Impaired glucose metabolism reduces the neuroprotective action of adipocytokines in cognitively normal older adults with insulin resistance.

Evidence suggests that aging-related dysfunctions of adipose tissue and metabolic disturbances increase the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome (MtbS), eventually leading to cognitive impairment and dementia. However, the neuroprotective role of adipocytokines in this process has not been specifically investigated. The present study aims to identify metabolic alterations that may prevent adipocytokines from exerting their neuroprotective action in normal ageing. We hypothesize that neuroprotection may occur under insulin resistance (IR) conditions as long as there are no other metabolic alterations that indirectly impair the action of adipocytokines, such as hyperglycemia. This hypothesis was tested in 239 cognitively normal older adults (149 females) aged 52 to 87 years (67.4 ± 5.9 yr). We assessed whether the homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the presence of different components of MtbS moderated the association of plasma adipocytokines (i.e., adiponectin, leptin and the adiponectin to leptin [Ad/L] ratio) with cognitive functioning and cortical thickness. The results showed that HOMA-IR, circulating triglyceride and glucose levels moderated the neuroprotective effect of adipocytokines. In particular, elevated triglyceride levels reduced the beneficial effect of Ad/L ratio on cognitive functioning in insulin-sensitive individuals; whereas under high IR conditions, it was elevated glucose levels that weakened the association of the Ad/L ratio with cognitive functioning and with cortical thickness of prefrontal regions. Taken together, these findings suggest that the neuroprotective action of adipocytokines is conditioned not only by whether cognitively normal older adults are insulin-sensitive or not, but also by the circulating levels of triglycerides and glucose, respectively.

Plasma choline and betaine and risks of cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke after ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Choline and betaine have been suggested to play a pivotal role in neurotransmitter synthesis, cell membrane integrity, and methyl-group metabolism, exerting neuroprotective effects in patients with various neurological disorders. However, population-based evidence on choline and betaine with subsequent cardiovascular events after stroke is rare. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationships of circulating choline and betaine with cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke in patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: We performed a nested case-control study within the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke. A total of 323 cardiovascular events (including 264 recurrent strokes) and 323 controls (free of recurrent cardiovascular events) matched for age (±1 y), sex, and treatment group were included. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular events after ischemic stroke. Plasma choline and betaine were measured at baseline by ultra-high-performance LC-MS/MS. Conditional logistic regression models were applied, and discrimination, reclassification, and calibration of models with choline pathway metabolites were evaluated. RESULTS: Plasma choline and betaine were inversely associated with cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke after ischemic stroke. Specifically, in fully adjusted models, each additional SD of choline and betaine was associated with 35% (95% CI: 20%-48%) and 30% (95% CI: 14%-43%) decreased risks of subsequent cardiovascular events, respectively, and 34% (95% CI: 16%-48%) and 29% (95% CI: 12%-43%) decreased risks of recurrent stroke, respectively. In addition, both choline and betaine offered substantial risk discrimination and reclassification improvement for cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke beyond traditional risk factors, as evidenced by an increase in C statistics, the net reclassification index, and integrated discrimination improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma choline pathway metabolites, including choline and betaine, were associated with decreased risks of cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke and provided incremental value in risk discrimination and stratification in patients with ischemic stroke. This nested case-control study was based on the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke, which is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01840072.

Repurposing of Omarigliptin as a Neuroprotective Agent Based on Docking with A2A Adenosine and AChE Receptors, Brain GLP-1 Response and Its Brain/Plasma Concentration Ratio after 28 Days Multiple Doses in Rats Using LC-MS/MS.

