Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic consequences of inhibition of terazosin metabolism via CYP3A1 and/or 3A2 by DA-8159, an erectogenic, in rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recently, orthostatic hypotension was observed in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia who are taking vardenafil (a PDE 5 inhibitor) and terazosin (a long acting alpha blocker). Therefore, this study was performed with DA-8159 (a long acting PDE 5 inhibitor) and terazosin in rats to find whether or not pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between the two drugs were observed. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (changes in blood pressure) interactions between DA-8159 and terazosin were evaluated after simultaneous i.v. and p.o. administration of DA-8159 (30 mg kg(-1)) and terazosin (5 mg kg(-1)) to male Sprague-Dawley rats. KEY RESULTS: After simultaneous i.v. and p.o. administration of terazosin and DA-8159, the total area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time infinity (AUC) of terazosin became significantly greater (57.4 and 75.4% increase for i.v. and p.o. administration, respectively) than those of without DA-8159. The blood pressure dropping effect was considerable after simultaneous p.o. administration of DA-8159 and terazosin compared with each drug alone. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The significantly greater AUC of terazosin after both simultaneous i.v. and p.o. administration of both drugs could be due to the hepatic (both i.v. and p.o.) and intestinal (p.o.) inhibition of the metabolism of terazosin via CYP3A1 and/or 3A2 by DA-8159, since both DA-8159 and terazosin are metabolized via CYP3A1 and/or 3A2 in rats. The blood pressure lowering effect after simultaneous p.o. administration of both drugs could be due to significant increase in plasma concentrations of terazosin.

Nitric oxide production by high molecular weight water-soluble chitosan via nuclear factor-kappaB activation.

High molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (WSC), having an average molecular weight of 300000 Da and a degree of deacethylation over 90%, can be produced using a simple multi-step membrane separation process. In this study, the effect of WSC on the production of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 macrophages was evaluated. Water-insoluble chitosan alone has been previously shown to exhibit in vitro stimulatory effect on macrophages NO production. However, WSC had no effect on NO production by itself. When WSC was used in combination with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma), there was a marked cooperative induction of NO synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal effect of WSC on NO synthesis was shown 24 h after treatment with rIFN-gamma. The increased production of NO from rIFN-gamma plus WSC-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages was decreased by the treatment with N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (N(G)MMA). The increase in NO synthesis was reflected, as an increased amounts of inducible NO synthase protein. In addition, synergy between rIFN-gamma and WSC was mainly dependent on WSC-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. The present results indicate that the capacity of WSC to increase NO production from rIFN-gamma-primed RAW 264.7 macrophages is the result of WSC-induced TNF-alpha secretion via the signal transduction pathway of NF-kappaB activation.

Significance of Pro12Ala mutation in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 in Korean diabetic and obese subjects.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors, and the PPARgamma subtype regulates adipocyte differentiation, lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. There have been several reports on the relationship between the PPARgamma2 Pro12Ala genotype and obesity or diabetes in Caucasians. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between this mutation and obesity or diabetes in Korean subjects. Two hundred and twenty-nine Korean subjects, including 111 obese subjects (body mass index, >25 kg/m2) were included in this study. One hundred and eleven subjects had normal glucose tolerance, 60 had impaired glucose tolerance, and 58 had diabetes mellitus. We evaluated these subjects for the Pro12Ala mutation in the PPARgamma gene using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Allele frequencies of the Pro12Ala missense mutation of PPARgamma2 were not different among Korean subjects with normal glucose tolerance (qAla = 0.045), those with impaired glucose tolerance (qAla = 0.033), and those with diabetes mellitus (qAla = 0.043; P > 0.05). Allele frequencies of PPARgamma2 Ala in obese subjects (qAla = 0.036) were not significantly different from those in nonobese subjects (qAla = 0.047). These results suggest that the Pro12Ala mutation in PPARgamma is not associated with either diabetes or obesity and may not be an important determinant of obesity or diabetes in Korean subjects.

Pharmacokinetics of haloperidol decanoate in rats.

Plasma levels of haloperidol decanoate and haloperidol after intramuscular administration of haloperidol decanoate in rats showed good fits with a multi-compartment model which was constituted by combination of 2-compartment models for the disposition of haloperidol and for its ester decanoate through the process of hydrolysis of the ester. Calculated parameters indicated that most of intramuscularly administered haloperidol decanoate is absorbed in blood after hydrolysis to haloperidol and the absorption is rate-limiting. Regional lymph node levels suggested that the intramuscularly administered ester was absorbed via the lymphatic system where the hydrolysis to haloperidol probably occurred. Thus, slow entrance and hydrolysis of haloperidol decanoate in the lymphatic system was considered to be the cause of sustained plasma levels of the active principle after intramuscular administration of haloperidol decanoate.

