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Peter J Meier

Publications and source records attributed to Peter J Meier.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Expression and functional involvement of organic anion transporting polypeptide subtype 3 (Slc21a7) in rat choroid plexus.

PURPOSE: It has been shown that transport(s) are involved in the uptake of estradiol 17beta glucuronide (E217betaG) by the choroid plexus (CP). The purpose of this study is to compare the substrate specificity of the transporter in the CP with those of rat organic anion transporting polypeptide 1 (rOatp1) and rOatp3. METHODS: The expression of rOatp1 and rOatp3 in rat CP was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. The substrate specificity of rOatp1 and rOatp3 was compared using cDNA-transfected LLC-PK1 cells. The uptake of E217betaG by rat isolated CP was determined by centrifugal filtration technique. RESULTS: PCR analyses demonstrated that the mRNA expression of rOatp3 was abundant in the CP, whereas that of rOatp1 was low. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that rOatp3 is expressed on the apical membrane of the CP. Kinetic parameters (Km and Ki values) of rOatp3 were similar to those for rOatp1. The results of mutual inhibition study suggest that E217betaG and taurocholate share the same mechanism in the CP. Corticosterone, estrone-3-sulfate and indomethacin are moderate inhibitors, but no effects by digoxin, p-aminohippurate, benzylpenicillin and cimetidine were observed. CONCLUSIONS: rOatp3 is most possible candidate transporter involved in the uptake of organic anions on the brush border membrane of the choroid epithelial cells.

Animals↗

Regulation of rat organic anion transporters in bile salt-induced cholestatic hepatitis: effect of ursodeoxycholate.

Hepatic uptake of organic anions, including bile salts, is mediated by members of the organic anion-transporting polypeptide (Oatp) family. In rat liver, Oatp1 (Slc21a1), Oatp2 (Slc21a5), and Oatp4 (Slca10) are expressed at the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes and may be differentially regulated under pathophysiologic conditions such as cholestasis. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cholic acid (CA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on the expression of Oatp4 compared with Ntcp, Oatp1, and Oatp2. Wistar rats were fed with CA (0.5%) or both CA (0.5%) and UDCA (0.25%) for 3 weeks. Oatp expression was studied by Northern and Western blot analysis as well as immunofluorescence analysis. Transport function was compared measuring biliary secretion of (14)C-CA and (14)C-taurocholic acid (TCA). In CA-fed animals, biliary secretion of (14)C-CA and (14)C-TCA was markedly delayed over 40 minutes compared with controls. Accordingly, Oatp4 protein was significantly down-regulated in CA-fed animals together with Oatp1 and Ntcp. Cofeeding of CA plus UDCA prevented the impairment of (14)C-CA and (14)C-TCA secretion and the down-regulation of Oatp4. Oatp4 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels did not differ significantly between bile salt-fed groups, suggesting a posttranscriptional effect of CA on Oatp4 expression. In contrast to Oatp1 and Oatp4, Oatp2 protein expression was increased by CA feeding, indicating a differential regulation of Oatp transporters. In conclusion, we show that CA feeding may cause cholestasis associated with a posttranscriptional down-regulation of Oatp4. UDCA may prevent impairment of hepatic function by restoring hepatic transporter expression.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B↗

Pharmacogenetics of hepatocellular transporters.

One of the main functions of the liver is the production of bile and the biliary secretion of endogenous and exogenous substances, including drugs and drug metabolites. Bile formation is a complex sequence of cellular events, which involves uptake of bile constituents and xenobiotics on the basolateral (sinusoidal) plasma membrane of hepatocytes and secretion of cholephilic compounds across the apical (canalicular) membrane. These uptake and efflux processes are maintained by distinct transport systems expressed at the two polar surface domains of liver cells. Any functional disturbance of these canalicular transport systems can lead to cholestatic liver disease, which is associated with intracellular accumulation of toxic bile constituents and consecutive cholestatic liver cell damage. Interaction of drugs with hepatobiliary transport systems is increasingly recognized as cause of acquired cholestatic syndromes. Thereby, genetically determined alterations of hepatobiliary transporter functions are important risk factors for an individual's susceptibility to develop cholestasis. Especially, mutations in canalicular transporter genes can cause certain forms of hereditary cholestatic liver disease, including progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis or intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. In addition, systematic genetic screenings have discovered numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms in hepatobiliary transporter genes that lead to amino acid exchanges in the encoded proteins. However, the functional consequences and the clinical relevance of most of these polymorphisms remain to be defined. This overview summarizes the physiological function of human hepatobiliary transport systems and discusses the impact of their genetic variations for the pathophysiology of cholestatic syndromes and the pharmacogenetics of drug-induced cholestasis.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Phenobarbital alters hepatic Mrp2 function by direct and indirect interactions.

