In vitro N-glucuronidation of SB 47436 (BMS 186295), a new AT1 nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist, by rat, monkey and human hepatic microsomal fractions.

The glucuronidation of the AT1 nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist, SR 47436 (BMS 186295), was investigated in hepatic microsomes prepared from various species, i.e., Sprague-Dawley rat, Cynomolgus monkey and Caucasian humans. The drug was found to undergo N-glucuronidation on the tetrazole moiety as confirmed by its hydrolysis by beta-glucuronidase, its associated radioactivity when UDP-[U-14C]glucuronic acid was used as substrate and by different techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. Glucuronide formation was optimal at pH 5.0 along with a "0.2 mg of Brij 58 per mg of protein" ratio, regardless of the investigated species. Cynomolgus monkey microsomes glucuronidated SR 47436 (BMS 186295) to the greatest extent, with a relative catalytic efficiency 11.0- and 2.6-fold higher than that observed in rat and human, respectively. SR 47436 (BMS 186295) glucuronidation followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Bilirubin:UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoform was not involved, inasmuch as bilirubin did not affect its glucuronidation, 7,7,7-triphenylheptanoic acid was a noncompetitive inhibitor and glucuronidation was only decreased 2-fold in Gunn rats. SR 47436 (BMS 186295) glucuronidation was enhanced markedly after treatment of rats with dexamethasone (Vmax/Km = 71.5 vs. 2.6 in untreated animals). Among the drugs used which undergo phenolic, carboxylic acid, alcohol or tertiary amine glucuronidation, only monodigitoxigenin-monodigitoxoside, flurbiprofen, naproxen, testosterone and estrone inhibited SR 47436 (BMS 186295) glucoronidation in a noncompetitive manner. These data suggest that SR 47436 (BMS 186295) was glucuronidated by a highly dexamethasone-inducible UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoform(s), different from that involved in the glucuronidation of monodigitoxigenin-monodigitoxoside.