Reduction of whole PTH/intact PTH ratio as a predictor of bone metabolism in cinacalcet treatment of hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

UNLABELLED: In cinacalcet treatment of hemodialysis (HD) patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), not only intact parathyroid hormone (I-PTH), whole PTH (W-PTH), and bone markers, but also W-PTH/I-PTH ratio as proportion of active PTH(1-84) molecules were decreased. Changes in W-PTH/I-PTH ratio significantly correlated and predicted changes in bone marker. INTRODUCTION: Cinacalcet partly suppresses the secretion of PTH by enhancing PTH(1-84) degradation into N-truncated fragments. The objectives of this study is to investigate the significance of the N-truncated PTH/PTH(1-84) ratio for the prediction of the effect of cinacalcet in HD patients. METHODS: Serum parameters were measured during 12 weeks of oral cinacalcet administration at 25 mg daily in 39 HD patients with SHPT. RESULTS: Serum Ca, Pi, W-PTH, I-PTH, and W-PTH/I-PTH ratio all decreased significantly in a time-dependent manner during cinacalcet administration. Serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) 5b reflected these changes more precisely than serum N-telopeptide of type-I collagen. At 1 week, changes in I-PTH and W-PTH correlated significantly with those in serum Pi, but not Ca. Changes in serum Pi (but not Ca) and serum W-PTH also correlated significantly with changes in serum TRAP5b at both 4 and 12 weeks, while changes in serum I-PTH correlated significantly with those in serum TRAP5b only at 12 weeks. Changes in the serum W-PTH/I-PTH ratio correlated significantly with those in serum TRAP5b at both 4 and 12 weeks, and changes in serum W-PTH/I-PTH ratio at 4 weeks showed a tendency for a correlation with changes in serum TRAP5b at 12 weeks. HD patients with a reduced W-PTH/I-PTH ratio after 4 weeks had a significantly greater reduction of TRAP5b over 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: W-PTH and the W-PTH/I-PTH ratio allow estimation of the potency of cinacalcet in enhancement of PTH degradation, and thus no less reliable markers than I-PTH for reflecting cinacalcet-induced bone resorption.

Serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in nondialyzed patients with chronic renal failure.

BACKGROUND: In patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), abnormalities in vitamin D metabolism are known to be present, and several factors could contribute to the abnormalities. METHODS: We measured serum levels of three vitamin D metabolites, 1,25(OH)2D, 24, 25(OH)2D and 25(OH)D, and analyzed factors affecting their levels in 76 nondialyzed patients with CRF (serum creatinine> 1.6 and < 9.0 mg/dl), 37 of whom had diabetes mellitus (DM-CRF) and 39 of whom were nondiabetic (nonDM-CRF). RESULTS: Serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D were positively correlated with estimated creatinine clearance (CCr; r = 0.429; P < 0.0001), and levels of 24,25(OH)2D were weakly correlated with CCr (r = 0.252, P < 0.05); no correlation was noted for 25(OH)D. Serum levels of all three vitamin D metabolites were significantly and positively correlated with serum albumin. Although there were no significant differences in age, sex, estimated CCr, calcium and phosphate between DM-CRF and nonDM-CRF, all three vitamin D metabolites were significantly lower in DM-CRF than in nonDM-CRF. To analyze factors influencing vitamin D metabolite levels, we performed multiple regression analyses. Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly and independently associated with serum albumin, presence of DM and serum phosphate (R2 = 0.599; P < 0.0001). 24,25(OH)2D levels were significantly and strongly associated with 25(OH)D (beta = 0.772; R2 = 0.446; P < 0.0001). Serum 1,25(OH)2D levels were significantly associated only with estimated CCr (R2 = 0. 409; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that hypoalbuminemia and the presence of DM independently affect serum 25(OH)D levels, probably via diabetic nephropathy and poor nutritional status associated with diabetes, and that 25(OH)D is actively catalyzed to 24,25(OH)2D in CRF, probably largely via extrarenal 24-hydroxylase. Serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D were significantly affected by the degree of renal failure. Thus, this study indicates that patients with CRF, particularly those with DM, should receive supplements containing the active form of vitamin D prior to dialysis.

