The role of aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidase in the biotransformation of a novel negative allosteric modulator of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5

Roles of selected non-P450 human oxidoreductase enzymes in protective and toxic effects of chemicals: review and compilation of reactions

This is an overview of the metabolic reactions of drugs, natural products, physiological compounds, and other (general) chemicals catalyzed by flavin monooxygenase (FMO), monoamine oxidase (MAO), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO), and molybdenum hydroxylase enzymes (aldehyde oxidase (AOX) and xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR)), including roles as substrates, inducers, and inhibitors of the enzymes. The metabolism and bioactivation of selected examples of each group (i.e., drugs, "general chemicals," natural products, and physiological compounds) are discussed. We identified a higher fraction of bioactivation reactions for FMO enzymes compared to other enzymes, predominately involving drugs and general chemicals. With MAO enzymes, physiological compounds predominate as substrates, and some products lead to unwanted side effects or illness. AOX and XOR enzymes are molybdenum hydroxylases that catalyze the oxidation of various heteroaromatic rings and aldehydes and the reduction of a number of different functional groups. While neither of these two enzymes contributes substantially to the metabolism of currently marketed drugs, AOX has become a frequently encountered route of metabolism among drug discovery programs in the past 10-15 years. XOR has even less of a role in the metabolism of clinical drugs and preclinical drug candidates than AOX, likely due to narrower substrate specificity.

Non-cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the oxidative metabolism of xenobiotics: Focus on the regulation of gene expression and enzyme activity

Oxidative metabolism is one of the major biotransformation reactions that regulates the exposure of xenobiotics and their metabolites in the circulatory system and local tissues and organs, and influences their efficacy and toxicity. Although cytochrome (CY)P450s play critical roles in the oxidative reaction, extensive CYP450-independent oxidative metabolism also occurs in some xenobiotics, such as aldehyde oxidase, xanthine oxidoreductase, flavin-containing monooxygenase, monoamine oxidase, alcohol dehydrogenase, or aldehyde dehydrogenase-dependent oxidative metabolism. Drugs form a large portion of xenobiotics and are the primary target of this review. The common reaction mechanisms and roles of non-CYP450 enzymes in metabolism, factors affecting the expression and activity of non-CYP450 enzymes in terms of inhibition, induction, regulation, and species differences in pharmaceutical research and development have been summarized. These non-CYP450 enzymes are detoxifying enzymes, although sometimes they mediate severe toxicity. Synthetic or natural chemicals serve as inhibitors for these non-CYP450 enzymes. However, pharmacokinetic-based drug interactions through these inhibitors have rarely been reported in vivo. Although multiple mechanisms participate in the basal expression and regulation of non-CYP450 enzymes, only a limited number of inducers upregulate their expression. Therefore, these enzymes are considered non-inducible or less inducible. Overall, this review focuses on the potential xenobiotic factors that contribute to variations in gene expression levels and the activities of non-CYP450 enzymes.

Site-Directed Mutagenesis at the Molybdenum Pterin Cofactor Site of the Human Aldehyde Oxidase: Interrogating the Kinetic Differences Between Human and Cynomolgus Monkey

The estimation of the drug clearance by aldehyde oxidase (AO) has been complicated because of this enzyme's atypical kinetics and species and substrate specificity. Since human AO (hAO) and cynomolgus monkey AO (mAO) have a 95.1% sequence identity, cynomolgus monkeys may be the best species for estimating AO clearance in humans. Here, O⁶-benzylguanine (O6BG) and dantrolene were used under anaerobic conditions, as oxidative and reductive substrates of AO, respectively, to compare and contrast the kinetics of these two species through numerical modeling. Whereas dantrolene reduction followed the same linear kinetics in both species, the oxidation rate of O6BG was also linear in mAO and did not follow the already established biphasic kinetics of hAO. In an attempt to determine why hAO and mAO are kinetically distinct, we have altered the hAO V811 and F885 amino acids at the oxidation site adjacent to the molybdenum pterin cofactor to the corresponding alanine and leucine in mAO, respectively. Although some shift to a more monkey-like kinetics was observed for the V811A mutant, five more mutations around the AO cofactors still need to be investigated for this purpose. In comparing the oxidative and reductive rates of metabolism under anaerobic conditions, we have come to the conclusion that despite having similar rates of reduction (4-fold difference), the oxidation rate in mAO is more than 50-fold slower than hAO. This finding implies that the presence of nonlinearity in AO kinetics is dependent upon the degree of imbalance between the rates of oxidation and reduction in this enzyme. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Although they have as much as 95.1% sequence identity, human and cynomolgus monkey aldehyde oxidase are kinetically distinct. Therefore, monkeys may not be good estimators of drug clearance in humans.

