Pharmacokinetic characteristics of cilostazol 200 mg controlled-release tablet compared with two cilostazol 100 mg immediate-release tablets (Pletal) after single oral dose in healthy Korean male volunteers

Cilostazol controlled-release (CR) tablets have recently been developed by Korea United Pharm (Seoul, Korea). The tablets use a patented double CR system, which improves drug compliance by allowing "once daily" administration and reduces adverse events by sustaining a more even plasma concentration for 24 h. We conducted an open, randomized, two-period, two-treatment, crossover study to compare the pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics and tolerability of cilostazol when administered to healthy Korean male volunteers as CR or immediate release (IR) tablets (Pletal, Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Gyeonggi-do, Korea). Each volunteer was randomly allocated to receive a single tablet of cilostazol CR (200 mg) or two tablets of cilostazol IR (100 mg) with a 7-day washout period between treatments. Plasma cilostazol, OPC-13015 (3,4-dehydrocilostazol), and OPC-13213 (4'-trans-hydroxycilostazol) were assayed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for PK analysis. Thirty participants completed the study with no clinically relevant safety issues. The peak concentrations (C(max), mean ± SD) of cilostazol CR and cilostazol IR were 1414.6 ± 49.3 and 1413.1 ± 35.2 ng/mL, respectively, and the areas under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to the last concentration (AUC(last)) were 23928.7 ± 65.9 and 25312.0 ± 62.6 ng·h/mL, respectively. The geometric mean ratios (cilostazol CR/cilostazol IR, GMR) of the C(max) and AUC(last) values were 1.001 (90% CI: 0.822, 1.220) and 0.945 (90% CI: 0.814, 1.098), respectively. The frequencies of adverse events were similar. The present study showed that cilostazol PK and tolerability were comparable when administered to healthy Korean men, regardless of whether administered as cilostazol CR or IR.

Association between Promoter Polymorphisms of TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3 and the Risk of Gastric and Diffuse Gastric Cancers in a Korean Population

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. The aims of this study were to evaluate the association between polymorphisms in TFF gene family, TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3 and the risk of gastric cancer (GC) and GC subgroups in a Korean population via a case-control study. The eight polymorphisms in TFF gene family were identified by sequencing and genotyped with 377 GC patients and 396 controls by using TaqMan genotyping assay. The rs184432 TT genotype of TFF1 was significantly associated with a reduced risk of GC (odds ratio, [OR) = 0.45; 95% confidence interval, [CI] = 0.25-0.82; P = 0.009), more protective against diffuse-type GC (OR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.05-0.89; P = 0.035) than GC (OR = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.14-0.82; P = 0.017) in subjects aged < 60 yr, and correlated with lymph node metastasis negative GC and diffuse-type GC (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.23-0.86; P = 0.016 and OR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.05-0.87; P = 0.031, respectively). In addition, a decreased risk of lymph node metastasis negative GC and diffuse-type GC was observed for rs225359 TT genotype of TFF1 (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.24-0.88; P = 0.020 and OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.05-0.88; P = 0.033, respectively). These findings suggest that the rs184432 and rs225359 polymorphisms in TFF1 have protective effects for GC and contribute to the development of GC in Korean individuals.

Bioequivalence of Two Erlotinib Formulations in Healthy Volunteers

BACKGROUND: Erlotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor prescribed for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of a generic (test) formulation of erlotinib with those of a reference formulation in healthy volunteers. METHODS: A randomized, open-label, single-dose two-treatment, two-period, two-sequence, crossover study was conducted in Clinical Trials Center, Chungnam National University Hospital with 40 healthy men. Subjects orally received either one 150 mg tablet of the test or the corresponding dose of the reference, and crossover phases were separated by 14-day washout. Plasma samples were collected up to 72 hr post-dose. Plasma erlotinib concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PK parameters were calculated by non-compartmental analysis. The safety was monitored throughout the study. RESULTS: A total of 21 cases of adverse events were reported. They are mild and relieved without an intervention. There was no serious adverse event. Median times to peak concentration of two formulations were 3.0. Means [SD] for peak concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of the test were 1,298 [346] microg/L and 25,318 [7,668] hrxmicrog/L. Those of the reference were 1,193 [378] microg/L and 24,853 [8,419] hrxmicrog/L. Geometric mean ratios (90% confidence intervals) for the test to the reference were 1.10 (1.02-1.18) for Cmax and 1.02 (0.97-1.09) for AUC. CONCLUSION: Two formulations were safe and well-tolerated. PK findings suggest that the test formulation is equivalent to the reference in terms of pharmacokinetics.

