Zika virus co-opts microRNA networks to persist in placental niches detected by spatial transcriptomics.

BACKGROUND: Zika virus congenital infection evades double-stranded RNA detection and may persist in the placenta for the duration of pregnancy without accompanying overt histopathologic inflammation. Understanding how viruses can persist and replicate in the placenta without causing overt cellular or tissue damage is fundamental to deciphering mechanisms of maternal-fetal vertical transmission. OBJECTIVE: Placenta-specific microRNAs are believed to be a tenet of viral resistance at the maternal-fetal interface. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the Zika virus functionally disrupts placental microRNAs, enabling viral persistence and fetal pathogenesis. STUDY DESIGN: To test this hypothesis, we used orthogonal approaches in human and murine experimental models. In primary human trophoblast cultures (n=5 donor placentae), we performed Argonaute high-throughput sequencing ultraviolet-crosslinking and immunoprecipitation to identify any significant alterations in the functional loading of microRNAs and their targets onto the RNA-induced silencing complex. Trophoblasts from same-donors were split and infected with a contemporary first-passage Zika virus strain HN16 (multiplicity of infection=1 plaque forming unit per cell) or mock infected. To functionally cross-validate microRNA-messenger RNA interactions, we compared our Argonaute high-throughput sequencing ultraviolet-crosslinking and immunoprecipitation results with an independent analysis of published bulk RNA-sequencing data from human placental disk specimens (n=3 subjects; Zika virus positive in first, second, or third trimester, CD45- cells sorted by flow cytometry) and compared it with uninfected controls (n=2 subjects). To investigate the importance of these microRNA and RNA interference networks in Zika virus pathogenesis, we used a gnotobiotic mouse model uniquely susceptible to the Zika virus. We evaluated if small-molecule enhancement of microRNA and RNA interference pathways with enoxacin influenced Zika virus pathogenesis (n=20 dams total yielding 187 fetal specimens). Lastly, placentae (n=14 total) from this mouse model were analyzed with Visium spatial transcriptomics (9743 spatial transcriptomes) to identify potential Zika virus-associated alterations in immune microenvironments. RESULTS: We found that Zika virus infection of primary human trophoblast cells led to an unexpected disruption of placental microRNA regulation networks. When compared with uninfected controls, Zika virus-infected placentae had significantly altered SLC12A8, SDK1, and VLDLR RNA-induced silencing complex loading and transcript levels (-22; adjusted P value <.05; Wald-test with false discovery rate correction q<0.05). In silico microRNA target analyses revealed that 26 of 119 transcripts (22%) in the transforming growth factor-ß signaling pathway were targeted by microRNAs that were found to be dysregulated following Zika virus infection in trophoblasts. In gnotobiotic mice, relative to mock controls, Zika virus-associated fetal pathogenesis included fetal growth restriction (P=.036) and viral persistence in placental tissue (P=.011). Moreover, spatial transcriptomics of murine placentae revealed that Zika virus-specific placental niches were defined by significant up-regulation of complement cascade components and coordinated changes in transforming growth factor-ß gene expression. Finally, treatment of Zika virus-infected mice with enoxacin abolished placental Zika virus persistence, rescued the associated fetal growth restriction, and the Zika virus-associated transcriptional changes in placental immune microenvironments were no longer observed. CONCLUSION: These results collectively suggest that (1) Zika virus infection and persistence is associated with functionally perturbed microRNA and RNA interference pathways specifically related to immune regulation in placental microenvironments and (2) enhancement of placental microRNA and RNA interference pathways in mice rescued Zika virus-associated pathogenesis, specifically persistence of viral transcripts in placental microenvironments and fetal growth restriction.

Identification of a Novel TAR RNA-Binding Protein 2 Modulator with Potential Therapeutic Activity against Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Imbalance miRNAs contribute to tumor formation; therefore, the development of small-molecule compounds that regulate miRNA biogenesis is an important strategy in oncotherapy. Here, (-)-Gomisin M1 (GM) was found to modulate miRNA biogenesis to inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. GM modulated expression profiles of miRNA and protein in HCC cells and suppressed tumor growth in a mouse model. Mechanistically, GM affected miRNA maturation by targeting TAR RNA-binding protein 2 (TRBP), with an efficacy higher than that of enoxacin, and promoted the binding of TRBP with Dicer. Structural simplification and a preliminary structure-activity relationship study via the synthesis of 20 GM derivatives showed that compound 9 exhibited more potent inhibitory activity in HCC cell proliferation and affinity for TRBP than did GM. These results suggest that TRBP may be a novel potential therapeutic target in HCC and compound 9 may be a potential drug candidate for the treatment of HCC.

