The Loss-of-Function ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily G Member 2 Polymorphism ABCG2 c.421C>A Reduces Lamotrigine Trough Concentrations in Adults with Epilepsy.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

The commonly used antiseizure medication lamotrigine is a substrate to ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) transporter. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the common loss-of-function polymorphism ABCG2 c.421C>A (rs2231142) on the lamotrigine trough concentrations at steady state in adults with epilepsy.

METHODS

In two consecutive studies (Study 1, Study 2) in patients on lamotrigine monotherapy, carriers of the variant ABCG2 c.421C>A allele (CA/AA) were considered exposed, and wild-type homozygotes (CC) were considered controls. They were mutually balanced on covariates (age, sex, body weight, several polymorphisms in genes encoding other transporter proteins and lamotrigine-metabolizing enzymes that have been suggested to affect exposure to lamotrigine) to estimate the exposure effect (geometric means ratios, GMRs) in each study separately and overall (individual patient data meta-analysis). The overall estimate was evaluated for sensitivity to residual confounding.

RESULTS

In both studies (exposed n = 28 vs. controls n = 103; exposed n = 44 vs. controls n = 153, in Study 1 and Study 2, respectively) and overall (exposed n = 72 vs. controls n = 256), dose-corrected lamotrigine trough concentrations were moderately lower in the exposed patients: frequentist GMR [95% CI] = 0.82 [0.63-1.08]; GMR = 0.69 [0.60-0.81] and GMR = 0.72 [0.63-0.83] in Study 1, Study 2 and overall, respectively; Bayes GMR [95% CrI] = 0.83 [0.68-1.00]; GMR = 0.69 [0.58-0.83] and GMR = 0.75 [0.65-0.86] in Study 1, Study 2 and overall, respectively. Estimates appeared resistant to unmeasured confounding-the E-values for the pooled point estimates were high, and estimates corrected for a strong hypothetical bias were GMR = 0.78 [0.68-0.90] frequentist and GMR = 0.81 [0.70-0.93] Bayes.

CONCLUSION

Polymorphism ABCG2 c.421C>A moderately reduces lamotrigine concentrations in adults with epilepsy.