Identification of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoforms responsible for leonurine glucuronidation in human liver and intestinal microsomes

Abstract

1.?Leonurine is a potent component of herbal medicine Herba leonuri. The detail information on leonurine metabolism in human has not been revealed so far.

2.?Two primary metabolites, leonurine O-glucuronide and demethylated leonurine, were observed and identified in pooled human liver microsomes (HLMs) and O-glucuronide is the predominant one.

3.?Among 12 recombinant human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), UGT1A1, UGT1A8, UGT1A9, and UGT1A10 showed catalyzing activity toward leonurine glucuronidation. The intrinsic clearance (CL_int) of UGT1A1 was approximately 15-to 20-fold higher than that of UGT1A8, UGT1A9, and UGT1A10, respectively. Both chemical inhibition study and correlation study demonstrated that leonurine glucuronidation activities in HLMs had significant relationship with UGT1A1 activities.

4.?Leonurine glucuronide was the major metabolite in human liver microsomes. UGT1A1 was principal enzyme that responsible for leonurine glucuronidation in human liver and intestine microsomes.     

Quaternary ammonium-linked glucuronidation of tamoxifen by human liver microsomes and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A4

Tamoxifen (TAM), a nonsteroidal antiestrogen, is the most widely used drug for chemotherapy of hormone-dependent breast cancer in women. In the present study, we found a new potential metabolic pathway of TAM via N-linked glucuronic acid conjugation for excretion in humans. TAM N(+)-glucuronide was isolated from a reaction mixture consisting of TAM and human liver microsomes fortified with UDP-glucuronic acid (UDPGA) and identified with a synthetic specimen by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. However, no TAM-glucuronidating activity was detected in microsomes from rat, mouse, monkey, dog, and guinea pig livers. A strong correlation (r(2) =0.92 ) was observed between N-glucuronidating activities toward TAM and trifluoperazine, a probe substrate for human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A4, in human liver microsomes from eight donors (five females, three males). However, no correlation ( (r(2) =0.02 )) was observed in the activities between 7-hydroxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin and TAM. Only UGT1A4 catalyzed the N-linked glucuronidation of TAM among recombinant UGTs (UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A4, UGT1A6, UGT1A9, UGT2B4, UGT2B7, UGT2B15, and UGT2B17) expressed in insect cells. Apparent K(m) values for TAM N-glucuronidation by human liver microsomes and recombinant UGT1A4 were 35.8 and 32.4 microM, respectively. These results strongly suggested that UGT1A4 could play a role in metabolism and excretion of TAM without Phase I metabolism in human liver. TAM N(+)-glucuronide still had binding affinity similar to TAM itself for human estrogen receptors, ERalpha and ERbeta, suggesting that TAM N(+)-glucuronide might contribute to the biological activity of TAM in vivo.     

Acyl glucuronidation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics by the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A subfamily in human liver microsomes.

Acyl glucuronidation is an important metabolic pathway for fluoroquinolone antibiotics. However, it is unclear which human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes are involved in the glucuronidation of the fluoroquinolones. The in vitro formation of levofloxacin (LVFX), grepafloxacin (GPFX), moxifloxacin (MFLX), and sitafloxacin (STFX) glucuronides was investigated in human liver microsomes and cDNA-expressed recombinant human UGT enzymes. The apparent Km values for human liver microsomes ranged from 1.9 to 10.0 mM, and the intrinsic clearance values (calculated as Vmax/Km) had a rank order of MFLX > GPFX > STFX > > LVFX. In a bank of human liver microsomes (n = 14), the glucuronidation activities of LVFX, MFLX, and STFX correlated highly with UGT1A1-selective beta-estradiol 3-glucuronidation activity, whereas the glucuronidation activity of GPFX correlated highly with UGT1A9-selective propofol glucuronidation activity. Among 12 recombinant UGT enzymes, UGT1A1, 1A3, 1A7, and 1A9 catalyzed the glucuronidation of these fluoroquinolones. Results of enzyme kinetics studies using the recombinant UGT enzymes indicated that UGT1A1 most efficiently glucuronidates MFLX, and UGT1A9 most efficiently glucuronidates GPFX. In addition, the glucuronidation activities of MFLX and STFX in human liver microsomes were potently inhibited by bilirubin with IC50 values of 4.9 microM and 4.7 microM, respectively; in contrast, the glucuronidation activity of GPFX was inhibited by mefenamic acid with an IC50 value of 9.8 microM. These results demonstrate that UGT1A1, 1A3, and 1A9 enzymes are involved in the glucuronidation of LVFX, GPFX, MFLX, and STFX in human liver microsomes, and that MFLX and STFX are predominantly glucuronidated by UGT1A1, whereas GPFX is mainly glucuronidated by UGT1A9.     

