Engineered Polymersomes for the Treatment of Fish Odor Syndrome: A First Randomized Double Blind Olfactory Study

Trimethylamine (TMA) is a metabolite overtly present in patients suffering from trimethylaminuria (TMAU), a rare genetic disorder characterized by a strong "fishy" body odor. To date, no approved pharmacological treatment to sequester excess TMA on the skin of patients exists. Here, transmembrane pH gradient poly(isoprene)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PI-b-PEG) polymersomes are investigated for the topical removal of TMA. PI-b-PEG amphiphiles of varying chain length are synthesized and evaluated for their ability to form vesicular structures in aqueous media. The optimization of the PI/PEG ratio of transmembrane pH gradient polymersomes allows for the rapid and efficient capture of TMA both in solution and after incorporation into a topical hydrogel matrix at the pH of the skin. A subsequent double blind olfactory study reveals a significant decrease in perceived odor intensity after application of the polymersome-based formulation on artificial skin substrates that has been incubated in TMA-containing medium. This simple and novel approach has the potential to ease the burden of people suffering from TMAU.

Ammonia uptake by transmembrane pH gradient poly(isoprene)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) polymersomes

Transmembrane pH gradient poly(isoprene)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PI-b-PEG) polymersomes were investigated for their potential use in the detoxification of ammonia, a metabolite that is excessively present in patients suffering from urea cycle disorders and advanced liver diseases, and which causes neurotoxic effects (e.g., hepatic encephalopathy). Polymers varying in PI and PEG block length were synthesized via nitroxide-mediated polymerization and screened for their ability to self-assemble into polymersomes in aqueous media. Ammonia sequestration by the polymersomes was investigated in vitro. While most vesicular systems were able to capture ammonia in simulated intestinal fluids, uptake was lost in partially dehydrated medium mimicking conditions in the colon. Polymeric crosslinking of residual olefinic bonds in the PI block increased polymersome stability, partially preserving the ammonia capture capacity in the simulated colon environment. These more stable vesicular systems hold promise for the chronic oral treatment of hyperammonemia.

A hormonal signaling pathway influencing C. elegans metabolism, reproductive development, and life span

During C. elegans development, animals must choose between reproductive growth or dauer diapause in response to sensory cues. Insulin/IGF-I and TGF-beta signaling converge on the orphan nuclear receptor daf-12 to mediate this choice. Here we show that daf-9 acts downstream of these inputs but upstream of daf-12. daf-9 and daf-12 mutants have similar larval defects and modulate insulin/IGF-I and gonadal signals that regulate adult life span. daf-9 encodes a cytochrome P450 related to vertebrate steroidogenic hydroxylases, suggesting that it could metabolize a DAF-12 ligand. Sterols may be the daf-9 substrate and daf-12 ligand because cholesterol deprivation phenocopies mutant defects. Sensory neurons, hypodermis, and somatic gonadal cells expressing daf-9 identify potential endocrine tissues. Evidently, lipophilic hormones influence nematode metabolism, diapause, and life span.

Oral capecitabine compared with intravenous fluorouracil plus leucovorin in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: results of a large phase III study

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy and safety of orally administered capecitabine (Xeloda; Roche Laboratories, Inc, Nutley, NJ), a novel fluoropyrimidine carbamate designed to mimic continuous fluorouracil (5-FU) infusion but with preferential activation at the tumor site, with that of intravenous (IV) 5-FU plus leucovorin (5-FU/LV) as first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We prospectively randomized 602 patients to treatment with capecitabine 1,250 mg/m(2) administered twice daily days 1 to 14 every 3 weeks, or to the 4-weekly Mayo Clinic regimen (5-FU/LV) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

RESULTS

The primary objective, to demonstrate at least equivalent response rates in the two treatment groups, was met. The overall response rate was 18.9% for capecitabine and 15.0% for 5-FU/LV. In the capecitabine and 5-FU/LV groups, respectively, median time to disease progression was 5.2 and 4.7 months (log-rank P =.65); median time to treatment failure was 4.2 and 4.0 months (log-rank P =.89); and median overall survival was 13.2 and 12.1 months (log-rank P =.33). The toxicity profiles of both treatments were typical of fluoropyrimidines. However, capecitabine led to significantly lower incidences (P <.00001) of stomatitis and alopecia, but a higher incidence of cutaneous hand-foot syndrome (P <.00001). Capecitabine also resulted in lower incidences (P <.00001) of grade 3/4 stomatitis and neutropenia, leading to a lower incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenic fever and sepsis. Only grade 3 hand-foot syndrome (P <.00001) and uncomplicated grade 3/4 hyperbilirubinemia (P <.0001) were reported more frequently with capecitabine.

CONCLUSION

Oral capecitabine achieved an at least equivalent efficacy compared with IV 5-FU/LV. Capecitabine demonstrated clinically meaningful safety advantages and the convenience of an oral agent.

