Drug Response (drug + response)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


Cell microarray platform for anticancer drug development,

DRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 5 2007
Min-Jung Lee
Abstract Pharmacodynamic assessment of whether a drug has interacted with and modified its target is an essential component of molecularly targeted clinical trials. Although many trials are written with the intent to assess tumor biopsies, if available, thus far the great majority of early drug trials have used peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as a tumor surrogate. Typically, PBMC are studied by low-throughput techniques such as Western blot. We present the use of a cell-based tissue microarray for assessment of anticancer drug activity in vivo. We demonstrate the utility of this technique for analysis of protein hyperacetylation in response to treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor, SNDX-275 in PBMC treated in vitro and in PBMC and bone marrow aspirates from patients in Phase I clinical trials with SNDX-275. We demonstrate that the cell microarray can be used to measure drug response in a high-throughput manner, allowing analysis of an entire trial on one or two glass slides. The cell microarray technique brings the advantages of the tissue microarray platform to the pharmacodynamic assessment of single cells, such as those isolated from bone marrow aspirates, fine needle aspirates, or malignant effusions, and to analysis of PBMC, the most commonly studied surrogate in oncology trials. Drug Dev Res 68:226,234, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Real-time monitoring of intracellular calcium dynamic mobilization of a single cardiomyocyte in a microfluidic chip pertaining to drug discovery

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 24 2007
Xiujun Li
Abstract A microfluidic method for real-time quantitative measurement of cellular response pertaining to drug discovery is reported. This method is capable of multiple-step liquid delivery for measuring the drug response of a single cardiomyocyte, due to the improved cell retention by a newly designed chip. The chip, which consists of a cell-retention chamber with a weir structure, was fabricated just by a one-photomask microfabrication procedure followed by on-chip etching. This method differs from the conventional method, which uses two-mask photolithography to fabricate the microchannel (deep etch) and the weir structure (shallow etch). The dimensions of the weir structure have been predicted by a mathematical model, and confirmed by confocal microscopy. Using this microfluidic method, the dynamic [Ca2+]i mobilization in a single cardiomyocyte during its spontaneous contraction was quantified. Furthermore, we measured the cellular response of a cardiomyocyte on (i) a known cardiotonic agent (caffeine), (ii) a cardiotoxic chemotherapeutic drug (daunorubicin), and (iii) an herbal anticancer drug candidate , isoliquiritigenin (IQ) based on the fluorescent calcium measurement. It was found that IQ had produced a less pronounced effect on calcium mobilization of the cardiomyocytes whereas caffeine and daunorubicin had much stronger effects on the cells. These three experiments on cardiomyocytes pertaining to drug discovery were only possible after the improved cell retention provided by the new chip design (MV2) required for multiple-step real-time cellular analysis on a microchip, as compared with our old chip design (MV1). [source]


The clinical impact of pharmacogenetics on the treatment of epilepsy

EPILEPSIA, Issue 1 2009
Wolfgang Löscher
Summary Drug treatment of epilepsy is characterized by unpredictability of efficacy, adverse drug reactions, and optimal doses in individual patients, which, at least in part, is a consequence of genetic variation. Since genetic variability in drug metabolism was reported to affect the treatment with phenytoin more than 25 years ago, the ultimate goal of pharmacogenetics is to use the genetic makeup of an individual to predict drug response and efficacy, as well as potential adverse drug events. However, determining the practical relevance of pharmacogenetic variants remains difficult, in part because of problems with study design and replication. This article reviews the published work with particular emphasis on pharmacogenetic alterations that may affect efficacy, tolerability, and safety of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including variation in genes encoding drug target (SCN1A), drug transport (ABCB1), drug metabolizing (CYP2C9, CYP2C19), and human leucocyte antigen (HLA) proteins. Although the current studies associating particular genes and their variants with seizure control or adverse events have inherent weaknesses and have not provided unifying conclusions, several results, for example that Asian patients with a particular HLA allele, HLA-B*1502, are at a higher risk for Stevens-Johnson syndrome when using carbamazepine, are helpful to increase our knowledge how genetic variation affects the treatment of epilepsy. Although genetic testing raises ethical and social issues, a better understanding of the genetic influences on epilepsy outcome is key to developing the much needed new therapeutic strategies for individuals with epilepsy. [source]


Optical tweezers for measuring red blood cell elasticity: application to the study of drug response in sickle cell disease

