PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Mikako Kobayashi AU - Hiroshi Saitoh AU - Michiya Kobayashi AU - Koji Tadano AU - Yasushi Takahashi AU - Tetsuo Hirano TI - Cyclosporin A, but Not Tacrolimus, Inhibits the Biliary Excretion of Mycophenolic Acid Glucuronide Possibly Mediated by Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 2 in Rats AID - 10.1124/jpet.103.063073 DP - 2004 Jun 01 TA - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics PG - 1029--1035 VI - 309 IP - 3 4099 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/309/3/1029.short 4100 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/309/3/1029.full SO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther2004 Jun 01; 309 AB - The onset of diarrhea after the administration of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is possibly associated with the biliary excretion of its metabolite, mycophenolic acid glucuronide (MPAG). This study was undertaken to clarify the mechanism underlying the biliary excretion of MPAG. Intravenously administered mycophenolic acid (MPA, 5 mg/kg) rapidly disappeared from plasma and was efficiently excreted as MPAG in the bile of Wistar (26% of dose) and Sprague-Dawley rats (21% of dose) over 1 h. On the other hand, in spite of the rapid disappearance of MPA from plasma, the biliary excretion of MPAG was very limited in Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats (EHBRs), which display mutations in multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2)/canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter, and constituted only 0.5% of dose. Instead, high levels of MPA were noted in the plasma of EHBRs. Intravenous administration of CsA (5 mg/kg) to Wistar rats significantly lowered the biliary excretion of MPAG. However, intravenously administered tacrolimus (0.1 mg/kg) failed to produce such effect. In conclusion, it is suggested that there is an efficient MPAG transport mediated by Mrp2 on the bile canalicular membrane of rat hepatocytes and that the therapeutic range of CsA potentially interferes with Mrp2. However, the therapeutic range of tacrolimus does not inhibit the transporter. Thus, it should be noted that MMF coadministered with tacrolimus instead of CsA might increase the occurrence of diarrhea related to the biliary excretion of MPAG in transplant recipients. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics