NUDT15 is a key genetic factor for prediction of hematotoxicity in pediatric patients who received a standard low dosage regimen of 6-mercaptopurine

6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) is commonly used for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The incidence of hematotoxicity caused by this drug is quite high in Asians even using a standard low dosage regimen. The present study was aimed to elucidate the impact of thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT), a nucleoside diphosphate-linked moiety X-type motif 15 (NUDT15), inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) and ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily C Member 4 (ABCC4) polymorphisms on hematotoxicity in pediatric patients who received a standard low starting dose of 6-MP. One hundred and sixty-nine pediatric patients were enrolled and their genotypes were determined. Patients who carried NUDT15¹3 and NUDT15¹2 genotypes were at a 10–15 fold higher risk of severe neutropenia than those of the wild-type during the early months of the maintenance phase. Risk of neutropenia was not significantly increased in patients with other NUDT15 variants as well as in patients with TPMT, ITPA or ABCC4 variants. These results suggest that NUDT15 polymorphisms particularly, NUDT15¹3 and NUDT15¹2, play major roles in 6-MP-induced severe hematotoxicity even when using a standard low dosage of 6-MP and genotyping of these variants is necessary in order to obtain precise tolerance doses and avoid severe hematotoxicity in pediatric patients.     

Carboxylesterase catalyzed 18O-labeling of carboxylic acid and its potential application in LC-MS/MS based quantification of drug metabolites

LC-MS quantification of drug metabolites is sometimes impeded by the availability of internal standards that often requires customized synthesis and/or extensive purification. Although isotopically labeled internal standards are considered ideal for LC-MS/MS based quantification, de novo synthesis using costly isotope-enriched starting materials makes it impractical for early stage of drug discovery. Therefore, quick access to these isotope-enriched compounds without chemical derivatization and purification will greatly facilitate LC-MS/MS based quantification. Herein, we report a novel ¹⁸O-labeling technique using metabolizing enzyme carboxylesterase (CES) and its potential application in metabolites quantification study. Substrates of CES typically undergo a two-step oxygen exchange with H₂¹⁸O in the presence of the enzyme, generating singly- and doubly-¹⁸O-labeled carboxylic acids; however, unexpected hydrolytic behavior was observed for three of the test compounds – indomethacin, piperacillin and clopidogrel. These unusual observations led to the discovery of several novel hydrolytic mechanisms. Finally, when used as internal standard for LC-MS/MS based quantification, these in situ labeled compounds generated accurate quantitation comparable to the conventional standard curve method. The preliminary results suggest that this method has potential to eliminate laborious chemical synthesis of isotope-labeled internal standards for carboxylic acid-containing compounds, and can be developed to facilitate quantitative analysis in early-stage drug discovery.     

The participation of adenosine receptors in the adenosine 5''-triphosphate-induced relaxation in the isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum penis

AIM: To investigate the participation of adenosine receptors in the adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-induced relaxation in the corpus cavernosum penis (CCP) of rabbits. METHODS: The ATP-induced relaxation was assessed on the noradrenaline precontracted CCP of rabbits in the presence and absence of 8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC); an adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonist; alloxazine and MRS1754; adenosine A(2B) receptor antagonists; and ARL67156, an inhibitor of ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases. RESULTS: Adenosine and ATP relaxed the noradrenaline precontracted CCP of rabbits in a concentration-dependent manner. The adenosine- and ATP-induced relaxations were suppressed by alloxazine and MRS1754, but not by 8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine. ARL67156 potentiated the ATP-induced relaxation but not the adenosine-induced one. MRS1754 suppressed the ATP-induced relaxation potentiated by ARL67156. CONCLUSIONS: The above results suggest that, in the CCP of rabbits, the adenosine receptor mediating adenosine-induced relaxation is of the A(2B) receptor and the ATP directly causes relaxation through the A(2B) receptor on the CCP.     

