Interaction of common azole antifungals with P glycoprotein.
Both eucaryotic and procaryotic cells are resistant to a large number of antibiotics because of the activities of export transporters. The most studied transporter in the mammalian ATP-binding cassette transporter superfamily, P glycoprotein (P-gp), ejects many structurally unrelated amphiphilic and lipophilic xenobiotics. Observed clinical interactions and some in vitro studies suggest that azole antifungals may interact with P-gp. Such an interaction could both affect the disposition and exposure to azole antifungal therapeutics and partially explain the clinical drug interactions observed with some antifungals. Using a whole-cell assay in which the retention of a marker substrate is evaluated and quantified, we studied the abilities of the most widely prescribed orally administered azole antifungals to inhibit the function of this transporter. In a cell line presenting an overexpressed amount of the human P-gp transporter, itraconazole and ketoconazole inhibited P-gp function with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)s) of approximately 2 and approximately 6 microM, respectively. Cyclosporin A was inhibitory with an IC(50) of 1.4 microM in this system. Uniquely, fluconazole had no effect in this assay, a result consistent with known clinical interactions. The effects of these azole antifungals on ATP consumption by P-gp (representing transport activity) were also assessed, and the K(m) values were congruent with the IC(50)s. Therefore, exposure of tissue to the azole antifungals may be modulated by human P-gp, and the clinical interactions of azole antifungals with other drugs may be due, in part, to inhibition of P-gp transport.
Wang
Er-jia
EJ
Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Schering-Plough Research Institute, Lafayette, New Jersey 07848, USA.
Lew
Karen
K
Casciano
Christopher N
CN
Clement
Robert P
RP
Johnson
William W
WW
D016475:3T3 Cells; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D001393:Azoles / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D006868:Hydrolysis; D051379:Mice
D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate