Quantification of new antiepileptic drugs by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and its application to cellular uptake experiment using human placental choriocarcinoma BeWo cells

A method for quantification of new antiepileptic drugs, including lamotrigine (LTG), levetiracetam (LEV), gabapentin (GBP), and topiramate (TPM), in cellular samples, using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was developed to better understand the membrane transport mechanisms of these drugs. Cell lysate was deproteinized by methanol containing LEV-d3 as an internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column using gradient elution with methanol-water-formic acid (10:90:0.1, v/v/v) and methanol-formic acid (100:0.1, v/v). Analytes were detected in positive ion electrospray mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM). This method was applicable for a linear range of 5 to 500pmol for LTG; 5 to 1000pmol for LEV; 10 to 10,000pmol for GBP; and 5 to 5000pmol for TPM. The intra-day precision, inter-day precision, and accuracy data were assessed and found to be acceptable. This developed and validated method was then successfully applied to the investigation of uptake of the new antiepileptic drugs in placental choriocarcinoma BeWo cells. The intracellular concentration of these drugs in BeWo cells, accumulating over 30min at 37°C was in the order of GBP>LTG>LEV≈TPM. Furthermore, the uptake of GBP at 4°C was much lower than that at 37°C. The uptake of GBP was saturated at high concentrations. The kinetic parameters calculated for GBP uptake in BeWo cells were determined as Km of 105.4±6.4μM and Vmax at 8153±348pmol/mg protein/min. The novel method described here should enable investigators to elucidate the transport mechanisms of these antiepileptic drugs in BeWo cells.