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
M. M. Brandão
Abstract: The deformability of erythrocytes is a critical determinant of blood flow in microcirculation. By capturing red blood cells (RBC) with optical tweezers and dragging them through a viscous fluid we were able to measure their overall elasticity. We measured, and compared, the RBC deformability of 15 homozygous patients (HbSS) including five patients taking hydroxyurea (HU) for at least 6 months (HbSS/HU), 10 subjects with sickle cell trait (HbAS) and 35 normal controls. Our results showed that the RBC deformability was significantly lower in haemoglobin S (HbS) subjects (HbSS and HbAS), except for HbSS/HU cells, whose deformability was similar to the normal controls. Our data showed that the laser optical tweezers technique is able to detect differences in HbS RBC from subjects taking HU, and to differentiate RBC from normal controls and HbAS, indicating that this is a very sensitive method and can be applied for detection of drug-response in sickle cell disease. [source]


Antidepressants in clinical practice: limitations of assessment methods and drug response

HUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 1 2001
Sidney H Kennedy
Abstract There is a recognized gap between knowledge derived from ,efficacy' data , based on usually brief randomized controlled trials and findings in natural practice ,effectiveness' studies. In considering the limitations of current antidepressants in clinical practice, we have selected three clinically important issues to examine in a natural practice data base that has been in existence for several years. These relate to: (1) Diagnostic heterogeneity and potential advances using functional brain imaging; (2) Variability of outcome measures during treatment and (3) Time to response and prediction of outcome. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Stress Hormone Dysregulation at Rest and After Serotonergic Stimulation Among Alcohol-Dependent Men With Extended Abstinence and Controls

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2001
Robert M. Anthenelli
Background: Alcohol dependence has been associated with long-lasting alterations in limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) axis and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) function. Other conditions that are associated with alcoholism (cigarette smoking and antisocial personality disorder [ASPD]) have been linked with disturbances in these interrelated systems. We evaluated the stress hormone response to 5-HTergic stimulation in alcohol-dependent men with extended abstinence (average abstinence duration, 4.3 months) and controls to determine the relative contributions of alcoholism, cigarette smoking, and ASPD on baseline and provoked plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) concentrations. Methods: One hundred nine alcohol-abstinent men with alcohol dependence (62%), habitual smoking (70%), and ASPD (43%) received d,l-fenfluramine (100 mg po) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. The group of recovering alcohol-dependent individuals included abstinent primary alcohol-dependent men and alcohol-dependent men with ASPD, whereas the group of non-alcohol-dependent men comprised healthy controls and non-alcohol-dependent men with ASPD. Plasma cortisol and ACTH levels were obtained at AM baseline and at half-hour intervals after drug administration. Subjective ratings of drug response and physiological measures were also obtained at baseline and every 30 min. Results: Abstinent alcohol-dependent men had significantly lower (approximately 20%) AM baseline plasma cortisol concentrations than non-alcohol-dependent men on both challenge days; however, no differences between the groups were observed with regard to resting AM plasma ACTH levels. After adjusting for these baseline differences, recovering alcohol-dependent men (area under curve = 35.6 ± 37.4 [,g/dl] × min) had a twofold greater cortisol response to fenfluramine than non-alcohol-dependent men (area under curve = 17.5 ± 32.5 [,g/dl] × min) (F= 5.1;df= 1,105;p < 0.03). The elevated cortisol response, which occurred primarily along the descending limb of the response curve, was paralleled by a nonsignificant statistical trend for alcohol-dependent men to also exhibit a greater ACTH response to fenfluramine at the 210-min (p < 0.07) and 240-min (p < 0.09) time points as compared with non-alcohol-dependent men. Cigarette smoking and ASPD did not affect hormonal responses, nor could the groups' subjective ratings and physiological measures be distinguished. Conclusions: Alcohol-dependent men with extended abstinence differed from age- and race-matched non-alcohol-dependent men in resting AM and fenfluramine-induced plasma cortisol levels. This dysfunction in glucocorticoid homeostatic mechanisms was associated with alcoholism and not with smoking or ASPD. We also observed a nonsignificant statistical trend for plasma ACTH levels to be elevated among alcohol-dependent men along the descending limb of the response curve. Alcohol-dependent men seemed to have inherited or acquired damage to 5-HT-regulated LHPA axis function, the precise mechanisms and sites of which remain to be determined. [source]


