Assessment of lisdexamfetamine on executive function in rats: A translational cognitive research.

Executive function, including working memory, attention and inhibitory control, is crucial for decision making, thinking and planning. Lisdexamfetamine, the prodrug of d-amphetamine, has been approved for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and binge eating disorder, but whether it improves executive function under non-disease condition, as well as the underlying pharmacokinetic and neurochemical properties, remains unclear. Here, using trial unique non-matching to location task and five-choice serial reaction time task of rats, we found lisdexamfetamine (p.o) enhanced spatial working memory and sustained attention under various cognitive load conditions, while d-amphetamine (i.p) only improved these cognitive performances under certain high cognitive load condition. Additionally, lisdexamfetamine evoked less impulsivity than d-amphetamine, indicating lower adverse effect on inhibitory control. In vivo pharmacokinetics showed lisdexamfetamine produced a relative stable and lasting release of amphetamine base both in plasma and in brain tissue, whereas d-amphetamine injection elicited rapid increase and dramatical decrease in amphetamine base levels. Microdialysis revealed lisdexamfetamine caused lasting release of dopamine within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas d-amphetamine produced rapid increase followed by decline to dopamine level. Moreover, lisdexamfetamine elicited more obvious efflux of noradrenaline than that of d-amphetamine. The distinct neurochemical profiles may be partly attributed to the different action of two drugs to membranous catecholamine transporters level within mPFC, detecting by Western Blotting. Taken together, due to its certain pharmacokinetic and catecholamine releasing profiles, lisdexamfetamine produced better pharmacological action to improving executive function. Our finding provided valuable evidence on the ideal pharmacokinetic and neurochemical characteristics of amphetamine-type psychostimulants in cognition enhancement.

Genetic Testing for Alpha and Beta Thalassemia in Children in Quanzhou Region of Fujian Province in China / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the genotypes and distribution of thalassemia in children in Quanzhou Region so as to provide reference for the prevention and control of thalassemia.@*METHODS@#A total of 1 302 children with suspected thalassemia were collected from January 2014 to April 2020 in Quanzhou Region. The deletional α-thalassemia was detected by Gap-PCR, and DNA reverse dot blot (RDB) hybridization was used to detect α- and β-thalassemia mutations.@*RESULTS@#In the 1 302 cases, 667 cases were identified as thalassemia carriers, and the positive detection rate was about 51.23%. Among them, 380 cases of α-thalassemia gene were detected, and --@*CONCLUSION@#There are various genotypes of thalassemia in children in Quanzhou Region, and many children with thalassemia major or intermedia. Therefore, further prevention and control of thalassemia need to be strengthened for reducing the birth of thalassemia major or intermedia.

Effect of FcRn on in vivo pharmacokinetics of a novel monoclonal antibody against West Nile virus MIL94 / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of different species Fc receptors (FcRn) on pharmacokinetic characteristics of MIL94, a monoclonal antibody against West Nile virus developed by Academy of Military Sciences, which has a neutralizing effect on West Nile virus and whose maintenance time in vivo is closely related to its antiviral effect. Methods The pharmacokinetic characteristics of MIL94 in mice expressing FcRn of different species (wild-type mice, hFcRn mice and FcRn knockout mice) were compared-. Wild-type mice and FcRn knockout mice were injected intravenously with MIL94 respectively. HFcRn mice were randomly divided into four groups. Two groups were injected intravenously with MIL94, and the other two groups were injected intravenously with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and then intravenously with MIL94. Indirect ELISA was used to determine the MIL94 concentration in mouse serum. WinNonlin software was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. Results After intravenous injection with MIL94, the in vivo pharmacokinetics were basically linear. The distribution volume of MIL94 in animals was related to FcRn. The half-life in vivo varied greatly between different groups. Conclusions FcRn can affect the half-life of MIL94 in different species mainly via alternation of its elimination and distribution. It is expected that the half-life of FcRn in human will be longer than that in preclinical animals.

