Effects of transdermal mirtazapine on hyporexic rhesus and cynomolgus macaques (Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis).

BACKGROUND: Hyporexia and weight loss are important indicators of physical and psychological well-being in macaque colonies. An FDA-approved transdermal formulated Mirtazapine (MTZ) shows effectiveness in managing feline hyporexia. This study sought to determine its effectiveness as an appetite stimulant in macaques. METHODS: Fourteen macaques with idiopathic hyporexia, intractable to conventional management were treated with transdermal MTZ (0.5 mg/kg) topically administered to aural pinnae once daily for 14 days. Qualitative food consumption was monitored daily for 6 months. Body weights were collected prior to treatment, every 2 weeks for the first 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 6 months post-treatment. RESULTS: Transdermal MTZ significantly reduced the frequency of hyporexia during treatment and monthly for 6 months. No significant increase in weight noted until approximately 6 months post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study indicate that a short course of transdermal MTZ is an effective way to increase food consumption in macaques chronically.

A single dose polyanhydride-based vaccine platform promotes and maintains anti-GnRH antibody titers.

Traditionally, vaccination strategies require an initial priming vaccination followed by an antigen boost to generate adequate immunity. Here we describe vaccination against a self-peptide for reproductive sterilization utilizing a three-stage vaccine platform consisting of gonadotropin releasing hormone multiple antigenic peptide (GnRH-MAP) as a soluble injection coupled with subcutaneous administration of polyanhydride-immobilized GnRH-MAP and a cyto-exclusive implant containing GnRH-MAP dendrimer-loaded polyanhydride. This strategy generated and maintained cell-mediated and humoral immunity for up to 41 weeks after a single vaccination in mice with enhanced antibody avidity over time. All intact implants had a grossly visible tissue interface with neovascularization and lymphocytic aggregates. Despite detectable immunity, sterility was not achieved and the immune response did not lead to azoospermia in male mice nor prevent estrus and ovulation in female mice. However, the vaccine delivery device is tunable and the immunogen, adjuvants and release rates can all be modified to enhance immunity. This technology has broad implications for the development of long-term vaccination schemes.

Human brain derived cells respond in a type-specific manner after exposure to urban particulate matter (PM).

Exposure to particulate matter (PM), a component of urban air pollution, may cause adverse effects in the brain. Although the exact mechanisms involved are unknown, both oxidative and inflammatory responses have been reported. Since the main route of exposure to particulate matter is through inhalation, there is a potential for compounds to directly enter the brain and alter normal cellular function. Enhancement in both oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory markers has been observed in neurodegenerative disorders and PM-induced potentiation of these events may accelerate the disease process. The objective of this pilot study was to use normal human brain cells, a model system which has not been previously used, to assess cell-type-specific responses after exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP). Human microglia, neurons, and astrocytes were grown separately or as co-cultures and then exposed to aqueous UFP suspensions. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) formation and the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured as markers of oxidative stress or inflammation respectively. Our results revealed that after exposure to 2 µg/ml of particles, normal human neurons exhibit a decrease in ROS formation and an increase in TNF-α. The observed decrease in ROS formation persisted in the presence of glial cells, which contrasts previous studies done in rodent cells reporting that PM-induced microglial activation modulates neuronal responses. Our study indicates that human CNS cells may respond differently compared to rodent cells and that their use may be more predictive in risk assessment.