Hex expression suggests a role in the development and function of organs derived from foregut endoderm.

Hex is a divergent homeobox gene expressed as early as E4.5 in the mouse and in a pattern that suggests a role in anterior-posterior patterning. Later in embryogenesis, Hex is expressed in the developing thyroid, lung, and liver. We now show Hex expression during thymus, gallbladder, and pancreas development and in the adult thyroid, lung, and liver. At E10.0, Hex is expressed in the 3rd pharyngeal pouch, from which the thymus originates, the endodermal cells of liver that are invading the septum transversum, the thyroid, the dorsal pancreatic bud, and gallbladder primoridum. At E13.5, expression is maintained at high levels in the thyroid, liver, epithelial cells lining the pancreatic and extrahepatic biliary ducts and is present in both the epithelial and mesenchymal cells of the lung. Expression in the thymus at this age is less than in the other organs. In the E16.5 embryo, expression persists in the thyroid, pancreatic, and bile duct epithelium, lung, and liver, with thymic expression dropping to barely detectable levels. By E18.5, expression in the thyroid and bile ducts remains high, whereas lung expression is markedly decreased. At this age, expression in the pancreas and thymus is no longer present. Finally, we show the cell types in the adult thyroid, lung, and liver that express Hex in the mature animal. Our results provide more detail on the potential role of Hex in the development of several organs derived from foregut endoderm and in the maintenance of function of several of these organs in the mature animal.

Pharmacokinetic study and cardiovascular monitoring of nebivolol in normal and obese subjects.

OBJECTIVE: The pharmacokinetics of a single i.v. dose of the new racemic beta-adrenoceptor-blocker nebivolol [0.073 mg base.kg-1 ideal body weight (IBW)] was studied in 9 obese (157% IBW) and 9 non-obese healthy volunteers (98% IBW). Each group contained 4 men and 5 women, aged 32 years, including one poor hydroxylator (dextrometorphan test). METHODS: The cardiovascular effects of nebivolol are significant decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac output, which last up to 4-5 h. The plasma concentrations of the separate d- and l- enantiomers of nebivolol, with and without hydroxylated metabolite, were measured by radioimmunoassay and the unchanged racemate by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The pharmacokinetic parameters for each form were calculated separately. RESULTS: The main pharmacokinetic parameters of unchanged nebivolol in extensive metabolizers were (controls): distribution volume at steady state (Vss) 673 l; volume corrected by real body weight (Vss.kg-1) 11.2 l.kg-1; total clearance (CL) 51.6 h-1; and terminal half-life (t1/2) 10.3 h. The Vss (898 l) and CL (71.6 l.h-1) were significantly higher in obese patients. But Vss.kg-1 (9.4 l.kg-1) and t1/2 (10.0 h) were not significantly different from those in controls. The CL was clearly reduced (15-18 l.h-1) and the t1/2 prolonged (32-34 h) in poor hydroxylators, in both control and obese subjects. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the separate unchanged enantiomers were similar to those of the racemate in both groups. The pharmacokinetics of l-nebivolol were more influenced by the hydroxylation phenotype than those of d-nebivolol. The trend of the results for the sum of each enantiomer plus its metabolite, was similar to those for the unchanged form. CONCLUSION: The distribution of nebivolol in the adipose tissue in obese subjects is limited, despite its high lipophilicity. The differences between obese and non-obese subjects were not clinically relevant.