Enoxacin induces oxidative metabolism and mitigates obesity by regulating adipose tissue miRNA expression.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in oxidative metabolism and brown/beige adipocyte identity. Here, we tested whether widespread changes in miRNA expression promoted by treatment with the small-molecule enoxacin cause browning and prevent obesity. Enoxacin mitigated diet-induced obesity in mice, and this was associated with increased energy expenditure. Consistently, subcutaneous white and brown adipose tissues and skeletal muscle of enoxacin-treated mice had higher levels of markers associated with thermogenesis and oxidative metabolism. These effects were cell autonomous since they were recapitulated in vitro in murine and human cell models. In preadipocytes, enoxacin led to a reduction of miR-34a-5p expression and up-regulation of its target genes (e.g., Fgfr1, Klb, and Sirt1), thus increasing FGF21 signaling and promoting beige adipogenesis. Our data demonstrate that enoxacin counteracts obesity by promoting thermogenic signaling and inducing oxidative metabolism in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in a mechanism that involves, at least in part, miRNA-mediated regulation.

Modulating microRNA Processing: Enoxacin, the Progenitor of a New Class of Drugs.

The RNA interference (RNAi) process encompasses the cellular mechanisms by which short-noncoding RNAs posttranscriptionally modulate gene expression. First discovered in 1998, today RNAi represents the foundation underlying complex biological mechanisms that are dysregulated in many diseases. MicroRNAs are effector molecules of gene silencing in RNAi, and their modulation can lead to a wide response in cells. Enoxacin was reported as the first and unique small-molecule enhancer of microRNA (SMER) maturation. Herein, the biological activity of enoxacin as SMER is discussed to shed light on its innovative mode of action, its potential in treating different diseases, and the feasibility of using enoxacin as a chemical template for inspiring medicinal chemists. We debate its mechanism of action at the molecular level and the possible impact on future ligand and/or structure-guided chemical optimizations, as well as opportunities and drawbacks associated with the development of quinolones such as SMERs.

Pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of enoxacin with dicarboxylic acids: Enhancing in vitro antibacterial activity of enoxacin by improving the solubility and permeability.

Base on improving the solubility and permeability of enoxacin (EX) to enhance the antibacterial activity in vitro, three new pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of EX with oxalic acid (EX·0.5(C2H2O4)·2(H2O)), malonic acid ((HEX)·C3H3O4) and fumaric acid ((HEX)·C4H3O4) have been designed, synthesized and characterized. Comprehensive analysis structure and Hirshfeld surface reveal that the hydrogen bonds/CAHBs formed by the N atom in the piperazine ring from EX molecule with the carboxylic acid group in the coformer could form a stable crystal structure. It is universally acknowledged that improving the solubility of the EX (BCS class II) to make it a BCS class I drug would obtain a Bioequivalence of immunity to the drug trial. The solubilities of three pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of EX with dicarboxylic acids are consistent with expectation that they are dramatically improved in pure water than pure enoxacin, and the solubility order of three pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of EX is consistent with coformers solubility. The permeabilities of three pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of EX are improved compared with the pure enoxacin, and the variation tendency is consistent with the solubilities of three pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of EX. In addition, the antibacterial activities in vitro of three pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of EX are improved compared with the corresponding parent compound (EX), which change the order is consistent with the solubility and permeability. Simultaneously, the hygroscopic stabilities of three pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals are surpassing pure EX, and the hygroscopic stability of molecular cocrystal EX-OXA is better than ionic cocrystal EX-MLO and EX-FUM. This implies that preparation of the pharmaceutical salts/cocrystals of EX with oxalic acid, malonic acid and fumaric acid could not only enhance the antibacterial activity of EX, which base on improving the solubility and permeability of EX, but also improve the hygroscopic stability of EX.

Degradation of enoxacin antibiotic by the electro-Fenton process: Optimization, biodegradability improvement and degradation mechanism.

