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Biomedical subjects

A Lex

Publications and source records attributed to A Lex.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Long-acting risperidone in stable patients with schizoaffective disorder.

Oral and long-acting risperidone has been shown to be effective for acute and maintenance treatment of patients with schizoaffective disorders. The present analysis investigated the efficacy and tolerability of direct transition from other antipsychotics to risperidone long-acting injectable in patients with schizoaffective disorder. Patients aged > or = 18 years with schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV), who required a change of medication, received risperidone long-acting injectable 25 mg (increased to 37.5 or 50 mg, if necessary) every 2 weeks for 6 months. The analysis included 249 patients (47% male; mean age 43 years), of whom 74% completed the 6-month study. Mean scores for the total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and all three subscales were significantly reduced from baseline to week 4 (p < 0.001), with further improvements until treatment endpoint. Significant improvements from baseline to endpoint were seen in the mood symptom domains of anxiety/depression (10.4+/-4.1 vs 8.7+/-3.9) and uncontrolled hostility/excitement (7.6+/-3.6 vs 6.9+/-3.8). Mean Global Assessment of Function (GAF) score improved significantly from 59.4+/-15.6 at baseline to 66.4+/-17.7 (p < 0.001) at endpoint. Of 87 patients hospitalized at baseline, 67% were discharged at endpoint. Both quality of life (SF-36) and satisfaction with treatment were improved significantly at endpoint. Total ESRS scores fell progressively throughout the study, and the reduction was already statistically significant (p < 0.001) at 4 weeks. Small but statistically significant (p < 0.001) mean shifts of 1.8% were seen in body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI). Patients with schizoaffective disorder derived several benefits from a change to risperidone long-acting injectable, including reductions in psychiatric symptoms (particularly the mood symptom domains) and a reduction in the severity of drug-induced neurological movement disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

A synthetic analogue of Escherichia coli lipoprotein, tripalmitoyl pentapeptide, constitutes a potent immune adjuvant.

Lipoprotein from the outer membrane of Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae constitutes a potent B lymphocyte mitogen and polyclonal activator in various species. Tripalmitoyl pentapeptide (S-(2,3-bis-(palmitoyloxy)-(2RS)-propyl)-N-palmitoyl-(R)-cysteinyl -(S)-seryl-(S)-seryl-(S)-asparaginyl-(S)-alanine) is a synthetic analogue of the N-terminal part of lipoprotein and has, in all assays tested, a biologic activity similar to native lipoprotein. It also exhibits a strong adjuvant activity in vitro: In the presence of 3.3 to 33.3 micrograms/ml of tripalmitoyl pentapeptide, the stimulation of the primary antibody response toward underivatized sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and toward trinitrophenylated (TNP-) SRBC was markedly enhanced, as measured by a direct hemolytic plaque assay. At optimal mitogen- and antigen-doses, plaque formation was increased up to 100-fold, and at suboptimal doses (0.03 to 0.3 microgram/ml) a 10- to 60-fold increase of plaque numbers was achieved. In the presence of tripalmitoyl pentapeptide, the antigen-specific IgM response was increased about sevenfold and the IgG response was augmented about 10-fold, as measured by ELISA. Similarly, in the secondary in vitro response to TNP-SRBC, a 7 to 10-fold enhancement of the antibody titer was obtained in the presence of the adjuvant. The application of tripalmitoyl pentapeptide and antigen had to occur concurrently in order to achieve a strong adjuvant effect. Addition of tripalmitoyl pentapeptide to the cell cultures 1 day after or 1 day before antigen application had no significant positive effect, and in several instances a decrease in antibody production was found. Thus, tripalmitoyl pentapeptide, a well-characterized synthetic product available in major amounts, constitutes a potent immune adjuvant for potential animal and clinical use.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1985

Synthetic lipopeptide analogs of bacterial lipoprotein are potent polyclonal activators for murine B lymphocytes.

The lipoprotein from the outer membrane of Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae is a potent polyclonal activator for B lymphocytes. To determine the molecular structure responsible for the biologic activity of lipoprotein, a well-defined series of analogs of its N-terminal part was synthesized: S-(2,3-bis(palmitoyloxy)-(2-RS)-propyl)-N-palmitoyl-(R)-cysteine, -cysteine methyl ester, -cysteinyl-serine, -cysteinyl-seryl-serine, -cysteinyl-seryl-seryl-asparagine, and -cysteinyl-seryl-seryl-asparaginyl-alanine. All compounds were tested for mitogenic activity toward spleen cells from BALB/c, LPS-non-responder C3H/HeJ, and congenitally athymic C3H/Tif/Bom/nu/nu mice, measuring the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA. Lymphocyte activation was confirmed by determination of the incorporation of [3H]uridine into RNA and [3H]leucine into protein. The synthetic lipopeptides were also investigated for their ability to stimulate B lymphocytes into immunoglobulin secretion, as shown by a hemolytic plaque assay. Throughout our studies, the compounds carrying two to five amino acids exhibited strong stimulation activity toward B lymphocytes comparable to native lipoprotein. In contrast, products containing only one amino acid, cysteine or cysteine methyl ester, were only marginally active, indicating that to obtain full biologic activity the presence of the hydrophilic dipeptide structure is necessary. All compounds exhibited only a marginal effect on thymocytes. Thus, a series of defined synthetic fragments of a bacterial outer membrane component exhibits a pronounced mitogenic and polyclonally stimulating activity towards B lymphocytes. The substances will be valuable tools for more detailed investigations on the molecular mechanisms of B cell activation.

Animals↗