Metabolomics study on anti-PTSD effect of novel ligand TSPO compound YL-IPA08 on plasma metabolic spectrum of PTSD model rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of YL- IPA08 on the endogenous metabolites of PTSD model rats by metabolomics methods, and to explore the metabolic pathways and possible mechanisms of YL-IPA08 against PTSD. Methods The rats were randomly divided into control group, PTSD model group, and administration group of PTSD rats induced by forced swimming test, and the treatment group was given YL- IPA08 (2 mg • kg"1) by intragastric gavage for 15 consecutive days. High-performance liquid chromatog- raphy-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) technology was used to detect the endogenous differential metabolites and the associated metabolic pathways in rat plasma samples. Targeted quantitative technology was simultaneously applied to detect the concentrations of 18 bile acids in rat plasma. Results Compared with control group, 40 kinds of endogenous metabolites including glutamic acid, proline, valine, arginine, leucine , cholic acid, and creatine showed significant difference, and the concentrations of 11 bile acids significantly increased in plasma of model group as well. Compared with model group, after YL-IPA08 intervention , the above-mentioned potential metabolites ap-peared to return to normal levels. Conclusions Metabolomics analysis reveals that YL-IPA08 has intervention effect on PTSD model rats. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of amino acid metabolism and bile acid metabolism.

Therapeutic prospect of tetrandrine against SARS-CoV-2 based on its pulmonary pharmacology and exposure character / 药学学报

As the main active compound of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore, tetrandrine (TET) has been used to treat silicosis for nearly 50 years. TET has clear therapeutic effect on pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. A recent study suggests that TET may inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2 by blocking the two-pore channel 2 (TPC2), revealing its potential as a natural medicine to treat COVID-19. To explore the material basis of TET targeting lung efficacy and its potential toxicity, available literatures related to the pharmacological activity on pulmonary, dosage, toxicity and pharmacokinetics of TET are systemically reviewed. The prospect and current problems of TET to be a therapeutic agent for COVID-19 are further investigated on this basis.

Comparative Morphology of the Lungs and Skin of two Anura, Pelophylax nigromaculatus and Bufo gargarizans.

The lungs and skin are important respiratory organs in Anura, but the pulmonary structure of amphibians remains unclear due to the lack of a suitable procedure. This study improved the procedure used for fixing lungs tissues and used light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to reveal the differences in the lung and skin morphologies between Pelophylax nigromaculatus (P. nigromaculatus) and Bufo gargarizans (B. gargarizans). In P. nigromaculatus and B. gargarizans, the cystic lungs comprise a continuous outer pulmonary wall on which primary, secondary, and tertiary septa attach, and a number of regular lattices form from raised capillaries and the pulmonary epithelium on the surfaces of the pulmonary wall and septa. Each lattice in P. nigromaculatus consists of several elliptical sheets and flat bottom, and the septa are distributed with denser sheets and have a larger stretching range than the pulmonary wall. The lattice in B. gargarizans consists of thick folds and an uneven bottom with several thin folds, and the septa have more developed thick and thin folds than the pulmonary wall. However, the density of the pulmonary microvilli, the area of a single capillary, the thicknesses of the blood-air barrier, pulmonary wall and septum, and the lung/body weight percentage obtained for B. gargarizans were higher than those found for P. nigromaculatus. In P. nigromaculatus, the dorsal skin has dense capillaries and a ring surface structure with mucus layer on the stratum corneum, and the ventral skin is slightly keratinized. In B. gargarizans, the stratum corneum in both the dorsal and ventral skins is completely keratinized. A fine ultrastructure analysis of P. nigromaculatus and B. gargarizans revealed that the pulmonary septa are more developed than the pulmonary walls, which means that the septa have a stronger respiratory function. The more developed lungs are helpful for the adaptation of B. gargarizans to drought environments, whereas P. nigromaculatus has to rely on more vigorous skin respiration to adapt to a humid environment.

