Showing papers in "Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in 1999"

Effects of specific inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 on sodium balance, hemodynamics, and vasoactive eicosanoids.

Abstract: Conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit both cyclooxygenase (Cox) isoforms (Cox-1 and Cox-2) and may be associated with nephrotoxicity. The present study was undertaken to assess the renal effects of the specific Cox-2 inhibitor, MK-966. Healthy older adults ( n = 36) were admitted to a clinical research unit, placed on a fixed sodium intake, and randomized under double-blind conditions to receive the specific Cox-2 inhibitor, MK-966 (50 mg every day), a nonspecific Cox-1/Cox-2 inhibitor, indomethacin (50 mg t.i.d.), or placebo for 2 weeks. All treatments were well tolerated. Both active regimens were associated with a transient but significant decline in urinary sodium excretion during the first 72 h of treatment. Blood pressure and body weight did not change significantly in any group. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was decreased by indomethacin but was not changed significantly by MK-966 treatment. Thromboxane biosynthesis by platelets was inhibited by indomethacin only. The urinary excretion of the prostacyclin metabolite 2,3-dinor-6-keto prostaglandin F1α was decreased by both MK-966 and indomethacin and was unchanged by placebo. Cox-2 may play a role in the systemic biosynthesis of prostacyclin in healthy humans. Selective inhibition of Cox-2 by MK-966 caused a clinically insignificant and transient retention of sodium, but no depression of GFR. Inhibition of both Cox isoforms by indomethacin caused transient sodium retention and a decline in GFR. Our data suggest that acute sodium retention by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in healthy elderly subjects is mediated by the inhibition of Cox-2, whereas depression of GFR is due to inhibition of Cox-1.

Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Associated Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Human Carcinomas with CP-358,774: Dynamics of Receptor Inhibition In Situ and Antitumor Effects in Athymic Mice

Abstract: Phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFr) is an important early event in signal transduction, leading to cell replication for major human carcinomas. CP-358,774 is a potent and selective inhibitor of the EGFr tyrosine kinase and produces selective inhibition of EGF-mediated tumor cell mitogenesis. To assess the pharmacodynamic aspects of EGFr inhibition, we devised an ex vivo enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quantification of EGFr-specific tyrosine phosphorylation in human tumor tissue specimens obtained from xenografts growing s.c. in athymic mice. When coupled with pharmacokinetic analyses, this measurement can be used to describe the extent and duration of kinase inhibition in vivo. CP-358,774 is an effective, orally active inhibitor of EGFr-specific tyrosine phosphorylation (ED(50) = 10 mg/kg, single dose). It has a significant duration of action, producing, on average, a 70% reduction in EGFr-associated phosphotyrosine over a 24-h period after a single 100 mg/kg dose. Inhibition of EGFr phosphotyrosine in an ex vivo assay format effectively estimates the potency and degree of inhibition of EGFr-dependent human LICR-LON-HN5 head and neck carcinoma tumor growth. Substantial growth inhibition of human tumor xenografts was achieved with p.o. doses of the compound (ED(50) = 10 mg/kg q.d. for 20 days). Combination chemotherapy with cisplatin produced a significant response above that of cisplatin alone with no detectable effects on body weight or lethal toxicity. Taken together, these observations suggest that CP-358,774 may be useful for the treatment of EGFr-driven human carcinomas.

Rofecoxib [Vioxx, MK-0966; 4-(4′-Methylsulfonylphenyl)-3-phenyl-2-(5H)-furanone]: A Potent and Orally Active Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitor. Pharmacological and Biochemical Profiles

Abstract: The discoveries that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is an inducible form of COX involved in inflammation and that COX-1 is the major isoform responsible for the production of prostaglandins (PGs) in the gastrointestinal tract have provided a rationale for the development of specific COX-2 inhibitors as a new class of anti-inflammatory agents with improved gastrointestinal tolerability. In the present study, the preclinical pharmacological and biochemical profiles of rofecoxib [Vioxx, also known as MK-0966, 4-(4'-methylsulfonylphenyl)-3-phenyl-2-(5H)-furanone], an orally active COX-2 inhibitor, are described. Rofecoxib is a potent inhibitor of the COX-2-dependent production of PGE(2) in human osteosarcoma cells (IC(50) = 26 +/- 10 nM) and Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human COX-2 (IC(50) = 18 +/- 7 nM) with a 1000-fold selectivity for the inhibition of COX-2 compared with the inhibition of COX-1 activity (IC(50) > 50 microM in U937 cells and IC(50) > 15 microM in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human COX-1). Rofecoxib is a time-dependent inhibitor of purified human recombinant COX-2 (IC(50) = 0.34 microM) but caused inhibition of purified human COX-1 in a non-time-dependent manner that could only be observed at a very low substrate concentration (IC(50) = 26 microM at 0.1 microM arachidonic acid concentration). In an in vitro human whole blood assay, rofecoxib selectively inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced, COX-2-derived PGE(2) synthesis with an IC(50) value of 0.53 +/- 0.02 microM compared with an IC(50) value of 18.8 +/- 0.9 microM for the inhibition of COX-1-derived thromboxane B(2) synthesis after blood coagulation. Using the ratio of the COX-1 IC(50) values over the COX-2 IC(50) values in the human whole blood assay, selectivity ratios for the inhibition of COX-2 of 36, 6.6, 2, 3, and 0.4 were obtained for rofecoxib, celecoxib, meloxicam, diclofenac, and indomethacin, respectively. In several in vivo rodent models, rofecoxib is a potent inhibitor of carrageenan-induced paw edema (ID(50) = 1.5 mg/kg), carrageenan-induced paw hyperalgesia (ID(50) = 1.0 mg/kg), lipopolysaccharide-induced pyresis (ID(50) = 0.24 mg/kg), and adjuvant-induced arthritis (ID(50) = 0.74 mg/kg/day). Rofecoxib also has a protective effect on adjuvant-induced destruction of cartilage and bone structures in rats. In a (51)Cr excretion assay for detection of gastrointestinal integrity in either rats or squirrel monkeys, rofecoxib has no effect at doses up to 200 mg/kg/day for 5 days. Rofecoxib is a novel COX-2 inhibitor with a biochemical and pharmacological profile clearly distinct from that of current nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and represents a new therapeutic class of anti-inflammatory agents for the treatment of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with improved gastrointestinal tolerability.

