Ethambutol plasma and intracellular pharmacokinetics: A pharmacogenetic study

We evaluated ethambutol plasma and intracellular pharmacokinetic according to single nucleotide polymorphisms in ABCB1, OATP1B1, PXR, VDR, CYP24A1 and CYP27B1 genes. Mycobacterium tubercolosis infected patients were enrolled. Standard weight-adjusted antitubercular treatment was administered intravenously for 2 weeks and then orally. Allelic discrimination was performed by real-time PCR. Ethambutol plasma and intracellular concentrations were measured by UPLC-MS/MS methods. Twenty-four patients were included. Considering weeks 2 and 4, median plasma Ctrough were 73 ng/mL and 247 ng/mL, intracellular Ctrough were 16,863 ng/mL and 13,535 ng/mL, plasma Cmax were 5627 ng/mL and 2229 ng/mL, intracellular Cmax were 133,830 ng/mL and 78,544 ng/mL. At week 2, ABCB1 3435 CT/TT (p = 0.023) and CYP24A1 8620 AG/GG (p = 0.030) genotypes for plasma Ctrough, BsmI AA (p = 0.036) for intracellular Ctrough and BsmI AA (p < 0.001) and ApaI AA (p = 0.048) for intracellular Cmax, remained in linear regression analysis as predictive factors. Concerning week 4 only ABCB1 3435 CT/TT (p = 0.035) and Cdx2 AG/GG (p = 0.004) genotypes for plasma Ctrough and BsmI AA (p = 0.028) for plasma Cmax were retained in final regression model. We reveal, for the first time, the possible role of single nucleotide polymorphisms on ethambutol plasma and intracellular concentrations; this may further the potential use of pharmacogenetic for tailoring antitubercular treatment.