Immunotoxicological Effects of Aripiprazole: In vivo and In vitro Studies

Aripiprazole (ARI) is a commonly prescribed medication used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. To date, there have been no studies regarding the molecular pathological and immunotoxicological profiling of aripiprazole. Thus, in the present study, we prepared two different formulas of aripiprazole [Free base crystal of aripiprazole (ARPGCB) and cocrystal of aripiprazole (GCB3004)], and explored their effects on the patterns of survival and apoptosis-regulatory proteins under acute toxicity and cytotoxicity test conditions. Furthermore, we also evaluated the modulatory activity of the different formulations on the immunological responses in macrophages primed by various stimulators such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), pam3CSK, and poly(I:C) via toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), TLR2, and TLR3 pathways, respectively. In liver, both ARPGCB and GCB3004 produced similar toxicity profiles. In particular, these two formulas exhibited similar phospho-protein profiling of p65/nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, c-Jun/activator protein (AP)-1, ERK, JNK, p38, caspase 3, and bcl-2 in brain. In contrast, the patterns of these phospho-proteins were variable in other tissues. Moreover, these two formulas did not exhibit any cytotoxicity in C6 glioma cells. Finally, the two formulations at available in vivo concentrations did not block nitric oxide (NO) production from activated macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells stimulated with LPS, pam3CSK, or poly(I:C), nor did they alter the morphological changes of the activated macrophages. Taken together, our present work, as a comparative study of two different formulas of aripiprazole, suggests that these two formulas can be used to achieve similar functional activation of brain proteins related to cell survival and apoptosis and immunotoxicological activities of macrophages.

Pro-Apoptotic Activity of 4-Isopropyl-2-(1-Phenylethyl) Aniline Isolated from Cordyceps bassiana

Cordyceps species including Cordyceps bassiana are a notable anti-cancer dietary supplement. Previously, we identified several compounds with anti-cancer activity from the butanol fraction (Cb-BF) of Cordyceps bassiana. To expand the structural value of Cb-BF-derived anti-cancer drugs, we employed various chemical moieties to produce a novel Cb-BF-derived chemical derivative, KTH-13-amine-monophenyl [4-isopropyl-2-(1-phenylethyl) aniline (KTH-13-AMP)], which we tested for anti-cancer activity. KTH-13-AMP suppressed the proliferation of MDA-MB-231, HeLa, and C6 glioma cells. KTH-13-AMP also dose-dependently induced morphological changes in C6 glioma cells and time-dependently increased the level of early apoptotic cells stained with annexin V-FITC. Furthermore, the levels of the active full-length forms of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were increased. In contrast, the levels of total forms of caspases-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and Bcl-2 were decreased in KTH-13-AMP treated-cells. We also confirmed that the phosphorylation of STAT3, Src, and PI3K/p85, which is linked to cell survival, was diminished by treatment with KTH-13-AMP. Therefore, these results strongly suggest that this compound can be used to guide the development of an anti-cancer drug or serve as a lead compound in forming another strong anti-proliferative agent.

Mechanism of Cultured Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Induced Suppression of Allogeneic Lymphocytes Proliferation / 대한혈액학회지

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) can be defined by their extensive in vitro self renewal capacity and multi-lineage differentiation potentiality. These cells possess in vitro immunosuppressive properties that appear not to be major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restricted. This study evaluated the immune suppressive effect of mouse MSC on mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR), and the mechanisms were investigated. METHODS: MSC were obtained from BALB/c bone marrow and cultured in low-glucose DMEM media. The expression of surface antigens and cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry. The MSC-induced suppression was assessed by MLR and transwell culture. RESULTS: The BALB/c MSC constitutively expressed MHC class I and CD54 (ICAM-1) antigens but were negative for MHC class II, CD40, CD80 (B7-1) and CD106 (VCAM-1) antigens. MSC suppressed allogeneic C57BL/6 T lymphocytes proliferation by adding them to MLR in which C3H spleen cells were used as a stimulator. This inhibition was dependent on the dose of BALB/c MSC but independent of MHC. C57BL/6 T lymphocytes proliferation was still inhibited when BALB/c MSC were added in culture 3 days after starting of MLR. When MSC were separated from C57BL/6 T cells by using the transwell membrane, the suppression of immune response wasn't observed, which suggested that the suppressive effect was dependent on cell-cell contact between BALB/c MSC and C57BL/6 T cells. When C57BL/6 T lymphocytes were cultured with MSC, the percentage of C57BL/6 T cells in G0 phase increased from 51.8+/-7.66% to 77.2+/-7.39% compared with the case that only C57BL/6 T cells were cultured. When the C57BL/6 T cells were cultured with C3H spleen cells, most of C57BL/6 T cells were in G2/M (96.38+/-3.33%). But by the addition of MSC to MLR, the percentage of T cells in G2/M decreased to 33.0+/-9.66% while that of T cells in G0 increased to 66.2+/-7.46%. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the cell cycle of responder T lymphocytes in MLR is arrested at G0 phase by MSC.

Immune Tolerance Effect of Immature Dendritic Cells Cultured Using Low-dose GM-CSF / 대한혈액학회지

BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells induce tolerance in the immature state besides the function of antigen presenting cells in the mature state. Using this effect, it will be overcome the rejection in organ transplantation. In this research we are to confirm the tolerance effect and induction mechanism in immature dendritic cell cultured with low-dose GM-CSF. METHODS: Dendritic cells were cultured from BALB/c (H-2d) bone marrow cells in the low concentration of GM-CSF (5U/mL, GM(lo)DC) for 10 days. The phenotype and functional properties of these GM(lo)DC were compared to those of standard BM-DC cultures generated in the high concentrations of GM-CSF (200U/mL) with lipopolysaccharide (GM(hi)DC). RESULTS: Compare to mature DC, GM(lo)DC expressed the low level of CD80 and CD86 and these cells were weak stimulators of allogeneic T cell responses by mixed lymphocyte reaction. The administration of GM(lo)DC prolonged allogeneic skin graft survival (median survival time 11.3+/-1.2 days, compared with 6.6+/-0.8 days in nontreated controls). The effects of these cells were donor specific but couldn't be sustained for a long period. CONCLUSIONS: GM(lo)DC were phenotypically immature and they didn't induce allogeneic T cell responses compared with GM(hi)DC in vitro. It is suggested that the less expression of costimulatory molecule in GM(lo)DC induce the tolerance effect.