Zhiyang Zhao

Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

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Publications (27)77.66 Total impact

  • Article: Dynamic Modeling of Cytochrome P450 Inhibition In Vitro: Impact of Inhibitor Depletion on IC50-shift.
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    ABSTRACT: The impact of inhibitor depletion on the determination of shifted IC50 (IC50 determined after 30 minute preincubation with inhibitor) is examined. In addition, IC50 shift data are analyzed using a mechanistic model that incorporates the processes of inhibitor depletion, as well as, reversible and time-dependent inhibition. Anomalies such as smaller than expected shift in IC50 and even increases in IC50 with pre-incubation were explained by depletion of inhibitor during the pre-incubation. The IC50 shift assay remains a viable approach to characterizing a wide range of reversible and time-dependent inhibitors. However, as with more traditional time-dependent inactivation methodologies, it is recommended that IC50-shift experimental data be interpreted with some knowledge of the magnitude of inhibitor depletion. For the most realistic classification of time-dependent inhibitors using IC50-shift methodology, shifted IC50 should be calculated using observed inhibitor concentrations at the end of the incubation, rather than nominal inhibitor concentrations. Finally, a mechanistic model that includes key processes such as competitive inhibition, enzyme inactivation and inhibitor depletion can be used to accurately describe observed IC50 and shifted IC50 curves. For those compounds showing an IC50 fold shift of >1.5 based on observed inhibitor concentrations, reanalyzing the IC50 shift data using the mechanistic model appeared to allow for reasonable estimation of Ki, KI and kinact directly from the IC50 shift experiments.
    Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals 05/2013; · 3.74 Impact Factor
  • Article: LC-MS/MS bioanalytical method development for AMG 900: Resolution of an isobaric interference in rodent in vivo studies.
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    ABSTRACT: AMG 900 is an orally available small molecule that is a highly potent and selective pan-aurora kinase inhibitor currently in development for the treatment of advanced human cancers. A co-eluting, isobaric interference was discovered in preliminary LC-MS/MS analyses of rodent in vivo pharmacokinetic samples during preclinical evaluation of AMG 900. The interference was identified as a major circulating N-oxide metabolite which partially converted to an [M+H-O](+) ion under the conditions of atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. A selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of AMG 900 and its N-oxide metabolite in plasma was developed and successfully applied for the bioanalysis of discovery stage preclinical rodent pharmacokinetic studies.
    Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis 02/2013; 74:171-7. · 2.45 Impact Factor
  • Article: Ratios of biliary glutathione disulfide (GSSG) to glutathione (GSH): a potential index to screen drug-induced hepatic oxidative stress in rats and mice.
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    ABSTRACT: Hepatotoxicity of drug candidates is one of the major concerns in drug screening in early drug discovery. Detection of hepatic oxidative stress can be an early indicator of hepatotoxicity and benefits drug selection. The glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) pair, as one of the major intracellular redox regulating couples, plays an important role in protecting cells from oxidative stress that is caused by imbalance between prooxidants and antioxidants. The quantitative determination of the GSSG/GSH ratios and the concentrations of GSH and GSSG have been used to indicate oxidative stress in cells and tissues. In this study, we tested the possibility of using the biliary GSSG/GSH ratios as a biomarker to reflect hepatic oxidative stress and drug toxicity. Four compounds that are known to alter GSH and GSSG levels were tested in this study. Diquat (diquat dibromide monohydrate) and acetaminophen were administered to rats. Paraquat and tert-butyl hydroperoxide were administered to mice to induce changes of biliary GSH and GSSG. The biliary GSH and GSSG were quantified using calibration curves prepared with artificial bile to account for any bile matrix effect in the LC-MS analysis and to avoid the interference of endogenous GSH and GSSG. With four examples (in rats and mice) of drug-induced changes in the kinetics of the biliary GSSG/GSH ratios, this study showed the potential for developing an exposure response index based on biliary GSSG/GSH ratios for predicting hepatic oxidative stress.
    Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 02/2013; · 3.78 Impact Factor
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    Dataset: Supporting information for "N-Methylacetamide Analog of Salvinorin A: A Highly Potent and Selective κ-Opioid Receptor Agonist with Oral Efficacy"
  • Article: Impact of Hydrolysis Mediated Clearance on the Pharmacokinetics of Novel Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Inhibitors.
