Wiktor Dariusz Sroka

Morphine delays and attenuates ticagrelor exposure and action in patients with myocardial infarction: the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled IMPRESSION trial

Abstract Aims The currently available data indicate a drug–drug interaction between morphine and oral P2Y12 receptor inhibitors, when administered together. The aim of this trial was to assess the influence of infused morphine on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ticagrelor and its active metabolite (AR-C124910XX) in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Methods and results In a single-centre, randomized, double-blind trial, patients were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive intravenously either morphine (5 mg) or placebo, followed by a 180 mg loading dose of ticagrelor. Pharmacokinetics was determined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and ticagrelor antiplatelet effects were measured with up to three different platelet function tests: vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation assay, multiple electrode aggregometry and VerifyNow. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic assessment was performed in 70 patients (35 in each study group). Morphine lowered the total exposure to ticagrelor and its active metabolite by 36% (AUC(0–12): 6307 vs. 9791 ng h/mL; P = 0.003), and 37% (AUC(0–12): 1503 vs. 2388 ng h/mL; P = 0.008), respectively, with a concomitant delay in maximal plasma concentration of ticagrelor (4 vs. 2 h; P = 0.004). Multiple regression analysis showed that lower AUC(0–12) values for ticagrelor were independently associated with the administration of morphine (P = 0.004) and the presence of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (P = 0.014). All three methods of platelet reactivity assessment showed a stronger antiplatelet effect in the placebo group and a greater prevalence of high platelet reactivity in patients receiving morphine. Conclusions Morphine delays and attenuates ticagrelor exposure and action in patients with myocardial infarction. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02217878.

Ionic Liquids as Mobile Phase Additives for Feasible Assay of Naphazoline in Pharmaceutical Formulation by HPTLC–UV–Densitometric Method

A specific and reliable high-performance thin layer chromatography method with densitometry detection has been developed for the determination of naphazoline nitrate in nasal drops. The best separation of the basic analyte, without spot tailing, was achieved by using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile-water (60:40, v/v), adding 1.5 % (v/v) imidazolium-class ionic liquid and covering the plates with a stationary phase based on RP-18 with F254S (10 × 20 cm). The presented results confirm that imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquids are efficient suppressors of free silanols, which are considered to be responsible for troublesome and irreproducible chromatographic determinations of basic compounds. The developed chromatographic system was found to be convenient in use and to provide a repeatable assay of naphazoline nitrate in nasal drops, which could not be obtained with the use of standard silanol suppressing mobile phase additives such as triethylamine or dimethyloctylamine.

Engrailed-2 protein as a potential urinary prostate cancer biomarker: a comparison study before and after digital rectal examination.

This study was designed to compare and evaluate the presence of engrailed-2 (EN2) protein in urine collected before and after prostate massage as a diagnostic marker for prostate cancer (PCa). We analysed and compared 76 urine samples (38 before and 38 after prostate massage) from the benign group (BPH) and 66 urine samples (33 before and 33 after prostate massage) from patients with PCa confirmed by prostate biopsy. EN2 levels from the PCa and men with BPH (age range 50–82) were related to the tumour stage, Gleason score and prostate-specific antigen. EN2 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in urine. The median EN2 levels in urine after prostate massage were significantly different from those determined in urine before prostate massage (1.25 ng/ml in the PCa group and 0.34 ng/ml in the BPH). The mean EN2 levels in PCa patients were 3.76-fold higher than those in non-PCa patients after prostate massage. The distinct influence of prostate massage on EN2 levels was found to be related to the Gleason score and tumour stage. EN2 may be considered a marker of PCa with certain limitations, such as those related to tumour staging. The specificity and sensitivity of the protocol are highly dependent on prostate massage.

Tropomyosin-1 protects endothelial cell-cell junctions against cigarette smoke extract through F-actin stabilization in EA.hy926 cell line.

The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on EA.hy926 endothelial cells in culture in the context of maintenance of cell-cell junctions through the structural stabilization of the actin cytoskeleton. In the present study, F-actin was stabilized by the overexpression of tropomyosin-1, which is known to stabilize actin filaments in muscle and non-muscle cells. Our study showed that the stabilization of F-actin significantly increased the survival of cells treated with 25% CSE. In addition, after stabilization of F-actin the migratory potential of EA.hy926 cells subjected to CSE treatment was increased. Our results also showed increased fluorescence intensity of alpha- and beta-catenin after CSE treatment in cells which had stabilized F-actin. Analysis of fluorescence intensity of Zonula occludens-1 did not reveal any significant differences when EA.hy926 cells overexpressing tropomyosin-1 were compared with those lacking overexpression. It would appear that overexpression of tropomyosin-1 preserved the structure of actin filaments in the cells treated with CSE. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that stabilization of F-actin protects EA.hy926 cells against CSE-induced loss of both adherens and tight junctions. The data presented in this study suggest that overexpression of tropomyosin-1 stabilizes the organizational structure of actin filaments and helps preserve the endothelial barrier function under conditions of strong oxidative stress.

Ligand fishing using new chitosan based functionalized Androgen Receptor magnetic particles

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles with chemically modified chitosan has been proposed as a potential support for the immobilization of the androgen receptor (AR). The study involved comparison of different AR carriers like commercially available magnetic beads coated with silica (BcMag) and chitosan coated nanoparticles with different amount of amino groups. The immobilization was carried out through covalent immobilization of the AR through the terminal amino group or through available carboxylic acids. The initial characterization of the AR coated magnetic beads was carried out with dihydrotestosterone, a known AR ligand. Subsequently, chitosan modified nanporticles with long-distanced primary amino groups (Fe3O4CS-(NH2)3) (upto 8.34mM/g) were used for further study to isolate known AR ligands (bicalutamide, flutamide, hydroxyflutamide and levonogestrel) from a mixture of tested compounds in ammonium acetate buffer [10mM, pH 7.4]. The results showed that the selected nanoparticles are a promising semi-quantitative tool for the identification of high affinity compounds to AR and might be of special importance in the identification of novel agonists or antiandrogens.

Determination of amino acids in urine of patients with prostate cancer and benign prostate growth.

Prostate cancer is the leading type of cancer diagnosed in men. Serum prostate-specific antigen levels and digital rectal exam are far from perfect when it comes to differentiation of patients with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. In this study, we attempt to determine whether amino acids can be used as prostate cancer biomarkers. Concentrations of derivatized amino acids and amines were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 100 urine samples from the two groups including samples provided before and after prostate massage were examined quantitatively for amino acid and amine concentrations with 50 urine samples collected from cancer patients and 50 samples from patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Arginine, homoserine, and proline were more abundant in urine samples of cancer patients compared with arginine, homoserine, and proline levels determined in urine collected from patients with benign growth. We also show that sarcosine is not a definitive indicator of prostate cancer when analyzed in urine samples collected either before or after prostate massage.

Tropomyosin-1 protects transformed alveolar epithelial cells against cigaret smoke extract through the stabilization of F-actin-dependent cell–cell junctions

The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of tropomyosin-1-based structural stabilization of F-actin in transformed human alveolar epithelial line H1299 cells subjected to high oxidative stress induced by cigaret smoke extract. We demonstrated here that cigaret smoke extract induces cell shrinking and detachment as a consequence of F-actin cytoskeleton degradation in H1299 cells not overexpressing tropomyosin-1. Furthermore, the treatment of these cells with cigaret smoke extract resulted in the loss of peripheral localization of ZO-1 and initiated apoptosis. In contrast, structural stabilization of F-actin, by overexpression of tropomyosin-1, preserved cell to cell interactions through the attenuation of cortical actin organization into thin fibers and thus protected these cells against oxidative stress-induced degradation of actin cytoskeleton and cell death. In conclusion, we suggest that structural stabilization of thin cortical F-actin fibers increases link between tight junctions proteins and actin cytoskeleton and thus protects H1299 cells against cigaret smoke extract.