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the electro-Fenton process on the removal of a second generation of fluoroquinolone, enoxacin. The electrochemical reactor involved a carbon-felt cathode and a platinum anode. The influence of some experimental parameters, namely the initial enoxacin concentration, the applied current intensity and the Fe(II) amount, was examined. The degradation of the target molecule was accompanied by an increase of the biodegradability, assessed from the BOD5 on COD ratio, which increased from 0 before treatment until 0.5 after 180 min of electrolysis at 50 mg L(-1) initial enoxacin concentration, 0.2 mmol L(-1) Fe(II) concentration and 300 mA applied current intensity. TOC and COD time-courses were also evaluated during electrolysis and reached maximum residual yields of 54% and 43% after 120 min of treatment, respectively. Moreover, a simultaneous generation of inorganic ions (fluorides, ammonium and nitrates) were observed and 3 short chain carboxylic acids (formic, acetic and oxalic acids) were identified and monitored during 180 min of electrolysis. By-products were identified according to UPLC-MS/MS results and a degradation pathway was proposed.

Dysprosium-sensitized chemiluminescence system for the determination of enoxacin in pharmaceutical preparations and biological fluids with flow-injection sampling.

A novel trivalence dysprosium(Dy(3+))-sensitized chemiluminescence method was developed for the first time for the determination of enoxacin (ENX) using flow-injection sampling based on the chemiluminescence (CL) associated with the reaction of the Dy(3+)-cerium(Ce(IV))-S(2)O(3) (2-)-ENX system and the Dy(3+)-MnO(4) (-) S(2)O(3) (2-)-ENX system. The analytical conditions for CL emission were investigated and optimized. The relationship between the CL intensity of ENX and its concentration has good linearity, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9984-0.9994. The limit of detection (LOD, 3sigma) was 0.20 ng/mL for the Dy(3+)-ENX-S(2)O(3)(2-)-Ce(IV)-H(2)SO(4) system and 0.22 ng/mL for the Dy(3+)-ENX-S(2)O(3)(2-)-MnO(4) (-)-HNO(3) system. The relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 11) was 1.8% for 11 determinations of 60 ng/mL ENX. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of ENX in injections, serum and urine samples with a recovery of 98%-105%. A possible mechanism for this sensitized CL reaction is discussed by comparing the CL spectra with the fluorescence emission spectra. The proposed method represents a wide linear range, high sensitivity and accuracy, and can be used for the routine determination of ENX in pharmaceutical preparations and biological fluids.

The DNA cleavage reaction of DNA gyrase. Comparison of stable ternary complexes formed with enoxacin and CcdB protein.

The potent synthetic fluoroquinolones and the natural CcdB protein encoded by the F plasmid both inhibit bacterial growth by attacking DNA gyrase and by stimulating enzyme-induced breaks in bacterial DNA. The cleavage mechanisms of these structurally diverse compounds were analyzed by purifying and characterizing stable ternary complexes of enoxacin and CcdB protein with gyrase bound to a strong gyrase binding site from bacteriophage Mu. Three differences between enoxacin- and CcdB-derived complexes were discovered. 1) Enoxacin binds to the DNA active site and alters the breakage/reunion activity of the enzyme. CcdB binds gyrase-DNA complexes but does not influence enzymatic activity directly. 2) Complexes that produce DNA cleavage with enoxacin are reversible, whereas similar complexes made with CcdB protein are not. 3) Enoxacin stimulates cleavage of both relaxed and supercoiled forms of DNA in the absence of ATP, whereas CcdB induces cleavage only after many cycles of ATP-dependent breakage and reunion. These differences in mechanisms can be explained by a model in which enoxacin induces formation of a novel "cleavable" complex, whereas CcdB protein traps a very rare "cleaved" conformation of the enzyme.

The transport of ciprofloxacin in cultured kidney epithelial cells LLC-PK1.