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    ABSTRACT: Compound 1, a new, potent, selective anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor with potential application for the treatment of cancer, was selected to advance into efficacy studies in mice. Compound 1 underwent mouse specific enzymatic hydrolysis in plasma to a primary amine product (M1). Subsequent intravenous (IV) PK studies in mice showed that compound 1 had high clearance and a short half-life. Oral dose escalation studies in mice indicated that first-pass elimination of compound 1 was saturable, with higher doses achieving sufficient exposures above in vitro IC50. Chemistry efforts to minimize hydrolysis resulted in the discovery of several analogs that were stable in mouse plasma. Three were taken in vivo into mice and showed decreased clearances corresponding to increased in vitro stability in plasma. However, the more stable compounds also showed reduced potency against ALK. Kinetic studies in NADPH fortified and un-fortified microsomes and plasma produced sub-micromolar Km values and could help explain the saturation of first-pass elimination observed in vivo. Predictions of CL based on kinetics from hydrolysis and NADPH-dependent pathways produced predicted systemic CL values of 4.0, 3.0, 1.6, and 1.2 L/h*kg for compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The in vivo observed CL for compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 5.52, 3.51, 2.14, and 2.66 L/hr*kg, respectively. These results indicate that in vitro metabolism kinetic data, considering contributions of hydrolysis and NADPH-dependent metabolism in plasma and liver, could be used to predict the systemic CL of compounds cleared via hydrolytic pathways.
    Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals 11/2012; · 3.74 Impact Factor
  • Article: Localization and quantification of drugs in animal tissues by use of desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging.
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    ABSTRACT: Mass spectrometric imaging (MSI) has emerged as a powerful technique to obtain spatial arrangement of individual molecular ions in animal tissues. Ambient desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) technique is uniquely suited for such imaging experiments, as it can be performed on animal tissues in their native environment without prior treatments. Although MSI has become a rapid growing technique for localization of proteins, lipids, drugs, and endogenous compounds in different tissues, quantification of imaged targets has not been explored extensively. Here we present a novel MSI approach for localization and quantification of drugs in animal thin tissue sections. DESI-MSI using an Orbitrap mass analyzer in full scan mode was performed on 6 μm coronal brain sections from rats that were administered 2.5 mg/kg clozapine. Clozapine was localized and quantified in individual brain sections 45 min postdose. External calibration curves were prepared by micropipetting standards with internal standard (IS) on top of the tissues, and average response factors were calculated for the scans in which both clozapine and IS were detected. All response factors were normalized to area units. Quantifications from DESI-MSI revealed 0.2-1.2 ng of clozapine in individual brain sections, results that were further confirmed by extraction and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis.
    Analytical Chemistry 05/2012; 84(12):5439-45. · 5.86 Impact Factor
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    Article: Long-acting κ opioid antagonists nor-BNI, GNTI and JDTic: pharmacokinetics in mice and lipophilicity.
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    ABSTRACT: Nor-BNI, GNTI and JDTic induce κ opioid antagonism that is delayed by hours and can persist for months. Other effects are transient. It has been proposed that these drugs may be slowly absorbed or distributed, and may dissolve in cell membranes, thus slowing elimination and prolonging their effects. Recent evidence suggests, instead, that they induce prolonged desensitization of the κ opioid receptor. To evaluate these hypotheses, we measured relevant physicochemical properties of nor-BNI, GNTI and JDTic, and the timecourse of brain and plasma concentrations in mice after intraperitoneal administration (using LC-MS-MS). In each case, plasma levels were maximal within 30 min and declined by >80% within four hours, correlating well with previously reported transient effects. A strong negative correlation was observed between plasma levels and the delayed, prolonged timecourse of κ antagonism. Brain levels of nor-BNI and JDTic peaked within 30 min, but while nor-BNI was largely eliminated within hours, JDTic declined gradually over a week. Brain uptake of GNTI was too low to measure accurately, and higher doses proved lethal. None of the drugs were highly lipophilic, showing high water solubility (> 45 mM) and low distribution into octanol (log D7.4 < 2). Brain homogenate binding was within the range of many shorter-acting drugs (>7% unbound). JDTic showed P-gp-mediated efflux; nor- BNI and GNTI did not, but their low unbound brain uptake suggests efflux by another mechanism. The negative plasma concentration-effect relationship we observed is difficult to reconcile with simple competitive antagonism, but is consistent with desensitization. The very slow elimination of JDTic from brain is surprising given that it undergoes active efflux, has modest affinity for homogenate, and has a shorter duration of action than nor-BNI under these conditions. We propose that this persistence may result from entrapment in cellular compartments such as lysosomes.
    BMC Pharmacology 05/2012; 12:5.
  • Article: Application of on-line nano-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in metabolite identification studies.
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    ABSTRACT: Metabolite identification is an important part of the drug discovery and development process. High sensitivity is necessary to identify metabolic products in vitro and in vivo. The most common method utilizes standard high-performance liquid chromatography (4.6  mm i.d. column and 1  mL/min flow rate) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS). We have developed a method that utilizes a nano-LC system coupled to a high-resolution tandem mass spectrometer to identify metabolites from in vitro and in vivo samples. Using this approach, we were able to increase the sensitivity of analysis by approximately 1000-fold over HPLC/MS. In vitro samples were analyzed after simple acetonitrile precipitation, centrifugation, and dilution. The significant improvement in sensitivity enabled us to conduct experiments at very low substrate concentrations (0.01  μM), and very low incubation volumes (20  μL). In vivo samples were injected after simple dilution without any pre-purification. All the metabolites identified by conventional HPLC/MS/MS were also identified using the nano-LC method. This study demonstrates a very sensitive approach to identifying phase I and II metabolites with throughput and separation equivalent to the standard HPLC/MS/MS method.
    Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 02/2012; 26(3):320-6. · 2.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Gender effects on rat metabolism of AMG 900, an orally available small molecule aurora kinase inhibitor.
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    ABSTRACT: AMG 900 is an orally available small molecule that is highly potent and selective as a pan-aurora kinase inhibitor. AMG 900 is currently undergoing phase 1 clinical evaluation in patients with advanced solid tumors. The metabolism of AMG 900 was investigated in both male and female rats. We conducted studies in bile-duct catheterized (BDC) rats where bile, urine and plasma were analyzed to obtain metabolism profiles for each gender. These studies identified gender differences in the metabolism profiles in bile. Bile contained the majority of the drug related material and contained little unchanged AMG 900 which indicated that metabolism was the prominent process in drug elimination. Although bile contained the same metabolites for both genders, the amount of specific metabolites differed. Male rats metabolized AMG 900 primarily through hydroxylation with subsequent sulfate conjugation on the pyrimidinyl-pyridine side-chain whereas female rats favored a different oxidation site on the thiophene ring's methyl group, which is then metabolized to a carboxylic acid with subsequent conjugation to an acyl glucuronide. CYP phenotyping identified the prominent isoforms as being gender specific or biased in the oxidative metabolism of AMG 900. The metabolism in male rats favored both CYP2C11 and CYP2A2 whereas females favored the CYP2C12. The prominent sulfate conjugate identified in the male rat bile could also be due to male biased metabolism since it has been reported that sulfate conjugation is more prevalent in male rats. All the prominent rat metabolism routes for AMG 900 either have male or female bias. These differences in the rat AMG 900 metabolism profiles in bile can be explained by gender specific P450CYP isoforms.
    Drug metabolism letters. 10/2011; 5(4):290-7.
  • Article: Species differences in distribution and prediction of human V(ss) from preclinical data.
    Loren M Berry, Chao Li, Zhiyang Zhao
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    ABSTRACT: Prediction of human volume of distribution at steady state (V(ss)) before first administration of a new drug candidate to humans has become an important part of the drug development process. This study examines the assumptions behind interspecies scaling techniques used to predict human V(ss) from preclinical data, namely the equivalency of V(ss,u) and/or f(ut) across species. In addition, several interspecies scaling techniques are evaluated side by side using a set of 67 reference compounds where observed V(ss) from rats, dogs, monkeys, and humans were compiled from the literature and where plasma protein binding was determined across species using an ultracentrifugation technique. Species similarity in V(ss,u) or f(ut) does not appear to be the norm among rats, dogs, monkeys, or humans. Despite this, interspecies scaling from rats, dogs, and monkeys is useful and can provide reasonably accurate predictions of human V(ss), although some interspecies scaling approaches were better than others. For example, the performance of the common V(ss,u) or f(ut) equivalency approaches using average V(ss,u) or f(ut) across three preclinical species was superior to allometric scaling techniques. In addition, considering data from several preclinical species, using the equivalency approach, was superior to scaling from any single species. Although the mechanistic tissue composition equations available in the Simcyp population-based pharmacokinetic simulator did not necessarily provide the most accurate predictions, and the equations used likely need refinement, they still provide the best opportunity for a mechanistic understanding and prediction of human V(ss).
    Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals 08/2011; 39(11):2103-16. · 3.74 Impact Factor
  • Article: In vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic characterizations of AMG 900, an orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of aurora kinases.
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    ABSTRACT: AMG 900 is a small molecule being developed as an orally administered, highly potent, and selective pan-aurora kinase inhibitor. The aim of the investigations was to characterize in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of AMG 900 in preclinical species. AMG 900 was rapidly metabolized in liver microsomes and highly bound to plasma proteins in the species tested. It was a weak Pgp substrate with good passive permeability. AMG 900 exhibited a low-to-moderate clearance and a small volume of distribution. Its terminal elimination half-life ranged from 0.6 to 2.4 h. AMG 900 was well-absorbed in fasted animals with an oral bioavailability of 31% to 107%. Food intake had an effect on rate (rats) or extent (dogs) of AMG 900 oral absorption. The clearance and volume of distribution at steady state in humans were predicted to be 27.3 mL/h/kg and 93.9 mL/kg, respectively. AMG 900 exhibited acceptable PK properties in preclinical species and was predicted to have low clearance in humans. AMG 900 is currently in Phase I clinical testing as a treatment for solid tumours. Preliminary human PK results appear to be consistent with the predictions.
    Xenobiotica 02/2011; 41(5):400-8. · 1.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Bioactivation of isothiazoles: minimizing the risk of potential toxicity in drug discovery.
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    ABSTRACT: Compound 1, (7-methoxy-N-((6-(3-methylisothiazol-5-yl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazin-3-yl)methyl)-1,5-naphthyridin-4-amine) is a potent, selective inhibitor of c-Met (mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor), a receptor tyrosine kinase that is often deregulated in cancer. Compound 1 displayed desirable pharmacokinetic properties in multiple preclinical species. Glutathione trapping studies in liver microsomes resulted in the NADPH-dependent formation of a glutathione conjugate. Compound 1 also exhibited very high in vitro NADPH-dependent covalent binding to microsomal proteins. Species differences in covalent binding were observed, with the highest binding in rats, mice, and monkeys (1100-1300 pmol/mg/h), followed by dogs (400 pmol/mg/h) and humans (144 pmol/mg/h). This covalent binding to protein was abolished by coincubation with glutathione. Together, these in vitro data suggest that covalent binding and glutathione conjugation proceed via bioactivation to a chemically reactive intermediate. The cytochrome (CYP) P450 enzymes responsible for this bioactivation were identified as cytochrome P450 3A4, 1A2, and 2D6 in human and cytochrome P450 2A2, 3A1, and 3A2 in rats. The glutathione metabolite was detected in the bile of rats and mice, thus demonstrating bioactivation occurring in vivo. Efforts to elucidate the structure of the glutathione adduct led to the isolation and characterization of the metabolite by NMR and mass spectrometry. The analytical data confirmed conclusively that the glutathione conjugation was on the 4-C position of the isothiazole ring. Such P450-mediated bioactivation of an isothiazole or thiazole group has not been previously reported. We propose a mechanism of bioactivation via sulfur oxidation followed by glutathione attack at the 4-position with subsequent loss of water resulting in the formation of the glutathione conjugate. Efforts to reduce bioactivation without compromising potency and pharmacokinetics were undertaken in order to minimize the potential risk of toxicity. Because of the exemplary pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) properties of the isothiazole group, initial attempts were focused on introducing alternative metabolic soft spots into the molecule. These efforts resulted in the discovery of 7-(2-methoxyethoxy)-N-((6-(3-methyl-5-isothiazolyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazin-3-yl)methyl)-1,5-naphthyridin-4-amine (compound 2), with the major metabolic transformation occurring on the naphthyridine ring alkoxy substituent. However, a glutathione conjugate of compound 2 was produced in vitro and in vivo in a manner similar to that observed for compound 1. Furthermore, the covalent binding was high across species (360, 300, 529, 208, and 98 pmol/mg/h in rats, mice, dogs, monkeys, and humans, respectively), but coincubation with glutathione reduced the extent of covalent binding. The second viable alternative in reducing bioactivation involved replacing the isothiazole ring with bioisosteric heterocycles. Replacement of the isothiazole ring with an isoxazole or a pyrazole reduced the bioactivation while retaining the desirable PK/PD characteristics of compounds 1 and 2.
    Chemical Research in Toxicology 11/2010; 23(11):1743-52. · 3.78 Impact Factor
  • Article: Identification of quinone imine containing glutathione conjugates of diclofenac in rat bile.