The authors in the current work suggested the potential repurposing of omarigliptin (OMR) for neurodegenerative diseases based on three new findings that support the preliminary finding of crossing BBB after a single dose study in the literature. The first finding is the positive results of the docking study with the crystal structures of A2A adenosine (A2AAR) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) receptors. A2AAR is a member of non-dopaminergic GPCR superfamily receptor proteins and has essential role in regulation of glutamate and dopamine release in Parkinson's disease while AChE plays a major role in Alzheimer's disease as the primary enzyme responsible for the hydrolytic metabolism of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetate. Docking showed that OMR perfectly fits into A2AAR binding pocket forming a distinctive hydrogen bond with Threonine 256. Besides other non-polar interactions inside the pocket suggesting the future of the marketed anti-diabetic drug (that cross BBB) as a potential antiparkinsonian agent while OMR showed perfect fit inside AChE receptor binding site smoothly because of its optimum length and the two fluorine atoms that enables quite lean fitting. Moreover, a computational comparative study of OMR docking, other 12 DPP-4 inhibitors and 11 SGLT-2 inhibitors was carried out. Secondly, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentration in rats' brain tissue was determined by the authors using sandwich GLP-1 ELISA kit bio-analysis to ensure the effect of OMR after the multiple doses' study. Brain GLP-1 concentration was elevated by 1.9-fold following oral multiple doses of OMR (5 mg/kg/day, p.o. for 28 days) as compared to the control group. The third finding is the enhanced BBB crossing of OMR after 28 days of multiple doses that had been studied using LC-MS/MS method with enhanced liquid-liquid extraction. A modified LC-MS/MS method was established for bioassay of OMR in rats' plasma (10-3100 ng/mL) and rats' brain tissue (15-2900 ng/mL) using liquid-liquid extraction. Alogliptin (ALP) was chosen as an internal standard (IS) due to its LogP value of 1.1, which is very close to the LogP of OMR. Extraction of OMR from samples of both rats' plasma and rats' brain tissue was effectively achieved with ethyl acetate as the extracting solvent after adding 1N sodium carbonate to enhance the drug migration, while choosing acetonitrile to be the diluent solvent for the IS to effectively decrease any emulsion between the layers in the stated method of extraction. Validation results were all pleasing including good stability studies with bias of value below 20%. Concentration of OMR in rats' plasma were determined after 2 h of the latest dose from 28 days multiple doses, p.o, 5 mg/kg/day. It was found to be 1295.66 ± 684.63 ng/mL estimated from the bio-analysis regression equation. OMR passed through the BBB following oral administration and exhibited concentration of 543.56 ± 344.15 ng/g in brain tissue, taking in consideration the dilution factor of 10. The brain/plasma concentration ratio of 0.42 (543.56/1295.66) was used to illustrate the penetration power through the BBB after the multiple doses for 28 days. Results showed that OMR passed through the BBB more effectively in the multiple dose study as compared to the previously published single dose study by the authors. Thus, the present study suggests potential repositioning of OMR as antiparkinsonian agent that will be of interest for researchers interested in neurodegenerative diseases.

A Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, 3-Way Crossover Study to Evaluate the Effect of Therapeutic and Supratherapeutic Doses of Edaravone on QT/QTc Interval in Healthy Subjects.

This randomized, single-blind, 3-way crossover study assessed the effect of edaravone on QT interval, including an exposure-response analysis. Twenty-seven healthy Japanese male volunteers, aged 20 to 49 years, were randomly assigned to receive a single intravenous dose of each treatment in 1 of 3 sequences (n = 9 each): ACB, BAC, and CBA, where A was edaravone 60 mg (therapeutic dose), B was edaravone 300 mg (supratherapeutic dose), and C was normal saline (placebo). Electrocardiographs were collected to assess treatment effects. In an exposure-response analysis, a linear model was determined to be valid and indicated no statistically significant positive slope for the relationship between change from baseline in QTcF (ΔQTcF) and edaravone concentration (0.000155 ms/(ng/mL); P = .1478); upper bounds of 2-sided 90% confidence intervals after placebo adjustment (ΔΔQTcF) were <10 milliseconds at the geometric mean maximum concentration for each edaravone dose. Overall estimated values by time point of ΔΔQTcF ≤0.9 milliseconds, no outlier values, and no morphologic changes suggestive of repolarization abnormalities were observed. Analysis of heart rate, PR interval, and QRS duration also revealed no adverse findings. These data indicate that edaravone, even at supratherapeutic doses, does not produce clinically meaningful QT prolongation and has no clinically relevant cardiac effects.

