Aim: Recently a SNP of the gene encoding P450 oxidoreductase (POR*28; rs1057868C>T) has been associated with increased in vivo CYP3A activity using midazolam as a drug probe. Because tacrolimus is metabolized by CYP3A isoenzymes, this SNP might affect tacrolimus pharmacokinetics.
Materials & methods: To test this hypothesis we performed a study in a cohort of 298 de novo renal allograft recipients stratified according to CYP3A5 genotype, which has a known impact on tacrolimus pharmacokinetics.
Results: We found that in CYP3A5 expressers (CYP3A5*1 allele carriers) receiving a standard loading dose of 0.2 mg/kg, POR*28T allele carriers had lower tacrolimus C₀ levels in the first days post-transplantation and reached target C₀ levels significantly later as compared with POR*28CC homozygous patients. The POR*28T allele carriers had significantly higher tacrolimus dose requirements throughout the first year. In CYP3A5 nonexpressers (CYP3A5*3/*3) the POR*28 SNP did not affect tacrolimus pharmacokinetics.
Conclusion: These data indicate that the POR*28 SNP is associated with additional increases in early tacrolimus dose-requirements in patients carrying a CYP3A5*1 allele.