Development of PBPK model of molinate and molinate sulfoxide in rats and humans

Design of a generic model based on physiology for persistent organic pollutants in laying hens: Applications on chlordecone and chlorinated paraffins

A Physiology Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model has been developed to predict the kinetics of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in laying hens. Different datasets have enabled the calibration of the model for chlordecone (CLD), an organochlorine pesticide used in the French West Indies between 1972 and 1993, as well as for chlorinated paraffins (CPs), widely used for various industrial applications worldwide. For this purpose, the sensitivity analysis showed that intake parameters, laying rate, partition coefficients of yolk, hepatic clearance, percentage of metabolism and age were key parameters. Applied to CLD and CPs, this model shows a good capacity for prediction, with 88 % of the experimental values ranging within 1.5-fold of the predicted value at steady state for CPs and 100 % for CLD. The fine modelling of the physiology and the laying process contributes to precision of the model and gives genericity, enabling the switch from one bird species to another. The model can be implemented with other POPs if the clearance and partition coefficient are known.

Physiologically based toxicokinetic modelling of Tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) in mice accounting for multiple exposure routes

Exposure routes are important for health risk assessment of chemical risks. The application of physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) models to predict concentrations in vivo can determine the effects of harmful substances and tissue accumulation on the premise of saving experimental costs. In this study, Tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), an organophosphate ester (OPE), was used as an example to study the PBTK model of mice exposed to different exposure doses by multiple routes. Different routes of exposure (gavage and intradermal injection) can cause differences in the concentration of chemicals in the organs. TCEP that enters the body through the mouth is mainly concentrated in the gastrointestinal tract and liver. However, the concentrations of chemicals that enter the skin into the mice are higher in skin, rest of body, and blood. In addition, TCEP was absorbed and accumulated very rapidly in mice, within half an hour after a single exposure. We have successfully established a mouse PBTK model of the TCEP accounting for multiple exposure Routes and obtained a series of kinetic parameters. The model includes blood, liver, kidney, stomach, intestine, skin, and rest of body compartments. Oral and dermal exposure route was considered for PBTK model. The PBTK model established in this study has a good predictive ability. More than 70% of the predicted values deviated from the measured values by less than 5-fold. In addition, we extrapolated the model to humans. A human PBTK model is built. We performed a health risk assessment for world populations based on human PBTK model. The risk of TCEP in dust is greater through mouth than through skin. The risk of TCEP in food of Chinese population is greater than dust.

Estimation of volatile organic compound exposure concentrations and time to reach a specific dermal absorption using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling

A procedure was proposed to estimate dermal exposures based on a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model developed in rats. The study examined vapor concentrations ranging from 500 to 10,000 ppm for dibromomethane and 2,500 to 40,000 ppm for bromochloromethane. These concentrations were reconstructed based on chemical blood levels measured in 4 hr, with errors varying from 0.0% to 52.0%. The PBPK approach adequately predicted the blood concentrations and helped simulate contaminant transport through the stratum corneum and distribution in the body compartments. The proposed technique made it possible to estimate the skin absorption time (SAT) obtained from acute inhalation toxicity data. An inverse relationship exists between the SAT and exposure concentration. The method can be helpful in toxicology and risk assessment of hazardous volatile organic compounds.

Model qualification of the PK-Sim® pediatric module for pediatric exposure assessment of CYP450 metabolized compounds