Reinforcing effects of psychostimulants in humans are associated with increases in brain dopamine and occupancy of D(2) receptors.

Abstract: Increases in dopamine concentration in limbic brain regions have been postulated to underlie the reinforcing effects of psychostimulant drugs in laboratory animals. However, neither the qualitative nor the quantitative relationship between drug-induced increases in brain dopamine and the reinforcing effects of psychostimulant drugs have been investigated in humans. Positron emission tomograph and [(11)C]raclopride, a dopamine D(2) receptor radioligand that competes with endogenous dopamine for occupancy of the D(2) receptors, were used to measure changes in brain dopamine after different doses of i.v. methylphenidate in 14 healthy controls. In parallel, measures for self-reports of drug effects were obtained to assess their relationship to methylphenidate-induced changes in brain dopamine. The intensity of the "high" induced by methylphenidate was significantly correlated with the levels of released dopamine (r = 0.78, p <.001); subjects having the greatest increases were those who perceived the most intense high. This relationship remained significant after partialing out for dose and concentration of methylphenidate in plasma. Furthermore, subjects for whom methylphenidate did not increase dopamine did not perceive a high. These results represent the first clear demonstration that stimulant-induced high, a mood descriptor that reflects reinforcing effects of drugs in humans, is associated with increases in brain dopamine, and also that there is a quantitative relationship between levels of D(2) receptor occupancy by dopamine and the intensity of the high.

Synthesis and Characterization of Potent and Selective Agonists of the Neuronal Cannabinoid Receptor (CB1)

Abstract: Two subtypes of the cannabinoid receptor (CB1 and CB2) are expressed in mammalian tissues. Although selective antagonists are available for each of the subtypes, most of the available cannabinoid agonists bind to both CB1 and CB2 with similar affinities. We have synthesized two analogs of N -arachidonylethanolamine (AEA), arachidonylcyclopropylamide (ACPA) and arachidonyl-2-chloroethylamide (ACEA), that bind to the CB1 receptor with very high affinity ( K I values of 2.2 ± 0.4 nM and 1.4 ± 0.3 nM, respectively) and to the CB2 receptor with low affinity ( K I values of 0.7 ± 0.01 μM and 3.1 ± 1.0 μM, respectively). Both ACPA and ACEA have the characteristics of agonists at the CB1 receptor; both inhibit forskolin-induced accumulation of cAMP in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the human CB1 receptor, and both analogs increase the binding of [35S]GTPγS to cerebellar membranes and inhibit electrically evoked contractions of the mouse vas deferens. ACPA and ACEA produce hypothermia in mice, and this effect is inhibited by coadministration of the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A. Therefore, ACPA and ACEA are high-affinity agonists of the CB1 receptor but do not bind the CB2 receptor, suggesting that structural analogs of AEA can be designed with considerable selectivity for the CB1 receptor over the CB2 receptor.

Increased nicotinic receptors in brains from smokers: membrane binding and autoradiography studies.

Abstract: Chronic administration of nicotine increases the density of neuronal cholinergic nicotinic receptors in cells and in rodent brain, and similar increases have been reported in brains from human smokers. To further examine this phenomenon, we measured nicotinic receptor binding sites in brain regions from matched populations of smokers and nonsmokers. We first measured binding of [3H](+/-)epibatidine ([3H]EB) and [3H]cytisine in homogenate preparations from samples of prefrontal and temporal cerebral cortex. Binding of each radioligand was significantly higher (250-300%) in both cortical regions from brains of smokers. Frozen sections from each of the cerebral cortical regions and the hippocampus were used for autoradiographic analysis of [3H]EB binding. In cerebral cortex, binding was most dense in layer VI in the prefrontal cortex and layers IV and VI in the temporal cortex. Densitometric analysis of [3H]EB binding sites revealed marked increases of 300 to 400% of control in all cortical regions examined from smokers' brains. Binding in the hippocampal formation was heterogeneously distributed, with dense areas of binding sites seen in the parasubiculum, subiculum, and molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, and the lacunosum-moleculare layer of the CA1/2. Binding of [3H]EB was significantly higher in all six regions of the hippocampus examined from brains of smokers compared with nonsmokers. These increases ranged from 160% of control in parasubiculum to 290% in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. The increase in nicotinic receptors in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of smokers may modify the central nervous system effects of nicotine and contribute to an altered response of smokers to nicotine.

Effects of antipsychotic drugs on extracellular dopamine levels in rat medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens

Abstract: The present study was designed to compare the effects of typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs on extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the nucleus accumbens (NAC), using in vivo microdialysis with dual probe implantation in awake, freely moving rats. Amperozide (2 and 10 mg/kg), clozapine (5 and 20 mg/kg), and olanzapine (10 mg/kg), all of which are atypical antipsychotics, produced greater increases in extracellular DA levels in the mPFC than in the NAC. Olanzapine (1 mg/kg), risperidone (0.1 and 1 mg/kg), also an atypical antipsychotic, and S- (−)-sulpiride (25 mg/kg), a typical antipsychotic, produced comparable increases in extracellular DA levels in the mPFC and the NAC. S- (−)-sulpiride (10 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.1 and 1 mg/kg), another typical antipsychotic, significantly increased extracellular DA levels in the NAC but not in the mPFC. The effects of the six antipsychotic drugs to increase extracellular DA levels in the mPFC relative to those in the NAC was positively correlated with the difference between their pKi values for serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT2A) and DA-D2receptors and was inversely correlated to their pKi values for D2 or D3 receptors, but was not for 5-HT2A receptors alone. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the ability of antipsychotic drugs to produce a greater increase in prefrontal compared with NAC extracellular DA levels may be related, in part, to weak D2 and D3 receptor affinity relative to 5-HT2Areceptor antagonism.