A quantitative study of factors affecting in vivo bioluminescence imaging

LUMINESCENCE: THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL LUMINESCENCE, Issue 5 2008
Kemi Cui
Abstract In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has the advantages of high sensitivity and low background. By counting the number of photons emitted from a specimen, BLI can quantify biological events such as tumour growth, gene expression and drug response. The intensities and kinetics of the BL signal are affected by many factors and may confound the quantitative results acquired from consecutive imaging sessions or different specimens. We used three different mouse models of tumours to examine whether anaesthetics, positioning and tumour growth may affect the consistency of the BL signal. The results showed that BLI signal could be affected by different anaesthetics and repetitive positioning. Using the same anaesthetics produced consistent peak times, while other factors were held constant. However, as the tumours grew the peak times shifted and the time course of BL signals had different shapes, depending on the positioning of the mice. The data indicate that a carefully designed BLI experiment is required to generate optimal and consistent results. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


New insights into the effect of amorolfine nail lacquer

MYCOSES, Issue 2 2005
C. Flagothier
Summary Despite improvements in antifungal strategies, the outcome of treating onychomycoses often remains uncertain. Several factors account for treatment failure, of which the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the antifungal are of importance. The taxonomic nature and ungual location of the fungus cannot be neglected, besides the type of nail and its growth rate. In addition, the biological cycle of the fungus and the metabolic activity of the pathogen likely play a marked influence in drug response. The presence of natural antimicrobial peptides in the nail is also probably a key feature controlling the cure rates. There are many outstanding publications that cover the full spectrum of the field. The purpose of this review is to put in perspective some facets of activity of the topical treatment using amorolfine nail laquer. The antifungal activity of the drug is likely less pronounced in onychomycosis than that expected from conventional in vitro studies. However, the nail laquer formulation should reduce the propensity to form antifungal-resistant spores and limit the risk of reinfection. [source]


Human leukocyte antigen genotypes in carbamazepine-induced severe cutaneous adverse drug response in Japanese patients

THE JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 10 2008
Mariko KASHIWAGI
No abstract is available for this article. [source]


Quantitative determination of capsaicin, a transient receptor potential channel vanilloid 1 agonist, by liquid chromatography quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry: evaluation of in vitro metabolic stability

BIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2009
Francis Beaudry
Abstract Capsaicin is the most abundant pungent molecule present in red peppers and it is widely used for food flavoring, in pepper spray in self-defense devices and more recently in ointments for the relief of neuropathic pain. Capsaicin is a selective agonist of transient receptor potential channel, vanilloid subfamily member 1. A selective and sensitive quantitative method for the determination of capsaicin by LC-ESI/MS/MS was developed. The method consisted of a protein precipitation extraction followed by analysis using liquid chromatography electrospray quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry. The chromatographic separation was achieved using a 100 × 2 mm C18 Waters Symmetry column combined with a gradient mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution at a flow rate of 220 µL/min. The mass spectrometer was operating in full-scan MS/MS mode using two-segment analysis. An analytical range of 10,5000 ng/mL was used in the calibration curve constructed in rat plasma. The interbatch precision and accuracy observed were 6.5, 6.7, 5.3 and 101.2, 102.7, 103.5% at 50, 500 and 5000 ng/mL, respectively. An in vitro metabolic stability study was performed in rat, dog and mouse liver microsomes and the novel analytical method was adapted and used to determine intrinsic clearance of capsaicin. Results suggest very rapid degradation with T1/2 ranging from 2.3 to 4.1 min and high clearance values suggesting that drug bioavailability will be considerably reduced, consequently affecting drug response and efficacy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Organic anion transporters: discovery, pharmacology, regulation and roles in pathophysiology

BIOPHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DISPOSITION, Issue 1 2010
Adam L. VanWert
Abstract Our understanding of the mechanisms behind inter- and intra-patient variability in drug response is inadequate. Advances in the cytochrome P450 drug metabolizing enzyme field have been remarkable, but those in the drug transporter field have trailed behind. Currently, however, interest in carrier-mediated disposition of pharmacotherapeutics is on a substantial uprise. This is exemplified by the 2006 FDA guidance statement directed to the pharmaceutical industry. The guidance recommended that industry ascertain whether novel drug entities interact with transporters. This suggestion likely stems from the observation that several novel cloned transporters contribute significantly to the disposition of various approved drugs. Many drugs bear anionic functional groups, and thus interact with organic anion transporters (OATs). Collectively, these transporters are nearly ubiquitously expressed in barrier epithelia. Moreover, several reports indicate that OATs are subject to diverse forms of regulation, much like drug metabolizing enzymes and receptors. Thus, critical to furthering our understanding of patient- and condition-specific responses to pharmacotherapy is the complete characterization of OAT interactions with drugs and regulatory factors. This review provides the reader with a comprehensive account of the function and substrate profile of cloned OATs. In addition, a major focus of this review is on the regulation of OATs including the impact of transcriptional and epigenetic factors, phosphorylation, hormones and gender. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Recent advances of genetic ancestry testing in biomedical research and direct to consumer testing