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    ABSTRACT: High-resolution accurate MS with an LTQ-Orbitrap was used to identify quinone imine metabolites derived from the 5-hydroxy (5-OH) and 4 prime-hydroxy (4'-OH) glutathione conjugates of diclofenac in rat bile. The initial quinone imine metabolites formed by oxidation of diclofenac have been postulated to be reactive intermediates potentially involved in diclofenac-mediated hepatotoxicity; while these metabolites could be formed using in vitro systems, they have never been detected in vivo. This report describes the identification of secondary quinone imine metabolites derived from 5-OH and 4'-OH diclofenac glutathione conjugates in rat bile. To verify the proposed structures, the diclofenac quinone imine GSH conjugate standards were prepared synthetically and enzymatically. The novel metabolite peaks displayed the identical retention times, accurate mass MS/MS spectra, and the fragmentation patterns as the corresponding authentic standards. The formation of these secondary quinone metabolites occurs only under conditions where bile salt homeostasis was experimentally altered. Standard practice in biliary excretion experiments using bile duct-cannulated rats includes infusion of taurocholic acid and/or other bile acids to replace those lost due to continuous collection of bile; for this experiment, the rats received no replacement bile acid infusion. High-resolution accurate mass spectrometry data and comparison with chemically and enzymatically prepared quinone imines of diclofenac glutathione conjugates support the identification of these metabolites. A mechanism for the formation of these reactive quinone imine containing glutathione conjugates of diclofenac is proposed.
    Chemical Research in Toxicology 11/2010; 23(12):1947-53. · 3.78 Impact Factor
  • Article: Desorption electrospray ionization tissue imaging using heated nebulizing gas and high-resolution accurate mass spectra.
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    ABSTRACT: A new method for tissue imaging using desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry is described. The technique utilizes a DESI source with a heated nebulizing gas and high-resolution accurate mass data acquired with an LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The two-dimensional (2D) automated DESI ion source creates images using the ions that are collected under high-resolution conditions. The use of high-resolution mass detection significantly improves the image quality due to exclusion of interfering ions. The use of a heated nebulizing gas increases the signal intensity observed at lower gas pressure. The technique developed is highly compatible with soft tissue imaging due to the minimal surface destruction.
    Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 08/2010; 24(16):2352-6. · 2.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Prediction of V(ss) from in vitro tissue-binding studies.
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    ABSTRACT: To predict volume of distribution at steady-state (V(ss)), empirical (e.g., allometry) and mechanistic (using physicochemical property data and plasma protein binding) methods have been used. None of these approaches has been able to predict V(ss) accurately for the total compliment of a wide range of drugs. Therefore, alternative approaches would be of value. This study evaluates the utility of in vitro nonspecific tissue-binding measurements in predicting V(ss) for a wide range of drugs in rats. Literature as well as proprietary compounds were studied. It was found that in vitro tissue-binding measurements combined with calculated effects of the pH partition hypothesis often predict V(ss) more accurately than other available mechanistic methods and that this approach can compliment existing methods. The V(ss) values for some compounds were not accurately predicted using either nonspecific tissue-binding experiments or other available mechanistic methods. The V(ss) for these drugs may not be describable by nonspecific tissue binding alone; there may be significant specific components to the mechanism of distribution for these drugs, such as pH-dependent uptake into lysosomes (primarily strongly basic drugs), active transport, and/or enterohepatic recirculation. A lack of prediction for certain drugs warrants further investigation into these mechanisms and their application to more accurate prediction of V(ss) by mechanistic means.
    Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals 10/2009; 38(1):115-21. · 3.74 Impact Factor
  • Article: Esterase activities in the blood, liver and intestine of several preclinical species and humans.
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    ABSTRACT: Species and tissue differences in the activity of three major classes of esterases, carboxylesterase (CE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and paraoxonase (PON), were studied. Substantial species differences in activity of these esterases were observed between the mouse, rat, dog monkey and human. Such species differences must be considered when using these preclinical species to optimize the pharmacokinetic properties of ester compounds intended for human use.
    Drug metabolism letters. 05/2009; 3(2):70-7.
  • Article: Chemical reactivity of methoxy 4-o-aryl quinolines: identification of glutathione displacement products in vitro and in vivo.
