| 1. |
- Liu, Yawei, et al.
(författare)
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Neuron-mediated generation of regulatory T cells from encephalitogenic T cells suppresses EAE.
- 2006
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Ingår i: Nature Medicine. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1546-170X .- 1078-8956. ; 12:5, s. 518-525
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neurons have been neglected as cells with a major immune-regulatory function because they do not express major histocompatibility complex class II. Our data show that neurons are highly immune regulatory, having a crucial role in governing T-cell response and central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. Neurons induce the proliferation of activated CD4+ T cells through B7-CD28 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1–TGF-beta receptor signaling pathways, resulting in amplification of T-cell receptor signaling through phosphorylated ZAP-70, interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-9. The interaction between neurons and T cells results in the conversion of encephalitogenic T cells to CD25+TGF-beta1+CTLA-4+FoxP3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells that suppress encephalitogenic T cells and inhibit experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Suppression is dependent on cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen (CTLA)-4 but not TGF-beta1. Autocrine action of TGF-beta1, however, is important for the proliferative arrest of Treg cells. Blocking the B7 and TGF-beta pathways prevents the CNS-specific generation of Treg cells. These findings show that generation of neuron-dependent Treg cells in the CNS is instrumental in regulating CNS inflammation.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Lai, Kuei-Hung
(författare)
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Studies on anti-leukemic terpenoids from medicinal mushrooms and marine sponges with ChemGPS-NP-based targets investigation of lead compounds
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt)abstract
- This thesis investigates the anti-leukemic activity of terpenoids isolated from medicinal mushrooms and marine sponges, as well as their possible targets and mechanisms of action.In the first section, we focused on studying the triterpenoidal components of three triterpenoid-enriched medicinal mushrooms Antrodia cinnamomea, Ganoderma lucidum, and Poria cocos, which have been used in folk medicine for centuries and also developed into several contemporary marketed products. We isolated the major and characteristic triterpenoids from these mushrooms, together with six new lanostanoids (II-1–II-6). The anti-leukemic activity of the isolates was evaluated in vitro using MTT proliferative assay and seven of them exhibited potential anti-leukemic effect. The active lead compounds were further subjected to computational analyses utilizing the ChemGPS-NP tool. We established a database for the anti-leukemic relevant chemical space of triterpenoids isolated from these three medicinal mushrooms, which could be used as a reference database for further research on anti-leukemic triterpenoids. Our results indicated that the anti-leukemic effect of the active lead compounds was mediated not only through topoisomerases inhibition but also through inhibiting DNA polymerases.The second and third sections focused on isolation of anti-leukemic sesterterpenoids from sponges. The investigation of Carteriospongia sp. led to the isolation of two new scalarane-type sesterterpenoids (III-1 and III-2) and one known tetraprenyltoluquinol-related metabolite (III-3). All isolates exhibit an apoptotic mechanism of action against Molt 4 cells, found to be mediated through the disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and inhibition of topoisomerase IIα expression. Detailed investigation of the apoptotic mechanism of action using molecular docking analysis revealed that compound III-1 might target Hsp90 protein. The apoptotic-inducing effect of III-3 was supported by in vivo experiment by suppressing the volume of xenograft tumor growth (47.58%) compared with the control.In the final section of this thesis we studied manoalide and its derivatives, sesterterpenoids isolated from the sponge Luffariella sp.. Manoalide has been studied as a potential anti-inflammatory agent for the last thirty years with more than 200 publications and 40 patents. However, the configurations at positions 24 and 25 were never revealed. In the current study, ten manoalide-type sesterterpenoids (IV-1–IV-10) were isolated from Luffariella sp. and their stereoisomers at positions 24 and 25 were identified and separated for the first time. The configuration at positions 24 and 25 showed to have a significant effect on the anti-leukemic activity of manoalide derivatives, with the 24R,25S-isomer exhibiting the most potent anti-leukemic activity. The apoptotic mechanism of action of compound IV-7 against Molt 4 cells was investigated, and the compound was found to trigger MMP disruption and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Compound IV-7 also inhibited activity against both human topoisomerases, I and II. The in vivo experiment further supported the anti-leukemic effect of IV-7 with a 66.11% tumor volume suppression compared to the control.
