Rapid identification of atypical variant of plasma butyrylcholinesterase by PCR.

Human butyrylcholinesterase is the enzyme responsible of mivacurium and succinylcholine metabolism, which may be significantly impaired when mutation Asp70Gly is found in patients. We describe a simple PCR method for the detection of this variant. Thirteen out of sixteen patients tested after prolonged apnea were positive for the presence of this mutation (50.0% homozygotes and 31.3% heterozygotes), suggesting that this test contributes to the explanation of some clinical events and to their prevention in relatives of these patients.     

Determination of phospholipidosis potential based on gene expression analysis in HepG2 cells.

Phospholipidosis (PLD) is characterized by an intracellular accumulation of phospholipids in lysosomes and the concurrent development of concentric lamellar bodies. Recently, H. Sawada et al. (2005, Toxicol. Sci. 83, 282-292) identified 17 genes as potential biomarkers of PLD in HepG2 cells. The present study was undertaken to determine if this set of genes measured by quantitative PCR could be validated in the same cell line. The objective was also to investigate the dose-response relationship to further validate the assay and to select the concentrations to use for screening activities. In a first experiment (one concentration tested), out of the 17 genes, the best gene biomarkers of PLD (i.e., 11 genes) were selected for practical screening reasons. Based on these genes, 91.6% (i.e., 11 of 12) of the compounds known to induce PLD were identified as positive and all the negative compounds (i.e., five of five) were also confirmed. When the data obtained in the first experiment were compared to the data by Sawada et al., (2005) the coefficient of correlation calculated was slightly higher than 75%. In the second experiment (26 compounds [all 17 compounds from the first experiment plus 9 other compounds] tested at a minimum of three concentrations), 93.3% (14/15) of the compounds known to induce PLD were identified as such and all the negative controls (six compounds) were also confirmed. Three compounds likely to induce PLD were identified as positive in our assay. Finally, two compounds for which no data are available were also tested. When both experiments 1 and 2 were compared, the coefficient of correlation for 16 compounds tested at the same concentrations reached 87.7%. In conclusion, the present study further confirms the utility of gene expression in HepG2 cells to identify a potential to induce PLD. Finally, based on the data presented, researchers are encouraged to use a range of minimum three concentrations (e.g., 12.5, 25, and 50 microM) to screen for PLD in the human HepG2 cell line.     

Nefopam, a Nonsedative Benzoxazocine Analgesic, Selectively Reduces the Shivering Threshold in Unanesthetized Subjects

Background: The analgesic nefopam does not compromise ventilation, is minimally sedating, and is effective as a treatment for postoperative shivering. The authors evaluated the effects of nefopam on the major thermoregulatory responses in humans: sweating, vasoconstriction, and shivering.

Methods: Nine volunteers were studied on three randomly assigned days: (1) control (saline), (2) nefopam at a target plasma concentration of 35 ng/ml (low dose), and (3) nefopam at a target concentration of 70 ng/ml (high dose, approximately 20 mg total). Each day, skin and core temperatures were increased to provoke sweating and then reduced to elicit peripheral vasoconstriction and shivering. The authors determined the thresholds (triggering core temperature at a designated skin temperature of 34[degrees]C) by mathematically compensating for changes in skin temperature using the established linear cutaneous contributions to control of each response.

Results: Nefopam did not significantly modify the slopes for sweating (0.0 +/- 4.9[degrees]C [middle dot] [mu]g-1 [middle dot] ml; r2 = 0.73 +/- 0.32) or vasoconstriction (-3.6 +/- 5.0[degrees]C [middle dot] [mu]g-1 [middle dot] ml; r2 = -0.47 +/- 0.41). In contrast, nefopam significantly reduced the slope of shivering (-16.8 +/- 9.3[degrees]C [middle dot] [mu]g-1 [middle dot] ml; r2 = 0.92 +/- 0.06). Therefore, high-dose nefopam reduced the shivering threshold by 0.9 +/- 0.4[degrees]C (P < 0.001) without any discernible effect on the sweating or vasoconstriction thresholds.     

