title: Metabolic activation of unsaturated derivatives of valproic acid. Identification of novel glutathione adducts formed through coenzyme A-dependent and -independent processes.
abstract: The ability of 2-n-propyl-4-pentenoic acid (delta 4-VPA) and 2-n-propyl-2(E)-pentenoic acid ([E]-delta 2-VPA), two unsaturated metabolites of valproic acid (VPA), to form reactive intermediates, deplete hepatic glutathione (GSH) and cause accumulation of liver triglycerides was investigated in the rat. With the aid of ionspray liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), three GSH adducts were detected in the bile of delta 4-VPA-treated animals and were identified as 4-hydroxy-5-glutathion-S-yl-VPA-gamma-lactone, 5-glutathion-S-yl-(E)-delta 3-VPA and 3-oxo-5-glutathion-S-yl-VPA. A fourth conjugate was identified tentatively as 4-glutathion-S-yl-5-hydroxy-VPA. Quantitative analysis of the corresponding N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) conjugates in urine indicated that metabolism of delta 4-VPA via the GSH-dependent pathways accounted for approximately 20% of an acute dose (100 mg kg-1 i.p.). In contrast, when rats were given an equivalent dose of (E)-delta 2-VPA, only one GSH adduct (5-glutathion-S-yl-(E)-delta 3-VPA) was detected at low concentrations in bile. In vitro experiments with rat liver mitochondria demonstrated that delta 4-VPA undergoes coenzyme A- and ATP-dependent metabolic activation in this organelle via the beta-oxidation pathway to intermediates which bind covalently to proteins. When liver homogenates and hepatic mitochondria from rats injected with delta 4-VPA, (E)-delta 2-VPA or VPA were analyzed for GSH content, it was found that only delta 4-VPA depleted GSH pools significantly. Treatment of rats with delta 4-VPA and (to a lesser extent) VPA led to an accumulation of liver triglycerides, whereas (E)-delta 2-VPA had no measurable effect. It is concluded that delta 4-VPA undergoes metabolic activation by both microsomal cytochrome P-450-dependent and mitochondrial coenzyme A-dependent processes, and that the resulting electrophilic intermediates, which are trapped in part by GSH, may mediate the hepatotoxic effects of this compound. In contrast, (E)-delta 2-VPA is not transformed to any appreciable extent to reactive metabolites, which thus accounts for the apparent lack of hepatotoxicity of this positional isomer in the rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kassahun
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Baillie
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000652:urine; D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003065:Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D014280:Triglycerides; C045022:2-propyl-4-pentenoic acid; C014168:2-propyl-2-pentenoic acid; D014635:Valproic Acid; D005978:Glutathione; D003065:Coenzyme A; D000111:Acetylcysteine