Synthesis, transport and mechanism of a type I prodrug: L-carnitine ester of prednisolone

Glucocorticoids-based prodrug design: Current strategies and research progress

Attributing to their broad pharmacological effects encompassing anti-inflammation, antitoxin, and immunosuppression, glucocorticoids (GCs) are extensively utilized in the clinic for the treatment of diverse diseases such as lupus erythematosus, nephritis, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, asthma, keratitis, macular edema, and leukemia. However, long-term use often causes undesirable side effects, including metabolic disorders-induced Cushing's syndrome (buffalo back, full moon face, hyperglycemia, etc.), osteoporosis, aggravated infection, psychosis, glaucoma, and cataract. These notorious side effects seriously compromise patients' quality of life, especially in patients with chronic diseases. Therefore, glucocorticoid-based advanced drug delivery systems for reducing adverse effects have received extensive attention. Among them, prodrugs have the advantages of low investment, low risk, and high success rate, making them a promising strategy. In this review, we propose the strategies for the design and summarize current research progress of glucocorticoid-based prodrugs in recent decades, including polymer-based prodrugs, dendrimer-based prodrugs, antibody-drug conjugates, peptide-drug conjugates, carbohydrate-based prodrugs, aliphatic acid-based prodrugs and so on. Besides, we also raise issues that need to be focused on during the development of glucocorticoid-based prodrugs. This review is expected to be helpful for the research and development of novel GCs and prodrugs.

Transporter-Mediated Drug Delivery

Transmembrane transport of small organic and inorganic molecules is one of the cornerstones of cellular metabolism. Among transmembrane transporters, solute carrier (SLC) proteins form the largest, albeit very diverse, superfamily with over 400 members. It was recognized early on that xenobiotics can directly interact with SLCs and that this interaction can fundamentally determine their efficacy, including bioavailability and intertissue distribution. Apart from the well-established prodrug strategy, the chemical ligation of transporter substrates to nanoparticles of various chemical compositions has recently been used as a means to enhance their targeting and absorption. In this review, we summarize efforts in drug design exploiting interactions with specific SLC transporters to optimize their therapeutic effects. Furthermore, we describe current and future challenges as well as new directions for the advanced development of therapeutics that target SLC transporters.

Organic Cation Transporters in the Lung-Current and Emerging (Patho)Physiological and Pharmacological Concepts

Organic cation transporters (OCT) 1, 2 and 3 and novel organic cation transporters (OCTN) 1 and 2 of the solute carrier 22 (SLC22) family are involved in the cellular transport of endogenous compounds such as neurotransmitters, l-carnitine and ergothioneine. OCT/Ns have also been implicated in the transport of xenobiotics across various biological barriers, for example biguanides and histamine receptor antagonists. In addition, several drugs used in the treatment of respiratory disorders are cations at physiological pH and potential substrates of OCT/Ns. OCT/Ns may also be associated with the development of chronic lung diseases such as allergic asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and, thus, are possible new drug targets. As part of the Special Issue "Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology of Transporters for Organic Cations", this review provides an overview of recent findings on the (patho)physiological and pharmacological functions of organic cation transporters in the lung.

The SLC transporter in nutrient and metabolic sensing, regulation, and drug development

The prevalence of metabolic diseases is growing worldwide. Accumulating evidence suggests that solute carrier (SLC) transporters contribute to the etiology of various metabolic diseases. Consistent with metabolic characteristics, the top five organs in which SLC transporters are highly expressed are the kidney, brain, liver, gut, and heart. We aim to understand the molecular mechanisms of important SLC transporter-mediated physiological processes and their potentials as drug targets. SLC transporters serve as ‘metabolic gate’ of cells and mediate the transport of a wide range of essential nutrients and metabolites such as glucose, amino acids, vitamins, neurotransmitters, and inorganic/metal ions. Gene-modified animal models have demonstrated that SLC transporters participate in many important physiological functions including nutrient supply, metabolic transformation, energy homeostasis, tissue development, oxidative stress, host defense, and neurological regulation. Furthermore, the human genomic studies have identified that SLC transporters are susceptible or causative genes in various diseases like cancer, metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, immunological disorders, and neurological dysfunction. Importantly, a number of SLC transporters have been successfully targeted for drug developments. This review will focus on the current understanding of SLCs in regulating physiology, nutrient sensing and uptake, and risk of diseases.

Metal ion-responsive nanocarrier derived from phosphonated calix[4]arenes for delivering dauricine specifically to sites of brain injury in a mouse model of intracerebral hemorrhage

Primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a leading cause of long-term disability and death worldwide. Drug delivery vehicles to treat ICH are less than satisfactory because of their short circulation lives, lack of specific targeting to the hemorrhagic site, and poor control of drug release. To exploit the fact that metal ions such as Fe²⁺ are more abundant in peri-hematomal tissue than in healthy tissue because of red blood cell lysis, we developed a metal ion-responsive nanocarrier based on a phosphonated calix[4]arene derivative in order to deliver the neuroprotective agent dauricine (DRC) specifically to sites of primary and secondary brain injury. The potential of the dauricine-loaded nanocarriers for ICH therapy was systematically evaluated in vitro and in mouse models of autologous whole blood double infusion. The nanocarriers significantly reduced brain water content, restored blood-brain barrier integrity and attenuated neurological deficits by inhibiting the activation of glial cells, infiltration by neutrophils as well as production of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and matrix-metalloprotease-9. These results suggest that our dauricine-loaded nanocarriers can improve neurological outcomes in an animal model of ICH by reducing inflammatory injury and inhibiting apoptosis and ferroptosis.

Recent advances in drug delivery via the organic cation/carnitine transporter 2 (OCTN2/SLC22A5)

INTRODUCTION

Transporters in the plasma membrane have been exploited successfully for the delivery of drugs in the form of prodrugs and nanoparticles. Organic cation/carnitine transporter 2 (OCTN2, SLC22A5) has emerged as a viable target for drug delivery. OCTN2 is a Na⁺-dependent high-affinity transporter for L-carnitine and a Na⁺-independent transporter for organic cations. OCTN2 is expressed in the blood-brain barrier, heart, liver, kidney, intestinal tract and placenta and plays an essential role in L-carnitine homeostasis in the body. Areas covered: In recent years, several studies have been reported in the literature describing the utility of OCTN2 to enhance the delivery of drugs, prodrugs and nanoparticles. Here we summarize the salient features of OCTN2 in terms of its role in the cellular uptake of its physiological substrate L-carnitine in physiological and pathological context; the structural requirements for recognition and the recent advances in OCTN2-targeted drug delivery systems, including prodrugs and nanoparticles, are discussed. Expert opinion: This transporter has great potential to be utilized as a target for drug delivery to improve oral absorption of drugs in the intestinal tract. It also has potential to facilitate the transfer of drugs across the biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier, blood-retinal barrier, and maternal-fetal barrier.

Development and validation of a UPLC-MS/MS assay for the determination of gemcitabine and its L-carnitine ester derivative in rat plasma and its application in oral pharmacokinetics

A simple and rapid UPLC–MS/MS method to simultaneously determine gemcitabine and its L-carnitine ester derivative (2'-deoxy-2', 2'-difluoro-N-((4-amino-4-oxobutanoyl) oxy)-4-(trimethyl amm-onio) butanoate-cytidine, JDR) in rat plasma was developed and validated. The conventional plasma sample preparation method of nucleoside analogues is solid-phase extraction (SPE) which is time-consuming and cost-expensive. In this study, gradient elution with small particles size solid phase was applied to effectively separate gemcitabine and JDR, and protein precipitation pretreatment was adopted to remove plasma protein and extract the analytes with high recovery(>81%). Method validation was performed as per the FDA guidelines, and the standard curves were found to be linear in the range of 5–4000 ng/ml for JDR and 4–4000 ng/ml for gemcitabine, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of gemcitabine and JDR was 4 and 5 ng/ml, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy results were within the acceptable limits. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic studies of JDR and gemcitabine after oral administration to rats.

