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Biomedical subjects

Jennifer Baker

Publications and source records attributed to Jennifer Baker.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Interactions between buprenorphine and antiretrovirals. I. The nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors efavirenz and delavirdine.

This study examined drug interactions between buprenorphine, an opioid partial agonist medication used in the treatment of opioid dependence, and the nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) efavirenz (EFV) and delavirdine (DLV). Opioid-dependent, buprenorphine/naloxone-maintained, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative volunteers (n=10 per NNRTI) participated in 24-h sessions to determine pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine and of buprenorphine with either EFV or DLV after administration of standard doses of either antiretroviral for 15 or 7 days, respectively. Opiate withdrawal symptoms, cognitive effects, and adverse events were determined before and after antiretroviral administration in opioid-dependent participants. The pharmacokinetics of NNRTIs in healthy control participants were used to determine the effect of buprenorphine on NNRTIs. EFV decreased the buprenorphine area under the concentration-time curve (P<.001). DLV increased buprenorphine concentrations (P<.001). Clinically significant consequences of these interactions were not observed. Buprenorphine did not alter antiretroviral pharmacokinetics. Adjustments of doses of either buprenorphine or EFV or DLV are not likely to be necessary when these drugs are administered for the treatment of opiate dependence and HIV disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Interactions between buprenorphine and antiretrovirals. II. The protease inhibitors nelfinavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, and ritonavir.

We examined drug interactions between buprenorphine, an opioid partial agonist available by prescription for treatment of opioid dependence, and the protease inhibitors (PIs) nelfinavir (NFV), ritonavir (RTV), and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/R). Opioid-dependent, buprenorphine/naloxone-maintained, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative volunteers (n=10 per PI) participated in 24-h pharmacokinetic studies, before and after administration of each PI. Symptoms of opiate withdrawal and excess were determined before and after PI administration. PI pharmacokinetics were determined and compared between opiate-dependent participants and healthy control participants (n=15 per PI). Administration of RTV, but not of NFV or LPV/R, resulted in a significant increase in the buprenorphine area under the concentration-time curve (AUC). Symptoms of opiate excess, however, were not observed. Buprenorphine had no significant effects on PI AUC. Adjustments of doses of either buprenorphine or NFV, LPV/R, or RTV are not likely to be necessary when these drugs are administered for the treatment of opioid dependence and HIV disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Intravital imaging of tumour vascular networks using multi-photon fluorescence microscopy.

The blood supply of solid tumours affects the outcome of treatment via its influence on the microenvironment of tumour cells and drug delivery. In addition, tumour blood vessels are an important target for cancer therapy. Intravital microscopy of tumours growing in 'window chambers' in animal models provides a means of directly investigating tumour angiogenesis and vascular response to treatment, in terms of both the morphology of blood vessel networks and the function of individual vessels. These techniques allow repeated measurements of the same tumour. Recently, multi-photon fluorescence microscopy techniques have been applied to these model systems to obtain 3D images of the tumour vasculature, whilst simultaneously avoiding some of the problems associated with the use of conventional fluorescence microscopy in living tissues. Here, we review the current status of this work and provide some examples of its use for studying the dynamics of tumour angiogenesis and vascular function.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Determining shelf life by comparing degradations at elevated temperatures.

The degradation of a biological product follows a specific pattern that depends on the kinetics of the chemical reaction. For most biological and pharmaceutical products, accelerated stability tests are preferred to establish shelf life. We describe a new approach for accelerated stability tests, for situations in which the Arrhenius equation is not appropriate. This approach consists of estimating stability at elevated temperatures and comparing these results with the stability estimates for a similar product with a known shelf life. In this article, "Test" refers to Immuno-Trol Low Cells, and "Control" (the product with a known shelf life) refers to Immuno-Trol Cells. The degradation rates and stabilities at elevated temperatures of three antigens of the Test are estimated and compared to their respective Control values. Most of the degradation occurs at the beginning of the experimental period and then slows down until it levels off to form a plateau at the minimum level. Both Control and Test showed similar degradation patterns at three elevated temperatures, indicating that they both have the same mechanism of degradation. Thus, it is expected that they will degrade similarly at storage temperature and have nonsignificantly different shelf lives. The approach for accelerated stability testing discussed here is applicable to situations in which the Arrhenius equation is not appropriate, and the chemical properties of both the Test and Control products are similar.

