Small but crucial : the novel small heat shock protein Hsp21 mediates stress adaptation and virulence in Candida albicans

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Cisplatin-induced emesis: systematic review and meta-analysis of the ferret model and the effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists

PURPOSE: The ferret cisplatin emesis model has been used for ~30 years and enabled identification of clinically used anti-emetics. We provide an objective assessment of this model including efficacy of 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists to assess its translational validity. METHODS: A systematic review identified available evidence and was used to perform meta-analyses. RESULTS: Of 182 potentially relevant publications, 115 reported cisplatin-induced emesis in ferrets and 68 were included in the analysis. The majority (n = 53) used a 10 mg kg(−1) dose to induce acute emesis, which peaked after 2 h. More recent studies (n = 11) also used 5 mg kg(−1), which induced a biphasic response peaking at 12 h and 48 h. Overall, 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists reduced cisplatin (5 mg kg(−1)) emesis by 68% (45–91%) during the acute phase (day 1) and by 67% (48–86%) and 53% (38–68%, all P < 0.001), during the delayed phase (days 2, 3). In an analysis focused on the acute phase, the efficacy of ondansetron was dependent on the dosage and observation period but not on the dose of cisplatin. CONCLUSION: Our analysis enabled novel findings to be extracted from the literature including factors which may impact on the applicability of preclinical results to humans. It reveals that the efficacy of ondansetron is similar against low and high doses of cisplatin. Additionally, we showed that 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists have a similar efficacy during acute and delayed emesis, which provides a novel insight into the pharmacology of delayed emesis in the ferret

First Evaluation of [11C]R116301 as an In Vivo Tracer of NK1 Receptors in Man

PURPOSE: NK1 receptors have been implicated in various neuropsychiatric and other disorders. R116301 is a selective NK1 receptor antagonist. In this pilot study, [(11)C]R116301 was evaluated as a potential positron emission tomography (PET) ligand for the NK1 receptor. PROCEDURES: Two dynamic PET studies were performed in three normal volunteers before and after a blocking dose of aprepitant. Data were analyzed using striatum to cerebellum standardized uptake value (SUV) ratios. RESULTS: Baseline SUV ratios at 60-90 min after injection ranged from 1.22 to 1.70. Following aprepitant administration, this specific signal was completely blocked. Aprepitant administration did not significantly affect uptake in cerebellum, confirming the absence of NK1 receptors in cerebellum. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results indicate that [(11)C]R116301 has potential as a radioligand for in vivo assessment of NK1 receptors in the human brai

Antinociceptive activity of NK1 receptor antagonists: non-specific effects of racemic RP67580.

1. Release of substance P in the dorsal horn is considered a primary event in the perception of pain. The profile of racemic RP67580, a non-peptide antagonist at the NK1 (substance P) receptor, was examined in a range of antinociception tests on rodents. 2. At doses up to 30 mg kg-1, s.c. racemic RP67580 exhibited antinociceptive activity in writhing and formalin paw tests in mice and gerbils. Acetic acid induced writhing and the licking response to formalin were reduced to 40-50% of the level observed in vehicle-treated animals (P &lt; 0.05). However, this agent was not active in mouse tail flick, rat paw pressure or rat and guinea-pig formalin paw tests. 3. Like racemic RP67580, the calcium channel blockers nifedipine (30 mg kg-1, i.p.) and verapamil (10 or 20 mg kg-1, s.c.) inhibited the response to formalin by approximately 60% in gerbils (P &lt; 0.05 compared with vehicle-treated animals). 4. Evidence for calcium channel antagonist activity of RP67580 was obtained in vitro. Racemic RP67580 inhibited calcium entry into depolarized strips of guinea-pig ileum longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus (apparent KB = 587 +/- 115 nM), inhibited [3H]-diltiazem binding to rabbit skeletal membranes (IC50 = 298 nM) and depressed high threshold calcium currents in neurones cultured from rat cortex (10% inhibition at 10 microM). 5. These findings indicate that the acute antinociceptive effects of RP67580 may not be attributable to a specific interaction with NK1 receptors and may be mediated via calcium channel blockade