Pharmacokinetic role of protein binding of mycophenolic acid and its glucuronide metabolite in renal transplant recipients

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active compound of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), is used to prevent graft rejection in renal transplant recipients. MPA is glucuronidated to the metabolite MPAG, which exhibits enterohepatic recirculation (EHC). MPA binds for 97% and MPAG binds for 82% to plasma proteins. Low plasma albumin concentrations, impaired renal function and coadministration of cyclosporine have been reported to be associated with increased clearance of MPA. The aim of the study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic model describing the relationship between MMF dose and total MPA (tMPA), unbound MPA (fMPA), total MPAG (tMPAG) and unbound MPAG (fMPAG). In this model the correlation between pharmacokinetic parameters and renal function, plasma albumin concentrations and cotreatment with cyclosporine was quantified. tMPA, fMPA, tMPAG and fMPAG concentration–time profiles of renal transplant recipients cotreated with cyclosporine (n = 48) and tacrolimus (n = 45) were analyzed using NONMEM. A 2- and 1-compartment model were used to describe the pharmacokinetics of fMPA and fMPAG. The central compartments of fMPA and fMPAG were connected with an albumin compartment allowing competitive binding (bMPA and bMPAG). tMPA and tMPAG were modeled as the sum of the bound and unbound concentrations. EHC was modeled by transport of fMPAG to a separate gallbladder compartment. This transport was decreased in case of cyclosporine cotreatment (P < 0.001). In the model, clearance of fMPAG decreased when creatinine clearance (CrCL) was reduced (P < 0.001), and albumin concentration was correlated with the maximum number of binding sites available for MPA and MPAG (P < 0.001). In patients with impaired renal function cotreated with cyclosporine the model adequately described that increasing fMPAG concentrations decreased tMPA AUC due to displacement of MPA from its binding sites. The accumulated MPAG could also be reconverted to MPA by the EHC, which caused increased tMPA AUC in patients cotreated with tacrolimus. Changes in CrCL had hardly any effect on fMPA exposure. A decrease in plasma albumin concentration from 0.6 to 0.4 mmol/l resulted in ca. 38% reduction of tMPA AUC, whereas no reduction in fMPA AUC was seen. In conclusion, a pharmacokinetic model has been developed which describes the relationship between dose and both total and free MPA exposure. The model adequately describes the influence of renal function, plasma albumin and cyclosporine co-medication on MPA exposure. Changes in protein binding due to altered renal function or plasma albumin concentrations influence tMPA exposure, whereas fMPA exposure is hardly affected

Unraveling genetic predisposition to familial or early onset gastric cancer using germline whole-exome sequencing

Recognition of individuals with a genetic predisposition to gastric cancer (GC) enables preventive measures. However, the underlying cause of genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer remains largely unexplained. We performed germline whole-exome sequencing on leukocyte DNA of 54 patients from 53 families with genetically unexplained diffuse-type and intestinal-type GC to identify novel GC-predisposing candidate genes. As young age at diagnosis and familial clustering are hallmarks of genetic tumor susceptibility, we selected patients that were diagnosed below the age of 35, patients from families with two cases of GC at or below age 60 and patients from families with three GC cases at or below age 70. All included individuals were tested negative for germline CDH1 mutations before or during the study. Variants that were possibly deleterious according to in silico predictions were filtered using several independent approaches that were based on gene function and gene mutation burden in controls. Despite a rigorous search, no obvious candidate GC predisposition genes were identified. This negative result stresses the importance of future research studies in large, homogeneous cohorts

Pharmacokinetic Modelling of the Plasma Protein Binding of Mycophenolic Acid in Renal Transplant Recipients

Background and Objectives: Renal function and the plasma albumin concentration have been shown to correlate with clearance of total mycophenolic acid (MPA). The hypothesis for the underlying mechanism is that low plasma albumin concentrations and accumulation of the glucuronide metabolite of MPA (MPAG) decrease the binding of MPA to albumin. The subsequent increase in the unbound fraction (f(u)) of MPA (MPA(u)) produces an increase in total MPA (MPA(t)) clearance. This study aimed to develop an empirical population pharmacokinetic model to describe the relationships between renal function and albumin concentration and MPAG, MPA(u) and MPA(t), in order to provide insight into the mechanism by which renal function and plasma albumin affect the disposition of MPA. Methods: 774 MPA(t), 479 MPA(u) and 772 total MPAG (MPAG(t)) plasma concentrations were available from 88 renal transplant recipients on days 11 and 140 after transplantation. Data were analysed using non-linear mixed-effects modelling. Results: Time profiles of MPA(u) and MPAG(t) concentrations were adequately described by two 2-compartment pharmacokinetic models with a link between the central compartments, representing the glucuronidation of MPA(u) to form MPAG. MPA(t) concentrations were modelled using: [MPA(t)]=[MPA(u)] + [MPA(u)].theta(pb), with [MPA(u)].theta(pb) representing the bound MPA concentration, where [MPA(t)], [MPA(u)] and Orb represent MPA(t) concentration, MPA(u) concentration and a factor that correlates to the total number of protein binding places, respectively. According to this equation, f(u) = [MPA(u)]/[MPA(t)] = 1/(1 + theta(pb)).theta(pb), and therefore [MPA(t)], was significantly and independently correlated with creatinine clearance (CLCR), the plasma albumin concentration and the MPAG(t) concentration (all p < 0.001). A reduction in CLCR from 60 to 25 mL/min correlated with an increase in f(u) from 2.7% to 3.5%, accumulation of MPAG(t) concentrations from 50 to 150 mg/L correlated with an increase in f(u) from 2.8% to 3.7%, and a decrease in plasma albumin concentration from 40 to 30 g/L correlated with an increase in f(u) from 2.6% to 3.5%. No significant correlations were detected between MPA(u) clearance and the plasma albumin concentration or CLCR. Conclusion: The model shows that low CLCR, low Plasma albumin concentrations and high MPAG concentrations decrease MPA(t) exposure by affecting MPA binding to albumin