Human OATP1B1, OATP1B3 and OATP1A2 can mediate the in vivo uptake and clearance of docetaxel

Organic anion transporting polypeptides (human: OATPs and mouse: Oatps) are uptake transporters with important roles in drug pharmacokinetics and toxicity. We aimed to study the in vivo impact of mouse and human OATP1A/1B transporters on docetaxel plasma clearance and liver and intestinal uptake. Docetaxel was administered to Oatp1a/1b knockout and liver-specific humanized OATP1B1, OATP1B3 and OATP1A2 transgenic mice. Experiments were conducted with a low polysorbate 80 (2.8%) formulation, as 8% polysorbate somewhat inhibited docetaxel plasma clearance after intravenous administration. After intravenous administration (10 mg/kg), Oatp1a/1b knockout mice had an approximately threefold higher plasma area under the curve (AUC). Impaired liver uptake was evident from the significantly reduced (approximately threefold) liver-to-plasma AUC ratios. Absence of mouse Oatp1a/1b transporters did not affect the intestinal absorption of orally administered docetaxel (10 mg/kg), while the systemic exposure of docetaxel was again substantially increased owing to impaired liver uptake. Most importantly, liver-specific expression of each of the human OATP1B1, OATP1B3 and OATP1A2 transporters provided a nearly complete rescue of the increased plasma levels of docetaxel in Oatp1a/1b-null mice after intravenous administration. Our data show that one or more of the mouse Oatp1a/1b transporters and each of the human OATP1A/1B transporters can mediate docetaxel uptake in vivo. This might be clinically relevant for OATP1A/1B-mediated tumor uptake of docetaxel and for docetaxel clearance in patients in whom the transport activity of OATP1A/1B transporters is reduced owing to genetic variation or pharmacological inhibition, leading to potentially altered toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of this drug.