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    ABSTRACT: AMG 458 {1-(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)-N-[5-(7-methoxyquinolin-4-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl]-5-methyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide} is a potent, selective inhibitor of c-Met, a receptor tyrosine kinase that is often deregulated in cancer. AMG 458 was observed to bind covalently to liver microsomal proteins from rats and humans in the absence of NADPH. When [(14)C]AMG 458 was incubated with liver microsomes in the presence of glutathione and N-acetyl cysteine, thioether adducts were detected by radiochromatography and LC/MS/MS analysis. These adducts were also formed upon incubation of AMG 458 with glutathione and N-acetyl cysteine in buffers at pH 7.4. In vivo, the thioether adducts were detected in bile and urine of bile duct-cannulated rats dosed with [(14)C]AMG 458. The two adducts were isolated, and their structures were determined by MS/MS and NMR analysis. The identified structures resulted from a thiol displacement reaction to yield a quinoline thioether structure and the corresponding hydroxyaryl moiety. The insights gained from elucidating the mechanism of adduct formation led to the design of AMG 458 analogues that exhibited eliminated or reduced glutathione adduct formation in vitro and in vivo.
    Chemical Research in Toxicology 11/2008; 21(11):2216-22. · 3.78 Impact Factor
  • Article: Novel 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazines as potent and orally bioavailable inhibitors of tumor-driven angiogenesis.
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    ABSTRACT: Angiogenesis is vital for solid tumor growth, and its prevention is a proven strategy for the treatment of disease states such as cancer. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway provides several opportunities by which small molecules can act as inhibitors of endothelial proliferation and migration. Critical to these processes is signaling through VEGFR-2 or the kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) upon stimulation by its ligand VEGF. Herein, we report the discovery of 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazines as inhibitors of intrinsic KDR activity (IC 50 < 0.1 microM) and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation with IC 50 < 0.1 microM. More specifically, compound 16 was identified as a potent (KDR: < 1 nM and HUVEC: 4 nM) and selective inhibitor that exhibited efficacy in angiogenic in vivo models. In addition, this series of molecules is typically well-absorbed orally, further demonstrating the 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazine moiety as a promising platform for generating kinase-based antiangiogenic therapeutic agents.
    Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 03/2008; 51(6):1695-705. · 5.25 Impact Factor
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    Article: N-methylacetamide analog of salvinorin A: a highly potent and selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist with oral efficacy.
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    ABSTRACT: Several preclinical studies indicate that selective kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonists have antidepressant-like effects, whereas KOR agonists have opposite effects, suggesting that each might be useful in the treatment of mood abnormalities. Salvinorin A (salvA) is a valuable KOR agonist for further study due to its high potency and receptor selectivity. However, it has short lasting effects in vivo and limited oral bioavailability, probably due to acetate metabolism. We compared the in vitro receptor binding selectivity of salvA and four analogs containing an ethyl ether (EE), isopropylamine (IPA), N-methylacetamide (NMA), or N-methylpropionamide (NMP) at C-2. All compounds showed high binding affinity for the KOR (K(i) = 0.11-6.3 nM), although only salvA, EE, and NMA exhibited KOR selectivity. In a liver microsomal assay, salvA was least stable, whereas NMA and IPA displayed slower metabolic transformations. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of salvA, NMA, and NMP dose-dependently elevated brain reward thresholds in the intracranial self-administration (ICSS) test, consistent with prodepressive-like KOR agonist effects. NMA and NMP were equipotent to salvA but displayed longer lasting effects (6- and 10-fold, respectively). A dose of salvA with prominent effects in the ICSS test after i.p. administration (2.0 mg/kg) was inactive after oral administration, whereas the same oral dose of NMA elevated ICSS thresholds. These studies suggest that, although salvA and NMA are similar in potency and selectivity as KOR agonists in vitro, NMA has improved stability and longer lasting actions that might make it more useful for studies of KOR agonist effects in animals and humans.
    Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 02/2008; 324(1):188-95. · 3.83 Impact Factor
  • Article: An examination of IC50 and IC50-shift experiments in assessing time-dependent inhibition of CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 in human liver microsomes.
    Loren M Berry, Zhiyang Zhao
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    ABSTRACT: The relationship between time-dependent inactivation (TDI) and IC50 is examined using a consolidated method for evaluating CYP450 inhibition during drug discovery. An IC50 fold-shift of >1.5 indicated significant TDI potency. Further, the "shifted IC50" could be used to estimate, the K(I) and TDI potency ratio k(inact)/K(I) to within 2-fold in most cases.
    Drug metabolism letters. 02/2008; 2(1):51-9.