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Scientific Reports Sep 2023Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene. This leads to a...
Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene. This leads to a deficient HGD enzyme with the consequent accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA) in different tissues causing complications in various organs, particularly in joints, heart valves and kidneys. The genetic basis of AKU in Egypt is completely unknown. We evaluated the clinical and genetic spectrum of six pediatric and adolescents AKU patients from four unrelated Egyptian families. All probands had a high level of HGA in urine by qualitative GC/MS before genetic confirmation by Sanger sequencing. Recruited AKU patients were four females and two males (median age 13 years). We identified four different pathogenic missense variants within HGD gene. Detected variants included a novel variant c.1079G > T;p.(Gly360Val) and three recurrent variants; c.1078G > C;p.(Gly360Arg), c.808G > A;p.(Gly270Arg) and c.473C > T;p.(Pro158Leu). All identified variants were properly segregating in the four families consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. In this study, we reported the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of alkaptonuria for the first time in Egypt. We further enriched the HGD-variant database with another novel pathogenic variant. The recent availability of nitisinone may promote the need for genetic confirmation at younger ages to start therapy earlier and prevent serious complications.
Topics: Adolescent; Female; Male; Humans; Child; Alkaptonuria; Egypt; Homogentisate 1,2-Dioxygenase; Phenylacetates; Homogentisic Acid; Dioxygenases
PubMed: 37658095
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41200-7 -
Archives of Pharmacal Research Jan 2015Aceclofenac is one of the most popular analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs used for the relief of pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. To date, no...
Aceclofenac is one of the most popular analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs used for the relief of pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. To date, no intravenous preparation of aceclofenac has been developed because of its poor water solubility. In this study, to investigate its absolute bioavailability and metabolism in rats, aceclofenac was dissolved in a sterile aqueous solution containing urea (20 %) and trisodium citrate (10 %), and administered via oral (20 mg/kg) and intravenous (10 mg/kg) routes. Blood samples were taken serially, and aceclofenac and its three major metabolites (4'-hydroxydiclofenac, 4'-hydroxyaceclofenac, and diclofenac) were measured by HPLC-MS/MS. The absolute oral bioavailability of aceclofenac was approximately 15 %. Diclofenac and 4'-hydroxydiclofenac were the main metabolites in rats, in contrast to 4'-hydroxyaceclofenac in humans. The low bioavailability of aceclofenac is likely due to extensive metabolism, and bioavailability may be even lower if the drug were administered as a tablet, considering its low water solubility. This study provides complete time profiles of the plasma concentrations of aceclofenac and its metabolites in rats and highlights the difference in drug metabolism between rats and humans.
Topics: Administration, Intravenous; Administration, Oral; Animals; Biological Availability; Diclofenac; Male; Rats
PubMed: 24633464
DOI: 10.1007/s12272-014-0350-4 -
Journal of Natural Products Jan 2015The first total synthesis of the potent and selective human blood coagulation factor XIa inhibitor clavatadine A (1) is described. Direct, early-stage guanidinylation...
The first total synthesis of the potent and selective human blood coagulation factor XIa inhibitor clavatadine A (1) is described. Direct, early-stage guanidinylation enabled rapid, convergent access to an immediate clavatadine A precursor. Concomitant lactone hydrolysis and guanidine deprotection with aqueous acid cleanly provided clavatadine A (1) in only four steps (longest linear sequence, 41-43% overall yield).