Common variants at the promoter region of the APOM confer a risk of rheumatoid arthritis

Although the genetic component in the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been consistently suggested, many novel genetic loci remain to uncover. To identify RA risk loci, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 100 RA cases and 600 controls using Affymetrix SNP array 5.0. The candidate risk locus (APOM gene) was re-sequenced to discover novel promoter and coding variants in a group of the subjects. Replication was performed with the independent case-control set comprising of 578 RAs and 711 controls. Through GWAS, we identified a novel SNP associated with RA at the APOM gene in the MHC class III region on 6p21.33 (rs805297, odds ratio (OR) = 2.28, P = 5.20 x 10(-7)). Three more polymorphisms were identified at the promoter region of the APOM by the re-sequencing. For the replication, we genotyped the four SNP loci in the independent case-control set. The association of rs805297 identified by GWAS was successfully replicated (OR = 1.40, P = 6.65 x 10(-5)). The association became more significant in the combined analysis of discovery and replication sets (OR = 1.56, P = 2.73 +/- 10(-10)). The individuals with the rs805297 risk allele (A) at the promoter region showed a significantly lower level of APOM expression compared with those with the protective allele (C) homozygote. In the logistic regressions by the phenotype status, the homozygote risk genotype (A/A) consistently showed higher ORs than the heterozygote one (A/C) for the phenotype-positive RAs. These results indicate that APOM promoter polymorphisms are significantly associated with the susceptibility to RA.

TiO2 nanotube stimulate chondrogenic differentiation of limb mesenchymal cells by modulating focal activity

Vertically aligned, laterally spaced nanoscale titanium nanotubes were grown on a titanium surface by anodization, and the growth of chondroprogenitors on the resulting surfaces was investigated. Surfaces bearing nanotubes of 70 to 100 nm in diameter were found to trigger the morphological transition to a cortical actin pattern and rounded cell shape (both indicative of chondrocytic differentiation), as well as the up-regulation of type II collagen and integrin beta4 protein expression through the down-regulation of Erk activity. Inhibition of Erk signaling reduced stress fiber formation and induced the transition to the cortical actin pattern in cells cultured on 30-nm-diameter nanotubes, which maintained their fibroblastoid morphologies in the absence of Erk inhibition. Collectively, these results indicate that a titanium-based nanotube surface can support chondrocytic functions among chondroprogenitors, and may therefore be useful for future cartilaginous applications.

Polymorphisms of COTL1 gene identified by proteomic approach and their association with autoimmune disorders

To select candidate genes, we attempted to comparative analysis of protein levels between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). We identified 17 proteins that showed up- or down-regulated spots in RA patients. We found that coactosin-like1 (COTL1) were highly expressed in RA patients compared with healthy controls. We performed a case-control study to determine whether the COTL1 gene polymorphisms were associated with RA and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The genotype frequency of c.-1124G>T and the allelic frequency of c.484G>A in RA patients, and the genotype frequency of c.484G>A in SLE patients were significantly different from healthy controls (P = 0.009, 0.027, and 0.025, respectively). We also investigated the correlation with the levels of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody in RA patients, and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in SLE patients. The c.484G>A polymorphism in RA patients has significant association with the levels of anti-CCP antibody (P = 0.03). Our findings demonstrated that c.-1124G>T and c.484G>A polymorphisms of the COTL1 gene might be associated with the genetic susceptibility of autoimmune disorders.

Polymorphisms of COTL1 gene identified by proteomic approach and their association with autoimmune disorders

To select candidate genes, we attempted to comparative analysis of protein levels between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). We identified 17 proteins that showed up- or down-regulated spots in RA patients. We found that coactosin-like1 (COTL1) were highly expressed in RA patients compared with healthy controls. We performed a case-control study to determine whether the COTL1 gene polymorphisms were associated with RA and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The genotype frequency of c.-1124G>T and the allelic frequency of c.484G>A in RA patients, and the genotype frequency of c.484G>A in SLE patients were significantly different from healthy controls (P = 0.009, 0.027, and 0.025, respectively). We also investigated the correlation with the levels of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody in RA patients, and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in SLE patients. The c.484G>A polymorphism in RA patients has significant association with the levels of anti-CCP antibody (P = 0.03). Our findings demonstrated that c.-1124G>T and c.484G>A polymorphisms of the COTL1 gene might be associated with the genetic susceptibility of autoimmune disorders.

Identification of Human LRG1 Polymorphisms and Their Genetic Association with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Human leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1 ) was first identified as a trace protein in human serum. The primary sequence of LRG1 includes repeated leucine residues and putative membrane-binding domains. But, there is no published information on the genetic variation of this gene. In this study, LRG1 was identified as one of several upregulated genes in RA patients. We examined the expression levels of LRG1 between an RA patient and a healthy control by RT-PCR and validated that LRG1 was highly expressed in RA patients compared with controls. We identified the possible variation sites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human LRG1 gene by direct sequencing and analyzed the association of genotype and allele frequencies between RA patients and a control group without RA. We further investigated the relationship between these polymorphisms and the level of RF or anti-CCP in RA patients. We identified a total of three SNPs (g.-678A> G, g.-404C>T and g.1427T>C) and two variation sites (g.-1198delA and g.-893delA) in the LRG1 gene. Our results suggest that polymorphisms of the LRG1 gene are not associated with the susceptibility of RA in the Korean population.