Rommel G. Tirona
Assistant Professor
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PH.D. University of Toronto |
Research in the Tirona Lab focuses on molecular determinants of drug response and toxicity. In particular, studies are performed to characterize and understand the factors that govern interindividual differences in drug pharmacokinetics. The laboratory is especially interested in transport proteins and their impact on tissue drug distribution and elimination. Moreover, the role of nuclear receptors in determining the expression of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters is also an area of interest. A variety of biochemical, molecular biological and genetic methods are employed in cellular and animal models together with studies in humans. Currently, the laboratory is investigating the role of drug transporters in the skeletal muscle toxicity of the cholesterol-lowering drugs. In addition, we are studying the interplay between transporters and metabolizing enzymes with respect to quantitative in vitro to in vivo prediction of drug pharmacokinetics.
Zaher H, Meyer Zu Schwabedissen HE, Tirona RG, Cox ML, Obert LA, Agrawal N, Palandra J, Stock JL, Kim RB, Ware JA (2008) Targeted Disruption of Murine Organic Anion-Transporting Polypeptide 1b2 (oatp1b2/Slco1b2) Significantly Alters Disposition of Prototypical Drug Substrates Pravastatin and Rifampin. Mol Pharmacol 74(2):320-9. Marzolini C, Tirona RG, Gervasini G, Poonkuzhali B, Assem M, Lee W, Leake BF, Schuetz JD, Schuetz EG, Kim RB (2007) A common polymorphism in the bile acid receptor farnesoid x receptor is associated with decreased hepatic target gene expression. Mol Endocrinol 21(8):1769-80. Tirona RG, Lee W, Leake BF, Lan LB, Cline CB, Lamba V, Parviz F, Duncan SA, Inoue Y, Gonzalez FJ, Schuetz EG, Kim RB (2003) The orphan nuclear receptor HNF4alpha determines PXR- and CAR-mediated xenobiotic induction of CYP3A4. Nat Med 9(2):220-4. Tirona RG, Leake BF, Merino G, Kim RB (2001) Polymorphisms in OATP-C: identification of multiple allelic variants associated with altered transport activity among European- and African-Americans. J Biol Chem 276(38):35669-75. Tirona RG, Pang KS (1999) Bimolecular glutathione conjugation kinetics of ethacrynic acid in rat liver: in vitro and perfusion studies. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 290(3):1230-41.
