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Henkel L, Jehn U, Thölking G, Reuter S. Tacrolimus-why pharmacokinetics matter in the clinic. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1160752. [PMID: 38993881 PMCID: PMC11235362 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1160752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
The calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) Tacrolimus (Tac) is the most prescribed immunosuppressant drug after solid organ transplantation. After renal transplantation (RTx) approximately 95% of recipients are discharged with a Tac-based immunosuppressive regime. Despite the high immunosuppressive efficacy, its adverse effects, narrow therapeutic window and high intra- and interpatient variability (IPV) in pharmacokinetics require therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), which makes treatment with Tac a major challenge for physicians. The C/D ratio (full blood trough level normalized by daily dose) is able to classify patients receiving Tac into two major metabolism groups, which were significantly associated with the clinical outcomes of patients after renal or liver transplantation. Therefore, the C/D ratio is a simple but effective tool to identify patients at risk of an unfavorable outcome. This review highlights the challenges of Tac-based immunosuppressive therapy faced by transplant physicians in their daily routine, the underlying causes and pharmacokinetics (including genetics, interactions, and differences between available Tac formulations), and the latest data on potential solutions to optimize treatment of high-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lino Henkel
- Department of Medicine D, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrich Jehn
- Department of Medicine D, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Gerold Thölking
- Department of Medicine D, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, University Hospital of Münster Marienhospital Steinfurt, Steinfurt, Germany
| | - Stefan Reuter
- Department of Medicine D, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Zuo M, Shang Y, Guo Y, Sun Y, Xu G, Chen J, Zhu L. Population Pharmacokinetics of Tacrolimus in Pediatric Patients With Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant. J Clin Pharmacol 2023; 63:298-306. [PMID: 36196568 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Tacrolimus was frequently used in pediatric patients with umbilical cord blood transplant for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the population pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus among pediatric patients with umbilical cord blood transplant and find potential influenced factors. A total of 275 concentrations from 13 pediatric patients were used to build a polulation pharmacokinetic model using a nonlinear mixed-effects modeling approach. The impact of demographic features, biological characteristics, and concomitant medications, including sex, age, body weight, postoperative day, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelets, hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total bilirubin, albumin, and total protein were investigated. The pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus were best described by a 1-compartment model with first- and zero-order mixed absorption and first-order elimination. The clearance and volume of distribution of tacrolimus were 1.93 L/h and 75.1 L, respectively. A covariate analysis identified that postoperative day and co-administration with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were significant covariates influencing clearance of tacrolimus. Frequent blood monitoring and dose adjustment might be needed with the prolongation of postoperative day and coadministration with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Zuo
- Pharmaceutical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yue Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Ye Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuxuan Sun
- Pharmaceutical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Gaoqi Xu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jingtao Chen
- School of Statistics and Data Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Liqin Zhu
- Pharmaceutical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
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Warzyszyńska K, Zawistowski M, Karpeta E, Jałbrzykowska A, Kosieradzki M. Renal Cyp3a5-Expressing Genotype Decreases Tacrolimus-to-Dose Ratio in Small Cohort of Renal Transplant Recipients—Preliminary Report. Transplant Proc 2022; 54:960-967. [DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2022.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Zhang M, Tajima S, Shigematsu T, Noguchi H, Kaku K, Tsuchimoto A, Okabe Y, Egashira N, Ieiri I. Development and Validation of A Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method to Simultaneously Measure Tacrolimus and Everolimus Concentrations in Kidney Allograft Biopsies After Kidney Transplantation. Ther Drug Monit 2022; 44:275-281. [PMID: 34224536 DOI: 10.1097/ftd.0000000000000912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Therapeutic drug monitoring is necessary for immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus and everolimus after kidney transplantation. Several studies have suggested that the concentrations of immunosuppressive agents in allografts may better reflect clinical outcomes than whole blood concentrations. This study aimed to develop a method for the simultaneous quantification of tacrolimus and everolimus concentrations in clinical biopsy samples and investigate their correlation with histopathological findings in kidney transplant recipients. METHODS Fourteen biopsy samples were obtained from kidney transplant recipients at 3 months after transplantation. Kidney allograft concentrations (Ctissue) of tacrolimus and everolimus were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and the corresponding whole blood trough concentrations (C0) were obtained from clinical records. RESULTS The developed method was validated over a concentration range of 0.02-2.0 ng/mL for tacrolimus and 0.04-4.0 ng/mL for everolimus in kidney tissue homogenate. The Ctissue of tacrolimus and everolimus in kidney biopsies ranged from 21.0 to 86.7 pg/mg tissue and 33.5-105.0 pg/mg tissue, respectively. Dose-adjusted Ctissue of tacrolimus and everolimus was significantly correlated with the dose-adjusted C0 (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0479, respectively). No significant association was observed between the Ctissue of tacrolimus and everolimus and the histopathologic outcomes at 3 months after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS This method could support further investigation of the clinical relevance of tacrolimus and everolimus allograft concentrations after kidney transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Soichiro Tajima