Phenobarbital (PB) treatment impairs the biliary excretion of some organic anions. One mechanism may involve direct competition for biliary excretion by PB and/or a PB metabolite. Alternatively, PB may alter the expression and/or function of hepatic organic anion transport proteins. The role of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) in the biliary excretion of PB and metabolites was studied using isolated perfused livers (IPLs) from Wistar and Mrp2-deficient TR- rats. In normal livers, 4.19 +/- 0.53% of the PB dose was recovered in bile as PB metabolites [2.21 +/- 0.69% as 5-ethyl-5-(4-OH phenyl) barbituric acid (PBOH)-glucuronide; 1.98 +/- 0.09% as PBOH-sulfate]. In TR- livers, only PBOH-sulfate was recovered in bile (0.35 +/- 0.16% of dose) during the 2-h perfusion. Mrp2 message was increased (2.3-fold) by PB pretreatment (80 mg/kg i.p. x 4 days) but decreased to control values after a 48-h washout. Mrp2 protein was increased slightly in PB-treated livers and remained slightly elevated after a 24-h washout, but it was decreased significantly to 62 +/-7% of control values after a 48-h washout. The 120-min cumulative biliary excretion of the Mrp2 substrate 5-(and-6)-carboxy-2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein in IPLs from PB-treated rats after a 48-h washout was significantly lower than in vehicle-treated livers (66.3 +/- 9.2% versus 83.4 +/- 2.4% of the dose, respectively). These data support two mechanisms for impaired biliary excretion of some organic anions by PB treatment: 1) PBOH-glucuronide is a substrate for Mrp2 and may compete with other organic anions for biliary excretion and 2) Mrp2 protein expression and functional capacity is decreased 48 h after PB treatment.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Physiological characteristics of allo-cholic acid.

The physiological characterstics of allo-cholic acid (ACA), a typically fetal bile acid that reappears during liver regeneration and carcinogenesis were investigated. [(14)C] Tauro-ACA (TACA) uptake by Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing rat organic anion transporter polypeptide (Oatp)1 or sodium-taurocholate cotransporter polypeptide (Ntcp) was lower than that of [(14)C]taurocholic acid (TCA). Although TACA inhibited ATP-dependent TCA transport across plasma membrane vesicles from Sf9 cells expressing rat or mouse bile salt export pump (Bsep), no ATP-dependent TACA transport was found. In rats, TACA was secreted into bile with no major biotransformation and it had lower clearance and longer half-life than TCA. In mice, TACA bile output was lower (-50%) than that of TCA, whereas TACA induced 9-fold higher bile flow than TCA. Even though the intracellular levels were lower for TACA, translocation into the hepatocyte nucleus was higher for TACA than for TCA; however, rate of DNA synthesis, expression levels of alpha-fetoprotein, albumin, Ntcp, and Bsep, cell viability, and apoptosis in rat hepatocytes were similarly affected by both isomers. In conclusion, TACA partly shares hepatocellular uptake system(s) for TCA. Furthermore, in contrast to other "flat" bile acids, TACA is efficiently secreted into bile via transport system(s) other than Bsep and is highly choleretic, hence its appearance during certain situations may prevent accumulation of cholestatic precursors.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Functional characterization of the mouse organic-anion-transporting polypeptide 2.