Analysis on Factors Influencing Posttransfusion Effectiveness in Plasma Transfusion of 4423 Cases-Times / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the related factors influencing plasma transfusion efficacy so as to improve the plasma transfusion efficiency.@*METHODS@#According to the clinical symptoms and the laboratorial results, the patients were divided into transfusion efficient and inefficient groups. A total of13090.8 units of plasma were transfused to 4423 patients. The clinical symptoms and the hemorrhage related index per- and pro-transfusion, plasma components sorts, storage time, and the dose of plasma (kg/ml) transfusion were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The largest transfusion volume of plasma were in intensive care unit (ICU) accounted for 30.36%, the largest blood plasma per patient transfusion was in cardiac surgery (3.96 U). The analysis of transfusion efficiency showed that in terms of patient age, there were difference in transfusion efficiency among the patients with different ages (P＜0.001). The effective transfusion rate in the group of age ＜18 was 53%, which was higher than that in group of age 18-60(41%) and group of age ＞60 (30%); in terms of sex, the effective transfusion rate in female group was higher than that in male group (42% vs 37%) (P＜0.001); in terms of transfusion plasma volume/body weight, there were differences in transfusion efficiency (P＞0.05). The multi-factor logistic regression analysis showed that there was no significant correlation among the plasma sorts, storage time of the plasma pre-transfusion and transfusion efficiency(P＞0.05). The analysis of the non-hemolytic fever reaction caused by plasma transfusion revealed that there was no statistical difference between the plasma and the leukocyte-depleted plasma groups (P＞0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The plasma transfusion effectiveness relates with age and sex, but not relates with the transfusion plasma voume/body weight, plasma sorts, and the duration of storage.

Effect of telmisartan taken at different times on non-dipper and morning hypertension / 中华老年心脑血管病杂志

Objective To study the effect of telmisartan taken at different times on 24 h ambulatoryblood pressure monitoring (ABPM) parameters and vascular endothelium functionin in patients with non-dipper and morning hypertension.Methods Eighty mild-moderate essential hypertension (EH) patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from September 2014 to December 2015 were randomly divided into morning drug taking group (n=40) and evening drug taking group (n=40).The patients in morning drug taking group took 80 mg telmisartan at h 7-9 in the morning and those in evening drug taking group took 80 mg telmisartan at h 19-21 in the evening for 12 weeks.Their ABPM parameters were recorded,their blood pressure and serum levels of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and hs-CRP were measured after treatment.Results The mean night and morning SBP and DBP were significantly lower in evening drug taking group than in morning drug taking group (P＜0.05).The serum levels of vWF and hs-CRP were significantly lower in evening drug taking group than in morning drug taking group (148.3％±11.4％ vs 162.4％ ± 12.1％,2.9±0.5 mg/L vs 3.6±0.6 mg/L,P＜0.05).Conclusion Telmisartan taken in the evening can reduce the night and morning blood pressure,serum vWF and hs-CRP levels,and improve the vascular endothelium function in patients with non-dipper and morning hypertension.

Influence of cathepsin S deficiency on development of communicating hydrocephalus in mice induced by kaolin / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective · To evaluate the influence of cathepsin S(CatS) on the severity of communicating hydrocephalus in a kaolin injected mouse model.Methods · Kaolin suspension was injected to 8 CatS knock-out (CatS -/-) mice and 12 wild type (WT) C57BL/6 mice through cisterna magna to establish communicating hydrocephalus mouse model. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used before and 1 week after kaolin injection to compare lateral ventricular volume. Lateral ventricular index was calculated to analyze the severity of hydrocephalus. Results · One week after kaolin injection,1 in CatS -/- group and 2 in WT group died. The mortality rate was 12.5% each and there was no significant difference (P=1.000). MRI results showed varying degrees of ventriculomegaly in both groups. Lateral ventricular index of CatS -/-group (n=8) and WT group (n=16) before kaolin injection was 0.05±0.01 and 0.04±0.01 respectively (P=0.720). One week after kaolin injection, lateral ventricular index of CatS-/- group (n=7) and WT group (n=14)was 0.13±0.02 and 0.11±0.01 respectively (P=0.950). In each group, in 71.4% of mice, lateral ventricular index enlarged twice or more. Conclusion · One week after kaolin injection into cisterna magna, lateral ventricles enlarges obviously, indicating hydrocephalus occurs, with high success rate. CatS gene deficiency has no significant influence on the development of communicating hydrocephalus.

Effects of Placenta Granules on outcome of mild stimulation protocol / 中成药

AIM To observe the effects of Placenta Granules (Hominis placenta) on endometrial receptivity and embryo outcome.METHODS Ninety infertile patients meeting the kidney Qi deficiency syndrome were randomly divided into H.placenta group (treatment group) and control group.The endometrial thickness,endometrial morphology,blood flow,ovum pick-up number,fertilization number,developmental embryo number,highquality embryo number,pregnancy rate,implantation rate and abnormal pregnancy rate were observed in the two groups.RESULTS There were significant differences in blood flow,numbers of developmental embryo and high-quality embryo (P ＜ 0.05).Ten cases in the control group and fourteen cases in the treatment group reached standard for fresh embryo transplantation.The number of HCG positive in the control group was four cases,which was lower than six cases in the treatment group.There were three cases in the control group on number of clinical pregnancy,and six cases in the treatment group.There were four cases in the control group on implantation rate,and nine cases in the treatment group.All the differences were not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION Placenta Granules can improve the endometrial receptivity and high-quality embryo number in ovarian-stimulation stage under mild stimulation protocol,showing a rising trend in clinical pregnancy rate.

Influence of cathepsin S deficiency on development of communicating hydrocephalus in mice induced by kaolin / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective · To evaluate the influence of cathepsin S(CatS) on the severity of communicating hydrocephalus in a kaolin injected mouse model.Methods · Kaolin suspension was injected to 8 CatS knock-out (CatS -/-) mice and 12 wild type (WT) C57BL/6 mice through cisterna magna to establish communicating hydrocephalus mouse model. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used before and 1 week after kaolin injection to compare lateral ventricular volume. Lateral ventricular index was calculated to analyze the severity of hydrocephalus. Results · One week after kaolin injection,1 in CatS -/- group and 2 in WT group died. The mortality rate was 12.5% each and there was no significant difference (P=1.000). MRI results showed varying degrees of ventriculomegaly in both groups. Lateral ventricular index of CatS -/-group (n=8) and WT group (n=16) before kaolin injection was 0.05±0.01 and 0.04±0.01 respectively (P=0.720). One week after kaolin injection, lateral ventricular index of CatS-/- group (n=7) and WT group (n=14)was 0.13±0.02 and 0.11±0.01 respectively (P=0.950). In each group, in 71.4% of mice, lateral ventricular index enlarged twice or more. Conclusion · One week after kaolin injection into cisterna magna, lateral ventricles enlarges obviously, indicating hydrocephalus occurs, with high success rate. CatS gene deficiency has no significant influence on the development of communicating hydrocephalus.

Effects of Placenta Granules on outcome of mild stimulation protocol / 中成药

AIM To observe the effects of Placenta Granules (Hominis placenta) on endometrial receptivity and embryo outcome.METHODS Ninety infertile patients meeting the kidney Qi deficiency syndrome were randomly divided into H.placenta group (treatment group) and control group.The endometrial thickness,endometrial morphology,blood flow,ovum pick-up number,fertilization number,developmental embryo number,highquality embryo number,pregnancy rate,implantation rate and abnormal pregnancy rate were observed in the two groups.RESULTS There were significant differences in blood flow,numbers of developmental embryo and high-quality embryo (P ＜ 0.05).Ten cases in the control group and fourteen cases in the treatment group reached standard for fresh embryo transplantation.The number of HCG positive in the control group was four cases,which was lower than six cases in the treatment group.There were three cases in the control group on number of clinical pregnancy,and six cases in the treatment group.There were four cases in the control group on implantation rate,and nine cases in the treatment group.All the differences were not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION Placenta Granules can improve the endometrial receptivity and high-quality embryo number in ovarian-stimulation stage under mild stimulation protocol,showing a rising trend in clinical pregnancy rate.

