Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michiko Yamashita, Udo R. Markert
Summary: This review summarizes the current knowledge of drug transporters in the human placenta, emphasizing the importance for the health of pregnant women and their fetuses in need of drug treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Anne T. Nies, Joerg Koenig, Ute Hofmann, Charlotte Koelz, Martin F. Fromm, Matthias Schwab
Summary: Remdesivir has been approved for COVID-19 treatment, but the study indicates that OATP1B1 and its genetic variants, OATP1B3, OATP2B1 and OCT1, are not relevant for the hepatic uptake of the drug in humans. This suggests that there are no clinically relevant transporter-mediated drug interactions expected due to the rapid clearance of remdesivir.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sonia Saib, Xavier Delavenne
Summary: Inflammation can impact the expression and functionality of ABC transporters, leading to variability in drug response, especially for drugs with a narrow therapeutic index. Existing contradictory data and lack of standardization in the models used have resulted in a less conclusive interpretation of these findings.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Md Masud Parvez, Armin Sadighi, Yeseul Ahn, Steve F. Keller, Julius O. Enoru
Summary: Uptake drug transporters in the brain play a significant role in drug metabolism, and understanding their contribution to drug entry into the central nervous system is crucial for clinical translation and drug development. However, species differences may affect the translation between humans and animals.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Vojtech Dvorak, Tabea Wiedmer, Alvaro Ingles-Prieto, Patrick Altermatt, Helena Batoulis, Felix Baerenz, Eckhard Bender, Daniela Digles, Franz Durrenberger, Laura H. Heitman, Adriaan P. IJzerman, Douglas B. Kell, Stefanie Kickinger, Daniel Koerzoe, Philipp Leippe, Thomas Licher, Vania Manolova, Riccardo Rizzetto, Francesca Sassone, Lia Scarabottolo, Avner Schlessinger, Vanessa Schneider, Hubert J. Sijben, Anna-Lena Steck, Hanna Sundstrom, Sara Tremolada, Maria Wilhelm, Marina Wright Muelas, Diana Zindel, Claire M. Steppan, Giulio Superti-Furga
Summary: The solute carrier (SLC) superfamily is the largest family of transporters with important roles in health and disease, yet many SLCs remain understudied. Challenges in SLC research include lack of tools for investigation and scattered information on assay strategies. The Innovative Medicines Initiative consortium RESOLUTE aims to accelerate research on SLCs by providing high-quality resources and data.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Thomas Ind
Summary: The mainstay of treatment for cervical cancer used to be hysterectomy or radiotherapy until the late 1980s. However, surgical treatments that focus on sparing fertility have become more common since the mid to late 1990s, but they can be associated with specific operative and obstetric complications. Most guidelines recommend centralizing the management of such patients in a unit with specialist services.
BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Xiangyi Kong, Peng Gao, Jing Wang, Yi Fang, Kuo Chu Hwang
Summary: Early detection and diagnosis of cancers are challenging, with late stage detection leading to high mortality rates. The development of novel and effective diagnosis and therapeutic methods for cancer treatments is crucial. Nanobots, as promising nanomedicine applications, have emerged as a forefront of multidisciplinary research. Progress in nanotechnology has enabled the assembly and deployment of functional molecular/nanosized machines, with nanobots increasingly utilized in cancer diagnosis and therapeutic treatment. This paper reviews the recent advancements of nanobots in cancer treatments, focusing on their fundamental features and applications in drug delivery, tumor sensing and diagnosis, targeted therapy, minimally invasive surgery, and comprehensive treatments. It also discusses the challenges and potential research opportunities of nanobots in revolutionizing cancer treatments. In the future, medical nanobots are expected to become more sophisticated and capable of performing multiple medical functions and tasks, becoming true nanosubmarines in the bloodstream.
JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joanne L. Parker, Takafumi Kato, Gabriel Kuteyi, Oleg Sitsel, Simon Newstead
Summary: The kidney in mammals maintains blood homeostasis by selectively taking up, retaining or eliminating toxins, drugs and metabolites. Organic anion transporters (OATs) are responsible for recognizing and excreting metabolites and toxins in the nephron. Inhibition of OATs is therapeutically used to enhance drug efficacy and reduce nephrotoxicity. This study presents cryogenic-electron microscopy structures of OAT1 bound to alpha-ketoglutarate, tenofovir, and probenecid, providing molecular insights into alpha-ketoglutarate driven drug elimination and the allosteric regulation of organic anion transport by chloride in the kidney.
NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Lu Liu, Qian Wang, Cen Xie, Ning Xi, Zitao Guo, Ming Li, Xiangyu Hou, Ningjie Xie, Mingming Sun, Jing Li, Xiaoyan Chen
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the drug interaction of ningetinib and gefitinib in NSCLC patients, as well as the mechanism of high plasma exposure of N-demethylated ningetinib (M1). The results showed that co-administration of ningetinib with gefitinib reduced the plasma exposure of M1 by 80%, and CYP1A1 was primarily responsible for M1 formation. In addition, M1 was identified as a substrate of P-gp and BCRP efflux transporters, with ningetinib and gefitinib being their inhibitors.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jason Thomas Duskey, Arianna Rinaldi, Ilaria Ottonelli, Riccardo Caraffi, Chiara Alessia De Benedictis, Ann Katrin Sauer, Giovanni Tosi, Maria Angela Vandelli, Barbara Ruozi, Andreas Martin Grabrucker
Summary: Nanomedicines offer a way to overcome major barriers in current cancer treatments.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Danijela D. Nikodijevic, Jovana V. Jovankic, Danijela M. Cvetkovic, Marko Z. Andelkovic, Aleksandra G. Nikezic, Milena G. Milutinovic
Summary: The study evaluated the potential antitumor activity of snake venom and L-amino acid oxidase on colorectal cancer cells, showing that snake venom primarily led to necrosis while L-amino acid oxidase induced apoptosis correlated with oxidative imbalances in cancer cells. Additionally, the gene expression profiles and levels of membrane transporters also impacted the sensitivity of treatment across different cell lines. The findings suggest that L-amino acid oxidase could be a promising substance for further research on its antitumor effects, potentially with lower risk of drug resistance in vitro.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hee-Suk Chae, Seong-Tshool Hong
Summary: Despite progress in cancer treatment, conquering the disease remains a challenge. Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to fuel their growth and survival, even in nutrient-poor environments. Metabolic alterations, such as increased glucose uptake and glycolysis, contribute to the unique features of cancer metabolism. High glutamine dependency and oncogenic signaling pathways also play important roles. Identifying convergent metabolic phenotypes is crucial for targeting cancer cells, and recent developments in anti-cancer therapy aim to exploit these metabolic vulnerabilities.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ruicong Ma, Gentao Li, Xue Wang, Yajuan Bi, Youcai Zhang
Summary: This study systematically evaluated the effects of 16 commonly used excipients on human uptake transporters. Triton X-100, Tween 20, and Tween 80 were found to have inhibitory effects on various transporters, providing valuable information for excipient selection in drug development.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana Segovia-Mendoza, Janice Garcia-Quiroz, Lorenza Diaz, Rocio Garcia-Becerra
Summary: Vitamin D3 deficiency may increase the risk of breast cancer development, and calcitriol has been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation through various mechanisms and enhance the efficacy of anticancer drugs, although a standardized treatment regimen for breast cancer patients has not been fully established.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ruhul Kayesh, Vishakha Tambe, Chao Xu, Wei Yue
Summary: Impaired transport activity of hepatic OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 due to drug-drug interactions (DDIs) often leads to increased systemic exposure to substrate drugs. This study aimed to assess the OATP1B1- and OATP1B3-mediated DDI potential of the calcium channel blocker nicardipine. The results showed that nicardipine has the potential to cause OATP1B1/3-mediated DDIs, and the consideration of optimal preincubation conditions is important when assessing these interactions in vitro.
