In vivo evaluation of pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions between fluorinated pyrimidine anticancer drugs, 5-fluorouracil and capecitabin, and an anticoagulant, warfarin.

Warfarin is a common anticoagulant and has demonstrated interactions with several drugs. Among them, as a serious adverse event, a case of death due to the enhanced warfarin action owing to its combined use with a fluoropyrimidine anticancer drug has been reported, but the detailed mechanism has not been elucidated.Some reports have advocated that fluorinated pyrimidine anticancer drugs reduce cytochrome P450 2C9 expression, leading to the enhanced pharmacological effects of warfarin.The purpose of this study was to clarify the mechanisms of drug-drug interactions between warfarin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and capecitabine in vivo using rats. Rats were administered warfarin in combination with 5-FU (15 mg/kg/d) or capecitabine (15 mg/kg/d) for 7 d. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time were significantly prolonged in the warfarin plus 5-FU or capecitabine groups compared with those in the warfarin alone group. No significant difference was observed in the area under the plasma concentration-time curve of the warfarin alone group compared with the warfarin with 5-FU or capecitabine groups.These data suggest that the enhancement of warfarin efficacy caused by the combination of 5-FU or capecitabine was due to a pharmacological interaction rather than a pharmacokinetic interaction.

Troglitazone-Induced Autophagic Cytotoxicity in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Troglitazone (TGZ), a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) ligand, is a potential antitumor agent. However, the action mechanism of TGZ in lung adenocarcinoma cells has not been completely elucidated. To assess this mechanism and the anticancer effects of TGZ in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549 and H1975), we investigated the involvement of PPARγ, apoptosis, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and autophagy. Cell viability was measured using fluorescence-based assays. Apoptotic cells were detected by Hoechst 33342 and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) double staining; protein expression was detected by Western blotting. TGZ inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in both cell lines, and the effect was not suppressed by a PPARγ inhibitor. Additionally, TGZ increased apoptotic cell number and upregulated p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation; however, p38 and JNK inhibitors did not block TGZ-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation in either cell line. TGZ also upregulated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation, whereas an ERK1/2 inhibitor enhanced TGZ-mediated cytotoxicity in A549 cells. Additionally, TGZ increased LC3-II expression, and chloroquine (an autophagy inhibitor) attenuated TGZ-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation. These findings suggest that TGZ-induced inhibition of cell proliferation is PPARγ independent. TGZ-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation was accompanied by apoptosis and independent of the MAPK signaling pathway. These results suggest that TGZ inhibits cell proliferation through autophagy-induced cytotoxicity. This study demonstrated that chemotherapy using TGZ may be effective for lung adenocarcinoma.

Telmisartan-Induced Cytotoxicity via G2/M Phase Arrest in Renal Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer. Given that stage IV RCC is intractable, there is a need for a novel treatment strategy. We investigated the antitumor effects of telmisartan (TEL) and their underlying mechanisms in RCC, including their impact on apoptosis, Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways, and the cell cycle using two human RCC cell lines: 786-O and Caki-2. Cell viability was detected via fluorescence-based assays. Cells were stained with Hoechst 33342 to observe chromatin condensation, and Western blotting was performed to analyze protein expression. The cell cycle was assessed using flow cytometry. Invasion and migration assays were performed using 24-well chambers. TEL induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner and increased the percentage of cells with high chromatin condensation and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in both cell lines. TEL-induced cell death was attenuated by neither peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ nor -δ inhibitors. Although TEL elevated c-Jun N-terminal kinase levels and p38 phosphorylation rates in Caki-2 cells, as well as extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation rates in 786-O cells, their inhibitors did not suppress TEL-induced cell death. TEL decreased Akt phosphorylation in 786-O cells and mTOR phosphorylation in both cell lines, increased the population of cells in the G2/M phase, and altered G2/M-related proteins in both cell lines. TEL moderately suppressed cell invasion and migration in 786-O and Caki-2 cells, respectively, and increased cell invasion in Caki-2 cells, suggesting a potential therapeutic role of TEL in RCC.

