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Biomedical subjects

H Harashima

Publications and source records attributed to H Harashima.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Species difference in the disposition of liposomes among mice, rats, and rabbits: allometric relationship and species dependent hepatic uptake mechanism.

PURPOSE: The species difference in the pharmacokinetics of liposomes was investigated in mice, rats and rabbits. METHODS: Liposomes were intravenously injected at doses of 1, 10 and 100 (nmol/g body weight), and the time courses of liposomes in blood, liver and spleen were measured. Pharmacokinetic parameters were regressed as a function of body weight (BW) and dose of liposomes (D). The uptake mechanism of liposomes was also examined with the isolated perfused liver between rats and mice. RESULTS: Mean residence time increased with the increase of BW and D of liposomes. This increase of mean residence time resulted from the decreased total body clearance, which was principally explained by the species difference in the hepatic uptake clearance (CLh) of liposomes. The parameter CLh was regressed well by a multiple regression as a function of BW and D. In this analysis, an exponent for BW was around 0.5, which clearly indicates that smaller animals have higher uptake clearance per unit BW. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in the density of Kupffer cells among these species. This suggest that the species difference in CLh resulted not from the density of Kupffer cells but from the uptake ability of Kupffer cells among species. In the isolated perfused liver, the hepatic uptake of liposomes was mainly explained by opsonin dependent uptake in rats, while opsonin independent uptake in mice. CONCLUSIONS: These quantitative and qualitative information on the species difference of liposome disposition will provide an useful information for constructing a drug delivery system using liposomes.

Animals↗

Synergistic effect between size and cholesterol content in the enhanced hepatic uptake clearance of liposomes through complement activation in rats.

PURPOSE: The effect of liposome size and cholesterol (CH) content on the pharmacokinetics of liposomes was investigated in rats. METHODS: The pharmacokinetics of liposomes was examined using 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF) as an aqueous phase marker. The extent of complement activation (ECA) was also measured by the release of CF from liposomes in serum. RESULTS: Both the size and the CH content influenced the mean residence time, total body clearance, and the hepatic uptake clearance (CLh) of liposomes. The increase of the size of liposomes increased the CLh at each CH content. There was no CH dependency of CLh in small liposomes (200 nm in diameter), although the CLh increased with the increase in the CH content in large (800 nm) and medium (400 nm) liposomes. A significant interaction effect was observed between liposome size and the CH content on CLh according to the analysis of variance. The good correlation between CLh and ECA indicated the role of complements as opsonins in enhancing the hepatic uptake of liposomes. The interaction effect between the size and CH content on CLh was explained principally by the product of the size and CH content. CONCLUSIONS: A synergistic effect was observed between the size and the CH content on CLh. An underlying hypothesis of the synergistic effect was postulated based on the size dependent recognition of liposomes by complement system.

Analysis of Variance↗

Effects of thiopental on regional blood flows in the rat.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this investigation was to characterize the effects of thiopental on cardia output and regional blood flows in the rat. Blood flows influence thiopental pharmacokinetics. Acquisition of these data may ultimately permit evaluation of the contribution of thiopental-induced alterations in regional blood flows to the disposition and hypnotic effect of this drug. METHODS: Chronically instrumented unrestrained Wistar rats (n=20) aged 3-4 months received either a dose of thiopental sufficient to induce a brief period of unconsciousness (20 mg.kg(-1)) or a larger dose achieving electroencephalographic burst suppression (45 mg.kg(-1)). Cardiac output and blood flows to 14 tissues were determined at 4 times in each rat for a period of 420 min using injections of radioactive microspheres (expressed as mean +/- SD). Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and blood gas tensions were determined at all measurement times. Arterial plasma concentrations were sampled at postinfusion times. RESULTS: No important changes in systemic cardiovascular measurements were detected after the smaller dose of thiopental. One minute after the larger dose, cardiac output decreased from baseline (123 +/- 14 to 84 +/- ml.min (-1), P< 0.01), flow to muscle and fat decreased, and muscle and fat resistance increased. At 5 min, compared to baseline, no difference in cardiac output was detected (123 +/- vs. 119 +/- ml.min (-1)), intestinal flows increased and intestinal resistances decreased. Cardiac output was again depressed at 30, 90, and 180 min. Brain blood flow decreased 25 +/- 19 % (P< 0.01) from baseline for the duration of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Thiopental acutely decreases cardiac output, and blood flows to muscle and fat tissue. The temporary return of cardiac output to baseline may be related to intestinal vasodilation. These blood flow alterations may influence the pharmacokinetics of thiopental.