Alteration of Human Placental Vascular Tone by Antiarrhythmic Medications In Vitro

Antiarrhythmic and Placental Vessels. Introduction : Antiarrhythmic medications are commonly used during pregnancy for treatment of maternal or fetal arrhythmias, but little is known about their effect on human placental vascular tone and, consequently, placental blood flow. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tone responses caused by antiarrhythmic medications in human placental vessels from normal term pregnancies in vitro.
Methods and Results : Isolated human placental arteries and veins from uncomplicated term pregnancies incubated in Krebs'-bicarbonate under 5% oxygen/5% carbon dioxide/balance nitrogen (PO₂ 35 to 38 torr) were exposed to cumulative doses of quinidine, procainamide, lidocaine, flecainide, propranolol, amiodarone, verapamil, digoxin, and adenosine after submaximal contraction with 5-hydroxytryptamine. The study was conducted both in the presence and absence of endothelium. The addition of the tested medications caused a significant, dose-dependent relaxation of human placental arteries and veins except for adenosine, which induced a sustained, dose-dependent contraction of human placental vessels regardless of the presence or absence of tone. Removal of the endothelium did not alter these responses.
Conclusions : Based on these results, the medications tested should have no decremental effect on placental blood flow, with the possible exception of adenosine, which causes significant. dosedependent contraction of human placental vessels in vitro. Should similar contraction be present in vivo, it may have an adverse effect on the fetus when administering adenosine to pregnant women at term or during labor.     

三磷酸腺苷-氯化镁冷稀释血停搏液的实验研究及临床应用

用液体闪烁计数法测定离体再灌注兔心肌线粒体内４５Ｃａ２＋的放射性强度．观察三磷酸腺苷－氯化镁冷稀释血停搏液和冷稀释血停搏液对缺血再灌注兔心肌线粒体内４５Ｃａ２＋的影响．结果表明，在３０ｍｉｎ以内使用冷稀释血停搏液组兔心肌线粒体内４５Ｃａ２＋放射性强度高于三磷酸腺苷－氯化镁冷稀释血停搏液组（Ｐ＜０．０５），而６０ｍｉｎ时冷稀释血停搏液组的放射性强度稍高或接近于三磷酸腺苷－氯化镁冷稀释血停搏液组，差异无显著性（Ｐ＞０．０５）．在２７例心内直视手术中使用三磷酸腺苷－氯化镁冷稀释血停搏液均获良好效果．     

INTERACTION BETWEEN EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR AND ARGININE VASOPRESSIN IN RENAL MEDULLARY MEMBRANES

1. Epidermal growth factor is a potent mitogen that causes natriuresis, diuresis and inhibition of arginine vasopressin-induced water reabsorption. 2. The aim of this study was to determine any interaction between epidermal growth factor and the V1 (vascular) and/or V2 (antidiuretic) arginine vasopressin receptor subtypes. 3. Radioligand binding displacement assays demonstrated that although arginine vasopressin related peptides displaced both radioligands from renal medullary membranes at low concentrations epidermal growth factor displaced neither. 4. Arginine vasopressin V2 receptor second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (CAMP) production was inhibited by epidermal growth factor (IC₅₀ 2 ± 10^?7 mol/L) as was sodium fluoride cAMP production but only at much higher concentrations. 5. Therefore the diuretic effect of epidermal growth factor is not via direct antagonism of arginine vasopressin receptors but seems mediated via inhibition of the V2 second messenger system.     

1,6-二磷酸果糖治疗婴幼儿肺炎心衰疗效观察

应用脉冲多普勒超声心动图对３０例使用１，６－二磷酸果糖的肺炎心衰患儿进行心室舒缩功能指标的观测，并以２０例常规治疗的心衰患儿及２０例正常儿为对照组，评价１，６－二磷酸果糖的疗效。结果表明，１，６－二磷酸果糖能明显改善ＰＥＰ、ＰＥＰ／ＥＴ、ＰＥＰ／Ｒ－Ｒ、ＦＶＩ和ＳＶ等心室收缩功能指标及ＰＦＶＥ、Ｅ／Ａ、ＰＦＶＡ等心室舒张功能指标，使心功能恢复正常。１，６－二磷酸果糖对肺炎心衰引起的心肌缺血、缺氧有保护作用。     

Rapid tolerance against focal cerebral ischemia induced by isoflurane anesthesia is attenuated by adenosine A1 receptor antagonist in rats

The brief anesthesia with isoflurane induces rapid tolerance against focal cerebral ischemia in rats and aden-osine A1 receptor antagonist, DPCPX, attenuates the beneficial effect of isoflurane preconditioning.