Effects of pirfenidone on transforming growth factor-beta gene expression at the transcriptional level in bleomycin hamster model of lung fibrosis.

Abstract: This study was undertaken to investigate whether treatment with the antifibrotic drug pirfenidone (PD) down-regulates the bleomycin (BL)-induced overexpression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta gene in the lungs. Hamsters were intratracheally instilled with SA or BL (6.5 U/kg/4 ml) under anesthesia. They were fed a diet containing 0.5% PD or the same control diet (CD) without the drug 2 days before and throughout the study. After the animals were sacrificed, their lungs were appropriately processed. The BL treatment elevated the total influx of inflammatory cells, including macrophages, by severalfold at different days in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from hamsters in BL + CD groups, relative to the corresponding SA + CD control groups. Treatment with PD significantly (P

Cardiovascular and Neuroendocrine Effects and Pharmacokinetics of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine in Humans

Abstract: The cardiovascular and neuroendocrine effects and pharmacokinetics of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) were assessed in a double-blind, randomized, crossover, and controlled (placebo and amphetamine) clinical trial. Eight men with experience in the recreational use of MDMA participated in four 10-h experimental sessions with a 1-week washout period. Single oral doses of 125 mg and 75 mg of MDMA, 40 mg of amphetamine, and placebo were given. Both MDMA doses significantly increased blood pressure (increases of 40 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure), heart rate (increases of 30 beats/min), and pupillary diameter (mydriasis) as compared with placebo. Oral temperature did not show significant changes in any drug-active condition. Plasma cortisol levels showed a statistically significant increase after MDMA administration. Prolactin levels only increased after high dose of MDMA. C max values for 125-mg and 75-mg MDMA doses were 236.4 and 130.9 ng/ml, and T max was observed at 2.4 and 1.8 h, respectively. Elimination half-life was 8.6 h and 7.7 h for high and low MDMA doses, respectively. Amphetamine half-life was 15 h. Between 8 and 9% of the doses of MDMA appeared in plasma in the form of 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine. The important cardiovascular effects observed after MDMA administration in laboratory conditions at rest (increases of 40 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and 30 beats/min in pulse rate) could be relevant in terms of toxicity in real-life conditions (e.g., crowded places and physical activity).

Functional Characteristics and Tissue Distribution Pattern of Organic Cation Transporter 2 (OCTN2), an Organic Cation/Carnitine Transporter

Abstract: We have demonstrated in the present study that novel organic cation transporter (OCTN) 2 is a transporter for organic cations as well as carnitine. OCTN2 transports organic cations without involving Na+, but it transports carnitine only in the presence of Na+. The ability to transport organic cations and carnitine is demonstrable with human, rat, and mouse OCTN2s. Na+ does not influence the affinity of OCTN2 for organic cations, but it increases the affinity severalfold for carnitine. The short-chain acyl esters of carnitine are also transported by OCTN2. Two mutations, M352R and P478L, in human OCTN2 are associated with loss of transport function, but the protein expression of these mutants is comparable to that of the wild-type human OCTN2. In situ hybridization in the rat shows that OCTN2 is expressed in the proximal and distal tubules and in the glomeruli in the kidney, in the myocardium, valves, and arterioles in the heart, in the labyrinthine layer of the placenta, and in the cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum in the brain. This is the first report that OCTN2 is a Na+-independent organic cation transporter as well as a Na+-dependent carnitine transporter and that OCTN2 is expressed not only in the heart, kidney, and placenta but also in the brain.

Novel membrane transporter OCTN1 mediates multispecific, bidirectional, and pH-dependent transport of organic cations.

Abstract: In the present study, functional characteristics of organic cation transporter (OCTN)1, which was cloned as the pH-dependent tetraethylammonium (TEA) transporter when expressed in mammalian human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cells, were further investigated using Xenopus oocytes as well as HEK293 cells as gene expression systems. When OCTN1-derived complementary RNA was injected into Xenopus oocytes, pH-dependent transport of [14C]TEA was observed as the same in HEK293 cells. In contrast, a replacement of sodium ions with potassium ions in the surrounding medium did not cause any change in [14C]TEA uptake in Xenopus oocytes expressed with OCTN1. In addition, when OCTN1 was expressed in HEK293 cells, efflux of TEA from the cells was pH dependent, with an accelerated rate at acidic external medium pH. Accordingly, membrane potential or sodium ions are suggested to have no influence on [14C]TEA transport and the transport activity of OCTN1 is directly affected by pH itself. Furthermore, addition of the unlabeled TEA in external medium enhanced the efflux of preloaded [14C]TEA. These observations suggest that OCTN1 is a pH-dependent and bidirectional TEA transporter. OCTN1-mediated [14C]TEA uptake was inhibited by various organic cations such as cimetidine, procainamide, pyrilamine, quinidine, quinine, and verapamil. In addition, uptakes of cationic compounds such as [3H]pyrilamine, [3H]quinidine, and [3H]verapamil and zwitterionic L-[3H]carnitine were increased by expression of OCTN1 in Xenopus oocytes. Accordingly, OCTN1 was functionally demonstrated to be a multispecific and pH-dependent organic cation transporter, which presumably functions as a proton/organic cation antiporter at the renal apical membrane and other tissues.

Orexin A but not orexin B rapidly enters brain from blood by simple diffusion.

