Antiviral and immunomodulating activities of chemically synthesized lipid A-subunit analogues GLA-27 and GLA-60

Biological and antiviral activities of chemically synthesized lipid A-subunit analogues, GLA-27 and GLA-60, were investigated with respect to defense mechanisms such as macrophage and natural killer (NK) cell activation and interferon (IFN)-inducing activity. GLA-27, a 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivative carrying 3-O-tetradecanoyl (C14) and 2-N-3-tetradecanoyloxytetradecanoyl (C14-O-(C14] group, and GLA-60, a similar analogue carrying 3-O-linked C14-O-(C14) and 2-N-linked 3-hydroxytetradecanoyl (C14-OH) groups, strongly inhibited the formation of pox tail lesions and the growth of vaccinia virus at the tail lesion sites in infected mice. The antiviral activity of GLA-60 was about 1000-fold higher than that of muramyldipeptide (MDP), a representative immunomodulator. GLA-27 and GLA-60 had stronger immunomodulating activity than MDP in macrophage activation, NK cell activation and IFN-inducing activity, although it was weaker than natural lipid A. Toxic manifestations such as pyrogenicity, local Schwartzman reaction and lethality were far less pronounced for GLA-27 and GLA-60 than for natural lipid A.     

Pharmacological profile of YM-31636, a novel 5-HT3 receptor agonist, in vitro

We investigated the in vitro pharmacological profile of YM-31636 (2-(1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-8H-indeno[1,2-d]thiazole monofumarate). In cloned human 5-HT3A receptors, YM-31636 had a pKi value of 9.67 vs. ramosetron and pKi values for other 5-HT3 receptor agonists were less than 7. YM-31636 showed very low affinities for other receptors. YM-31636 induced contraction of isolated guinea pig distal colon. The intrinsic activity was approximately 0.90 compared with 5-hydroxytryptamine's (5-HT) 1.0, and the potency was 26 times greater than that of 5-HT. YM-31636 increased short-circuit current (Isc) in the isolated guinea pig distal colon. In this case, the relative intrinsic activity was approximately 0.19. In isolated guinea pig right atrium, YM-31636 induced tachycardia with the relative intrinsic activity of approximately 0.23. All these effects of YM-31636 were antagonized by ramosetron, a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. These results suggest that YM-31636 is a potent and selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist, preferentially acting on the contraction of the colon.     

Intrathecal administration of AS1928370, a transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 antagonist, attenuates mechanical allodynia in a mouse model of neuropathic pain

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is primarily expressed in central and peripheral terminals of non-myelinated primary afferent neurons. We previously showed that AS1928370, a novel TRPV1 antagonist that can prevent ligand-induced activation but not proton-induced activation, ameliorates neuropathic pain in rats without hyperthermic effect. In this study, we investigated its analgesic profile in mice. AS1928370 showed good oral bioavailability and high penetration into the brain and spinal cord in mice. The mean plasma-to-brain and plasma-to-spinal cord ratios were 4.3 and 3.5, respectively. Pretreatment with AS1928370 significantly suppressed both capsaicin-induced acute pain and withdrawal response in hot plate test at 10-30 mg/kg per os (p.o.). At lower oral doses (0.3-1.0 mg/kg), AS1928370 improved mechanical allodynia in mice undergoing spinal nerve ligation. Intrathecal administration of AS1928370 (30 μg/body) also significantly suppressed mechanical allodynia. In addition, AS1928370 showed no effect on locomotor activity up to 30 mg/kg p.o. These results suggest that spinal TRPV1 has an important role in the transmission of neuropathic pain and that the central nervous system (CNS) penetrant TRPV1 receptor antagonist AS1928370 is a promising candidate for treating neuropathic pain.     

Seroprevalence of pandemic 2009 (H1N1) influenza A virus among schoolchildren and their parents in Tokyo, Japan

Since its emergence, the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus has spread rapidly throughout the world. Previously, we reported that most individuals born after 1920 do not have cross-reactive virus-neutralizing antibodies against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, indicating that they were immunologically naïve to the pandemic virus prior to its emergence. This finding provided us with an excellent opportunity for a seroepidemiological investigation of the transmission mode of the pandemic virus in the community. To gain insight into its transmission within communities, we performed a serosurvey for pandemic virus infection with schoolchildren at an elementary school in Tokyo, Japan, and their parents. We observed a high prevalence of neutralizing antibodies to the pandemic virus in the children at this school, although the percentage of children positive for the neutralizing antibodies varied among classrooms. While a much lower prevalence was observed among parents, seropositivity of the parents correlated with that of their schoolchildren. Moreover, many adults appeared to have experienced asymptomatic infection with the pandemic virus. These data suggest that the pandemic virus was readily transmitted among schoolchildren in elementary schools and that it was also transmitted from schoolchildren to their parents.     