- Department of Pharmacy, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan ; and
| | - Tomohiro Shigematsu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- Department of Pharmacy, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan ; and
| | | | | | - Akihiro Tsuchimoto
- Medicine and Clinical Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | | | - Nobuaki Egashira
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- Department of Pharmacy, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan ; and
| | - Ichiro Ieiri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- Department of Pharmacy, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan ; and
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Sallustio BC. Monitoring Intra-cellular Tacrolimus Concentrations in Solid Organ Transplantation: Use of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Graft Biopsy Tissue. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:733285. [PMID: 34764868 PMCID: PMC8576179 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.733285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tacrolimus is an essential immunosuppressant for the prevention of rejection in solid organ transplantation. Its low therapeutic index and high pharmacokinetic variability necessitates therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) to individualise dose. However, rejection and toxicity still occur in transplant recipients with blood tacrolimus trough concentrations (C0) within the target ranges. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) have been investigated as surrogates for tacrolimus's site of action (lymphocytes) and measuring allograft tacrolimus concentrations has also been explored for predicting rejection or nephrotoxicity. There are relatively weak correlations between blood and PBMC or graft tacrolimus concentrations. Haematocrit is the only consistent significant (albeit weak) determinant of tacrolimus distribution between blood and PBMC in both liver and renal transplant recipients. In contrast, the role of ABCB1 pharmacogenetics is contradictory. With respect to distribution into allograft tissue, studies report no, or poor, correlations between blood and graft tacrolimus concentrations. Two studies observed no effect of donor ABCB1 or CYP3A5 pharmacogenetics on the relationship between blood and renal graft tacrolimus concentrations and only one group has reported an association between donor ABCB1 polymorphisms and hepatic graft tacrolimus concentrations. Several studies describe significant correlations between in vivo PBMC tacrolimus concentrations and ex vivo T-cell activation or calcineurin activity. Older studies provide evidence of a strong predictive value of PBMC C0 and allograft tacrolimus C0 (but not blood C0) with respect to rejection in liver transplant recipients administered tacrolimus with/without a steroid. However, these results have not been independently replicated in liver or other transplants using current triple maintenance immunosuppression. Only one study has reported a possible association between renal graft tacrolimus concentrations and acute tacrolimus nephrotoxicity. Thus, well-designed and powered prospective clinical studies are still required to determine whether measuring tacrolimus PBMC or graft concentrations offers a significant benefit compared to current TDM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta C Sallustio
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville South, SA, Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Chen Z, Cheng X, Zhang L, Tang L, Fang Y, Chen H, Zhang L, Shen A. The impact of IL-10 and CYP3A5 gene polymorphisms on dose-adjusted trough blood tacrolimus concentrations in early post-renal transplant recipients. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:1418-1426. [PMID: 34089513 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00288-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The strong inter-individual pharmacokinetic variability and the narrow therapeutic window of tacrolimus (TAC) have hampered the clinical application. Gene polymorphisms play an important role in TAC pharmacokinetics. Here, we investigate the influence of genotypes of IL-10, CYP3A5, CYP2C8, and ABCB1 on dose-adjusted trough blood concentrations (the C0/D ratio) of TAC to reveal unclear genetic factors that may affect TAC dose requirements for renal transplant recipients. METHODS Genetic polymorphisms of IL-10, CYP3A5, CYP2C8, and ABCB1 in 188 renal transplant recipients were determined using Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP). Statistical analysis was applied to examine the effect of genetic variation on the TAC C0/D at 5, 10, 15, and 30 days after transplantation. RESULTS Recipients carrying the IL-10 -819C > T TT genotype showed a significantly higher TAC C0/D than those with the TC/CC genotype (p < 0.05). Additionally, the TAC C0/D values of recipients with the capacity for low IL-10 activity (-819 TT) engrafted with CYP3A5 non-expressers were higher compared to the intermediate/high activity of IL-10 -819C > T TC or CC carrying CYP3A5 expressers, and the difference was statistically significant at different time points (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Genetic polymorphisms of IL-10 -819C > T and CYP3A5 6986A > G influence the TAC C0/D, which may contribute to variation in TAC dose requirements during the early post-transplantation period. Detecting IL-10 -819C > T and CYP3A5 6986A > G polymorphisms may allow determination of individualized tacrolimus dosage regimens for renal transplant recipients during the early post-transplantation period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaolin Chen
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Cheng
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwen Zhang
- Department of Data & Analytics, WuXi Diagnostics Limited Corporation, Shanghai, 200131, People's Republic of China
| | - Liqin Tang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Fang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxiao Chen
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China.
| | - Aizong Shen
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Anhui Provincial Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China.
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