Inhibition of genistein glucuronidation by bisphenol A in human and rat liver microsomes

Genistein is a natural phytoestrogen of the soybean, and bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics. Both genistein and BPA disrupt the endocrine system in vivo and in vitro. Growing concerns of altered xenobiotic metabolism due to concomitant exposures from soy milk in BPA-laden baby bottles has warranted the investigation of the glucuronidation rate of genistein in the absence and presence (25 μM) of BPA by human liver microsomes (HLM) and rat liver microsomes (RLM). HLM yield V(max) values of 0.93 ± 0.10 nmol · min(-1) · mg(-1) and 0.62 ± 0.05 nmol · min(-1) · mg(-1) in the absence and presence of BPA, respectively. K(m) values for genistein glucuronidation by HLM in the absence and presence of BPA are 15.1 ± 7.9 μM and 21.5 ± 7.7 μM, respectively, resulting in a K(i) value of 58.7 μM for BPA. Significantly reduced V(max) and unchanged K(m) in the presence of BPA in HLM are suggestive of noncompetitive inhibition. In RLM, the presence of BPA resulted in a K(i) of 35.7 μM, an insignificant change in V(max) (2.91 ± 0.26 nmol · min(-1) · mg(-1) and 3.05 ± 0.41 nmol · min(-1) · mg(-1) in the absence and presence of BPA, respectively), and an increase in apparent K(m) (49.4 ± 14 μM with no BPA and 84.0 ± 28 μM with BPA), indicative of competitive inhibition. These findings are significant because they suggest that BPA is capable of inhibiting the glucuronidation of genistein in vitro, and that the type of inhibition is different between HLM and RLM.     

Stereoselective glucuronidation of ofloxacin in rat liver microsomes.

The stereoselective glucuronidation of ofloxacin [(+/-)-OFLX], a new quinolone antibacterial agent, was studied in vitro using rat liver microsomes. OFLX glucuronidation exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics in rat liver microsomes. Stereoselective glucuronidation of the optical enantiomers occurred. S-(-)-OFLX glucuronide was produced 7-fold more than R-(+)-OFLX glucuronide with little or no difference in the values of KM of the enantiomers. The value of Vmax/KM for the glucuronide conjugate of S-(-)-OFLX was 8-fold greater than for the conjugate of R-(+)-OFLX. These results demonstrate that OFLX undergoes stereoselective glucuronidation in vitro. Moreover, we studied the in vivo interaction between enantiomers of OFLX in rats to clarify the effects of R-(+)-OFLX on the metabolism and disposition of S-(-)-OFLX. When the racemate [(+/-)-OFLX (20 mg/kg)] or single enantiomer [S-(-)-OFLX (10 mg/kg)] is administered iv to the rat, the serum concentrations of S-(-)-OFLX were higher after racemate administration than those after enantiomer administration, although the dose of S-(-)-OFLX was identical in both cases. These results indicate that R-(+)-OFLX may compete with S-(-)-OFLX in the in vivo glucuronidation. Furthermore, the results of the enantiomeric inhibition study showed that R-(+)-OFLX competitively inhibited S-(-)-OFLX glucuronidation in vitro with a Ki value of 2.92 mM.     

