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W B Kim

Publications and source records attributed to W B Kim.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Cellular uptake and antitumor activity of the new anthracycline analog DA-125 in human cancer cell lines.

To predict the clinical usefulness of DA-125, a newly developed doxorubicin analog, we compared its antitumor activity against 20 different human cancer cell lines with that of doxorubicin using the MTT in vitro chemosensitivity test. We also measured and compared the cellular uptake of this drug and doxorubicin in two cancer cell lines and their doxorubicin-resistant sublines. In the MTT test, DA-125 showed lower IC50 values than doxorubicin for 14 of 20 cell lines. DA-125 was more potent than doxorubicin for hepatocellular cancer cells with high mdr 1 expression. Among cancer cells from the stomach and colon, DA-125 was more potent than doxorubicin in 12 of 14 cell lines. We also investigated the cross-resistance of this drug with doxorubicin using four doxorubicin-resistant cancer cell sublines. Except in one cell line, there was very low cross-resistance. Cellular drug-uptake experiments were performed for two gastric cancer cell lines and their doxorubicin-resistant sublines. In this experiment, DA-125 was found to be very rapidly and completely converted to its active metabolite, M1, in the culture media. After this conversion, M1 was incorporated into these cancer cells more rapidly and reached higher intracellular concentrations than doxorubicin, suggesting that DA-125 (as M1) could achieve earlier and higher levels of intracellular accumulation than doxorubicin in its target tissues from the bloodstream. As a possible alternative antineoplastic agent to doxorubicin, DA-125 awaits further evaluation for its antitumor activity and toxicity.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Changes in epitopes for thyroid-stimulating antibodies in Graves' disease sera during treatment of hyperthyroidism: therapeutic implications.

To determine whether there are changes in epitope recognition by stimulating TSH receptor antibodies (TSHRAbs) during treatment of hyperthyroidism and to evaluate the clinical relevance of such changes, we serially measured the activity of IgG preparations from 39 patients with Graves' disease over an 8-month period. To measure epitope changes of the stimulating TSHRAbs, we used Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with wild-type human TSHR (hTSHR) or TSHR chimeras with residues 90-165 (Mc2) substituted by equivalent residues of the rat LH/CG receptor. When initially examined, 37 of the 39 patients had significant stimulating TSHRAb activity measured with wild-type CHO-hTSHR cells. Serial measurements of stimulating TSHRAb activity in Mc2 chimera-transfected cells divided the 39 patients into three distinct groups. Thus, 10 patients (heterogeneous epitope group) exhibited low but significant activity in Mc2 chimera assays at the start of the study; 10 patients who were initially negative in Mc2 chimera assays remained negative (persistently homogeneous epitope group); and 19 patients who were initially negative in Mc2 chimera assays became transiently or persistently positive during treatment, despite a simultaneous decrease in TSHRAb activity measured with wild-type TSHR (changing epitope group). The functional stimulating TSHRAb epitope thus changed from residues 90-165 to residues outside this region in the last group, which comprises nearly two-thirds of the initially Mc2-negative patients (19 of 29) and one-half of all patients (19 of 39). Patients in the changing epitope group responded more quickly and to lower doses of methimazole than patients in the persistently homogeneous epitope group, behaving in this respect exactly as the patients in the heterogeneous epitope group. Additionally, although the decrease in stimulating TSHRAb activities during the 8-month treatment period was similar in the two groups, the thyrotropin binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) activities decreased more rapidly in patients in the persistently homogeneous epitope group than in patients in the changing epitope group (P < 0.05). There were no differences in initial stimulating TSHRAb or TBII activities, degree of hyperthyroidism, goiter size, or prior duration of symptoms between the persistently homogeneous epitope group and changing epitope group. In summation, we show that the epitopes of stimulating TSHRAbs in Graves' disease patients may change during their clinical course or treatment period, and that the change is from antibodies recognizing N-terminal TSHR residues 90-165 to antibodies recognizing other regions of the TSHR. We also show that the development of stimulating TSHRAbs with this heterogeneous epitope or their presence at the initial screening for disease activity seems to be associated with increased responsiveness to antithyroid drug therapy. We suggest, therefore, that Mc2 chimera assays may be useful to predict the response of patients to antithyroid drug therapy.

Animals↗

Pharmacokinetics of DA-125, a new anthracycline, after intravenous administration to spontaneously hypertensive rats and DOCA-salt-induced hypertensive rats.