Telmisartan Exerts Cytotoxicity in Scirrhous Gastric Cancer Cells by Inducing G0/G1 Cell Cycle Arrest.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to assess the effects of telmisartan (TEL), a potential antitumor agent, and its mechanism of action in the regulation of apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle in scirrhous gastric cancer (SGC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of TEL on the viability and chromatin condensation of OCUM-2M and OCUM-12 cells was assessed. Protein expression and the cell cycle were analysed using western blotting and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: TEL inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and increased chromatin condensation and autophagy marker LC3-II levels in OCUM-12 cells. TEL also increased the proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase transition. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis and autophagy are partially involved in the inhibitory effect of TEL on cell proliferation. Additionally, TEL caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Therefore, TEL could be a promising treatment for SGC.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenous mycophenolate mofetil in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell-transplanted Japanese patients.

PURPOSE: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is increasingly used among Japanese patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). Because pharmacokinetic data for MMF in the Asian population are limited, we conducted this investigation. METHODS: Intravenous MMF (1000 mg/dose) was administered to 10 patients along with cyclosporine or tacrolimus for 10 days after allo-SCT; it was administered every 8 h in peripheral blood stem cell- and bone marrow-transplanted patients, and every 12 h in cord blood-transplanted patients. MMF was administered orally at the same dose from day 11. Plasma concentrations of mycophenolic acid (MPA) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The MPA AUC0 - tau was 31.9 ± 3.4, 26.2 ± 2.4, and 21.0 ± 2.2 µg*h/mL, the mean Ctrough was 0.25, 0.35, and 0.37 µg/mL, and the Cmax was 10.8, 9.2, and 5.5 µg/mL on days 2, 9, and 16, respectively. The AUC0 - tau and Cmax were significantly higher after intravenous MMF dosing than after oral MMF dosing. All patients exhibited successful neutrophil engraftments in a median time of 18 days. Grade II acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) of the skin was observed in two patients, and one patient developed limited chronic GvHD. Individual cases of transient and curable grade III oral mucositis and diarrhea were observed; however, MMF was not discontinued. No other severe complications or infections were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenously administered MMF was safe and possibly effective in achieving higher MPA plasma concentrations for GvHD prophylaxis after allo-SCT in Japanese patients.

In vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity of troglitazone in pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Troglitazone (TGZ) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist that has been investigated as a potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent. However, the antitumor efficacy and mechanisms of TGZ in pancreatic cancer have not been extensively investigated. This study was performed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo effects of TGZ against pancreatic cancer cell lines, as well as its action mechanisms in terms of PPARγ dependency and the Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. We also evaluated the effects of TGZ on cell invasion and migration. METHODS: MIA Paca2 and PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cell lines were used. Cell viability and caspase-3 activity were detected using fluorescent reagents, and chromatin condensation was observed after staining the cells with Hoechst 33342. Protein expression levels were detected by western blot analysis. Invasion and migration assays were performed using 24-well chambers. The in vivo antitumor effects of TGZ were investigated in nude mice inoculated with MIA Paca2 cells. Mice were orally administered TGZ (200 mg/kg) every day for 5 weeks, and tumor volumes were measured bi-dimensionally. RESULTS: TGZ showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity against both cell lines, which was not attenuated by a PPARγ inhibitor. Further, TGZ induced chromatin condensation, elevated caspase-3 activity, and increased Bax/Bcl-2 relative expression in MIA Paca2 cells. TGZ also increased phosphorylation of Akt and MAPK (ERK/p38/JNK) in both cell lines, and a JNK inhibitor significantly increased the viability of MIA Paca2 cells. TGZ moderately inhibited cell migration. Tumor growth in the MIA Paca2 xenograft model was inhibited by TGZ administration, while mouse body weights in the treated group were not different from those of the vehicle administration group. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated for the first time the in vivo antitumor effects of TGZ in pancreatic cancer without marked adverse effects. TGZ induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in MIA Paca2 cells, and its cytotoxic effects were PPARγ-independent and occurred via the JNK pathway. Our results indicate that TGZ is a potential approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and warrants further studies regarding its detailed mechanisms and clinical efficacy.

Use of mycophenolate mofetil and a calcineurin inhibitor in allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation from HLA-matched siblings or unrelated volunteer donors: Japanese multicenter phase II trials.

To test the feasibility of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis in Japanese patients, we conducted two multicenter prospective phase II trials of allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) from HLA-matched related donors (MRD group) with MMF and cyclosporine or HLA 7-8/8 allele-matched unrelated bone-marrow donors (URD group) with MMF and tacrolimus. The cumulative incidences of grade II-IV acute GVHD on day 100, which was the primary endpoint in these trials, were 45.0% (90% CI 25.8-62.5) and 25.8% (90% CI 13.9-39.5) in the MRD (n = 20) and URD (n = 31) groups, respectively. The rates of 3-year overall survival and non-relapse mortality were 80.0 and 15.0% in the MRD group and 74.2 and 6.5% in the URD group, respectively. GVHD prophylaxis with MMF may lead to a lower incidence of severe mucositis and faster neutrophil engraftment compared to that with methotrexate. A pharmacokinetics study of mycophenolic acid (MPA) showed that a relatively higher plasma concentration of MPA was associated with a lower incidence of acute GVHD. In conclusion, the results of these studies suggest that GVHD prophylaxis with MMF may be useful as an alternative in Japanese patients who may benefit from faster engraftment or less severe mucositis after allogeneic HSCT.

Lower Body Mass Index is a Risk Factor for In-Hospital Mortality of Elderly Japanese Patients Treated with Ampicillin/sulbactam.

Objectives: A retrospective examination was conducted to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality of elderly patients (65 years or older) treated with the beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination antibiotic, ampicillin/sulbactam (ABPC/SBT). Methods: Clinical data from 96 patients who were hospitalized with infectious diseases and treated with ABPC/SBT (9 g/day or 12 g/day) were analyzed. Risk factors examined included demographic and clinical laboratory parameters. Parameter values prior to treatment and changes after treatment were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Results: The study patients had an average age of 81.9±8.4 years (±SD) and body mass index (BMI) of 19.9±4.2 kg/m2. They were characterized by anemia (low hemoglobin and hematocrit levels), inflammation (high leukocyte count, neutrophil count, C-reactive protein level, and body temperature), and hepatic and renal dysfunction (high aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and blood urea nitrogen levels). The BMI of non-survivors, 16.2±2.9 kg/m2, was lower than that of survivors, 20.4±4.1 kg/m2. In addition, the hematological parameters deteriorated more remarkably, inflammation markers were not altered (or the decrease was marginal), and hepatic function was not improved, in non-survivors. Conclusions: A lower BMI value is a risk factor for in-hospital mortality of elderly patients treated with ABPC/SBT.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase levels as a predictive marker of oxaliplatin-induced hypersensitivity reactions in Japanese patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical laboratory test data obtained prior to treatments were previously analyzed from the standpoint of susceptibility to hypersensitivity reactions in patients treated with the platimun anticancer agent, oxaliplatin (L-OHP). In the present study, the time course from the first to last cycle of the treatment was additionally analyzed to determine a better predictor of these reactions. METHODS: A total of 20 laboratory test data were obtained from 108 Japanese patients with advanced colorectal cancer who were treated with the L-OHP-containing regimens, FOLFOX4 and/or mFOLFOX6. The averages and variation coefficients (CV%) of the data until the last cycle of the treatment were compared between patients with hypersensitivity reactions and those without. RESULTS: The average serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level was lower in patients with grade 1/2 reactions (P=0.016), whereas its CV% value was higher in patients with grade 3/4 reactions (P=0.005) than in those without reactions. An increase in serum LDH levels was observed in some patients with grade 3/4 reactions as the cycle number increased, and thereafter hypersensitivity reactions occurred. This phenomenon was not always observed, but was never detected in patients with grade 1/2 reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Serum LDH levels may be a predictive marker of hypersensitivity reactions in patients treated with L-OHP. Further extensive examinations with a larger number of patients are needed to establish a patient management strategy.

Genetic polymorphisms in SLC23A2 as predictive biomarkers of severe acute toxicities after treatment with a definitive 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) is one of the standard therapies for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, inter-individual variations in clinical outcomes have yet to be investigated. In the present study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SLC23A2 gene were retrospectively evaluated in 49 Japanese patients with ESCC who were treated with a definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based CRT, and the predictive values for the clinical response, severe acute toxicities, and long-term survival were assessed. METHODS: A course consisted of the continuous infusion of 5-FU at 400 mg/m(2)/day for days 1-5 and 8-12, the infusion of CDDP at 40 mg/m(2)/day on days 1 and 8, and radiation at 2 Gy/day on days 1 to 5, 8 to 12, and 15 to 19, with a second course being repeated after a 2-week interval. The SLC23A2 SNPs rs2681116, rs13037458, rs1715364, rs4987219, and rs1110277 were evaluated. RESULTS: The rs2681116 and rs13037458 had a tendency to predict the clinical response (p=0.144 and 0.085, respectively) and long-term survival (p=0.142 and 0.056, respectively). The rs4987219 and rs1110277 correlated with severe acute leukopenia (p=0.025) and stomatitis (p=0.019), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Further investigations with a larger number of patients or an in vitro study are needed to confirm the predictive values of genetic polymorphisms in SLC23A2.

TNF-α -857C>T genotype is predictive of clinical response after treatment with definitive 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Genotypes of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and its surface receptors, TNFRSF1A and TNFRSF1B, have been examined in terms of the progression, metastasis, clinical efficacy, and prognosis of various cancers; however, little is known about their effects on clinical outcome in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In this study, TNF-α and TNFRSF1A genotypes were retrospectively evaluated in terms of predicting clinical response, long-term survival, and severe acute toxicities in 46 male Japanese ESCC patients treated with definitive 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS: A course consisted of the continuous infusion of 5-FU at 400 mg/m(2)/day for days 1-5 and 8-12, the infusion of CDDP at 40 mg/m(2)/day on days 1 and 8, and radiation at 2 Gy/day on days 1-5, 8-12, and 15-19, with a second course being repeated after a 2-week interval. The TNF-α -1031T>C (rs1799964), -863C>A (rs1800630), -857C>T (rs1799724), -308G>A (rs1800629), -238G>A (rs361525), TNFRSF1A -609G>T (rs4149570), and 36A>G (rs767455) genotypes were evaluated. RESULTS: The TNF-α -857C>T genotype was found to be predictive of clinical response, i.e., complete response or not (P = 0.010, Fisher's exact test), but had no effect on long-term survival (CC(-857) vs. CT(-857) + TT(-857), P = 0.072, Fisher's exact test, P = 0.070, Log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: The TNF-α -857C>T genotype was found to be predictive of clinical response and was more likely to predict long-term survival in Japanese ESCC patients receiving definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based CRT. Further clinical investigations with a larger number of patients or experiments in vitro should be performed to assess the predictive value of this genotype following CRT.

VEGF -634C/G genotype is predictive of long-term survival after treatment with a definitive 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Reports have been accumulating that genetic properties are predictive of clinical response after and/or toxicity during cancer chemotherapy, but little information is available concerning effects on long-term survival. In this study, 49 Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were followed up for 5 years after treatment with a definitive 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and the effects of genotypes of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were retrospectively revaluated in terms of prediction of long-term survival. METHODS: A course consisted of the continuous infusion of 5-FU at 400 mg/m(2)/day for days 1-5 and 8-12, the infusion of CDDP at 40 mg/m(2)/day on days 1 and 8, and radiation at 2 Gy/day on days 1 to 5, 8 to 12, and 15 to 19, with a second course repeated after a 2-week interval. The VEGF genotypes -1498T/C, -1154G/A, -634C/G, -7C/T, 936C/T, and 1612G/A were evaluated. RESULTS: The complete response (CR) rate was 46.9% (23/49). The 5-year survival rate was 42.9 % (21/49). There were 7 patients with a CR, but survival of less than 5 years. They died from myocardial infarction (N=1), sudden cardiac death after suffering from heart failure (N=1), acute myeloid leukemia that developed from myelodysplastic syndromes (N=1), factors not specified (N=2), oropharynx cancer (N=1), and tongue cancer (N=1). VEGF -634C/G had no effect on clinical response, but long-term survival depended on the genotype (p=0.033, Fisher's; p=0.038, Cochran-Armitage; p=0.079, Log-rank). The genotype frequency of 7 patients with a CR, but survival of less than 5 years was different from that for the other 42 patients (p=0.032, Fisher's). None of the other 5 genotypes evaluated affected either clinical response or survival. CONCLUSIONS: VEGF -634C/G is possibly predictive of long-term survival after treatment with a definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based CRT. Further clinical studies with a larger number of cases are needed to clarify the effects of this genotype.