In this study, the transport characteristics of ciprofloxacin (CPFX) were investigated in a LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cell line. CPFX uptake from the apical medium into LLC-PK1 cells on plastic dishes was shown to be temperature-dependent. Guanidine and cimetidine inhibited the uptake of CPFX, whereas tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) and N1-methylnicotinamide (NMN) did not. CPFX transport across LLC-PK1 cell monolayers cultured on permeable supports was about 1.8 times larger in the basolateral-to-apical direction than in the apical-to-basolateral direction. Both the basolateral-to-apical and apical-to-basolateral transport of CPFX were inhibited by guanidine, whereas CPFX transport in both directions was not inhibited by TEA, NMN, or cimetidine. The basolateral-to-apical transport of CPFX was sensitive to the pH of the apical medium, and increased in an acidic pH. Enoxacin (ENX) as well as guanidine, inhibited the basolateral-to-apical transport of CPFX, and the inhibitory effect of ENX was sensitive to the pH of the apical side of the monolayers.

Participation of reactive oxygen species in phototoxicity induced by quinolone antibacterial agents.

To elucidate the mechanism of phototoxicity induced as a side effect by some of the new quinolone antibiotics, we studied sparfloxacin (SPFX), lomefloxacin, enoxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. We first examined the photosensitized formation of reactive oxygen species such as singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide anion (O2-) mediated by the new quinolones. Although a large number of studies have been reported, there is no direct evidence that these drugs generate reactive oxygen species. We employed a near-infrared emission spectrometer to detect 1O2-specific emission (1268 nm), and the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction method to detect O2-. All the quinolones investigated in this study were found to produce 1O2. Four drugs, but not SPFX, produced O2-. We also examined photodynamic DNA strand-breaking activity as a possible mechanism to explain the participation of reactive oxygen species in the phototoxicity of the drugs. All the drugs exhibited photodynamic DNA strand-breaking activity. The inhibitory effect of scavengers of reactive oxygen species indicated that the main active species was 1O2. The DNA strand-breaking activity was correlated not with the 1O2-forming ability, but with the affinity of the drugs for DNA. This result may be due to the short lifetime of 1O2. These data suggested that the phototoxicity of the new quinolones was related to DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen species, especially 1O2.

Intermolecular interactions of antimicrobial fluoroquinolones with purified rat liver CYP1A2 studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

1. Binding and inhibition of antimicrobial fluoroquinolones towards liver CYP1A2 purified from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats were investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr) and phenacetin metabolism. 2. The proton nmr longitudinal relaxation rate study indicated that the paramagnetic effects of the haem iron of CYP1A2 were observed in protons of enoxacin with a 1,8-naphthyridine skeleton and its 4'-nitrogen atom on the 7-piperazine ring probably participated in specific binding to the haem iron. These data suggest a facile accessibility and strong binding of enoxacin to the active site of the enzyme. On the contrary, the binding region of norfloxacin with a quinoline skeleton could not be specified, and an 8-fluorinated derivative (AT-3970) had much lower paramagnetic effects and no specific binding region. 3. In a reconstituted CYP1A2 system, enoxacin exhibited the most potent inhibition of phenacetin O-deethylation. The metabolism was less inhibited by norfloxacin, and AT-3970 had a weak inhibitory activity. 4. The binding ability of the fluoroquinolones to the CYP1A2 active site is likely to determine their inhibitory activity against phenacetin metabolism.

Inducible NorA-mediated multidrug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.

The NorA protein of Staphylococcus aureus mediates the active efflux of hydrophilic fluoroquinolones from the cell, conferring low-level resistance upon the organism. The protein also is capable of transporting additional structurally diverse compounds, indicating that it has a broad substrate specificity. Increased transcription of the norA gene, leading to a greater quantity of the NorA protein within the cytoplasmic membrane, is felt to be the mechanism by which strains possessing such changes resist fluoroquinolones. S. aureus SA-1199 and its in vivo-selected derivative SA-1199B are fluoroquinolone-susceptible and -resistant isolates, respectively; SA-1199B resists hydrophilic fluoroquinolones via a NorA-mediated mediated mechanism in a constitutive manner. SA-1199-3 is an in vitro-produced derivative of SA-1199 in which NorA-mediated multidrug resistance is expressed inducibly. Compared with organisms exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of a NorA substrate for the first time, preexposure of SA-1199-3 to such a compound followed by growth in the presence of that substrate results in the elimination of a 2- to 6-h period of organism killing that occurs prior to the onset of logarithmic growth. The uptake of radiolabeled fluoroquinolone is markedly reduced by preexposure of SA-1199-3 to NorA substrates: such prior exposure also results in a dramatic increase in RNa transcripts that hybridize with a norA probe. Preexposure of SA-1199 and SA-1199B to such substrates results in small increases or no increases in these transcripts. No sequence differences between SA-1199 and SA-1199-3 within the norA gene or flanking DNA were found. It appears likely that the regulation of norA in SA-1193, which may be effected by one or more genetic loci outside the norA region of the chromosome, differs from that of SA-1199 and SA-1199B.

