Epimerization and Hydrolysis of Dalvastatin,a New Hydroxymethylglutaryl Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) Reductase Inhibitor

In aqueous solutions, dalvastatin (1) undergoes epimerization as well as hydrolysis. The transformation of the drug was studied as a function of pH at 25°C in aqueous solutions containing 20% acetonitrile. At all pH values, first-order plots for the conversion are biphasic, indicating rapid equilibration of 1 with its epimer (2) and slower hydrolysis of 1 to the corresponding -hydroxy acid (3). Apparent first-order rate constants for the biexponential equation are given as a function of pH. The alkyl–oxygen cleavage of the lactone ring results in the epimerization of 1 to 2, whereas the acyl–oxygen cleavage results in the hydrolysis of 1 to 3. The epimerization is an S_N1 reaction reaching an equilibrium of [l] _eq/[2] _eq = 1.27. The epimerization rate is increased with an increase in the water content of the solvent. The hydrolysis of 1 to 3 is acid and base catalyzed. The hydrolysis is reversible in acidic media and irreversible in neutral and basic media. At pH values greater than 9, the hydrolysis reaction proceeds more rapidly than the epimerization.     

Phase I and pharmacologic study of oral (E)-2′-deoxy-2′-(fluoromethylene) cytidine: on a daily × 5-day schedule

(E)-2-deoxy-2-(fluoromethylene)cytidine (FMdC), one of the most potent inhibitors of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, was selected for clinical development because of its novel mechanisms of action, and strong antitumor activity against experimental tumor models. This study was designed to determine the toxicities, maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), and pharmacokinetic profile of FMdC. FMdC was given orally for 5 consecutive days every 3 or 4 weeks in patients with advanced solid tumors. The starting dose was 8 mg/m2/day. Pharmacokinetic studies were carried out on days 1 through 5 of the first cycle. Ten patients with non-small cell lung cancer received 15 courses of FMdC at doses which were de-escalated from 8 mg/m2/day to 2 mg/m2/day because of unexpected severe toxicities at the starting dose level. Neutropenia was the dose-limiting toxicity. Thrombocytopenia and anemia were mild. Flu-like symptoms and fever were the common non-hematologic toxicities. The MTD was 4 mg/m2/day, since four of six patients developed grade 3–4 neutropenia. At the 4 mg/m2/day dose level, the mean terminal half-life, maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), plasma clearance, and mean residence time on day 1 were 3.20 h, 15.8 ng/ml, 2.91 l/h/kg, and 4.03 h, respectively. The recommended dose for phase II studies with this schedule is also 4 mg/m2/day for 5 days. Further investigations are necessary to establish optimal dosing schedules and routes for the administration of FMdC.     

Interactions between essential fatty acid,prostanoid, polyol pathway and nitric oxide mechanisms in the neurovascular deficit of diabetic rats

Summary Impaired -6 essential fatty acid metabolism and exaggerated polyol pathway flux contribute to the neurovascular abnormalities in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. The potential interactions between these mechanisms were examined by comparing the effects of threshold doses of aldose reductase inhibitors and evening primrose oil, alone and in combination, on neurovascular deficits. In addition, highdose aldose reductase inhibitor and evening primrose oil treatment effects were challenged by co-treatment with the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, flurbiprofen, or the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N^G-nitro-l-arginine. Eight weeks of diabetes caused an 18.9% reduction in sciatic motor conduction velocity (p<0.001). This was only modestly ameliorated by a 0.1% dietary supplement of evening primrose oil or the aldose reductase inhibitors ZD5522 (0.25 mg · kg^–1 · day^–1) and WAY121509 (0.2 mg · kg^–1· day^–1) for the final 2 weeks. However, joint treatment with primrose oil and ZD5522 or WAY121509 caused marked 71.5 and 82.4% corrections, respectively, of the conduction deficit. Sciatic nutritive blood flow was 43.1% reduced by diabetes (p<0.001) and this was corrected by 67.8% with joint ZD5522 and primrose oil treatment (p<0.001). High-dose WAY121509 (10 mg · kg^–1 · day^–1) and primrose oil (10% dietary supplement) prevented sciatic conduction velocity and nutritive blood flow deficits in 1-month diabetic rats (p<0.001). However, these effects were abolished by flurbiprofen (5 mg · kg^–1 · day^–1) and N^G-nitro-l-arginine (10 mg · kg^–1 · day^–1) co-treatment (p<0.001). Thus, the data provide evidence for synergistic interactions between polyol pathway/nitric oxide and essential fatty acid/cyclo-oxygenase systems in the control of neurovascular function in diabetic rats, from which a potential therapeutic advantage could be derived.Abbreviations ARI Aldose reductase inhibitor - EPO evening primrose oil - NCV nerve conduction velocity - NO nitric oxide - NOLA N^G-nitro-l-arginine     

Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Genotypes, Dietary Habits and Susceptibility to Stomach Cancer

OBJECTIVE To study the relation among methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T genotypes, dietary habits and the risk of stomach cancer (SC).METHODS A case-control study was conducted with 107 cases of SC and 200 population-based controls in Chuzhou district, Huaian, Jiangsu province, China. The epidemiological data were collected, and DNA of peripheral blood leukocytes was obtained from all of the subjects..MTHFR genotypes were detected by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS (1) The prevalence of the MTHFR C/T or T/T genotypes was found to be significantly different between controls (68.5%) and SC cases (79.4%,P=0.0416), the increased risk had an adjusted OR of 1.79 (95?:1.01-3.19). (2) Among subjects who had a low intake of garlic or Chinese onion, MTHFR C/T or T/T genotypes significantly increased the risk of developing SC. Among non-tea drinkers or among subjects who had a frequent intakeof meat, the carriers of the MTHFR C/T or T/T genotypes had a higher risk of SC than individuals with the C/C type MTHFR. CONCLUSION The polymorphism of MTHFR C677T was associated with increased risk of developing SC, and that individuals with differing genotypes may have different susceptibilities to SC, based on their exposure level to environmental factors.     

An inhibitor of glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase is selectively cytotoxic to cells that lack a functional G1 checkpoint

Purpose: We studied the effects of purine depletion on the cell cycle using a specific inhibitor of de novo purine biosynthesis, AG2034, an inhibitor of glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GARFT). Methods: Cytotoxicity was determined by clonogenic assays, and cell cycle perturbations by flow cytometry. Ribonucleotide pools were measured by anion exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography, and DNA strand-breaks were determined by alkaline elution and by the TUNEL assay. Results: When cells were maintained in standard tissue culture medium, which contained 2.2 μM folic acid, AG2034 was cytostatic in all the cell lines tested. Under low-folate conditions (50 nM folic acid), AG2034 caused up to 50% cell death in cell lines that possessed a functional G1 checkpoint (A549, MCF-7), but was only cytostatic to the remaining cells, even at very high concentrations (100 μM ). In contrast, AG2034 at 10 nM or 100 nM killed all the cells in cultures of HeLa/S3 or SW480 cells, which lack a functional G1 checkpoint. Flow cytometry studies indicated that in G1 checkpoint-competent cells, AG2034 caused a G1 arrest. Those cells (up to 50%) that were already in S phase died, but the cells that were in G1 arrest maintained viability, based upon clonogenic assays, for many days. In G1 checkpoint-deficient cells, no G1 arrest was seen after AG2034 treatment, all cells progressed into S phase, and all cells died. Measurement of DNA strand-breaks, either by alkaline elution or by the dUTP end-labelling technique, indicated no DNA strand-breaks 24 h after AG2034 treatment, indicating that purine nucleotide depletion can trigger the G1 checkpoint in the absence of DNA damage. Conclusion: Purine depletion causes slow cell death in cells that have passed the G1 checkpoint, but cytostasis in cells that are arrested at the G1 checkpoint. The GARFT inhibitor, at physiological folate concentrations, thus causes selective cytotoxicity to cells lacking a functional G1 checkpoint. Received: 8 May 1997 / Accepted: 26 June 1997     

亚甲基四氢叶酸还原酶基因多态性与甘肃汉族2型糖尿病肾病的关系

目的 研究亚甲基四氢叶酸还原酶(MTHFR)基因多态性与汉族2型糖尿病肾病的关系。方法 应用聚合酶链反应—限制性片段长度多态性的方法，检测甘肃汉族人2型糖尿病患者91例，其中单纯糖尿病组50例，糖尿病肾病组41例，正常对照组35例，比较各组间MTHFR等位基因和基因型频率。结果 纯合基因型TT和杂合基因型CT在糖尿病肾病组的频率为34．1％和51．2％，高于糖尿病组(16％和48％)和正常对照组(14.3％和25．7％)，糖尿病肾病组的等位基因T频率(59．8％)也高于糖尿病组(40％)和正常对照组(27．1％)，差异均有统计学意义，糖尿病组和正常对照组之间的分布无统计学差异。结论 MTHFR基因C677T变异与甘肃汉族2型糖尿病患者糖尿病肾病的发病有关，等位基因T可能是糖尿病肾病的易感基因。     

