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Biologics are structurally heterogeneous and can undergo biotransformation in the body. Etanercept (ETN) is a fusion protein composed of a soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor and the Fc portion of human immunoglobulin G1. The N-terminus of ETN has a putative sequence cleaved by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). The purpose of this study was to investigate the biotransformation of ETN in humans and mice and evaluate its effects on functional properties.An analytical method using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was established. The N-terminal heterogeneity of ETN was assessed in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis or mice receiving ETN. The in vitro N-terminal truncation was explored using recombinant DPP-4. The binding affinity to TNF-α or TNF-β was investigated using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.In the formulations, about 90% of ETN had an intact N-terminus, while the N-terminal truncated form was most abundant in the serum of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis and mice. Recombinant human DPP-4 cleaved two amino acids from the N-terminus of ETN in vitro. Sitagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, inhibited N-terminal truncation both in vivo and in vitro. However, N-terminal truncation did not affect the binding ability to TNF-α or TNF-β and the pharmacokinetics of ETN. ETN biosimilars exhibited similar characteristics to the reference product in vivo and in vitro.ETN undergoes N-terminal truncation in the body, and DPP-4 cleaves exogenous ETN via N-terminal proteolysis. The application of an MS-based assay will detect novel biotransformation of therapeutic proteins.

Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1), a pharmacological target of ezetimibe, is responsible for cholesterol absorption in enterocytes and hepatocytes. In the present study, the involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and its cofactor, PPARγ coactivator 1α (PGC1α) in the transcriptional regulation of human NPC1L1 was analyzed. Reporter gene assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) were performed with the 5′-flanking region of the human NPC1L1 gene and the effect of siPPARα was examined. PPARα-mediated transactivation was observed with human NPC1L1 promoter constructs. Detailed analyses using deletion- and mutated-promoter constructs revealed the presence of a functional PPARα-response element (PPRE) upstream of the human NPC1L1 gene (−846/−834), a direct binding of PPARα and RXRα to which was confirmed by EMSAs. Moreover, PPARα-specific knockdown resulted in a significant decrease in the endogenous expression of NPC1L1 mRNA and protein in human-derived HepG2 cells. Furthermore, cotransfection of PGC1α stimulated the SREBP2/HNF4α- and PPARα/RXRα-mediated activation of the human NPC1L1 promoter. We found that PPARα positively regulates human NPC1L1 transcription via direct binding to a PPRE. Additionally, PGC1α stimulates the SREBP2/HNF4α- and PPARα/RXRα-mediated transactivation of human NPC1L1. These findings may provide new insights into the close relationship of glucose, fatty acids and cholesterol homeostasis.

Our previous studies showed that the mRNA level of human organic anion transporter (hOAT) 3 in the kidney was correlated with the rate of elimination of an anionic antibiotic cefazolin. However, the correlation coefficient was not so high. In the present study, therefore, we enrolled more patients to examine whether additional factors were responsible for the correlation. hOAT mRNA levels in renal biopsy specimens were quantified using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. The elimination rates for the free fraction of cefazolin were determined in patients with various renal diseases. In the present study, the coefficient of correlation between the hOAT3 mRNA level and the elimination rates for the free fraction of cefazolin was not so high in the patients overall as in our previous study (r = 0.536). However, following the classification of renal diseases, a better correlation was obtained in patients with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (r = 0.723). In contrast, multiple regression analyses including gender, age, and liver function did not result in any improvements in the correlation coefficients. These results suggest that the hOAT3 mRNA level is a significant marker of pharmacokinetics with which to predict the rate of elimination of cefazolin in patients with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis.

Purpose. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of zinc on the intestinal peptide transporters (PEPT1 and basolateral peptide transporter) and to elucidate the mechanism of the interactions. Methods. Caco-2 cells were pretreated with zinc, and the uptake studies were carried out. Results. Zinc treatment resulted in the inhibition of [14C]glycylsarcosine (Gly-Sar) uptake via PEPT1 in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas it showed moderate inhibitory effect on the basolateral peptide transporter. Zinc also inhibited the uptake of oral β-lactam antibiotics such as ceftibuten and cephradine by PEPT1. Kinetic analysis showed that zinc treatment increased K m values without affecting V max values of the [14C]Gly-Sar uptake. The inhibition of [14C]Gly-Sar uptake induced by zinc was observed in the presence of an H+ gradient but not in the absence of an H+ gradient. Conclusions. These results indicate that zinc is a competitive inhibitor of PEPT1. Zinc inhibited the PEPT1 function, possibly by interacting with histidine residues of PEPT1 that are part of an H+-binding site. These findings would provide important information for clinical, physiologic, and biochemical aspects of peptide transporters.