Variation in glucuronidation of lamotrigine in human liver microsomes

1. Lamotrigine (LTG), a diaminotriazine anti-epileptic, is principally metabolized at the 2-position of the triazine ring to form a quaternary ammonium glucuronide (LTGG) by uridine glucuronosyl transferease (UGT) 1A3 and UGT1A4. It has been hypothesized that glucuronidation of anti-epileptic drugs is spared with age, despite a known decrease in liver mass, based on older studies with benzodiazepines such as lorazepam. To examine this, the formation rates of LTGG formation were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in a bank of human liver microsomes (HLMs) obtained from younger and elderly donors at therapeutic concentrations.

2. The formation rate of LTGG was not significantly different in HLMs obtained from younger and elderly subjects. A four- to five-fold variation for the formation of LTGG was observed within each microsomal bank obtained from elderly and younger donors, and the range of LTGG formation was observed to be 0.15–0.78?nmoles min^?1 mg^?1 of protein across the entire set of HLMs (n?=?36, elderly and younger HLMs).

3. UGT1A4 and UGT1A3 catalysed the formation of LTGG with an intrinsic clearances of 0.28 and 0.02?μl min^?1 mg^?1 protein, respectively. UGT2B7 and UGT2B4 showed no measurable activity. No correlation was observed across the HLM bank for glucuronidation of LTG and valproic acid (a substrate for multiple UGT isoforms including UGT1A4).

     

山姜素在人肝微粒体的葡萄糖醛酸化反应研究

目的研究体外肝微粒体孵育体系中山姜素的葡萄糖醛酸化代谢情况,鉴定参与山姜素葡萄糖醛酸化代谢的UGT亚型。方法用体外肝微粒体孵育体系,用HPLC-UV检测方法,检测山姜素的葡萄糖醛酸化代谢情况。将代谢产物进行纯化后,用质谱(MS)和核磁共振(NMR)法进一步鉴定其结构。用商业化重组表达的UGT单酶,鉴定代谢产物的结构和归属可能参与山姜素葡萄糖醛酸化代谢反应的葡萄糖醛酸转移酶(UGTs)亚型。结果山姜素葡萄糖醛酸代谢产生一个代谢产物,经结构鉴定为山姜素-氧-单葡萄糖醛酸化产物。人肝微粒体代谢山姜素的动力学行为,符合米方程且动力学参数:Vmax=(101.9±3.0)nmol·min-1·mg-1·pro,Km=(40.6±3.6)μmol·L-1。UGT1A1、UGT1A3、UGT1A9和UGT2B15均参与了山姜素的葡萄糖醛酸化反应。结论山姜素在人肝微粒体孵育体系中会被代谢成为一个单葡萄糖醛酸化产物,且归属了参与的UGT酶。     

Stereochemical heterogeneity of hepatic UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in rat liver microsomes

Rat liver UDP glucuronosyltransferase activities may be divided into at least two groups with differential responses towards substrates. This paper deals with an attempt to describe on what chemical basis the two groups may be distinguished. We studied the glucuronidation of 24 substrates in liver-microsomes of Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene or phenobarbital. The conjugation of 11 substrates was stimulated most strongly by 3-methylcholanthrene and that of the others, by phenobarbital. The estimated thickness of the molecules in their most likely conformation was below 4 Å for molecules of the first group and more than 4 Å for the second. The thickness or the bulkiness of the molecules seems to play an important role. However, for phenol substituted in the position 2, a steric effect or intramolecular interactions may change the substrate's classification within these two groups. It was also noticed that phenobarbital stimulated more than 3-methylcholanthrene the glucuronidation of the corresponding hydroxylated metabolite.     

Assessment of catechol induction and glucuronidation in rat liver microsomes.

Catechols are substances with a 1,2-dihydroxybenzene group from natural or synthetic origin. The aim of this study was to determine whether catechols (4-methylcatechol, 4-nitrocatechol, 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene) and the antiparkinsonian drugs, entacapone and tolcapone, at doses 150 to 300 mg/kg/day, for 3 days, are able to enhance their own glucuronidation. The induction potency of catechols on rat liver UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) was compared with that of a standard polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) inducer, Aroclor 1254. The glucuronidation rate of these catechols was enhanced up to 15-fold in the liver microsomes of PCB-treated rats, whereas treatment with catechols had little effect. Entacapone, tolcapone, 4-methylcatechol, catechol, 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene, and 4-nitrocatechol were glucuronidated in control microsomes at rates ranging from 0.12 for entacapone to 22.0 nmol/min/mg for 4-nitrocatechol. Using 1-naphthol, entacapone, and 1-hydroxypyrene as substrates, a 5-, 8-, and 16-fold induction was detected in the PCB rats, respectively, whereas the catechol-induced activities were 1.1- to 1.5-fold only. Entacapone was glucuronidated more efficiently by PCB microsomes than by control microsomes (Vmax/Km, 0.0125 and 0.0016 ml/min/mg protein, respectively). Similar kinetic results were obtained for 1-hydroxypyrene. The Eadie-Hofstee plots suggested the contribution of multiple UGTs for the glucuronidation of 1-hydroxypyrene (Km1, Km2, Km3 = 0.8, 9.7, and 63 microM, and Vmax1, Vmax2, Vmax3 = 11, 24, and 55 nmol/min/mg, respectively), whereas only one UGT could be implicated in the glucuronidation of entacapone (Km = 130 microM, Vmax = 1.6 nmol/min/mg). In conclusion, catechols are poor inducers of their own glucuronidation supported by several UGT isoforms. Their administration is unlikely to affect the glucuronidation of other drugs administered concomitantly.     

Stereoselective oxidation and glucuronidation of carvedilol in human liver and intestinal microsomes

The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism for the stereoselective presystemic clearance of carvedilol. We examined the oxidation and glucuronidation of carvedilol in human liver microsomes (HLM) and human intestinal microsomes (HIM). The oxidation of carvedilol in HLM and HIM was evaluated in the presence of NADPH, whereas glucuronidation was evaluated in the presence of UDP-glucuronic acid. Oxidation of S-carvedilol in HLM and HIM was greater than that of R-carvedilol. In addition, the oxidation of R-carvedilol in HLM was inhibited by quinidine, whereas that of S-carvedilol was inhibited by both quinidine and furafylline. On the other hand, R- and S-carvedilol oxidation in HIM was inhibited by ketoconazole. Glucuronidation of S-carvedilol in HLM and HIM was also higher than that of R-carvedilol. These results suggested that cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 and CYP1A2 are involved in the stereoselective oxidation of carvedilol in the liver, that CYP3A4 is involved in intestinal oxidation, and that glucuronidation in the liver and intestine is at least partly responsible for stereoselective presystemic clearance.     

The glucuronidation of mycophenolic acid by human liver, kidney and jejunum microsomes

AIMS: To estimate the relative contribution of liver, kidney and jejunum to MPA elimination via glucuronidation from in vitro kinetic data. METHODS: The kinetics of MPA glucuronidation by human liver, kidney and jejunum microsomes were characterized. Mycophenolic acid glucuronide (MPAG) concentrations in microsomal incubations were determined using a specific h.p.l.c. procedure. Non-specific microsomal binding of MPA was excluded using an equilibrium dialysis approach. RESULTS: Microsomes from all three tissues catalysed the conversion of MPA to MPAG. Mean microsomal intrinsic clearances for MPAG formation by liver, kidney and jejunum microsomes were 46.6, 73.5 and 24.5 microl (min mg)(-1), respectively. When extrapolated to the whole organ, however, hepatic intrinsic clearance was 21- and 38-fold higher than the respective intrinsic clearances for kidney and small intestine. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the liver is the organ primarily responsible for the systemic clearance of MPA, with little contribution from the kidney, and that the small intestine would be expected to contribute to first-pass extraction to a minor extent only.     