CLINICAL GENETICS, Issue 3 2009
M Via
In the post-Human Genome Project era, the debate on the concept of race/ethnicity and its implications for biomedical research are dependent on two critical issues: whether and how to classify individuals and whether biological factors play a role in health disparities. The advent of reliable estimates of genetic (or biogeographic) ancestry has provided this debate with a quantitative and more objective tool. The estimation of genetic ancestry allows investigators to control for population stratification in association studies and helps to detect biological causation behind population-specific differences in disease and drug response. New techniques such as admixture mapping can specifically detect population-specific risk alleles for a disease in admixed populations. However, researchers have to be mindful of the correlation between genetic ancestry and socioeconomic and environmental factors that could underlie these differences. More importantly, researchers must avoid the stigmatization of individuals based on perceived or real genetic risks. The latter point will become increasingly sensitive as several ,for profit companies' are offering ancestry and genetic testing directly to consumers and the consequences of the spread of the services of these companies are still unforeseeable. [source]


Pharmacogenetics and personalised medicine

FUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 5 2002
Werner Kalow
ABSTRACT The traditional concern of pharmacogenetics was Mendelian (monogenic) variation, which visibly affected some drug responses. Pharmacogenetics was broadened by the observation that multifactorial genetic influences, in conjunction with environmental factors, usually determine drug responses. Variability of gene expression, a new theme of the science of genetics, also affects pharmacogenetics; for example, enhanced enzyme activity does not necessarily indicate a mutation, but may be the consequence of a drug-induced enhancement of gene expression. Methodological advances permit the conversion of pharmacogenetics into the broad practice of pharmacogenomics; this improves the possibility of identifying genetic causes of common diseases, which means establishing new drug targets, thereby stimulating the search for new drugs. While the main medical effect of pharmacogenetics was an improvement of drug safety, pharmacogenomics is hoped to improve drug efficacy. On the way to personalized medicine, we may stepwise improve the chances of choosing the right drug for a patient by categorizing patients into genetically definable classes that have similar drug effects (as, for example, human races, or any population group carrying a particular set of genes). It is wise to expect that, even after we have reached the goal to establish personalized medicine, we will not have eliminated all uncertainties. [source]


Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies in drug product development

JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2002
Bernd Meibohm
Abstract In the quest of ways for rationalizing and accelerating drug product development, integrated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) concepts provide a highly promising tool. PK/PD modeling concepts can be applied in all stages of preclinical and clinical drug development, and their benefits are multifold. At the preclinical stage, potential applications might comprise the evaluation of in vivo potency and intrinsic activity, the identification of bio-/surrogate markers, as well as dosage form and regimen selection and optimization. At the clinical stage, analytical PK/PD applications include characterization of the dose,concentration,effect/toxicity relationship, evaluation of food, age and gender effects, drug/drug and drug/disease interactions, tolerance development, and inter- and intraindividual variability in response. Predictive PK/PD applications can also involve extrapolation from preclinical data, simulation of drug responses, as well as clinical trial forecasting. Rigorous implementation of the PK/PD concepts in drug product development provides a rationale, scientifically based framework for efficient decision making regarding the selection of potential drug candidates, for maximum information gain from the performed experiments and studies, and for conducting fewer, more focused clinical trials with improved efficiency and cost effectiveness. Thus, PK/PD concepts are believed to play a pivotal role in streamlining the drug development process of the future. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 91:18,31, 2002 [source]


