In vitro metabolism of the anti-psoriatic vitamin D analog, calcipotriol, in two cultured human keratinocyte models.

Calcipotriol (MC903) is a side chain analog of the vitamin D hormone calcitriol, containing a 22-23 double bond, a 24(S)-hydroxyl function, and carbons 25, 26, and 27 incorporated into a cyclopropane ring which has been developed for treating psoriasis. The in vitro metabolism of calcipotriol was studied in two keratinocyte cell models, HPK1A and HPK1A-ras. Calcipotriol was initially converted into the 24-ketone (MC1046) and its 22,23-hydrogenated derivative (MC1080), metabolites observed in osteosarcoma, kidney, and hepatoma cell lines. We also observed the formation of further metabolites, identified as the two 23-hydroxylated derivatives of MC1080 (MC1439 and MC1441), the two 23,24-dihydroxylated compounds (MC1575 and 1577), and the side chain-cleaved compounds, tetranor-1,23-(OH)2D3 and calcitroic acid, the end products of catabolism of calcitriol. These findings suggest that calcitriol and calcipotriol may share catabolic enzymes. The biological activity of each of the principal metabolites of calcipotriol, assessed using a growth hormone reporter gene transcriptional activation system and a vitamin D receptor assay, was found to be lower than that of calcipotriol. If the extensive in vitro metabolism of calcipotriol is also found in normal and psoriatic keratinocytes in vivo, then this may explain the lack of systemic calcemic activity of topically applied drug.