Pediatric physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models facilitate the estimation of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters in children under specific exposure conditions. In human health risk assessment, PBPK modeling has been used to determine a chemical-specific human kinetic adjustment factor (HKAF). Due to increased demands in regulatory assessment, model evaluation and qualification have gained growing attention. The aim of this study was to undertake model qualification of pediatric PBPK models for compounds that are primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. The objectives were to determine the appropriateness of the virtual individual creating algorithm in PK-Sim® in predicting PK parameters and their variability in children and identify critical system-specific inputs. PBPK models in adults were constructed for several pharmaceuticals (grouped by major clearance process such as CYP3A4). Several age groups of virtual individuals were created to represent children in pediatric clinical studies. The mean and variance of clearance (CL) from virtual populations were compared to observed values. Sensitivity analysis on area under the curve (AUC) was performed. System-specific parameters of virtual children that contribute to inter-individual PK properties were assessed. Eighty-one percent of the comparisons between simulated and observed clearance values were within twofold error. The mean fold errors were 1.1, 1, 0.7 and 1.8 in adolescents, children, infants and neonates, respectively. CL variability was reasonably predicted for 70% of the comparisons with comparable coefficients of variation between observed and predicted. The sensitivity analysis revealed that fraction unbound in plasma, parameters related to CYP enzyme-mediated metabolism and liver volumewere most important in the estimation of pediatric exposure. A comparison of variabilities in weight, height and liver volume in virtual children showed reliable agreement with observed data. The presented results of predictive performance and properties of virtual populations provide confidence in the use of PK-Sim for pediatric PBPK modeling in toxicological applications including PBPK-based-HKAF derivation.

Evaluation of toxicokinetics of nonylphenol in the adult female Sprague-Dawley rats using a physiologically based toxicokinetic model

The physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) model was firstly developed in female rats to quantitatively evaluate toxicokinetics of nonylphenol (NP). Changes in NP serum concentrations over time of single oral NP administration experiments in Sprague-Dawley rats and literature data were collected to establish and calibrate the PBTK model in the SimBiology framework. The calibrated model predicted the serum and tissue NP concentrations of repeat oral NP administration for model evaluation. NP concentrations in serum and tissues (liver, kidneys, adipose, brain, uterus and ovaries) were quantified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The model output of the time course data (values are within the standard deviation defined for each data point) indicated proximity of predictions to reality. The coefficients of determination r² were all greater than 0.9, and the root mean squared error (RMSE) were within 0.177-2.027, which means the model predicted and observed serum NP concentrations were in excellent agreement. The results indicated that the model could contribute to a simplification of the future exposure risk assessments of NP in a more realistic scenario and provided a better understanding of the disposition process of NP in human.

Development of Physiologically Based Organ Models to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetics of Drugs in the Testes and the Thyroid Gland

We extended a generic whole-body physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for rats and humans for organs of the reproductive and endocrine systems (i.e., the testes and the thyroid gland). An extensive literature search was performed, first, to determine the most generic organ model structures for testes and thyroid across species, and, second, to identify the corresponding anatomic and physiological parameters in rats and humans. The testes and thyroid organ models were implemented in the PBPK modeling software PK-Sim and MoBi. The capability of the PBPK approach to simulate the testes and thyroid tissue concentration data was demonstrated using a series of test compounds. The presented organ model structures and parameterization yielded a close agreement between observed and simulated tissue concentrations over time. The organ models are ready to be used to predict the pharmacokinetics of passively entering drugs in the testes and thyroid tissue in a generic PBPK modeling framework.

Diffusion-limited PBPK model for predicting pulmonary pharmacokinetics of florfenicol in pig

For most bacterial lung infections, the concentration of unbound antimicrobial agent in lung interstitial fluid has been thought to be responsible for antimicrobial efficacy. In this study, a diffusion-limited physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed to predict the pulmonary pharmacokinetics of florfenicol (FF) in pigs. The model included separate compartments corresponding to blood, diffusion-limited lung, flow-limited muscle, liver, and kidney and an extra compartment representing the remaining carcass. The absorption rate constant and renal and hepatic clearance of FF were determined in vivo. Other parameters were taken from the literature or optimized based on existing pharmacokinetic data. All mathematical operations during the development of the model were performed using acslXtreme version 3.0.2.1 (Aegis Technologies Group, Inc., Huntsville, AL, USA). The model accurately predicted the concentration-time courses of FF in lung interstitial fluid, serum, and plasma following different dosing schedules, except at the dose of 15 mg/kg. When compared with the tissue residue data, the model generally underestimated the FF concentration at the injection site, whereas it gave good predictions of FF concentrations in lung, liver, and kidney at early time points. The model predictions provide a scientific basis for the dosage regimen design of FF.

Prediction of the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of levofloxacin in humans based on an extrapolated PBPK model

This study developed a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model in intraabdominally infected rats and extrapolated it to humans to predict the levofloxacin pharmacokinetics and penetration into tissues. Twelve male rats with intraabdominal infections induced by Escherichia coli received a single dose of 50 mg/kg body weight of levofloxacin. Blood plasma was collected at 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480 and 1440 min after injection, respectively. A PBPK model was developed in rats and extrapolated to humans using GastroPlus software. The predictions were assessed by comparing predictions and observations. In the plasma concentration-versus-time profile of levofloxacin in rats, C max was 23.570 μg/ml at 5 min after intravenous injection, and t1/2 was 2.38 h. The plasma concentration and kinetics in humans were predicted and validated by the observed data. Levofloxacin penetrated and accumulated with high concentrations in the heart, liver, kidney, spleen, muscle and skin tissues in humans. The predicted tissue-to-plasma concentration ratios in abdominal viscera were between 1.9 and 2.3. When rat plasma concentrations were known, extrapolation of a PBPK model was a method to predict the drug pharmacokinetics and penetration in humans. Levofloxacin had good penetration into the liver, kidney and spleen as well as other tissues in humans. This pathological model extrapolation may provide a reference for the study of antiinfective PK/PD. In our study, levofloxacin penetrated well into abdominal organs. Also ADR monitoring should be implemented when using levofloxacin.

Prediction of Pharmacokinetics and Penetration of Moxifloxacin in Human with Intra-Abdominal Infection Based on Extrapolated PBPK Model

The aim of this study is to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model in intra-abdominal infected rats, and extrapolate it to human to predict moxifloxacin pharmacokinetics profiles in various tissues in intra-abdominal infected human. 12 male rats with intra-abdominal infections, induced by Escherichia coli, received a single dose of 40 mg/kg body weight of moxifloxacin. Blood plasma was collected at 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480, 1440 min after drug injection. A PBPK model was developed in rats and extrapolated to human using GastroPlus software. The predictions were assessed by comparing predictions and observations. In the plasma concentration versus time profile of moxifloxcinin rats, C_max was 11.151 µg/mL at 5 min after the intravenous injection and t_1/2 was 2.936 h. Plasma concentration and kinetics in human were predicted and compared with observed datas. Moxifloxacin penetrated and accumulated with high concentrations in redmarrow, lung, skin, heart, liver, kidney, spleen, muscle tissues in human with intra-abdominal infection. The predicted tissue to plasma concentration ratios in abdominal viscera were between 1.1 and 2.2. When rat plasma concentrations were known, extrapolation of a PBPK model was a method to predict drug pharmacokinetics and penetration in human. Moxifloxacin has a good penetration into liver, kidney, spleen, as well as other tissues in intra-abdominal infected human. Close monitoring are necessary when using moxifloxacin due to its high concentration distribution. This pathological model extrapolation may provide reference to the PK/PD study of antibacterial agents.

Modeling bioavailability to organs protected by biological barriers

Computational pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling gives access to drug concentration vs. time profiles in target organs and allows better interpretation of clinical observations of therapeutic or toxic effects. Physiologically-based PK (PBPK) models in particular, based on mechanistic descriptions of the body anatomy and physiology, may also help to extrapolate in vitro or animal data to human.

Once in the systemic circulation, a chemical has access to the microvasculature of every organ or tissue. However, its penetration in the brain, retina, thymus, spinal cord, testis, placenta,… may be limited or even fully prevented by dynamic physiological blood-tissue barriers. Those barriers are both physical (involving tight junctions between adjacent cells) and biochemical (involving metabolizing enzymes and transporters).