Topics: Animals; Factor XIa; Guanidines; Humans; Lactones; Molecular Structure; Phenylacetates; Porifera
PubMed: 25517413
DOI: 10.1021/np500772u -
Journal of Proteome Research Jul 2017Flavan-3-ols and methylxanthines have potential beneficial effects on human health including reducing cardiovascular risk. We performed a randomized controlled crossover... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Flavan-3-ols and methylxanthines have potential beneficial effects on human health including reducing cardiovascular risk. We performed a randomized controlled crossover intervention trial to assess the acute effects of consumption of flavan-3-ol-enriched dark chocolate, compared with standard dark chocolate and white chocolate, on the human metabolome. We assessed the metabolome in urine and blood plasma samples collected before and at 2 and 6 h after consumption of chocolates in 42 healthy volunteers using a nontargeted metabolomics approach. Plasma samples were assessed and showed differentiation between time points with no further separation among the three chocolate treatments. Multivariate statistics applied to urine samples could readily separate the postprandial time points and distinguish between the treatments. Most of the markers responsible for the multivariate discrimination between the chocolates were of dietary origin. Interestingly, small but significant level changes were also observed for a subset of endogenous metabolites. H NMR revealed that flavan-3-ol-enriched dark chocolate and standard dark chocolate reduced urinary levels of creatinine, lactate, some amino acids, and related degradation products and increased the levels of pyruvate and 4-hydroxyphenylacetate, a phenolic compound of bacterial origin. This study demonstrates that an acute chocolate intervention can significantly affect human metabolism.
Topics: Amino Acids; Chocolate; Creatinine; Cross-Over Studies; Female; Flavonoids; Humans; Lactic Acid; Male; Metabolome; Metabolomics; Phenylacetates; Phytochemicals; Postprandial Period; Pyruvic Acid; Sex Factors
PubMed: 28585834
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.7b00089 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Feb 2020Methylphenidate, a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has the potential to be used nonmedically, such as for studying and recreation. In...
BACKGROUND
Methylphenidate, a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has the potential to be used nonmedically, such as for studying and recreation. In an era when many people actively use social networking services, experience with the nonmedical use or side effects of methylphenidate might be shared on Twitter.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to analyze tweets about the nonmedical use and side effects of methylphenidate using a machine learning approach.
METHODS
A total of 34,293 tweets mentioning methylphenidate from August 2018 to July 2019 were collected using searches for "methylphenidate" and its brand names. Tweets in a randomly selected training dataset (6860/34,293, 20.00%) were annotated as positive or negative for two dependent variables: nonmedical use and side effects. Features such as personal noun, nonmedical use terms, medical use terms, side effect terms, sentiment scores, and the presence of a URL were generated for supervised learning. Using the labeled training dataset and features, support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were built and the performance was evaluated using F scores. The classifiers were applied to the test dataset to determine the number of tweets about nonmedical use and side effects.
RESULTS
Of the 6860 tweets in the training dataset, 5.19% (356/6860) and 5.52% (379/6860) were about nonmedical use and side effects, respectively. Performance of SVM classifiers for nonmedical use and side effects, expressed as F scores, were 0.547 (precision: 0.926, recall: 0.388, and accuracy: 0.967) and 0.733 (precision: 0.920, recall: 0.609, and accuracy: 0.976), respectively. In the test dataset, the SVM classifiers identified 361 tweets (1.32%) about nonmedical use and 519 tweets (1.89%) about side effects. The proportion of tweets about nonmedical use was highest in May 2019 (46/2624, 1.75%) and December 2018 (36/2041, 1.76%).
CONCLUSIONS
The SVM classifiers that were built in this study were highly precise and accurate and will help to automatically identify the nonmedical use and side effects of methylphenidate using Twitter.
Topics: Humans; Machine Learning; Methylphenidate; Social Media
PubMed: 32130160
DOI: 10.2196/16466 -
Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Jan 2021Neonatal onset Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) can be life threatening with severe hyperammonemia and poor neurological outcomes. Glycerol phenylbutyrate (GPB) is safe and...
BACKGROUND/AIMS
Neonatal onset Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) can be life threatening with severe hyperammonemia and poor neurological outcomes. Glycerol phenylbutyrate (GPB) is safe and effective in reducing ammonia levels in patients with UCD above 2 months of age. This study assesses safety, ammonia control and pharmacokinetics (PK) of GPB in UCD patients below 2 months of age.
METHODS
This was an open-label study in UCD patients aged 0 - 2 months, consisting of an initiation/transition period (1 - 4 days) to GPB, followed by a safety extension period (6 months to 2 years). Patients presenting with a hyperammonemic crisis (HAC) did not initiate GPB until blood ammonia levels decreased to below 100 µmol/L while receiving sodium phenylacetate/sodium benzoate and/or hemodialysis. Ammonia levels, PK analytes and safety were evaluated during transition and monthly during the safety extension for 6 months and every 3 months thereafter.
