Olanzapine, but not haloperidol, exerts pronounced acute metabolic effects in the methylazoxymethanol rat model.

AIM: Widely used second-generation antipsychotics are associated with adverse metabolic effects, contributing to increased cardiovascular mortality. To develop strategies to prevent or treat adverse metabolic effects, preclinical models have a clear role in uncovering underlying molecular mechanisms. However, with few exceptions, preclinical studies have been performed in healthy animals, neglecting the contribution of dysmetabolic features inherent to psychotic disorders. METHODS: In this study, methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) was prenatally administered to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats at gestational day 17 to induce a well-validated neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia mimicking its assumed pathogenesis with persistent phenotype. Against this background, the dysmetabolic effects of acute treatment with olanzapine and haloperidol were examined in female rats. RESULTS: Prenatally MAM-exposed animals exhibited several metabolic features, including lipid disturbances. Half of the MAM rats exposed to olanzapine had pronounced serum lipid profile alteration compared to non-MAM controls, interpreted as a reflection of a delicate MAM-induced metabolic balance disrupted by olanzapine. In accordance with the drugs' clinical metabolic profiles, olanzapine-associated dysmetabolic effects were more pronounced than haloperidol-associated dysmetabolic effects in non-MAM rats and rats exposed to MAM. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate metabolic vulnerability in female prenatally MAM-exposed rats, indicating that findings from healthy animals likely provide an underestimated impression of metabolic dysfunction associated with antipsychotics. In the context of metabolic disturbances, neurodevelopmental models possess a relevant background, and the search for adequate animal models should receive more attention within the field of experimental psychopharmacology.

Emergency medicine pharmacotherapy compromises accuracy of plasma creatinine determination by enzyme-based methods: real-world clinical evidence and implications for clinical practice.

Background: Assessment of kidney function in emergency settings is essential across all medical subspecialties. Daily assessment of patient creatinine results from emergency medical services showed that some deviated from expected values, implying drug-related interference. Methods: Real-time clinical evaluation of an enzyme method (Roche CREP2) in comparison with the Jaffé gen. 2 method (Roche CREJ2) was performed. During the period of December 2022 and January 2023, we analyzed 8,498 patient samples, where 5,524 were heavily medicated STAT patient specimens, 500 were pediatric specimens, and 2,474 were from a distant general population in a different region using the same methods. Results: In 109 out of 5,524 hospital specimens (1.97%, p < 0.001), the CREP2 value was apparently (25% or more) lower than CREJ2. Suspect interfering medication was found in a sample of 43 out of 46 reviewed patients where medication data were available. This phenomenon was not observed in the general population. Conclusion: In a polymedicated urgent care hospital population, a creatinine enzyme method produces unreliable results, apparently due to multiple drug-related interferences.

GLP-1 agonists: superior for mind and body in antipsychotic-treated patients?

Antipsychotics (APDs) represent a core treatment for severe mental disorders (SMEs). Providing symptomatic relief, APDs do not exert therapeutic effects on another clinically significant domain of serious mental disorders, cognitive impairment. Moreover, adverse metabolic effects (diabetes, weight gain, dyslipidemia, and increased cardiovascular risk) are common during treatment with APDs. Among pharmacological candidates reversing APD-induced metabolic adverse effects, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), approved for both diabetes and recently for obesity treatment, stand out due to their favorable effects on peripheral metabolic parameters. Interestingly, GLP-1 RAs are also proposed to have pro-cognitive effects. Particularly in terms of dual therapeutic mechanisms potentially improving both central nervous system (CNS) deficits and metabolic burden, GLP-1 RAs open a new perspective and assume a clinically advantageous position.

Hemodynamic and white blood cells parameters in patients with first-episode psychosis: a pilot longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with schizophrenia are at higher risk of cardiovascular (CVS) related mortality. Close attention is being paid to the clinical utility of readily available CVS markers. METHODS: A pilot one-year longitudinal study in inpatients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) was carried out to determine markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction (monocyte- and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios) and basal blood pressure, pulse, and derived hemodynamic parameters (PP: pulse pressure; RPP: rate pressure product; and MAP: mean arterial pressure). RESULTS: After one year, PP and RPP increased, as did systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Systolic blood pressure, PP, total white blood cells, and neutrophils correlated with weight gain. After one year, correlations between monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio and RPP and MAP were observed. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates worsening CVS health over the first year of treatment and emphasises the importance of early monitoring of CVS status using easily accessible parameters to prevent CVS-related mortality.Key pointsPatients with schizophrenia are at higher risk of cardiovascular mortality.The CVS risk could be evaluated using affordable, routinely available CVS markers such as monocyte- and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, blood pressure, and pulse together with the derived parameters.Our pilot study in first-episode psychosis patients indicates worsening of CVS health based on these parameters during the first year of treatment, the early monitoring of CVS status is highly relevant in clinical practice.

Interacting effects of the MAM model of schizophrenia and antipsychotic treatment: Untargeted proteomics approach in adipose tissue.

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disease associated with substantially higher mortality. Reduced life expectancy in schizophrenia relates to an increased prevalence of metabolic disturbance, and antipsychotic medication is a major contributor. Molecular mechanisms underlying adverse metabolic effects of antipsychotics are not fully understood; however, adipose tissue homeostasis deregulation appears to be a critical factor. We employed mass spectrometry-based untargeted proteomics to assess the effect of chronic olanzapine, risperidone, and haloperidol treatment in visceral adipose tissue of prenatally methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate exposed rats, a well-validated neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia. Bioinformatics analysis of differentially expressed proteins was performed to highlight the pathways affected by MAM and the antipsychotics treatment. MAM model was associated with the deregulation of the TOR (target of rapamycin) signalling pathway. Notably, alterations in protein expression triggered by antipsychotics were observed only in schizophrenia-like MAM animals where we revealed hundreds of affected proteins according to our two-fold threshold, but not in control animals. Treatments with all antipsychotics in MAM rats resulted in the downregulation of mRNA processing and splicing, while drug-specific effects included among others upregulation of insulin resistance (olanzapine), upregulation of fatty acid metabolism (risperidone), and upregulation of nucleic acid metabolism (haloperidol). Our data indicate that deregulation of several energetic and metabolic pathways in adipose tissue is associated with APs administration and is prominent in MAM schizophrenia-like model but not in control animals.

Metabolic profile of methylazoxymethanol model of schizophrenia in rats and effects of three antipsychotics in long-acting formulation.

Mortality in psychiatric patients with severe mental illnesses reaches a 2-3 times higher mortality rate compared to the general population, primarily due to somatic comorbidities. A high prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity can be attributed to the adverse metabolic effects of atypical antipsychotics (atypical APs), but also to metabolic dysregulation present in drug-naïve patients. The metabolic aspects of neurodevelopmental schizophrenia-like models are understudied. This study evaluated the metabolic phenotype of a methylazoxymethanol (MAM) schizophrenia-like model together with the metabolic effects of three APs [olanzapine (OLA), risperidone (RIS) and haloperidol (HAL)] administered via long-acting formulations for 8 weeks in female rats. Body weight, feed efficiency, serum lipid profile, gastrointestinal and adipose tissue-derived hormones (leptin, ghrelin, glucagon and glucagon-like peptide 1) were determined. The lipid profile was assessed in APs-naïve MAM and control cohorts of both sexes. Body weight was not altered by the MAM model, though cumulative food intake and feed efficiency was lowered in the MAM compared to CTR animals. The effect of the APs was also present; body weight gain was increased by OLA and RIS, while OLA induced lower weight gain in the MAM rats. Further, the MAM model showed lower abdominal adiposity, while OLA increased it. Serum lipid profile revealed MAM model-induced alterations in both sexes; total, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels were increased. The MAM model did not exert significant alterations in hormonal parameters except for elevation in leptin level. The results support intrinsic metabolic dysregulation in the MAM model in both sexes, but the MAM model did not manifest higher sensitivity to metabolic effects induced by antipsychotic treatment.

Olanzapine exposure diminishes perfusion and decreases volume of sensorimotor cortex in rats.

BACKGROUND: Olanzapine is a frequently used atypical antipsychotic drug known to exert structural brain alterations in animals. This study investigated whether chronic olanzapine exposure alters regional blood brain perfusion assessed by Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a validated model of olanzapine-induced metabolic disturbances. An effect of acute olanzapine exposure on brain perfusion was also assessed for comparison. METHODS: Adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were treated by intramuscular depot olanzapine injections (100 mg/kg every 14 days) or vehicle for 8 weeks. ASL scanning was performed on a 9.4 T Bruker BioSpec 94/30USR scanner under isoflurane anesthesia. Serum samples were used to assay leptin and TNF-α level while brains were sliced for histology. Another group received only one non-depot intraperitoneal dose of olanzapine (7 mg/kg) during MRI scanning, thus exposing its acute effect on brain perfusion. RESULTS: Both acute and chronic dosing of olanzapine resulted in decreased perfusion in the sensorimotor cortex, while no effect was observed in the piriform cortex or hippocampus. Furthermore, in the chronically treated group decreased cortex volume was observed. Chronic olanzapine dosing led to increased body weight, adipose tissue mass and leptin level, confirming its expected metabolic effects. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates region-specific decreases in blood perfusion associated with olanzapine exposure present already after the first dose. These findings extend our understanding of olanzapine-induced functional and structural brain changes.

Poly(I:C) model of schizophrenia in rats induces sex-dependent functional brain changes detected by MRI that are not reversed by aripiprazole treatment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: One of the hallmarks of schizophrenia is altered brain structure, potentially due to antipsychotic treatment, the disorder itself or both. It was proposed that functional changes may precede the structural ones. In order to understand and potentially prevent this unwanted process, brain function assessment should be validated as a diagnostic tool. METHODS: We used Arterial Spin Labelling MRI technique for the evaluation of brain perfusion in several brain regions in a neurodevelopmental poly(I:C) model of schizophrenia (8mg/kg on a gestational day 15) in rats taking into account sex-dependent effects and chronic treatment with aripiprazole (30days), an atypical antipsychotic acting as a partial agonist on dopaminergic receptors. RESULTS: We found the sex of the animal to have a highly significant effect in all regions of interest, with females showing lower blood perfusion than males. However, both males and females treated prenatally with poly(I:C) showed enlargement of the lateral ventricles. Furthermore, we detected increased perfusion in the circle of Willis, hippocampus, and sensorimotor cortex, which was not influenced by chronic atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole treatment in male poly(I:C) rats. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that perfusion alterations may be caused by the hyperdopaminergic activity in the poly(I:C) model, and the absence of aripiprazole effect on perfusion in brain regions related to schizophrenia may be due to its partial agonistic mechanism.

Aripiprazole-induced adverse metabolic alterations in polyI:C neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia in rats.

Schizophrenia appears to be linked to higher incidence of metabolic syndrome even in the absence of antipsychotic treatment. Atypical antipsychotics substantially differ in their propensity to induce metabolic alterations. Aripiprazole is considered to represent an antipsychotic drug with low risk of metabolic syndrome development. The aim of this study was to evaluate metabolic phenotype of neurodevelopmental polyI:C rat model and assess metabolic effects of chronic aripiprazole treatment with regard to complex neuroendocrine regulations of energy homeostasis. Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 8 mg/kg in 10 ml on gestational day 15 to female Wistar rats. For this study 20 polyI:C and 20 control adult male offspring were used, randomly divided into 2 groups per 10 animals for chronic aripiprazole treatment and vehicle. Aripiprazole (5 mg/kg, dissolved tablets, ABILIFY®) was administered once daily via oral gavage for a month. Altered lipid profile in polyI:C model was observed and a trend towards different dynamics of weight gain in polyI:C rats was noted in the absence of significant antipsychotic treatment effect. PolyI:C model was not associated with changes in other parameters i.e. adipokines, gastrointestinal hormones and cytokines levels. Aripiprazole did not influence body weight but it induced alterations in neurohumoral regulations. Leptin and GLP-1 serum levels were significantly reduced, while ghrelin level was elevated. Furthermore aripiprazole decreased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our data indicate dysregulation of adipokines and gastrointestinal hormones present after chronic treatment with aripiprazole which is considered metabolically neutral in the polyI:C model of schizophrenia.

Depot risperidone-induced adverse metabolic alterations in female rats.

Atypical antipsychotics are associated with adverse metabolic effects including weight gain, increased adiposity, dyslipidaemia, alterations in glucose metabolism and insulin resistance. Increasing evidence suggests that metabolic dysregulation precedes weight gain development. The aim of this study was to evaluate alterations in adipokines, hormones and basic serum biochemical parameters induced by chronic treatment with depot risperidone at two doses (20 and 40 mg/kg) in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Dose-dependent metabolic alterations induced by risperidone after 6 weeks of treatment were revealed. Concomitant to weight gain and increased liver weight, an adverse lipid profile with an elevated triglyceride level was observed in the high exposure group, administered a 40 mg/kg dose repeatedly, while the low dose exposure group, administered a 20 mg/kg dose, developed weight gain without alterations in the lipid profile and adipokine levels. An initial peak in leptin serum level after the higher dose was observed in the absence of weight gain. This finding may indicate that the metabolic alterations observed in this study are not consequent to body weight gain. Taken together, these data may support the primary effects of atypical antipsychotics on peripheral tissues.

Olanzapine-depot administration induces time-dependent changes in adipose tissue endocrine function in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic adverse effects of atypical antipsychotics (AAP) contribute significantly to increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients suffering from schizophrenia. Extensive preclinical research has addressed this issue over the past years, though mechanisms underlying these adverse effects of AAP are still not understood completely. Recently, attention is drawn towards the role of adipose tissue metabolism and neurohormonal regulations. METHODS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the time-dependent effects of olanzapine depot administration at clinically relevant dosing on the regulation of energy homeostasis, glucose and lipid metabolism, gastrointestinal and adipose tissue-derived hormones involved in energy balance regulations in female Sprague-Dawley rats. The study lasted 8 weeks and the markers were assayed at day 8, 15, 29, 43 and 57. RESULTS: The results indicate that in the absence of hyperphagia, olanzapine chronic exposure induced weight gain from the beginning of the study. In the later time-point, increased adiposity was also observed. In the initial phase of the study, lipid profile was altered by an early increase in triglyceride level and highly elevated leptin level was observed. Clear bi-phasic time-dependent effect of olanzapine on leptin serum concentration was demonstrated. Olanzapine treatment did not lead to changes in serum levels of ghrelin, FGF-21 and pro-inflammatory markers IL-1a, IL-6 and TNF-α at any time-point of the study. CONCLUSION: This study provides data suggesting early alteration in adipose tissue endocrine function as a factor involved in mechanisms underlying metabolic adverse effects of antipsychotics.

Decrease of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation by food waste materials.

The formation of bacterial biofilm on various surfaces has significant negative economic effects. The aim of this study was to find a simple procedure to decrease the Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation in a water environment by using different food waste biological materials as signal molecule adsorbents. The selected biomaterials did not reduce the cell growth but affected biofilm formation. Promising biomaterials were magnetically modified in order to simplify manipulation and facilitate their magnetic separation. The best biocomposite, magnetically modified spent grain, exhibited substantial adsorption of signal molecules and decreased the biofilm formation. These results suggest that selected food waste materials and their magnetically responsive derivatives could be applied to solve biofilm problems in water environment.

Magnetically responsive yeast cells: methods of preparation and applications.

Magnetically modified yeast cells represent an interesting type of biocomposite material, applicable in various areas of bioanalysis, biotechnology and environmental technology. In this review, typical examples of magnetic modifications of yeast cells of the genera Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Rhodotorula and Yarrowia are presented, as well as their possible applications as biocatalysts, active part of biosensors and biosorbents for the separation of organic xenobiotics, heavy metal ions and radionuclides.

The common pathophysiology underlying the metabolic syndrome, schizophrenia and depression. A review.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing interest in metabolic alterations in patients with psychiatric disorders due to their increased risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) development. Inflammation is known to underlie the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and depression as well as MetS. Vulnerability factors for schizophrenia/depression and MetS hence appear to be shared. METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on a Web of Science search, this review examines current evidence for MetS pathophysiology involving dysregulation of adipose tissue signaling - adipokines and pro-inflammatory cytokine, both also known to be aberrant in schizophrenia/depression. Further, gender differences in the incidence and course of schizophrenia/depression were reported. The disturbances linked to the MetS are also described. Therefore, this review further maps the gender differences in the psychiatric-metabolic comorbidities. CONCLUSION: There is evidence supporting a pathological predisposition to MetS in both schizophrenia and depression in both humans and animal models. This predisposition is dramatically enhanced by antipsychotic medication. Further, there are gender differences from clinical findings suggesting women with schizophrenia/depression are more vulnerable to MetS development. This has not yet been assessed in animal studies. We suggest further validation of existing schizophrenia and depression animal models for the assessment of metabolic disturbances to provide tools for developing new antipsychotics and antidepressants with "metabolically inert" profile or improving the metabolic status in schizophrenic/depressed patients.

Microwave-synthesized magnetic chitosan microparticles for the immobilization of yeast cells.

An extremely simple procedure has been developed for the immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells on magnetic chitosan microparticles. The magnetic carrier was prepared using an inexpensive, simple, rapid, one-pot process, based on the microwave irradiation of chitosan and ferrous sulphate at high pH. Immobilized yeast cells have been used for sucrose hydrolysis, hydrogen peroxide decomposition and the adsorption of selected dyes.

Metabolic syndrome - dysregulation of adipose tissue endocrine function.

Metabolic syndrome, acondition increasing cardiovascular morbidity, mortality and risk for diabetes mellitus type 2, is currently worldwide reaching epidemic proportions. This complex disorder represents an urgent challenge for new pharmacotherapeutic strategies formulation. Pathophysiological mechanisms underlying metabolic syndrome are not completely understood, nevertheless growing evidence is supporting the hypothesis that multiple metabolic dysregulations do contribute to its development. Apotential target for pharmacological intervention is considered to be dysregulation of adipose tissue endocrine/paracrine function. Specific adipokines, proteins secreted by the adipose tissue, with some pleiotropic effects, have been identified with strong association to regulation of energy metabolism, appetite, insulin signaling, tissue insulin sensitivity and the proinflammatory state related to metabolic syndrome. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief overview of endocrine/paracrine functions of the adipose tissue with regard to metabolic syndrome development and pathophysiology and particular adipokines as potential targets for innovative pharmacotherapeutic approaches.

A comparison of the impact of amaranth flour and squalene on plasma cholesterol in mice with diet-induced dyslipidemia.

Amaranth was identified as a possible component of an anti-sclerotic diet. To date, particular substances responsible for this effect have not been exactly specified. Squalene, which is contained in amaranth, could be responsible for this effect. However, there are also other potential substances and the hypolipidemic effect of amaranth can be caused by a synergistic effect of several components. This study investigated and compared the impact of amaranth flour and squalene on the total cholesterol (CHOL(TOT)) and LDL cholesterol (CHOL(LDL)) levels in mice with dyslipidemia induced by a cholesterol- and sugar-rich diet. The experiment included 40 inbred mice (C57Bl/6J SPF). After a 7-days acclimatization period, animals were divided into four groups by random. Individual groups were fed different diets for 49 days: control (group C), high energy diet (group HED), high energy diet with amaranth flour (group HED+A) and high energy diet with squalene (group HED+S). The sugar- and cholesterol-rich diet in HED resulted in the significant increase in the levels of CHOL(TOT) by 125% (P < 0.05) and CHOL(LDL) by 304% (P < 0.05), and at the same time in a decrease of HDL cholesterol (CHOL(HDL)) levels by 58% (P < 0.05) compared to group C. To the contrary, amaranth flour enriched diet in group HED+A led to a decrease of CHOL(TOT) levels by 33% (P < 0.05) and CHOL(LDL) by 37% (P < 0.05), compared to HED. Both, amaranth flour and squalene, had a positive impact on CHOL(HDL) levels. Compared to group HED, there was a 47% increase in HED+A and a 60% increase in HED+S. Results proved the favorable impact of amaranth flour on the levels of total cholesterol CHOL(TOT) and also on CHOL(LDL). Furthermore, the results imply that amaranth flour contains besides squalene other substances, which can actively participate in its hypolipidemic effect.

Magnetic techniques for the detection and determination of xenobiotics and cells in water.

Magnetic techniques based on the application of magnetic nanoparticles and microparticles and films have been successfully used for the determination and detection of different types of xenobiotics (e.g. herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, aromatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, pentachlorophenol and heavy metal ions) as well as viruses, microbial pathogens and protozoan parasites in water samples. Preconcentration of xenobiotics from large volumes of samples can be performed using magnetic solid-phase extraction, stir-bar sorptive extraction and related procedures. This review provides basic information about these techniques. Published examples of successful applications document the importance of these simple and efficient procedures employing magnetic materials.