Pharmacokinetic parameters-including tissue distribution, biliary excretion, and urinary excretion of M1-M4-were compared after an intravenous administration of DA-125 (a new anthracycline derivative; 20 mg/kg body weight) to male spontaneously hypersensitive rats (SHRs) at 16 weeks (an animal model for human primary hypertension) and at 6 weeks (corresponding to the early phase of the development of hypertension, at which time blood pressure remains within the normotensive range) of age and their age-matched control Kyoto-Wistar rats, and male deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced Sprague-Dawley rats (DOCA-salt rats, an animal model for human secondary hypertension) at 16 weeks of age and their age-matched control Sprague-Dawley rats. Mean plasma concentrations of both M2 and M4, and the resultant area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to last measured time [AUCT; M2 (68.9 vs. 29.3 micrograms-min/ml) and M4 (53.4 vs. 33.4 micrograms-min/ml)], increased significantly in SHRs at 16 weeks of age, compared with their control rats. Similar results were also obtained from DOCA-salt rats at 16 weeks of age, compared with their control rats. However, values were not significantly different between SHRs at 6 weeks of age and their control rats. Previous data indicated that the significant increase in plasma concentrations and the resultant AUCT values of both M2 and M4 in SHRs at 16 weeks of age were due to the hypertension state itself, and not to any hereditary characteristics of the SHRs. The significantly increased plasma concentrations and the resultant AUCT values of M2 in both SHRs and DOCA-salt rats at 16 weeks of age were due to the significantly decreased biliary excretion of M2 and possibly to the increased amount of aldo-keto reductase in the liver. However, the increase in the two aforementioned pharmacokinetic parameters in the case of M4 were possibly due solely to the increased amount of aldo-keto reductase in the liver.

Age Factors↗

Determination of a new antiulcer agent, eupatilin, in rat plasma, bile, urine, and liver homogenate by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of a new antiulcer agent, eupatilin, in rat plasma, urine, bile, and liver homogenate. The method involved deproteinization of biological sample with the same volume of acetonitrile. A 100 microl aliquot of the supernatant was injected onto a C18 reversed-phase column. The mobile phase employed was ammonium acetate buffer (1% ammonium acetate and 0.5% acetic acid) - acetonitrile (58:42, v/v) and the flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. The column effluent was monitored by a ultraviolet detector set at 350 nm. The retention time for eupatilin was approximately 6.5 min. The detection limits for eupatilin in rat plasma, urine, bile, and liver homogenate were 50, 50, 100, and 100 ng/ml, respectively. The coefficients of variation of the assay were generally low (below 7.46%) for rat plasma, urine, bile, and liver homogenate. No interferences from endogenous substances were observed.

Animals↗

Pharmacokinetics of DA-125, a new anthracycline, after intravenous administration to uranyl nitrate-induced acute renal failure rats or protein-calorie malnutrition rats.

The pharmacokinetics of DA-125 were compared after intravenous (i.v.) administration of the drug, 10 mg kg-1, to control male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 9) and uranyl nitrate-induced acute renal failure (U-ARF, n = 12) rats, or male Sprague-Dawley rats fed on a 23% (control, n = 8) or a 5% (protein-calorie malnutrition, PCM, n = 9) protein diet. After i.v. administration of DA-125, almost 'constant' plasma concentrations of M1, M2, and M4 were maintained from 1-2 h to 8-10 h in all rat groups due to the continuous formation of M2 from M1 and M4 from M3. The plasma concentrations of M3 were the lowest among M1-M4 for all rat groups due to the rapid and almost complete conversion of M3 to M4 and other metabolite(s). The AUCt values of M1 (115 against 82.5 micrograms min mL-1), M2 (33.0 against 23.6 micrograms min mL-1), and M4 (26.3 against 15.1 micrograms min mL-1) were significantly higher in the U-ARF rats than in the control rats. The percentages of i.v. dose excreted in 24 h urine as M1 (under the detection limit against 0.316%), M2 (under the detection limit against 5.58%), and M4 (0.0174 against 0.719%)--expressed in terms of DA-125--were significantly lower in the U-ARF rats than in the control rats, and this could be due to the decreased kidney function in the U-ARF rats. However, the percentages of i.v. dose recovered from the GI tract at 24 h as M1 (0.0532% against under the detection limit), M3 (0.0286% against under the detection limit), and M4 (0.702% against 0.305%)--expressed in terms of DA-125--were significantly greater in the U-ARF rats than in the control rats. All U-ARF rats had ascites, but the concentrations of M1 (0.0320 micrograms mL-1), M2 (0.0265 micrograms mL-1), M3 (under the detection limit), and M4 (0.032 micrograms mL-1) in the ascites from one rat were almost negligible. The plasma concentrations and most of the pharmacokinetic parameters of M1, M2, and M4 were not significantly different between the PCM rats and their control rats.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Comparison of pharmacokinetics of M1, M2, M3, and M4 after intravenous administration of DA-125 or ME2303 to mice and rats. New adriamycin analogues containing fluorine.