Identification of human cytochrome P450 and UGT enzymes involved in the metabolism of ferulic acid, a major bioactive component in traditional Chinese medicines / 中国天然药物

Ferulic acid (FA) is an active component of herbal medicines. One of the best documented activities of FA is its antioxidant property. Moreover, FA exerts antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects. However, the metabolic pathways of FA in humans remain unclear. To identify whether human CYP or UGT enzymes are involved in the metabolism of FA, reaction phenotyping of FA was conducted using major CYP-selective chemical inhibitors together with individual CYP and UGT Supersomes. The CYP- and/or UGT-mediated metabolism kinetics were examined simultaneously or individually. Relative activity factor and total normalized rate approaches were used to assess the relative contributions of each major human CYPs towards the FA metabolism. Incubations of FA with human liver microsomes (HLM) displayed NADPH- and UDPGA-dependent metabolism with multiple CYP and UGT isoforms involved. CYPs and UGTs contributed equally to the metabolism of FA in HLM. Although CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 appeared to be the major contributors in the CYP-mediated clearance, their contributions to the overall clearance are still minor (< 25%). As a constitute of many food and herbs, FA poses low drug-drug interaction risk when co-administrated with other herbs or conventional medicines because multiple phase I and phase II enzymes are involved in its metabolism.

Phenoconversion of drug-metabolizing enzymes and its mechanism during inflammatory conditions / 国际药学研究杂志

Inflammatory conditions are associated with most diseases. Phenoconversion of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DME) leads to altered drug metabolism and disposition. It has profound impact on the pharmacotherapy of widely used clinically relevant medications in terms of safety and efficacy. More and more evidence has proved that elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines may downregulate the expression and the activity of many Phase I and Phase “DME, which are involved in complex regulation mechanisms of drug disposition. The aim of this review is to present the recent findings in this area. Clinical practice based on personalized medicine according to DME phenotype with improved safety and efficiency can yield robust efficacy outcomes of drug treatment and has promising future prospects.

The evaluation of efflux transporter model based on RNA interference technology in vitro / 药学学报

In the present study, the specifically knockdown models of P-gp or MRP2 were constructed by using a series of chemically synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) in vitro. The expression of P-gp and MRP2 was measured by real-time PCR and Western blot, and the function was evaluated by applying P-gp and MRP2 substrate, rhodamine and methotrexate. The results showed that MRP2 siRNA-3 or P-gp siRNA-2 significantly decreased the mRNA expression of MRP2 or P-gp, the inhibition ratio was 68% or 84%; MRP2 siRNA-3 or P-gp siRNA-2 at a dose of 80 nmol x L(-1) significantly reduced the protein expression of MRP2 or P-gp at 48 h after treatment, the inhibition ratio was 62% or 70%. Meanwhile, other transporters were not influenced by siRNA. When pretreatment with MRP2 siRNA-3 or P-gp siRNA-2, the efflux of methotrexate or rhodamine decreased significantly and the intra-cellular concentration increased. The results suggested that chemically synthesized siRNA could significantly inhibit the expression and function of MRP2 and P-gp, and the model of RNAi in vitro could be used to evaluate the role of efflux transporters in transportation of drugs.

