[Interaction of neuronal NOS and catecholamines in regulation of expression of proteins of apoptosis by vasopressinergic hypothalamic neurons]

The work studied vasopressinergic neurons of hypothalamic supraoptic and paravenricular nuclei of the wild type mice and the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) gene knockouted mice at a decrease of the brain catecholamine (CA) level caused by administration of the blocker of activity of tyrosine hydroxylase alpha-methyl-paratyrosine (alpha-MPT) and at the CA level decrease on the background of functional activity of the vasopressinergic neurons caused by dehydration of animals. There were analyzed changes in the number of neurons in both magnocellular hypothalamic nuclei expressing proapoptotic proteins caspase-8 and caspase-9, p53, and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. The disturbance of the CA-ergic innervation was shown to be a strong damaging factor leading to apoptosis of neurons regardless of the presence of nNOS in the cells. However, at disturbance of the CA-ergic innervation due to the 5-day mouse dehydration, no death of neurons by apoptosis was revealed. Thus, it is possible that functional activation prevents the hypothalamic vasopressinergic neurons from death at a decrease of the CA level in brain. The main difference of the nNOS gene knockouts is the absence of activation of the Bcl-2 expression under all used actions. This confirms our suggestion about interaction of CA and NO in triggering of expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2.

A rapid and efficient synthetic route to terminal arylacetylenes by tetrabutylammonium hydroxide- and methanol-catalyzed cleavage of 4-aryl-2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ols

Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide with methanol as an additive was found to be a highly active catalyst for the cleavage of 4-aryl-2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ols. The reaction was performed at 55–75 °C and gave terminal arylacetylenes in good to excellent yields within several minutes. Compared with the usual reaction conditions (normally >110 °C, several hours), this novel catalyst system can dramatically decrease the reaction time under much milder conditions.

Current good manufacturing practice production of an oncolytic recombinant vesicular stomatitis viral vector for cancer treatment

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is an oncolytic virus currently being investigated as a promising tool to treat cancer because of its ability to selectively replicate in cancer cells. To enhance the oncolytic property of the nonpathologic laboratory strain of VSV, we generated a recombinant vector [rVSV(MΔ51)-M3] expressing murine gammaherpesvirus M3, a secreted viral chemokine-binding protein that binds to a broad range of mammalian chemokines with high affinity. As previously reported, when rVSV(MΔ51)-M3 was used in an orthotopic model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rats, it suppressed inflammatory cell migration to the virus-infected tumor site, which allowed for enhanced intratumoral virus replication leading to increased tumor necrosis and substantially prolonged survival. These encouraging results led to the development of this vector for clinical translation in patients with HCC. However, a scalable current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP)-compliant manufacturing process has not been described for this vector. To produce the quantities of high-titer virus required for clinical trials, a process that is amenable to GMP manufacturing and scale-up was developed. We describe here a large-scale (50-liter) vector production process capable of achieving crude titers on the order of 10(9) plaque-forming units (PFU)/ml under cGMP. This process was used to generate a master virus seed stock and a clinical lot of the clinical trial agent under cGMP with an infectious viral titer of approximately 2 × 10(10) PFU/ml (total yield, 1 × 10(13) PFU). The lot has passed all U.S. Food and Drug Administration-mandated release testing and will be used in a phase 1 clinical translational trial in patients with advanced HCC.

PSA doubling time (PSADT) and serum testosterone (T) during intermittent androgen deprivation (IAD) in patients with biochemically relapsed prostate cancer (BRCP; M0): Potential predictive implications

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Background: The systemic management of patients with BRPC remains controversial. IAD is commonly employed. Aims: To evaluate the PSA dynamics and serum T in pts with BRPC treated with IAD until the development of PSA refractoriness or clinical evidence of metastatic disease.

Methods: Data were retrospectively analyzed in all pts with BRCP treated with GnRH at PSA thresholds according to pre-treatment PSADT (10-15ng/mL, 15-20, and 20-30 for PSADT ≤3 mos, 3-9 mos, and ≥ 9 ms, respectively) and continued until PSA nadir. Antiandrogen (AA) was added for PSA > 1.0 ng/mL after 3 mos). Follow-up (FU) consisted of PSA and T q3 mos. Cycles were repeated at the above preselected PSA thresholds and continued until lack of PSA response. Scans were obtained prior to cycles and at the time of CRPC state. Mixed effects model was used to study PSADT change over cycles. Multivariate cox regression model was used to identify prognostic variables.

Results: From 1995-2010, with a mean FU of 71 mos (range 22-183 months), 96 pts received a mean of 2.8 cycles (range 1-9) of IAD; 58 (60%) remain on treatment and 38 (40%) were switched to continuous ADT due to PSA refractoriness (n=11) or positive scans (n=27). PSADT at the first off treatment (tx) interval (mean 3.1, 0.59-30.5 range, median 2.3) was significantly shorter than the baseline (p<0.0001; mean 9.7, range 0.27-53.9, median 7.34) but remained relatively stable (p=0.29) in subsequent cycles. PSADT adjusted for T recovery (≥3 ms after T recovery to ≥ 150 ng/dL) was significantly longer (p=0.006) than that based only on all PSA determinations (mean 5.4, range 1.31-30.5, median 3.7 versus mean 3.1, range 0.59-30.5, median 2.3). Significant factors associated with probability of PSA refractoriness were pre-IAD PSADT (≥ 6 vs <6 ms), first off tx interval PSADT (≥3 ms vs <3m), the use of AA during first tx cycle, and PSA nadir during the first tx interval (<0.1 vs ≥0.1 ng/mL).

