Progress Report on Target Development

The present document is the D08 deliverable report of work package 1 (Target Development) from the MEGAPIE TEST project of the 5th European Framework Program. Deliverable D08 is the progress report on the activities performed within WP 1. The due date of this deliverable was the 5th month after the start of the EU project. This coincided with a technical status meeting of the MEGAPIE Initiative, that was held in March 2002 in Bologna (Italy). The content of the present document reflects the status of the MEGAPIE target development at that stage. It gives an overview of the Target Design, the related Design Support activities and the progress of the work done for the safety assessment and licensing of the target

Lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli reduces antigen-induced bronchoconstriction in actively sensitized guinea pigs.

Bronchoconstriction (BC) is the main feature of anaphylaxis in the guinea pig. Since LPS induces lung inflammation and antigen-induced BC depends on the endogenous formation of histamine and arachidonate metabolites, we studied whether LPS might modulate antigen-induced BC. Guinea pigs were sensitized subcutaneously with 10 micrograms ovalbumin (OA) on days 0 and 14. LPS (100 micrograms/kg) was injected intravenously on day 21, and daily injections of LPS were continued before the antigenic challenge on day 22, 23, 24, or 25. Intratracheal injection of 100 micrograms OA induced an abrupt and reversible BC. Single or repetitive injections of LPS reduced BC. LPS is likely to reduce the OA-induced BC by affecting the histamine-dependent component of BC, since (a) LPS induced a partial degranulation of lung mast cells; (b) BC is reduced by mepyramine, an histamine receptor antagonist; (c) LPS did not affect BC in mepyramine-treated guinea pigs; (d) LPS reduced histamine release by OA-stimulated guinea pig lungs in vitro. Moreover, the in vitro OA-induced production of arachidonate metabolites was also reduced by LPS. The decreased formation of TXB2 was not only secondary to a reduced release of histamine, since LPS inhibited TXB2 formation in the presence of mepyramine. Finally, the FMLP-induced BC and mediator release were inhibited by LPS, whereas the platelet activating factor-induced pulmonary responses were not. Thus, the protective effect of LPS is not antigen-specific and does not result from a general desensitization. These studies indicate that a single dose of LPS reduces the antigen-induced BC by reducing histamine release from lung mast cells, although a decreased formation of eicosanoids may contribute to the protective effect of LPS

Cyclo-oxygenase isoenzymes. How recent findings affect thinking about nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

International audienceThe discovery of at least 2 cyclo-oxygenase (COX) isoenzymes, referred to as COX-1 and COX-2, has updated our knowledge of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This has lead investigators to reconsider what can be awaited from this class of drugs. The 2 COX isoenzymes share structural and enzymatic similarities, but are specifically regulated at the molecular level and may be distinguished apart in their functions, although some physiological overlap between them does occur. The major goal in developing selective COX inhibitors is to improve NSAID tolerability. Classic NSAIDs preferentially inhibit COX-1 in vitro, but it appears hazardous to judge their gastrointestinal (GI) safety profile from these data. New compounds with a high selectivity for COX-2, especially those that are non-acidic, may be better tolerated in the GI tract. While these compounds also might have a potential use in various diseases such as colorectal cancer and neurodegenerative diseases of the Alzheimer type, the possible appearance of adverse effects, perhaps renally-related, must be taken into consideration. Finally, well-designed large clinical trials are required to adequately estimate both the promising therapeutic advantages that may be offered by highly selective NSAIDs, and the potential drawbacks that may be inherent with prolonged COX-2 inhibition

Agonists of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors (PPAR) α, β/δ or γ reduce transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-induced proteoglycans' production in chondrocytes

SummaryObjectiveTo investigate the potency of selective agonists of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors' (PPAR) isotypes (α, β/δ or γ) to modulate the stimulating effect of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) on proteoglycans' (PGs) synthesis in chondrocytes.MethodRat chondrocytes embedded in alginate beads and cultured under low serum conditions were exposed to TGF-β1 (10ng/ml), alone or in combination with the following agonists: Wy14643 for PPARα, GW501516 for PPARβ/δ, rosiglitazone (ROSI) for PPARγ, in the presence or absence of PPAR antagonists (GW6471 for PPARα, GW9662 for PPARγ). PGs' synthesis was evaluated by radiolabelled sulphate incorporation and glycosaminoglycans' (GAGs) content by Alcian blue staining of beads and colorimetric 1.9 dimethyl-methylene blue assay after beads' solubilization. Phosphorylation of Extracellular Signal-related Kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), Smad2/3 and p38-MAPK was assessed by Western Blot and production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by Enzyme immuno-assay (EIA). Levels of mRNA for PPAR target genes [acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) for PPARα; mitochondrial carnitin palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1) for PPARβ/δ and adiponectin for PPARγ], aggrecan, TGF-β1 and genes controlling GAGs' side chains' synthesis were quantified by real time polymerase chain reaction and normalized over RP29 housekeeping gene.ResultsACO was selectively up-regulated by 100μM of Wy14643, CPT-1 by 100nM of GW501516 and adiponectin by 10μM of ROSI without cell toxicity. TGF-β1 increased PGs' synthesis by four-fold, GAGs' content and deposition by 3.5-fold and six-fold, respectively, while inducing aggrecan expression around 10-fold without modifying mRNA levels of GAGs' controlling enzymes. PPAR agonists inhibited the stimulating effect of TGF-β1 by 24–44% on PGs' synthesis and over 75% on aggrecan, GAGs' content and deposition with the following rank order of potency: ROSI>GW501516≥Wy14643. TGF-β1-induced phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and ERK1/2 was reduced by ROSI over GW501516 but not by Wy14643 whereas stimulated PGE2 production was inhibited by Wy14643 over GW501516 but not by ROSI. The effect of PPAR agonists on PPAR target genes and TGF-β1-induced aggrecan expression was reversed selectively by PPAR antagonists.ConclusionIn chondrocytes' beads, PPAR agonists reduced the stimulating effect of TGF-β1 on PGs by inhibiting TGF-β1-induced aggrecan expression in an isotype-selective manner. Thus, PPAR agonists could be deleterious in situation of cartilage repair although being protective in situation of cartilage degradation