Is dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib necessary in nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia?

Nilotinib is a specific breakpoint cluster region-Abelson leukemia virus-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is used as an effective first- or second-line treatment in imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. Hepatotoxicity due to nilotinib is a commonly reported side effect; however, abnormal liver function test (LFT) results have been reported in asymptomatic cases. When alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels are more than five-fold the upper limit of the normal (ULN) or when the serum total bilirubin level is more than three-fold the ULN, dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib is recommended, resulting in decreased levels of hematological indicators in certain patients with CML. Nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia typically manifests as indirect bilirubinemia without elevated ALT or AST levels. Such abnormal liver functioning is thus not attributed to the presence of a true histologic lesion of the liver. The underlying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity. Therefore, nilotinib dose adjustment is not recommended for this type of hyperbilirubinemia, and in the absence of elevated liver enzyme levels or presence of abnormal LFT findings, physicians should consider maintaining nilotinib dose intensity without modifications.     

Evaluation of NMU-Induced Breast Cancer Treated with Sirolimus and Sunitinib on Breast Cancer Growth

Objective: To analyze the effect of sirolimus and sunitinib in blocking the tumor growth and to evaluate the expressions of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/neu) after treated with sirolimus and sunitinib. Methods: Thirty-two female Sprague Dawley rats at age 21-days old were administered intraperitoneally with N-Methyl-N-Nitroso Urea (NMU), dosed at 70mg/kg body weight. The rats were divided into 4 groups; Group 1 (Control, n=8), Group 2 (Sirolimus, n=8), Group 3 (Sunitinib, n=8) and Group 4 (Sirolimus+Sunitinib, n=8), being treated twice when the tumor reached the size of 14.5±0.5 mm and subsequently sacrificed after 5 days. The protein expressions of ER, PgR and HER2/neu of the tumor tissues were evaluated by using immunohistochemistry analysis. Results: Treatment with sirolimus alone lowered expressions of ER and PgR of breast cancer and reduced tumor size. There was no significant difference of ER and PgR expressions between control and sunitinib treated tumor. Sunitinib treated tumors reduce in diameter after the first treatment, however the diameter increases after the second treatment. Histologically, sunitinib treated tumor did not show any aggressive invasive carcinoma of no special type (NST) histological subtypes. In addition, all NMU-induced tumors are HER2/neu-negative scoring. Conclusion: Sirolimus is neither synergistic nor additive with sunitinib for breast cancer treatment.     

Incidence of T790M in Patients With NSCLC Progressed to Gefitinib,Erlotinib, and Afatinib: A Study on Circulating Cell-free DNA

BackgroundInsights into the mechanism of resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) could provide important information for further patient management, including the choice of second-line treatment. The EGFR T790M mutation is the most common mechanism of resistance to first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs. Owing to its biologic relevance in the response of non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to the selective pressure of treatment, the present study investigated whether the occurrence of T790M at progression differed among patients receiving gefitinib, erlotinib, or afatinib.Patients and MethodsThe present retrospective study included patients with NSCLC with an EGFR activating mutation, who had received gefitinib, erlotinib, or afatinib as first-line treatment. Plasma samples for the analysis of cell-free DNA were taken at disease progression and analyzed using a digital droplet polymerase chain reaction EGFR mutation assay.ResultsA total of 83 patients were enrolled; 42 had received gefitinib or erlotinib and 41afatinib. The patient characteristics were comparable across the 2 groups. The median time to progression (TTP) was 14.4 months for the gefitinib and erlotinib group and 10.2 months for the afatinib group (P = .09). Of the 83 patients, 47 (56.6%) were positive for the T790M in plasma. A greater incidence of T790M was observed in patients with progression during gefitinib or erlotinib therapy compared with patients treated with afatinib (33 [79%] vs. 14 [34%], respectively; odds ratio, 7.1; 95% confidence interval, 2.7-18.5; P = .0001).ConclusionsAlthough gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib showed a comparable TTP in patients receiving first-line therapy, the incidence of T790M differed among them, as demonstrated by the present study, which could have implications for the choice of second-line treatment.     