RESULTS
All 16 patients with UCD (median age 0.48 months, range 0.1 to 2.0 months) successfully transitioned to GPB within 3 days. Average plasma ammonia level excluding HAC was 94.3 µmol/L at baseline and 50.4 µmol/L at the end of the transition period (p = 0.21). No patient had a HAC during the transition period. During the safety extension, the majority of patients had controlled ammonia levels, with mean plasma ammonia levels lower during GPB treatment than baseline. Mean glutamine levels remained within normal limits throughout the study. PK analyses indicate that UCD patients <2 months are able to hydrolyze GPB with subsequent absorption of phenylbutyric acid (PBA), metabolism to phenylacetic acid (PAA) and conjugation with glutamine. Plasma concentrations of PBA, PAA, and phenylacetylglutamine (PAGN) were stable during the safety extension phase and mean plasma phenylacetic acid: phenylacetylglutamine ratio remained below 2.5 suggesting no accumulation of GPB. All patients reported at least 1 treatment emergent adverse event with gastroesophageal reflux disease, vomiting, hyperammonemia, diaper dermatitis (37.5% each), diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection and rash (31.3% each) being the most frequently reported.
CONCLUSIONS
This study supports safety and efficacy of GPB in UCD patients aged 0 -2 months who cannot be managed by dietary protein restriction and/or amino acid supplementation alone. GPB undergoes intestinal hydrolysis with no accumulation in this population.
Topics: Age of Onset; Ammonia; Child, Preschool; Female; Glycerol; Humans; Hyperammonemia; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Pediatrics; Phenylacetates; Phenylbutyrates; Renal Dialysis; Urea Cycle Disorders, Inborn
PubMed: 33388234
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2020.12.002 -
Drugs & Aging Dec 2017Gout is common in the elderly, affecting an estimated 4.7 million people aged > 60 years in the USA alone. The incidence and prevalence of gout increases, and male...
Gout is common in the elderly, affecting an estimated 4.7 million people aged > 60 years in the USA alone. The incidence and prevalence of gout increases, and male predisposition to gout reduces, with increasing age. The elderly have more comorbidities, and gout manifests differently, with more frequent involvement of knees, ankles, and wrists at disease onset, systemic upset, and tophi. Comorbidities and polypharmacy make the management of gout flares challenging in this population. Intra-articular corticosteroid injection remains the treatment of choice for accessible joints, oral prednisolone is preferred over low-dose colchicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are best avoided. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOI) remain the first-line treatment for hyperuricemia in the elderly. Arhalofenate, an emerging uricosuric anti-inflammatory drug, prevents gout flares while reducing serum urate. It may be particularly relevant in the treatment of gout in the elderly as they are unable to tolerate long-term colchicine for flare prophylaxis and frequently have contraindications to corticosteroids and NSAIDs. However, given its modest urate-lowering effect, it can only be used in combination with an XOI, and the safety and efficacy of this drug has not been examined in the elderly or in those with chronic kidney disease. Diuretics and beta-blockers should be discontinued where feasible, whereas low-dose aspirin can be continued if otherwise indicated.
Topics: Acetamides; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Colchicine; Female; Gout; Gout Suppressants; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Phenylacetates; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 29214511
DOI: 10.1007/s40266-017-0512-4 -
Chembiochem : a European Journal of... Mar 2020We recently reported the discovery of phenylacetate decarboxylase (PhdB), representing one of only ten glycyl-radical-enzyme reaction types known, and a promising...