The stimulative effect of diffusion potential on enoxacin uptake across rat intestinal brush-border membranes.

Evidence of a membrane potential dependence for enoxacin uptake by rat intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles has been found. The transient overshooting uptake of enoxacin disappeared in the voltage-clamped brush-border membrane vesicles in the presence of an outward H(+)-gradient. Momentary dissipation of the H(+)-gradient itself by carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone (FCCP) did not affect the uptake of enoxacin. In contrast, enoxacin uptake was depressed by an interior positive K(+)-diffusion potential induced by valinomycin. Furthermore, not only the outward H(+)-gradient but also an inward Cl(-)-gradient caused a stimulating effect on enoxacin uptake, and the stimulation by the Cl(-)-gradient was dissipated by using voltage-clamped membrane vesicles. These results indicate that enoxacin transportation across the brush-border membrane is dependent on the ionic diffusion potential. On the other hand, neither Gly-Gly nor guanidine had any effect on enoxacin uptake by the membrane vesicles in the presence of an inward (for Gly-Gly) or outward (for guanidine) H(+)-gradient as a driving force for each transport system. Therefore, it seems that enoxacin transport through the intestinal epithelia does not participate in the carrier-mediated transport systems for Gly-Gly and guanidine.

Mechanism of action of quinolones against Escherichia coli DNA gyrase.

The mechanism of action of quinolones was investigated by use of various DNA gyrases reconstituted from wild-type and mutant GyrA and GyrB proteins of Escherichia coli. The quinolone sensitivities of the DNA supercoiling activity of the gyrases were generally parallel to the quinolone susceptibilities of strains having the corresponding enzymes and depended on gyrase subunits but not on substrate DNA. [3H]Enoxacin did not bind to gyrase alone or DNA alone but bound to gyrase-DNA complexes when measured by a gel filtration method. There appeared to be two enoxacin binding phases, at low and high enoxacin concentrations, for the wild-type gyrase-DNA and type 2 GyrB (Lys-447 to Glu) mutant gyrase-DNA complexes but only one enoxacin binding phase at the concentrations used for the GyrA (Ser-83 to Leu) mutant gyrase-DNA and type 1 GyrB (Asp-426 to Asn) mutant gyrase-DNA complexes. New enoxacin binding sites appeared in the presence of enoxacin, and the enoxacin binding affinities for the sites, especially at low enoxacin concentrations, near the MICs for the strains having the corresponding gyrases, correlated well with the enoxacin sensitivities of the gyrases and the MICs. From the results obtained, we propose a quinolone pocket model as the mechanism of action of quinolones, in which quinolones exert their action through binding to a gyrase-DNA complex and the quinolone binding affinities for the complex are determined by both GyrA and GyrB subunits in concert.

OmpF channel permeability of quinolones and their comparison with beta-lactams.

The diffusion rates of nalidixic acid, ofloxacin and ofloxacin's two optically active isomers through OmpF channels were measured in proteoliposomes and compared with the rates of beta-lactams. The four quinolones showed high diffusion rates, exceeding that of cephaloridine and being comparable to imipenem. There was no significant difference in diffusion rate between nalidixic acid and ofloxacin, or between the two optically active isomers. The diffusion rates of enoxacin and norfloxacin were also estimated to be higher than many beta-lactams.

Effects of enoxacin on renal and metabolic clearance of theophylline in rats.