The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2B7 isozyme is responsible for gemfibrozil glucuronidation in the human liver.

Gemfibrozil, a fibrate hypolipidemic agent, is eliminated in humans by glucuronidation. A gemfibrozil glucuronide has been reported to show time-dependent inhibition of cytochrome P450 2C8. Comprehensive assessment of the drug interaction between gemfibrozil and cytochrome P450 2C8 substrates requires a clear understanding of gemfibrozil glucuronidation. However, the primary UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isozymes responsible for gemfibrozil glucuronidation remain to be determined. Here, we identified the main UGT isozymes involved in gemfibrozil glucuronidation. Evaluation of 12 recombinant human UGT isozymes shows gemfibrozil glucuronidation activity in UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A9, UGT2B4, UGT2B7, and UGT2B17, with UGT2B7 showing the highest activity. The kinetics of gemfibrozil glucuronidation in pooled human liver microsomes (HLMs) follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics with high and low affinity components. The high affinity K(m) value was 2.5 microM, which is similar to the K(m) value of gemfibrozil glucuronidation in recombinant UGT2B7 (2.2 microM). In 16 HLMs, a significant correlation was observed between gemfibrozil glucuronidation and both morphine 3-OH glucuronidation (r = 0.966, p < 0.0001) and flurbiprofen glucuronidation (r = 0.937, p < 0.0001), two reactions mainly catalyzed by UGT2B7, whereas no significant correlation was observed between gemfibrozil glucuronidation and either estradiol 3beta-glucuronidation and propofol glucuronidation, two reactions catalyzed by UGT1A1 and UGT1A9, respectively. Flurbiprofen and mefenamic acid inhibited gemfibrozil glucuronidation in HLMs with similar IC(50) values to those reported in recombinant UGT2B7. These results suggest that UGT2B7 is the main isozyme responsible for gemfibrozil glucuronidation in humans.     

Comparative study of clofibric acid and bilirubin glucuronidation in human liver microsomes

Hepatic microsomal glucuronoconjugation of the hypolipidemic drug clofibric acid was characterized in human liver and compared to the acylglucuronide formation of an endogenous substrate, bilirubin. The affinity of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase for bilirubin was 15-fold higher than for clofibric acid; the Vmax for the transformation of the two substrates were similar. The analysis of the specific activity in 32 liver biopsies showed that glucuronidation of clofibric acid or bilirubin were comparable in man and in rat. However, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity towards clofibric acid exhibited a large interindividual variation in man. Sex or age did not influence the glucuronidation of bilirubin and clofibric acid. Among the drugs given to the patients only clofibrate was able to increase the bilirubin conjugation. No effect of alcohol or smoking on the conjugation of the two substrates was observed. The absence of correlation between UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activities towards clofibric acid and bilirubin together with the specific induction of bilirubin glucuronidation by clofibrate suggested that these arylcarboxylic substrates were conjugated by separate forms of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase in human.     

Prediction of drug clearance by glucuronidation from in vitro data: use of combined cytochrome P450 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase cofactors in alamethicin-activated human liver microsomes