Association of caffeine and related analytes with resistance to Parkinson disease among LRRK2 mutation carriers: A metabolomic study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify markers of resistance to developing Parkinson disease (PD) among LRRK2 mutation carriers (LRRK2+), we carried out metabolomic profiling in individuals with PD and unaffected controls (UC), with and without the LRRK2 mutation. METHODS: Plasma from 368 patients with PD and UC in the LRRK2 Cohort Consortium (LCC), comprising 118 LRRK2+/PD+, 115 LRRK2+/UC, 70 LRRK2-/PD+, and 65 LRRK2-/UC, and CSF available from 68 of them, were analyzed by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. For 282 analytes quantified in plasma and CSF, we assessed differences among the 4 groups and interactions between LRRK2 and PD status, using analysis of covariance models adjusted by age, study site cohort, and sex, with p value corrections for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Plasma caffeine concentration was lower in patients with PD vs UC (p < 0.001), more so among LRRK2+ carriers (by 76%) than among LRRK2- participants (by 31%), with significant interaction between LRRK2 and PD status (p = 0.005). Similar results were found for caffeine metabolites (paraxanthine, theophylline, 1-methylxanthine) and a nonxanthine marker of coffee consumption (trigonelline) in plasma, and in the subset of corresponding CSF samples. Dietary caffeine was also lower in LRRK2+/PD+ compared to LRRK2+/UC with significant interaction effect with the LRRK2+ mutation (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Metabolomic analyses of the LCC samples identified caffeine, its demethylation metabolites, and trigonelline as prominent markers of resistance to PD linked to pathogenic LRRK2 mutations, more so than to idiopathic PD. Because these analytes are known both as correlates of coffee consumption and as neuroprotectants in animal PD models, the findings may reflect their avoidance by those predisposed to develop PD or their protective effects among LRRK2 mutation carriers.

Open-label, Single-dose Studies of the Pharmacokinetics of Edaravone in Subjects with Mild, Moderate, or Severe Hepatic Impairment Compared to Subjects with Normal Hepatic Functioning.

PURPOSE: Two studies were conducted to assess the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties and tolerability of edaravone in Japanese subjects with mild to moderate hepatic impairment or normal hepatic functioning (study 1), and in white subjects with severe hepatic impairment compared to subjects with normal hepatic functioning (study 2). METHODS: Studies 1 and 2 were multicenter, open-label, single-dose studies that included subjects aged 18-75 years. In study 1, subjects were stratified into 3 different groups of hepatic functioning according to Child-Pugh score: mild hepatic impairment, score 5 or 6 (n = 8); moderate hepatic impairment, score 7-9 (n = 6); or normal hepatic functioning (n = 8). In study 2, subjects had severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score 10-14; n = 6) or normal hepatic functioning (n = 6). In both studies, all subjects were given edaravone 30 mg IV infused over 60 min on the morning of day 1. Blood samples for use in PK analyses were collected from days 1-3. The PK properties (Cmax, AUC0-last, and AUC0-∞) of edaravone and its sulfate conjugate metabolite were measured. FINDINGS: In study 1, the geometric least-squares mean (GLSM) Cmax and AUC0-∞ of unchanged edaravone were 1.203- and 1.065-fold greater, respectively, in subjects with mild hepatic impairment versus normal hepatic functioning, and were 1.235- and 1.142-fold greater, respectively, in subjects with moderate hepatic impairment versus normal hepatic functioning. In study 2, GLSM Cmax and AUC0-∞ of unchanged edaravone were 1.203- and 1.190-fold greater, respectively, in subjects with severe hepatic impairment versus normal hepatic functioning. In both studies the AUC0-last, AUC0-∞, unbound AUC from time zero to infinity, and Cmax of unchanged edaravone were increased slightly with increases in Child-Pugh classification. No adverse events considered related to edaravone were reported, except for 1 case of sinus bradycardia in a subject with normal hepatic functioning in study 2. The event was moderate in severity, considered as possibly related to edaravone, and resolved during the study. IMPLICATIONS: Mild to moderate and severe hepatic impairment had no apparent clinically significant effects on the PK profile of edaravone in Japanese and white subjects, respectively, relative to individuals with normal hepatic functioning, and there were no notable tolerability concerns. Thus, edaravone dosage adjustments are unlikely to be needed in edaravone-treated patients with mild to moderate and severe hepatic impairment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT03289234 (mild to moderate hepatic impairment) and NCT03664544 (severe hepatic impairment).

