Rifampicin induction of lidocaine metabolism in cultured human hepatocytes.

In our laboratory, cultured human hepatocytes are being evaluated as an experimental system to study drug interactions. We report the effect of a known cytochrome P450 (CYP) inducer, rifampicin, on the metabolism of lidocaine by primary human hepatocytes. Rifampicin has been shown to induce CYP3A4, a major human hepatic CYP isozyme that is known to metabolize lidocaine to its primary metabolite, monoethylglycinexylidide. Human hepatocytes were cultured on collagen-coated plates in serum-free, hormone-supplemented Waymouth medium for a 3-day period before they were treated with rifampicin at 50 microM for 1 to 3 days. Hepatocytes isolated from five individuals were studied, and, in all cases, lidocaine metabolism was found to be induced by rifampicin, as demonstrated by a higher rate of monoethylglycinexylidide formation than concurrent controls. For three of the hepatocyte cultures, lidocaine metabolism was evaluated at various times after treatment. Induction was observed at 1 day after treatment, and reached higher levels at day 2 or 3. The level of induction was found to be approximately 100% for two hepatocyte isolations and approximately 600% for one isolation. In a separate experiment, hepatocytes were treated with rifampicin for a 2-day period. Rate of lidocaine metabolism at multiple substrate concentrations (10-120 microM) were then studied. Rifampicin induction of lidocaine metabolism (approximately 100%) was observed at all the lidocaine concentrations studied. Lineweaver-Burk plot of the data showed an increase in Vmax and a less significant change in Km. Induction of lidocaine metabolism by rifampicin (concentrations of 0.1-50 microM) was found to be dose-dependent, with significant induction observed at 1 microM and higher concentrations. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)