We have isolated and functionally characterized an additional murine member of the organic-anion-transporting polypeptide (Oatp) family of membrane transport proteins from mouse liver. The 3.6 kb cDNA insert contains an open reading frame of 2010 bp coding for a 670 amino acid protein. Based on its amino acid identity of 88% to the rat Oatp2, it is considered the mouse Oatp2 orthologue. Functional expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes demonstrated that mouse Oatp2 transports several general Oatp substrates such as estrone-3-sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), ouabain and BQ-123 but hardly any taurocholate nor rocuronium or deltorphin II. The high-affinity rat Oatp2 substrate digoxin is transported with a rather low affinity with an apparent K(m) value of 5.7 microM. Bromosulfophthalein (BSP), a substrate not transported by the rat Oatp2, is transported very well by mouse Oatp2. Northern blot analysis demonstrated a predominant expression in the liver with additional signals in kidney and brain. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, the Oatp2 gene (gene symbol Slc21a5) was mapped to chromosome 6G1-G3.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

No clinically relevant drug interaction between paracetamol and phenprocoumon based on a pharmacoepidemiological cohort study in medical inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: A recent case control study suggests that paracetamol at a dosage above 1300 mg/day increases the anticoagulant effects of warfarin. In many European countries, phenprocoumon and not warfarin is used as an anticoagulant. However, the effects of paracetamol on the anticoagulant effects of phenprocoumon have so far not been evaluated. METHODS: This study is based on the data recorded prospectively between 1996 and 1998 in two Swiss teaching hospitals in the pharmacoepidemiological database of the SAS/CHDM project. As a first step, all phenprocoumon-treated patients with at least one international normalized ratio (INR) determination at least 4 days after cohort entry were selected and evaluated concerning paracetamol co-administration. The "paracetamol group" included only patients receiving at least 1300 mg/day paracetamol on the 3 days preceding the INR determination, whereas the comparison group contained only patients without paracetamol exposure during hospital stay. Thereafter, INR values of the paracetamol and the comparison groups were compared. RESULTS: The paracetamol and the comparison groups included 54 and 180 patients, respectively. Patients' characteristics in both groups were comparable. Patients in the paracetamol group received on average 2220 +/- 651 mg/day paracetamol. The median duration of paracetamol exposure was 5 days. The median difference in INR values between the paracetamol and the comparison groups was -0.3 (with a 99% confidence interval of -0.6, 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that paracetamol co-administration at a dosage of 2000-2500 mg/day for 3 days has no clinically relevant effects on the anticoagulant effects of phenprocoumon.

Acetaminophen↗

Hepatobiliary organic anion transporters are differentially regulated in acute toxic liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatobiliary transporters are down-regulated in cholestasis, but their expression in acute, non-cholestatic, cytokine-mediated liver injury is unknown. Thus we studied the molecular mechanisms, by which sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (Ntcp), organic anion transporting polypeptide 1 (Oatp1), Oatp2, Oatp4, multidrug-resistance protein 2 (Mrp2) and bile salt export pump (Bsep) are regulated in liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). METHODS: mRNA and protein levels were determined in rats 24 and 72h after CCl(4) injection. Transporter gene transcription and binding activities of Ntcp and Mrp2 transactivators were assessed by nuclear runoff and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. RESULTS: mRNA levels significantly declined to 41+/-44% for Ntcp, 65+/-41% for Oatp1 and 64+/-28% for Oatp2, but remained unchanged for Oatp4, canalicular Mrp2 and Bsep. Protein levels declined only for Oatp4 (-50+/-17%) and Ntcp (-23+/-13%) at 24h. Reduced mRNA levels (Ntcp, Oatp1, Oatp2) were associated with decreased transcriptional activities. Binding activity of Ntcp transactivators (hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha (HNF1alpha) and CAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) were reduced by 24h, whereas retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha):retinoid acid receptor alpha (RARalpha) as transactivator of both Ntcp and Mrp2 remained unaltered. Recovery of acute hepatitis and changes in gene expression occurred after 72h. CONCLUSIONS: Acute liver injury results in down-regulation of basolateral organic anion transporters similar to liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, but in contrast to endotoxin-induced cholestasis. Maintained binding activity of RXRalpha:RARalpha may explain differences in Mrp2 expression.