The pharmacokinetics of M1, M2, M3 and/or M4 were compared after intravenous (i.v.) administration of DA-125 and/or ME2303 to mice (25 mg kg(-1)) and rats (5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg kg(-1)). The mean plasma concentrations of M1 were detected up to 8 h after i.v. administration of both DA-125 and ME2303 to mice, and were significantly higher for DA-125 than ME2303; this resulted in a considerably greater AUC (303 against 148 micrograms min mL(-1)) and a considerably slower CL of M1 (69.3 against 136 mL min-1 kg(-1)) after i.v. administration of DA-125. The MRT (371 against 189 min) and CLNR of M1 (68.7 against 136 mL min-1 kg(-1)) were considerably greater and slower, respectively, after i.v. administration of DA-125. The mean plasma concentrations of M2 were detected up to 8 and 4 h after i.v. administration of DA-125 and ME2303, respectively, to mice and were significantly higher for DA-125 than ME2303, resulting in a considerably greater AUC of M2 (148 against 27.1 micrograms min mL(-1)) after i.v. administration of DA-125. The mean plasma concentrations of M3, being the lowest among M1-M4, were detected only up to 15 min after i.v. administration of both DA-125 and ME2303 to mice, and were comparable after i.v. administration of DA-125 and ME2303 to mice. The mean plasma concentrations of M4 were detected up to 8 h after i.v. administration of both DA-125 and ME2303 to mice, and were higher after i.v. administration of DA-125 than ME2303, resulting in a considerably greater AUC of M4 (197 against 61.9 micrograms min mL(-1)) after i.v. administration of DA-125. Similar results on M1 and M2 were also obtained from rats: the mean plasma concentrations of both M1 and M2 were significantly higher after i.v. administration of DA-125, 10 mg kg(-1), than after ME2303. The plasma concentrations of M1, M2, and M4, and hence their AUCs, were significantly higher after i.v. administration of DA-125, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg kg(-1), to rats than after ME2303: the mean plasma concentrations of M2, approximately 0.1-0.4 micrograms mL(-1), were maintained from 30 min to 8-10 h after i.v. administration of DA-125, 20, 30, and 40 mg kg(-1), to rats; the plasma concentrations of M3 were the lowest among M1-M4 at all DA-125 doses; and those of M1 and M4 were maintained for a long period of time. However, after i.v. administration of M2, 5 mg kg(-1), to rats, the mean plasma concentrations of M2 were detected up to 60 min with a mean terminal half-life of only 38.8 min, and the concentrations of M3 were negligible. After i.v. administration of M3, 5 mg kg(-1), to rats, the mean plasma concentrations of M3 were detected up to 15 min; the plasma concentrations of M4, reaching their peak at 5 min, decayed more slowly and were higher than those of M3. The AUC of M4 after i.v. administration of M3, 5 mg kg(-1), was comparable to that after i.v. administration of M4, 5 mg kg(-1), to rats, suggesting that M4 is formed fast and almost completely from M3. M1 was not detected in plasma after i.v. administration of either M2 or M3 to rats. After i.v. administration of M4, 5 mg kg(-1), to rats, the mean plasma concentrations of M4 decayed fast with a mean terminal half-life of 43.9 min and neither M2 nor M3 were detected in plasma. The following disposition mechanisms for M1, M2, M3, and M4 after i.v. administration of DA-125 to rats could be obtained from the above data; (i) the maintenance of plasma concentrations of M2 for a longer period of time after i.v. administration of DA-125 than those after i.v. administration of M2 could be due to the continuous formation of M2 from M1; (ii) the lowest plasma concentrations of M3 among M1-M4 after i.v. administration of DA-125 could be due to the fast and almost complete information of M4 from M3 as soon as M3 is formed from M1, and not due to the fast renal excretion of unchanged M3; (iii) M4 was exclusively and continuously formed from M3 and the formation of M4 from M2 was negligible; and (i.v.) reversible me

Animals↗

Protective effect of taurine on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury.