Disposition and metabolism of [14C]sparfloxacin in the rat.

Disposition and metabolism of [carbonyl-14C]sparfloxacin SPFX, 5-amino-1-cyclopropyl-7-(cis-3,5-dimethyl-1-piperazinyl)-6,8-difluoro- 1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, AT-4140; CAS 110871-86-8), a novel antimicrobial quinolone, were studied in rats mainly after oral administration at 10 mg/kg. SPFX was absorbed from the whole area of small intestine as shown by the loop method. The extent of absorption was around 70% when estimated by AUC, urinary excretion and biliary excretion. Plasma level of radioactivity reached Cmax of 1.32 micrograms eq/ml within 1 h after oral administration and decreased with a half-life of about 4 h. Higher levels of radioactivity than that in plasma were seen in kidney, liver, submaxillary gland, lung, trachea and many other tissues and lower levels, in eye ball, brain and some others. Most tissue levels decreased with time essentially in parallel with plasma level. In pregnant rats, levels of fetal radioactivity amounted to about 60% of maternal plasma level. In lactating rats, milk was found to contain radioactivity several times as high as plasma level, which decreased with a similar half-life. SPFX was bound to plasma protein, mainly to albumin, at about 40%. Unchanged SPFX and its glucuronide were found in the plasma, milk, bile and urine. Within 48 h, about half of the dosed radioactivity was excreted in the bile, and part of which was re-absorbed. Within 96 h, about 20 and 80% of dose were found in the urine and feces, respectively.

A prospective study of tardive dyskinesia in Japan.

A large-scale, prospective study of tardive dyskinesia (TD) was performed in 11 psychiatric facilities in Japan. A total of 1595 psychiatric patients were enrolled in this study in 1987. The progress of these patients, with the exception of 490 dropouts, has now been followed up to 1988. The prevalence of TD at study entry was 7.6%, the annual incidence rate was 3.7% and the annual remission rate was 28.7%. Newly developed TD patients tended to be older, to have undergone more psychosurgery, and to have had lower neuroleptic doses than the patients who had not developed TD, whereas no specific variable could be detected as a factor associated with remission of TD. The results suggest that the incidence of TD is lower in Japan than that in Europe and North America.

ATPase activity of the UvrA and UvrAB protein complexes of the Escherichia coli UvrABC endonuclease.

We have analyzed the ATPase activity exhibited by the UvrABC DNA repair complex. The UvrA protein is an ATPase whose lack of DNA dependence may be related to the ATP induced monomer-dimer transitions. ATP induced dimerization may be responsible for the enhanced DNA binding activity observed in the presence of ATP. Although the UvrA ATPase is not stimulated by dsDNA, such DNA can modulate the UvrA ATPase activity by decreases in Km and Vm and alterations in the Ki for ADP and ATP-gamma-S. The induction of such changes upon binding to DNA may be necessary for cooperative interactions of UvrA with UvrB that result in a DNA stimulated ATPase for the UvrAB protein complex. The UvrAB ATPase displays unique kinetic profiles that are dependent on the structure of the DNA effector. These kinetic changes correlate with changes in footprinting patterns, the stabilization of protein complexes on DNA damage and with the expression of helicase activity.

Characterization of the helicase activity of the Escherichia coli UvrAB protein complex.

The requirement for nucleotide hydrolysis in the DNA repair mechanism of the Escherichia coli UvrABC protein complex has been analyzed. The DNA-activated UvrAB ATPase activity is part of a helicase activity exhibited by the UvrAB protein complex. The helicase acts only on short duplexes and, therefore, is unlike other helicases such as those involved in DNA replication that unwind long duplexes. The strand displacement activity occurs in the 5'----3' direction and requires either ATP or dATP. The helicase activity is inhibited by UV photoproducts. The absence of this activity in a complex formed with proteolyzed UvrB (UvrB*), a complex also deficient in the endonuclease activity, suggests that this activity is important in the repair mechanism. The UvrAB protein complex may remain bound to a damaged site and by coupling the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis, alter the DNA conformation around the damage site to one that is permissive for endonucleolytic events. The conformational changes may take the form of DNA unwinding.