Investigation of metabolic kinetics and reaction phenotyping of ligustrazin by using liver microsomes and recombinant human enzymes / 药学学报

The metabolic characteristics of ligustrazin (TMPz) in liver microsomes were investigated in the present study. The reaction phenotyping of TMPz metabolism was also identified by in vitro assessment using recombinant human cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP) and UDP glucuronosyltransferases (UGT). TMPz was incubated at 37 degrees C with human (HLM) and rat liver microsomes (RLM) in the presence of different co-factors. The metabolic stability and enzyme kinetics of TMPz were studied by determining its remaining concentrations with a LC-MS/MS method. TMPz was only metabolically eliminated in the microsomes with NADPH or NADPH+UDPGA. In the HLM and RLM with NADPH+UDPGA, t1/2, K(m) and V(max) of TMPz were 94.24 +/- 4.53 and 105.07 +/- 9.44 min, 22.74 +/- 1.89 and 33.09 +/- 2.74 micromol x L(-1), 253.50 +/- 10.06 and 190.40 +/- 8.35 nmol x min(-1) x mg(-1) (protein), respectively. TMPz showed a slightly higher metabolic rate in HLM than that in RLM. Its primary oxidative metabolites, 2-hydroxymethyl-3, 5, 6-trimethylpyrazine (HTMP), could undergo glucuronide conjugation. The CYP reaction phenotyping of TMPz metabolism was identified using a panel of recombinant CYP isoforms (rCYP) and specific CYP inhibitors in HLM. CYP1A2, 2C9 and 3A4 were found to be the major CYP isoforms involved in TMPz metabolism. Their individual contributions were assessed b) using the method of the total normalized rate to be 19.32%, 27.79% and 52.90%, respectively. It was observed that these CYP isoforms mediated the formation of HTMP in rCYP incubation. The UGT reaction phenotyping of HTMP glucuronidation was also investigated preliminarily by using a panel of 6 UGT isoforms (rUGT). UGT1A1, 1A4 and 1A6 were the predominant isoforms mediated the HTMP glucuronidation. The results above indicate that the metabolism of TMPz involves multiple enzymes mediated phase I and phase II reactions.

Evaluation of P-glycoprotein mediated in vitro loperamide biliary excretion with sandwich-cultured rat hepatocytes model / 药学学报

An in vitro P-glycoprotein mediated drug biliary excretion model (B-Clear model) was developed and validated using sandwich-cultured rat hepatocytes (SCRH) and a model substrate rhodamine 123 (Rh123). SCRH formed functional bile canalicular networks after 5 days of culture. Rh123 (10 micromol x L(-1)) was then incubated with the SCRH in standard Ca+ Hanks buffer or Ca(2+)-free buffer. The cumulative cell uptake and canalicular efflux of Rh123 under Ca2+ and Ca(2+)-free conditions were measured with a LC-MS/MS method. The biliary excretion index (BEI) and instinct biliary clearance (CL(bile, int)) were calculated. To assess the effect of known P-gp inhibitors on the efflux of Rh123, cyclosporine A (CyA), tariquidar (TQD) or quinidine (QND) (10, 50 and 100 micromol x L(-1)) was pre-incubated separately with SCRH for 30 min, then co-incubated with Rh123. The BEI and CL(bile, int) of Rh123 obtained from the SCRH model were (17.8 +/- 1.3) % and (10.7 +/- 0.9) mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), respectively. All the three P-gp inhibitors showed a dose-dependent inhibition on the bile clearance of Rh123, indicating that the B-Clear model with SCRH was functional properly. The biliary excretion of loperamide (LPAD) and the role of P-gp were further investigated with this validated model. The BEI and CL(bile, int) for LPAD (20 micromol x L(-1)) were obtained after it was incubated with SCRH for 30 min, and found to be (12.9 +/- 1.2)% and (6.1 +/- 0.3) mL x min(-1) x kg(-1) respectively. The dose-dependent inhibition on LPAD biliary excretion by CyA, TQD or QND confirmed the major role of P-gp in LPAD canalicular efflux. The results suggested that the B-Clear model with SCRH would be a useful tool for evaluation of P-gp mediated efflux and drug-drug interaction.

