“…P450 3A4 has been shown to catalyze the bioactivation of several hepatotoxic tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including dasatinib, gefitinib, erlotinib, lapatinib, and sunitinib, leading to the formation of reactive quinoneimine products trapped as glutathione conjugates. ,− Other kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib, masitinib, and avitinib, can form reactive iminium intermediates trapped as cyano adducts. ,, Reactive metabolite formation is proposed as a key initiating event in the development of drug-induced liver injury. , Electrophilic metabolites can bind to cellular thiols and other nucleophilic residues, potentially leading to protein covalent modification, cell stress, immune activation and inflammatory responses, and organ toxicity . A recent report suggests that iminium intermediates may have less toxicity liability compared to other electrophilic metabolites . However, the actual mechanisms involved in masitinib-induced liver injury remain unclear.…”