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[2,3-diamino-N-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)propanamide], named as ETN101, is a novel therapeutic agent for hepatocellular carcinoma. In vitro studies examined ETN101 metabolites in human, mouse, rat, dog, and monkey hepatocytes and identified the drug-metabolizing enzymes involved using cDNA-expressed human recombinant cytochrome P450s (CYPs), carboxylesterases (CESs), N-acetyltransferase (NAT) 1, and human liver cytosol. ETN101 showed similar metabolic stability across hepatocytes from five species, with particularly comparable stability in humans, rats, and monkeys. Its half-life was 75.0 min in humans, 68.9 in rats, 73.1 in monkeys, 120.4 in mice, and 112.7 in dogs. Thirty-four ETN101 metabolites, including the major metabolite M1, were identified using liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry. ETN101 was primarily metabolized to M1 and CYP1A2 is exclusively responsible for M1 metabolism. Both NAT1 and NAT2 were responsible for the N-acetylation of M1 to M2. ETN101 remained stable in human CESs. In conclusion, this study provides comprehensive insights into the metabolic characteristics of ETN101, valuable for its toxicological and clinical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine whether the administration of Acer palmatum thumb. leaf extract (KIOM-2015E) protects against the degeneration of rat retinal ganglion cells after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induced by midbrain cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)., Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 90 min of MCAO, which produces transient ischemia in both the retina and brain due to the use of an intraluminal filament that blocks the ophthalmic and middle cerebral arteries. This was followed by reperfusion under anesthesia with isoflurane. The day after surgery, the eyes were treated three times (eye drop) or one time (oral administration) daily with KIOM-2015E for five days. Retinal histology was assessed in flat mounts and vertical sections to determine the effect of KIOM-2015E on I/R injury., Results: A significant loss of brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A (Brn3a) and neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin (Tuj-1) fluorescence and a marked increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and glutamine synthetase (GS) expression were observed after five days in the PBS-treated MCAO group compared to the sham-operated control group. However, KIOM-2015E treatment reduced (1) MCAO-induced upregulation of GFAP and GS, (2) retinal ganglion cell loss, (3) nerve fiber degeneration, and (4) the number of TUNEL-positive cells. KIOM-2015E application also increased staining for parvalbumin (a marker of horizontal cell associated calcium-binding protein and amacrine cells) and recoverin (a marker of photoreceptor expression) in rats subjected to MCAO-induced retinal damage., Conclusions: Our findings indicated that KIOM-2015E treatment exerted protective effects against retinal damage following MCAO injury and that this extract may aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular disease., (Copyright © 2020 Molecular Vision.)

This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective properity of staurosporine (STS) and identify the neuroprotective mechanism of staurosporine in mouse retina ganglion cell after optic nerve injured. Mice (C57BL/6) were anaesthetised with a mixture of 5 mg/kg xylazine hydrochloride and 40 mg/kg tiletamine/zolazepam (Zoletil®). Optic nerves of the mice were crushed (Templeton JP et al., 2012). With micro-forceps, the bulbar conjunctiva was grasped and retracted, rotating the globe nasally. The exposed optic nerve was grasped approximately 1-3 mm from the globe with Dumont #N7 cross-action forceps for 10 s. One day after crushing, intravitreal injections of STS (500 nM) were administered using a Narishige IM-300 air pressure regulator. For analysing the change in ganglion cell number, the mice were allowed to live for 30 days, after which they were killed and the ganglion cell survival was assessed. A significant and marked loss of fluorescent spots was found after 30 days, with fewer 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-expressing retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) remaining in the injured and phosphate buffered saline (PBS)-injected group than those in non-injured PBS-injected controls. However, RGC cell numbers dramatically increased in the STS intravitreal injection group. Moreover, degradation of nerve fibre (NF) was markedly reduced in the STS injection group compared with the injured and PBS-injected group by inducing astrocyte expression of Bcl-2. Our data suggested that injection of STS into the vitreous may have a potential therapeutic effect in retinal diseases such as glaucoma., Competing Interests: None., (IJCEP Copyright © 2017.)

Purpose: Chronic use of topical hypotensive agents induces several side effects caused by preservatives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of prostaglandin analogs with varying concentrations of benzalkonium chloride (BAC), preservative-free (PF), and alternative preservatives on mouse corneal tissue., Methods: Thirty-five, 8- to 10-week-old female C57BL/6 mice (five mice for each group) were used for this study. To the control group, we applied normal saline, and to each drug-treated group we applied 0.02% BAC, bimatoprost 0.01% (with BAC 0.02%), latanoprost 0.005% (with BAC 0.02%), travoprost 0.004% (with 0.001% polyquad) or tafluprost 0.0015% with/without 0.001% BAC, once a day (9 p.m.) for 4 weeks. Corneal fluorescein staining was evaluated in all groups. After harvest, the corneal tissues were embedded in paraffin and then Hematoxylin-Eosin stain was performed for histopathological examination. Immunofluorescence staining was done against TNF-α, IL-6, HLA DR, pJNK, and pAkt., Results: In corneal fluorescein staining, severe punctate epithelial keratitis was seen in the groups of 0.02% BAC, 0.02% BAC containing bimatoprost 0.01% and latanoprost 0.005%. The surface desquamation, irregular surface, loss of cell borders, anisocytosis and stromal shrinkage were observed in the groups of BAC-containing eye drops. Moreover, the groups treated with BAC-containing eye drops have high inflammatory markers, significantly decreased cell viability-related signal, pAkt, and higher apoptosis-inducing signal, pJNK, than the control group. On the other hand, travoprost 0.004% and PF tafluprost 0.0015% have less cellular morphologic changes, lower inflammation, and higher cellular viability than BAC-containing formulations., Conclusions: Corneal damage, increased inflammation and apoptosis and low cell viability were observed in BAC-containing groups. PF or alternatively preserved glaucoma medications seem to be a reasonable and viable alternative to those preserved with BAC.

The central nervous system is protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The tight junction (TJ) proteins claudin-5 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) as well as the cytoskeletal component F-actin play key roles in maintaining homeostasis of the BBB. Increases in BBB permeability may be beneficial for the delivery of pharmacological substances into the brain. Therefore, here, we assessed the use of ultrasound to induce transient enhancement of BBB permeability. We used fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran 40 to detect changes in the membrane permeability of bEnd.3 cells during ultrasound treatment. Ultrasound increased FITC-dextran 40 uptake into bEnd.3 cells for 2-6 h after treatment; however, normal levels returned after 24 h. An insignificant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage also occurred 3 and 6 h after ultrasound treatment, whereas at 24 h, LDH leakage was indistinguishable between the control and treatment groups. Expression of claudin-5, ZO-1, and F-actin at the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels was assessed with real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Ultrasound induced a transient decrease in claudin-5 mRNA and protein expression within 2 h of treatment; however, no significant changes in ZO-1 and F-actin expression were observed. Claudin-5, ZO-1, and F-actin immunofluorescence demonstrated that the cellular structures incorporating these proteins were transiently impaired by ultrasound. In conclusion, our ultrasound technique can temporarily increase BBB permeability without cytotoxicity to exposed cells, and the method can be exploited in the delivery of drugs to the brain with minimal damage.