Anesthetics, Intravenous↗

Kinetic modelling of liposome degradation in peritoneal macrophages.

The objective of this study was to quantify and model the degradation process of liposomes in peritoneal macrophages (PMs). Iodinated albumin (125I-alb) was chosen to be the marker of liposome degradation. The time course of the degradation of free 125I-alb after pinocytosis by PMs followed first-order kinetics with a half-life of 23 min. The degradation of liposomally encapsulated 125I-alb was also quantified. Kinetic modelling of liposome degradation indicated the existence of two kinetically different processes, one with a half-life of 13 min and the other with a half-life of 7.5 h. Comparing the degradation of liposomal and free 125I-alb suggested that 125I-alb was delivered to lysosomes much faster through phagocytosis than pinocytosis. These results indicate that the intracellular degradation kinetics of pinosomes and phagosomes is different. This method can quantify the rate and extent of liposomal degradation in macrophages and provide kinetic information on the intracellular destiny of liposomally encapsulated compounds.

Albumins↗

Size dependent liposome degradation in blood: in vivo/in vitro correlation by kinetic modeling.

The degradation of liposomes in blood circulation is important in regulating the releasing rate of encapsulated compounds. In this study, the effect of liposome size--one of the principal determining factors in liposome disposition--on their degradation in serum/blood was evaluated quantitatively both in vitro and in vivo. In the in vitro study, the time courses of the degradation of liposomes in fresh rat serum were measured continuously using 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF) as an aqueous phase marker and were described by the kinetic model with the lag time (tau), first order degradation rate constant (k), and the maximum degradation (alpha). Both k and alpha increased with the increase of liposome size, which indicated a higher affinity of larger liposomes for complement activation. In the in vivo study, the degradation of liposomes was evaluated sensitively by a first order degradation rate constant (kd) in blood circulation. The kd was obtained by kinetically modeling the liposome degradation in vivo using 3H-inulin as an aqueous phase marker. The size dependent kd correlated well with the hepatic uptake clearance, which suggests an underlying complement activation mechanism common to both degradation and hepatic uptake of liposomes. There was a good correlation in the degradation rate constant between in vitro and in vivo trials. These kinetic analyses validate the quantitative evaluation of liposome degradation in blood circulation and provide a useful way to predict the degradation of liposomes in vivo from in vitro experiments.

Animals↗

Kinetic modelling of liposome degradation in serum: effect of size and concentration of liposomes in vitro.

The purpose of this study is to propose a new method for quantitative evaluation of liposome degradation in serum. The time course of liposome degradation in rat serum was monitored continuously, using 6(5)-carboxyfluorescein as an aqueous phase marker. The degradation curves exhibited three characteristic phases: lag time, degradation, and plateau. This curve was described by a kinetic model with three parameters: lag time (tau), first-order degradation rate constant (k), and maximum degradation (alpha). The rate and extent of the degradation of liposomes were evaluated separately in terms of k and alpha, respectively. The effects of size and concentration of liposomes on their degradation kinetics were examined using this method. Both k and alpha increased with increasing liposomal size. The increased affinity of larger liposomes for complement was suggested to increase both k and alpha. On the other hand, alpha decreased with increasing liposomal concentration without altering k. The decreased extent of degradation was considered to result from the depletion of complement components. There was no significant effect of size and concentration of liposomes on tau. Quantitative evaluation of the rate and extent of degradation of liposomes will provide deeper insights into the interaction between liposomes and serum components, and basic information on liposomes as potential drug carriers.

Animals↗

Effects of benidipine hydrochloride (Coniel), a new calcium antagonist, on the cardiac output, regional blood flow and vascular resistance in conscious, spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Benidipine hydrochloride is a calcium antagonist with a 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative structure, and exhibits long-lasting antihypertensive effects by inhibiting the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of benidipine on central haemodynamics and regional blood flow (RBF) after intravenous administration of benidipine in conscious, spontaneously hypertensive rats. The microsphere method was used to measure cardiac output and RBF before and after the drug administration, using microspheres labelled with 57Co and 51Cr. Thirty minutes after the intravenous administration of benidipine (3 micrograms kg-1), the mean arterial pressure fell by 15% without significantly increasing the heart rate. The cardiac output increased by 41% and the systemic resistance decreased by 39%. Benidipine significantly increased RBF by 37, 35, and 22% in kidney, heart, and small intestine, respectively, and decreased vascular resistance by 38, 38, and 32%, respectively. We concluded that benidipine reduced blood pressure by increasing RBF in the kidney and heart, while keeping RBF in other organs at a normal level. These results will provide a fundamental basis in support of the clinical benefits of benidipine for hypertensive patients, particularly those with renal failure.

Animals↗

Enhanced hepatic uptake of liposomes through complement activation depending on the size of liposomes.

The objective of this study was to differentiate the roles of opsonins and phagocytic cells in the size-dependent hepatic uptake of liposomes in the submicron region. The extent of opsonization decreased with the decrease in size of liposomes (from 800 to 200 nm in diameter) and no enhancement of uptake was observed at 200 nm. There was no effect of liposome size on the uptake of unopsonized liposomes. Serum was pretreated with empty liposomes of each size and its opsonic activity was measured in the perfused liver. The small liposomes could not consume the opsonic activity, while the larger ones did so substantially. These results suggest that opsonins bind to liposomes depending on the size of liposomes and phagocytic cells take up liposomes in proportion to the extent of opsonization. Size-dependent liposome degradation in serum was also found, which was consistent with the size-dependent complement activation, because liposomes with this composition have been shown to be degraded by complement. The mechanism of opsonization was examined by treating serum at 56 degrees C for 30 min or with anti-C3 antiserum. Since both treatments inhibited the opsonic activity, the hepatic uptake of liposomes is considered to occur via complement receptor. In conclusion, the size of liposomes affected complement recognition, and the liposomes were taken up by the liver depending on the extent of opsonization.

Animals↗

The complement- but not mannose receptor-mediated phagocytosis is involved in the hepatic uptake of cetylmannoside-modified liposomes in situ.

In the elimination of injected liposomes in vivo, it is considered that several serum components play an important role on hepatic uptake of them. This study was conducted to clarify the hepatic uptake mechanism of cetylmannoside (Man)-modified multilamellar vesicles (Man-MLV) using perfused rat liver. In the presence of serum, Man-MLV was taken up by the liver depending on the serum concentration, and it showed an approximately two-fold higher accumulation than MLV without any surface modifications (PC-MLV). These hepatic uptakes of liposomes were obviously inhibited by preheating the serum at 56 degrees C for thirty minutes or by the treatment with anti-rat C3 antiserum. Further, SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblot analysis showed the deposition of iC3b on the opsonized Man-MLV. These results obtained in the present study suggested that hepatic uptake of Man-MLV was mainly mediated by complement receptor rather than mannose receptor on Kupffer cells in vivo.

Animals↗

Kinetic modeling of liposome degradation in blood circulation.

The aim of this study is to develop a kinetic model for the quantitative evaluation of, and to examine dose dependency in liposome degradation in blood circulation in vivo. Multilamellar liposomes labeled with 3H-inulin were administered intravenously into rats and the time courses of blood concentration and urinary excretion of 3H-inulin were measured. The dosages of liposomes were fixed at 1, 5, and 100 mumolPCkg-1. Remarkable saturation was found in the time courses of both blood concentration and urinary excretion. Then a kinetic model for the degradation of liposomes in blood was developed, assuming that the degradation follows the first order rate process for each dose. The model fitted the observed time courses of excreted 3H-inulin well, and dose dependency could be observed in the rate constants for liposome degradation, which are more sensitive than urinary excretion of 3H-inulin. The degradation rate constant correlated well with the uptake rate constant, which suggests the same underlying mechanism for both uptake and degradation. These results indicate the usefulness of kinetic modeling in the quantitative evaluation of liposome degradation in blood circulation in vivo.

Animals↗

Kinetic analysis of tissue distribution of doxorubicin incorporated in liposomes in rats (II).

The objective of this study is to perform kinetic modelling of the tissue distribution of doxorubicin encapsulated into liposomes (L-DXR), especially to the heart and liver. The release process of doxorubicin (DXR) from liposomes in blood was quantified by a release clearance. This parameter defines a release rate of DXR based on the concentration of L-DXR in blood and was estimated from kinetic modelling of DXR distribution to the heart after L-DXR administration. The distribution of free DXR to the heart was modelled separately. The experimental data for this modelling were reported previously (Harashima et al., Biopharm. Drug. Disposit., 13, 155-170 (1992)). This analysis provided a free DXR concentration profile as well as a release clearance of DXR after L-DXR administration. There was a remarkable difference in the free DXR concentration in blood between free and liposomal administration. The area under the DXR curve in the heart was reduced by approximately one third from that for the first two hours after DXR administration by liposomal encapsulation, which could be the reason for reduced cardiac toxicity. In our previous report, the distribution of L-DXR to the liver was shown to be explained by a sequentially linked two-compartment model with efflux process. The validity of this efflux model was examined in this study by a repeated dose study. The apparent uptake clearance decreased with time and showed a second peak after the repeated dose, which justified the efflux model. These kinetic analyses give quantitative understanding of the effect of liposomal encapsulation on the tissue distribution of DXR.