Dynamics of the Escherichia coli nucleotide excision repair system.

Ultraviolet light induced pyrimidine dimers in DNA are recognized and repaired by a number of unique cellular surveillance systems. At the highest level of complexity Escherichia coli (E. coli) has a uvr DNA repair system comprising the UvrA, UvrB and UvrC proteins responsible for incision. There are several preincision steps governed by this pathway which includes an ATP-dependent UvrA dimerization reaction required for UvrAB nucleoprotein formation. This complex formation driven by ATP binding, is associated with localized topological unwinding of DNA. This protein complex can catalyze an ATP-dependent 5'----3' directed strand displacement of D-loop DNA or short single strands annealed to a single stranded circular or linear DNA. This putative translocational process is arrested when damaged sites are encountered. The complex is now primed for dual incision catalyzed by UvrC. The remainder of the repair process involves UvrD (helicase II) and DNA polymerase I for a coordinately controlled "excision resynthesis" step accompanied by UvrABC turnover. Furthermore, it is proposed that levels of repair proteins can be regulated by proteolysis. UvrB is converted to truncated UvrB* by a stress induced protease which also acts at similar sites on the E. coli Ada protein. Although UvrB* can bind with UvrA to DNA it cannot participate in helicase or incision reactions. It is also a DNA-dependent ATPase.

Repair of DNA-containing pyrimidine dimers.

Ultraviolet light-induced pyrimidine dimers in DNA are recognized and repaired by a number of unique cellular surveillance systems. The most direct biochemical mechanism responding to this kind of genotoxicity involves direct photoreversal by flavin enzymes that specifically monomerize pyrimidine:pyrimidine dimers monophotonically in the presence of visible light. Incision reactions are catalyzed by a combined pyrimidine dimer DNA-glycosylase:apyrimidinic endonuclease found in some highly UV-resistant organisms. At a higher level of complexity, Escherichia coli has a uvr DNA repair system comprising the UvrA, UvrB, and UvrC proteins responsible for incision. There are several preincision steps governed by this pathway, which includes an ATP-dependent UvrA dimerization reaction required for UvrAB nucleoprotein formation. This complex formation driven by ATP binding is associated with localized topological unwinding of DNA. This same protein complex can catalyze an ATPase-dependent 5'----3'-directed strand displacement of D-loop DNA or short single strands annealed to a single-stranded circular or linear DNA. This putative translocational process is arrested when damaged sites are encountered. The complex is now primed for dual incision catalyzed by UvrC. The remainder of the repair process involves UvrD (helicase II) and DNA polymerase I for a coordinately controlled excision-resynthesis step accompanied by UvrABC turnover. Furthermore, it is proposed that levels of repair proteins can be regulated by proteolysis. UvrB is converted to truncated UvrB* by a stress-induced protease that also acts at similar sites on the E. coli Ada protein. Although UvrB* can bind with UvrA to DNA, it cannot participate in helicase or incision reactions. It is also a DNA-dependent ATPase.

Disposition of 125I-labeled recombinant human tumor necrosis factor in the tumor-bearing mouse.

Disposition of [125I]rHu-TNF was elucidated in BALB/c mice bearing Meth A fibrosarcoma 7 days after transplantation. After i.v. administration, [125I]rHu-TNF measured by radioactivity and immunoreactivity biphasically decreased in plasma. Tumor level of [125I]rHu-TNF was the maximum at 1 h, then decreased and finally remained essentially constant. After i.t. administration, plasma level reached the maximum at 1 h. Tumor level decreased quickly and then became essentially constant. [125I]rHu-TNF was suggested to be degraded to small fragments in the tumor. Significant distribution of [125I]rHu-TNF was found in the kidney, lung, liver and tumor. Most tissue levels decreased with time in parallel with plasma levels. [125I]rHu-TNF radioactivity was found in proximal convoluted tubules of kidney and in those areas of tumor consisting of degenerating cells with pyknotic nuclei. Urine contained most of administered radioactivity, which being neither immunoreactive nor protein-bound.

Mode of antitumor action of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor on the sarcoma Meth A transplanted in the mouse.

