Possible role of free radical formation in clozapine (clozaril)-induced agranulocytosis

V Fischer, JA Haar, L Greiner, RV Lloyd and RP Mason

Drug Safety Department, Sandoz Pharma Ltd., Basle, Switzerland.

The use of clozapine, a unique antipsychotic drug, has been restricted due to a 1-2% incidence of drug-induced agranulocytosis. Metabolic activation of clozapine in neutrophils or stem cells could be the molecular mechanism underlying this side effect. Clozapine oxidation by human myeloperoxidase and horseradish peroxidase was evident from the disappearance of the UV absorbance at 290 nm. High performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed the formation of at least four radioactive peaks as a result of clozapine metabolism, including radioactivity coeluting with the protein. The tight association of radioactivity with the enzymatic protein was metabolism-dependent. This protein binding, which correlates with the total metabolism of clozapine, was reduced in the presence of glutathione and was absent in the presence of ascorbate. Similarly, in the presence of both reducing agents, the metabolite peaks in the high performance liquid chromatography radiogram, which are not associated with protein, disappeared. In contrast, in the presence of glutathione, two additional metabolites were found that could be isolated and identified by NMR and mass spectroscopy as clozapine glutathionyl adducts. Evidence for one-electron transfer reactions or the intermediate formation of a clozapine radical during the peroxidase-mediated metabolism of clozapine stems from the observation of thiyl and ascorbyl radicals in the presence of glutathione and ascorbate, respectively. The ascorbyl radical was detected by direct ESR spectroscopy in a peroxidase system. Its steady state concentration was significantly increased in the presence of clozapine. Glutathionyl radical formation was demonstrated by radical trapping with 5,5- dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide in a peroxidase system. Again, the radical adduct concentration was significantly increased in the presence of clozapine. Similarly, when oxygen consumption was measured in peroxidase systems in the presence of glutathione or NADPH, the rate of oxygen uptake was markedly enhanced upon addition of clozapine. Thus, the data support the possibility of clozapine activation to free radical metabolites, which may cause oxidative stress or lead to adduct formation. Further, it can be concluded from these data that radical scavengers such as ascorbic acid, when coadministered with clozapine to patients, may reduce oxidative stress and protein adduct formation.

Volume 40, Issue 5, pp. 846-853, 11/01/1991
Copyright © 1991 by American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

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