Glucuronidation via UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) is an increasingly important clearance pathway. In this study intrinsic clearance (CL(int)) values for buprenorphine, carvedilol, codeine, diclofenac, gemfibrozil, ketoprofen, midazolam, naloxone, raloxifene, and zidovudine were determined in pooled human liver microsomes using the substrate depletion approach. The in vitro clearance data indicated a varying contribution of glucuronidation to the clearance of the compounds studied, ranging from 6 to 79% for midazolam and gemfibrozil, respectively. The CL(int) was obtained using either individual or combined cofactors for cytochrome P450 (P450) and UGT enzymes with alamethicin activation and in the presence and absence of 2% bovine serum albumin (BSA). In the presence of combined P450 and UGT cofactors, CL(int) ranged from 2.8 to 688 microl/min/mg for zidovudine and buprenorphine, respectively; the clearance was approximately equal to the sum of the CL(int) values obtained in the presence of individual cofactors. The unbound intrinsic clearance (CL(int, u)) was scaled to provide an in vivo predicted CL(int); the data obtained in the presence of combined cofactors resulted in 5-fold underprediction on average. Addition of 2% BSA to the incubation with both P450 and UGT cofactors reduced the bias in the clearance prediction, with 8 of 10 compounds predicted within 2-fold of in vivo values with the exception of raloxifene and gemfibrozil. The current study indicates the applicability of combined cofactor conditions in the assessment of clearance for compounds with a differential contribution of P450 and UGT enzymes to their elimination. In addition, improved predictability of microsomal data is observed in the presence of BSA, in particular for UGT2B7 substrates.     

Inhibition of morphine glucuronidation by oxazepam in human fetal liver microsomes

Uridine diphosphoglucuronyltransferase activity toward morphine was measured in vitro in preparations of human fetal liver microsomes. The inhibition of the glucuronidation of morphine was studied at concentrations of morphine and uridine diphosphoglucuronic acid of 3 and 15 mM, respectively. Oxazepam inhibited the reaction by about 50% at concentration of 0.3 mM. The inhibition was almost complete when the concentration was 3 mM, i.e., the same as for morphine. Salicylamide was considerably less potent as an inhibitor of morphine glucuronidation with an almost 100-fold difference in potency as compared to oxazepam. Lineweaver-Burk plots of the inhibition data revealed that oxazepam exerts a competitive type of inhibition with an apparent Ki value of 0.2 mM.     

Kinetic and inhibitor studies of acetaminophen and zidovudine glucuronidation in rat liver microsomes.

The antiviral drug zidovudine (ZDV) and the analgesic and antipyretic agent acetaminophen (AP) are both biotransformed in the liver of humans to ether glucuronides. A previous clinical trial of ZDV suggested the potential for a clinically significant interaction between AP and ZDV, probably based upon competing hepatic metabolism. To study the mechanism of this potential competition between AP and ZDV as substrates for uridine diphosphoglucuronyltransferase (UDPGT), enzyme kinetic studies were performed using rat liver microsome preparations. Cross inhibition studies demonstrated that AP glucuronidation was competitively inhibited by ZDV, while ZDV glucuronidation was slightly inhibited by AP in a noncompetitive interaction.     

Inhibition of mycophenolic acid glucuronidation by niflumic acid in human liver microsomes

OBJECTIVES: The first aim of this investigation was to study the variability of mycophenolic acid (MPA) glucuronidation rate in human liver. The second aim was to study the inhibition type of niflumic acid (NA) for MPA glucuronidation in human liver. The third aim was to study the variability of the IC(50) value of NA for MPA glucuronidation in human liver. METHODS: The rate of MPA glucuronidation was measured by employing an assay based on uridine 5'-diphosphate-[U-(14)C]-glucuronic acid (UDPGA), and MPA glucuronide was isolated by means of thin-layer chromatography. The necessary concentration for UDPGA and MPA was 1 mM. The rate of MPA glucuronidation was measured in 50 human liver samples. The inhibition type of NA for MPA glucuronidation was studied in 5 human liver samples. The NA IC(50) value was measured in 27 human liver samples using six concentrations of NA ranging from 1.05 microM to 34 microM. RESULTS: MPA glucuronidation rate was positively skewed, was not gender regulated and did not correlate with the liver donor's age. The rate of MPA glucuronidation varied 4.8-fold within the 5th and 95th percentiles, with a mean+/-SD and a median of 2.8+/-1.0 nmol/min/mg and 2.5 nmol/min/mg, respectively. The inhibition type of NA for MPA glucuronidation was mixed non-competitive. The Ki value of NA (mean+/-SD) was 15+/-10 microM and, in non-inhibited samples, the K(m) value for MPA was 0.41+/-0.06 mM. The distribution of NA IC(50) value varied 3.3-fold within the 5th and 95th percentiles with a mean+/-SD and a median of 5.6+/-2.1 microM and 5.2 microM, respectively. The distribution of NA IC(50) value did not deviate significantly from normality. CONCLUSION: The range of hepatic rate of MPA glucuronidation is narrow relative to those of ethinyloestradiol, testosterone and zidovudine glucuronidation obtained from literature. The Ki value of NA is one order of magnitude lower than the K(m) for MPA in non-inhibited samples. This indicates that the inhibitor affinity for glucuronosyl transferase is greater than that of the substrate. The range of variation of NA IC(50) values is narrow.     