Neuroprotective associations of apolipoproteins A-I and A-II with neurofilament levels in early multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The role of cholesterol homeostasis in neuroaxonal injury in multiple sclerosis is not known. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to investigate the associations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum neurofilament light chain levels (CSF-NfL and sNfL, respectively), which are biomarkers of neuroaxonal injury, with cholesterol biomarkers at the clinical onset of multiple sclerosis. METHODS: sNfL, serum cholesterol profile (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), serum apolipoprotein (Apo) levels (ApoA-I, ApoA-II, ApoB, and ApoE), and albumin quotient were obtained for 133 patients (63% female, age: 29.9 ± 8.0 years) during the first demyelinating event. CSF-NfL was available for 103 (77%) patients. RESULTS: CSF-NfL and sNfL were negatively associated with serum ApoA-II (P = .005, P < .001) and positively associated with albumin quotient (P < .001, P < .0001). In addition, higher CSF-NfL was associated with lower serum ApoA-I (P = .009) levels and higher sNfL was associated with lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = .010). In stepwise regression, age (P = .045), serum ApoA-II (P = .022), and albumin quotient (P < .001) were associated with CSF-NfL; albumin quotient (P = .002) and ApoA-II (P = .001) were associated with sNfL. Path analysis identified parallel pathways from ApoA-II (P = .009) and albumin quotient (P < .001) to the sNfL outcome that were mediated by CSF-NfL (P < .001). The associations of CSF-NfL with ApoA-I (P = .014) and ApoA-II (P = .015) and sNfL with ApoA-II (P < .001) remained significant after adjusting for number of contrast-enhancing lesions and T2 lesion volume. CONCLUSION: Lower serum ApoA-II and ApoA-I levels are associated with greater neuroaxonal injury as measured by CSF-NfL.

Nanoporous microneedle arrays seamlessly connected to a drug reservoir for tunable transdermal delivery of memantine.

Conventional transdermal drug patches have been on the market since 1997 but their applicability for drug delivery is limited: currently only nearly two dozen of molecules have been approved by the regulatory authorities for transdermal administration and have reached the market. The possibilities for drug delivery via the skin can be improved and expanded by using microneedle patch technologies. However, most microneedle patches focus on the delivery of low amounts of drugs that are generally very potent due to the small dimensions of the microneedle systems. In this study nanoporous microneedle arrays (npMNAs) were combined with a liquid drug reservoir. The parameters that influence the diffusion of memantine from the drug reservoir through the npMNAs in an acceptor solution were investigated. Based on these results a model was developed to predict the diffusion of low-molecular-weight drugs as a function of npMNA properties (i.e., backplate thickness and surface area) and reservoir properties (i.e., volume and drug concentration). This generated an in silico model to predict the release of low-molecular-weight drug from a drug reservoir through a microneedle array into receptor solution, showed a good correlation with the delivery of memantine in a preclinical minipig study. The drug release rates by the npMNAs can be tuned and allow for both zero and first order release kinetics. Summarizing, this work shows that the npMNA technology is a versatile drug delivery system. The npMNAs can be combined with a (seamlessly connected) external drug reservoir and this integrated drug delivery system can be used to deliver at least 9 mg of memantine over 72 h in a preclinical minipig study.

Brain delivery of quercetin-loaded exosomes improved cognitive function in AD mice by inhibiting phosphorylated tau-mediated neurofibrillary tangles.

It is reported that quercetin (Que) can prevent tau pathology and induce neuroprotection by improving cognitive and functional symptoms in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its clinical application has been limited due to its poor brain targeting and bioavailability. Exosomes are considered as cargo carriers for intercellular communication and especially serve as a natural and important drug brain delivery platform for achieving better treatment of central neurological diseases. Here, we developed plasma exosomes (Exo) loaded with Que (Exo-Que) to improve the drug bioavailability, enhance the brain targeting of Que and potently ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in okadaic acid (OA)-induced AD mice. Our results showed that Exo-Que improved brain targeting of Que as well as significantly enhanced bioavailability of Que. Furthermore, compared with free Que, Exo-Que better relieved the symptoms of AD by inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5)-mediated phosphorylation of Tau and reducing formation of insoluble neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), suggesting its therapeutic potential for better treatment of AD.

A UHPLC-MS/MS method to determine FLZ major active metabolites in human plasma: application to a pharmacokinetic study.

