Brain access and anticonvulsant efficacy of carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and felbamate in ABCC2/MRP2-deficient TR- rats

Summary: Purpose: Different adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐driven multidrug transporters have been described to be expressed in the luminal membrane of blood–brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells. At this site, multidrug transporters have been suggested to restrict penetration of drugs into the brain. Increasing evidence suggests that overexpression of different multidrug transporters occurs in the region of the epileptic focus of pharmacoresistant epilepsy patients. Based on the assumption that antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are substrates of these transporters, this overexpression may limit access of AEDs to epileptic neurons and may contribute to drug‐refractoriness. In a recent study, overexpression of multidrug resistance protein 2 (ABCC2; MRP2) was reported in BBB endothelial cells of epileptic focal tissue from pharmacoresistant patients. With brain microdialysis, we recently demonstrated that the AED phenytoin is subject to transport by ABCC2 at the BBB, whereas phenobarbital does not seem to be a substrate of ABCC2. Methods: We investigated whether ABCC2 is functionally involved in transport of the AEDs carbamazepine (CBZ), lamotrigine (LTG), and felbamate (FBM) across the BBB. The distribution of these AEDs into the brain of ABCC2‐deficient TR^? rats was determined. Results: AED concentrations in plasma and brain extracellular space of these mutant rats did not differ significantly from those of rats of the corresponding background strain. In the amygdala‐kindling model of epilepsy, the anticonvulsant efficacy of LTG and FBM was comparable in both groups of rats. In contrast, CBZ exhibited a higher anticonvulsant activity in kindled ABCC2‐deficient rats as compared with nonmutant rats. Conclusions: In this present study, the microdialysis results gave no evidence that ABCC2 function modulates entry of CBZ, LTG, and FBM into the CNS of naïve rats. However, ABCC2 deficiency was associated with an increased anticonvulsant response of CBZ in the kindling model. Future investigations are planned to identify the underlying mechanism for this difference, clarifying whether a pharmacokinetic difference is detectable only when brain access of CBZ is compared in kindled ABCC2‐deficient rats and kindled nonmutant rats, which may have an increased expression of ABCC2 in response to seizures. The data substantiate that ABCC2‐deficient TR^? rats are a useful tool for defining the role of ABCC2 for transport of AEDs, and give evidence that the use of kindled TR^? rats may provide important supplementary information.     

多药转运蛋白对癫痫大鼠脑内奥卡西平浓度的影响

目的 观察多药转运蛋白家族的成员P-糖蛋白(P-glycoprotein,PGP)和多药耐药蛋白(multi-drug re-sistance associated protein,MRP)对匹罗卡品慢性癫痫大鼠模型海马内神经元细胞外液中奥卡西平浓度的影响,证明奥卡西平是否为PGP和MRP的底物,探讨PGP和MRP参与难治疗性癫痫耐药的机制.方法 建立匹罗卡品慢性癫痫动物模型,将32只大鼠分为对照组、模型组、维拉帕米干预组、丙磺舒干预组(每组8只),于腹腔注射奥卡西平(80 mg/kg)后30、60、90、120、150 min,通过微透析及高效液相色谱技术,检测大鼠海马神经元细胞外液中的药物浓度.结果 维拉帕米干预后,癫痫大鼠海马细胞外液中奥卡丙平的浓度于给药后90～120 min(1.26±0.09、0.93±0.10)明显高于模型组(0.87±0.06、0.66 4±0.04),两组比较有统计学差异(P<0.05);丙磺舒干预后60～150 min,大鼠海马内细胞外液中奥卡两平的浓度(1.07±0.11、1.32±0.13、1.02±0.10、0.87±0.08)显著高于模型组(0.81±0.08、0.87±0.06、0.66±0.04、0.58±0.06)(P<0.05).结论 奥卡西平是PGP和MRP的底物,PGP和MRP能够选择性的将奥卡西平泵出血脑屏障外,降低癫痫病灶内的药物浓度,上述机制可能参与了难治性癫痫患者对奥卡西平产生耐药.     

Expression of multidrug transporters in dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors causing intractable epilepsy

OBJECTIVE: Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors (DNT) are relatively benign brain lesions that often cause medically intractable epilepsy. There is mounting evidence that multidrug transporters such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRP) play an important role in the development of resistance to antiepileptic drugs (AED). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the present study, we examined the expression of several multidrug transporters in 14 cases of DNT. The peritumoral brain tissue as well as 9 cases of arteriovenous malformations (AVM) served as controls. P-gp, MRP2, MRP5 and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) expression was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: All transporters were overexpressed quantitatively in DNT, but each revealed a different labeling pattern. P-gp and BCRP were predominantly located in the endothelium of brain vessels. MRP5 was detected primarily in endothelial cells, but notably also in neurons. The expression of P-gp, MRP2 and MRP5 was low in AVM, whereas BCRP demonstrated strong staining. Examination of MDR1 gene polymorphisms revealed no correlation with P-gp expression whereas the MRP2 exon 10 G1249A polymorphism was associated with different MRP2 labelling. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that multidrug transporters are overexpressed in DNT. This finding supports the view that several of these transport proteins may play an important role in the mechanisms of drug resistance in epileptic brain tissue.     

难治性癫痫大鼠脑内多药耐药相关蛋白1表达的研究

目的 研究杏仁核电刺激点燃的难治性癫痫大鼠脑内多药耐药相关蛋白1（multidrug resistant-associated protein 1 MRP1）表达的情况.方法 建立杏仁核电刺激点燃的难治性癫痫大鼠模型,用免疫组织化学及免疫蛋白印记（western blot）的方法,分析比较MRP1蛋白在癫痫模型组与正常对照组的表达.结果 药物难治性癫痫大鼠组脑内多药耐药相关蛋白的表达显著高于正常对照组（P〈0.01）.在癫痫大鼠脑内广泛分布的MRP1免疫阳性细胞主要为毛细血管内皮细胞和星形胶质细胞.结论 癫痫大鼠脑内高表达的MRP1参与了难治性癫痫的耐药机制.     

Inhibition of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein improves seizure control in phenytoin-treated chronic epileptic rats

PURPOSE: Overexpression of multidrug transporters such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) may play a significant role in pharmacoresistance, by preventing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) from reaching their targets in the brain. Until now, many studies have described increased P-gp expression in epileptic tissue or have shown that several AEDs act as substrates for P-gp. However, definitive proof showing the functional involvement of P-gp in pharmacoresistance is still lacking. Here we tested whether P-gp contributes to pharmacoresistance to phenytoin (PHT) by using a specific P-gp inhibitor in a model of spontaneous seizures in rats. METHODS: The effects of PHT on spontaneous seizure activity were investigated in the electrical post-status epilepticus rat model for temporal lobe epilepsy, before and after administration of tariquidar (TQD), a selective inhibitor of P-gp. RESULTS: A 7-day treatment with therapeutic doses of PHT suppressed spontaneous seizure activity in rats, but only partially. However, an almost complete control of seizures by PHT (93 +/- 7%) was obtained in all rats when PHT was coadministered with TQD. This specific P-gp inhibitor was effective in improving the anticonvulsive action of PHT during the first 3-4 days of the treatment. Western blot analysis confirmed P-gp upregulation in epileptic brains (140-200% of control levels), along with approximately 20% reduced PHT brain levels. Inhibition of P-gp by TQD significantly increased PHT brain levels in chronic epileptic rats. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that TQD significantly improves the anticonvulsive action of PHT, thus establishing a proof-of-concept that the administration of AEDs in combination with P-gp inhibitors may be a promising therapeutic strategy in pharmacoresistant patients.     

Complex time-dependent alterations in the brain expression of different drug efflux transporter genes after status epilepticus

Purpose:   Frequent epileptic seizures or prolonged seizure activity (status epilepticus, SE) is known to increase the brain expression of drug efflux transporter genes and proteins, such as P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and members of the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) family, which might reduce brain levels of antiepileptic drugs and, therefore, be involved in drug resistance. However, the time course of alterations in Pgp or MRPs after seizures or SE is only incompletely known.
Methods:   This prompted us to study the time course of alterations in the expression of different efflux transporter genes (Mdr1a, Mdr1b, MRP1, MRP2, MRP5) at various times after a pilocarpine-induced SE in limbic brain regions, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (qPCR).
Results:   Unexpectedly, between 6 and 24 h after onset of SE, genes encoding Pgp (Mdr1a, Mdr1b), Mrp1, and Mrp5 were downregulated in hippocampus, amygdala, or piriform cortex. This initial decrease in expression was followed by normalization and then increased expression, which became maximal 2 days after SE. One explanation for the initial decrease in transporter expression could be SE-induced acute inflammatory processes, because proinflammatory cytokines are known to suppress the expression of Pgp and other efflux transporters. To directly address this possibility, we quantified the hippocampal mRNA expression of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, showing a marked SE-induced increase in these cytokines, which paralleled the decreased expression of efflux transporters.
Discussion:   Taken together, these findings indicate that alterations in expression of drug efflux transporters after prolonged seizure activity are more complex than previously thought.     

Upregulation of brain expression of P-glycoprotein in MRP2-deficient TR(-) rats resembles seizure-induced up-regulation of this drug efflux transporter in normal rats