We recently reported the discovery of phenylacetate decarboxylase (PhdB), representing one of only ten glycyl-radical-enzyme reaction types known, and a promising biotechnological tool for first-time biochemical synthesis of toluene from renewable resources. Here, we used experimental and computational data to evaluate the plausibility of three candidate PhdB mechanisms, involving either attack at the phenylacetate methylene carbon or carboxyl group [via H-atom abstraction from COOH or single-electron oxidation of COO (Kolbe-type decarboxylation)]. In vitro experimental data included assays with F-labeled phenylacetate, kinetic studies, and tests with site-directed PhdB mutants; computational data involved estimation of reaction energetics using density functional theory (DFT). The DFT results indicated that all three mechanisms are thermodynamically challenging (beyond the range of many known enzymes in terms of endergonicity or activation energy barrier), reflecting the formidable demands on PhdB for catalysis of this reaction. Evidence that PhdB was able to bind α,α-difluorophenylacetate but was unable to catalyze its decarboxylation supported the enzyme's abstraction of a methylene H atom. Diminished activity of H327A and Y691F mutants was consistent with proposed proton donor roles for His327 and Tyr691. Collectively, these and other data most strongly support PhdB attack at the methylene carbon.
Topics: Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins; Carboxy-Lyases; Kinetics; Phenylacetates; Thermodynamics; Toluene
PubMed: 31512343
DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900560 -
Journal of Oleo Science 2022Disorganization and breakdown of extracellular matrix proteins like fibronectin, collagen, and elastin are key characteristics of skin aging due to the increased...
Disorganization and breakdown of extracellular matrix proteins like fibronectin, collagen, and elastin are key characteristics of skin aging due to the increased activation of important proteolytic enzymes like elastases and collagenase enzymes. Also, inhibition of their enzymatic activities by natural molecules might be a promising factor to prevent extrinsic skin aging. All chemicals were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich unless otherwise stated. The assay employed was based on spectrophotometric methods reported in the literature. The collagenase and elastase inhibition assays of some phenolic compounds were performed according to the previous studies. These compounds showed excellent to good inhibitory activities of vulpinic acid against studied these enzymes with IC50 values of 195.36 µM for collagenase and 25.24 µM for elastase. The molecular docking calculations were conducted to investigate the chemical and biological activity of vulpinic acid and usnic acid against collagenase and elastase. The results indicated that these two compounds can interact with the essential residues of the enzymes and affect their activities. The calculations of binding free energies were also performed to obtain more details about the characteristics and free energies of the ligand-enzyme complexes. Additionally, both compounds exhibited the most potent inhibition in the three lung cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 21-68 µM, indicating that vulpinic acid is more potent than Doxorubicin, which exhibited an IC50 value of 21-29 µM.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Benzofurans; Cell Line, Tumor; Collagenases; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Extracellular Matrix Proteins; Furans; Geroscience; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Models, Molecular; Pancreatic Elastase; Phenylacetates; Skin Aging
PubMed: 35110467
DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess21276 -
Journal of Natural Products Jul 2023Cancer is a major disease threatening human health worldwide, among which non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most deadly. Clinically, almost all anticancer drugs...
Cancer is a major disease threatening human health worldwide, among which non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most deadly. Clinically, almost all anticancer drugs eventually fail to consistently benefit patients due to serious drug resistance. AKT is a key effector of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which is closely related to the occurrence, development, and drug resistance of tumors. Herein, we first designed and synthesized 20 kinds of novel hybrid molecules targeting both tubulin and AKT based on a podophyllotoxin (PPT) skeleton through computer-aided drug design. By CCK8 assay, we screened the compound (IC = 0.10 μM) with the strongest inhibitory activity against H1975 cells, and its activity was 100 times higher than PPT (IC = 12.56 μM) and 300 times higher than gefitinib (IC = 32.15 μM). Affinity analysis results showed that not only retained the tubulin targeting of PPT but also showed strong AKT targeting. Subsequent pharmacological experiments showed that significantly inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of H1975 cells and slightly induced their apoptosis by inhibiting both tubulin polymerization and the AKT pathway activation. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the novel hybrid molecule may be an excellent lead compound for the treatment of human NSCLC as a dual inhibitor of tubulin and AKT.
Topics: Humans; Podophyllotoxin; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Tubulin; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Lung Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Antineoplastic Agents; Phenylacetates; Cell Proliferation; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Apoptosis
PubMed: 37395092
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c00384