Cytostatic and immunomobilizing activities of polymer-bound drugs: experimental and first clinical data.

An N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer carrier containing doxorubicin and human immunoglobulin as an actively/passively targeting moiety was used in four patients with generalized breast cancer resistant to standard cytotoxic chemotherapy. The dose and time schedule were deduced from a Phase I clinical trial in which doxorubicin bound to HPMA copolymer carrier (PK1) was tested. It was confirmed that the Dox-HPMA-HuIg conjugate is stable and doxorubicin remains in the peripheral blood with a small amount also in the urine, mostly in its polymer-bound form. More than 116 biochemical, immunological and hematological parameters were determined for blood samples taken from patients 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 1 to 11 weeks after treatment. Depending on the patient, some parameters decreased permanently or temporarily to the normal level (CRP, C3, CA 72-4, beta(2)-microglobulin, ferritin, CEA, CA 125, CD4, CD8, CE19, CD16(+)56(+), leu, ery) and some moved markedly towards physiological values (AST, ALT, ALP, GMT, CA 15-3, NSE, AFP). While the number of peripheral blood reticulocytes was significantly decreased after treatment with the classical free drug, their number was not affected or was even elevated after treatment with Dox-HPMA-HuIg. Increased absolute numbers of CD16(+)56(+) and CD4(+) cells in the peripheral blood and activation of NK and LAK cells in all patients support data obtained in experimental animals, pointing to a dual, i.e. cytostatic and immunomobilizing character of Dox-HPMA conjugates containing a targeting immunoglobulin moiety.     

MRI of transplanted pancreatic islets.

A promising treatment method for type 1 diabetes mellitus is transplantation of pancreatic islets containing beta-cells. The aim of this study was to develop an MR technique to monitor the distribution and fate of transplanted pancreatic islets in an animal model. Twenty-five hundred purified and magnetically labeled islets were transplanted through the portal vein into the liver of experimental rats. The animals were scanned using a MR 4.7-T scanner. The labeled pancreatic islets were clearly visualized in the liver in both diabetic and healthy rats as hypointense areas on T2*-weighted MR images during the entire measurement period. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of iron-oxide nanoparticles inside the cells of the pancreatic islets. A significant decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats was observed; normal glycemia was reached 1 week after transplantation. This study, therefore, represents a promising step toward possible clinical application in human medicine.     

Abuse liability of flunitrazepam among methadone-maintained patients

Abuse liability and acute subjective and psychomotor effects of flunitrazepam were assessed in ten methadone-maintained males with history of benzodiazepine and alcohol use, who voluntarily participated in a double-blind, controlled, cross-over, randomized clinical trial. There were six experimental sessions in which a single oral dose of flunitrazepam 1, 2, and 4 mg; triazolam 0.5 and 0.75 mg; and placebo was given. Evaluations included physiological measures; psychomotor performance tasks (simple reaction time, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, balance task, Maddox-wing device); and self-administered subjective effects questionnaires [Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI), Profile of Mood States (POMS), a series of visual analog scales (VAS)]. All drugs but flunitrazepam 1 mg caused an impairment of psychomotor tasks. Effects were more evident with the highest doses of both drugs. Only flunitrazepam 4 mg produced a significant decrease in balance time. Triazolam 0.75 mg induced increases in sedation measured by ARCI-PCAG, depression in POMS, and VAS-drowsiness scores. Flunitrazepam 4 mg caused euphoria-related effects as measured by increases in ARCI-MBG and “high” scores in the VAS. Our findings of flunitrazepam-induced euphoria in methadone-maintained subjects together with epidemiological evidence of flunitrazepam abuse by opioid dependents, suggest that it may be included in the group of benzodiazepines with a relatively high abuse potential. Received: 13 February 1998/Final version: 1 May 1998     

Determination of a buspirone metabolite in plasma samples

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is described for the assay of the active metabolite [1-(2-pyrimidinyl)piperazinel of buspirone, an anxiolytic agent, in rat plasma.

The method is based on the use of ion-pair HPLC coupled to a liquid—solid extraction scheme. Samples of rat plasma (2 ml) with internal standard (1-phenylpiperazine), adjusted to pH 10.5 with borate buffer, were loaded on to a preactivated C-18 cartridge. The metabolite and the internal standard were eluted with 5 ml of methanol and injected on to a reversed-phase 10-μm Spherisorb ODS-2 column. The column was eluted with a mobile phase of 0.005 M sodium lauryl sulphate in citrate buffer (pH 3.6)-acetonitrile (65:35, v/v) at 2 ml min⁻¹. Detection was carried out at 248 nm. The recovery of the metabolite was 55%. The method was applied to the determination of the metabolite in rat plasma after oral dosing (25 mg kg⁻¹) of the parent compound.     

Are microproerythroblasts in human bone marrow real or artefacts? A cytochemical note

Early erythroid precursors were studied in human bone marrow smears to provide more information on small proerythroblasts--"microproerythroblasts"--using a silver reaction to demonstrate silver stained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) and light microscopic densitometry of large irregularly shaped nucleoli and cytoplasm stained for RNA. No significant differences were found for the density of such nucleoli and basophilic cytoplasm between characteristic large proerythroblasts with a nuclear diameter larger that 9 microm (K2 and K1 erythroblasts) and small proerythroblasts--"microproerythroblasts" representing a subpopulation of K1/2 erythroblasts (early basophilic erythroblasts), which are characterized by a smaller nuclear diameter. In addition, large irregularly shaped nucleoli of "microproerythroblasts" possessed numerous silver stained particles representing AgNORs similar to those of large proerythroblasts. The number of AgNORs in "microproerythroblasts" was slightly, but significantly, smaller than that in large characteristic proerythroblasts.