these natural products. Both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions between herbal products and conventional drugs must be avoided for the wellbeing of the patient. Increasing evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that changed drug pharmacokinetics by co-administered herbs may be attributed to modulation of efflux drug transporters such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Garlic (Allium sativum), lemon (Citrus limonum) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris) are widely used by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, especially following the pronouncement by a former President of South Africa and the Ministers of Health at that time who promoted the use of these botanicals in HIV patients. The aim of this study was to measure the bi-directional in vitro transport of indinavir, a protease inhibitor, in the presence of crude extracts and pure phytoconstituents of A. sativum (L-alliin and diallyl disulphide), C. limonum (hesperidin and eriocitrin) and B. vulgaris (betaine monohydrate and ß-carotene) across excised porcine intestinal tissue in Sweetana-Grass diffusion chambers. In the negative control group, the transport of indinavir alone (200 M) was determined with no modulator added. In the positive control group, the transport of indinavir was determined in the presence of verapamil (100 M), a known P-gp related efflux inhibitor. The control experiments were used to indicate that the effects of the test compounds were caused by their action and not by chance interferences or external factors. Samples collected at pre-determined time intervals were analysed by means of a validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and the transport was expressed as the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) and the transepithelial flux (J) from which the efflux ratio (ER) and the net flux (Jnet) values were calculated. Statistical analysis was used to compare the results of the test compounds with the control groups in order to indicate significant differences. The mean ER value for indinavir in the negative control group was 1.41 ± 0.170 and in the positive control group it was 0.56 ± 0.0426. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of indinavir efflux as indicated by reduced ER values was obtained for L-alliin (ER = 0.280 ± 0.030), diallyl disulphide (ER = 0.505 ± 0.034) and ß-carotene (ER = 0.664 ± 0.075). Inhibition of indinavir efflux will lead to increased transport and therefore a potentially higher bioavailability. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) promotion of indinavir efflux as indicated by increased ER values was obtained for C. limonum crude extract (ER = 5.551 ± 0.575) and hesperidin (ER = 3.385 ± 0.477), which potentially may lead to lower bioavalability. B. vulgaris crude extract (p = 0.8452), betaine monohydrate (p = 0.9982), A. sativum crude extract (p = 0.7161) and eriocitrin (p = 0.4431) displayed no statistically significant effect compared to the negative control group on indinavir transport across excised porcine intestinal tissue. The results from this study demonstrate that L-alliin, diallyl disulphide and ß-carotene have an inhibitory effect on indinavir efflux, which may significantly increase indinavir plasma levels after oral administration. C. limonum crude extract and hesperidin promote indinavir efflux, which may significantly reduce indinavir plasma levels. These pharmacokinetic interactions between certain drugs and plant extracts may negatively affect the anti-retroviral treatment of HIV patients, but deliberate and controlled inclusion of L-alliin, diallyl disulphide and ß-carotene in dosage forms may possibly cause more effective delivery of protease inhibitors after oral administration resulting in less frequent dosing intervals. / Thesis (MSc (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.