On those cases, correct mechanistic characterization of the passage (or not) of molecules through the barrier can be crucial for improved PBPK modeling and prediction.

In parallel, attempts to understand and quantitatively characterize the processes involved in drug penetration of physiological barriers have led to the development of several in vitro experimental models. Data from such assays are very useful to calibrate PBPK models.

We review here those in vitro and computational models, highlighting the challenges and perspectives for in vitro and computational models to better assess drug availability to target tissues.

Reconstructing organophosphorus pesticide doses using the reversed dosimetry approach in a simple physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model

We illustrated the development of a simple pharmacokinetic (SPK) model aiming to estimate the absorbed chlorpyrifos doses using urinary biomarker data, 3,5,6-trichlorpyridinol as the model input. The effectiveness of the SPK model in the pesticide risk assessment was evaluated by comparing dose estimates using different urinary composite data. The dose estimates resulting from the first morning voids appeared to be lower than but not significantly different to those using before bedtime, lunch or dinner voids. We found similar trend for dose estimates using three different urinary composite data. However, the dose estimates using the SPK model for individual children were significantly higher than those from the conventional physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling using aggregate environmental measurements of chlorpyrifos as the model inputs. The use of urinary data in the SPK model intuitively provided a plausible alternative to the conventional PBPK model in reconstructing the absorbed chlorpyrifos dose.

Determination of tissue to blood partition coefficients for nonvolatile herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides using negligible depletion solid-phase microextraction (nd-SPME) and ultrafiltration

Partition coefficients (PCs) are used in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models to estimate the free concentration of a chemical in specific blood or organs. Biological PC(tissue:blood) (tissue to blood) values were determined for a series of nonvolatile herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides in liver, brain, skin, fat, kidneys, and muscle of male Sprague-Dawley rats using two different analytical methods. The free phase concentration (in phosphate-buffered saline) of a given chemical was measured in the presence and absence of tissue (including blood) and used to calculate the PC, defined as the ratio of the concentration of the chemical in saline to the concentration in the tissue. PCs were determined for 13 compounds with aqueous solubility ranging from 20 to 4100 mg/L, molecular weights from 187.3 to 342.2 g/mol, and log K (ow) values from -0.18 to 3.9. An ultrafiltration high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was implemented for compounds with log K (ow) near 0.1 or less and a negligible depletion solid-phase microextraction (nd-SPME) method for compounds with higher log K (ow). PC(tissue:saline) coefficients of variation were 0.13 (n = 3 compounds) on average for the HPLC method and 0.29 (n = 10 compounds) for the nd-SPME method. Presented here is one of the most comprehensive data sets of biological partition coefficients for herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.

Modeling of absorption

Absorption takes place when a compound enters an organism, which occurs as soon as the molecules enter the first cellular bilayer(s) in the tissue(s) to which is it exposed. At that point, the compound is no longer part of the environment (which includes the alimentary canal for oral exposure), but has become part of the organism. If absorption is prevented or limited, then toxicological effects are also prevented or limited. Thus, modeling absorption is the first step in simulating/predicting potential toxicological effects. Simulation software used to model absorption of compounds of various types has advanced considerably over the past 15 years. There can be strong interactions between absorption and pharmacokinetics (PK), requiring state-of-the-art simulation computer programs that combine absorption with either compartmental pharmacokinetics (PK) or physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK). Pharmacodynamic (PD) models for therapeutic and adverse effects are also often linked to the absorption and PK simulations, providing PK/PD or PBPK/PD capabilities in a single package. These programs simulate the interactions among a variety of factors including the physicochemical properties of the molecule of interest, the physiologies of the organisms, and in some cases, environmental factors, to produce estimates of the time course of absorption and disposition of both toxic and nontoxic substances, as well as their pharmacodynamic effects.