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| 4. |
- Tjäderborn, Micaela, 1983-
(författare)
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Psychoactive prescription drug use disorders, misuse and abuse : Pharmacoepidemiological aspects
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt)abstract
- Background: There is a widespread and increasing use of psychoactive prescription drugs, such as opioid analgesics, anxiolytics, hypnotics and anti-epileptics, but their use is associated with a risk of drug use disorder, misuse and abuse. Today, these are globally recognized and emerging public health concerns.Aim: The aim of this thesis is to estimate the prevalence of psychoactive prescription drug (PPD) use disorders, misuse and abuse, and to investigate the association with some potential risk factors.Methods: A study using register data from forensic cause of death investigations investigated and described cases of fatal unintentional intoxication with tramadol (Study I). Based on register data on spontaneously reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported cases of tramadol dependence were investigated and summarised (Study II). In a study in suspected drug-impaired drivers with a toxicology analysis confirming the intake of one out of five pre-specified PPDs, the prevalence of non-prescribed use was assessed and associated factors were investigated (Study III). From a cohort of patients initiating prescribed treatment with pregabalin, using data on prescription fills, a study investigated longitudinal utilisation patterns during five years with regards to use of the drug above the maximum approved daily dose (MAD), and factors associated with the utilisation patterns (Study IV).Results: In the first study, 17 cases of unintentional intoxications were identified, of which more concerned men, the median age was 44 years and the majority used multiple psychoactive substances (alcohol, illicit drugs and prescription drugs). The second study identified 104 spontaneously reported cases of tramadol dependence, in which more concerned women, the median age was 45 years, and a third reported a history of substance abuse and 40% of past psychoactive medication use. In the third study, more than half of the individuals suspected of drug-impaired driving used the drug without a recent prescription. Non prescribed use was most frequent in users of benzodiazepines and tramadol, and was more likely in younger individuals and in multiple-substance users. In the last paper five longitudinal utilisation patterns were found in pregabalin users, with two patterns associated with a particularly high risk of doses above the maximum approved dosing recommendation. This pattern of use was associated with male sex, younger age, non-urban residency and a recent prescribed treatment with an antiepileptic or opioid analgesic drug.Conclusions: This thesis shows that psychoactive prescription drug use disorders, misuse and abuse occur and may have serious and even fatal consequences. The prevalence varies between different drugs and populations. Abuse and misuse seem to be more common in young people. Fatal intoxications and misuse of prescribed drugs may be more common in men, while drug use disorders following prescribed treatment may be more common in women and non-prescribed use equally distributed between women and men. Individuals with a history of mental illness, substance use disorder or abuse, or of past use of psychoactive medications are likely important risk groups. In summary, the findings suggest a potential for improvements in the utilisation of psychoactive prescription drugs. The results may be useful in the planning of clinical and regulatory preventive interventions to promote the rational, individualised and safe use of such drugs.
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| 5. |
- Birnir, Bryndis, et al.
(författare)
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The impact of sub-cellular location and intracellular neuronal proteins on properties of GABA(A) receptors
- 2007
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Ingår i: Current Pharmaceutical Design. - : Bentham Science Publishers. - 1381-6128 .- 1873-4286. ; 13:31, s. 3169-3177
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most studies of GABA(A) receptor accessory proteins have focused on trafficking, clustering and phosphorylation state of the channel-forming subunits and as a result a number of proteins and mechanisms have been identified that can influence the GABA(A) channel expression and function in the cell plasma membrane. In the light of a growing list of intracellular and transmembrane neuronal proteins shown to affect the fate, function and pharmacology of the GABA(A) receptors in neurons, the concept of what constitutes the native GABA(A) receptor complex may need to be re-examined. It is perhaps more appropriate to consider the associated proteins or some of them to be parts of the receptor channel complex in the capacity of ancillary proteins. Here we highlight some of the effects the intracellular environment has on the GABA-activated channel function and pharmacology. The studies demonstrate the need for co-expression of accessory proteins with the GABA(A) channel-forming subunits in heterologous expression systems in order to obtain the full repertoire of GABA(A) receptors characteristics recorded in the native neuronal environment. Further studies e.g. on gene-modified animal models are needed for most of the accessory proteins to establish their significance in normal physiology and in pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric diseases. The challenge remains to elucidate the effects that the accessory proteins and processes (e.g. phosphorylation) plus the sub-cellular location have on the "fine-tuning" of the functional and pharmacological properties of the GABA(A) receptor channels.
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| 6. |
- Eghbali, M, et al.