Aim: FLZ, a novel promising dopamine neuroprotective agent, is designed to treat Parkinson's disease. F7G and F21G are FLZ major active Phase II metabolites whose exposure are nearly 100-times higher than FLZ, may chiefly produce effectiveness in human. Measurement of F7G and F21G in plasma samples is critical for investigating its pharmacokinetics in clinical studies. Methodology & results: Plasma samples were extracted by SPE method and then analyzed by a newly established ultra-UHPLC-MS/MS method. Conclusion: For the first time, a reliable and robust bioanalytical method for F7G and F21G detection was successfully applied in a first-in-human study.

Population Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Inotersen, an Antisense Oligonucleotide for Treatment of Patients with Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis.

A population pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) model was developed for inotersen to evaluate exposure-response relationships and to optimize therapeutic dosing regimen in patients with hereditary transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis polyneuropathy (hATTR-PN). Inotersen PK and TTR level (PD) data were composed of one Phase 1 study in healthy subjects, one Phase 2/3 study in hATTR patients, and its one open-label extension study. Effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors (covariates) on PK and PK/PD of inotersen were evaluated using a full model approach. Inotersen PK was characterized by a two-compartment model with elimination from the central compartment. The population PK analysis identified disease status and lean body mass (LBM) as significant covariates for inotersen PK. Nonetheless, the contribution of disease status and LBM on PK was small, as the difference in clearance (CL/F) was 11.1% between healthy subjects and patients with hATTR-PN and 38% between the lowest and highest LBM quartiles of the patient population. Age, race, sex, baseline renal function estimated glomerular filtration rate, and hepatic function markers (baseline albumin, bilirubin, and alanine aminotransferase values) were not statistically significant covariates affecting inotersen PK. An inhibitory effect indirect-response model (inhibition of TTR production) was used to describe the drug effect on TTR-time profiles, with baseline TTR included as a covariate. The overall population Imax and IC50, together with 95% confidence interval, was estimated to be 0.913 (0.899-0.925) and 9.07 (8.08-10.1) ng/mL, respectively. V30M mutation showed no effect on the estimated IC50 value for hATTR patients. The final population PK and PK/PD model was used to simulate four different treatment regimens. The population PK/PD model developed well described the PK and PD of inotersen in patients with hATTR-PN and has been used for label recommendation and trial simulations.

The Effect of Size, Maturation, Global Asphyxia, Cerebral Ischemia, and Therapeutic Hypothermia on the Pharmacokinetics of High-Dose Recombinant Erythropoietin in Fetal Sheep.

High-dose human recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO) is a promising potential neuroprotective treatment in preterm and full-term neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). There are limited data on the pharmacokinetics of high-dose rEPO in neonates. We examined the effects of body weight, gestation age, global asphyxia, cerebral ischemia, hypothermia and exogenous rEPO on the pharmacokinetics of high-dose rEPO in fetal sheep. Near-term fetal sheep on gestation day 129 (0.87 gestation) (full term 147 days) received sham-ischemia (n = 5) or cerebral ischemia for 30 min followed by treatment with vehicle (n = 4), rEPO (n = 8) or combined treatment with rEPO and hypothermia (n = 8). Preterm fetal sheep on gestation day 104 (0.7 gestation) received sham-asphyxia (n = 1) or complete umbilical cord occlusion for 25 min followed by i.v. infusion of vehicle (n = 8) or rEPO (n = 27) treatment. rEPO was given as a loading bolus, followed by a prolonged continuous infusion for 66 to 71.5 h in preterm and near-term fetuses. A further group of preterm fetal sheep received repeated bolus injections of rEPO (n = 8). The plasma concentrations of rEPO were best described by a pharmacokinetic model that included first-order and mixed-order elimination with linear maturation of elimination with gestation age. There were no detectable effects of therapeutic hypothermia, cerebral ischemia, global asphyxia or exogenous treatment on rEPO pharmacokinetics. The increase in rEPO elimination with gestation age suggests that to maintain target exposure levels during prolonged treatment, the dose of rEPO may have to be adjusted to match the increase in size and growth. These results are important for designing and understanding future studies of neuroprotection with high-dose rEPO.

Intranasal administration of dantrolene increased brain concentration and duration.