转TrkC基因神经干细胞移植对脊髓损伤的治疗作用

目的 研究转酪氨酸激酶C（tyrosine kinase C，TrkC）基因神经干细胞（neural stem cells，NSCs）移植治疗脊髓损伤的作用。方法 60只SD大鼠随机分成正常对照组（A组）、脊髓半切组（B组）、NSCs移植组（C组）、NSCs移植＋神经营养素（NT）-3局部使用（D）组、转TrkC基WNSCs移植组（E组）和转TrkC基因NSCs移植＋NT-3局部使用组（F组），每组10只。脊髓损伤后第9天进行细胞移植。各组大鼠在细胞移植后2个月，行体感诱发电位（SEP）和运动诱发电位（MEP）检查以及脊髓运动功能（BBB）评分。结果 细胞移植后2个月SEP和MEP发生潜伏期和峰峰波幅以及右后肢BBB评分的恢复均以下组最佳，与其他各组比较，差异有统计学意义（P＜ 0．05，0．01）。结论在局部给予的NT-3作用下，转TrkC基因NSCs能较好地促进损伤脊髓功能的恢复。     

Flunarizine induces a transient loss of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in nigrostriatal neurons

Neurotoxic effects of flunarizine (Fz), a selective calcium channel blocker, on the nigrostriatal dopamine system was investigated. Systemic injections of Fz to mice resulted in a transient loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive nigrostriatal neurons without cell loss. TH immunoreactivity in these neurons was greatly reduced as rapidly as one day after drug administration (regardless of dosage used) and thereafter recovered in both dose- and time-dependent manners. Such a novel neurotoxic action of Fz may constitute a morphological substrate for reversible drug-induced parkinsonian signs described in recent clinical case reports.     

大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞转染人TH基因的实验研究

目的评价酪氨酸羟化酶(tyrosine hydroxylase,TH)基因修饰骨髓间充质干细胞(mesenchymalstem cells,MSCs)后TH的表达情况及转染TH基因对MSCs的影响.方法构建含人TH基因的pCMV/hTH质粒,用脂质体转染原代培养的大鼠MSCs;Western blot及免疫细胞化学染色鉴定TH基因的表达及MSCs的分化情况;MTT比色法测定转染后的MSCs细胞活性,并与未转染的MSCs进行细胞活性比较.结果构建的pCMV/hTH质粒经ECoRI酶切后产生1.9okb和5.3kb的片段,与回收的目的基因及载体基因片段大小相符;转基因后的MSCs Western blot及免疫细胞化学染色显示TH染色阳性;转染后MSCs未见有NeuN,GFAP的表达;MTT比色法测定细胞活性,未转染与转染者差异无显著性.结论构建的TH基因能在体外培养的鼠MSCs中较好的表达,转染不会诱导MSCs向神经样细胞分化,对MSCs细胞活性无明显影响.     

新生小猪脑含氧量和O-酪氨酸在双侧颈动脉结扎和失血中的变化

采用小猪双侧颈动脉结扎伴失血模型检测双侧颈动脉的结扎伴失血对脑氧分压和O-酪氨酸变化的影响,结果发现小猪脑氧分压为(51±4)托.颈动脉结扎和失血后60min降为(10±1.5)托(P<0.001),当颈动脉恢复通畅和失血再灌注后,脑氧分压增至(40±6)托,此值与预试验时的脑氧分压无明显差异.对照组中脑纹状体中的O-酪氨酸的含量为(0.57±0.19)nmoles/g组织.缺血试验后1h其含量明显升为(29±0.5)nmoles/g组织(P<0.005),显示缺血后再灌注导致脑纹状体O-酪氨酸显著上升.提示组织中羟基产生增加,可能与新生小猪脑缺血和再灌注损伤有一定作用.     