Metabolism by Aldehyde Oxidase: Drug Design and Complementary Approaches to Challenges in Drug Discovery

Aldehyde oxidase (AO) catalyzes oxidations of azaheterocycles and aldehydes, amide hydrolysis, and diverse reductions. AO substrates are rare among marketed drugs, and many candidates failed due to poor pharmacokinetics, interspecies differences, and adverse effects. As most issues arise from complex and poorly understood AO biology, an effective solution is to stop or decrease AO metabolism. This perspective focuses on rational drug design approaches to modulate AO-mediated metabolism in drug discovery. AO biological aspects are also covered, as they are complementary to chemical design and important when selecting the experimental system for risk assessment. The authors' recommendation is an early consideration of AO-mediated metabolism supported by computational and in vitro experimental methods but not an automatic avoidance of AO structural flags, many of which are versatile and valuable building blocks. Preferably, consideration of AO-mediated metabolism should be part of the multiparametric drug optimization process, with the goal to improve overall drug-like properties.

Aldehyde oxidase and its role as a drug metabolizing enzyme

Aldehyde oxidase (AO) is a cytosolic enzyme that belongs to the family of structurally related molybdoflavoproteins like xanthine oxidase (XO). The enzyme is characterized by broad substrate specificity and marked species differences. It catalyzes the oxidation of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes and various heteroaromatic rings as well as reduction of several functional groups. The references to AO and its role in metabolism date back to the 1950s, but the importance of this enzyme in the metabolism of drugs has emerged in the past fifteen years. Several reviews on the role of AO in drug metabolism have been published in the past decade indicative of the growing interest in the enzyme and its influence in drug metabolism. Here, we present a comprehensive monograph of AO as a drug metabolizing enzyme with emphasis on marketed drugs as well as other xenobiotics, as substrates and inhibitors. Although the number of drugs that are primarily metabolized by AO are few, the impact of AO on drug development has been extensive. We also discuss the effect of AO on the systemic exposure and clearance these clinical candidates. The review provides a comprehensive analysis of drug discovery compounds involving AO with the focus on developmental candidates that were reported in the past five years with regards to pharmacokinetics and toxicity. While there is only one known report of AO-mediated clinically relevant drug-drug interaction (DDI), a detailed description of inhibitors and inducers of AO known to date has been presented here and the potential risks associated with DDI. The increasing recognition of the importance of AO has led to significant progress in predicting the site of AO-mediated metabolism using computational methods. Additionally, marked species difference in expression of AO makes it is difficult to predict human clearance with high confidence. The progress made towards developing in vivo, in vitro and in silico approaches for predicting AO metabolism and estimating human clearance of compounds that are metabolized by AO have also been discussed.

Role of Molybdenum-Containing Enzymes in the Biotransformation of the Novel Ghrelin Receptor Inverse Agonist PF-5190457: A Reverse Translational Bed-to-Bench Approach

(R)-2-(2-methylimidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-6-yl)-1-(2-(5-(6-methylpyrimidin-4-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-yl)-2,7-diazaspiro[3.5]nonan-7-yl)ethan-1-one (PF-5190457) was identified as a potent and selective inverse agonist of the ghrelin receptor [growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHS-R1a)]. The present translational bed-to-bench work characterizes the biotransformation of this compound in vivo and then further explores in vitro metabolism in fractions of human liver and primary hepatocytes. Following oral administration of PF-5190457 in a phase 1b clinical study, hydroxyl metabolites of the compound were observed, including one that had not been observed in previously performed human liver microsomal incubations. PF-6870961 was biosynthesized using liver cytosol, and the site of hydroxylation was shown to be on the pyrimidine using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The aldehyde oxidase (AO) inhibitor raloxifene and the xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat inhibited the formation of PF-6870961 in human liver cytosol, suggesting both enzymes were involved in the metabolism of the drug. However, greater inhibition was observed with raloxifene, indicating AO is a dominant enzyme in the biotransformation. The intrinsic clearance of the drug in human liver cytosol was estimated to be 0.002 ml/min per milligram protein. This study provides important novel information at three levels: 1) it provides additional new information on the recently developed novel compound PF-5190457, the first GHS-R1a blocker that has moved to development in humans; 2) it provides an example of a reverse translational approach where a discovery in humans was brought back, validated, and further investigated at the bench level; and 3) it demonstrates the importance of considering the molybdenum-containing oxidases during the development of new drug entities. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: PF-5190457 is a novel ghrelin receptor inverse agonist that is currently undergoing clinical development for treatment of alcohol use disorder. PF-6870961, a major hydroxyl metabolite of the compound, was observed in human plasma, but was absent in human liver microsomal incubations. PF-6870961 was biosynthesized using liver cytosol, and the site of hydroxylation on the pyrimidine ring was characterized. Inhibitors of aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidase inhibited the formation of PF-6870961 in human liver cytosol, suggesting both enzymes were involved in the metabolism of the drug. This information is important for patient selection in subsequent clinical studies.