It has been suggested that oxygen-derived free radicals play an important role in the pathophysiology of acute gastric ulceration induced by NSAIDs and ischemia-reperfusion. Taurine is hypothesized to exert its protective effect on NSAIDs-induced gastric injury by its antioxidant properties. The protective effect of taurine on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesion and its protective mechanism were investigated. Intragastric administration of 25 mg/kg of indomethacin induced hemorrhagic lesions on the glandular stomach in rats. Pretreatment with 0.25 or 0.5 g/kg of taurine one day before or for 3 days significantly reduced gastric lesion formation and inhibited the elevation of lipid peroxide level in gastric mucosa. Both resting and FMLP-induced luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of rat peritoneal neutrophils increased immediately after treatment with indomethacin. Taurine (5-20 mM) inhibited chemiluminescence of neutrophils activated by FMLP. Human neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) adhered to the confluent monolayer of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) after coincubation with indomethacin. This neutrophil adhesion induced by indomethacin to HUVEC was prevented by taurine in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that the protective effect of taurine against NSAIDs-induced gastric mucosal injury is due to its antioxidant effect, which inhibits lipid peroxidation and neutrophil activation.

Adult↗

Pharmacokinetics of four metabolites of DA-125, a new anthracycline antineoplastic agent after single and multiple intravenous administration to rats.

The tissue distribution, and biliary and urinary excretion of four metabolites (M1-M4) of a new anthracycline antineoplastic agent (DA-125) were compared after single and multiple (7 consecutive days) intravenous (i.v.) administration to rats. The mean pharmacokinetic parameters of M1, such as area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC: 56.4 micrograms/ml vs. 69.0 micrograms min/ml), terminal half-life (t1/2: 3.51 h vs. 3.01 h), total body clearance (Cl: 70.9 ml/min/kg vs. 58.0 ml/min/kg), renal clearance (ClR: 0.193 ml/min/kg vs. 0.336 ml/min/kg) and nonrenal clearance (ClNR: 70.7 ml/min/kg vs. 57.7 ml/min/kg); of M2, such as plasma AUC (39.4 micrograms min/ml vs. 41.9 micrograms min/ ml), t1/2 (6.15 h vs. 7.34 h) and ClR (10.5 ml/min/ kg vs. 13.8 ml/min/kg); and of M4, such as plasma AUC (4.82 micrograms min/ml vs. 6.54 micrograms min/ml) and t1/2 (3.33 h vs 4.02 h), were comparable between single and multiple administrations of DA-125. M3 was detected in plasma for up to 1-5 min, and M3 and M4 were below the detection limit in 24-h urine after both single and multiple administrations of DA-125. M2 was the main metabolite of DA-125 excreted (among M1-M4) in 24-h urine after both single and multiple administrations of DA-125; approximately 12.3% and 20.1% (P < 0.01) of i.v. dosage (expressed in terms of DA-125) was excreted as M2 after single and multiple administrations of DA-125, respectively. Corresponding values for M1 were 0.326% and 0.694% (P < 0.05). The mean levels of M1 (229 micrograms vs. 175 micrograms) and M2 (1330 micrograms vs. 1120 micrograms) excreted in 24-h bile after single and multiple administrations of DA-125 were not significantly different; the percentages of i.v. dosage excreted in 24-h bile as M1 (expressed in terms of DA-125) were 4.83% and 3.58% after single and multiple administrations, respectively. The corresponding values for M2 were 27.8% and 22.5%. M3 and M4 were below the detection limit in 24-h bile after both single and multiple administrations of DA-125. Mean AUAts (area under the amount-time curves from time zero to last measurement time t) (or AUCts-area under the plasma concentration-time curves from time zero until the last measurement time t) of M1-M4 in each tissue after single and multiple administrations of DA-125 were also comparable except in the bone marrow and thymus. The data suggest that 7 consecutive days of i.v. administration of DA-125 (4 mg/kg) to rats does not lead to considerable accumulation of M1-M4 in the tissues, except in the bone marrow and thymus.

