Photoisomerization of retinoic acid and its photoprotection in physiologic-like solutions

Conformational polymorphs of isotretinoin and their impact on physicochemical and biological properties

Isotretinoin is the first-line drug for treatment of severe acne. Only one polymorph was reported even though it has been launched for nearly 40 years, and its clinic application was however limited by its stability and solubility challenges. In our study, two new polymorphs of isotretinoin were discovered and fully characterized. The transformation relationships between these solid forms were fully discussed, and a visible color change during single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transition with the conformational change was investigated. Form II is determined to be thermodynamic stable form at room temperature, but metastable form at body temperature. The results show that form II is an ideal solid state possessing both superior thermal stability (60℃, open air) and higher absorption once delivered into body. The thermal stability can be associated with the crystal structure such as torsion angle. The relative bioavailability of form II is higher than form I as expected, and the bioavailability of form II formulation is about 2 times as that of the marketed form I capsule. Therefore, form II formulation could provide an alternative for better performing isotretinoin.

Photostability of Topical Agents Applied to the Skin: A Review

Topical treatment modalities have multiple advantages starting with the convenient application and non-invasive treatment and ending with the reduction of the risk of the systemic side effects. Active pharmaceutical substances must reach the desired concentration at the target site in order to produce a particular therapeutic effect. In contrast to other dosage forms topical agents applied to the skin may also be susceptible to photodegradation after application. That is why the knowledge of the susceptibility of these topical drugs to UV irradiation, which may contribute to their degradation or changes in chemical structure, is very important. Active pharmaceutical substances used in dermatology may differ both in chemical structure and photostability. Furthermore, various factors-such as light intensity and wavelength, pH, temperature, concentration-can influence the photodegradation process, which is reflected in particular in kinetics of photodegradation of active pharmaceutical substances as well as both the quantitative and qualitative composition of by-products. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the photostability of dermatological drugs, as well as of other substances commonly applied topically. The photostability of glucocorticosteroids, retinoids, and antifungal drugs as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs applied topically and selected UV-filters have been discussed. Furthermore, the impact of photoinstability on the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy and some photostabilization strategies have been also included.

Ultrafast photoisomerisation of an isolated retinoid

The photoinduced excited state dynamics of gas-phase trans-retinoate (deprotonated trans-retinoic acid, trans-RA^-) are studied using tandem ion mobility spectrometry coupled with laser spectroscopy, and frequency-, angle- and time-resolved photoelectron imaging. Photoexcitation of the bright S₃(ππ*) ← S₀ transition leads to internal conversion to the S₁(ππ*) state on a ≈80 fs timescale followed by recovery of S₀ and concomitant isomerisation to give the 13-cis (major) and 9-cis (minor) photoisomers on a ≈180 fs timescale. The sub-200 fs stereoselective photoisomerisation parallels that for the retinal protonated Schiff base chromophore in bacteriorhodopsin. Measurements on trans-RA^- in methanol using the solution photoisomerisation action spectroscopy technique show that 13-cis-RA^- is also the principal photoisomer, although the 13-cis and 9-cis photoisomers are formed with an inverted branching ratio with photon energy in methanol when compared with the gas phase, presumably due to solvent-induced modification of potential energy surfaces and inhibition of electron detachment processes. Comparison of the gas-phase time-resolved data with transient absorption spectroscopy measurements on retinoic acid in methanol suggest that photoisomerisation is roughly six times slower in solution. This work provides clear evidence that solvation significantly affects the photoisomerisation dynamics of retinoid molecules.

Design and biological evaluation of synthetic retinoids: probing length vs. stability vs. activity

All trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) is widely used to direct the differentiation of cultured stem cells. When exposed to the pluripotent human embryonal carcinoma (EC) stem cell line, TERA2.cl.SP12, ATRA induces ectoderm differentiation and the formation of neuronal cell types. We report in this study that novel polyene chain length analogues of ATRA require a specific chain length to elicit a biological responses of the EC cells TERA2.cl.SP12, with synthetic retinoid AH61 being particularly active, and indeed more so than ATRA. The impacts of both the synthetic retinoid AH61 and natural ATRA on the TERA2.cl.SP12 cells were directly compared using both RT-PCR and Fourier Transform Infrared Micro-Spectroscopy (FT-IRMS) coupled with multivariate analysis. Analytical results produced from this study also confirmed that the synthetic retinoid AH61 had biological activity comparable or greater than that of ATRA. In addition to this, AH61 has the added advantage of greater compound stability than ATRA, therefore, avoiding issues of oxidation or decomposition during use with embryonic stem cells.