(författare)
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Hippocampal GABA(A) channel conductance increased by diazepam
- 1997
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 388:6637, s. 71-75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Benzodiazepines, which are widely used clinically for relief of anxiety and for sedation, are thought to enhance synaptic inhibition in the central nervous system by increasing the open probability of chloride channels activated by the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Here we show that the benzodiazepine diazepam can also increase the conductance of GABAA channels activated by low concentrations of GABA (0.5 or 5 microM) in rat cultured hippocampal neurons. Before exposure to diazepam, chloride channels activated by GABA had conductances of 8 to 53pS. Diazepam caused a concentration-dependent and reversible increase in the conductance of these channels towards a maximum conductance of 70-80 pS and the effect was as great as 7-fold in channels of lowest initial conductance. Increasing the conductance of GABAA channels tonically activated by low ambient concentrations of GABA in the extracellular environment may be an important way in which these drugs depress excitation in the central nervous system. That any drug has such a large effect on single channel conductance has not been reported previously and has implications for models of channel structure and conductance.
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| 7. |
- Lindquist, Catarina, et al.
(författare)
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Extrasynaptic GABA(A) channels activated by THIP are modulated by diazepam in CA1 pyramidal neurons in the rat brain hippocampal slice
- 2003
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Ingår i: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. - : Elsevier. - 1044-7431 .- 1095-9327. ; 24:1, s. 250-257
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Single-channel currents were activated by THIP (4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol) in cell-attached patches on CA1 pyramidal neurons in the rat hippocampal slice preparation. THIP activated GABA(A) channels after a delay that was concentration-dependent and decreased by 1 muM diazepam. The currents showed outward rectification. Channels activated at depolarized 40 mV relative to the chloride reversal potential had low conductance (<40 pS) but the conductance increased with time, resulting in high-conductance channels (>40 pS). The average maximal-channel conductances for 2 and 100 muM THIP were 59 and 62 pS (-Vp = 40 mV), respectively, whereas in 2 muM THIP plus 1 muM diazepam, it was 71 pS. The results show that in hippocampal neurons THIP activates channels with characteristics similar to those of channels activated by low concentrations (0.5-5 AM) of GABA. The increase in the inhibitory conductance with membrane depolarization permits gradation of the shunt pathway relative to the level of the excitatory input. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
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| 8. |
- Rask-Andersen, Mathias, et al.
(författare)
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Advances in kinase targeting : current clinical use and clinical trials
- 2014
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Ingår i: TIPS - Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-6147 .- 1873-3735. ; 35:11, s. 60-76
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phosphotransferases, also known as kinases, are the most intensively studied protein drug target category in current pharmacological research, as evidenced by the vast number of kinase-targeting agents enrolled in active clinical trials. This development has emerged following the great success of small-molecule, orally available protein kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer, starting with the introduction of imatinib (Gleevec (R)) in 2003. The pharmacological utility of kinase-targeting has expanded to include treatment of inflammatory diseases, and rapid development is ongoing for kinase-targeted therapies in a broad array of indications in ophthalmology, analgesia, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and the complications of diabetes, osteoporosis, and otology. In this review we highlight specifically the kinase drug targets and kinase-targeting agents being explored in current clinical trials. This analysis is based on a recent estimate of all established and clinical trial drug mechanisms of action, utilizing private and public databases to create an extensive dataset detailing aspects of more than 3000 approved and experimental drugs.
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| 9. |
- Aziz, Abdul Maruf Asif
(författare)
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Neuropeptide Receptors as Treatment Targets in Alcohol Use Disorders
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt)abstract
- Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex disorder with multiple pathophysiological processes contributing to the initiation, progression and development of the disease state. AUD is a chronic relapsing disease with escalation of alcohol-intake over time in repeated cycles of tolerance, abstinence and relapse and hence, it is very difficult to treat. There are only a few currently available treatments with narrow efficacy and variable patient response. Thus it is important to find new, more effective medications to increase the number of patients who can benefit from pharmacological treatment of AUD.The research presented in this thesis work focuses on the critical involvement of central neuropeptides in alcohol-related behaviors. The overall aim was to evaluate the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor, the neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y2 receptor and the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) receptor 1 as novel and potential pharmacological treatment targets for AUD by testing the NOP receptor agonist SR-8993, the NPY-Y2 receptor antagonist CYM-9840 and the MCH1 receptor antagonist GW803430 in