Effect of biphenyl hydrolase-like (BPHL) gene disruption on the intestinal stability, permeability and absorption of valacyclovir in wildtype and Bphl knockout mice.

Biphenyl hydrolase-like protein (BPHL) is a novel human serine hydrolase that was originally cloned from a breast carcinoma cDNA library and shown to convert valacyclovir to acyclovir and valganciclovir to ganciclovir. However, the exclusivity of this process has not been determined and, indeed, it is possible that a number of esterases/proteases may mediate the hydrolysis of valacyclovir and similar prodrugs. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the in situ intestinal permeability and stability of valacyclovir in wildtype (WT) and Bphl knockout (KO) mice, as well as the in vivo oral absorption and intravenous disposition of valacyclovir and acyclovir in the two mouse genotypes. We found that Bphl knockout mice had no obvious phenotype and that Bphl ablation did not alter the jejunal permeability of valacyclovir during in situ perfusions (i.e., 0.54 × 10-4 in WT vs. 0.53 × 10-4 cm/s in KO). Whereas no meaningful changes occurred between genotypes in the gene expression of proton-coupled oligopeptide transporters (i.e., PepT1, PepT2, PhT1, PhT2), enzymatic upregulation of Cyp3a11, Cyp3a16, Abhd14a and Abhd14b was observed in some tissues of Bphl knockout mice. Most importantly, we found that valacyclovir was rapidly and efficiently hydrolyzed to acyclovir in the absence of BPHL, and that hydrolysis was more extensive after the oral vs. intravenous route of administration (for both genotypes). Taken as a whole, BPHL is not obligatory for the conversion of valacyclovir to acyclovir either presystemically or systemically.