Retinoic acid as target for local pharmacokinetic interaction with modafinil in neural cells

While the biological importance of the cytochrome P450 system in the liver is well established, much less is known about its role in the brain and drug interactions at the level of brain cells have hardly been investigated. Here, we show that modafinil, a well-known inducer of hepatic CYP enzymes, also increases CYP3A4 expression in human-derived neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells. Upregulation of CYP3A4 by modafinil was associated with increased retinoic acid (RA) degradation, which could be blocked by specific CYP3A4 inhibitor erythromycin. In turn, reduced RA levels in culture medium during modafinil treatment resulted in decreased neuronal differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells as assessed by intracellular neurotransmitter concentrations and proliferative activity. Again, this differentiation-impeding effect of modafinil on SH-SY5Y cells was antagonized by erythromycin. Similarly, modafinil treatment of the murine GL261 glioma cell line resulted in increased proliferative activity. This was associated with upregulation of RA-degrading CYP26A1 in GL261 cells. Taken together, our results indicate that psychopharmacological agents such as modafinil may directly act on CYP enzymes in neural tissue. These kinds of drug effects may become highly relevant especially in the context of biomolecules such as RA whose local metabolism in brain is under tight spatial and temporal control.

HPLC method for simultaneous determination of retinoids and tocopherols in human serum for monitoring of anticancer therapy

A simple and rapid HPLC method requiring small volumes (250 microL) of human serum after C18 SPE sample preparation was developed using monolithic technology for simultaneous determination of all-trans-retinoic acid, 13-cis-retinoic acid, retinol, gamma- and alpha-tocopherol. The monolithic column, Chromolith Performance RP-18e (100x4.6 mm), was operated at ambient temperature. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of acetonitrile (ACN) and 1% ammonium acetate in water (AMC) at pH 7.0. The mobile phase started at 98:2 (v/v) ACN/AMC (column pre-treatment) at a flow rate of 2 mL/min, then changed to 95:5 (v/v) ACN/AMC for 4 min at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min and a further 3 min at a flow rate of 3.2 mL/min. Detection and identification were performed using a photodiode array detector. Retinol, 13-cis- and all-trans-retinoic acid were monitored at 325 nm. Both alpha- and gamma-tocopherol were detected at 295 nm. The total analysis time was 7.2 min. Tocol (synthesized tocopherol, not occurring in humans) was used as internal standard. The method was linear in the range of 0.125-10.00 micromol/L for all-trans-retinoic acid, 0.125-5.00 micromol/L for 13-cis-retinoic acid, 0.25-10.00 micromol/L for retinol, 0.5-50.00 micromol/L for gamma-tocopherol, and 0.5-50.00 micromol/L for alpha-tocopherol. The present method may be useful for monitoring of retinoids and tocopherols in clinical studies.

Synthesis and evaluation of synthetic retinoid derivatives as inducers of stem cell differentiation

All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and its associated analogues are important mediators of cell differentiation and function during the development of the nervous system. It is well known that ATRA can induce the differentiation of neural tissues from human pluripotent stem cells. However, it is not always appreciated that ATRA is highly susceptible to isomerisation when in solution, which can influence the effective concentration of ATRA and subsequently its biological activity. To address this source of variability, synthetic retinoid analogues have been designed and synthesised that retain stability during use and maintain biological function in comparison to ATRA. It is also shown that subtle modifications to the structure of the synthetic retinoid compound impacts significantly on biological activity, as when exposed to cultured human pluripotent stem cells, synthetic retinoid 4-(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-ylethynyl)benzoic acid, 4a (para-isomer), induces neural differentiation similarly to ATRA. In contrast, stem cells exposed to synthetic retinoid 3-(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-ylethynyl)benzoic acid, 4b (meta-isomer), produce very few neurons and large numbers of epithelial-like cells. This type of structure-activity-relationship information for such synthetic retinoid compounds will further the ability to design more targeted systems capable of mediating robust and reproducible tissue differentiation.

UVA is the major contributor to the photodegradation of tretinoin and isotretinoin: Implications for development of improved pharmaceutical formulations

The chemical stability of tretinoin (RA) and isotretinoin (13RA) in ethanol and dermatological cream preparations exposed to solar simulated light (SSL), UVA, and visible light has been studied. Photostability was monitored by an HPLC method that allowed simultaneous analysis of RA and 13RA, thus allowing photodegradation due to isomerization to other retinoids and photolysis to non-retinoid products to be monitored. Both retinoids undergo both isomerization and photolysis following SSL, UVA and visible light exposure but RA is more sensitive to photodegradation than 13RA. Degradation of both retinoids by photolysis is considerably greater in cream formulations than in ethanol and the photodegradation follows second order kinetics. Rate constants and half-lives for degradation of RA and 13RA in ethanol solution and cream preparations subjected to different light sources are reported. The UVA component of SSL is the major contributor to photodegradation. Since UVA penetrates deeply into skin, our results suggest that photodegradation of RA may contribute to the photosensitivity associated with RA therapy. Our studies suggest that development of improved formulations and the use of effective UVA sunscreens may reduce the side effects of RA therapy.

A rapid HPLC method for simultaneous determination of tretinoin and isotretinoin in dermatological formulations

A rapid method using an isocratic high-pressure liquid chromatography and UV detection for determination of both all-trans retinoic acid (tretinoin) and 13-cis retinoic acid (isotretinoin) in dermatological preparations is presented. Tretinoin and isotretinoin samples were extracted with acetonitrile by a procedure that can be completed in less than 10 min. Subsequent separation and quantification of amounts as low as 10 pmol was accomplished in less than 15 min using reversed-phase HPLC with isocratic elution with 0.01% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)/acetonitrile (15:85, v/v). Validation experiments confirmed the precision and accuracy of the method. When applied to commercial tretinoin samples, recoveries of 104.9% for cream formulations and 107.7% for gel formulations were obtained. Application of the method for analysis of a tretinoin cream exposed to solar simulated light (SSL) demonstrated detection of the major photoisomerization product isotretinoin as well as 9-cis retinoic acid, demonstrating the utility of the method for studies of tretinoin photostability. The method should also facilitate studies of the formulation compatibility and photocompatibility of tretinoin with agents that may improve its clinical tolerability.

Accelerated photostability study of tretinoin and isotretinoin in liposome formulations

The photodegradation of retinoic acids, tretinoin and isotretinoin, in ethanol and liposomes was studied. The light irradiation was performed according to the conditions suggested by the ICH Guideline for photostability testing by using a Xenon lamp within a wavelength range of 300-800 nm. The photodegradation process was monitored by UV spectrophotometry. In ethanol solution, tretinoin and isotretinoin undergo complete isomerization just within a few seconds of light exposure to give 13-cis and 9-cis isomers, respectively. The 13-cis isomer from tretinoin undergoes in turn a slow isomerization to the same 9-cis isomer. Both retinoic acids incorporated in liposome complexes showed an increased stability in comparison to the ethanol solutions. In particular for tretinoin, a residual concentration of 60% was still present after a light irradiance of 3470 kJ/m(2), by means of a 250 W/m(2) light power for 240 min, versus a residual value of just 8% measured at the same time in ethanol solution. Moreover, the isomerization rate in liposomes resulted reduced for isotretinoin and practically irrelevant for tretinoin. The degradation rate was found to be dependent on the drug concentration. The better stability of the tretinoin in liposome complex was supposed to be related to its higher incorporation value due to the linear structure of the molecule.

Chromatographic and electrophoretic analysis of biomedically important retinoids

The determination of retinol (vitamin A) and its metabolites, as well as synthetic retinoids, in biological samples is a challenging task due to the sensitivity of these compounds to light, heat and oxygen, high protein binding, separation of geometric isomers and determination of low endogenous levels. Numerous procedures for sample preparation have been published for biological fluids and tissues, consisting of solvent extraction, solid-phase extraction (off-line) and HPLC with column switching (on-line solid-phase extraction). The last-mentioned technique has several advantages, including a high degree of automation, no evaporation of extraction solvents, protection from light and higher sensitivity. Due to the favourable UV characteristics of most retinoids, HPLC with UV detection is most often employed, and photodiode array detection is becoming more and more popular. Fluorescence and electrochemical detection have found only a limited field of application, but the use of LC-MS resulted in a few highly sensitive methods. Reconsideration of GC through the use of better deactivated columns and cold on-column injection and evaluation of new promising separation methods, such as supercritical fluid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, have shown preliminary encouraging results, but appear to reach the required sensitivity only by coupling to MS. Therefore, HPLC with UV detection is still the method of choice for highly sensitive and selective retinoid determination, as well as for high sample throughput and robustness.