PURPOSE: The multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2) is a drug efflux transporter that is expressed predominantly at the apical domain of hepatocytes but seems also to be expressed at the apical membrane of brain capillary endothelial cells that form the blood-brain barrier (BBB). MRP2 is absent in the transport-deficient (TR(-)) Wistar rat mutant, so that this rat strain was very helpful in defining substrates of MRP2 by comparing tissue concentrations or functional activities of compounds in MRP2-deficient rats with those in transport-competent Wistar rats. By using this strategy to study the involvement of MRP2 in brain access of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), we recently reported that phenytoin is a substrate for MRP2 in the BBB. However, one drawback of such studies in genetically deficient rats is the fact that compensatory changes with upregulation of other transporters can occur. This prompted us to study the brain expression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp), a major drug efflux transporter in many tissues, including the BBB, in TR(-) rats compared with nonmutant (wild-type) Wistar rats. METHODS: The expression of MRP2 and Pgp in brain and liver sections of TR(-) rats and normal Wistar rats was determined with immunohistochemistry, by using a novel, highly selective monoclonal MRP2 antibody and the monoclonal Pgp antibody C219, respectively. RESULTS: Immunofluorescence staining with the MRP2 antibody was found to label a high number of microvessels throughout the brain in normal Wistar rats, whereas such labeling was absent in TR(-) rats. TR(-) rats exhibited a significant up-regulation of Pgp in brain capillary endothelial cells compared with wild-type controls. No such obvious upregulation of Pgp was observed in liver sections. A comparable overexpression of Pgp in the BBB was obtained after pilocarpine-induced seizures in wild-type Wistar rats. Experiments with systemic administration of the Pgp substrate phenobarbital and the selective Pgp inhibitor tariquidar in TR(-) rats substantiated that Pgp is functional and compensates for the lack of MRP2 in the BBB. CONCLUSIONS: The data on TR(-) rats indicate that Pgp plays an important role in the compensation of MRP2 deficiency in the BBB. Because such a compensatory mechanism most likely occurs to reduce injury to the brain from cytotoxic compounds, the present data substantiate the concept that MRP2 performs a protective role in the BBB. Furthermore, our data suggest that TR(-) rats are an interesting tool to study consequences of overexpression of Pgp in the BBB on access of drugs in the brain, without the need of inducing seizures or other Pgp-enhancing events for this purpose.     

药物难治性癫痫患者脑内多药耐药相关蛋白1表达的研究

目的 研究药物难治性癫痫患者脑内皮层多药耐药相关蛋白1（multidrug resistant-associated protein 1，MRP1）表达的情况。方法 选择12例药物难治性癫痫患者癫痫切除灶与12例正常对照脑组织标本．用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）、免疫组化及免疫蛋白印记（Western blot）方法，分析比较MRP1基因在各组的表达。结果 药物难治性癫痫患者组脑内MRP1的表达显著高于正常对照组（P〈0．01）。在癫痫病灶内广泛分布的MRP1免疫阳性细胞主要为毛细血管内皮细胞和星形胶质细胞。结论 脑内高表达的MRP1参与了难治性癫痫的耐药机制。     

Localization of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) in microvessel endothelium of human control and epileptic brain

PURPOSE: Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) is a half adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporter expressed on cellular membranes and included in the group of multidrug resistant (MDR)-related proteins. Recently, upregulation of different MDR proteins has been shown in human epilepsy-associated conditions. This study investigated the expression and cellular distribution of BCRP in human control and epileptic brain, including a large number of both neoplastic and nonneoplastic specimens from patients with chronic pharmacoresistant epilepsy. METHODS: Several epileptogenic pathologies, such as hippocampal sclerosis (HS), focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor, oligodendroglioma astrocytoma, and glioblastoma multiforme were studied by using Western blot and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: With Western blot, we could demonstrate the presence of BCRP in both normal and epileptic human brain tissue. In contrast to P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) 2, BCRP expression levels did not change in tissue from patients with HS, compared with control hippocampus. No BCRP immunoreactivity was observed in glial or neuronal cells, including reactive astrocytes and dysplastic neurons in FCD. BCRP expression was, however, increased in tumor brain tissue. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that BCRP was exclusively located in blood vessels and was highly expressed at the luminal cell surface and in newly formed tumor capillaries. This localization closely resembles that of P-gp. The higher expression observed in astrocytomas by Western blot analysis was related to the higher vascular density within the tumor tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a constitutive expression of BCRP in human endothelial cells, representing an important barrier against drug access to the brain. In particular, the strong BCRP expression in the microvasculature of epileptogenic brain tumors could critically influence the bioavailability of drugs within the tumor and contribute to pharmacoresistance.     

Inhibition of multidrug transporters by verapamil or probenecid does not alter blood-brain barrier penetration of levetiracetam in rats

Overexpression of multidrug efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein (Pgp; ABCB1) or multidrug resistance proteins (MRPs; ABCC) in the blood-brain barrier has recently been suggested to explain, at least in part, pharmacoresistance in epilepsy, which affects about 30% of all patients with this common brain disorder. The novel antiepileptic drug (AED) levetiracetam (LEV) is an effective and well tolerated drug in many patients with otherwise AED-refractory epilepsy. One explanation for the favorable efficacy of LEV in pharmacoresistant patients would be that LEV is not a substrate for Pgp or MRPs in the BBB. In the present study, we used in vivo microdialysis in rats to study whether the concentration of LEV in the extracellular fluid of the cerebral cortex can be modulated by inhibition of Pgp or MRPs, using the Pgp inhibitor verapamil and the MRP1/2 inhibitor probenecid. Local perfusion with verapamil or probenecid via the microdialysis probe did not increase the extracellular brain concentration of LEV, which is in contrast to various other AEDs which have been studied previously by the same experimental protocol in this model. The data indicate that brain uptake of LEV is not affected by Pgp or MRP1/2 which may be an important reason for its antiepileptic efficacy in patients whose seizures are poorly controlled by other AEDs.