Abstract: We determined the ability of orexin A and orexin B, recently discovered endogenous appetite enhancers, to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) of mice. Multiple time-regression analysis showed that an i.v. bolus of 125I-orexin A rapidly entered the brain from the blood, with an influx rate (Ki = 2.5 +/- 0.3 x 10(-4) ml/g.min) many times faster than that of the 99mTc-albumin control. This relatively rapid rate of entry was not reduced by administration of excess orexin A (or leptin) or by fasting for 22 h, even when penetration into only the hypothalamus was measured. Lack of saturability also was shown by perfusion in blood-free buffer. HPLC revealed that most of the injected 125I-orexin A reached the brain as intact peptide. Capillary depletion studies showed that the administered peptide did not remain bound to the endothelial cells comprising the BBB but reached the brain parenchyma. Efflux of 125I-orexin A from the brain occurred at the same rate as 99mTc-albumin. The octanol/buffer partition coefficient of 0.232 showed that orexin A was highly lipophilic, whereas the value for orexin B was only 0.030. Orexin B, moreover, was rapidly degraded in blood, so no 125I-orexin B could be detected in intact form in brain when injected peripherally. Thus, although orexin B is rapidly metabolized in blood and has low lipophilicity, orexin A rapidly crosses the BBB from blood to reach brain tissue by the process of simple diffusion.

The Metabotropic Glutamate 2/3 Receptor Agonists LY354740 and LY379268 Selectively Attenuate Phencyclidine versus d-Amphetamine Motor Behaviors in Rats

Abstract: Previous animal studies have indicated that drugs targeted at metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors may be useful for treatment of psychosis. In this article, the effects of the novel, potent, and selective mGlu2/3 receptor agonists LY354740 and LY379268, and the clinically effective agents clozapine and haloperidol, were investigated using phencyclidine (PCP; 5 mg/kg)- versus d-amphetamine (AMP; 3 mg/kg)-evoked motor activities. LY354740 (1-10 mg/kg s.c.), LY379268 (0.3-3 mg/kg s.c.), clozapine (1-10 mg/kg s.c.), and haloperidol (0.03-1 mg/kg s.c.) reversed the increases in ambulations, fine motor (nonambulatory) movements, and decreased time at rest evoked by PCP. Furthermore, the inhibitions of the PCP response by the mGlu2/3 agonist LY379268, but not by clozapine, were completely reversed by the selective mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist LY341495. Doses of LY354740 and LY379268 that blocked the effects on PCP had no effects on rotorod performance, and (with the exception of rearing behavior) had minimal effects on AMP-evoked motor activities. Clozapine blocked AMP-induced rearing but enhanced AMP-induced ambulations and fine movements at the lower doses (1 and 3 mg/kg). Unlike the mGlu2/3 agonists, the highest dose of clozapine tested (10 mg/kg) impaired animals on the rotorod. Haloperidol potently blocked all PCP and AMP effects, but only at doses associated with motor impairment. These data demonstrate that mGlu2/3 receptor agonists act via a unique mechanism to selectively block PCP-induced behaviors. Moreover, the marked mGlu2/3 receptor-mediated inhibitions of PCP-evoked behaviors by LY354740 and LY379268, with minimal effects on AMP, may indicate potential antipsychotic effects in humans in the absence of dopamine mediated extrapyramidal side effects.

Noncompetitive Functional Inhibition at Diverse, Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes by Bupropion, Phencyclidine, and Ibogaine

Abstract: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are diverse members of the neurotransmitter-gated ion channel superfamily and play critical roles in chemical signaling throughout the nervous system. The present study establishes the acute functional effects of bupropion, phencyclidine, and ibogaine on two human nAChR subtypes. Function of muscle-type nAChR (alpha1 beta gamma delta) in TE671/RD cells or of ganglionic nAChR (alpha3 beta4 alpha5+/-beta2) in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells was measured with 86Rb+ efflux assays. Functional blockade of human muscle-type and ganglionic nAChR is produced by each of the drugs in the low to intermediate micromolar range. Functional blockade is insurmountable by increasing agonist concentrations in TE671/RD and SH-SY5Y cells for each of these drugs, suggesting noncompetitive inhibition of nAChR function. Based on these findings, we hypothesize that nAChR are targets of diverse substances of abuse and agents used in antiaddiction/smoking cessation strategies. We also hypothesize that nAChR play heretofore underappreciated roles in depression and as targets for clinically useful antidepressants.

Preclinical Pharmacokinetics, Interspecies Scaling, and Tissue Distribution of a Humanized Monoclonal Antibody against Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a crucial role in angiogenesis and in pathological processes such as tumor growth, rheumatoid arthritis, and ocular neovascularization. A recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody (rhuMAb), rhuMAb VEGF, has been developed to inhibit the effects of VEGF in the treatment of solid tumors. Intravenous and s.c. pharmacokinetic studies were conducted in mice, rats, and cynomolgus monkeys. In addition, the tissue distribution of i.v. 125I-rhuMAb VEGF was investigated in rabbits. At a dose of approximately 10 mg/kg, the clearance of rhuMAb VEGF from the serum was 15.7 ml/day/kg in mice, 4.83 ml/day/kg in rats, and 5.59 ml/day/kg in cynomolgus monkeys, and the terminal half-life ranged from 6 to 12 days in all species. After s.c. administration, rhuMAb VEGF had a bioavailability of 69% in rats and 100% in mice and cynomolgus monkeys. Pharmacokinetic data in mice, rats, and cynomolgus monkeys were used to predict the pharmacokinetics of rhuMAb VEGF using allometric scaling in humans. The predicted serum clearance of rhuMAb VEGF in humans was 2.4 ml/day/kg and the terminal half-life was 12 days. Two hours after i.v. bolus administration of 125I-rhuMAb VEGF in rabbits, trichloroacetic acid-precipitable radioactivity was noted primarily in the plasma, with lesser amounts in highly perfused tissues such as kidneys, testes, spleen, heart, and lungs. At 48 h after dosing, trichloroacetic acid-precipitable radioactivity was noted in plasma with minimal distribution to testes, bladder, heart, lungs, and kidneys. Tissue distribution and pharmacokinetic data indicate that rhuMAb VEGF is cleared slowly and distributes to specific sites in the body.