established animal models.In the first study (Paper I), the novel and selective NOP agonist SR-8993 was assessed in rat models of motivation to obtain alcohol and relapse to alcohol seeking behavior using the operant self-administration (SA) paradigm. Firstly, treatment with SR-8993 (1 mg/kg) showed a mildly anxiolytic effect and reversed acute alcohol withdrawal-induced “hangover” anxiety in the elevated plus-maze (EPM). Next, it potently attenuated alcohol SA and motivation to obtain alcohol in the progressive ratio responding (PRR) and reduced both alcohol cue-induced and yohimbine stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, without affecting the pharmacology and metabolism of alcohol nor other control behaviors. To extend these findings, SR-8993 was evaluated in escalated alcohol-intake in rats. Treatment with SR-8993 significantly suppressed alcohol-intake and preference in rats that were trained to consume high amounts of alcohol in the two-bottle free choice intermittent access (IA) paradigm. SR-8993 also blocked operant SA of alcohol in rats that showed robust escalation in operant alcohol SA following chronic IA exposure to alcohol.In the second study (Paper II), SR-8993 was further evaluated in a model for escalated alcohol-intake induced by long-term IA exposure to alcohol. The effect of previous experience on operant alcohol SA on two-bottle free choice preference drinking was evaluated and sensitivity to treatment with SR-8993 was tested in rats selected for escalated and non-escalated alcohol seeking behavior. We found that rats exposed to the combined SA-IA paradigm showed greater sensitivity to SR-8993 treatment. In addition, acute escalation of alcohol SA after a three-week period of abstinence was completely abolished by pretreatment with SR-8993.In the third study (Paper III), the effects of the novel, small molecule NPY-Y2 antagonist CYM-9840 were tested in operant alcohol SA, PRR which is a model for motivation to work for alcohol and reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior. Treatment with CYM-9840 (10 mg/kg) potently attenuated alcohol SA, progressive ratio responding and stress-induced reinstatement using yohimbine as the stressor, while alcohol cue-induced reinstatement was unaffected. Moreover, a range of control behaviors including taste sensitivity, locomotor and pharmacological sensitivity to the sedative effects of alcohol remained unaffected by CYM-9840 pretreatment, indicating that its effects are specific to the rewarding and motivational aspects of alcohol-intake and related behaviors. CYM-9840 also reversed acute alcohol withdrawal-induced “hangover” anxiety measured in the EPM and reduced alcohol-intake in the 4 hour limited access two-bottle free choice preference drinking model.Finally, in the fourth study (Paper IV), the selective MCH1-R antagonist GW803430 was tested in rat models of escalated alcohol-intake. Pretreatment with GW803430 (effective at 10 & 30 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced alcohol and food-intake in rats that consumed high amounts of alcohol during IA, while it only decreased food-intake in rats that consumed low amounts of alcohol during IA, likely due to a floor effect. Upon protracted abstinence following IA, GW803430 significantly reduced operant alcohol SA and this was associated with adaptations in MCH and MCH1-R gene-expression. In contrast, GW803430 did not affect escalated alcohol SA induced by chronic alcohol vapor exposure and this was accompanied by no change in MCH or MCH1-R gene expression. Overall, these results suggest that the MCH1-R antagonist affects alcohol-intake through regulation of both motivation for caloric-intake and the rewarding properties of alcohol.In conclusion, our results suggest critical roles for these central neuropeptides in the regulation of anxiety and of alcohol reward, making them potential pharmacological targets in the treatment of AUD.
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| 10. |
- Ekman, Elisabet, et al.
(författare)
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Awareness among nurses about reporting of adverse drug reactions in Sweden
- 2012
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Ingår i: Drug, Healthcare and Patient Safety. - : Dove Medical Press Ltd.. - 1179-1365 .- 1179-1365. ; 4, s. 61-66
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate awareness among nurses regarding their new role as reporters of adverse drug reactions in Sweden and factors that may influence reporting by nurses.Methods: In 2007, all nurses were included in the adverse drug reaction reporting scheme in Sweden. A questionnaire was sent to 753 randomly selected nurses in September 2010.Results: Of the 453 (60%) responding nurses, 265 (58%) were aware that nurses were included in the reporting of adverse drug reactions. Sixty-one nurses (14%) stated that they had reported an adverse drug reaction. Fifteen percent (n = 70) of the respondents had received training about reporting of adverse drug reactions. Almost one third of these (n = 21, 30%) had reported an adverse drug reaction on at least one occasion. Among nurses without training, a smaller proportion (n = 40, 11%, P < 0.05) had reported an adverse drug reaction on at least one occasion. The two factors considered most important by nurses for reporting were the severity of the adverse drug reaction and if the reaction was to a newly approved drug. A majority of the nurses (n = 397, 88%) were interested in a training course in pharmacology as part of their ongoing professional development. One third (32%) of all nurses stated that one reason for not reporting a suspected adverse drug reaction was that the physician responsible did not regard the reaction necessary to report.Conclusion: We found that more than half of the study population of nurses in Sweden were aware of their new role as reporters of adverse drug reactions, but few of the responding nurses had reported an adverse drug reaction. Given that training seems to be associated with high reporting frequency, we suggest more training in pharmacovigilance for nurses.
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