INTERACTION OF SULFONYLUREAS WITH THE TRANSPORT OF BILE-ACIDS INTO HEPATOCYTES

The sulfonylurea compounds glisoxepide and glibenclamide inhibit the uptake of bile acids into isolated rat hepatocytes. The K(i) values for the inhibition of cholate uptake was 9-mu-M with glibenclamide and 200-mu-M with glisoxepide. The inhibition of cholate uptake by both sulfonylureas was noncompetitive. Uptake of the conjugated bile acid taurocholate was inhibited by glibenclamide, K(i) = 75-mu-M. Again the inhibition was noncompetitive. Glisoxepide inhibited taurocholate uptake only in the absence of sodium ions. Under sodium-free conditions glisoxepide also strongly inhibited cholate uptake. The inhibition was competitive, K(i) = 42-mu-M. Both bile acids interfered with the hepatocellular uptake of [H-3]glisoxepide, with IC50 values of 375 and 467-mu-M for cholate and taurocholate, respectively. The uptake of [H-3]glibenclamide was inhibited by cholate, IC50 = 328-mu-M, but not by taurocholate. Glisoxepide uptake was further inhibited by blockers of the hepatocellular monocarboxylate transporter, by the loop diuretic bumetanide, by 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate (DIDS) and by sulfate. Glibenclamide uptake was weakly inhibited by DIDS and by anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (A-9-C) but not by bumetanide and sulfate. Neither bromosulfophthalein nor the fatty acid oleate inhibited glisoxepide or glibenclamide uptake. These results are consistent with the transport of glisoxepide via the transport system for the unconjugated bile acid cholate. Glibenclamide uptake is mediated by a still unknown hepatocellular transport system.