Acute Disease↗

Comparative inhibitory effects of different compounds on rat oatpl (slc21a1)- and Oatp2 (Slc21a5)-mediated transport.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to examine the selectivity of various inhibitors towards the rat organic anion transporting polypeptides 1 (Oatp1: gene symbol Slc21a1) and 2 (Oatp2: Slc21a5). METHODS: The inhibitory effects of 20 compounds on the Oatpl-mediated transport of estradiol 17beta-D-glucuronide and on the Oatp2-mediated transport of digoxin were examined in cDNA-transfected LLC-PK1cells. RESULTS: Among the compounds examined in this study, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, deoxycorticosterone. and quinidine preferentially inhibited Oatpl. whereas digoxin, quinine, and rifampicin preferentially inhibited Oatp2 at low concentrations. On the other hand, propionic acid, re-ketoglutarate and p-aminohippurate showed no inhibitory effects on either transporter up to a concentration of 1,000 microM. The Ki values of ibuprofen and quinidine were estimated to be 19 and 13 times lower for Oatpl compared with Oatp2, whereas the values for rifampicin, quinine, and digoxin were 13, 20, and 100< times lower for Oatp2 compared with Oatpl. CONCLUSIONS: At low concentrations, some of the tested inhibitors exert selective inhibition of either Oatpl- or Oatp2-mediated substrate transport. These selective inhibitors may be used at appropriate concentrations to estimate the maximum contribution of Oatp1 or Oatp2 to the total substrate uptake into rat hepatocytes.

Algorithms↗

Drug reimbursement: indicators of inappropriate resource allocation.

AIMS: In many countries, governments and third parties find themselves paying for (reimbursing) unproven, inadequate products limiting their ability to invest in therapies with evidence of relevant patient benefit. We examined how three characteristics, level of therapeutic evidence, susceptibility of inappropriate prescribing, and intercountry variation can be used to identify inefficiencies in pharmaceutical reimbursement among four European Union countries, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden. METHODS: Specific classes of medicines were chosen to provide useful examples of how healthcare resources could be reallocated. A high level of therapeutic evidence was defined as a substantial body of evidence in at least one indication with clear-cut support of relevant patient benefit. The susceptibility of inappropriate prescribing was defined as the likelihood of prescribing a drug outside the scenario for which clear-cut evidence (if any) has been documented to produce relevant benefit for the patient. The intercountry variation represents the variation in utilization of reimbursed drugs across the four countries. RESULTS: The combination of these characteristics provides a useful tool for assessing appropriate reimbursement decisions. It would be beneficial to healthcare payers as well as patients to move resources from products that have a low level of therapeutic evidence and a high susceptibility of inappropriate prescribing to products with a high level of therapeutic evidence and low susceptibility of inappropriate prescribing, and to use intercountry variation as a signal of drug classes that should be subject to further scrutiny. CONCLUSIONS: A method is presented to help policy-makers identify inefficiencies in the spending of limited health care resources, and to reallocate resources to products that have been shown to improve patient care through evidence-based medicine.

Austria↗

Functional analysis of the rat bile salt export pump gene promoter.

The 5' flanking region of the bile salt export pump (Bsep) gene was systematically analysed to provide the basis for understanding the mechanisms which regulate Bsep transcription. In addition substrates and drugs were investigated for their ability to alter Bsep promoter activity. Bsep promoter function was restricted to hepatocyte derived HepG2 cells. The 5' deletional analysis revealed a biphasic shape of reporter gene activities, indicating a suppressive element between nucleotides -800 and -512. Two consensus sites for the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) were located at nucleotides -473 and -64. The latter was characterized as functionally active in bile acid-mediated feed-back regulation of Bsep transcription. Bsep promoter activity was reduced by rifampin and beta-estradiol. The anti-estrogen tamoxifen stimulated promoter activity. Dexamethasone, hydrocortisone and phenobarbital had no effect on Bsep promoter activity. In conclusion, the data suggest that transcriptional regulation of the Bsep gene can be modulated by a number of endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. FXR was a major regulatory factor, mediating bile acid feed-back stimulation of Bsep transcription.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Human organic anion transporting polypeptide 8 promoter is transactivated by the farnesoid X receptor/bile acid receptor.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OATP8 (gene symbol: SLC21A8) is a multispecific uptake system for organic anions, xenobiotics, and peptides expressed at the basolateral (sinusoidal) membrane of human hepatocytes. We investigated whether OATP8 gene expression is regulated by the nuclear receptors farnesoid X receptor/bile acid receptor (FXR/BAR; NR1H4), pregnane X receptor (PXR), or liver X receptor (LXR). METHODS: OATP8 promoter function was studied in reporter assays. OATP8 expression in cells was quantitated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The bile acid chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), a ligand of FXR/BAR, but not clotrimazole or 25-hydroxycholesterol, ligands of PXR or LXR, respectively, induced OATP8 promoter activity. An inverted hexanucleotide repeat motif (IR-1 element) in the promoter sequence was shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assays to bind the FXR (9-cis-retinoic acid receptor [RXRalpha]) heterodimer. Targeted mutagenesis of the IR-1 element abolished inducibility of the OATP8 promoter by CDCA, confirming its role as a bile acid response element. CDCA treatment increased OATP8 messenger RNA levels in human hepatoma cells, suggesting a physiologic role for FXR-mediated OATP8 gene regulation. CONCLUSIONS: OATP8 gene expression is regulated by bile acids via FXR/BAR. Induction of OATP8 could serve to maintain hepatic extraction of xenobiotics and peptides in conditions of increased intracellular bile acids.