Arachidonic Acid Drives Postnatal Neurogenesis and Elicits a Beneficial Effect on Prepulse Inhibition, a Biological Trait of Psychiatric Illnesses

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a compelling endophenotype (biological markers) for mental disorders including schizophrenia. In a previous study, we identified Fabp7, a fatty acid binding protein 7 as one of the genes controlling PPI in mice and showed that this gene was associated with schizophrenia. We also demonstrated that disrupting Fabp7 dampened hippocampal neurogenesis. In this study, we examined a link between neurogenesis and PPI using different animal models and exploring the possibility of postnatal manipulation of neurogenesis affecting PPI, since gene-deficient mice show biological disturbances from prenatal stages. In parallel, we tested the potential for dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), arachidonic acid (ARA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), to promote neurogenesis and improve PPI. PUFAs are ligands for Fabp members and are abundantly expressed in neural stem/progenitor cells in the hippocampus. Our results are: (1) an independent model animal, Pax6 (+/−) rats, exhibited PPI deficits along with impaired postnatal neurogenesis; (2) methylazoxymethanol acetate (an anti-proliferative drug) elicited decreased neurogenesis even in postnatal period, and PPI defects in young adult rats (10 weeks) when the drug was given at the juvenile stage (4–5 weeks); (3) administering ARA for 4 weeks after birth promoted neurogenesis in wild type rats; (4) raising Pax6 (+/−) pups on an ARA-containing diet enhanced neurogenesis and partially improved PPI in adult animals. These results suggest the potential benefit of ARA in ameliorating PPI deficits relevant to psychiatric disorders and suggest that the effect may be correlated with augmented postnatal neurogenesis.     

L-2,5-dihydrophenylalanine, an inducer of cathepsin-dependent apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60).

L-2,5-Dihydrophenylalanine (DHPA), a phenylalanine analogue, induced apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60). This apoptosis was demonstrated by morphological changes of the cells, such as fragmentation of nuclei and chromatin condensation, and by some evidence found in biochemical analysis, such as DNA ladder and activation of caspase 3. The DHPA-induced apoptosis was prevented by a pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-fmk, and a cysteine protease inhibitor, E-64d, which inhibits calpains and cathepsin B and L. A calpain inhibitor, Z-LL-H, did not affect this apoptosis. A cathepsin B specific inhibitor, CA074-Me, prevented only chromatin condensation. However, E-64d and a cathepsin L specific inhibitor, Z-FY(t-Bu)-dmk, protected the cells from both chromatin condensation and oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. As proceeding to the apoptotic process, the activities of both cathepsin B and L increased gradually. These results indicated that DHPA was an inducer of cathepsin-dependent apoptosis in HL-60 cells.     

Enhancement of immunoglobulin G responses in mice against hepatitis B virus surface antigen, influenza virus hemagglutinin vaccine, and tetanus toxoid by 6-O-acylated muramyl dipeptides.

The adjuvant activity of chemically synthesized 6-O-acylated muramyl dipeptides (MDP) was tested in aqueous form. The activity was assessed by determining immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers in sera of mice immunized with hepatitis B virus surface antigen, influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) vaccine, or tetanus toxoid with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Administration of 6-O-acyl-MDP analogs with antigens induced marked enhancement of primary and secondary IgG antibody responses and maintained high antibody levels for at least 7 weeks. Among the analogs tested, an MDP methyl ester carrying a 6-O-3-hexadecanoyl-oxytetradecanoyl group (compound 309) exhibited the most intensive adjuvant activity. Its activity was stronger than that of 6-O-2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl (B3O)-MDP used as a positive control. However, accumulation of peritoneal cells and activation of peritoneal macrophages by compound 309 was weaker than that by 6-O-B30-MDP, suggesting that 309 as an immunoadjuvant is more suitable for vaccination in terms of its stronger enhancement of antibody formation and lower induction of inflammatory response than 6-O-B30-MDP.     

Importance of fatty acid substituents of chemically synthesized lipid A-subunit analogs in the expression of immunopharmacological activity.

