Mechanistic understanding of brain drug disposition to optimize the selection of potential neurotherapeutics in drug discovery. Loryan Irena,Sinha Vikash,Mackie Claire,Van Peer Achiel,Drinkenburg Wilhelmus,Vermeulen An,Morrison Denise,Monshouwer Mario,Heald Donald,Hammarlund-Udenaes Margareta Pharmaceutical research PURPOSE:The current project was undertaken with the aim to propose and test an in-depth integrative analysis of neuropharmacokinetic (neuroPK) properties of new chemical entities (NCEs), thereby optimizing the routine of evaluation and selection of novel neurotherapeutics. METHODS:Forty compounds covering a wide range of physicochemical properties and various CNS targets were investigated. The combinatory mapping approach was used for the assessment of the extent of blood-brain and cellular barriers transport via estimation of unbound-compound brain (Kp,uu,brain) and cell (Kp,uu,cell) partitioning coefficients. Intra-brain distribution was evaluated using the brain slice method. Intra- and sub-cellular distribution was estimated via calculation of unbound-drug cytosolic and lysosomal partitioning coefficients. RESULTS:Assessment of Kp,uu,brain revealed extensive variability in the brain penetration properties across compounds, with a prevalence of compounds actively effluxed at the blood-brain barrier. Kp,uu,cell was valuable for identification of compounds with a tendency to accumulate intracellularly. Prediction of cytosolic and lysosomal partitioning provided insight into the subcellular accumulation. Integration of the neuroPK parameters with pharmacodynamic readouts demonstrated the value of the proposed approach in the evaluation of target engagement and NCE selection. CONCLUSIONS:With the rather easily-performed combinatory mapping approach, it was possible to provide quantitative information supporting the decision making in the drug discovery setting. 10.1007/s11095-014-1319-1

The brain slice method for studying drug distribution in the CNS. Loryan Irena,Fridén Markus,Hammarlund-Udenaes Margareta Fluids and barriers of the CNS The high-throughput brain slice method is a precise and robust technique for estimating the overall uptake of drugs into brain tissue through determination of the unbound volume of distribution in the brain (Vu,brain; ml·g brain-1). Vu,brain describes the relationship between the total drug concentration in the brain and the concentration of unbound drug in the brain interstitial fluid, regardless of blood-brain barrier function. The brain slice method is more physiologically based than the brain homogenate method with respect to the assessment of drug distribution in the brain because the cell-cell interactions, pH gradients and active transport systems are all conserved. The method provides information that is directly relevant to issues such as nonspecific binding to brain tissue, lysosomal trapping, and active uptake into the cells. For these reasons, the brain slice method is recommended for estimation of target-site pharmacokinetics in the early drug discovery process and fundamental pharmacological studies. This article provides a detailed protocol for the rat and mouse brain slice methods, with the aim of enabling simple, cost-effective profiling of compounds with diverse physicochemical properties. The procedure for assessing the viability of the brain slices after the 5 h incubation period is also described. The results are interpreted for a set of compounds covering a wide range of physicochemical properties and various pharmacological targets. Application of the method for evaluating the unbound intracellular-to-extracellular concentration ratio (Kp,uu,cell) and the unbound brain-to-plasma concentration ratio (Kp,uu,brain) is discussed. 10.1186/2045-8118-10-6