THRB genetic polymorphisms can predict severe myelotoxicity after definitive chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Chemotherapy-related toxicities are difficult to predict before treatment. In this study, we investigated whether thyroid hormone receptor beta (THRB) genetic polymorphisms can serve as a potential biomarker in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: Forty-nine Japanese patients with ESCC who received a definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin in conjunction with concurrent irradiation were retrospectively analyzed. Severe acute toxicities, including leukopenia, stomatitis, and cheilitis, were evaluated according to 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene; the intronic SNPs of rs7635707 G/T, rs6787255 A/C, rs9812034 G/T, and rs9310738 C/T and the SNPs in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of rs844107 C/T and rs1349265 G/A. RESULTS: Distribution of the 4 intronic SNPs, but not the 2 SNPs in the 3'-UTR, showed a significant difference between patients with and without severe acute leukopenia. Stomatitis and cheilitis were not associated with any of the 6 analyzed SNPs. Frequency of haplotype of the 4 intronic SNPs reached approximately 97% with the 2 major haplotypes G-A-G-C (73.4%) and T-C-T-T (23.5%). CONCLUSIONS: THRB intronic SNPs can provide useful information on CRT-related severe myelotoxicity in patients with ESCC. Future studies will be needed to confirm these findings.

Cytotoxicity of 15-deoxy-Δ(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) through PPARγ-independent pathway and the involvement of the JNK and Akt pathway in renal cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) have been examined as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. The aim was to investigate the cytotoxicity and action mechanisms of 15-deoxy-Δ(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) (15d-PGJ(2)), one of endogenous ligands for PPARγ, in terms of PPARγ-dependency and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Akt pathway in three human renal cell carcinoma (RCC)-derived cell lines. METHODS: 786-O, Caki-2 and ACHN cells were used as human RCC-derived cell lines. Cell viability and caspase-3 activity was detected by fluorescent reagents, and chromatin-condensation was observed with a brightfield fluorescent microscope after staining cells with Hoechst33342. The expression levels of proteins were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: 15d-PGJ(2) showed cytotoxicity in dose-dependent manner. 15d-PGJ(2) induced chromatin-condensation and elevated caspase-3 activity, and the cell viability was restored by co-treatment with a pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK, indicating the involvement of caspase-dependent apoptosis. The cytotoxicity was not impaired by a PPARγ inhibitor, GW9662, suggesting that 15d-PGJ(2) exerted the cytotoxicity in a PPARγ-independent manner. Some antioxidants rescued cells from cell death induced by 15d-PGJ(2), but some did not, suggesting that reactive oxygen species (ROS) did not contribute to the apoptosis. 15d-PGJ(2) also increased the expression levels of phospho-c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK) in Caki-2 cells, and decreased those of phospho-Akt in 786-O cells, indicating that the JNK MAPK and the Akt pathways participated in the anticancer effects of 15d-PGJ(2) in some cell lines. CONCLUSION: 15d-PGJ(2) exerted cytotoxic effects accompanying caspase-dependent apoptosis, and this effect was elicited in a PPARγ-independent manner in three cell lines. In addition, the JNK MAPK and Akt pathway was involved in the cytotoxicity of 15d-PGJ(2) to some extent in some cell line. Therefore, our study showed the 15d-PGJ(2) to potentially be an interesting approach for RCC treatment.

