RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Carboxylesterase 2 and Intestine Transporters Contribute to the Low Bioavailability of Allisartan, a Prodrug of Exp3174 for Hypertension Treatment in Humans
JF Drug Metabolism and Disposition
JO Drug Metab Dispos
FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
SP 843
OP 853
DO 10.1124/dmd.118.085092
VO 47
IS 8
A1 Li, Xiuli
A1 Sun, Jingchao
A1 Guo, Zitao
A1 Zhong, Dafang
A1 Chen, Xiaoyan
YR 2019
UL http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/47/8/843.abstract
AB Exp3174 is an active metabolite of losartan for the treatment of hypertension. Allisartan (ALS3) is a marketed ester prodrug of Exp3174 to reduce bioavailability variation of losartan in China. However, ALS3 exhibited a lower oral absorption than losartan in humans. In this study, the enzymes and transporters involved in ALS3 and Exp3174 disposition were investigated to clarify the mechanisms. ALS3 underwent extensive hydrolysis to Exp3174 in S9 of Caco-2 cells, human intestine microsomes (HIM), recombinant carboxylesterase (rCES) 1, and rCES2. ALS3 exhibited similar affinity in HIM and rCES2 with Km values of 6.92 and 6.77 μM, respectively, indicating that ALS3 is mainly hydrolyzed to Exp3174 in human intestine by CES2. Transport assays of ALS3 and Exp3174 suggested that ALS3 and Exp3174 are substrates of P-glycoprotein, breast cancer resistance protein, and multidrug resistance protein 2 with poor permeability. Organic anion-transporting polypeptide 2B1 showed higher affinity and clearance toward ALS3 (Km 0.75 μM and intrinsic clearance 215 μl/min/mg) than those of Exp3174 (Km 7.85 μM and intrinsic clearance 16.1 μl/min/mg), indicating that ALS3 is preferred to be uptaken into intestinal epithelia. Hydrolysis of ALS3 was increased from approximately 30% to 55% in CES2-transfected human embryonic kidney 293-OATP2B1 cells, indicating the possible interplay between OATP2B1 and CES2. The influx and efflux of ALS3 across Caco-2 cells increased the potential of ALS3 hydrolysis to Exp3174, and the produced Exp3174 was rapidly pumped out, which led to undetectable ALS3 and Exp3174 in basolateral (receiver) side in Caco-2 cells. Overall, our study provided supportive evidences that the interplay between CES2 and transporters in intestine contributes to the low bioavailability of ALS3 in humans.