title: Identification and properties of a major plasma metabolite of irinotecan (CPT-11) isolated from the plasma of patients.
abstract: Irinotecan [7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycamptothecin (CPT-11)] is a promising water-soluble analogue of camptothecin [S. Sawada et al., Chem. & Pharm. Bull. (Tokyo), 39: 1446-1454, 1991]. We have reported previously the presence of an important polar metabolite, in addition to 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) beta-glucuronide, in samples of plasma taken from patients undergoing treatment with CPT-11 (L.P. Rivory and J. Robert, Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 36: 176-179, 1995; L. P. Rivory and J. Robert, J. Cromatogr., 661: 133-141, 1994). Plasma samples (0.5 ml) containing comparatively large amounts of this metabolite were extracted by solid-phase columns and subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry in parallel to fluorometric detection. The metabolite yielded [M + 1] ions with a m/z of 619, representing the addition of 32 atomic mass units to CPT-11. Purified fractions were subjected to proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and the structure determined, 7-ethyl-10-[4-N-(5-aminopentanoic acid)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycampothecin (APC), was further validated following synthesis. Like CPT-11, APC was found to be only a weak inhibitor of the cell growth of KB cells in culture (IC50, 2.1 versus 5.5 micrograms/ml for CPT-11 and 0.01 microgram/ml for SN-38, the active metabolite of CPT-11) and was a poor inducer of topoisomerase I DNA-cleavable complexes (100-fold less potent than SN-38). In contrast to CPT-11, APC was not hydrolyzed to SN-38 by human liver microsomes or purified human liver carboxylesterase. Furthermore, APC did not inhibit the hydrolysis of CPT-11 in these preparations. Interestingly, APC was only a weak inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase in comparison to CPT-11 and neostigmine. It appears likely, therefore, that APC does not contribute directly to the activity and toxicity profile of CPT-11 in vivo.
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland, Department of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Australia.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Rivory
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Riou
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Haaz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sable
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vuilhorgne
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Commerçon
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pond
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000378:metabolism*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D007624:KB Cells; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; C100720:RPR 121056; D000077146:Irinotecan; D004247:DNA; D002166:Camptothecin