scholarly journals Efficacy of Fenfluramine and Norfenfluramine Enantiomers and Various Antiepileptic Drugs in a Zebrafish Model of Dravet Syndrome

Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Maxim Nelis ◽  
Jo Sourbron ◽  
Daniëlle Copmans ◽  
Lieven Lagae ◽  
...  

AbstractDravet syndrome (DS) is a rare genetic encephalopathy that is characterized by severe seizures and highly resistant to commonly used antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). In 2020, FDA has approved fenfluramine (FFA) for treatment of seizures associated with DS. However, the clinically used FFA is a racemic mixture (i.e. (±)-FFA), that is substantially metabolized to norfenfluramine (norFFA), and it is presently not known whether the efficacy of FFA is due to a single enantiomer of FFA, or to both, and whether the norFFA enantiomers also contribute significantly. In this study, the antiepileptic activity of enantiomers of FFA (i.e. (+)-FFA and (−)-FFA) and norFFA (i.e. (+)-norFFA and (−)-norFFA) was explored using the zebrafish scn1Lab−/− mutant model of DS. To validate the experimental conditions used, we assessed the activity of various AEDs typically used in the fight against DS, including combination therapy. Overall, our results are highly consistent with the treatment algorithm proposed by the updated current practice in the clinical management of DS. Our results show that (+)-FFA, (−)-FFA and (+)-norFFA displayed significant antiepileptic effects in the preclinical model, and thus can be considered as compounds actively contributing to the clinical efficacy of FFA. In case of (−)-norFFA, the results were less conclusive. We also investigated the uptake kinetics of the enantiomers of FFA and norFFA in larval zebrafish heads. The data show that the total uptake of each compound increased in a time-dependent fashion. A somewhat similar uptake was observed for the (+)-norFFA and (−)-norFFA, implying that the levo/dextrotation of the structure did not dramatically affect the uptake. Significantly, when comparing (+)-FFA with the less lipophilic (+)-norFFA, the data clearly show that the nor-metabolite of FFA is taken up less than the parent compound.

Author(s):  
Mina Okamura ◽  
Ikuko Mikami ◽  
Junko Koiwa ◽  
Yuka Takahashi ◽  
Erina Kitahara ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea A. Weitekamp ◽  
Allison Kvasnicka ◽  
Scott P. Keely ◽  
Nichole E. Brinkman ◽  
Xia Meng Howey ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Across taxa, animals with depleted intestinal microbiomes show disrupted behavioral phenotypes. Axenic (i.e., microbe-free) mice, zebrafish, and fruit flies exhibit increased locomotor behavior, or hyperactivity. The mechanism through which bacteria interact with host cells to trigger normal neurobehavioral development in larval zebrafish is not well understood. Here, we monoassociated zebrafish with either one of six different zebrafish-associated bacteria, mixtures of these host-associates, or with an environmental bacterial isolate. Results As predicted, the axenic cohort was hyperactive. Monoassociation with three different host-associated bacterial species, as well as with the mixtures, resulted in control-like locomotor behavior. Monoassociation with one host-associate and the environmental isolate resulted in the hyperactive phenotype characteristic of axenic larvae, while monoassociation with two other host-associated bacteria partially blocked this phenotype. Furthermore, we found an inverse relationship between the total concentration of bacteria per larvae and locomotor behavior. Lastly, in the axenic and associated cohorts, but not in the larvae with complex communities, we detected unexpected bacteria, some of which may be present as facultative predators. Conclusions These data support a growing body of evidence that individual species of bacteria can have different effects on host behavior, potentially related to their success at intestinal colonization. Specific to the zebrafish model, our results suggest that differences in the composition of microbes in fish facilities could affect the results of behavioral assays within pharmacological and toxicological studies.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1003
Author(s):  
Michiaki Matsumoto ◽  
Tadashi Hano

The non-enzymatic synthesis of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-leucine (Cbz-Phe-Leu) from lipophilic N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanine (Cbz-Phe) and hydrophilic L-leucine (Leu), by N, N’-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) as a condensing agent, was carried out using a reversed micellar system composed of bis(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) as a surfactant and isooctane. We successfully synthesized Cbz-Phe-Leu in a short time and investigated the effects of its operational conditions, the DCC concentration, w0, and the pH on the kinetic parameters and the maximum yields. For dipeptide synthesis, we had to add an excess of DCC with the substrates because of the side reactions of Cbz-Phe. From the pH dependency of the reactivity, a partially cationic form of Leu was better for a synthesis reaction because of the enrichment of Leu at the interface by anionic AOT. The optimum water content on the dipeptide synthesis was w0 = 28 due to the competition of the peptide synthesis and the side reactions. The maximum yield of Cbz-Phe-Leu was 0.565 at 80 h under optimum experimental conditions.