Cardiovascular pharmacogenetics in the SNP era

JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 7 2003
V. Mooser
Summary., In the past pharmacological agents have contributed to a significant reduction in age-adjusted incidence of cardiovascular events. However, not all patients treated with these agents respond favorably, and some individuals may develop side-effects. With aging of the population and the growing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors worldwide, it is expected that the demand for cardiovascular drugs will increase in the future. Accordingly, there is a growing need to identify the ,good' responders as well as the persons at risk for developing adverse events. Evidence is accumulating to indicate that responses to drugs are at least partly under genetic control. As such, pharmacogenetics , the study of variability in drug responses attributed to hereditary factors in different populations , may significantly assist in providing answers toward meeting this challenge. Pharmacogenetics mostly relies on associations between a specific genetic marker like single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), either alone or arranged in a specific linear order on a certain chromosomal region (haplotypes), and a particular response to drugs. Numerous associations have been reported between selected genotypes and specific responses to cardiovascular drugs. Recently, for instance, associations have been reported between specific alleles of the apoE gene and the lipid-lowering response to statins, or the lipid-elevating effect of isotretinoin. Thus far, these types of studies have been mostly limited to a priori selected candidate genes due to restricted genotyping and analytical capacities. Thanks to the large number of SNPs now available in the public domain through the SNP Consortium and the newly developed technologies (high throughput genotyping, bioinformatics software), it is now possible to interrogate more than 200 000 SNPs distributed over the entire human genome. One pharmacogenetic study using this approach has been launched by GlaxoSmithKline to identify the approximately 4% of patients who are predisposed to developing a hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir, an anti-HIV agent. Data collected thus far on the HLA locus on chromosome 6 indicate that this approach is feasible. Extended linkage disequilibrium can be detected readily, even across several haplotype blocks, thus potentially reducing the number of SNPs for future whole-genome scans. Finally, a modest number of cases and controls appears to be sufficient to detect genetic associations. There is little doubt that this type of approach will have an impact on the way cardiovascular drugs will be developed and prescribed in the future. [source]


Foundations, promises and uncertainties of personalized medicine

MOUNT SINAI JOURNAL OF MEDICINE: A JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2007
Erwin P. Bottinger
Abstract Personalized medicine introduces the promise to use molecular markers that signal the risk of disease or its presence before clinical signs and symptoms appear. This information underlies a new healthcare strategy focused on prevention and early intervention, rather than reaction to advanced stages of disease. Such a strategy can delay disease onset or minimize symptom severity. The molecular foundations that enable personalized medicine include detection of variation in nucleotide sequence of genes and in characteristic patterns of gene expression, proteins and metabolites. Genetic and molecular patterns are correlated with disease manifestations, drug responses, treatment prognosis, or prediction of predisposition to future disease states. However, the uncertainties for personalized medicine are considerable, including economic, ethical, legal, and societal questions. Although much of its promise remains unproven to date, the foundations of personalized medicine appear solid and evidence is accumulating rapidly pointing to its growing importance in healthcare (Fig. 1). Mt Sinai J Med 74:15,21, 2007. © 2007 Mount Sinai School of Medicine [source]


Clonidine disposition in children: a population analysis

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 6 2007
AL Potts
Background:, There are few data describing clonidine population pharmacokinetics in children (0,15 years) despite common use. Current paediatric data, described in terms of elimination half-life or Cmax and Tmax, poorly explain variability in drug responses among individuals representative of those in whom the drug will be used clinically. Methods:, Published data from four studies investigating clonidine PK after intravenous, rectal and epidural administration (n = 42) were combined with an open-label study undertaken to examine the pharmacokinetics of IV clonidine 1,2 ,g·kg,1 bolus in children after cardiac surgery (n = 30, EC approval granted). A population pharmacokinetic analysis of clonidine time-concentration profiles (380 observations) was undertaken using nonlinear mixed effects modelling. Estimates were standardised to a 70 kg adult using allometric size models. Results:, Children had a mean age of four (SD 3.6 years, range 1 week,14 years) year and weight 17.8 (SD 12.6, range 2.8,60 kg). A two compartment disposition model with first order elimination was superior to a one compartment model. Population parameter estimates (between subject variability) were clearance (CL) 14 (CV 28.3%) 1 h,1·70 kg,1, central volume of distribution (V1) 56.7 (67.5%) l·70 kg,1, inter-compartment clearance (Q) 143 (19.1%) l h,1 70 kg,1 and peripheral volume of distribution (V2) 123 (72.8%) l.70kg,1. Clearance at birth was 4.7 l·h,1·70kg,1 and matured with a half-time of 25.5 weeks to reach 85% adult rate by 1 year of age. The volumes of distribution, but not clearance, were increased after cardiac surgery (V1 180%, V2 117%). There was a lag time of 2.6 (CV 64%) min before absorption began in the rectum. The absorption half-life from the epidural space was slower than that from the rectum 1.04 (CV31%) h vs 0.28 (CV24%) h. The relative bioavailability of epidural and rectal clonidine was unity (F = 1). Conclusions:, Clearance in neonates is approximately one third that described in adults, consistent with immature clearance pathways. Maintenance dosing, which is a function of clearance, should be reduced in neonates and infants when using a target concentration approach. [source]