Animals↗

Economic interdependence and migration dynamics in Asia.

"This paper searches first for alternative explanations about migration dynamics and, in particular, the migration transition in Asian countries. It raises the question whether increasing economic interdependence will increase labor mobility and attempts to explain the association between them with a simple model. Countries in the region are divided [into] three groups with regard to international labor migration: transitional, non-transitional exporters, and non-transitional importers. Increasing economic integration will lead to migration transition for many Asian countries, but with uncertainties concerning in particular China and South Asia."

Asia↗

Epitopes for thyroid-stimulating antibodies in Graves' sera: a possible link of heterogeneity to differences in response to antithyroid drug treatment.

To evaluate the extent and clinical relevance of epitope heterogeneity for stimulating TSH receptor antibodies (TSHRAbs), we measured the activity of IgG preparations from 66 untreated patients with Graves' disease using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with wild-type human TSHR and two TSHR chimeras with residues 9-165 (Mc1 + 2) or 90-165 (Mc2) substituted by equivalent residues of the LH/CG receptor. IgG from 68% of patients lose all of the stimulating TSHRAb activity with the chimeras; IgG from 27% lose most of the activity. Thus, we show that 95% of patients have stimulating TSHRAbs that require epitopes on the N-terminal portion of the extracellular domain of the TSHR and demonstrate the importance of epitopes within residues 90-165 for the first time. Heterogeneous epitope distribution, residual activity with one or both chimeras, i.e. with epitopes other than on the N-terminus of the TSHR, occurred in 21 patients (group A). Forty-five patients with homogeneous epitope distribution (group B) had stimulating TSHRAbs that depended only on epitopes on the N-terminus of the TSHR. Patients in group A were more likely to become euthyroid during antithyroid drug therapy and to do so more quickly than group B patients. The CHO-human TSHR cell system described herein appears to be as effective as the FRTL-5 rat thyroid system in stimulating TSHRAb detection; however, the two systems appear to measure different antibody populations in about 30% of cases. Further, stimulating TSHRAb activities measured in the FRTL-5 system tend to correlate better with goiter size and 99mTc pertechnetate uptake, whereas stimulating activities measured in the CHO-human TSHR/chimera system correlate better with free T4 and T3 levels.

Animals↗

Stability, blood partition, and protein binding of DA-5018, a new nonnarcotic analgesic.

The stability of DA-5018, a capsaicin analog as a new non-narcotic analgesic, in plasma, blood, 4% human serum albumin (HSA), and isotonic Sørensen phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 containing dextran to make 3% ('the buffer'), the blood partition of DA-5018 between plasma and blood cells, and the factors influencing the binding of DA-5018 to 4% HSA using an equilibrium dialysis technique were evaluated. DA-5018 was stable in both rat blood and plasma for up to 4 hr storage at 25 degrees C. However, DA-5018 was unstable in both dog blood and plasma; the disappearance half-lives were 1 and 1.67 hr for dog blood and plasma, respectively, when they were kept at 25 degrees C. DA-5018 seemed to be stable in 'the buffer' for up to 24 hr standing at both 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C, and in 4% HSA at 25 degrees C. However, DA-5018 was unstable in 4% HSA at 37 degrees C. DA-5018 reached equilibrium very fast between blood cells and plasma in rat blood; the mean blood cells to plasma concentration ratio was 1.31 +/- 0.0907. Although both blood and plasma concentrations of DA-5018 were unstable after incubation in dog blood, the blood cells to plasma concentration ratio was independent of incubation time; the mean value was 0.857 +/- 0.0502. Binding of DA-5018 to 4% HSA was dependent on DA-5018 concentration, buffer pH, and incubation temperature. The binding was independent of buffers containing various chloride ion concentrations. The binding of DA-5018 was dependent on alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and HSA concentrations.

Analgesics, Non-Narcotic↗

Determination of a new carbapenem antibiotic, DA-1131, in rat plasma, urine, and bile by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography.