Purpose. Peptide transporters PEPT1 and PEPT2 differ substantiallyin their substrate affinity and recognition. The aim of this study is todefine the structural domains which influence the functionalcharacteristics of both transporters Methods. Two kinds of chimeric peptide transporters (PEPT-N1C2and PEPT-N2C1) were constructed, and their functional characteristicswere compared with those of wild-type transporters in stabletransfectants. Results. PEPT-N1C2, the N-terminal half of rat PEPT1 and theC-terminal half of rat PEPT2, and the reciprocal chimera PEPT-N2C1were functionally expressed in LLC-PK1 cells. The pH-profiles of [14C]glycylsarcosine uptake by PEPT-N1C2 and PEPT-N2C1 were close tothose of PEPT1 and PEPT2, respectively. Substrate recognition forPEPT-N1C2 and PEPT-N2C1 was also similar to that of PEPT1 andPEPT2, respectively. However, substrate affinities for PEPT-N1C2were higher than those for PEPT1, although those for PEPT-N2C1 andPEPT2 were comparable. Conclusions. These results indicate that functional regions which areassociated with the extracellular pH changes and are responsible forsubstrate recognition of PEPT1 and PEPT2 may be located in theN-terminal halves of the proteins. In addition, it is suggested that thedomain to affect the substrate affinity exists in the C-terminal as wellas in the N-terminal half of rat PEPT2.

Transport characteristics and tissue distribution of the rat H+/organic cation antiporter MATE1 (multidrug and toxin extrusion 1) were examined. Rat MATE1 cDNA was isolated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cloning. Transport characteristics of rat MATE1 were assessed by HEK293 cells transiently expressing rat MATE1. The mRNA expression of rat MATE1 was examined by Northern blot and real-time PCR analyses. The uptake of a prototypical organic cation tetraethylammonium (TEA) by MATE1-expressing cells was concentration-dependent, and showed the greatest value at pH 8.4 and the lowest at pH 6.0–6.5. Intracellular acidification induced by ammonium chloride resulted in a marked stimulation of TEA uptake. MATE1 transported not only organic cations such as cimetidine and metformin but also the zwitterionic compound cephalexin. MATE1 mRNA was expressed abundantly in the kidney and placenta, slightly in the spleen, but not expressed in the liver. Real-time PCR analysis of microdissected nephron segments showed that MATE1 was primarily expressed in the proximal convoluted and straight tubules. These findings indicate that MATE1 is expressed in the renal proximal tubules and can mediate the transport of various organic cations and cephalexin using an oppositely directed H+ gradient.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of zinc on the intestinal peptide transporters (PEPT1 and basolateral peptide transporter) and to elucidate the mechanism of the interactions.Caco-2 cells were pretreated with zinc, and the uptake studies were carried out.Zinc treatment resulted in the inhibition of [14C]glycylsarcosine (Gly-Sar) uptake via PEPT1 in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas it showed moderate inhibitory effect on the basolateral peptide transporter. Zinc also inhibited the uptake of oral beta-lactam antibiotics such as ceftibuten and cephradine by PEPT1. Kinetic analysis showed that zinc treatment increased Km values without affecting Vmax values of the [14C]Gly-Sar uptake. The inhibition of [14C]Gly-Sar uptake induced by zinc was observed in the presence of an H+ gradient but not in the absence of an H+ gradient.These results indicate that zinc is a competitive inhibitor of PEPT1. Zinc inhibited the PEPT1 function, possibly by interacting with histidine residues of PEPT1 that are part of an H+-binding site. These findings would provide important information for clinical, physiologic, and biochemical aspects of peptide transporters.