Spinal Blockade of Opioid Receptors Prevents the Analgesia Produced by TENS in Arthritic Rats

Abstract: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used for relief of pain. The literature on the clinical application of TENS is extensive. However, surprisingly few reports have addressed the neurophysiological basis for the actions of TENS. The gate control theory of pain is typically used to explain the actions of high-frequency TENS, whereas, low-frequency TENS is typically explained by release of endogenous opioids. The current study investigated the role of mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors in antihyperalgesia produced by low- and high-frequency TENS by using an animal model of inflammation. Antagonists to mu (naloxone), delta (naltrinodole), or kappa (nor-binaltorphimine) opioid receptors were delivered to the spinal cord by microdialysis. Joint inflammation was induced by injection of kaolin and carrageenan into the knee-joint cavity. Withdrawal latency to heat was assessed before inflammation, during inflammation, after drug (or artificial cerebral spinal fluid as a control) administration, and after drug (or artificial cerebral spinal fluid) administration + TENS. Either high- (100 Hz) or low- frequency (4 Hz) TENS produced approximately 100% inhibition of hyperalgesia. Low doses of naloxone, selective for mu opioid receptors, blocked the antihyperalgesia produced by low-frequency TENS. High doses of naloxone, which also block delta and kappa opioid receptors, prevented the antihyperalgesia produced by high-frequency TENS. Spinal blockade of delta opioid receptors dose-dependently prevented the antihyperalgesia produced by high-frequency TENS. In contrast, blockade of kappa opioid receptors had no effect on the antihyperalgesia produced by either low- or high-frequency TENS. Thus, low-frequency TENS produces antihyperalgesia through mu opioid receptors and high-frequency TENS produces antihyperalgesia through delta opioid receptors in the spinal cord.

CEP-1347/KT-7515, an Inhibitor of c-jun N-Terminal Kinase Activation, Attenuates the 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl Tetrahydropyridine-Mediated Loss of Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurons In Vivo

Abstract: We have identified a bis-ethylthiomethyl analog of K-252a, CEP-1347/KT-7515, that promotes neuronal survival in culture and in vivo. The neuronal survival properties of CEP-1347/KT-7515 may be related to its ability to inhibit the activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase, a key kinase in some forms of stress-induced neuronal death and perhaps apoptosis. There is evidence that the selective nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotoxin, MPTP, produces neuronal apoptosis in culture and in adult mice. Thus, our studies were designed to determine if CEP-1347/KT-7515 could protect dopaminergic neurons from MPTP-mediated neurotoxicity. CEP-1347/KT-7515 was assessed for neuroprotective activity in a low dose MPTP model (20 mg/kg) where there was a 50% loss of striatal dopaminergic terminals in the absence of substantia nigra neuronal loss, and a high dose (40 mg/kg) MPTP model where there was a complete loss of dopaminergic terminals and 80% loss of dopaminergic cell bodies. In the low dose MPTP model, CEP-1347/KT-7515 (0.3 mg/kg/day) attenuated the MPTP-mediated loss of striatal dopaminergic terminals by 50%. In the high dose model, CEP-1347/KT-7515 ameliorated the loss of dopaminergic cell bodies by 50% and partially preserved striatal dopaminergic terminals. CEP-1347/KT-7515 did not inhibit monoamine oxidase B or the dopamine transporter, suggesting that the neuroprotective effects of CEP-1347/KT-7515 occur downstream of the metabolic conversion of MPTP to MPP+ and accumulation of MPP+ into dopaminergic neurons. These data implicate a c-jun N-terminal kinase signaling system in MPTP-mediated dopaminergic degeneration and suggest that CEP-1347/KT-7515 may have potential as a treatment for Parkinson's disease.

Ethnic differences in N-glucuronidation of nicotine and cotinine.

Abstract: We previously reported that the metabolism of cotinine, the proximate metabolite of nicotine, is significantly slower in black than in white cigarette smokers. To understand why the metabolism of nicotine and cotinine might differ between blacks and whites, we studied the pattern of nicotine metabolism in blacks and whites. One hundred eight healthy smokers (51 blacks and 57 whites), of similar age, gender distribution, and smoking history, received an i.v. infusion of deuterium-labeled nicotine and cotinine. The clearance of cotinine, the fractional conversion of nicotine to cotinine, and the metabolic clearance of nicotine to cotinine were significantly lower in blacks than in whites. Blacks excreted significantly less nicotine as nicotine- N -glucuronide and less cotinine as cotinine- N -glucuronide than whites, but there was no difference in the excretion of 3′-hydroxycotinine- O -glucuronide. Nicotine and cotinine glucuronidation appeared to be polymorphic, with evidence of slow and fast N -glucuronide formers among blacks but was unimodal with fast conjugators only among whites. Other findings of note included the demonstration of a significant correlation between the distribution volumes of nicotine and cotinine with lean body mass: there was a smaller distribution volume and a shorter half-life for cotinine in women than in men and a smaller volume of distribution of cotinine in blacks than in whites. We conclude that the metabolism of cotinine is slower in blacks than in whites because of both slower oxidative metabolism of nicotine to cotinine (presumably via cytochrome P-450 2A6) and slower N -glucuronidation. Ethnic differences in the metabolism of other drugs undergoing N -glucuronidation should be studied.

Na(+)-dependent carnitine transport by organic cation transporter (OCTN2): its pharmacological and toxicological relevance.

Abstract: Carnitine deficiency, either primary or drug-induced, causes critical symptoms and is thought to involve alteration of active transport of carnitine across the plasma membrane of tissues as the underlying mechanism. Recently, we showed that human organic cation transporter, hOCTN2, cloned as a member of the organic cation transporter family, is a physiologically important Na(+)-dependent high-affinity carnitine transporter in humans. In this study, we further characterized the functional properties of hOCTN2 and examined the interaction between hOCTN2-mediated carnitine transport and clinically used drugs to assess possible toxicological effects. When expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cells, hOCTN2 showed low but significant stereospecific transport activity: D-carnitine was transported with lower affinity (K(m) = 10.9 microM) than the L-isomer (K(m) = 4.3 microM). One Na(+) appeared to be associated with the transport of one carnitine molecule. hOCTN2-mediated transport of acetyl-L-carnitine was also Na(+)-dependent and of high affinity, with a K(m) value of 8.5 microM. To examine the transport activity for organic cations other than carnitine and the possible relationship of drug-induced carnitine deficiency with hOCTN2, the inhibitory effect of several drugs on hOCTN2-mediated L-carnitine transport was examined. Many zwitterionic drugs, such as cephaloridine, and many cationic drugs, such as quinidine and verapamil, exhibited significant inhibitory effects. Among these inhibitors, tetraethylammonium, pyrilamine, quinidine, verapamil, and valproate were found to be transported by hOCTN2. The results suggest that the carnitine deficiency-related toxicological effects by long-term treatment with such drugs might be ascribed to a functional alteration of hOCTN2-mediated carnitine transport.