The mode of antitumor action of rHu-TNF was elucidated in BALB/c mice bearing Meth A fibrosarcoma 7 days after transplantation with respect to time course, dose-response relationships and selectivity of the effects. The maximal cytotoxic effect on tumor cells revealed by inhibition of DNA synthesis and maximal lesional effect on tumor vasculature revealed by change in blood pool-size in the tissue were detected at 30 min and 1 h after administration of rHu-TNF, respectively. The dose-response relationship between cytotoxic and tumoricidal effects of rHu-TNF was irrespective of administration route. ED50s of these antitumor effects after i.v. administration of rHu-TNF were about 50 times as high as ED50s after i.t. administration. ED50 of i.t. given rHu-TNF for vascular effect was about 20 times as high as that for cytotoxicity while ED50 of i.v. rHu-TNF for vascular effect was only 2-3 times as high as that for cytotoxicity. The whole body autoradiographies with [125I]HSA given i.v. to see the blood influx into tumor tissue and [14C]thymidine given i.v. to see DNA synthesis in the whole body after administration of rHu-TNF revealed that the distribution of radioactivity was markedly changed in the tumor alone without any detectable change in other whole body tissues. In conclusion, the in vivo antitumor effect of rHu-TNF given i.t. or i.v. appears to be exerted through the direct action on Meth A sarcoma rather than indirectly on tumor vasculature. Under present conditions, the effect of rHu-TNF in the whole body tissues seems rather selective on cells and vasculature of the tumor.

Hydrolysis of haloperidol decanoate in vitro by cultured cells.

[14C]Haloperidol decanoate was hydrolysed by partially purified carboxylesterase but not in plasma, blood, lymph and lymphatic liquid. These fluids inhibited the enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of the ester. Within the same incubation period as above, the ester was found hydrolysed to various extents in cell cultures of isolated rat liver cells, of human and rat lymphocytes and of established cell lines (BGM cells, WI-38 cells and L6 cells). Thus, the hydrolysis of the ester was demonstrated in vitro with use of viable cell cultures instead of enzyme preparation. From the time course study on the metabolism of haloperidol decanoate in cell cultures, it was concluded that haloperidol decanoate was first concentrated in the cells and hydrolysed to haloperidol. Based on these results, the metabolic sequences in vivo leading to the formation of active principle haloperidol after intramuscular administration of its decanoate were discussed.

Absorption of intramuscularly administered [14C]haloperidol decanoate in rats.

When [14C]haloperidol decanoate, an ester of haloperidol and decanoic acid, was given intramuscularly to rats, levels of total radioactivity and haloperidol decanoate in medial iliac and hypogastric sacral lymph nodes nearest to injection sites were the highest in examined lymph nodes and plasma. These lymph node levels became maximum 16 days after administration and declined gradually with half-life (around 14 days) similar to those of plasma total radioactivity, haloperidol decanoate and haloperidol. However, when the labelled ester was given intravenously, plasma total radioactivity disappeared far more rapidly. Much more radioactivity was found in hind limbs whose femoral muscles had been injected than in other body parts, even at late stages after administration. Haloperidol alone was found in the brain after [14C]haloperidol decanoate was given either intramuscularly or intravenously. It was concluded that haloperidol decanoate injected in rat femoral muscle was rate-limitedly distributed in lymph circulation and that the absorbed ester did not penetrate the brain through the blood-brain barrier but formed haloperidol did.

Helicase properties of the Escherichia coli UvrAB protein complex.

The Escherichia coli UvrA protein has an associated ATPase activity with a turnover number affected by the presence of UvrB protein as well as by DNA. Specifically, the structure of DNA significantly influences the turnover rate of the UvrAB ATPase activity. Double-stranded DNA maximally activates the turnover rate 10-fold whereas single-stranded DNA maximally activates the turnover rate 20-fold, suggesting that the mode of interaction of UvrAB protein with different DNAs is distinctive. We have previously shown that the UvrAB protein complex, driven by the binding energy of ATP, can locally unwind supercoiled DNA. The nature of the DNA unwinding activity and single-stranded DNA activation of ATPase activity suggests potential helicase activity. In the presence of a number of helicase substrates, the UvrAB complex, indeed, manifests a strand-displacement activity--unwinding short duplexes and D-loop DNA, thereby generating component DNA structures. The energy for the activity is derived from ATP or dATP hydrolysis. Unlike the E. coli DnaB, the UvrAB helicase is sensitive to UV-induced photoproducts.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of haloperidol decanoate and its inhibition by proteins.

