Identification of glucoside and carboxyl-linked glucuronide conjugates of mycophenolic acid in plasma of transplant recipients treated with mycophenolate mofetil
M. Shipkova et al., Identification of glucoside and carboxyl-linked glucuronide conjugates of mycophenolic acid in plasma of transplant recipients treated with mycophenolate mofetil, BR J PHARM, 126(5), 1999, pp. 1075-1082
1 Mycophenolic acid (MPA), is primarily metabolized in the liver to 7-O-MPA
-beta-glucuronide (MPAG). Using RP-h.p.l.c. we observed three further MPA m
etabolites, M-1, M-2, M-3, in plasma of transplant recipients on MMF therap
y. To obtain information on the structure and source of these metabolites:
(A) h.p.l.c. fractions containing either metabolite or MPA were collected a
nd analysed by tandem mass spectrometry; (B) the metabolism of MPA was stud
ied in human liver microsomes in the presence of UDP-glucuronic acid, UDP-g
lucose or NADPH; (C) hydrolysis of metabolites was investigated using beta-
glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase or NaOH; (D) cross-reactivity of each metab
olite was tested in an immunoassay for MPA (EMIT).
2 Mass spectrometry of M-1, M-2, MPA and MPAG in the negative ion mode reve
aled molecular ions of m/z 481, m/z 495, m/z 319 and m/z 495 respectively.
3 Incubation of microsomes with MPA and UDP-glucose produced M-1, with MPA
and UDP-glucuronic acid MPAG and M-2 were formed, while with MPA and NADPH,
M3 was observed.
4 beta-Glucosidase hydrolysed M-1 completely. beta-Glucuronidase treatment
led to a complete disappearance of MPAG whereas the amount of M-2 was reduc
ed by approximately 30%. Only M-2 was labile to alkaline treatment.
5 M-2 and MPA but not M-1 and MPAG cross-reacted in the EMIT assay.
6 These results suggest that: (i) M-1 is the 7-OH glucose conjugate of MPA;
(ii) M-2 is the acyl glucuronide conjugate of MPA; (iii) M-3 is derived fr
om the hepatic CYP450 system.