Capecitabine (Xeloda) improves medical resource use compared with 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin in a phase III trial conducted in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma

Standard therapy for advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer consists of 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin (5-FU/LV) administered intravenously (i.v.). Capecitabine (Xeloda), an oral fluoropyrimidine carbamate which is preferentially activated by thymidine phosphorylase in tumour cells, mimics continuous 5-FU and is a recently developed alternative to i.v. 5-FU/LV. The choice of oral rather than intravenous treatment may affect medical resource use because the two regimens do not require the same intensity of medical intervention for drug administration, and have different toxicity profiles. Here we examine medical resource use in the first-line treatment of colorectal cancer patients with capecitabine compared with those receiving the Mayo Clinic regimen of 5-FU/LV. In a prospective, randomised phase III clinical trial, 602 patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer recruited from 59 centres worldwide were randomised to treatment with either capecitabine or the Mayo regimen of 5-FU/LV. In addition to clinical efficacy and safety endpoints, data were collected on hospital visits required for drug administration, hospital admissions, and drugs and unscheduled consultations with physicians required for the treatment of adverse events. Capecitabine treatment in comparison to 5-FU/LV in advanced colorectal carcinoma resulted in superior response rates (26.6% versus 17.9%, P=0.013) and improved safety including less stomatitis and myelosuppression. Capecitabine patients required substantially fewer hospital visits for drug administration than 5-FU/LV patients. Medical resource use analysis showed that patients treated with capecitabine spent fewer days in hospital for the management of treatment related adverse events than did patients treated with 5-FU/LV. In addition, capecitabine reduced the requirement for expensive drugs, in particular antimicrobials fluconazole and 5-HT3-antagonists to manage adverse events. As anticipated with an oral home-based therapy patients receiving capecitabine needed more frequent unscheduled home, day care, office and telephone consultations with physicians. In the light of clinical results from the phase III trial demonstrating increased efficacy in terms of response rate, equivalent time to progression (TTP) and survival (OS), and a superior safety profile, the results from this medical resource assessment indicate that capecitabine treatment of colorectal cancer patients results in a substantial resource use saving relative to the Mayo Clinic regimen of 5-FU/LV. This benefit is derived principally from the avoidance of hospital visits for i.v. drug administration, less expensive drug therapy for the treatment of toxic side-effects, and fewer treatment-related hospitalisations required during the course of therapy for adverse drug reactions in comparison to patients treated with 5-FU/LV.

The suicide myth

Suicide is a deadly decision rooted in biology and expressed in behavior. Knowing how to care for a patient who survives a suicide attempt requires a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of self-harm, who is susceptible, and how to intervene.

Estrogen-responsive RING finger mRNA induction in gastrointestinal carcinoma cells following bile acid treatment

The underlying molecular mechanisms of the tumor-promoting activity of bile acids such as chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) and the protective effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) remain largely unclear. Using RNA arbitrarily primed PCR (RAP-PCR) for differential display, we identified, cloned and sequenced differentially expressed transcripts after treating gastric carcinoma cells (St 23132) with the bile acids CDCA, DCA and UDCA. One of these transcripts was identified to be an estrogen-responsive RING finger protein (efp) mRNA. The differential expression of efp in gastric cancer cells was confirmed by low stringency RT-PCR. efp mRNA levels were induced 3-fold in gastric carcinoma cells after CDCA and DCA treatment, whereas no change in expression was detected after UDCA treatment. Finally, treatment of the colon carcinoma cell line HT 29 with DCA resulted in a 2- to 5-fold induction of efp mRNA levels whereas UDCA did not induce efp. As expected, efp expression was also increased after 24 h of estrogen treatment. In summary, a synergy or a common pathway of tumor enhancement of bile acids and estrogen via efp in gastrointestinal carcinogenesis can be envisioned.

[After-care of colorectal carcinoma: what has efficacy?]

The efficacy of standardized follow-up examinations after surgery for colorectal carcinoma has been repeatedly questioned. Although many studies have assessed the value of different diagnostic tools none of these procedures proved to have a predictive value high enough to accurately predict the recurrence of disease and to justify its regular use in these patients. Even a combined diagnostic approach provided a benefit only for a minority of these patients (3.5 to 4.5%). Considering the physical and psychological strain imposed by this approach risk-adapted follow-up schemes are urgently needed. Prognostic parameters indicating the individual risk for disease recurrence can be deduced from increasing CEA values as well as from classification and grading of the primary tumor. Colonoscopy is an effective procedure for early detection of intraluminal relapse or metachronous tumors with potential impact on survival of the patient. An abdominal ultrasound study appears to be the method of choice for detection of metastasis of the liver due to its high sensitivity and low invasiveness. Other imaging procedures are not indicated in routine follow-up for colorectal carcinoma. It remains to be demonstrated whether molecular biology or new scintigraphic techniques will be helpful in follow-up examinations of patients with colorectal carcinomas.

Pattern of bile acid regurgitation and metabolism during perfusion of the bile duct obstructed rat liver

Bile acid processing in the long-term, bile duct obstructed rat liver was studied ex vivo. Twenty four and 72 h, respectively, after bile duct obstruction the isolated liver was perfused with taurodeoxycholate (16 nmol/min per g liver) the bile duct still being closed. Uptake, metabolism and regurgitation profile were traced by bolus injection of tritium-labeled bile acid; in addition, concurrent histological changes were examined by light- and electron microscopy. Ligation caused dilatation of the intrahepatic ductular branches and increased the serum bile acid concentration to 740 +/- 75 microM (controls: 16 +/- 2.12), reaching its maximum within 24 h. At 16 nmol/min per g liver uptake rate was > 96% in controls and in bile duct obstructed rats. Maximal uptake rates (assessed separately) differed between controls and bile duct obstructed rats (700 nmol/min per g liver vs. 460). Controls excreted more than 80% of labeled bile acid in bile within 10 min after bolus injection. Biliary recovery of label was virtually completed after 30 min. In bile duct obstructed rats excretion of label back to the perfusate effluent (regurgitation) started quantitatively 5 min after bolus application and peaked between 10 and 40 min; after 80 min, effluent recovery was incomplete (about 60% of bolus injected). Biliary bile acids of controls consisted of about 20% taurodeoxycholate-metabolites; bile acids in the perfusate effluent of bile duct obstructed rats of about 55%. The major metabolite in all animal groups was taurocholate; minor metabolites were tauroursocholate, tauro-3 alpha,7 = 0,12 alpha-cholanoic acid and 3-sulfo-taurodeoxycholate. Histologically, inflammation and periportal edema were present after 1 day of bile duct obstruction. After 3 days, marked proliferation of bile ductules was the dominant histological feature. It is concluded that during initial bile duct obstruction, bile acid processing is not altered, although ultrastructural alterations occur early.

Activation of Jun kinase is an early event in hepatic regeneration

Compensatory hepatic regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH) is dependent upon the extent of resection. This study analyzes the regulation of the AP-1 transcription factor c-Jun during hepatic regeneration. There is a progressive increase in c-jun mRNA levels after sham operation, one-third PH, and two-thirds PH. A concomitant increase in AP-1 binding activity is also observed. The c-Jun protein is a major constituent of the AP-1 complex in quiescent and early regenerating liver. The activity of c-Jun nuclear kinase (JNK), which phosphorylates the activation domain of the c-Jun protein, is markedly stimulated after one-third PH. JNK1 or an immunologically related kinase is a constituent of this stimulated JNK activity after PH. When primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes are incubated with epidermal growth factor or transforming growth factor-alpha, AP-1 transcriptional activity is increased and the activation domain of the c-Jun protein is further potentiated. Phosphopeptide mapping of the endogenous c-Jun protein in proliferating cultured hepatocytes demonstrates phosphorylation of the c-Jun activation domain. Combining the results of these in vivo and culture studies, we conclude that the minimal stimulation of one-third PH activates JNK, which phosphorylates the c-Jun activation domain in hepatocytes, resulting in enhanced transcription of AP-1-dependent genes.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha stimulates AP-1 activity through prolonged activation of the c-Jun kinase

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) has multiple biological functions including the prolonged activation of the collagenase and c-jun genes, which are regulated via their AP-1 binding sites. We show that incubating human fibroblasts with TNF alpha induces prolonged activation of JNK, the c-Jun kinase, which phosphorylates the transactivation domain of c-Jun. Furthermore, an immune complex kinase assay specifically demonstrates that TNF alpha stimulates the activity of JNK1, the recently described predominant form of JNK. TNF alpha also produces a small and transient increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity and no measured increase in Raf-1 kinase activity. On the other hand, epidermal growth factor causes a prolonged activation of Raf-1 kinase and ERK activity and a smaller, more transient activation of JNK, whereas the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate causes a small stimulation of Raf-1 kinase and a pronounced stimulation of ERK activity. The activation of JNK by TNF alpha does not correlate with Raf-1 or ERK activity. The kinetics of Raf-1, ERK, and JNK induction by epidermal growth factor, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, or TNF alpha indicate distinct mechanisms of activation in human fibroblasts.

Sensitivity to visual Gaussian noise patterns as determined by binary and rating procedures

Trained Os made judgments as to the presence of a signal plus noise pattern adjacent to a noise pattern with binary and 4-category rating response procedures. Two mean differences between stimulus distributions, 2 criterion levels, and 2 response procedures were factorially combined to produce 8 experimental conditions. Individual protocols of all Os in rating sessions and of 2 Os in most binary sessions resulted in straight line z-coordinate receiver operating functions. A receiver operating function expresses the probability of a hit as a function of the probability of a false alarm. As predicted by the theory of signal detection, neither response procedures nor criterion manipulations affected de, but de was sensitive to the magnitude of the mean difference between the signal and signal plus noise distributions. However, Os were not influenced by pay-off conditions to adopt low criteria in binary sessions even though criterion shifts were produced in rating sessions. Finally, the obtained slope for the receiver operating functions was nearly twice as large as predicted by the theory. On the basis of these mixed positive and negative results, the acceptance of the theory as a general model for visual detection may be questioned even while some successful applications of the theory to visual detection problems exist.