Inhibition and activation of UDP-glucuronyltransferase in alloxanic-diabetic rats

Influence of gestational diabetes mellitus on the stereoselective kinetic disposition and metabolism of labetalol in hypertensive patients

PURPOSE

This study investigated the influence of gestational diabetes mellitus on the kinetic disposition and stereoselective metabolism of labetalol administered intravenously or orally.

METHODS

Thirty hypertensive women during the last trimester of pregnancy were divided into four groups: non-diabetic and diabetic women treated with intravenous or oral labetalol.

RESULTS

The pharmacokinetics of labetalol was not stereoselective in diabetic or non-diabetic pregnant women receiving the drug intravenously. However, oral administration of labetalol resulted in lower values of the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC) for the β-blocker (RR) than for the other enantiomers in both diabetic and non-diabetic women. Gestational diabetes mellitus caused changes in the kinetic disposition of the labetalol stereoisomers when administered orally. The AUC values for the less potent adrenoceptor antagonist (SS) and for the α-blocking (SR) isomers were higher in diabetic than in non-diabetic pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONS

The approximately 100% higher AUC values obtained for the (SR) isomer in diabetic pregnant women treated with oral labetalol may be of clinical relevance in terms of the α-blocking activity of this isomer.

Mechanisms and outcomes of drug- and toxicant-induced liver toxicity in diabetes

Increase dincidences of hepatotoxicity have been observed in diabetic patients receiving drug therapies. Neither the mechanisms nor the predisposing factors underlying hepatotoxicity in diabetics are clearly understood. Animal studies designed to examine the mechanisms of diabetes-modulated hepatotoxicity have traditionally focused only on bioactivation/detoxification of drugs and toxicants. It is becoming clear that once injury is initiated, additional events determine the final outcome of liver injury. Foremost among them are two leading mechanisms: first, biochemical mechanisms that lead to progression or regression of injury; and second, whether or not timely and adequate liver tissue repair occurs to mitigate injury and restore liver function. The liver has a remarkable ability to repair and restore its structure and function after physical or chemical-induced damage. The dynamic interaction between biotransformation-based liver injury and compensatory tissue repair plays a pivotal role in determining the ultimate outcome of hepatotoxicity initiated by drugs or toxicants. In this review, mechanisms underlying altered hepatotoxicity in diabetes with emphasis on both altered bioactivation and liver tissue repair are discussed. Animal models of both marked sensitivity (diabetic rats) and equally marked protection (diabetic mice) from drug-induced hepatotoxicity are described. These examples represent a remarkable species difference. Availability of the rodent diabetic models offers a unique opportunity to uncover mechanisms of clinical interest in averting human diabetic sensitivity to drug-induced hepatotoxicities. While the rat diabetic models appear to be suitable, the diabetic mouse models might not be suitable in preclinical testing for potential hepatotoxic effects of drugs or toxicants, because regardless of type 1 or type2 diabetes, mice are resistant to acute drug-or toxicant-induced toxicities.

Biochemical basis for deficient paracetamol glucuronidation in cats: an interspecies comparison of enzyme constraint in liver microsomes

Unlike most other mammalian species, domestic cats glucuronidate phenolic compounds poorly and are therefore highly susceptible to the toxic side effects of many drugs, including paracetamol. In this study, we evaluated the role of enzyme constraint, a characteristic that limits the activity of all uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes, in the aetiology of this species-dependent defect of drug metabolism. Detergent activation experiments were performed using hepatic microsomes from cats (4), dogs (4), man (4), and 6 other mammalian species (1 liver each). In addition, we used microsomes from Gunn rats which are sensitive to paracetamol toxicity because of a genetic defect affecting all family 1 UGTs. Increase in paracetamol-UGT activity at optimum concentrations of detergent was used as an index of enzyme constraint. Native activity (measured in the absence of detergent) was less than one-sixth in cats compared with other species. Optimum detergent treatment tended to enhance rather than abolish this difference, however, indicating relatively lower levels of constraint of paracetamol-UGT in cats compared with other species. Similarly, detergent treatment failed to reduce the native activity difference between homozygous mutant and normal Gunn rats. Initially CHAPS (3-(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio-1-propanesulphonic acid) was used as the detergent activator; in 3 of 4 microsomal preparations from man, however, inhibition rather than activation was observed at all detergent concentrations used. Studies were repeated using the non-ionic detergent, Brij 58 (polyoxyethylene 20-cetyl ether), which resulted in similar although more profound activation and no inhibition. We conclude that deficient paracetamol glucuronidation in cats does not result from increased paracetamol-UGT constraint in this species compared with other mammalian species. Other causes, such as differences in enzyme protein concentration or substrate affinity might be responsible.