Preparation and Characterization of Loperamide-Loaded Dynasan 114 Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Increased Oral Absorption In the Treatment of Diarrhea

The aim of the project was to assemble two optimum solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) formulations for oral delivery of loperamide (LPM) to treat different types of diarrhea, and to evaluate their release profiles in vitro and pharmacokinetic properties in vivo. In this work, glyceryl trimyristate (Dynasan 114) nanoparticles containing the drug LPM and sodium cholate as a stabilizer were prepared using a modified solvent evaporation technique. Two LPM-loaded SLNs, namely LPM-SLN-1 (LPM-SLN with a high ratio rate of lipid to drug) and LPM-SLN-2 (LPM-SLN with a low ratio rate of lipid to drug), were prepared by the solvent evaporation method. A change in the lipid concentration affects the characteristics of LPM-SLNs. The average sizes of the LPM-SLNs were 303 ± 18 nm and 519 ± 36 nm, separately, as analyzed by dynamic light scattering. The LPM-SLNs were found to be round with a smooth surface, as observed using a transmission electron microscope and a scanning electron microscope. The average encapsulation efficiencies were 87 ± 3.78% w/w and 84 ± 5.17%, accordingly. In the in vitro release experiments, LPM-SLNs showed a continuous release profile of LPM without any burst release. The oral bioavailability of LPM-SLNs was analyzed using Wistar rats. The relative bioavailabilities of LPM-SLNs were 227 and 153%, respectively, as compared that of the LPM tablet. There was no difference in the T_max between LPM-SLN-2 and the LPM tablet. In conclusion, LPM-SLN-1 significantly improved the oral bioavailability of LPM, while LPM-SLN-2 having the same swift action as the LPM tablet. These results demonstrate the potential of LPM-SLNs in the oral delivery of LPM to treat different types of diarrhea.

Functional activity of L-carnitine transporters in human airway epithelial cells

Carnitine plays a physiologically important role in the β-oxidation of fatty acids, facilitating the transport of long-chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Distribution of carnitine within the body tissues is mainly performed by novel organic cation transporter (OCTN) family, including the isoforms OCTN1 (SLC22A4) and OCTN2 (SLC22A5) expressed in human. We performed here a characterization of carnitine transport in human airway epithelial cells A549, Calu-3, NCl-H441, and BEAS-2B, by means of an integrated approach combining data of mRNA/protein expression with the kinetic and inhibition analyses of L-[(3)H]carnitine transport. Carnitine uptake was strictly Na(+)-dependent in all cell models. In A549 and BEAS-2B cells, carnitine uptake was mediated by one high-affinity component (Km<2 μM) identifiable with OCTN2. In both these cell models, indeed, carnitine uptake was maximally inhibited by betaine and strongly reduced by SLC22A5/OCTN2 silencing. Conversely, Calu-3 and NCl-H441 exhibited both a high (Km~20 μM) and a low affinity (Km>1 mM) transport component. While the high affinity component is identifiable with OCTN2, the low affinity uptake is mediated by ATB(0,+), a Na(+), and Cl(-)-coupled transport system for neutral and cationic amino acids, as demonstrated by the inhibition by leucine and arginine, as well as by SLC6A14/ATB(0,+) silencing. The presence of this transporter leads to a massive accumulation of carnitine inside the cells and may be of peculiar relevance in pathologic conditions of carnitine deficiency, such as those associated to OCTN2 defects.

L-Carnitine ester of prednisolone: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of a type I prodrug

PURPOSE

To evaluate whether PDSC, an L-carnitine ester derivative of prednisolone and OCTN2 substrate, could provide a targeted delivery of the corticosteroid into the lung tissues of an asthmatic guinea pig model.

METHODS

PRED (prednisolone) and PDC (an L-carnitine prodrug of prednisolone not recognized by OCTN2) served as controls. Water solubility and logP values were determined, and PDSC and PDC in vivo were quantified by LC-MS/MS.

RESULTS

Unlike PRED, the intra-tracheal instillation of PDSC resulted in effective and prolonged accumulation of prednisolone in the lung tissues, leading to 3.8-fold higher reduction in inflammatory cell count in the bronchoalveolar fluid, and less severe lung and bronchial lesions in the asthmatic guinea pig. PDC showed similar pharmacokinetic profile to PRED, but exhibited higher efficiency (1.7-fold higher) at reducing the inflammatory cell count and the severity of lung histopathology, possibly due to the release of L-carnitine in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

The collective data suggest that PDSC has the potential to be an effective prodrug for the treatment of asthma with concomitant reduction in systemic side effects, and that novel prodrugs produced by L-carnitine conjugation can have useful applications in the targeted accumulation of drugs in the lungs.

