Comparison of Cardiovascular Parameters and/or Serum Chemistry and Hematology Profiles in Conscious and Anesthetized Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

The rhesus monkey is often used in pre-clinical research, and such studies frequently involve a variety of anesthetic conditions. Therefore, it is important to determine baseline physiologic blood chemistry and cardiovascular parameters in anesthetized animals to facilitate appropriate comparisons. The present study compares the cardiovascular parameters, hematology, serum chemistry, and blood gas levels of rhesus monkeys anesthetized with pentobarbital, isoflurane, ketamine, and propofol. Hematology, serum chemistry, and blood gas levels were unaffected by the four anesthetic regimens. However, because of its formulation, propofol is inappropriate for use in animals in which changes in tryglycerides will be evaluated. Compared to those in conscious, unrestrained monkeys, heart rates were higher in anesthetized animals, but the rates of anesthetized animals were similar regardless of anesthetic agent used. In contrast, mean arterial blood pressure was lower in animals anesthetized with pentobarbital, propofol, or isoflurane than in the conscious monkeys. However, mean arterial pressure of ketamine-anesthetized monkeys was similar to that of the conscious monkeys.

Characterization of mice lacking the multidrug resistance protein MRP2 (ABCC2).

The multidrug resistance protein Mrp2 is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter mainly expressed in liver, kidney, and intestine. One of the physiological roles of Mrp2 is to transport bilirubin glucuronides from the liver into the bile. Current in vivo models to study Mrp2 are the transporter-deficient and Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rat strains. Previous reports showed hyperbilirubinemia and induction of Mrp3 in the hepatocyte sinusoidal membrane in the mutant rats. In addition, differences in liver cytochrome P450 and UGT1a levels between wild-type and mutant rats were detected. To study whether these compensatory mechanisms were specific to rats, we characterized Mrp2(-/-) mice. Functional absence of Mrp2 in the knockout mice was demonstrated by showing increased levels of bilirubin and bilirubin glucuronides in serum and urine, a reduction in biliary excretion of bilirubin glucuronides and total glutathione, and a reduction in the biliary excretion of the Mrp2 substrate dibromosulfophthalein. To identify possible compensatory mechanisms in Mrp2(-/-) mice, the expression levels of 98 phase I, phase II, and transporter genes were compared in liver, kidney, and intestine of male and female Mrp2(-/-) and control mice. Unlike in Mrp2 mutant rats, no induction of Mrp3 in Mrp2(-/-) mice was detected. However, Mrp4 mRNA and protein in liver and kidney were increased approximately 6- and 2-fold, respectively. Phenotypic analysis of major cytochrome P450-mediated activities in liver microsomes did not show differences between wild-type and Mrp2(-/-) mice. In conclusion, Mrp2(-/-) mice are a new valuable tool to study the role of Mrp2 in drug disposition.