In-vitro blood-brain barrier models for drug screening and permeation studies: an overview. Drug design, development and therapy The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is comprised of brain microvascular endothelial central nervous system (CNS) cells, which communicate with other CNS cells (astrocytes, pericytes) and behave according to the state of the CNS, by responding against pathological environments and modulating disease progression. The BBB plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis in the CNS by maintaining restricted transport of toxic or harmful molecules, transport of nutrients, and removal of metabolites from the brain. Neurological disorders, such as NeuroHIV, cerebral stroke, brain tumors, and other neurodegenerative diseases increase the permeability of the BBB. While on the other hand, semipermeable nature of BBB restricts the movement of bigger molecules i.e. drugs or proteins (>500 kDa) across it, leading to minimal bioavailability of drugs in the CNS. This poses the most significant shortcoming in the development of therapeutics for CNS neurodegenerative disorders. Although the complexity of the BBB (dynamic and adaptable barrier) affects approaches of CNS drug delivery and promotes disease progression, understanding the composition and functions of BBB provides a platform for novel innovative approaches towards drug delivery to CNS. The methodical and scientific interests in the physiology and pathology of the BBB led to the development and the advancement of numerous in vitro models of the BBB. This review discusses the fundamentals of BBB structure, permeation mechanisms, an overview of all the different in-vitro BBB models with their advantages and disadvantages, and rationale of selecting penetration prediction methods towards the critical role in the development of the CNS therapeutics. 10.2147/DDDT.S218708

In vitro methods for estimating unbound drug concentrations in the brain interstitial and intracellular fluids. Fridén Markus,Gupta Anubha,Antonsson Madeleine,Bredberg Ulf,Hammarlund-Udenaes Margareta Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals Concentrations of unbound drug in the interstitial fluid of the brain are not rapidly measured in vivo. Therefore, measurement of total drug levels, i.e., the amount of drug per gram of brain, has been a common but unhelpful practice in drug discovery programs relating to central drug effects. This study was designed to evaluate in vitro techniques for faster estimation of unbound drug concentrations. The parameter that relates the total drug level and the unbound interstitial fluid concentration is the unbound volume of distribution in the brain (V(u,brain)). It was measured in vitro for 15 drugs using brain slice uptake and brain homogenate binding methods. The results were validated in vivo by comparison with V(u,brain) microdialysis results. The slice method results were within a 3-fold range of the in vivo results for all but one compound, suggesting that this method could be used in combination with total drug levels to estimate unbound interstitial fluid concentrations within reasonable limits. Although successful in 10 of 15 cases, the brain homogenate binding method failed to estimate the V(u,brain) of drugs that reside predominantly in the interstitial space or compounds that are accumulated intracellularly. Use of the simple methods described in this article will 1) allow quantification of active transport at the blood-brain barrier in vivo, 2) facilitate the establishment of a relationship between in vitro potency and in vivo activity for compounds acting on central nervous system targets, and 3) provide information on intracellular concentrations of unbound drug. 10.1124/dmd.107.015222

Measurement of unbound drug exposure in brain: modeling of pH partitioning explains diverging results between the brain slice and brain homogenate methods. Fridén Markus,Bergström Fredrik,Wan Hong,Rehngren Mikael,Ahlin Gustav,Hammarlund-Udenaes Margareta,Bredberg Ulf Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals Currently used methodology for determining unbound drug exposure in brain combines measurement of the total drug concentration in the whole brain in vivo with estimation of brain tissue binding from one of two available in vitro methods: equilibrium dialysis of brain homogenate and the brain slice uptake method. This study of 56 compounds compares the fraction of unbound drug in brain (f(u,brain)), determined using the brain homogenate method, with the unbound volume of distribution in brain (V(u,brain)), determined using the brain slice method. Discrepancies were frequent and were primarily related to drug pH partitioning, attributable to the preservation of cellular structures in the slice that are absent in the homogenate. A mathematical model for pH partitioning into acidic intracellular compartments was derived to predict the slice V(u,brain) from measurements of f(u,brain) and drug pK(a). This model allowed prediction of V(u,brain) from f(u,brain) within a 2.2-fold error range for 95% of the drugs compared with a 4.5-fold error range using the brain homogenate f(u,brain) method alone. The greatest discrepancies between the methods occurred with compounds that are actively transported into brain cells, including gabapentin, metformin, and prototypic organic cation transporter substrates. It was concluded that intrabrain drug distribution is governed by several diverse mechanisms in addition to nonspecific binding and that the slice method is therefore more reliable than the homogenate method. As an alternative, predictions of V(u,brain) can be made from homogenate f(u,brain) using the pH partition model presented, although this model does not take into consideration possible active brain cell uptake. 10.1124/dmd.110.035998