Conclusions: Our data suggest that PSADT becomes shorter after the initial cycle of IAD and correlate with T recovery. PSA dynamics and need for AA to enhance PSA nadir are associated with PSA refractoriness in pts BRPC treated with IAD.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Effect of angiotenstin system inhibitors (ASIs) on the outcome of sunitinib treatment (tx) in patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC)

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Background: The VEGFR inhibitor sunitinib is a standard tx for mRCC. ASIs include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). ASIs are used in the tx of hypertension (HTN), kidney disease, and heart failure. Preclinical and clinical studies in several cancer types have shown that they may inhibit tumor growth. Their effect on the outcome of sunitinib in mRCC is poorly defined. Aims: to study the effect of ASIs on the outcome sunitinib tx for mRCC.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of an unselected cohort of pts with mRCC, who were treated with 50 mg of oral sunitinib in cycles of 4 weeks followed by 2 weeks of rest. Pts were divided into 2 groups: (1) ASIs users and (2) ASIs naive. The effect of ASIs use on objective response, time to progression (TTP), and overall survival (OS), was tested with adjustment of other known confounding risk factors using a chisquare test and partial likelihood test from cox model.

Results: Between 2004–2010, 124 pts with mRCC were treated with sunitinib. There were 44 ASIs users (group 1) and 80 nonusers (group 2). With regard to sunitinib tx initiation time, 39 users started ASIs before, 3 within 1 month, and 2 after 5 months. The groups were balanced regarding the following known clinical prognostic factors: past nephrectomy, RCC histology, time from diagnosis to tx, ≥ 2 metastatic sites, lung/liver/bone metastasis, ECOG performance status, Hb level, corrected ca > 10 mg/dL, platelets count, prior cytokines/ targeted tx, sunitinib induced HTN, % pts that had dose reduction/tx interruption, and mean dose/cycle. Objective response in group 1 vs. 2 was partial response (PR) 48% vs 38% (p=0.24), stable disease (SD) 38% both, and progressive disease (PD) 14% vs. 24% (p=0.19). Median TTP was 12 vs. 6 ms (HR 0.635 in ASIs users, p=0.034). Median OS was 25 vs. 22 ms (p=0.3).

Conclusions: ASIs may improve the outcome of pts with mRCC that are treated with sunitinib. This should be investigated prospectively, and if validated, applied in clinical practice and clinical trials.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Safety and efficacy of ketoconazole (K) in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): Contemporary experience and prognostic indicators

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Background: Intracrine conversion of adrenal androgens to testosterone play an important role in CRPC progression. Treatments (tx) that block adrenal steroid synthesis have shown significant clinical benefits in mCRPC. Aims: To evaluate contemporary data on safety and efficacy associated with K in mCRPC.

Methods: All/unselected mCRPC pts progressing on GnRH-a and antiandrogens (AA) treated with K were retrospectively analyzed. Pts were maintained on gonadal suppression, discontinued AA, and received and K 200-400 mg t.i.d. until disease progression or dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Initial 600mg/d dose was escalated to 1,200mg/d if a PSA decrease was not seen at 3 months (mos) or if a response/subsequent progression to 600/mg/d was observed (optional). Follow up included hematological/chemical profile q 3 mos, scans upon clinical (physical exam/symptoms) or at biochemical progression (PSA increase ≥ 25% and ≥2ng/mL from nadir). A multivariate cox regression model was used to identify variables significantly associated with disease progression.

Results: From 1999-2010 (mean follow up 40 mos, range 5-129), 114 m-CRPR pts were treated with K 200mg (n=82, 72%) or 400mg (n=32, 28%) tid. Most common grade 3/4 tox events (n=23) were fatigue, abdominal discomfort, nausea, and dizziness. 9 pts (8%) had DLT (fatigue n=7, hepatotoxicity/thrombocytopenia n=1). 55/114 (48%) had ≥ 50% PSA decline. Overall median time to progression (TTP) was 8 mos (range 1-129). 14 pts remain progression free > 7 mos (range 7-129). Significant prognostic factors (table) were response to prior AA (≥6 vs <6 mos), pre-tx PSADT (≥3 vs <3 mos) and extent of disease (limited-axial skeleton and/or nodal vs extensive- appendicular skeleton and/or visceral).