Reduced L-carnitine transport in aortic endothelial cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats

Impaired L-carnitine uptake correlates with higher blood pressure in adult men, and L-carnitine restores endothelial function in aortic rings from spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Thus, endothelial dysfunction in hypertension could result from lower L-carnitine transport in this cell type. L-Carnitine transport is mainly mediated by novel organic cation transporters 1 (Octn1, Na⁺-independent) and 2 (Octn2, Na⁺-dependent); however, their kinetic properties and potential consequences in hypertension are unknown. We hypothesize that L-carnitine transport kinetic properties will be altered in aortic endothelium from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). L-Carnitine transport was measured at different extracellular pH (pH_o 5.5–8.5) in the absence or presence of sodium in rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) from non-hypertensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and SHR. Octn1 and Octn2 mRNA relative expression was also determined. Dilation of endothelium-intact or denuded aortic rings in response to calcitonine gene related peptide (CGRP, 0.1–100 nmol/L) was measured (myography) in the absence or presence of L-carnitine. Total L-carnitine transport was lower in cells from SHR compared with WKY rats, an effect due to reduced Na⁺-dependent (Na⁺_dep) compared with Na⁺-independent (Na⁺_indep) transport components. Saturable L-carnitine transport kinetics show maximal velocity (V_max), without changes in apparent K_m for Na⁺_indep transport in SHR compared with WKY rats. Total and Na⁺_dep component of transport were increased, but Na⁺_indep transport was reduced by extracellular alkalization in WKY rats. However, alkalization reduced total and Na⁺_indep transport in cells from SHR. Octn2 mRNA was higher than Octn-1 mRNA expression in cells from both conditions. Dilation of artery rings in response to CGRP was reduced in vessels from SHR compared with WKY rats. CGRP effect was endothelium-dependent and restored by L-carnitine. All together these results suggest that reduced L-carnitine transport (likely via Na⁺-dependent Octn2) could limit this compound's potential beneficial effects in RAECs from SHR.

Chiral Recognition of L-Carnitine Using Surface Molecularly Imprinted Microspheres via RAFT Polymerization

A molecularly imprinted microsphere (MIPs) was prepared successfullyviasurface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Characterization of the obtained MIPs was achieved by FT-IR and TGA. The isothermal adsorption and chiral separation experiments of MIPs on L-Carnitine were investigated. Compared with non-imprinted microsphere (NMIPs) adsorbent, MIPs showed faster adsorption rate and stronger adsorption capacity for L-Carnitine. Equilibrium experimental data of MIPs fitted the Langmuir isotherm better. Furthermore, the MIPs also exhibited enantioselectivity for L-Carnitine through the resolution experiment.

Pharmacological and pathophysiological roles of carnitine/organic cation transporters (OCTNs: SLC22A4, SLC22A5 and Slc22a21)

The carnitine/organic cation transporter (OCTN) family consists of three transporter isoforms, i.e. OCTN1 (SLC22A4) and OCTN2 (SLC22A5) in humans and animals and Octn3 (Slc22a21) in mice. These transporters are physiologically essential to maintain appropriate systemic and tissue concentrations of carnitine by regulating its membrane transport during intestinal absorption, tissue distribution and renal reabsorption. Among them, OCTN2 is a sodium-dependent, high-affinity transporter of carnitine, and a functional defect of OCTN2 due to genetic mutation causes primary systemic carnitine deficiency (SCD). Since carnitine is essential for beta-oxidation of long-chain fatty acids to produce ATP, OCTN2 gene mutation causes a range of symptoms, including cardiomyopathy, skeletal muscle weakness, fatty liver and male infertility. These functional consequences of Octn2 gene mutation can be seen clearly in an animal model, jvs mouse, which exhibits the SCD phenotype. In addition, although the mechanism is not clear, single nucleotide polymorphisms of OCTN1 and OCTN2 genes are associated with increased incidences of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and asthma. OCTN1 and OCTN2 accept cationic drugs as substrates and contribute to intestinal and pulmonary absorption, tissue distribution (including to tumour cells), and renal excretion of these drugs. Modulation of the transport activity of OCTN2 by externally administered drugs may cause drug-induced secondary carnitine deficiency. Rodent Octn3 transports carnitine specifically, particularly in male reproductive tissues. Thus, the OCTNs are physiologically, pathologically and pharmacologically important. Detailed characterization of these transporters will greatly improve our understanding of the pathology associated with common diseases caused by functional deficiency of OCTNs.