Gene expression and neuroblastoma cell differentiation in response to retinoic acid: differential effects of 9-cis and all-trans retinoic acid

Retinoic acid has considerable potential for the chemoprevention and chemotherapy of cancer. Neuroblastoma cells differentiate in response to retinoic acid in vitro, an observation that has led to clinical trials using either the 13-cis or all-trans isomers of retinoic acid. We review the effects of retinoic acid on neuroblastoma, and the potential involvement of nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs). 9-cis retinoic acid is a ligand for RXRs, and we review recent data on the differential effects of 9-cis and all-trans retinoic acid on neuroblastoma differentiation and proliferation in vitro, and possible mechanisms of action via hetero- and homodimers of RARs and RXRs. Although there is uncertainty whether or not 9-cis retinoic acid produces its biological effects primarily via RXR homodimers, in vitro data suggest that this isomer of retinoic acid or stable analogues may have considerable potential for the treatment of resistant, disseminated neuroblastoma.

Differential effects of 9-cis and all-trans retinoic acid on the induction of retinoic acid receptor-beta and cellular retinoic acid-binding protein II in human neuroblastoma cells

The objective of this study was to compare the properties of 9-cis and all-trans retinoic acid with respect to the induction of expression of retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR-beta) and cellular retinoic acid-binding protein (CRABP) II in human neuroblastoma SH SY 5Y cells. RAR-beta and CRABP II mRNA was induced by both all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid in SH SY 5Y cells. Induction was rapid, detectable within 2-4 h, and inhibited by actinomycin D. Time-courses of induction for RAR-beta and CRABP II differed: RAR-beta mRNA levels reached a maximum 4-6 h after adding all-trans or 9-cis retinoic acid, whereas CRABP II mRNA levels increased over at least 18 h. These differences were attributed to the longer half-life of CRABP II mRNA (20 h) compared with RAR-beta mRNA (3.9 h). The dose-response characteristics of all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid were different: all-trans was effective at nanomolar concentrations, whereas 10-fold higher levels of 9-cis retinoic acid were required to achieve comparable induction of RAR-beta and CRABP II. Conversely, at high concentrations, 9-cis retinoic acid gave a greater induction of RAR-beta and CRABP II than all-trans. The induction of RAR-beta and CRABP II by all-trans retinoic acid was maintained in the subsequent absence of all-trans retinoic acid, whereas induction by 9-cis retinoic acid was dependent on its continued presence in the culture medium. These results suggest that, at high concentrations, 9-cis retinoic acid may produce its transcriptional effects via retinoid X receptor (RXR) homodimers. This has implications for the cellular functions of 9-cis retinoic acid and its use as a biological response modifier.

Simultaneous determination of 13-cis- and all-trans-retinoic acids and retinol in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple and accurate method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 13-cis- and all-trans-retinoic acid (13cRA, tRA), and retinol (ROH) in human serum using isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The serum sample (0.2 ml) was diluted with 2 ml of acetonitrile-100 mM ammonium acetate (1:3, v/v), pH 5.5, and extracted with 5 ml of n-hexane. The extract was analyzed on an ODS column with a mobile phase consisting of 70 vols. of acetonitrile-methanol (2:1) and 30 vols. of 100 mM ammonium acetate, pH 7.0, at 50 degrees C. The retinoids were detected at 340 nm. Average recoveries were 88.4% for 13cRA, 82.5% for tRA at fortification levels of 5, 10 and 25 ng/ml, and 84.8% for ROH at 550 ng/ml. Within-day precision for normal human serum samples was 4.7% for 13cRA, 11.9% for tRA and 3.7% for ROH, and between-day precision was 10.4%, 14.2% and 4.7%, respectively. The limit of determination was 0.5 ng/ml in serum for the RAs. Mean concentration in 20 human sera was found to be 1.80 ng/ml for 13cRA, 1.77 ng/ml for tRA, and 487 ng/ml for ROH.