Agmatine selectively blocks the N-methyl-D-aspartate subclass of glutamate receptor channels in rat hippocampal neurons.

Abstract: We investigated in rat hippocampus neurons whether 4-(aminobutyl)guanidine (agmatine), formed by decarboxylation ofl-arginine by arginine decarboxylase and metabolized to urea and putrescine, can modulate the function of N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channels. In cultured hippocampal neurons studied by whole-cell patch clamp, extracellular-applied agmatine produced a voltage- and concentration-dependent block of NMDA but not α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid nor kainate currents. Analysis of the voltage dependence of the block suggests that agmatine binds at a site located within the NMDA channel pore with a dissociation constant of 952 μM at 0 mV and an electric distance of 0.62. We also tested effects of several agmatine analogs. Arcaine (1,4-butyldiguanidine) also produced a similar voltage-dependent block of the NMDA current, whereas putrescine (1,4-butyldiamine) had little effect, suggesting that the guanidine group of agmatine is the active moiety when blocking the NMDA channel. Moreover, spermine (an endogenous polyamine) potentiated the NMDA current even in the presence of blocker agmatine or arcaine, suggesting that the guanidine-containing compounds agmatine and arcaine interact with the NMDA channel at a binding site different from that of spermine. Our results indicate that in hippocampal neurons agmatine selectively modulates the NMDA subclass of glutamate receptor channels mediated by the interaction between the guanidine group and the channel pore. The results support other data that agmatine may function as an endogenous neurotransmitter/neuromodulator in brain.

Diclofenac Toxicity to Hepatocytes: A Role for Drug Metabolism in Cell Toxicity

Abstract: Diclofenac, a 2-arylacetic acid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been reported to cause adverse hepatic effects in certain individuals. To discriminate among possible mechanisms of hepatotoxicity, we examined the effects of diclofenac on human and rat hepatocytes and hepatic cell lines (HepG2, FaO), investigated the major biochemical events in the course of diclofenac cytotoxicity (calcium homeostasis, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial dysfunction), and investigated whether cytotoxicity could be related to drug metabolism by cytochrome P-450. Acute diclofenac-induced toxicity in hepatocytes was preluded by a decrease in ATP levels, whereas no significant oxidative stress (decrease in glutathione and lipid peroxidation) or increase in intracellular calcium concentration could be observed at early incubation stages. Diclofenac was more cytotoxic to drug metabolizing cells (rat and human primary cultured hepatocytes) than to nonmetabolizing cell lines (HepG2, FaO). Despite the fact that diclofenac itself was effective in impairing ATP synthesis by mitochondria, we found evidence that toxicity was also related to drug metabolism and was reduced by the addition of cytochrome P-450 inhibitors (proadifen and ketoconazole) to culture medium. The in vitro cytotoxicity correlated well with the formation by hepatocytes of 5-hydroxydiclofenac and, in particular, N,5-dihydroxydiclofenac, a minor metabolite first characterized in this article. Hepatic microsomes showed the ability to both oxidize 5-hydroxydiclofenac to N,5-dihydroxydiclofenac and back reduce the latter to 5-hydroxydiclofenac with the consumption of NADPH. The experimental results suggest that the toxic effect of diclofenac on hepatocytes may be caused by drug-induced mitochondrial impairment, together with a futile consumption of NADPH.

Hyperforin, a major antidepressant constituent of St. John's Wort, inhibits serotonin uptake by elevating free intracellular Na+1.

Abstract: Extracts of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) are widely used for the treatment of depressive disorders and are unspecific inhibitors of the neuronal uptake of several neurotransmitters. Previous studies have shown that hyperforin represents the reuptake inhibiting constituent. To characterize the mechanism of serotonin reuptake inhibition, kinetic analyses in synaptosomes of mouse brain were performed. Michaelis-Menten kinetics revealed that hyperforin (2 microM) induces a decrease in V(max) by more than 50% while only slightly decreasing K(m), indicating mainly noncompetitive inhibition. By contrast, citalopram (1 nM) leads to an elevation of K(m) without changing V(max). Monensin, a Na(+)/H(+) exchanger, showed similar properties as hyperforin (decrease of V(max) without changing K(m)). Compared with classical antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants, hyperforin is only a weak inhibitor of [(3)H]paroxetine binding relative to its effects on serotonin uptake. As monensin decreases serotonin uptake by increasing Na(+)/H(+) exchange, we compared the effects of hyperforin and monensin on the free intracellular sodium concentration ([Na(+)](i)) in platelets by measuring 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid, 4,4'-[1,4,10-trioxa-7, 13-diazacyclopentadecan-7,13-diylbis(5-methoxy-6, 2-benzofurandiyl)]bis-, tetraammonium salt (SBFI/AM) fluorescence. Both drugs elevated [Na(+)](i) over basal levels, with a maximal [Na(+)](i) of 69 +/- 16.1 mM (50 microM hyperforin) and 140 +/- 9.1 mM (10 microM monensin). Citalopram at concentrations relevant for [(3)H]serotonin uptake inhibition had no effect on [Na(+)](i). Although the mode of action of hyperforin seems to be associated with elevated [Na(+)](i) similar to those levels found with monensin, the molecular mechanism might be different, as even at high concentrations, hyperforin does not elevate free intracellular sodium concentration ([Na(+)](i)) up to the extracellular level, as monensin does. Hyperforin represents the first substance with a known preclinical antidepressant profile that inhibits serotonin uptake by elevating [Na(+)](i).