Animals↗

Functional expression of the canalicular bile salt export pump of human liver.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatic bile salt secretion is an essential function of vertebrate liver. Rat and mouse bile salt export pump (Bsep) are adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent bile salt transporters. Mutations in human BSEP were identified as the cause of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2. BSEP protein is highly identical with its rat and mouse orthologs and has not yet been functionally characterized; the effect of BSEP mutations on its function has also not been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to functionally characterize human BSEP. METHODS: Complementary DNA for BSEP was isolated from human liver and expressed with the baculovirus system in Sf9 cells. ATP-dependent bile salt transport assays were performed with Sf9 cell vesicles expressing BSEP and a rapid filtration assay. RESULTS: Cloning of human BSEP required the inactivation of a bacterial cryptic promoter motif within its coding region. BSEP expressed in Sf9 cells transports different bile salts in an ATP-dependent manner with Michaelis constant values as follows: taurocholate, 7.9 +/- 2.1 micromol/L; glycocholate, 11.1 +/- 3.3 micromol/L; taurochenodeoxycholate, 4.8 +/- 1.7 micromol/L; tauroursodeoxycholate, 11.9 +/- 1.8 micromol/L. The rank order of the intrinsic clearance of bile salts was taurochenodeoxycholate > taurocholate > tauroursodeoxycholate > glycocholate. CONCLUSIONS: This study characterizes human BSEP as an ATP-dependent bile salt export pump with transport properties similar to its rat and mouse orthologs. Expression of BSEP in Sf9 cells will enable functional characterization of the consequences of mutations in the human BSEP gene.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Interactions of rifamycin SV and rifampicin with organic anion uptake systems of human liver.

The antibiotics rifamycin SV and rifampicin substantially reduce sulfobromophthalein (BSP) elimination in humans. In rats, rifamycin SV and rifampicin were shown to interfere with hepatic organic anion uptake by inhibition of the organic anion transporting polypeptides Oatp1 and Oatp2. Therefore, we investigated the effects of rifamycin SV and rifampicin on the OATPs of human liver and determined whether rifampicin is a substrate of 1 or several of these carriers. In complementary RNA (cRNA)-injected Xenopus laevis oocytes, rifamycin SV (10 micromol/L) cis-inhibited human organic anion transporting polypeptide C (SLC21A6) (OATP-C), human organic anion transporting polypeptide 8 (SLC21A8) (OATP8), human organic anion transporting polypeptide B (SLC21A9) (OATP-B), and human organic anion transporting polypeptide A (SLC21A3) (OATP-A) mediated BSP uptake by 69%, 79%, 89%, and 57%, respectively, as compared with uptake into control oocytes. In the presence of 100 micromol/L rifamycin SV, BSP uptake was almost completely abolished. Approximate K(i) values were 2 micromol/L for OATP-C, 3 micromol/L for OATP8, 3 micromol/L for OATP-B and 11 micromol/L for OATP-A. Rifampicin (10 micromol/L) inhibited OATP8-mediated BSP uptake by 50%, whereas inhibition of OATP-C-, OATP-B-, and OATP-A-mediated BSP transport was below 15%. 100 micromol/L rifampicin inhibited OATP-C- and OATP8-, OATP-B- and OATP-A-mediated BSP uptake by 66%, 96%, 25%, and 49%, respectively. The corresponding K(i) values were 17 micromol/L for OATP-C, 5 micromol/L for OATP8, and 51 micromol/L for OATP-A. Direct transport of rifampicin could be shown for OATP-C (apparent K(m) value 13 micromol/L) and OATP8 (2.3 micromol/L). In conclusion, these results show that rifamycin SV and rifampicin interact with OATP-mediated substrate transport to different extents. Inhibition of human liver OATPs can explain the previously observed effects of rifamycin SV and rifampicin on hepatic organic anion elimination.