Mycophenolate mofetil: fully utilizing its benefits for GvHD prophylaxis.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has been widely used for the prophylaxis of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), based on clinical evidence established in organ transplantations. MMF is not a cytotoxic, but rather a cytostatic agent, and there have been several reports of significant advantages in engraftment as well as greatly reduced stomatitis compared to methotrexate (MTX). MMF has been preferred for MTX-free immunosuppression, especially in reduced intensity conditioning, but it is suitable for GvHD prophylaxis for any type of HSCT. Some clinicians doubt its effectiveness, due to the lack of advantage over MTX in acute GvHD prophylaxis, especially in myeloablative conditioning. Pharmacokinetics studies of mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active form of MMF, show large inter- and intra-patient variation, which make interpretations of its clinical usefulness difficult. Nevertheless, several studies, including ours, have demonstrated that relatively higher area under the curve (AUC) of the MPA group leads to significant suppression of acute GvHD in prophylactic use. We propose a model algorithm for optimal dose finding using therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for MPA. Preemptive strategies depending on plasma MPA levels could yield more effective approaches to GvHD prophylaxis, alternative to MTX.

Involvement of the mevalonate pathway in the antiproliferative effect of zoledronate on ACHN renal cell carcinoma cells.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been shown to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In order to examine the potential of zoledronate (ZOL), a bisphosphonate, as an anticancer agent, we investigated the effects of ZOL on RCC cells and the involvement of the mevalonate pathway in antiproliferative effects, as well as the effects of ZOL administration on mice inoculated with RCC. ACHN cells were used and cell viability was measured via intra-cellular reductase activity. Chromatin condensation was detected by Hoechst 33342 staining. Proteins were detected by western blot analysis. Tumor volume was measured bidimensionally in mice inoculated with ACHN cells after vehicle or ZOL subcutaneous administration. ZOL exhibited antiproliferative effects with an IC50 value of 2.29±0.53 µM in ACHN cells and chromatin condensation was observed when treated with ZOL. Farnesol (FOH) and geranylgeraniol (GGOH), precursors of farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, exhibited potency to rescue cells treated with ZOL. Additionally, Ras and RhoA proteins located in the membrane fraction decreased when treated with ZOL and recovered by FOH or GGOH treatment, suggesting that ZOL inhibited the mevalonate pathway, thereby suppressing the translocation of prenylated Ras and RhoA proteins to membrane fractions. An in vivo study showed the inhibitory potential of ZOL on tumor growth in mice without changes in body weight. Our study showed that ZOL could be useful as an anticancer agent for the treatment of RCC, and the mevalonate pathway could be an efficient target for novel therapeutic agents against RCC.

Hypersensitivity reactions to anticancer agents: data mining of the public version of the FDA adverse event reporting system, AERS.

BACKGROUND: Previously, adverse event reports (AERs) submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) database were reviewed to confirm platinum agent-associated hypersensitivity reactions. The present study was performed to confirm whether the database could suggest the hypersensitivity reactions caused by anticancer agents, paclitaxel, docetaxel, procarbazine, asparaginase, teniposide, and etoposide. METHODS: After a revision of arbitrary drug names and the deletion of duplicated submissions, AERs involving candidate agents were analyzed. The National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 was applied to evaluate the susceptibility to hypersensitivity reactions, and standardized official pharmacovigilance tools were used for quantitative detection of signals, i.e., drug-associated adverse events, including the proportional reporting ratio, the reporting odds ratio, the information component given by a Bayesian confidence propagation neural network, and the empirical Bayes geometric mean. RESULTS: Based on 1,644,220 AERs from 2004 to 2009, the signals were detected for paclitaxel-associated mild, severe, and lethal hypersensitivity reactions, and docetaxel-associated lethal reactions. However, the total number of adverse events occurring with procarbazine, asparaginase, teniposide, or etoposide was not large enough to detect signals. CONCLUSIONS: The FDA's adverse event reporting system, AERS, and the data mining methods used herein are useful for confirming drug-associated adverse events, but the number of co-occurrences is an important factor in signal detection.