1976 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 937-959 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cesca ◽  
M. Bruzzone ◽  
A. Priola ◽  
G. Ferraris ◽  
P. Giusti

Abstract New catalyst systems based on alkylaluminum derivatives and halogen or interhalogen compounds were found highly efficient in the synthesis of high-molecular-weight IIR at temperatures above − 50°C. The reaction mechanism was studied in detail for the system Et2AlCl + Cl2. The reactions occurring between chlorine, isobutene, Et2AlCl, and the solvent (CH3Cl) were elucidated and studied under various experimental conditions (e.g. presence or absence of light, simultaneous presence of the copolymerization system components, temperature, type of halogen, use of model compound of isobutene). It was concluded that halogenium ions, i.e. Cl+, Br+, or I+, are the initiating species. Kinetic and conductometric investigations showed that scarcely dissociated ion pairs, e.g. Cl+[Et2AlCl2]−, were formed in the absence of monomer; but in the presence of isobutene, a noticeable increase of the electrical conductivity and rapid polymerization occurred. The maximum polymerization rate was first order with respect to the concentrations of monomer, Cl2, and Et2AlCl. In the homopolymerization of isobutene, transfer to monomer and termination reactions were negligible. The MW of IIR was found to be mainly dependent on the concentrations of the catalyst components, on isoprene concentration, and on temperature. The reactivity ratio of isobutene with isoprene was found to be r1=2.5±0.5 at −35°C, while the activation energies relative to MW were −5.8 ± 0.4, kcal/mol for polyisobutene, and −5.7 ± 0.7 and − 4.3 ± 0.5 kcal/mol for IIR containing, respectively, 1.3 and 1.9 mol% of isoprene. The evaluation of some physicochemical and technological properties of typical IIR produced with the system Et2AlCl + Cl2, indicated that isoprene is randomly distributed along the chains and that the MWD is monomodal, while the glass transition temperature, tensile properties, mechanical-dynamic spectra, and kinetics of vulcanization are very similar to those of commercial IIR. Very preliminary data, referring to several classes of new catalyst systems yielding IIR having good properties, were also obtained. The syncatalyst systems here described can work in a homogeneous phase consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon besides methyl chloride, still giving IIR with high MW. Therefore, a completely homogeneous process can be envisioned for the synthesis of IIR at −50°C thus avoiding a great part of the fouling problems of the slurry process. The economic advantage of using “high” temperatures of polymerization is briefly discussed in terms of energy savings.


2005 ◽  
Vol 475-479 ◽  
pp. 1137-1140
Author(s):  
Lili Zhao ◽  
Feng Gao ◽  
Wei Min Wang ◽  
Chang Sheng Tian

The oriented 0.67Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.33PbTiO3 (PMNT) polycrystals were prepared by the conventional ceramic technique and the templated grain growth method adding excess PbO in the matrix. Kinetics of the development of oriented structure was investigated systemically. In the presence of PbO liquid phase, the oriented PMNT polycrystals mainly grow by the dissolution-precipitation mechanism. The diffusion is determined by the sintering temperature and the PbO-excess content in the matrix. The thickness of oriented PMNT polycrystals displays a t1/3 dependence, which is characteristic of diffusion-controlled growth. For the thicker oriented structure, 20% excess PbO in the PMNT matrix and 1150oC for 10h are the proper experimental conditions. Moreover, the addition of PbO in the matrix hardly affects the final composition of ceramic matrix.


2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Nanjundaiah ◽  
J.P. Stains ◽  
K.D. Moudgil

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, bone erosion, and cartilage destruction in the joints. It is increasingly being realized that inflammation might play an important role in inducing bone damage in arthritis. However, there is limited validation of this concept in vivo in well-controlled experimental conditions. We addressed this issue using the adjuvant arthritis (AA) model of RA. In AA, the draining lymph nodes are the main sites of activation of pathogenic leukocytes, which then migrate into the joints leading to the induction of arthritis. We tested the temporal kinetics of mediators of bone damage [e.g., receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteopontin (OPN)] and inflammation (pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines) in the draining lymph node cells (LNC) at different phases of AA, and then examined their inter-relationships. Our study revealed that, together with cytokines/chemokines, some of the mediators of bone remodeling are also produced in LNC. Various cytokines/chemokines showed distinct kinetics of expression as well as patterns of correlation with mediators of bone remodeling at different phases of the disease. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α are known to play an important role in bone damage. Interestingly, there was a positive correlation between TNF-α and RANKL, between RANKL and each of the 3 chemokines tested (RANTES, MIP-1α, and GRO/KC), and between TNF-α and RANTES. Our results in the AA model lend support to the concept of osteo-immune crosstalk during the course of autoimmune arthritis.


1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.M. Hashem ◽  
M. Zirlewagen ◽  
A. M. Braun

A more efficient use of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation produced by an immersed Xe-excimer light source (172 nm) was investigated for the oxidative degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous systems. All emitted VUV radiation from one light source was used in two simultaneous but separate photochemical reactions: (1) photochemical generation of ozone by irradiating oxygen in the gas phase and (2) photolysis of the aqueous reaction system. The gas stream containing the generated ozone is sparged into the reaction system, thus enhancing the oxidative degradation of organic pollutants. The photochemically generated ozone in the gas phase was quantitatively analyzed, and the kinetics of the degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were determined under different experimental conditions. The results show that the rates of degradation of the substrate and of the DOC decrease in the order of the applied processes, VUV/O3 > O3 > VUV.


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