Objective: Our objective was to quantitate the contribution of the genetic polymorphisms of the genes for 2 human organic anion transporters-organic anion transporting polypeptide C (OATP-C) and organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3)-to the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin.
Methods: Genetic polymorphisms were screened by polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, after sequencing with deoxyribonucleic acid obtained from 120 healthy volunteers. To examine whether polymorphisms in these 2 genes of interest alter transport activity, we conducted a clinical study (n = 23) with pravastatin as a selective probe drug.
Results: Among 120 healthy individuals, 5 nonsynonymous variants and 1 nonsynonymous variant were observed in the OATP-C and OAT3 genes, respectively. The polymorphisms in the OAT3 gene did not appear to be associated with changes in renal and tubular secretory clearance. In contrast, the OATP-C variants were associated with differences in the disposition kinetics of pravastatin. Subjects with the OATP-C*15 allele (Asp130Ala174) had a reduced total and nonrenal clearance, as compared with those with the OATP-C*1b allele (Asp130Val174); nonrenal clearance values in *1b/*1b (n = 4), *1b/*15 (n = 9), and *15/*15 (n = 1) subjects were 2.01 +/- 0.42 L. kg(-1). h(-1), 1.11 +/- 0.34 L. kg(-1). h(-1), and 0.29 L. kg(-1). h(-1), respectively, and the difference between *1b/*1b and *1b/*15 subjects was significant (P <.05).
Conclusion: Certain commonly occurring single-nucleotide polymorphisms in OATP-C, such as T521C (Val174Ala), are likely to be associated with altered pharmacokinetics of pravastatin. Large clinical studies are needed to confirm these observations.