Metabolism of c-Met Kinase Inhibitors Containing Quinoline by Aldehyde Oxidase, Electron Donating, and Steric Hindrance Effect

Some quinoline-containing c-Met kinase inhibitors are aldehyde oxidase (AO) substrates. 3-Substituted quinoline triazolopyridine analogs were synthesized to understand the electron-donating and steric hindrance effects on AO-mediated metabolism. Metabolic stability studies for these quinoline analogs were carried out in liver cytosol from mice, rats, cynomolgus monkeys, and humans. Several 3-N-substituted analogs were found to be unstable in monkey liver cytosolic incubations (half-life, <10 minutes), and five of them (63, 53, 51, 11, and 71) were chosen for additional mechanistic studies. Mono-oxygenation on the quinoline ring was identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Metabolite formation was inhibited by the AO inhibitors menadione and raloxifene, but not by the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol. It was found that small electron-donating groups at the 3-quinoline moiety made the analogs more susceptible to AO metabolism, whereas large 3-substituents could reverse the trend. Although species differences were observed, this trend was applicable to all species tested. Small electron-donating substituents at the 3-quinoline moiety increased both affinity (decreased Michaelis constant) and V _max maximum velocity toward AO in kinetic studies, whereas large substituents decreased both parameters probably as a result of steric hindrance. Based on our analysis, a common structural feature with high AO liability was proposed. Our finding could provide useful information for chemists to minimize potential AO liability when designing quinoline analogs.

Discovery of 6-(pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)quinoline-8-carboxamide negative allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5

Based on previous work that established fused heterocycles as viable alternatives for the picolinamide core of our lead series of mGlu₅ negative allosteric modulators (NAMs), we designed a novel series of 6-(pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)quinoline-8-carboxamide mGlu₅ NAMs. These new quinoline derivatives also contained carbon linkers as replacements for the diaryl ether oxygen atom common to our previously published chemotypes. Compounds were evaluated in a cell-based functional mGlu₅ assay, and an exemplar analog 27 was >60-fold selective versus the other seven mGlu receptors. Selected compounds were also studied in metabolic stability assays in rat and human S9 hepatic fractions and exhibited a mixture of P450- and non-P450-mediated metabolism.

Discovery of imidazo[1,2-a]-, [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]-, and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-8-carboxamide negative allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5

Based on a hypothesis that an intramolecular hydrogen bond was present in our lead series of picolinamide mGlu₅ NAMs, we reasoned that an inactive nicotinamide series could be modified through introduction of a fused heterocyclic core to generate potent mGlu₅ NAMs. In this Letter, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of compounds that demonstrate the viability of that approach. Selected analogs were profiled in a variety of in vitro assays, and two compounds were evaluated in rat pharmacokinetic studies and a mouse model of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Ancillary pharmacology screening revealed that members of this series exhibited moderate inhibition of the dopamine transporter (DAT), and SAR was developed that expanded the selectivity for mGlu₅ versus DAT.

Discovery of N-(5-Fluoropyridin-2-yl)-6-methyl-4-(pyrimidin-5-yloxy)picolinamide (VU0424238): A Novel Negative Allosteric Modulator of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Subtype 5 Selected for Clinical Evaluation

Preclinical evidence in support of the potential utility of mGlu₅ NAMs for the treatment of a variety of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders is extensive, and multiple such molecules have entered clinical trials. Despite some promising results from clinical studies, no small molecule mGlu₅ NAM has yet to reach market. Here we present the discovery and evaluation of N-(5-fluoropyridin-2-yl)-6-methyl-4-(pyrimidin-5-yloxy)picolinamide (27, VU0424238), a compound selected for clinical evaluation. Compound 27 is more than 900-fold selective for mGlu₅ versus the other mGlu receptors, and binding studies established a K_i value of 4.4 nM at a known allosteric binding site. Compound 27 had a clearance of 19.3 and 15.5 mL/min/kg in rats and cynomolgus monkeys, respectively. Imaging studies using a known mGlu₅ PET ligand demonstrated 50% receptor occupancy at an oral dose of 0.8 mg/kg in rats and an intravenous dose of 0.06 mg/kg in baboons.

Evaluating the Disposition of a Mixed Aldehyde Oxidase/Cytochrome P450 Substrate in Rats with Attenuated P450 Activity

Marketed drugs cleared by aldehyde oxidase (AO) are few, with no known clinically relevant pharmacokinetic drug interactions associated with AO inhibition, whereas cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibition or induction mediates a number of clinical drug interactions. Little attention has been given to the consequences of coadministering a P450 inhibitor with a compound metabolized by both AO and P450. Upon discovering that VU0409106 (1) was metabolized by AO (to M1) and P450 enzymes (to M4-M6), we sought to evaluate the in vivo disposition of 1 and its metabolites in rats with attenuated P450 activity. Male rats were orally pretreated with the pan-P450 inactivator, 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT), before an i.p. dose of 1. Interestingly, the plasma area under the curve (AUC) of M1 was increased 15-fold in ABT-treated rats, indicating a metabolic shunt toward AO resulted from the drug interaction condition. The AUC of 1 also increased 7.8-fold. Accordingly, plasma clearance of 1 decreased from 53.5 to 15.3 ml/min per kilogram in ABT-pretreated rats receiving an i.v. dose of 1. Consistent with these data, M1 formation in hepatic S9 increased with NADPH-exclusion to eliminate P450 activity (50% over reactions containing NADPH). These studies reflect possible consequences of a drug interaction between P450 inhibitors and compounds cleared by both AO and P450 enzymes. Notably, increased exposure to an AO metabolite may hold clinical relevance for active metabolites or those mediating toxicity at elevated concentrations. The recent rise in clinical drug candidates metabolized by AO underscores the importance of these findings and the need for clinical studies to fully understand these risks.

Evaluation of tizanidine as a marker of canine CYP1A2 activity

The dog CYP1A2 enzyme is likely an important contributor to the metabolism of veterinary drugs. Dog CYP1A2 is expressed in liver, plus it is inducible and polymorphic, creating the potential for intersubject differences in pharmacokinetics. Hence, the ability to probe dog CYP1A2 activity and inhibition is relevant toward veterinary drug development and drug-drug interaction assessment. Previous studies have relied on human probes with questionable specificity for CYP1A2, so it was hypothesized that recombinant CYP1A2 could be used to find a specific CYP1A2 substrate. Intrinsic clearance experiments demonstrated that tizanidine was a substrate of CYP1A2. Profiling of tizanidine metabolites generated by CYP1A2 identified the imidazole metabolite that was detectable in dog plasma. The imidazole metabolite was subsequently used to evaluate tizanidine as a CYP1A2 probe. Co-administration of the CYP1A inhibitor enrofloxacin with tizanidine significantly decreased (30%; n = 3) the formation of the imidazole metabolite vs. control experiments. As enrofloxacin is a weak inhibitor, further studies are required to confirm the sensitivity of tizanidine as an in vivo probe. However, tizanidine may be a more selective CYP1A2 probe than phenacetin when conducting in vitro studies due to the presence of other phenacetin-metabolizing enzymes in dog liver microsomes.

Structure-Based Drug Design of Novel, Potent, and Selective Azabenzimidazoles (ABI) as ATR Inhibitors

Compound 13 was discovered through morphing of the ATR biochemical HTS hit 1. The ABI series was potent and selective for ATR. Incorporation of a 6-azaindole afforded a marked increase in cellular potency but was associated with poor PK and hERG ion channel inhibition. DMPK experiments established that CYP P450 and AO metabolism in conjunction with Pgp and BCRP efflux were major causative mechanisms for the observed PK. The series also harbored the CYP3A4 TDI liability driven by the presence of both a morpholine and an indole moiety. Incorporation of an adjacent fluorine or nitrogen into the 6-azaindole addressed many of the various medicinal chemistry issues encountered.

