Clinical pharmacology of tenofovir clearance: a pharmacokinetic/pharmacogenetic study on plasma and urines

The HIV virus and hepatitis B virus nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor tenofovir has been associated with proximal tubular toxicity; the latter was found to be predicted by plasma concentrations and with single-nucleotide polymorphisms in transporters-encoding genes. A cross-sectional analysis in adult HIV-positive patients with estimated creatinine clearance > 60 ml min(-1) was performed. Twelve-hour plasma and urinary tenofovir concentrations and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in several transporter-encoding genes were analysed. In 289 patients 12-h tenofovir plasma, urinary and urinary to plasma ratios were 69 ng ml(-1) ( interquartile range 51.5-95), 24.3 mg ml(-1) ( 14.3-37.7) and 384 ( 209-560). At multivariate analysis estimated creatinine clearance, protease inhibitors co-administration and SLC28A2 CT/TT genotypes were independently associated with plasma tenofovir exposure; ABCC10 GA/AA genotypes and protease inhibitor co-administration were independently associated with the urinary to plasma tenofovir ratio. Tenofovir clearance was associated with genetic polymorphisms in host genes and with co-administered drugs: if confirmed by ongoing studies these data may inform treatment tailoring and/or dose reductions.