Characterization of MK-801-Induced Behavior as a Putative Rat Model of Psychosis

Abstract: The objective of this study was to characterize the behavior induced by the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine maleate) in rats as a model of psychosis. The temporal profile, dose dependence, age, and sex differences of the behavior are described. A gas chromatographic method for the analysis of MK-801 in plasma and brain was developed. Female rats showed 4 to 10 times more MK-801-induced behavior and displayed around 25 times higher serum and brain concentrations of MK-801 than male rats. Twenty-one neuroactive compounds, including a number of excitatory amino acid-active substances, were tested for the effect on MK-801-induced behavior. Neuroleptics blocked MK-801-induced behavior in a dose-dependent manner that correlated to their antipsychotic potency in humans. Adenosine receptor agonists and an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-associated glycine site antagonist showed putative antipsychotic effects. In conclusion, MK-801-induced behavior represents a rat excitatory amino acid hypofunction model of psychosis that appears to be of clinical relevance and may be of value in the search for new antipsychotic agents.

The Central Cannabinoid Receptor (CB1) Mediates Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Production by Rat Microglial Cells

Abstract: Upon activation, brain microglial cells release proinflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), which may play an important role in the central nervous system antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor activities. However, excessive release of NO has been postulated to elicit immune-mediated neurodegenerative inflammatory processes and to cause brain injury. In the present study, the effect of cannabinoids on the release of NO from endotoxin/cytokine-activated rat cortical microglial cells was evaluated. A drug dose-dependent (0.1 microM-8 microM) inhibition of NO release from rat microglial cells was exerted by the cannabinoid receptor high-affinity binding enantiomer (-)-CP55940. In contrast, a minimal inhibitory effect was exerted by the lower affinity binding paired enantiomer (+)-CP56667. Pretreatment of microglial cells with the Galphai/Galphao protein inactivator pertussis toxin, cyclic AMP reconstitution with the cell-permeable analog dibutyryl-cAMP, or treatment of cells with the Galphas activator cholera toxin, resulted in reversal of the (-)-CP55940-mediated inhibition of NO release. A similar reversal in (-)-CP55940-mediated inhibition of NO release was effected when microglial cells were pretreated with the central cannabinoid receptor (CB1) selective antagonist SR141716A. Mutagenic reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western immunoblot assay using a CB1 receptor amine terminal domain-specific antibody, and cellular colocalization of CB1 and the microglial marker Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4 confirmed the expression of the CB1 receptor in rat microglial cells. Collectively, these results indicate a functional linkage between the CB1 receptor and cannabinoid-mediated inhibition of NO production by rat microglial cells.

d -Methadone Blocks Morphine Tolerance and N -Methyl-d-Aspartate-Induced Hyperalgesia

Abstract: Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have determined that the d isomer of methadone has N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist activity. The present studies examined the ability of d -methadone to attenuate the development of morphine tolerance in mice and rats and to modify NMDA-induced hyperalgesia in rats. A decrease in the percentage of mice analgesic (tail-flick response) after 5 days of once-daily morphine (7 mg/kg s.c.) was completely blocked by coadministration of d-methadone given s.c. at 10 mg/kg. Morphine given s.c. to mice on an escalating three times per day dosing schedule resulted in a nearly 3-fold increase in the tail-flick ED50 dose of morphine which was prevented by s.c. coadministered d -methadone at 15 mg/kg. In rats, intrathecal (i.t.) morphine produced a 38-fold increase in the ED50, which was completely prevented by the coadministration of i.t. d -methadone at 160 μg/rat. A decrease in thermal paw withdrawal latency induced by the i.t. administration of 1.64 μg/rat NMDA was completely blocked by pretreatment with 160 μg/rat d -methadone. Thus, systemically coadministered d -methadone prevents systemically induced morphine tolerance in mice, i.t. d -methadone attenuates tolerance produced by i.t. morphine in rats, and i.t. d -methadone, at the same dose which modulates morphine tolerance, blocks NMDA-induced hyperalgesia. These results support the conclusion that d -methadone affects the development of morphine tolerance and NMDA-induced hyperalgesia by virtue of its NMDA receptor antagonist activity.

Immunophilin FK506-binding protein 52 (not FK506-binding protein 12) mediates the neurotrophic action of FK506.

Abstract: The neurotrophic property of the immunosuppressant drug FK506 (tacrolimus) is believed to depend on the 12-kDa FK506-binding protein (FKBP-12). Here, we show that FK506 maintains its neurotrophic activity in primary hippocampal cell cultures from FKBP-12 knockout mice. In human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, the neurotrophic action of FK506 (10 pM to 10 nM) is completely prevented by the addition of a monoclonal antibody (50-100 nM) to the immunophilin FKBP-52 (also known as FKBP-59 or heat shock protein 56), a component of mature steroid receptor complexes. By itself, the FKBP-52 antibody is also neurotrophic. The neurotrophic activity of dexamethasone (50 nM) is potentiated by FK506, whereas that of beta-estradiol (50 nM) is not altered, suggesting a common mechanisms of action. Geldanamycin (which disrupts mature steroid receptor complexes) is also neurotrophic (0.1-10 nM), whereas it reduces the neurotrophic activity of FK506 and steroid hormones (dexamethasone and beta-estradiol). Conversely, 20 mM molybdate (which prevents the disruption of mature steroid receptor complexes) decreases the neurotrophic activity of FK506, FKBP-52 antibody, dexamethasone, and beta-estradiol. In rats, FK506 (10 mg/kg s.c.) augments the regenerative response of regenerating motor and sensory neurons to nerve injury as shown by its ability to increase the axotomy-induced induction of c-jun expression. A model is proposed to account for the neurotrophic action of both neuroimmunophilin ligands (FK506) and steroid hormones. Components of steroid receptor complexes represent novel targets for the rational design of new neurotrophic drugs.

Propulsion in Guinea pig colon induced by 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT) via 5-HT4 and 5-HT3 receptors

Abstract: Previous studies have shown that the intestinal peristaltic reflex initiated by mucosal stimulation is mediated by release of 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT) from enterochromaffin cells; 5-HT acts via 5-HT4 receptors in rat and human, and via both 5-HT4 and 5-HT3 receptors in guinea pig to activate intramural sensory neurons that release calcitonin gene-related peptide. In this study, selective agonists and antagonists were used to examine the involvement of 5-HT4 and 5-HT3 receptors in colonic propulsion. The velocity of propulsion was measured with artificial fecal pellets introduced into the orad end of an isolated guinea pig colonic segment. Control velocity ranged from 0.5 to 3.3 mm/s; mean ± S.E.M., 1.3 ± 0.1 mm/s. The 5-HT4 antagonist, GR 113808A, and the 5-HT3 antagonist, LY 278584, decreased the velocity of pellet propulsion in a concentration-dependent fashion (39 ± 2% and 47 ± 1% decrease at 10 μM, respectively). A combination of both antagonists (10 μM each) was additive, decreasing the velocity by 82 ± 3% to 84 ± 4%. The selective 5-HT4agonists, HTF 919 and R093877, as well as 5-HT in the presence of the 5-HT2a antagonist, ketanserin, increased the velocity of propulsion in a concentration-dependent fashion with EC50s of 6.9 ± 0.1 nM, 37.4 ± 1.0 nM, and 3.9 ± 0.1 nM, respectively. Compared with HTF 919, R093877 was less potent and appeared to be a partial agonist. All three agonists were effective at submicromolar concentrations; at concentrations above 1 μM, there was no increase in the velocity of propulsion. We conclude that the presence of fecal pellets triggers the release of 5-HT, which acts via both 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors to regulate propulsive activity in guinea pig colon.

Evidence for beta3-adrenoceptor subtypes in relaxation of the human urinary bladder detrusor: analysis by molecular biological and pharmacological methods.

Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to confirm the presence of beta3-adrenoceptor subtype in the relaxation of human urinary bladder detrusor tissue by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR); direct sequencing of the PCR product, in situ hybridization; and isometric contraction. Using reverse transcription-PCR, the mRNAs of three receptor subtypes (beta1, beta2, and beta3) were expressed in the human urinary bladder detrusor tissue. Direct sequencing of the PCR product of the above beta3-adrenoceptor revealed no mutation in the amplified regions. In situ hybridization with digoxygenin-labeled oligonucleotide probe revealed the presence of the mRNA of beta3-adrenoceptor subtype in the smooth muscle of the urinary bladder. The relaxant effects of isoproterenol (a nonselective beta-adrenoceptor agonist); ZD7114, BRL37344, and CGP12177A (putative selective beta3-adrenoceptor agonists); and SR59230A (a putative selective beta3-adrenoceptor antagonist) were tested using an isometric contraction technique. Isoproterenol in either the presence or absence of both atenolol (a beta1-adrenoceptor-selective antagonist) and butoxamine (a beta2-adrenoceptor-selective antagonist) revealed a relaxant effect on the carbachol-induced contraction of the human urinary bladder detrusor. Both BRL37344 and CGP12177A also revealed relaxant effects on the human urinary bladder detrusor, but ZD7114 did not elicit any relaxation. These results suggest that beta3-adrenoceptor may have some role in urine storage in the human urinary bladder.

Evaluation of Proteinase-Activated Receptor-1 (PAR1) Agonists and Antagonists Using a Cultured Cell Receptor Desensitization Assay: Activation of PAR2 by PAR1-Targeted Ligands

Abstract: We developed a calcium signaling-based assay, using cultured human embryonic kidney cells (HEK), that evaluates simultaneously, the activation/desensitization or blockade of the proteinase-activated receptors, PAR1 and PAR2. Using this assay, we analyzed the actions of a number of previously described putative PAR1-targeted peptide agonists and antagonists. We found that most of the previously described PAR1-targeted agents can also activate/desensitize PAR2, and most of these peptides can also activate a calcium signaling pathway in a target cell that possesses PAR2 along with PAR1. Furthermore, we used this assay to develop a PAR1receptor-activating probe [Ala-parafluoroPhe-Arg-Cha-Cit-Tyr-NH2(Cit-NH2)], which displays a high degree of specificity for PAR1 over PAR2, and we used the assay to quantitate the ability of trypsin to disarm the activation of PAR1 by thrombin. The abilities of the PAR1-targeted agents to desensitize or block PAR1 in the HEK cell assay were compared with their activities in a human platelet aggregation assay. Our data illustrate the usefulness of the HEK cell assay for evaluating the PAR1/PAR2 selectivity of PAR-activating agonists. The PAR1-selective agonist that we developed using the assay should prove useful for studying the effects of selectively activating PAR1 in vivo.

Hepatic Uptake of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent Gadoxetate by the Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide Oatp1

Abstract: Gadoxetate is a new hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent. It is specifically taken up by hepatocytes, and its uptake can be inhibited by the coadministration of bromosulfophthalein, suggesting an involvement of one or several of the cloned organic anion transporting polypeptides Oatp1, Oatp2, and/or OATP. In this study, we demonstrated saturable uptake of gadoxetate by Oatp1 cRNA-injected Xenopus laevis oocytes (Km approximately 3.3 mM). In contrast, gadoxetate was not taken up by Oatp2 or OATP cRNA-injected oocytes. Oatp1-mediated gadoxetate uptake (100 microM) could be inhibited by 10 microM bromosulfophthalein (45%), 200 microM taurocholate (92%), 100 microM rifamycin SV (97%), and 100 microM rifampicin (51%). These results show that gadoxetate is a low-affinity substrate of Oatp1. Oatp1-mediated gadoxetate transport demonstrated a similar apparent Km value and cis-inhibition pattern as previously determined in rats in vivo, indicating that Oatp1 is significantly involved in gadoxetate uptake into rat liver.