1. ¹Institute of Pharmacology, Medical School of Hannover, 30623 Hannover, Germany
2. ²Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of the Medical School Hannover, 30623 Hannover, Germany

Correspondence: Michael Deters, Institut für Pharmakologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany. E-mail: Deters.Michael@MH-Hannover.de

Received 10 December 2001; Revised 8 April 2002; Accepted 10 April 2002.

Abstract

1. The new immunosuppressive agent sirolimus generally is combined in transplant patients with cyclosporine and tacrolimus which both exhibit cholestatic effects. Nothing is known about possible cholestatic effects of these combinations which might be important for biliary excretion of endogenous compounds as well as of immunosuppressants.
2. Rats were daily treated with sirolimus (1 mg kg^-1 p.o.), cyclosporine (10 mg kg^-1 i.p.), tacrolimus (1 mg kg^-1 i.p.), or a combination of sirolimus with cyclosporine or tacrolimus. After 14 days a bile fistula was installed to investigate the effects of the immunosuppressants and their combinations on bile flow and on biliary excretion of bile salts, cholesterol, and immunosuppressants.
3. Cyclosporine as well as tacrolimus reduced bile flow (-22%; -18%), biliary excretion of bile salts (-15%;-36%) and cholesterol (-15%; -47%). Sirolimus decreased bile flow by 10%, but had no effect on cholesterol or bile salt excretion.
4. Combination of sirolimus/cyclosporine decreased bile flow and biliary bile salt excretion to the same extent as cyclosporine alone, but led to a 2 fold increase of biliary cholesterol excretion. Combination of sirolimus/tacrolimus reduced bile flow only by 7.5% and did not change biliary bile salt and cholesterol excretion.
5. Sirolimus enhanced blood concentrations of cyclosporine (+40%) and tacrolimus (+57%). Sirolimus blood concentration was increased by cyclosporine (+400%), but was not affected by tacrolimus.
6. We conclude that a combination of sirolimus/tacrolimus could be the better alternative to the cotreatment of sirolimus/cyclosporine in cholestatic patients and in those facing difficulties in reaching therapeutic ranges of sirolimus blood concentration.