酪氨酸激酶抑制剂对气管上皮细胞生长的影响

目的探讨酪氨酸激酶抑制剂(Tyrosine kinase inhibitor,TKI)对培养气管上皮细胞生长的影响.方法通过MMT法、3H-胸腺嘧啶(3H-TdR)掺入法及流式细胞计数,观察3种TKIs:Tyrphostin AG1478、Genistein(Sigma)及金转停对原代培养的大鼠气管上皮细胞增殖、周期及凋亡的影响,以及TKIs对表皮生长因子(EGF)的阻断作用.结果MTT法显示3种TKI均对气管上皮细胞的生长具有时间和剂量依赖性抑制作用,同时,TKI阻断EGF对气管上皮细胞生长的刺激作用,3种TKIs的作用无明显差异;1μmol/L的Tyrphostin AG1478、Genistein及金转停分别使气管上皮细胞的TdR掺入率降低18.3%、20.9%及19.7%,与MTT比色法结果一致.同时,Tyrphostin AG1478不仅加速气管上皮细胞的凋亡而且阻止细胞有丝分裂.TKIs可阻断表皮生长因子(EGF)对气管上皮细胞生长的刺激作用.结论TKIs不仅抑制对原代培养的大鼠气管上皮细胞的生长,加速其凋亡,而且可阻断EGF对气管上皮细胞生长的刺激作用,3种抑制剂的作用无明显差异.     

Cross reactivity between IA-2 and phogrin/IA-2β in binding of autoantibodies in IDDM

Summary Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) possess antibodies to the cytoplasmic domains of two closely related tyrosine phosphatase-like proteins, IA-2 and phogrin, previously detected as 40 kDa and 37 kDa tryptic fragments, respectively. A higher proportion of IDDM patients possess antibodies to IA-2 than to phogrin, and autoimmunity to phogrin might arise through cross-reactivity with the highly homologous IA-2. In this study, we have investigated the major regions of IA-2 recognized by antibodies in IDDM patients and examined the ability of phogrin to block antibody binding to these regions as a measure of cross-reactivity. Analysis of antibody binding to in vitro transcribed and translated polypeptides representing different regions of the cytoplasmic domain of IA-2 identified five different patterns of reactivity with antibodies in IDDM. Protein footprinting analysis, whereby polypeptide fragments generated on protease treatment of immune complexes are studied, indicated considerable heterogeneity in antibody recognition of IA-2, even between sera with similar reactivity to deletion mutants. Blocking studies with recombinant phogrin indicated that IA-2 antibodies recognize epitopes that are both unique to IA-2 and shared with phogrin. The amino-terminal 150 amino acids of the cytoplasmic domain of IA-2 encompass epitopes that are not represented on phogrin, whereas shared epitopes are localized within the carboxy-terminal 220 amino acids. The results demonstrate considerable heterogeneity between IDDM patients in autoantibody recognition of IA-2 in IDDM, whereas antibody recognition of phogrin is restricted in most patients to epitopes also present on IA-2. [Diabetologia (1997) 40: 1327–1333] Received: 4 April 1997 and in revised form: 2 July 1997     

Association of a 70-kDa tyrosine phosphoprotein with the CD16:ζ:γ complex expressed in human natural killer cells

The CD16: ζ: γ receptor complex allows natural killer (NK) cells to recognize and eliminate antibody-coated target cells. Whereas the ectodomain of CD16 is the receptor for Fcγ domains of immunoglobulins, disulfide-linked homo- and heterodimers composed of ζ and γ are required for the cell surface expression, and signal transduction properties of the complex. Engagement of CD16 activates the tyrosine kinase pathway, which induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of several substrates, including the ζ subunit and the phospholipase C γ-1 and γ-2 isoforms. Here we show that CD 16 stimulation of either peripheral blood NK cells, leukemic NK cells, or Jurkat transformants expressing a CD16:ζ:γ receptor complex, results in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a 70 kDa ζ-associated protein (pp70). Similarly, a 70-kDa ζ-associated phosphoprotein in T cells has been shown to be a tyrosine kinase (ZAP-70). Peptide mapping analysis indicates that the 70-kDa ζ-associated phosphoproteins from T cells and NK cells are structurally indistinguishable. We conclude that the CD16:ζ:γ complex may use a ZAP-70-related non-receptor tyrosine kinase, in the CD16 signaling cascade leading to NK cell activation.