Simple reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for 13-cis-retinoic acid in serum

An isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of 13-cis-retinoic acid in serum is developed. Sample preparation includes deproteination with acetonitrile-perchloric acid-acetic acid followed by centrifugation. 9-Methylanthracene is used as the internal standard. Chromatographic separation is achieved on a C18 column (Zorbax) using an acetonitrile-aqueous 0.5% acetic acid (85:15, v/v) eluent containing 0.05% (w/v) sodium hexanesulfonate. The limit of detection is 12 ng/ml in serum, using 0.5 ml samples. Quantitative recoveries and excellent intra-day and inter-day precision are reported.

Triplet-sensitized photooxygenation of therapeutic retinoids

The triplet-sensitized photooxygenation of retinoic acid in hydroorganic buffer, methyl retinoate in a variety of solvents, and methyl 13-cis-retinoate and etretinate in ethanol has been investigated. By high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis, one major peroxide product was formed from each retinoid substrate under all conditions investigated. The structures of these peroxides have been assigned relying on high-field nuclear magnetic resonance and mass and ultraviolet spectroscopy. While product structures were not influenced, the rate of product formation was found to vary with solvent, substrate, and perhaps the nature of the sensitizer. The retinoid peroxides isolated are stable toward nucleophiles and weakly acidic and basic conditions. Possible reasons for rate variations in the photooxygenations are discussed.

Photosensitized production of singlet oxygen by merocyanine 540 bound to liposomes

The production of singlet oxygen by merocyanine 540 was studied in dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine liposomes using two singlet oxygen probes: 9,10-anthracenedipropionic acid (water soluble) and 9,10-dimethylanthracene (liposoluble). Upper and lower limits of singlet oxygen quantum yield for bound merocyanine 540 were determined to be 0.055 and 0.015 respectively. The diffusion characteristics of singlet oxygen were examined using the isotropic enhancement effect of D2O and the inhibitory effect of sodium azide. It was shown that 1O2 spent more than 87% of its lifetime in a vesicle environment. When the singlet-reacting substrate and the dye were both located in the bilayer, approximately 40% of the singlet oxygen remained in the liposomes where it was originally generated.

Determination of tretinoin in creams by high-performance liquid chromatography

A stability indicating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed to quantify tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) in cream formulations. Tretinoin cream samples were dissolved directly in tetrahydrofuran and diluted for injection. Separation was accomplished on a 15 cm Nova-Pak C18 column using a tetrahydrofuran-phosphate buffer solvent system (42:58, v/v) and 1.0 ml/min flow-rate. The method is able to separate tretinoin from its degradation products formed under stressing conditions. Excellent precision and accuracy were found for the assay of tretinoin in the cream formulations.

Percutaneous retinoid absorption and embryotoxicity

A single application of 17 micrograms/kg or 8.7 mg/kg all-trans-[10,11-3H2]-retinoic acid dissolved in acetone to shaved dorsal hamster skin resulted in rapid absorption and dose-dependent rates of elimination. An equation describing a two-compartment open model with a very brief lag time and first-order uptake and elimination was used to describe the central plasma compartment kinetics. Unchanged all-trans-retinoic acid represented less than or equal to 4% of the total circulating radio-activity. Peak circulating concentrations of parent all-trans-retinoic acid were less than those observed after an equivalent oral dose, but prolonged absorption from the skin appears to contribute to high total bioavailability of topical retinoid. Topical administration to intact skin of up to three consecutive doses of 10.5 mg/kg/d all-trans-retinoic acid or a single 5 mg/kg dose of etretinate (Ro 10-9359) during a critical stage of embryogenesis in hamsters caused erythema and/or dose-dependent epidermal hyperplasia at the site of application, but failed to induce a significant teratogenic response. Topical application of 0.01-1.0 mg/kg arotinoid Ro 13-6298 resulted in dose-dependent mucocutaneous toxicity and an increase in the numbers of dead embryos and malformed offspring. The marked skin toxicity and attenuated concentrations in maternal blood, compared to the oral route, limit the amounts of retinoid that can reach the hamster embryo. It is thus more important to compare the retinoid systemic values (absorbed dose) than it is to compare the oral or topical (applied) dose, when interpreting the results of conventional teratogenicity bioassays. The data suggest that in the human it is skin toxicity that limits the amounts of retinoid that can be applied and subsequently reach the embryo. In the rodent, overt skin toxicity under continued dosing could increase the amounts of retinoid penetrating the skin and reaching the embryo.