Animals↗

Tissue distribution of fentanyl and alfentanil in the rat cannot be described by a blood flow limited model.

Traditionally, physiological pharmacokinetic models assume that arterial blood flow to tissue is the rate-limiting step in the transfer of drug into tissue parenchyma. When this assumption is made the tissue can be described as a well-stirred single compartment. This study presents the tissue washout concentration curves of the two opioid analgesics fentanyl and alfentanil after simultaneous 1-min iv infusions in the rat and explores the feasibility of characterizing their tissue pharmacokinetics, modeling each of the 12 tissues separately, by means of either a one-compartment model or a unit disposition function. The tissue and blood concentrations of the two opioids were measured by gas-liquid chromatography. The well-stirred one-compartment tissue model could reasonably predict the concentration-time course of fentanyl in the heart, pancreas, testes, muscle, and fat, and of alfentanil in the brain and heart only. In most other tissues, the initial uptake of the opioids was considerably lower than predicted by this model. The unit disposition functions of the opioids in each tissue could be estimated by nonparametric numerical deconvolution, using the arterial concentration times tissue blood flow as the input and measured tissue concentrations as the response function. The observed zero-time intercepts of the unit disposition functions were below the theoretical value of one, and were invariably lower for alfentanil than for fentanyl. These findings can be explained by the existence of diffusion barriers within the tissues and they also indicate that alfentanil is less efficiently extracted by the tissue parenchyma than the more lipophilic compound fentanyl. The individual unit disposition functions obtained for fentanyl and alfentanil in 12 rat tissues provide a starting point for the development of models of intratissue kinetics of these opioids. These submodels can then be assembled into full physiological models of drug disposition.

Adipose Tissue↗

Kinetic analysis of AUC-dependent saturable clearance of liposomes: mathematical description of AUC dependency.

The objective of this study was to examine the AUC dependency of saturable hepatic clearance (CLh) of liposomes and to postulate a mathematical model to describe the characteristics. The AUC dependency of saturable CLh was examined under intravenous rapid administration at various doses. The CLh increased with increasing blood concentration but decreased with the increase of AUC at each dose. In addition, the relationship between AUC and CLh was consistent with that observed in previously reported infusion studies. These experimental data confirm the AUC dependency of saturable CLh of liposomes. A mathematical model was developed for this AUC dependency. The decrease of CLh was described by the uptake amount (X) as follows: CLh = CLm(1-X/Xm), where CLm and Xm represent the maximum uptake clearance and the maximum uptake amount, respectively. The rate equation for uptake was analytically solved as CLh = X/AUC = Xm/AUC(1-exp(CLm/XmAUC)). Uptake clearance can be described by CLm, Xm, and AUC, and so uptake clearance is constant if AUC is constant. These experimental analyses and theoretical considerations show the validity of the AUC-dependent saturable CLh of liposomes.

Animals↗

Distinction between the depletion of opsonins and the saturation of uptake in the dose-dependent hepatic uptake of liposomes.

Opsonins play a role in the hepatic uptake of particles such as bacteria, lipid emulsion, and liposomes. The objective of this study was to distinguish between opsonin depletion and uptake saturation in the dose-dependent hepatic uptake of liposomes. The uptake of opsonized and unopsonized liposomes was determined in the isolated perfused liver. Serum (2.9 mL) was required to opsonize 1 mumol liposomes fully, indicating that a rat (250 g with 10 mL of serum) can opsonize 3.5 mumol liposomes. Next the dose effect on hepatic uptake of opsonized and unopsonized liposomes was examined. Saturation of uptake was found only for the opsonized liposomes. On the other hand, the hepatic uptake clearance decreased dose dependently from 4.31 to 0.79 (mL/min), with increasing doses from 0.075 to 17 mumol/250 g, respectively, after i.v. administration. Thus, the decrease in the hepatic uptake clearance at the medium dose was due to the saturation of uptake alone, and at the high dose it was due to opsonin depletion as well. These results show that the saturation of liposomal uptake in the liver and the depletion of opsonins occurred at different liposome dosage levels.