Structure elucidation of phototransformation products of unapproved analogs of the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil in artificial freshwater with UPLC-Q Exactive-MS

In this study, four unapproved analogues of Sildenafil (SDF) were photodegraded under synthetic sunlight in artificial freshwater. Homosildenafil (H-SDF), hydroxyhomo-sildenafil (HH-SDF), norneosildenafil (NR-SDF) and thiosildenafil (T-SDF) were selected because they are frequently detected as adulterants in natural herbal products. Using UPLC-Orbitrap (Q Exactive)-MS, six photoproducts common to H-SDF, HH-SDF and T-SDF and nine unique transformation products of different molecular weights were identified based on their high-resolution (+)ESI product ion spectra. Mass spectral analysis of deuterated H-SDF, labeled on the N-ethyl group, allowed to gain mechanistic insight into the fragmentation pathway of the substituted piperazine ring and to support the postulated photoproduct structures. The mass spectral fragmentation confirmed the stepwise destruction of the piperazine ring eventually producing a sulfonic acid derivative (C17 H20 N4 O5 S: 392.1151 Da). In contrast, the photodegradation of NR-SDF, which lacks a piperazine ring in its structure, formed only two prominent photoproducts originating from N,N-dealkylation of the sulfonamide followed by hydrolysis. The current work constitutes the first study on the photodegradation of analogs of erectile dysfunction drugs and the first detection of two transformation products (m/z 449 and 489) in environmental samples.

Single-micronutrient and broad-spectrum micronutrient approaches for treating mood disorders in youth and adults

Several different vitamins and minerals appear to be effective augmenting agents for mood-modifying drugs, but are not potent monotherapies in themselves for treating psychiatric disorders. In contrast, broad-spectrum micronutrient interventions appear in early trials to be as effective as psychiatric medications with fewer adverse effects for treating mood disorders, ADHD, aggressivity, and misconduct in youth and adults. Broad-spectrum treatments also may improve stress responses, cognition, and sense of well-being in healthy adults, but have been less well studied in youth. Current clinical data justify an extensive expansion of research on micronutrient mechanisms and treatments in psychiatry.

Discovery of VU0431316: a negative allosteric modulator of mGlu5 with activity in a mouse model of anxiety

Development of SAR in an aryl ether series of mGlu5 NAMs leading to the identification of pyrazine analog VU0431316 is described in this Letter. VU0431316 is a potent and selective non-competitive antagonist of mGlu5 that binds at a known allosteric binding site. VU0431316 demonstrates an attractive DMPK profile, including moderate clearance and good bioavailability in rats. Intraperitoneal (IP) dosing of VU0431316 in a mouse marble burying model of anxiety, an assay known to be sensitive to mGlu5 antagonists and other anxiolytics, produced dose proportional effects.

The role of drug metabolizing enzymes in clearance

INTRODUCTION

Metabolism is one of the most important clearance pathways representing the major clearance route of 75% drugs. The four most common drug metabolizing enzymes (DME) that contribute significantly to elimination pathways of new chemical entities are cytochrome P450s, UDP-glucuronosyltransferases, aldehyde oxidase and sulfotransferases. Accurate prediction of human in vivo clearance by these enzymes, using both in vitro and in vivo tools, is critical for the success of drug candidates in human translation.

AREAS COVERED

Important recent advances of key DME are reviewed and highlighted in the following areas: major isoforms, tissue distribution, generic polymorphism, substrate specificity, species differences, mechanism of catalysis, in vitro-in vivo extrapolation and the importance of using optimal assay conditions and relevant animal models.

EXPERT OPINION

Understanding the clearance mechanism of a compound is the first step toward successful prediction of human clearance. It is critical to apply appropriate in vitro and in vivo methodologies and physiologically based models in human translation. While high-confidence prediction for P450-mediated clearance has been achieved, the accuracy of human clearance prediction is significantly lower for other enzyme classes. More accurate predictive methods and models are being developed to address these challenges.

Discovery of N-(benzo[1,2,3]triazol-1-yl)-N-(benzyl)acetamido)phenyl) carboxamides as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) 3CLpro inhibitors: identification of ML300 and noncovalent nanomolar inhibitors with an induced-fit binding

Herein we report the discovery and SAR of a novel series of SARS-CoV 3CLpro inhibitors identified through the NIH Molecular Libraries Probe Production Centers Network (MLPCN). In addition to ML188, ML300 represents the second probe declared for 3CLpro from this collaborative effort. The X-ray structure of SARS-CoV 3CLpro bound with a ML300 analog highlights a unique induced-fit reorganization of the S2-S4 binding pockets leading to the first sub-micromolar noncovalent 3CLpro inhibitors retaining a single amide bond.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5-negative allosteric modulators for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders (2009–July 2013)