The immunopharmacological activities of chemically synthesized lipid A-subunit analogs, 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives carrying different N- and 3-O-linked acyl groups, were investigated. None of the synthetic compounds tested exhibited any detectable pyrogenicity at a dose of 10 micrograms/kg. Weaker lethal toxicity in galactosamine-sensitized mice was detected at 1 microgram per mouse for all the synthetic compounds except GLA-58. Among (RS) stereoisomers of 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives carrying a 3-O-tetradecanoyl (C14) group with different N-linked acyloxyacyl groups, i.e., 3-dodecanoyloxytetradecanoyl [C14-O-(C12)], 3-tetradecanoyloxytetradecanoyl [C14-O-(C14)], and 3-hexadecanoyloxytetradecanoyl [C14-O-(C16)] groups (termed GLA-57, GLA-27, and GLA-58, respectively), GLA-27 exhibited significant colony-stimulating factor-inducing and tumor necrosis factor-inducing activities, mitogenicity, polyclonal B-cell activation activity, macrophage activation, and adjuvanticity. The activities of GLA-57, which had an N-linked C14-O-(C12) group, were equivalent to or somewhat weaker than those of GLA-27 with a C14-O-(C14) group. Significant immunopharmacological activities were not observed for GLA-58, carrying a C14-O-(C16) group bound to the amino group. GLA-59, carrying 3-O-linked 3-hydroxytetradecanoyl (C14OH) and N-linked C14-O-(C14) groups, showed much higher activities than GLA-27, GLA-60, a compound which possesses the same fatty acid substituents as GLA-59 but with reversed binding sites, showed the strongest B-cell activation and adjuvant activities among the synthetic compounds. Among stereoisomers of GLA-59 and GLA-60 composed of fatty acid substituents with the (RR) and (SS) configuration, compounds with the (RR) configuration elicited stronger activities than the (SS) stereoisomers. The importance of fatty acid substituents, including stereospecificity for the expression of immunopharmacological activities of 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives, was demonstrated.     

Bilateral ovarian hemangiomas associated with diffuse hemangioendotheliomatosis: a case report

A patient who had disseminated vascular tumors involving the bilateral ovaries, bilateral lungs and pleura, pericardium, and mediastinum is reported. The tumors were histologically of the capillary, and partly the cavernous, type of hemangioma. However, endothelial cell growth was prominent in some areas, especially in the lung, and the histology of the lung tumor resembled epithelioid hemangioendothelioma or intravascular bronchiolo-alveolar tumor (IVBAT). In the endocardium of the right atrium, an endothelial tumorous projection was observed, and there were tiny foci of tumor cell nests in the abdominal venous wall. Small lymphangiomas were also found in the subcapsular region of the spleen. These findings suggest that there had been an abnormal proliferation of systemic endothelial cells and that tumors of endothelial cell origin with diverse histological patterns developed with this condition as a background. The autopsy finding of fibrin thrombi in multiple organs as well as laboratory data including thrombocytopenia suggest that this case belongs to the "Kasabach-Merritt syndrome."     

Emergence of influenza B viruses with reduced sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors

Context  Very little is known about the frequency of generation and transmissibility of influenza B viruses with reduced sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors. Furthermore, transmission of resistant virus, whether influenza A or B, has not been recognized to date. Objective  To assess the prevalence and transmissibility of influenza B viruses with reduced sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors. Design, Setting, and Patients  Investigation of the neuraminidase inhibitor sensitivity of influenza B isolates from 74 children before and after oseltamivir therapy and from 348 untreated patients with influenza (including 66 adults) seen at 4 community hospitals in Japan during the 2004-2005 influenza season. Four hundred twenty-two viruses from untreated patients and 74 samples from patients after oseltamivir therapy were analyzed. Main Outcome Measure  Sialidase inhibition assay was used to test the drug sensitivities of influenza B viruses. The neuraminidase and hemagglutinin genes of viruses showing reduced sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors were sequenced to identify mutations that have the potential to confer reduced sensitivity to these drugs. Results  In 1 (1.4%) of the 74 children who had received oseltamivir, we identified a variant with reduced drug sensitivity possessing a Gly402Ser neuraminidase substitution. We also identified variants with reduced sensitivity carrying an Asp198Asn, Ile222Thr, or Ser250Gly mutation in 7 (1.7%) of the 422 viruses from untreated patients. Review of the clinical and viral genetic information available on these 7 patients indicated that 4 were likely infected in a community setting, while the remaining 3 were probably infected through contact with siblings shedding the mutant viruses. Conclusions  In this population, influenza B viruses with reduced sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors do not arise as frequently as resistant influenza A viruses. However, they appear to be transmitted within communities and families, requiring continued close monitoring.