CD3 Complex↗
PubMed2004

Detection of covalent adducts to cytochrome P450 3A4 using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

Protein covalent labeling can be an undesirable property of compounds being studied in drug discovery programs. Identifying such compounds relies on the use of radiolabeled material, which requires an investment in time and resources not typically expended until later in the discovery process. We describe the detection of covalent adducts to cytochrome P450 3A4, the most abundant and important P450 from a human and drug discovery viewpoint, using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The technique is illustrated using L-754,394 and 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin, two known inhibitors of P450 3A4. Mass spectrometry of the intact apoprotein as well as the adducted protein is demonstrated. Such methodology may provide the means for screening compounds for covalent protein binding without the use of a radiolabel. It also provides direct information about mechanism-based inhibitors in terms of extent, stoichiometry, and nature of the adduct(s) (mass shift). This information may provide a means for understanding the mechanism of covalent labeling earlier in a drug discovery environment.

Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A↗
PubMed2003

Secondary prevention of cardiovascular events with long-term pravastatin in patients with diabetes or impaired fasting glucose: results from the LIPID trial.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes, a major health problem worldwide, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and its associated mortality: The Long-Term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischemic Disease (LIPID) trial showed that cholesterol-lowering treatment with pravastatin reduced mortality and coronary heart disease (CHD) events in 9014 patients aged 31-75 years with CHD and total cholesterol 4.0-7.0 mmol/l. We measured the effects of pravastatin therapy, 40 mg/day over 6.0 years, on the risk of CHD death or nonfatal myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular outcomes in 1,077 LIPID patients with diabetes and 940 patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG). RESULTS: In patients allocated to placebo, the risk of a major CHD event was 61% higher in patients with diabetes and 23% higher in the IFG group than in patients with normal fasting glucose, and the risk of any cardiovascular event was 37% higher in the diabetic group and 19% higher in the IFG group. Pravastatin therapy reduced the risk of a major CHD event overall from 15.9 to 12.3% (relative risk reduction [RRR] 24%, P < 0.001) and from 23.4 to 19.6% in the diabetic group (19%, P = 0.11); in the diabetic group, the reduction was not significantly different from the reductions in the other groups. Pravastatin reduced the risk of any cardiovascular event from 52.7 to 45.2% (21%, P < 0.008) in patients with diabetes and from 45.7 to 37.1% (26%, P = 0.003) in the IFG group. Pravastatin reduced the risk of stroke from 9.9 to 6.3% in the diabetic group (RRR 39%, CI 7-61%, P = 0.02) and from 5.4 to 3.4% in the IFG group (RRR 42%, CI -9 to 69%, P = 0.09). Pravastatin did not reduce the incidence of diabetes. Over 6 years, pravastatin therapy prevented one major CHD event (CHD death or nonfatal myocardial infarction) in 23 patients with IFG and 18 patients with diabetes. A meta-analysis of other major trials confirmed the high absolute risks of diabetes and IFG and the absolute benefits of statin therapy in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cholesterol-lowering treatment with pravastatin therapy prevents cardiovascular events, including stroke, in patients with diabetes or IFG and established CHD.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Engraftment of early erythroid progenitors is not delayed after non-myeloablative major ABO-incompatible haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

We hypothesized that patients undergoing major ABO-incompatible non-myeloablative haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (nm-HSCT) might experience prolonged haemolysis after transplant due to the delayed disappearance of host plasma cells producing anti-donor isohaemagglutinins (HAs). To address this question, we analysed data from 107 consecutive patients transplanted with allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells from human leucocyte antigen-matched (related, n = 84; unrelated, n = 23) donors after non-myeloablative conditioning (200 cGy total body irradiation +/- fludarabine). In total, 23 out of the 107 patients received major or major/minor ABO-incompatible transplants. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion requirements during the first 120 d post transplant were higher in major ABO-mismatched than in ABO-matched recipients (0.12 vs 0.03 median units RBC concentrate/d, P = 0.04). Two patients developed transient pure red cell aplasia, which had resolved spontaneously by 9 months after transplant. Major ABO incompatibility did not influence rates of engraftment. Patients with sustained engraftment experienced gradual declines of anti-donor HAs, and the estimated median time to reaching IgM and IgG titres of < 1:1 was at least 133 d in evaluable patients, approximately twice longer than reported after myeloablative conditioning. There was a strong correlation between degrees of donor chimaerism in erythroid burst-forming units, granulocyte macrophage colony-forming units and granulocytes, indicating that donor erythroid engraftment, defined by early erythroid progenitors, was as prompt as myeloid engraftment. In conclusion, our data suggest that major ABO-incompatibility is not a barrier to successful non-myeloablative HSCT.

ABO Blood-Group System↗