Tacrolimus Pharmacokinetics and Dose Monitoring After Lung Transplantation for Cystic Fibrosis and Other Conditions

In cystic fibrosis (CF), absorption of tacrolimus through the gastrointestinal tract may be impaired due to fat malabsorption. The aim of this pilot study was to compare tacrolimus pharmacokinetics and inter- and intrasubject variability of exposure in stable lung transplant recipients with and without CF, and to determine the best single-time predictors of exposure. The study included 11 lung transplant recipients with CF and 11 without CF who received tacrolimus twice daily. Blood samples were obtained predose and at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 12 h postdose on 3 separate days within 1 week. Tacrolimus pharmacokinetics and inter- and intrasubject variability of exposure were similar in the two groups, though exposure-per-milligram-dose was approximately 50% lower in CF patients. Tacrolimus trough concentration did not accurately predict the area under the concentration curve (AUC(0-12)), but the concentration measured 3 h postdose (C(3)) was tightly correlated with the AUC(0-12) in both CF (r(2)= 0.86) and non-CF (r(2)= 0.92) patients. In summary, patients with CF have a higher tacrolimus oral clearance, but nonsignificant differences in short-term inter- and intrasubject variability of exposure compared to patients without CF. C(3) is tightly correlated with AUC(0-12) in lung transplant recipients with and without CF.     

Epidermal growth factor directly stimulates steroidogenesis in primary cultures of porcine Leydig cells: actions and sites of action

The actions and the mechanisms of action of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in testicular steroidogenesis were investigated using a model of primary culture of purified porcine Leydig cells from immature intact animals. EGF decreased (1.7-fold) human CG (hCG)-induced dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) accumulation in the medium whereas it enhanced (2.5-fold) that of testosterone. The maximal and half-maximal effects on both DHEA and testosterone secretions were observed at similar concentrations which were, respectively, 3 (5 x 10(-10) M) and 0.7 (11 x 10(-11) M) ng/ml EGF, after 72-h treatment. EGF effect on DHEA and testosterone secretion was similarly observed whether the cells were acutely (3 h) stimulated with hCG (1 ng/ml) or with 8-bromo-cAMP (10(-3) M). To further localize the steroidogenic biochemical steps affected by EGF, the growth factor action on steroidogenic enzyme activities was investigated. EGF increased delta 5 steroid intermediate (i.e. pregnenolone and DHEA) formation [evaluated in the presence of 10(-5) M of WIN 24540, an inhibitor of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/iosomerase (3 beta-HSDI) activity]. However, this stimulation was observed in cells when acutely (3 h) stimulated with hCG (0.01-1 ng/ml) but not when incubated with 22R-hydroxycholesterol (0.01-10 micrograms/ml). Such findings indicate that EGF did not affect cholesterol side chain cleavage cytochrome P450 activity but probably increased cholesterol substrate availability for this enzyme in the inner mitochondria. Moreover, EGF significantly (P less than 0.001) increased delta 5 steroid intermediate (i.e. pregnenolone and DHEA) but not delta 4 steroid intermediate (i.e. progesterone and androstenedione) conversion into testosterone, indicating that EGF enhances 3 beta-HSDI activity. Such effects of EGF are directly exerted on Leydig cells since EGF receptors (Kd = 16 x 10(-11) M) are present in primary cultures of purified porcine Leydig cells. Together, the present findings show that in Leydig cells from intact animals, EGF enhances the gonadotropin action on testosterone formation through an increase in the availability of cholesterol substrate in the mitochondria as well as an increase in the activity of 3 beta-HSDI.     

Study of intraocular diffusion of ofloxacin in humans and rabbits]

The diffusion of ofloxacin in infected and healthy human and rabbit eyes was investigated. In the human study, cataract surgery patients were given intravenous ofloxacin either as a single 200 or 400 mg dose or as two 400 mg infusions 12 hours apart. Samples of aqueous humor and plasma were collected between 1 and 12 hours after the end of the infusion. Levels in the anterior chamber increased with the dose; peak levels, which occurred after three hours, were 0.33 mg/l after 200 mg and 1.24 mg/l after two 200 mg doses given 12 hours apart. In the rabbit study, 16 hours after experimental infection of the left eye by injection of S. epidermidis into the vitreous, animals were given an intraperitoneal injection of 20 or 50 mg/kg ofloxacin. Dosages in the various ocular tissues showed that penetration into the eye varied with race (albinos greater than pigmented) and dose. Intraocular ofloxacin levels, including in the vitreous, increased two fold when the eye was infected; however, penetration into the sclera, choroid, and retina was comparable in infected and noninfected eyes. These findings in humans and animals suggest that ofloxacin in a dose of a least 400 mg is a useful agent for the treatment of prophylaxis of ocular infections.