Animals↗

Mechanisms of impaired biliary excretion of acetaminophen glucuronide after acute phenobarbital treatment or phenobarbital pretreatment.

Previous studies have demonstrated that phenobarbital (PB) significantly impairs the biliary excretion of acetaminophen glucuronide (AG) in rats. Studies also suggested that Mrp2 mediates AG biliary excretion, and Mrp3 is involved in AG basolateral export. It was hypothesized that inhibition of Mrp2-mediated AG transport by PB or PB metabolites, and PB induction of Mrp3, may contribute to the impaired biliary excretion of AG by PB. In the present study, the hepatobiliary transport of AG in single-pass isolated perfused Wistar and TR(-) rat livers was investigated. The AG biliary clearance was markedly decreased, and the AG basolateral clearance was significantly increased in TR(-) rat livers. Uptake of AG by Mrp2 and Mrp3, and inhibition of Mrp2- and Mrp3-mediated transport by PB and major PB metabolites, were investigated with rat Mrp2- or Mrp3-expressing Sf9 cell plasma membrane vesicles (Sf9-PMVs). AG was transported by Mrp3 (K(m) approximately 0.91 mM). Net ATP-dependent AG uptake into Mrp2-expressing Sf9-PMVs could not be detected directly. However, AG significantly inhibited Mrp2-mediated 5-(and 6)-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (CDF) transport. p-Hydroxyphenobarbital glucuronide (p-OHPBG), but not PB or p-hydroxyphenobarbital, significantly inhibited Mrp2-mediated CDF transport. The IC(50) values for p-OHPBG inhibition of Mrp2-mediated CDF uptake and Mrp3-mediated AG transport were similar (approximately 0.68 and 0.46 mM, respectively). PB treatment (80 mg/kg/day x 4 days) markedly increased hepatic Mrp3 expression in Wistar rats. In conclusion, inhibition of Mrp2-mediated AG transport by p-OHPBG provided one possible explanation for the impaired biliary excretion of AG after acute PB treatment. However, impaired biliary excretion of AG after PB pretreatment may be attributed primarily to the induction of hepatic Mrp3 by PB.

Acetaminophen↗

Gender difference in the urinary excretion of organic anions in rats.

This study was aimed at clarifying the gender differences in the urinary excretion of organic anions and the gene expression of organic anion transporters in rats. The renal clearance with regard to the plasma concentration (CL(urine,p)) of taurocholate, dibromosulfophthalein (DBSP), and zenarestat, all substrates and/or inhibitors of organic anion transporting polypeptide 1 (Oatp1), was much higher in female than in male rats. The following results imply that the transport system(s) for the reabsorption of zenarestat across the luminal side exhibits a gender difference: 1) the renal uptake clearance assessed by an in vivo integration plot analysis of zenarestat from the blood side does not show any clear gender differences; 2) the renal clearance with regard to the kidney concentration (CL(urine,k)) of zenarestat in female rats was approximately 30 times higher than in male rats; and 3) both CL(urine,p) and CL(urine,k) were increased in male rats by the coinfusion of DBSP, which is an inhibitor of organic anion transporters. Northern and Western blot analyses confirmed a previous finding that the gene expression of Oatp1, which is localized at the apical plasma membrane of the kidney, was much higher in the kidneys of male rats. Overall, a gender difference in urinary excretion is commonly observed for several organic anions, including Oatp1 substrates and inhibitors, and Oatp1 and/or transporters that have a similar substrate specificity to Oatp1 could be involved in such a phenomenon involving its substrates.

Animals↗