Inhibition of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) glucuronidation by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in human liver microsomes and recombinant UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes.

20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is an arachidonic acid metabolite which is known to increase platelet aggregation and cardiovascular risk. In this study, nine non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) selected by chemical structures were screened to determine their effects on the glucuronidation of 20-HETE using human liver microsomes (HLMs). Then, the combined effects of the selected NSAID and genetic polymorphisms in UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) were investigated. Among the tested NSAIDs, diclofenac was the strongest inhibitor of 20-HETE glucuronidation with an IC50 value of 3.5 μM. Celecoxib, naproxen, mefenamic acid, ibuprofen, and indomethacin showed modest inhibition with IC50 values of 77, 91, 190, 208, and 220 μM, respectively, while acetylsalicylic acid, rofecoxib, and meloxicam did not inhibit 20-HETE glucuronidation. Glucuronidation of 20-HETE by UGT2B7 and UGT1A9 recombinant enzymes was significantly inhibited by indomethacin, mefanemic acid, diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, and celecoxib (P < 0.001). In addition, diclofenac exhibited a competitive inhibition mechanism with the Km value of 20-HETE glucuronidation increasing from 23.5 μM to 62 μM in the presence of 3.5 μM diclofenac. Diclofenac further decreased 20-HETE glucuronidation in HLMs carrying UGT2B7*2 alleles compared with the wild-type HLMs. The results from this study would be useful in understanding the alteration of 20-HETE levels in relation to NSAID and UGT genetic polymorphisms.