Dantrolene has been demonstrated to be neuroprotective for multiple neurodegenerative diseases. However, dantrolene's limited penetration into the CNS hampers its effectiveness as a neuroprotective agent. Here, we studied whether the intranasal administration of dantrolene provided better penetration into the brain than the commonly used oral approach. C57BL/6 mice, aged 2-4 months, received a single dose of either intranasal or oral dantrolene (5mg/kg). Inhibition of dantrolene clearance from the brain was examined by co-administration with P-gp/BCRP inhibitors, nimodipine or elacridar. The concentration of dantrolene in the brain and plasma was measured at 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 120, 150 and 180 minutes after administration. Separate cohorts of mice were given intranasal dantrolene (5mg/kg) or vehicle, 3 times/ week, for either 3 weeks or 4 months, to examine potential adverse side effects on olfaction and motor coordination, respectively. We found that Dantrolene concentrations were sustained in the brain after intranasal administration for 180 min, while concentrations fell to zero at 120 min for oral administration. Chronic use of intranasal dantrolene did not impair olfaction or motor function in these mice. Blood brain barrier pump inhibitors did not further increase dantrolene peak concentrations in the brain. Our results suggested that Intranasal administration of dantrolene is an effective route to increase its concentration and duration in the brain compared to the oral approach, without any obvious side effects on olfaction or motor function.

Population Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Model of Serum Transthyretin Following Patisiran Administration.

Hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis is an inherited, rapidly progressive, life-threatening disease caused by mutated transthyretin (TTR) protein. Patisiran is a small interfering RNA (siRNA) formulated in a lipid nanoparticle that inhibits hepatic TTR protein synthesis by RNA interference. We have developed an indirect-response pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model relating plasma siRNA (ALN-18328) levels to serum TTR reduction across five clinical studies. A sigmoidal function described this relationship, with estimated Hill coefficient of 0.548, and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), IC80, and IC90 values of 9.45, 118.5, and 520.5 ng/mL, respectively. Following patisiran 0.3 mg/kg every 3 weeks (q3w), steady-state plasma ALN-18328 exposures were between IC80 and IC90, yielding average serum TTR reductions of 80%-90% from baseline. Covariate analysis indicated similar TTR reduction across evaluated intrinsic and extrinsic factors, obviating the need for dose adjustment. Modeling results support the recommended patisiran dosing schedule of 0.3 mg/kg q3w, with a maximum dose of 30 mg for patients weighing ≥100 kg.

Dose-dependent and long-term cerebroprotective effects of intranasal delivery of progesterone after ischemic stroke in male mice.

Intranasal administration is emerging as a very promising route to deliver therapeutics to the brain. We have recently shown that the intranasal delivery of progesterone at 8 mg/kg is neuroprotective after stroke in male mice. To explore the translational potential of intranasal progesterone treatment, we performed a dose-response study and analyzed outcomes at 48 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The effects on functional outcomes at long-term were examined by using the optimal dose. In the first experiment, male C57BL/6JRj mice were treated with progesterone at 8, 16 or 24 mg/kg, or with placebo at 1, 6 and 24 h post-MCAO. Our results show that the dose of 8 mg/kg was optimal in counteracting the early histopathological impairments as well as in improving functional recovery. Steroid profiling in plasma showed that the dose of 8 mg/kg is the one that leads to sustained high levels of progesterone and its neuroactive metabolites. In the second experiment, the dose of 8 mg/kg was used and analyzes were performed at 2, 7 and 21 days post-MCAO. Progesterone increased survival, glycemia and body weight. Furthermore, progesterone decreased neurological deficits and improved performances of mice on the rotarod and pole as early as 2 days and up to 21 days post-MCAO. These findings show that intranasal administration of progesterone has a significant translational potential as a cerebroprotective treatment after stroke that can be effective to reduce mortality, to limit tissue and cell damage at the acute phase; and to confer a long-term functional recovery.

Comparative evaluation of fish oil and butter oil in modulating delivery of galantamine hydrobromide to brain via intranasal route: pharmacokinetic and oxidative stress studies.