Effect of the vasodilatory beta-blocker, nipradilol, and Ca-antagonist, barnidipine, on insulin sensitivity in patients with essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of a vasodilatory beta-adrenoceptor blocker, nipradilol, and a long-acting Ca channel blocker, barnidipine, on insulin sensitivity. DESIGN: Insulin sensitivity was determined using a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique before and after a 12-week treatment period in eighteen patients with essential hypertension. RESULTS: Both drugs decreased blood pressure without affecting any serum parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism. Nipradilol significantly augmented glucose infusion rate (GIR) from 3.11+/-0.28 to 4.69+/-0.57mg/kg/min (p=0.027). Barnidipine also increased GIR from 3.91+/-0.43 to 5.29+/-0.43 mg/kg/min (p=0.028). Plasma norepinephrine concentrations significantly increased with barnidipine treatment, while nipradilol had no effect on plasma norepinephrine levels. No adverse events were reported during the study. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that vasodilatory beta-blockers such as nipradilol and long-acting Ca channel blockers such as barnidipine may be useful in the treatment of insulin resistant hypertensive patients.

Erythrocyte ALA-d activity in experimentally lead-poisoned ducks and its change during treatment with disodium calcium EDTA.

To determine useful procedures for the diagnosis and prognosis of lead poisoning in waterfowl caused by ingestion of lead pellets, erythrocyte delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-d) was investigated in experimentally lead-poisoned ducks. A highly positive correlation was observed between the concentration of blood lead and the ALA-d activity ratio (the ratio of activated:non-activated enzyme activity) in those birds given seven lead pellets (3 mm diameter). The ALA-d activity ratio rapidly increased after the administration of lead pellets, but began to fall immediately after the initiation of disodium calcium ethylenediamine tetra-acetate (CaEDTA) therapy which resulted in a rapid decrease in the concentration of lead in the blood of these birds. In contrast, the ALA-d activity remained inhibited even after blood lead levels began to decrease following treatment. These results demonstrated that the ALA-d activity ratio is a very useful and sensitive indicator for the diagnosis and evaluation of therapeutic effects after lead poisoning in waterfowl.

Partial protection of 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 against the development of diabetes induced by multiple low-dose streptozotocin injection in CD-1 mice.

1 alpha-Hydroxyvitamin D3 (1 alpha-OH-D3), a precursor of active vitamin D3, 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, was tested in CD-1 mice for its in vivo effect against the development of diabetes induced by administering multiple low doses of streptozotocin (STZ). Daily intraperitoneal (IP) injections of 35 mg/kg body weight of STZ administered for 5 consecutive days to mice from 7 weeks of age induced a delayed-onset hyperglycemia, insulitis, and beta-cell degranulation in 26 of 28 mice. Only 12 of 29 mice developed diabetes when treated with simultaneous daily IP injections of 1 alpha-OH-D3 for 14 consecutive days, with diabetes defined as a plasma glucose level greater than 200 mg/dL. A daily dose of 0.3 micrograms/kg 1 alpha-OH-D3 also protected against the development of hyperglycemia in five of 13 mice, whereas 0.2 micrograms/kg 1 alpha-OH-D3 was ineffective, indicating a dose-related effect. Histological study showed that, among the 1 alpha-OH-D3-treated mice, the pancreatic islets of euglycemic mice showed neither massive islet infiltration nor beta-cell degranulation, whereas those of the hyperglycemic mice showed insulitis. However, when diabetes was chemically induced with a single high dose of STZ, the simultaneous administration of 1 alpha-OH-D3 to mice failed to protect against the development of hyperglycemia; all five mice so treated developed hyperglycemia. Their pancreatic islets did not show insulitis. Therefore, it is suggested that 1 alpha-OH-D3 may protect against the development of diabetes following administration of multiple low doses of STZ, probably via an immune mechanism.

Effects of uremic serum on 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced differentiation of a human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60.

The mechanism by which resistance to 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) occurs in patients with chronic renal failure was studied. This agent induces differentiation and 1,25-(OH)2D3-24-hydroxylase activity in the mitochondria of the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60, via a steroid-hormone receptor mechanism. HL-60 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% normal or uremic serum. Treatment of these cells with 10(-8)M 1,25-(OH)2D3 for 5 days in a medium containing 10% uremic serum from 4 patients with chronic renal failure resulted in a maturation of the cells amounting to 30.3 +/- 18.7% (mean +/- SD) and 32.5 +/- 11.2%, as obtained by NBT reduction assay and NSE assay, respectively. These values were significantly lower than those obtained with 10% serum from 3 normal controls (66.6 +/- 12.8%, 58.3 +/- 10.9%, p less than 0.02). The treatment of HL-60 cells with 1,25-(OH)2D3 in a mixture of 5% normal plus 5% uremic serum caused cell differentiation to an extent similar to that in 10% uremic serum, which suggests the presence of a substance(s) having 1,25-(OH)2D3-inhibitory activity in the uremic serum. Exposure of HL-60 cells to uremic serum significantly impaired their responsiveness to 1,25-(OH)2D3 as assessed by the induction of the cell's ability to hydroxylate the C-24 position of 1,25-(OH)2[3H]D3. The mechanism by which uremic serum confers an impaired cellular response to 1,25-(OH)2D3 seemed to be due, in part, to a decrease in 1,25-(OH)2D3 receptor levels. A significant positive correlation was observed between intracellular cAMP levels and 1,25-(OH)2D3-induced HL-60 cell maturation. In summary, the mechanism by which uremic serum confers 1,25-(OH)2D3 resistance upon HL-60 cells seemed to be due to the presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3-inhibitory activity in uremic serum, which may modulate cellular responsiveness to 1,25-(OH)2D3 by such mechanisms as reducing 1,25-(OH)2D3 receptor levels in the cells, in part through alteration in cAMP metabolism.

Effect of dietary calcium on serum BGP (osteocalcin).

The present study was designed to clarify the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) intake on serum BGP (osteocalcin) levels. Twelve women with a mean age of 21.2 years participated in the study. After one week of normal Ca intake (mean +/- SE, 535 +/- 2 mg/day), a low-Ca diet (163 +/- 1 mg/day) was given for one further week. Additional asparagine Ca (3 g as Ca/day) was also given to half of the subjects. Serum total and ionized Ca concentrations as well as BGP, PTH and 1,25(OH)2D3 were measured at the end of each period. Amounts of Ca and hydroxyproline excreted in urine were also determined. The plasma level of ionized Ca was significantly increased without any change in total Ca in either group. Low and high Ca intake decreased and increased urinary Ca excretion by 28% and 56%, respectively. Serum levels of BGP and 1,25(OH)2D3 were significantly augmented along with a transient increase in urinary hydroxyproline excretion after Ca deprivation. These results suggest that serum BGP is increased after one week of Ca restriction in healthy subjects.

Effect of dietary calcium on renal prostaglandins.

The present study was designed to clarify the possible role of renal prostaglandins (PGs) on blood pressure (BP) regulation during calcium (Ca) restriction or supplementation. Twelve normotensive women with a mean age of 21.2 years participated in the study. After 1 week of normal Ca intake (mean +/- SE, 536 +/- 2 mg/day), a low-Ca diet (163 +/- 1 mg/day) was given for a further 1 week. Additional asparagine Ca (3 g as Ca/day) was also given to half of the subjects. BP, heart rate, and serum total and ionized Ca concentrations were measured at the end of each period. Levels of Ca, sodium, PGE2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and thromboxane (TX) B2 excreted into urine were also determined. The plasma level of ionized Ca was significantly increased without any change in total Ca in both groups. Low and high Ca intake decreased and increased urinary Ca excretion by 28% and 56%, respectively. BP was not altered after Ca deprivation or loading. However, urinary PGE2 excretion was significantly augmented from 668.9 +/- 68.1 to 959.7 +/- 183.1 ng/day by Ca loading, whereas Ca deprivation decreased PGE2 excretion (695.4 +/- 108.1 to 513.2 +/- 55.2 ng/day). No changes were observed in 6-keto-PGF1 alpha or TXB2 urinary excretion. These results suggest that renal PGE2 synthesis is stimulated or decreased by 1-week Ca loading or deprivation, indicating a possible antihypertensive role of renal PGE2 during high-Ca intake in hypertensives.

Design and synthesis of antitumor compounds based on the cytotoxic diterpenoids from the genus Rabdosia.

Two active sites responsible for antitumor activity, an oxirane ring and an alpha-methylene-cyclopentanone moiety, have been extracted from studies on the structure-activity relationship of the cytotoxic diterpenoids isolated from Rabdosia shikokiana. Series of the simplified cyclopentanone derivatives containing both of the two active sites in the molecule have been synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxicity against P 388 cells. The compounds possessing both of two active sites displayed cytotoxicity at a concentration of 1 microgram/ml, while those possessing a single active site showed no activity.

Clinical significance of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Evaluation of severity of hypertension, efficacy of treatment and effects on nighttime blood pressure.

Blood pressure (BP) obtained by the physician in his office and ambulatory BP recorded every hour throughout 24 hours with a noninvasive automated BP monitoring device were compared in 10 normotensives and 162 hypertensives. Casual BPs significantly correlated with averages in ambulatory BPs (ABPs) throughout the whole day, day (7 am - 10 pm) and night (0-5 am). However, it was noted that 6 of 10 normotensives and all of the moderate to severe hypertensives had ABPs of more than 150/90 mmHg at least once during the 24-hour period. The incidence of ABPs greater than 150/90 mmHg among all readings was higher in untreated and treated hypertensives with diastolic BPs in the office of more than 105 mmHg, and, when checked along with the clock time, higher not only in the morning but also in the evening. On the other hand, one-third or one-fifth of treated hypertensives with diastolic office BPs less than 90 mmHg or between 90 and 105 mmHg respectively had ABPs less than 150/90 mmHg throughout the whole day. When the effect of nicardipine (60 mg, t.i.d.) or slow-release nifedipine (27.3 +/- 3.0 mg, b.i.d.) on minimum BP during the night was analyzed, long-acting nifedipine decreased BP throughout the night to levels not significantly different from normotensive controls, whereas short-acting nicardipine did not affect nighttime BPs. These results suggest that simple ABP monitoring throughout the day gives us useful information to evaluate the severity of hypertension and the efficacy of antihypertensive medication as well as to avoid overtreatment with long-acting hypotensive agents resulting in a great fall in BP during sleep.

In vivo circumvention of vincristine resistance in mice with P388 leukemia using a novel compound, AHC-52.

A novel compound partially analogous to nifedipine, AHC-52, was found to sensitize multidrug-resistant tumor cells. AHC-52 at 0.5 microgram/ml completely reversed the in vitro resistance to vincristine (VCR) in VCR-resistant P388 cells (P388/VCR). Of various regimens examined for the in vivo treatment of P388/VCR-bearing mice, the combination of 0.05 mg/kg of VCR with 100 mg/kg twice a day of AHC-52 daily demonstrated the best result with a 206% increase in life prolongation. This result was comparable with that observed in parental P388-bearing mice treated with the optimal dose of VCR alone, indicating almost complete circumvention of resistance by combination VCR-AHC-52 therapy. In addition, the combination of both agents exhibited therapeutic effects in the treatment of P388-bearing mice with some long term survivors. This result was presumably due to the elimination of heterogeneity of VCR sensitivity in this cell population. These results suggest that combination chemotherapy using a sensitizing agent such as AHC-52 will be effective in not only circumvention of multidrug resistance but also retardation of its occurrence.

Responsiveness of human lung cancer/nude mouse to antitumor agents in a model using clinically equivalent doses.

The responses of 14 lines of human lung cancer xenografts in BALB/c-nu/nu mice to eight known antitumor agents were investigated. These xenografts consisted of four small-cell carcinomas (SCLC) and ten non-small-cell carcinomas (four large cell, three squamous cell, and three adenocarcinomas; NSCLC). The doses used in the experiments were the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in nude mice and the "rational dose" (RD), the latter considered to be pharmacokinetically equivalent to the clinical dose. When given at MTDs, all drugs except 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and methotrexate (MTX) were extremely effective against NSCLC as well as SCLC. The response rates of drug-sensitive SCLC to mitomycin C (MMC), ACNU, and vinblastine (VLB) were 100%, and those to Adriamycin (ADR) and vincristine (VCR) were 75%. In addition, the response rates of even drug-resistant NSCLC to MMC and VLB were 70% and 90%, respectively. In contrast, the response rates of NSCLC to RDs of the drugs were reduced to less than 40% and corresponded well to the respective clinical rates. In SCLC, a good correlation of experimental and clinical response rates was observed with four drugs [cyclophosphamide (CPM), ACNU, VLB, and 5-FU]. As a result, we emphasize that a more reasonable prediction of the clinical effectiveness of antitumor agents can be made by a protocol using clinically equivalent doses.

Calcitonin-induced phosphorylation of rat liver cytosolic proteins.

Calcitonin (CT) stimulated phosphorylation of two liver cytosolic proteins whose molecular weights are 67,000 and 93,000. Stimulation of 67,000-Mr protein phosphorylation began shortly after subcutaneous injection of CT, reaching a maximum at 5 min and decreasing to below the control level at 30 min. The reaction was independent of cyclic AMP or Ca2+, and was not influenced by a calmodulin antagonist, W7. Stimulation of 93,000-Mr protein phosphorylation became evident by 30 min. This reaction was also stimulated by administration of vasopressin or epinephrine, which is known to cause increased phosphorylation of glycogen phosphorylase having the same molecular weight. The phosphorylation of 93,000-Mr protein, stimulated by CT, was dependent on Ca2+ but not on cyclic AMP, and appeared to be inhibited by W7. In addition, CT did not influence the phosphorylation of 61,000-Mr protein, a major protein phosphorylated in a cyclic AMP-dependent manner. These results suggest that CT may exert its effect on liver cells through protein phosphorylation, most probably in a cyclic AMP-independent manner.

Optimal treatment schedule and antitumor spectrum of 4-carbamoylimidazolium 5-olate (SM-108) in murine tumors.

By designing optimal administration schedules, it was found that 4-carbamoylimidazolium 5-olate (SM-108) showed an excellent antitumor potency against a number of murine tumors. The optimal administration schedule of SM-108 was an intermittent multiple administration, in which the drug was multiply administered to mice at definite intervals of less than 3 hr for about 1 day on Days 1, 5, and 9 following tumor implantation. Although usual daily administration of SM-108 exhibited poor efficacy, the intermittent multiple administration of SM-108 exhibited potent antitumor activity against a wide variety of tumors, such as Ehrlich carcinoma, P388, 6-mercaptopurine-sensitive and -resistant L1210, Lewis lung carcinoma, Colon 26 adenocarcinoma, and Sarcoma 180. Among them, Ehrlich carcinoma showed the most prominent susceptibility to SM-108. With the intermittent multiple administration of SM-108, complete suppression was obtained in both the ascitic and solid forms of this tumor over a wide dose range. The schedule dependency of the antitumor effect of SM-108 described above was reasonably explained by its in vitro growth-inhibitory effects and pharmacokinetics in the mice.

Antitumor activity of 7-n-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-mitomycin C in experimental tumor systems.

The antitumor activity of 7-N-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-mitomycin C (M-83) was compared with that of mitomycin C (MMC) in rodent tumor systems. M-83 exhibited more potent activity than MMC against the ascitic form of lymphocytic leukemia P388 and fibrosarcoma Meth 1, and doses of over 5 mg/kg of M-83 (1/6 LD50) resulted in some 60-day survivors. The chemotherapeutic ratio (optimal dose/MED) of M-83 was around 64 and was estimated to be approximately 5 to 8 times higher than that of MMC. Upon intravenous administration, M-83 also gave a better survival and showed a higher chemotherapeutic ratio than MMC against intravenously implanted P388. M-83 inhibited the growth of solid form of sarcoma 180 to the same extent as MMC at an equivalent dose, but showed a higher safety margin than MMC. M-83 was as effective as MMC against Lewis lung carcinoma at dose levels giving the same degree of toxicity. In vitro studies on tumor growth inhibition demonstrated that the cytotoxic effects of M-83 against leukemia P388 and fibrosarcoma Meth 1 cells were similar to and stronger than those of MMC, respectively.

Comparison of the hematologic toxicity of 7-N-(p-hydroxyphenyl),-mitomycin C and mitomycin C.

7-N-(p-Hydroxyphenyl)-mitomycin C (M-83), a new analog of mitomycin C (MMC) with equivalent or greater antitumor potencies against various experimental tumors, was investigated to determine its hematologic toxicity in mice. M-83 showed a significantly lower toxicity than MMC with respect to myelosuppression and leukopenia when compared at equivalent effective doses. In M-83-treated mice, the damage to the bone marrow was much milder at the nadir point and the recovery from myelosuppression to the normal level was faster as compared with that in the case of MMC. As a result, the number of white blood cells in the peripheral blood of the M-83-treated groups was considerably greater than that in the MMC-treated ones. These findings suggest that M-83 may be effective in clinical use.