The effects of enoxacin and its metabolite 4-oxoenoxacin on the disposition of theophylline were investigated in rats. Systemic clearance of theophylline was significantly decreased by approximately 40, 46, and 50% after oral coadministration of 25, 100, and 200 mg of enoxacin per kg, respectively. No significant changes in the volume of distribution of theophylline were observed. 4-Oxoenoxacin had no direct effect on theophylline disposition. Significant changes in urinary excretion of theophylline and its metabolites were observed. (i) Urinary excretion of unchanged theophylline was significantly increased in proportion to increases in enoxacin dosage. (ii) Decreases in renal clearance of theophylline and metabolic clearance of 1-methyluric acid and 1,3-dimethyluric acid were observed. (iii) The percent decreases in the metabolic clearance of 1-methyluric acid were dependent on enoxacin dosage. It is likely that enoxacin inhibits the elimination process, which depends on cytochrome P-450-mediated isozymes for N demethylation and oxidation, and that the capacity of the inhibitory effect of enoxacin is greater in the N-demethylation pathway than it is in oxidation.

Pharmacokinetics of enoxacin and its oxometabolite following intravenous administration to patients with different degrees of renal impairment.

Enoxacin is a fluorinated quinolone with potential clinical use in the treatment of serious infections. Twenty-three patients (age, 19 to 87 years) with different degrees of renal function, including a group undergoing chronic hemodialysis, received enoxacin (400 mg) by intravenous infusion (1 h). Blood samples were collected before infusion; at the end of infusion; and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min and 3, 4, 6, 12, 18, 24, 48, and 72 h after infusion. Enoxacin and oxoenoxacin concentrations were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Pharmacokinetic parameters (mean +/- standard deviation) were calculated by using a noncompartmental PK model according to creatinine clearances (in milliliters per minute). Total clearance of enoxacin decreased from 4.95 +/- 1.16 ml/min per kg in the group with normal creatinine clearance to 0.76 +/- 0.21 ml/min per kg in the patients with severe renal failure (creatinine clearance, less than 15 ml/min), whereas the elimination half-life increased from 4.5 +/- 1.0 to 20 +/- 5 h, respectively. The elimination of oxoenoxacin (the main metabolite of enoxacin) in urine was markedly decreased when creatinine clearance was less than 15 ml/min. Hemodialysis removed an insignificant amount of enoxacin and oxoenoxacin. These data indicate that as creatinine clearance falls below 30 ml/min, the daily enoxacin dose should be reduced by half. During prolonged administration of enoxacin to patients with creatinine clearances of less than 30 ml/min, the accumulation of oxoenoxacin might lead to unexpected side effects.

Endogenous active efflux of norfloxacin in susceptible Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli was shown to have an energy-dependent reduced uptake of the fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent norfloxacin. Studies of everted inner membrane vesicles suggested that this reduced accumulation involved a carrier-mediated norfloxacin active efflux generated by proton motive force with an apparent Km of 0.2 mM and a Vmax of 3 nmol min-1 mg of protein-1. Other hydrophilic, but not hydrophobic, quinolones competed with norfloxacin for transport. Porin (OmpF)-deficient E. coli cells were twofold less susceptible to norfloxacin and showed twice as much energy-dependent reduction in drug uptake. However, active efflux assayed in everted vesicles from the OmpF strain was unchanged compared with that in the parental strain. These findings suggest that in the OmpF mutant decreased outer membrane permeability, combined with active efflux across the inner membrane, in some manner results in decreased steady-state uptake of norfloxacin and lowered drug susceptibility.

[Enoxacin in the seminal fluid of prostatitis patients].

Ten patients with prostatitis were administered with Enoxacin (ENX), and the changes in its concentration in the seminal fluid were studied. For acute prostatitis patients, 600 mg/day of ENX was administered for 5 to 7 days, and for chronic prostatitis patients, 400 to 600 mg/day was administered for 7 to 17 days. Seminal fluid was obtained in the morning of examination and frozen until measurement. ENX was measured by the agar well method using E. coli. The concentration of ENX was 2.69 +/- 0.85 micrograms/ml and 3.98 +/- 2.49 micrograms/ml in acute and chronic prostatitis patients, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. When the dose and method of administration were compared, the mean ENX concentration was 3.65 micrograms/ml in the group administered 600 mg of ENX, while it was 2.60 micrograms/ml in the group administered 400 mg of ENX and not significantly different. When ENX was administered for 7 days, the mean ENX concentration was 3.13 micrograms/ml, but when it was administered for 14 days, it was 3.46 micrograms/ml slightly higher. These results indicate that since the concentration of ENX in the seminal fluid was higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration for the pathogens of prostatitis, ENX may be a clinically effective drug.