蛋氨酸合成酶还原酶基因A66G多态性与Down综合征发生的相关研究

目的:研究蛋氨酸合成酶还原酶(MTRR)基因A66G多态性与Down综合征的关系。方法:采用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性(PCR-RFLP)法对32例DS患儿母亲及70例未生育DS患儿女性MTRR的A66G进行基因分析。比较上述各组基因型和等位基因频率分布有无差异。结果:MTRR基因A66G突变型等位基因G频率在实验组和对照组中有显著性差异,GG基因型频率分布差异有显著性(P<0·05)。AG基因型比AA基因型生育DS患儿风险高1·98倍,GG基因型比AA基因型生育DS患儿风险高5·2倍。结论:MTRR A66G基因多态性与Down综合征发生相关,AG、GG基因型增加了Down综合征的发生风险。     

醛糖还原酶基因多态性同2型糖尿病肾病的相关性

目的：研究醛糖还原酶(AR)基因启动子区C(-12)G多态性同2型糖尿病肾病(DN)发生及发展的相关性。方法：采用PCR-RFLP技术在209例2型糖尿病和84例对照组人群中筛查该位点等位基因及基因型的频率，比较在无肾病组及肾病各组中频率的差异，以推断AR基因是否参与了肾病的发生和进展。结果：G等位基因在肾病组的分布频率是87．2％，高于无肾病组的78．1％和正常对照组的77．4％；GG基因型在肾病组的分布频率是74．4％，高于无肾病组的63．8％和正常对照组的57．1％。结论：AR基因-12位点G等位基因及GG基因型是2型DN发生的独立危险因素。     

一种人神经母细胞瘤辅酶II-依赖性视黄醇脱氢酶cDNA的克隆及特征分析

背景与目的:检测神经母细胞瘤中新的辅酶II_依赖性视黄醇脱氢/还原酶[NADP(H)_dependen tretinold ehydrogenase/reductase,NRDR]选择性剪接亚型。材料与方法:我们用NRDR特异引物,从人神经母细胞瘤细胞系SK_N_SH和SK_SY_5YcDNA中分别经PCR扩增出635bp和429bpDNA片段,测序证实635bp片段是NRDR,而429bp片段是选择性剪接新亚型。再用快速cDNA末端扩增(Rapidamplification of cDN Aends,RACE)方法得到429bp片段cDNA全长序列。用绿色荧光蛋白与新亚型的融合蛋白做亚细胞定位。结果:得到新亚型全长并命名为humanNRDRA2(hum NRDRA2)(AY616182)。已知NRDR有8个外显子,而新亚型hum NRDRA2由选择性剪接造成了第4和第6外显子丢失,从第5外显子开始读码框架前移1bp,导致随后的编码区框码漂移(frameshift),同时蛋白翻译终止信号提前出现,产生仅有188个氨基酸的蛋白,其中第137氨基酸以后的序列相对于NRDR完全发生改变,同时C_末端的过氧化物酶体定位信号_SRL丢失,却在160～176氨基酸处出现了一个细胞核定位信号。我们在ESTs库中未找到与其相同的剪接形式,提示它可能是神经母细胞瘤特有的一种NRDR剪接亚型。用GFP_NRDRA2融合蛋白做该蛋白的亚细胞定位,发现发绿色荧光的细胞均已悬浮,但悬浮状态不佳,而作为对照的NRDR另一亚型则能定位成功,提示NRDRA2蛋白可能具有一定的细胞毒性。结论:人神经母细胞瘤NRDRA2选择性剪接亚型羧基端框移突变并有核定位序列;该蛋白可能是一种细胞毒性蛋白。     

No evidence of association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism with occurrence of second neoplasms after treatment of childhood leukemia

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms have been associated not only with the risk for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults and children, but also with increased methotrexate toxicity. The present study aimed to investigate whether MTHFR polymorphisms modify the risk for development of secondary malignancies in children treated for ALL with protocols that included high-dose methotrexate. MTHFR genotypes were determined in DNA samples isolated from archived bone marrow smears of 15 patients with a second malignancy and a matched control group of 30 patients who did not developed a second malignancy after the treatment for ALL. The frequencies of MTHFR C677T and A1298C genotypes in all patients were: C677T: CC 40%, CT 46.7% and TT 13.3% and A1298C: AA 46.7%, AC 44.4% and CC 8.9%. The relative risk for second malignancy was not significantly increased in ALL patients having at least one polymorphic C667T [odds ratio (OR) 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43 - 5.31] or one polymorphic A1298C allele (OR 1; 95% CI 0.29 - 3.46). Our study suggests that MTHFR polymorphisms are not associated with increased risk of second cancer in children treated with high-dose methotrexate.