When [14C]haloperidol decanoate, a long-acting neuroleptic and an ester of haloperidol and decanoic acid, was incubated in human whole blood and plasma and in rat plasma and homogenates of rat brain, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas and muscle, no hydrolysis of the ester was seen. Although the decanoate was hydrolyzed by partially purified carboxylesterase, addition of rat plasma or liver homogenate to the enzymic reaction mixture resulted in marked inhibition of hydrolysis, whereas addition of the defatted residues of plasma or liver produced only partial inhibition. The enzymic hydrolysis was inhibited also by beta-lipoprotein and albumin, depending on their concentrations. The assumption that interaction between haloperidol decanoate and protein resulted in inhibition of the hydrolytic reaction mediated by the enzyme was validated by kinetic models and experimental data. The kinetics were apparently competitive. Based on the kinetic analysis, the interaction between the decanoate and albumin or beta-lipoprotein was investigated by measuring their equilibrium constants and extent of protein binding. Haloperidol decanoate appeared to interact with several proteins; this was exemplified by other measures of protein binding, an increasing effect of proteins on the solubility, and the partition ratio of the ester. The interaction between haloperidol decanoate and proteins caused marked stabilization of this ester against enzymatic hydrolysis and, thereby, influenced its metabolism.

The purification of the Escherichia coli UvrABC incision system.

The UvrA, UvrB and UvrC proteins of Escherichia coli have been purified in good yields to homogeneity with rapid three- or four-step purification procedures. The cloned uvrA and uvrB genes were placed under control of the E. coli bacteriophage lambda PL promoter for amplification of expression. Expression of the uvrC gene could not be amplified by this strategy, however, subcloning of this gene into the replication-defective plasmid pRLM24 led to significant overproduction of the UvrC protein. The purified UvrA protein, with its associated ATPase activity, has a molecular weight of 114,000, the purified UvrB is an 84,000 molecular weight protein and the UvrC protein has a molecular weight of 67,000.

The effect of Escherichia coli Uvr protein binding on the topology of supercoiled DNA.

The effects of the binding of the E. coli UvrA and UvrB proteins on the linking number (delta L) of superhelical DNA has been measured. The effects of cofactor ATP structure on UvrAB-nucleoprotein complex formation revealed that nucleotide binding, not hydrolysis, is sufficient to locally unwind the DNA helix of both ultraviolet light-damaged as well as undamaged DNAs. The extent of this unwinding is of the same order of magnitude as the nucleotide distances of the double incision sites generated by the UvrABC endonucleolytic reaction.

Disposition and metabolism of [14C]-haloperidol in rats.

Absorption, distribution, excretion and metabolism of [14C]-haloperidol in rats were studied after administration of 5 mg/kg. After oral and intramuscular administration, plasma levels of [14C]-haloperidol radioactivity reached the maximum at 1 h and decreased biphasically. The biphasic elimination was also observed after intravenous administration. The area under plasma level-time curve (AUC) from 0 to 24 h after intramuscular and oral administration was 110 and 87% of AUC after intravenous route, respectively. After intramuscular administration, levels of radioactivity in all tissues examined were higher than plasma and blood levels at 1 h. The lung, Harderian gland, pancreas, kidney, liver, spleen and adrenal had higher levels than other tissues. Most of tissue levels decreased virtually with similar half lives to plasma level and lowered to less than 1 microgram eq/g at 48 h, when negligible recoveries were found in most tissues. Findings concerning distribution obtained by whole-body autoradiography essentially agreed with those by above radiometry. Levels in the placenta and fetus in the pregnant rat were similar to each other and obviously higher than maternal blood level at 1 h after intramuscular administration but no radioactivity was seen in fetus at 48 h. In the lactating rat, milk levels were several times as high as plasma levels and decreased virtually in parallel with plasma levels after intramuscular administration of [14C]-haloperidol. Within 96 h after intramuscular administration, about 99% of administered radioactivity was excreted in urine (about 46%) and feces (about 53%), respectively. About 54% of radioactivity was excreted in the rat bile within 48 h after intramuscular administration. Administration of the bile obtained and thus containing [14C]-haloperidol radioactivity into the duodenum revealed that partial enterohepatic circulation occurred. After intramuscular administration, plasma contained p-fluorobenzoylpropionic acid and p-fluorophenylaceturic acid with comparable concentrations to unchanged haloperidol. Haloperidol alone could be detected in the brain. The liver, kidney, lung and submaxillary gland were also analyzed for their metabolites. Their metabolite compositions differed from each other. Unchanged haloperidol concentration was much higher in all tissues examined than that in plasma. The major urinary and biliary metabolite was p-fluorophenylaceturic acid and conjugates (glucuronide and sulfate) of haloperidol, respectively.