Conclusions: K is effective and safe in m-CRPC. Prior response to AA, PSADT ≥ 3mos and limited metastatic disease is associated with TTP and further supports a therapeutic role for suppressing adrenal androgens in m-CRPC.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on dopaminergic function and motor behavior during aging

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critical in synaptic plasticity and in the survival and function of midbrain dopamine neurons. In this study, we assessed the effects of a partial genetic deletion of BDNF on motor function and dopamine (DA) neurotransmitter measures by comparing Bdnf(+/-) with wildtype mice (WT) at different ages. Bdnf(+/-) and WT mice had similar body weights until 12 months of age; however, at 21 months, Bdnf(+/-) mice were significantly heavier than WT mice. Horizontal and vertical motor activity was reduced for Bdnf(+/-) compared to WT mice, but was not influenced by age. Performance on an accelerating rotarod declined with age for both genotypes and was exacerbated for Bdnf(+/-) mice. Body weight did not correlate with any of the three behavioral measures studied. Dopamine neurotransmitter markers indicated no genotypic difference in striatal tyrosine hydroxylase, DA transporter (DAT) or vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) immunoreactivity at any age. However, DA transport via DAT (starting at 12 months) and VMAT2 (starting at 3 months) as well as KCl-stimulated DA release were reduced in Bdnf(+/-) mice and declined with age suggesting an increasingly important role for BDNF in the release and uptake of DA with the aging process. These findings suggest that a BDNF expression deficit becomes more critical to dopaminergic dynamics and related behavioral activities with increasing age.

Immunohistochemical expression of Bcl-2, p53 and caspase-9 in hypothalamus magnocellular centers of nNOS knockout mice following water deprivation

We studied the interactions between apoptosis regulator proteins (Bcl-2, p53 and caspase-9) and neuronal nitric oxide in vasopressinergic magnocellular centers of the hypothalamus using neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) gene knockout mice. nNOS gene deletion resulted in accumulation of Bcl-2, p53 and caspase-9 in the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei in controls. Dehydration increased the levels of all three apoptosis regulator proteins studied in nuclei of wild type mice. In the hypothalamus magnocellular centers of nNOS knockout mice, however, expression of Bcl-2, p53 and caspase-9 was unchanged after dehydration. The number of magnocellular neurons did not change in the SON and PVN of nNOS deficient mice compared to wild type, and after dehydration, cell death was not observed in either nucleus of wild type or knockout mice despite activation of apoptosis regulator protein expression. Thus, we demonstrated that gene disruption of nNOS prevents activation of Bcl-2, p53 and caspase-9 expression during water deprivation, and that nNOS deficiency did not affect survival of magnocellular neurons of the hypothalamus.

Ultrasound triggered cell death in vitro with doxorubicin loaded poly lactic-acid contrast agents

Traditional chemotherapy generally results in systemic toxicity, which also limits drug levels at the area of need. Two ultrasound contrast agents (UCA), with diameters between 1-2 microm in diameter and shell thicknesses of 100-200 nm, composed of poly lactic-acid (PLA), one loaded by surface adsorption and the other loaded by drug incorporation in the shell, were compared in vitro for potential use in cancer therapy. These poly lactic-acid (PLA) UCA platforms contain a gas core that in an ultrasound (US) field can cause the UCA to oscillate or rupture. Following a systemic injection of drug loaded UCA with external application of US focused at the area of interest, this platform could potentially increase drug toxicity at the area of need, while protecting healthy tissue through microencapsulation of the drug. In vitro toxicity in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells of the surface-adsorbed and shell-incorporated doxorubicin (Dox) loaded UCA were examined at 5 MHz insonation using a pulse repetition frequency of 100 Hz at varying pressure amplitudes. Both platforms resulted in equivalent cell death compared to free Dox and US when insonated at peak positive pressure amplitudes of 1.26 MPa and above. While no significant changes in cell death were seen for surface adsorbed Dox-UCA with or without insonation, cell death using the platform with Dox incorporated within the shell increased from 16.12% to 25.78% (p=0.0272), approaching double the potency of the platform when insonated at peak positive pressure amplitudes of 1.26 MPa and above. This mechanism is believed to be the result of UCA rupture at higher insonation pressure amplitudes, resulting in more exposed drug and shell surface area as well as increased cellular uptake of Dox containing polymer shell fragments. This study has shown that a polymer UCA with drug housed within the shell may be used for US-triggered cell death. US activation can be used to make a carrier significantly more potent once in the area of need.

Enhanced 2.0 microm emission and gain coefficient of transparent glass ceramic containing BaF2: Ho3+,Tm3+ nanocrystals

Transparent glass ceramic containing BaF(2):Ho(3+),Tm(3+) nanocrystals has been prepared by melt quenching and subsequent thermal treatment. The precipitation of BaF(2) nanocrystals was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Intense 2.0 microm fluorescence originating from Ho(3+): (5)I(7) --> (5)I(8) transition was achieved upon excitation with 808 nm laser diode. A large ratio of forward Tm(3+) --> Ho(3+) energy transfer constant to that of backward process indicated high efficient energy transfer from Tm(3+)((3)F(4)) to Ho(3+)((5)I(7)), benefited from the reduced ionic distances of Tm(3+)-Tm(3+) and Tm(3+)-Ho(3+) pairs and low phonon energy environment with the incorporation of rare-earth ions into the precipitated BaF(2) nanocrystals. The results indicate that glass ceramic is a promising candidate material for 2.0 microm laser.