Effect of chorioamnionitis on brain injury in preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the association between chorioamnionitis and brain injury in preterm infants.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 88 preterm infants (28-34 weeks), who were born between June 2008 and June 2011, were divided into a case group (n=41) and a control group (n=47) according to whether or not they had chorioamnionitis. All the infants were examined by brain ultrasonography periodically after birth and underwent brain diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) between 3 and 7 days after birth. The two groups were compared in terms of the incidence of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and periventricular and intraventricular hemorrhage (PVH-IVH) by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the corrected gestational age of 40 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was statistical significance in the incidence of PVL between the case and the control groups (32% vs 6%; P<0.05), but no significant difference in the incidence of PVH-IVH between the two groups (27% vs 23%; P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Chorioamnionitis is associated with brain injury in preterm infants, increasing the incidence of PVL but having little influence over the incidence of PVH-IVH.</p>

Repeated administration of propofol upregulated the expression of c-Fos and cleaved-caspase-3 proteins in the developing mouse brain.

OBJECTIVES AND AIM: This study was designed to analyze the relationship between the expression of c-Fos protein and apoptosis in the hippocampus following propofol administration in infant mice. There are reports that certain drugs, including the general anesthetics applied in pediatrics and obstetrics, could block N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors and activate γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors. Furthermore, some anesthetics could trigger neuroapoptosis and the expression of c-Fos in the developing rodent brain. Propofol is a general anesthetic increasingly used in pediatrics and obstetrics, and is reported to be able to interact with both γ-aminobutyric acid type A and N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors. No adequate evaluations have been available as to whether the dosage of propofol to maintain anaesthesia could trigger the expression of c-Fos and apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intraperitoneal injections of propofol (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) or vehicle were administered every 90 minutes (4 times) in infant mice (5-7 days old). 30 minutes after the final administration, the protein expressions of c-Fos and cleaved-caspase-3 in the hippocampus were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that the expressions of cleaved-caspase-3 and c-Fos were upregulated in the hippocampal CA3 region in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The upregulated c-Fos expression induced by repeated injections of propofol might evoke neuroapoptosis.

In vitro comparison of thienorphine metabolism in liver microsomes of human, Beagle dog and rat / 药学学报

The inter-species differences of thienorphine metabolism were investigated in human, Beagle dog and rat liver microsomes, by comparing enzyme kinetics of the parent drug and the formation of its major metabolites. The incubation systems of thienorphine with liver microsomes of the three species were optimized in terms of thienorphine concentration, microsomal protein content and incubation time. The concentrations of thienorphine and its metabolites in incubates were measured by a LC-MS/MS method. The biotransformation of thienorphine by human liver microsomes was the lowest among the three species. The K(m), V(max), CL(int) and T1/2 of thienorphine obtained from human liver microsomes were (4.00 +/- 0.59) micromol x L(-1), (0.21 +/- 0.06) micromol x L(-1) x min(-1), (117 +/- 3.19) mL x min(-1) x kg(-1) and (223 +/- 6.10) min, respectively. The corresponding kinetic parameters for dog and rat liver microsomes were (3.57 +/- 0.69) and (3.28 +/- 0.50) micromol x L(-1), (0.18 +/- 0.04) and (0.14 +/- 0.04) micromol x L(-1) x min(-1), (213 +/- 1.06) and (527 +/- 7.79) mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), (244 +/- 1.21) and (70.7 +/- 1.05) min, respectively. A total of six phase I metabolites were observed in liver microsomes, including one N-dealkylated metabolite, three oxidative metabolites and two N-dealkylated oxidation metabolites. All these six metabolites were detected in the liver microsomes of the three species. However, the relative amounts of the metabolites generated were different in three species. The results indicated that the major phase I metabolic pathway of thienorphine was similar in the liver microsomes from all three species. However, the inter-species differences observed were relative amounts of the metabolites as well as the metabolic characteristics of thienorphine in liver microsomal incubates.