Negative allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) have been actively pursued for over a decade as a potential treatment for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, pain, levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease, fragile X Syndrome, autism, gastroesophageal reflux disease and lower-urinary-tract disorders. This article begins with an introduction of preclinical validation of potential therapies for psychiatric and neurological disorders, and of clinical results, followed by a comprehensive overview of the mGlu5-negative allosteric modulator patent applications published between 2009 and July 2013, with a focus on the analysis of structure and in silico CNS drug-like properties of example compounds and disclosed data. Given positive results in proof-of-concept studies in humans for certain indications such as levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease, fragile X Syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, migraine and anxiety, and the soaring chemical diversity among the mGlu5-negative allosteric modulators, there is reason to believe that a drug will emerge from this therapeutic class in the near future.

Discovery of VU0409106: A negative allosteric modulator of mGlu5 with activity in a mouse model of anxiety

Development of SAR in an aryl ether series of mGlu5 NAMs leading to the identification of tool compound VU0409106 is described in this Letter. VU0409106 is a potent and selective negative allosteric modulator of mGlu5 that binds at the known allosteric binding site and demonstrates good CNS exposure following intraperitoneal dosing in mice. VU0409106 also proved efficacious in a mouse marble burying model of anxiety, an assay known to be sensitive to mGlu5 antagonists as well as clinically efficacious anxiolytics.

Evaluation of rhesus monkey and guinea pig hepatic cytosol fractions as models for human aldehyde oxidase

Aldehyde oxidase (AOX) is a cytosolic enzyme expressed across a wide range of species, including guinea pig and rhesus monkey. These species are believed to be the best preclinical models for studying human AOX-mediated metabolism. We compared AOX activity in rhesus monkeys, guinea pigs, and humans using phthalazine and N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridone-4-carboxamide (DACA) as substrates and raloxifene as an inhibitor. Michaelis-Menten kinetics was observed for phthalazine oxidation in rhesus monkey, guinea pig, and human liver cytosol, whereas substrate inhibition was seen with DACA oxidase activity in all three livers. Raloxifene inhibited phthalazine and DACA oxidase activity uncompetitively in guinea pig, whereas mixed-mode inhibition was seen in rhesus monkey. Our analysis of the primary sequence alignment of rhesus monkey, guinea pig, and human aldehyde oxidase isoform 1 (AOX1) along with homology modeling has led to the identification of several amino acid residue differences within the active site and substrate entrance channel of AOX1. We speculate that some of these residues might be responsible for the differences observed in activity. Overall, our data indicate that rhesus monkeys and guinea pigs would overestimate intrinsic clearance in humans and would be unsuitable to use as animal models. Our study also showed that AOX metabolism in species is substrate-dependent and no single animal model can be reliably used to predict every drug response in humans.

Enzymatic conversion of 6-nitroquinoline to the fluorophore 6-aminoquinoline selectively under hypoxic conditions

There is substantial interest in small molecules that can be used to detect or kill the hypoxic (low oxygen) cells found in solid tumors. Nitroaryl moieties are useful components in the design of hypoxia-selective imaging agents and prodrugs because one-electron reductases can convert the nitroaryl group to nitroso, hydroxylamino, and amino metabolites selectively under low oxygen conditions. Here, we describe the in vitro, cell free metabolism of a pro-fluorescent substrate, 6-nitroquinoline (1) under both aerobic and hypoxic conditions. Both LC-MS and fluorescence spectroscopic analyses provided evidence that the one-electron reducing enzyme system, xanthine/xanthine oxidase, converted the nonfluorescent parent compound 1 to the known fluorophore 6-aminoquinoline (2) selectively under hypoxic conditions. The presumed intermediate in this reduction process, 6-hydroxylaminoquinoline (6), is fluorescent and can be efficiently converted by xanthine/xanthine oxidase to 2 only under hypoxic conditions. This finding provides evidence for multiple oxygen-sensitive steps in the enzymatic conversion of nitroaryl compounds to the corresponding amino derivatives. In a side reaction that is separate from the bioreductive metabolism of 1, xanthine oxidase converted 1 to 6-nitroquinolin-2(1H)-one (5). These studies may enable the use of 1 as a fluorescent substrate for the detection and profiling of one-electron reductases in cell culture or biopsy samples. In addition, the compound may find use as a fluorogenic probe for the detection of hypoxia in tumor models. The occurrence of side products such as 5 in the enzymatic bioreduction of 1 underscores the importance of metabolite identification in the characterization of hypoxia-selective probes and drugs that employ nitroaryl units as oxygen sensors.