Does morphine administration affect ticagrelor conversion to its active metabolite in patients with acute myocardial infarction? A sub-analysis of the randomized, double-blind, placebo- -controlled IMPRESSION trial

Background. Therapy with aspirin and one of the platelet P2Y12 receptor inhibitors, preferably ticagrelor or prasugrel, is the mainstay of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treatment. Morphine is the most commonly used analgesic in AMI patients. The IMPRESSION study was the first randomized trial to confirm that morphine use in this clinical setting leads to a delayed and attenuated exposure to ticagrelor and its active metabolite (AR-C124910XX). The mechanism underlying this drug-drug interaction remains hypothetical. Material and methods. A post hoc sub-analysis of the IMPRESSION study, a phase IV, single center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, was performed to examine whether morphine administration interferes with the proportion of AR-C124910XX produced from ticagrelor in AMI patients. Pharmacokinetic results of all subjects pretreated with placebo (n = 35) and morphine (n = 35) were analyzed. The ratio of total exposure to AR-C124910XX to total exposure to ticagrelor for 12 h was used to illustrate the rate of ticagrelor metabolism. Total exposure to investigated compounds was measured as the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC). Results. The ratios of AUC(0–12) for AR-C124910XX to AUC(0–12) for ticagrelor were comparable between morphine and placebo pretreated patients (20.9 [13.9–34.6] v. 24.7 [18.1–29.6] %; p = 0.58). Importantly, visual inspection of the relationship between AUC(0–12) for AR-C124910XX and AUC(0–12) for ticagrelor revealed that regression lines for the morphine and placebo groups were located closely to each other, with a tendency for superimposing. Additionally, we observed similar values of slope coefficients for both study arms in the linear regression equations illustrating the relationship between AUC(0–12) for AR-C124910XX and AUC(0–12) for ticagrelor (0.19 [± 0.03] v. 0.21 [± 0.04]; p for the statistical significance of both slope coefficients < 0.0001). Conclusions. In the IMPRESSION study, conversion of ticagrelor to AR-C124910XX in AMI patients was not affected by morphine administration.

Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase and hepsin as urinary prostate cancer markers

Background Because of the numerous limitations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), α-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) and hepsin have recently been suggested as potential biomarkers in prostate cancer (PC). This report presents a comparison study of the presence of AMACR and hepsin in urine collected before and after digital rectal examination (DRE) as a previously suggested diagnostic marker for PC. Methods Seventy-six urine samples (38 before and 38 after prostate massage) from patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and 66 urine samples (33 before and 33 after prostate massage) from patients with PC were analyzed. PC was confirmed by prostate biopsy. Urinary levels of AMACR and hepsin were determined by ELISA and related to the tumor stage, Gleason score and PSA level. Results AMACR and hepsin levels in urine collected after prostate massage were higher only in the PC group. There were no correlations between AMACR levels, hepsin levels, tumor stage and Gleason score. AMACR and hepsin did not differentiate between BPH and PC with better true positive and false negative rates than serum PSA. Conclusions AMACR and hepsin were unable to diagnose PC with better true positive and false negative rates than PSA. An additional procedure combined with other markers should be applied for the reliable diagnosis of PC.

DETERMINATION OF LAMOTRIGINE IN TABLETS USING HPTLC, HPLC, AND DERIVATIVE SPECTROPHOTOMETRY METHODS

The determination of lamotrigine in tablets using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), as well as direct, first, second, and third derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometry methods are described. HPTLC method was performed using silica plates, a mobile phase composed of toluene:acetone:ammonia (3:7:0.5, v/v/v), and a densitometric detection at 312 nm. Moreover, quantification was achieved in the concentration range of 0.25–10.0 µg/spot and with good precision (RSD = 2.19%) and recovery (97.92%), using a nonlinear calibration curve by fitting to y = a + blnx. HPLC method was performed using a Luna C18 column and isocratic elution mode with a mobile phase composed of methanol: phosphate buffer (25:75, v/v) and delivered at a flow rate 1.2 mL/min. Proposed HPLC method provided good results of precision (RSD = 1.86%) and recovery (101.51%) in the concentration range of 0.25–7.5 µg/mL using linear y = a + bx regression analysis. For the UV-derivative spectrophotometry method, all derivatives and wavelengths studied proved accurate linearity, precision (RSD = 0.96–1.87%), and recovery (96.74–101.90%). Moreover, no interference was found from tablet excipients at the selected wavelength and assay procedures. The developed methods were found to be validated and showed good precision and reproducibility.