Kidney drug metabolizing activities in streptozotocin diabetic rats

1. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes produced significant changes on the drug metabolizing enzyme machinery of rat kidney microsomes. 2. It reduced the cytochrome P-450 content by 30%, this effect being reversed by insulin therapy. 3. Total androstenedione oxidative metabolism was increased 2.5-fold and insulin treatment partially antagonized this activation. 4. Total testosterone hydroxylase activities were not modified by diabetes nor by insulin but the formation of 2 alpha OH testosterone and 6 beta OH testosterone were distinct in diabetes or insulin treated diabetic rats. 5. Only UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity for PNP was found in kidney microsomes. Diabetes determined a lower UDPGT substrate efficiency not reversed by insulin therapy.

Comparison of alloxan and streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats: differential effects on microsomal drug metabolism

1. Liver microsomes from alloxan or streptozotocin diabetic rats displayed differential drug metabolizing abilities in vitro. 2. Only streptozotocin liver microsomes exhibited changes in the cytochrome P-450 normal spectral characteristics. 3. Overall testosterone metabolism was significantly increased in streptozotocin diabetic liver microsomes, whereas it was markedly decreased in alloxan diabetes. Mixed function oxidase activity for aminopyrine was similar. 4. Glucuronidation reaction rates towards morphine, oestrone and p-nitrophenol were also markedly distinct in both models as well as after insulin treatment. 5. Results suggest that diabetogenic agents modify sex related isoenzymes of cytochrome P-450 differently and selectively reduce the synthesis of certain UDP-glucuronyltransferase forms.

Optimal detergent activation of rat liver microsomal UDP-glucuronosyl transferases toward morphine and 1-naphthol: contribution to induction and latency studies

The detergent-activation profiles of UDP-glucuronosyl transferases (UGTs, EC 2.4.1.17) toward 1-naphthol and toward morphine have been determined: three non-ionic detergents, Triton X-100, Brij 58 and Lubrol Px and one zwitterion detergent, 3-(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio-1-propanesulfonic acid (CHAPS) were studied. The results showed that marked inhibition of 1-naphthol-UGT and morphine UGT activities occurred with high concentrations of Triton X-100. Lubrol Px, at high concentrations, inhibited 1-naphthol-UGT but not morphine-UGT. It appeared that the detergent/protein ratio suitable for optimal activation of both isoenzymes was limited to 0.2 for these detergents. In contrast, Brij 58 and CHAPS displayed optimal activation of the two enzymes for a large range of detergent/microsomal protein ratios (respectively from 0.2 to 1 and from 0.4 to 1), making them the most suitable for induction and/or latency studies of both isoenzymes. The influence of maximal activation status on the effect of 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital treatment on morphine-UGT and 1-naphthol-UGT activity has also been evaluated. The findings provided evidence that detergent-activation profiles and optimal detergent-activated versus "native" UGT activity determination give crucial informations about the characteristics of a given isoenzymic form of UGT, i.e. its sensitivity to specific alterations of the phospholipid environment, its latency and its inducibility.

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of p-nitrophenol and its conjugates in biological samples

p-Nitrophenol (pNP) and its conjugated metabolites, generated in a perfused rat liver preparation, are readily separated and quantitated in serum perfusate and bile samples using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Serum perfusate samples can be analyzed following protein precipitation with acetonitrile: following protein precipitation with 1.5 M perchloric acid (1 part to 2 parts serum) there was degradation of pNP sulfate to pNP when samples were stored at room temperature. pNP can also be analyzed in blood perfusate samples following extraction with a number of organic solvents including ethyl acetate or isobutanol-methylene chloride (4:1, v/v). Rat liver perfusions at a constant input concentration of 40 microM demonstrated a high hepatic extraction ratio of pNP (mean of 0.90) due to the formation of the sulfate and glucuronide conjugates; no pNP glucoside was detected in perfusate or bile samples.

Diabetes in female rats; changes in liver microsomal aminopyrine N-demethylase and UDP-glucuronyl transferase activities

Short or long term diabetes in female rats produced remarkable activation of aminopyrine N-demethylation, inhibition of oestrone and p-nitrophenol glucuronidation and no changes in morphine UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity in vitro. Km and Vmax for these reactions were determined. Insulin treatment partially antagonized diabetes activation of aminopyrine N-demethylation: it restored decreased UDP-glucuronyltransferase activities for oestrone and p-nitrophenol only in long term and short term diabetes, respectively. Insulin also markedly inhibited morphine glucuronidation. Triton X-100 also displayed a differential pattern of activation for the glucuronidation reactions in liver microsomes of diabetic rats. Results suggest that diabetes in female rats may increase the actual amount of enzyme protein for aminopyrine metabolism and to decrease that for oestrone and p-nitrophenol.