OBJECTIVETo develop a LC-MS/MS method for determination of deferiprone in cell lysate and to study the potential interaction between deferiprone and hOCTs or hOAT1 transporters in vitro.

METHODSThe determination was performed on an Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 column(3.5 μm, 2.1 mm×50 mm).The gradient mobile phase was composed of solvent A:0.1% formic acid in water, and B:0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile. The mass spectrometer with an electrospray interface was operated in positive ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan mode monitored the ion pair of deferiprone at m/z 140→96, or phenacetin at m/z 180→110. The effects of deferiprone on the accumulation of typical substrates of hOCTs and hOAT1 were evaluated by MDCK-hOCTs and MDCK-hOAT1 cells respectively. The accumulation of deferiprone was also investigated in MDCK-hOCTs cells and mock cells with or without typical inhibitors.

RESULTSThe standard curve was linear over the range of 5-300 nmol/L. The assay recovery of deferiprone was above 94%, and the intra-day precision (RSD) was less than 2.0%. The accumulation of MPP(+) in MDCK-hOCTs cells with 300 μmol/L deferiprone were 73.5%, 87.1% and 70.4%, respectively. The uptake of deferiprone in MDCK-hOCTs and mock cells did not show significant difference. Deferiprone of 100 μmol/L did not significantly affect the accumulation of 6-CF in MDCK-hOAT1 cell.

CONCLUSIONThe method is sensitivity and suitable for the determination of deferiprone in cell lysate. Deferiprone can significantly inhibit hOCT1 and hOCT3, but has no effects on hOCT2 and hOAT1. hOCTs may not play a major role in the transport of deferiprone.