The present study investigates the role of fish oil (FO)- and butter oil (BO)-enriched microemulsion-based system of galantamine hydrobromide (GH), an anti-Alzheimer drug, for its potential role in brain permeation enhancement and neuroprotection against oxidative stress. Microemulsion (ME)-based system of GH was prepared using water phase titration. The prepared ME was characterized by several physicochemical parameters like particle size, polydispersity index, and ex vivo drug permeation. Cell-based oxidative stress assays and pharmacokinetic studies were performed using C6 glial cell lines, and Sprague Dawley rats, respectively. The optimized ME comprised 5.3% v/v of Capmul MCM EP (as oil),15.8% v/v of Tween-80 (as surfactant), 5.3% v/v of Transcutol P (as co-surfactant), and 73.6% v/v of water (as aqueous phase). The addition of FO and BO resulted in a slight increase in the droplet size and decrease in transparency of ME. Cell-based anti-oxidative stress assays (glutathione assay, nitrite assay, and lipid peroxidation assay) showed the efficacy of formulation in the order of ME, BO ME, and FO ME, respectively. A similar trend was also observed in in vivo animal studies, wherein GH FO ME showed a comparatively higher percentage of drug reaching the brain when administered by intranasal route than by IV route. The study concluded the potential benefits of co-administering FO- and BO-enriched microemulsion is not only enhancing the permeation of drugs across BBB but also improving efficacy against lipopolysaccharide-induced oxidative stress. Graphical abstract.

Prenatal exposure to legacy contaminants and visual acuity in Canadian infants: a maternal-infant research on environmental chemicals study (MIREC-ID).

BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants can have deleterious effects on child development. While psychomotor, cognitive and behavioural outcomes have been investigated in relation to chronic exposure, the associations with visual functions remains unclear. The present study's aim was to assess the associations of prenatal exposure to legacy persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals with visual acuity in Canadian infants. The potential protective effects of selenium against mercury toxicity were also examined. METHODS: Participants (mean corrected age = 6.6 months) were part of the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), lead and mercury were measured in maternal blood during pregnancy, as well as in the cord blood. The Teller acuity card test (TAC) (n = 429) and the visual evoked potentials in a sub-group (n = 63) were used to estimate behavioural and electrophysiological visual acuity, respectively. Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate the relationship between exposure to each contaminant and visual acuity measures, while controlling for potential confounders. Breastmilk selenium, which was available for about half of the TAC and VEP samples, was also taken into account in the mercury models as exploratory analyses. RESULTS: We observed no significant associations between exposure to any contaminants and TAC. Analyses revealed a negative trend (p values < 0.1) between cord blood lead and mercury and electrophysiological visual acuity, whereas PCB and PBDE showed no association. When adding breastmilk selenium concentration to the mercury models, this association became statistically significant for cord concentrations (ß = - 3.41, 95% CI = - 5.96,-0.86), but also for blood levels at 1st and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy (ß = - 3.29, 95% CI = - 5.69,-0.88). However, further regression models suggested that this change in estimates might not be due to adjustment for selenium, but instead to a change in the study sample. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that subtle, but detectable alterations of infant electrophysiological visual acuity can be identified in a population prenatally exposed to low mercury concentrations. Compared to behavioural visual acuity testing, electrophysiological assessment may more sensitive in detecting visual neurotoxicity in relation with prenatal exposure to mercury.

Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Orally Administered Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Patients With Parkinson's Disease-A Pilot Study.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Preliminary data have shown lower brain adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in Parkinson's disease versus age-matched healthy controls. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) may improve impaired mitochondrial function. Our objective was to evaluate UDCA tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and its effect on brain bioenergetics in individuals with Parkinson's disease. An open-label, prospective, multiple-ascending-dose study of oral UDCA in 5 individuals with Parkinson's disease was completed. A blood safety panel, plasma concentrations of UDCA and UDCA conjugates, and brain ATP levels were measured before and after therapy (week 1: 15 mg/kg/day; week 2: 30 mg/kg/day; and weeks 3-6: 50 mg/kg/day). UDCA and conjugates were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. ATP levels and ATPase activity were measured using 7-Tesla 31 P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Secondary measures included the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and Montreal Cognitive Assessment. UDCA was generally well tolerated. The most frequent adverse event was gastrointestinal discomfort, rated by subjects as mild to moderate. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis resulted in (mean ± standard deviation) a maximum concentration of 8749 ± 2840 ng/mL and half-life of 2.1 ± 0.71 hr. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy data were obtained in 3 individuals with Parkinson's disease and showed modest increases in ATP and decreases in ATPase activity. Changes in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (parts I-IV) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores (mean ± standard deviation) were -4.6 ± 6.4 and 2 ± 1.7, respectively. This is the first report of UDCA use in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Its pharmacokinetics are variable, and at high doses it appears reasonably well tolerated. Our findings warrant additional studies of its effect on brain bioenergetics.