A column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of a new carbapenem antibiotic, DA-1131, in rat plasma, urine, and bile. Each biological sample was diluted with an equal volume of a stabilizer, 3% KH2PO4 (containing 2.0% sodium citrate, adjusted to pH 6.0 with 10 M NaOH). After centrifugation for 1 min at 3000 g, an aliquot of the supernatant was injected directly onto the HPLC column. Deionized water was run for 3 min at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min to retain DA-1131 in an extraction column, while proteins and endogenous interferences were eluted to the waste. The analyte was then back-flushed onto an analytical column, C18 reversed-phase column. The mobile phases for analytical column, 10 mM 3-[N-morpholino]propane sulfonic acid (pH 4.5)-acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) for plasma samples, and 5 mM KH2PO4 (adjusted to pH 8.0 with 10 M NaOH)-acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) for urine and bile samples, were run at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The column effluent was monitored by ultraviolet detection at 300 nm. The retention time for DA-1131 was 8 min in plasma samples and 13 min for urine and bile samples. The detection limits for DA-1131 in rat plasma, urine, and bile were 0.05, 1.0, and 1.0 microgram/ml, respectively. The intraday and interday coefficients of variation of the assay were generally low (below 8.40%) for rat plasma, urine, and bile samples. No interference from endogenous substances was observed.

Animals↗

Pharmacokinetic changes of M1, M2, M3, and M4 after intravenous administration of a new anthracycline, DA-125, to alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus rats.

The pharmacokinetics of M1, M2, M3, and M4 were compared after intravenous (i.v.) administration of DA-125, 15 mg/kg to the control (n = 15) and alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus (AIDM, n = 11) rats. After i.v. administration of DA-125, almost 'constant' plasma concentrations of M1 and M2 were maintained from 1-2 h onwards to 8-10 h in both groups of rats due to the continuous formation of M2 from M1. The plasma concentrations of M3 were the lowest among M1-M4 in the control rats due to the rapid and essentially complete conversion of M3 to M4. The AUC0-8 h of M1 (189 versus 78.5 mg min/ml) was significantly greater in the AIDM rats than that in the control rats. However, the AUCts of M2 (32.7 versus 44.3 micrograms min/ml) and M4 (not measurable versus 19.7 micrograms min/ml) were significantly smaller in the AIDM rats. The renal clearances of both M1 (0.157 versus 0.334 ml/min/kg) and M2 (0.726 versus 14.6 ml/min/kg) decreased significantly in the AIDM rats, presumably due to their impaired kidney function. The liver weight decreased significantly in the AIDM rats (2.77 versus 3.77% of body weight), suggesting impaired liver function. Above data suggested that the metabolism of M1 to M2-M4 in the liver and kidney decreased significantly in the AIDM rats. M2 was the main metabolite among M1-M4 excreted in 24 h urine in both group of rats. In the AIDM rats, the amount of M2 excreted in 24 h urine decreased significantly (15.7 versus 229 micrograms) whereas the amount of M2 recovered at 24 h from the whole GI tract increased significantly (45.1 versus 14.0 micrograms).

Alloxan↗

Pharmacokinetics and antitumour activity of a new anthracycline, DA-125, after intravenous administration to subcutaneously implanted Lewis-lung-carcinoma-bearing mice.

The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of M1-M4 were compared after intravenous (i.v.) administration of DA-125, 25 mg kg-1, to BDF1 mice (n = 5 at each sampling time) and subcutaneously implanted Lewis-lung-carcinoma-bearing BDF1 mice (n = 10 at each sampling time. The mean plasma concentrations of M1-M4 were not significantly different between the two groups of mice, and hence similar pharmacokinetic parameters for M1-M4 were obtained. The amount of M1 in the lung was significantly greater in the tumour-bearing mice than in the control mice, resulting in a greater AUAt in the tumour-bearing mice (18,600 against 8940 micrograms min g-1), and vice versa in the liver (962 against 3840 micrograms min g-1). However, the corresponding values for other tissues were comparable between the control and tumour-bearing mice. The amount of M1 was greatest in the lung for up to 2 h in the tumour-bearing mice. M2 was the predominant metabolite among M1-M4 excreted in 24 h urine by both groups of mice; 8.36 and 10.7% of the i.v. dose were excreted in 24 h urine as M2--expressed in terms of DA-125--by the control and tumour-bearing mice, respectively. The amount of M1 in the tumour mass reached a mean Cmax of 3.75 micrograms g-1 immediately after i.v. administration of DA-125 to the tumour-bearing mice, then declined very slowly to an amount that remained almost constant for up to 24 h. This suggested that M1 has high affinity for the subcutaneously implanted Lewis lung carcinoma. The antitumour activity, such as the increase in life span (ILS) and tumour growth inhibition (TGI) of DA-125, 6-48 mg kg-1, and adriamycin (ADM), 3-18 mg kg-1, were also compared in subcutaneously implanted Lewis-lung-carcinoma-bearing BDF1 mice after four weekly i.v. administration of the drugs on days 1,8,15, and 22 following tumour implantation. More than three out of six mice survived as tumour-free for longer than 70 d at a DA-125 dose range of 6-24 mg kg-1, but there were no tumour-free mice at any dose of ADM. Assuming ILS values higher than 30% to be effective, DA-125 doses ranging from 6 to 24 mg kg-1 were effective in increasing the life span, which ADM does only within the dose range of 6-12 mg kg-1.