Effects of plasma concentrations of 5-fluorouracil on long-term survival after treatment with a definitive 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: A substantial body of literature has accumulated during the past 20 years showing the plasma concentrations of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to correlate with clinical response and/or toxicity in colorectal cancer, and head and neck cancer, but little information is available concerning effects on long-term survival. Here, Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were followed up for 5 years after treatment with a definitive 5-FU/cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and the association between prognosis and the plasma concentration of 5-FU was evaluated. METHODS: Forty-nine patients with ESCC, who were treated with a definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based CRT, were enrolled. A course consisted of the continuous infusion of 5-FU at 400 mg/m2/day for days 1-5 and 8-12, the infusion of CDDP at 40 mg/m2/day on days 1 and 8, and the radiation at 2 Gy/day on days 1 to 5, 8 to 12, and 15 to 19, with a second course repeated after a 2-week interval. Plasma concentrations of 5-FU were determined by high performance liquid chromatography at 5:00 PM on days 3, 10, 38 and 45, and at 5:00 AM on days 4, 11, 39 and 46. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival rate was 42.9%. Age (P = 0.020), body weight (P = 0.019), and disease stage (P = 0.048) affected the survival, and the survival depended on the clinical response assessed at 1 month after the treatment (P = 0.001). Higher plasma concentrations of 5-FU resulted in a better clinical response (P = 0.043), and trended to prolong survival (P = 0.321). CONCLUSIONS: The long-term survival after treatment with a definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based CRT possibly depends on the plasma concentrations of 5-FU, and further clinical studies with a larger number of cases are needed to clarify the relationship between them.

Cytotoxicity of troglitazone through PPARγ-independent pathway and p38 MAPK pathway in renal cell carcinoma.

Agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) have been examined as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. The aim was to investigate the cytotoxicity of troglitazone (TGZ) and its mechanisms in terms of PPARγ dependency and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in three human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines, 786-O, Caki-2 and ACHN cells. TGZ induced apoptosis and exerted cytotoxicity in a PPARγ-independent manner. We demonstrated that TGZ activated the p38 MAPK pathway and was involved in the cytotoxicity of TGZ. It was also revealed that TGZ induced G(2)/M cell cycle arrest through activation of p38 MAPK.

Effects of bolus injection of 5-fluorouracil on steady-state plasma concentrations of 5-fluorouracil in Japanese patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The irinotecan (CPT-11) + 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin (LV) + UFT/LV chemotherapy, in which repetitive oral administration of UFT/LV replaces the infusion of 5-FU/LV in the FOLFIRI regimen, has been proposed previously. In this study, five of 10 patients were injected with a bolus of 5-FU and the other were not injected with it in order to examine the effect of omitting it in terms of pharmacokinetics of 5-FU. METHODS: The treatment consisted of the intravenous infusions of CPT-11 at 100 mg/m(2 )and l-LV at 15 mg/m(2), and the injection of a bolus of 5-FU at 500 mg/m(2) on day 1, and the repetitive oral administration of UFT/LV (300 mg/m(2)/day as tegafur + 75 mg/day of LV) on days 1-5. A total of 13 measurements of the plasma concentrations of uracil, 5-FU and tegafur were made per patient within 48 hr after the start of chemotherapy and the value of area under the concentration-time curve (AUC(0-48)) was evaluated. The plasma concentration was also determined at 2 weeks to assess long-term exposure to 5-FU. RESULTS: The plasma concentrations of 5-FU at 24 hr after the start of treatment were 27.4 ng/mL and 9.4 ng/mL in the patients with and without the bolus injection, respectively. At 48 hr, they were 31.3 ng/mL and 10.4 ng/mL with the AUC(0-48) values of 22.16 mg h/L and 0.65 mg h/L, respectively. The 5-FU was detected in the plasma at 226 hr after the last administration of UFT/LV for the patients with the bolus injection, but not for those without. CONCLUSION: A bolus of 5-FU on day 1 provided long-term exposure to 5-FU.