A validated UPLC-MS/MS method for quantitative determination of a potent neuroprotective agent Sarsasapogenin-AA13 in rat plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic studies.

Sarsasapogenin-AA13(AA13), a sarsasapogenin derivative, exhibited good neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and therapeutic effects on learning and memory dysfunction in amyloid-ß-injected mice. A sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated to quantitatively determine AA13 in rat plasma and was further applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetic behaviour of AA13 in rats that were administered AA13 intravenously and orally. This method was validated to exhibit excellent linearity in the concentration range of 1-1000 ng/mL. The lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL for AA13 in rat plasma. Intra-day accuracy for AA13 was in the range of 90-114%, and inter-day accuracy was in the range of 97-103 %. The relative standard deviation of intra-day and inter-day assay was less than 15%. After a single oral administration of AA13 at the dose of 25 mg/kg, Cmax of AA13 was 1266.4 ± 316.1 ng/mL. AUC0-48 h was 6928.5 ± 1990.1 h·ng/mL, and t1/2 was 10.2 ± 0.8 h. Under intravenous administration of AA13 at a dosage of 250 µg/kg, AUC0-48 h was 785.7 ± 103.3 h⋅ng/mL, and t1/2 was 20.8 ± 7.2 h. Based on the results, oral bioavailability (F %) of AA13 in rats at 25 mg/kg was 8.82 %.

A Phase I Study to Assess the Effect of Speed of Injection on Pain, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics After High-volume Subcutaneous Administration of Gantenerumab in Healthy Volunteers.

PURPOSE: Gantenerumab, a fully human anti-amyloid-ß IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds to aggregated forms of amyloid-ß, is being investigated as a potential disease-modifying treatment for early (prodromal to mild) Alzheimer disease (AD). Our study compared the pain associated with 5- and 15-s subcutaneous injections of gantenerumab and evaluated the tolerability and pharmacokinetic properties of subcutaneous gantenerumab. METHODS: This randomized, open-label, single-active-dose, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted in 50 healthy volunteers aged 40-80 years with no history of clinically significant disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, familial history of early-onset AD, or prior gantenerumab exposure. Eligible participants were randomized to a sequence of one 300-mg SC gantenerumab injection into the abdomen and 2 SC placebo injections (1 into the abdomen and 1 into the thigh) during 5 or 15 s. All injections were administered at least 90 min apart. Participants were assessed for local pain by visual analog scale (VAS) and verbal rating scale; safety profiles were assessed by recording adverse events (AEs), and plasma pharmacokinetic properties were also evaluated. FINDINGS: Immediately after the subcutaneous gantenerumab injection, the pain VAS score was numerically higher without reaching statistical significance in the 5-s versus 15-s injection group (VAS least-squares mean difference, 7.492 mm; 95% CI, -4.439-19.423 mm). In both injection speed groups, the mean pain VAS score was comparable after subcutaneous gantenerumab and placebo injections into the abdomen. Pain was reported after needle insertion and immediately after dosing, subsiding within 5 min after the dose. The pain VAS score was numerically higher after SC placebo injection into the thigh versus abdomen (5-s injection group: mean [SD] VAS score, 26.68 [27.83] vs 19.20 [25.60] mm; 15-s injection group: mean [SD] VAS score, 14.16 [20.62] vs 9.48 [12.04] mm). No serious AEs were reported; no participants withdrew because of an AE. All AEs were of mild intensity, were transient, and had resolved without sequelae at follow-up. The most common AEs were injection site reactions; redness was the most frequently observed skin reactivity event after subcutaneous gantenerumab administration (5-s injection group: 36%; 15-s injection group: 32%). After subcutaneous administration, gantenerumab reached a peak plasma concentration at a median time of 119 h (approximately 5 days); plasma concentrations declined in a monoexponential manner. Comparable pharmacokinetic profiles were observed between the injection speed groups. IMPLICATIONS: Subcutaneous gantenerumab injections at speeds of 5 and 15 s were well tolerated in healthy volunteers and could enable at-home administration by patients with AD or their caregivers. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02882009.