Genetic variation of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase: implications in disease and drug glucuronidation

The uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are key enzymes in human detoxication of xeno- and endobiotics. Potentially toxic endogenous compounds such as bilirubin, or exogenous compounds such as drugs, pesticides, and carcinogens, are generally transformed into water-soluble glucuronides for excretion in bile and urine. The UGTs are encoded by a multigene family in humans. A relatively small number of human enzymes catalyze the glucuronidation of thousands of compounds. Genetic variations and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the UGT genes are remarkably common, and lead to genetic polymorphisms. The multiplicity of transferases, some exhibiting overlapping substrate specificity, may provide functional compensation for genetic deficit in some cases. Genetic variation may cause different phenotypes by affecting expression levels or activities of individual UGTs. This inter-individual variation in UGTs has resulted in functional deficit affecting endogenous metabolism and leading to jaundice and other diseases. Disruption of the normal metabolic physiology, by the reduction of bile acid excretion or steroid glucuronidation, may lead to cholestasis and organ dysfunction. Deficient glucuronidation of drugs and xenobiotics have an important pharmacological impact, which may lead to drug-induced adverse reactions, and even cancer. Additional novel polymorphisms in this gene family are yet to be revealed and studied, but will have a profound effect on the development of new drugs and therapies.     

Quaternary ammonium-linked glucuronidation of trans-4-hydroxytamoxifen, an active metabolite of tamoxifen, by human liver microsomes and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A4

Tamoxifen (TAM), a nonsteroidal antiestrogen, is the most widely used drug for chemotherapy of hormone-dependent breast cancer in women. Trans-4-hydroxy-TAM (trans-4-HO-TAM), one of the TAM metabolites in humans, has been considered to be an active metabolite of TAM because of its higher affinity toward estrogen receptors (ERs) than the parent drug and other side-chain metabolites. In the present study, we found a new potential metabolic pathway of trans-4-HO-TAM and its geometrical isomer, cis-4-HO-TAM, via N-linked glucuronic acid conjugation for excretion in humans. N+-Glucuronides of 4-HO-TAM isomers were isolated along with O-glucuronides from a reaction mixture consisting of trans- or cis-4-HO-TAM and human liver microsomes fortified with UDP-glucuronic acid and identified with their respective synthetic specimens by high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Although N- and O-glucuronidating activities of human liver microsomes toward trans-4-HO-TAM were nearly comparable, O-glucuronidation was predominant for cis-4-HO-TAM conjugation. Only UGT1A4 catalyzed the N-linked glucuronidation of 4-HO-TAM among recombinant human UGT isoforms (UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A4, UGT1A6, UGT1A7, UGT1A8, UGT1A9, UGT1A10, UGT2B4, UGT2B7, UGT2B15, and UGT2B17) expressed in insect cells. In contrast, all UGT isoforms, except for UGT1A3 and UGT1A4, catalyzed O-glucuronidation of 4-HO-TAM. Although O-glucuronidation of 4-HO-TAM greatly decreased binding affinity for human ERs, 4-HO-TAM N+-glucuronide still had binding affinity similar to 4-HO-TAM itself, suggesting that N+-glucuronide might contribute to the biological activity of TAM in vivo.