Animals↗

Kinetic analysis of tissue distribution of doxorubicin incorporated in liposomes in rats: I.

The purpose of this study was to perform a kinetic analysis of the tissue distribution of doxorubicin (DXR) and liposomes separately after intravenous administration of DXR entrapped in liposomes in rats. Liposomes were double labeled with 14C-DXR (L-DXR) and 3H-inulin (L-INU). Blood and tissues were sampled at specified times until 120 min. Blood clearance of L-DXR was similar to that of L-INU. Distribution of both L-DXR and L-INU into the liver was parallel and extensive, while in the heart, the pattern of distribution differed between L-DXR and L-INU after peak concentration. Time courses of tissue concentration were explained well by dividing tissue into a shallow compartment with efflux and a deep compartment without efflux. In the liver, pharmacokinetic parameters of L-DXR and L-INU were similar, and the two kinetically different compartments may correspond to different uptake processes in hepatic endocytosis. In the heart, the shallow compartment was considered to correspond to the cardiac vascular space, and the intercompartmental rate constant (k3) for L-DXR was much larger than that for L-INU. The estimated half-life for this process was 20 min. The half-life for the degradation of liposomes in blood circulation was also estimated at 20 min from data on the urinary excretion of released 3H-inulin. These results suggest that the release of DXR from liposomes may be the rate-limiting process in the tissue distribution of DXR to the heart.

Animals↗

In vivo evaluation of the effect of the size and opsonization on the hepatic extraction of liposomes in rats: an application of Oldendorf method.

In the hepatic uptake of large particles such as liposomes, a serum component called opsonin plays an important role. In this study, the 'Oldendorf method' is introduced to evaluate the hepatic extraction under the condition of single passage, which enabled examination of the effect of opsonization on liposome uptake by the intact liver. 14C-labelled liposomes and, an internal reference, 3H-H2O were injected as a bolus into portal vein. Liver uptake index (LUI) was calculated from the ratio of the extraction of 14C to that of 3H. The effect of liposome size (mean diameter of 0.8, 0.4, 0.2, and 0.05 micron) and opsonization (preincubation with fresh blood for 5 min) on liposomal hepatic uptake were investigated using this method. LUI increased with size significantly (p < 0.001), and opsonization enhanced LUI only for the large liposomes (0.8 micron). This result suggests that the critical diameter of opsonization for these liposomes lies between 0.4 and 0.8 micron.

Animals↗

Kinetic modeling of ouabain tissue distribution based on slow and saturable binding to Na,K-ATPase.

The significance of the binding to Na,K-ATPase in the tissue distribution of ouabain was previously documented (Harashima et al., Pharm. Res. 9:474-479, 1992). The purpose of this study was to obtain a kinetic model of ouabain tissue distribution. In most tissues, the ouabain concentration continued to rise after the termination of infusion (5 min), with the peak tissue concentration at approximately 20 min. This delay could not be explained by the rapid equilibrium model (RE model), nor could the kinetics of ouabain be explained by an RE model modified for saturable binding. Since ouabain binding to Na,K-ATPase is slow, the association and dissociation processes were incorporated into a model that can accurately fit the observed time courses of ouabain. The obtained binding parameters corresponded well with the observed values in the in vitro binding experiments, except for muscle. These results quantitatively support the role of the slow and saturable binding of ouabain to Na,K-ATPase in its tissue distribution.

Animals↗

Significance of binding to Na,K-ATPase in the tissue distribution of ouabain in guinea pigs.

Ouabain binds specifically to Na,K-ATPase on the plasma membrane and therefore serves to measure the tissue concentration of Na,K-ATPase. We examined the role of ouabain binding to Na,K-ATPase in its overall tissue distribution. The tissue-to-plasma concentration ratio (Kp,vivo) was defined in each tissue after intravenous administration of 3H-ouabain in guinea pigs, and specific binding of ouabain to Na,K-ATPase was measured in tissue homogenate to obtain the dissociation constant and binding capacity in each tissue. A predicted tissue-to-plasma concentration ratio (Kp,vitro) was calculated using the obtained binding parameters and the volume of extracellular space in each tissue. The absolute values of Kp,vitro were comparable to those of Kp,vivo, except in brain. Regression analysis showed that the specific binding capacity of Na,K-ATPase in each tissue is the main factor in the tissue variation of Kp,vivo. Therefore, the binding of ouabain to Na,K-ATPase plays a significant role in the tissue distribution of ouabain.

Algorithms↗