Animals↗

High prevalence and little change in TSH receptor blocking antibody titres with thyroxine and antithyroid drug therapy in patients with non-goitrous autoimmune thyroiditis.

OBJECTIVE: We have reevaluated the prevalence and pathogenetic importance of TSH receptor blocking antibodies (TRBAb) in autoimmune hypothyroidism, and investigated the changes in TRBAb activities during thyroxine and antithyroid drug treatment. DESIGN: Serum TSH binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) and thyroid stimulation blocking antibody (TSBAb) were measured serially in all patients with non-goitrous autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) and measured monthly during methimazole treatment in 6 patients. PATIENTS: Ninety patients with non-goitrous AT and 95 patients with goitrous AT were entered consecutively into this study. All patients with non-goitrous AT were treated with thyroxine and followed at intervals of 6 months for 2 years initially and then yearly intervals. The duration of follow-up was 1-8 years. Six patients from the TRBAb-positive non-goitrous AT group who were treated with thyroxine were randomly selected and given additional treatments with methimazole (40 mg per day) for 6 months. MEASUREMENTS: Serum TBII was measured by a radioreceptor assay, TSBAb by using FRTL-5 cells, and antithyroid peroxidase and antithyroglobulin antibodies by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The prevalences of TBII and TSBAb is non-goitrous AT were 47.8 and 58.9%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in goitrous AT (6.3% for TBII, 10.5% for TSBAb). All but one patient showed persistent TBII and TSBAb activities during the thyroxine treatment for up to 8 years. A high dose of methimazole (40 mg per day) did not affect the titres of TBII and TSBAb in 5 out of 6 patients with non-goitrous AT tested. However, antithyroid peroxidase and antithyroglobulin antibodies activities were significantly decreased during the methimazole treatment. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of TSH receptor blocking antibodies (TRBAb) suggests that TRBAb may play a major role in the development of hypothyroidism and thyroid atrophy in the vast majority of patients with non-goitrous autoimmune thyroiditis. Most TRBAb activities are stable for at least 8 years and are now affected by thyroxine and antithyroid drug treatment.

Adult↗

Regional interdependence and migration in Asia.

"The 1980s witnessed increasing regional interdependence in Asia through trade and investment. Increasing flows of labor within the region, however, raise questions about three important issues: (1) the assumption that trade, investment and aid will eventually mitigate migration pressure in source countries and the effectiveness of migration policies based on that assumption; (2) whether increasing regional interdependence stimulates or deters migration; [and] (3) the effect of rising interdependence on the political and international relations aspects of migration. As a partial attempt to address these questions, this article examines the regional pattern of economic interdependence by utilizing information concerning trade, investment and migration flows. The concept of interdependence/dependence is discussed within a political context, focusing on migration and policy responses to it. Observations are made on the implications for regional stability and development."

Asia↗

Stability, tissue metabolism, tissue distribution, and blood partition of DA-1131, a new carbapenem.

The stability of DA-1131 after incubation in various pH solutions, human plasma, human urine, human gastric juice, rat liver homogenates and rat whole blood, the disappearance of DA-1131 after incubation in the 9000g supernatant fraction of various rat tissue homogenates in the presence of NADPH, the tissue distribution of DA-1131 after intravenous (i.v.) administration of DA-1131, 50 mg/kg, to rats, and the blood partition of DA-1131 between plasma and blood cells from rabbit blood were studied. DA-1131 was unstable when incubated in various pH solutions, especially at low and high pHs at the DA-1131 concentration of 10 micro g/ml; the degradation half-lives of DA-1131 were 0.260, 1.23, 2.20, 7.16, 14.2, 10.5, 31.3, 21.3, 0.262, 0.241, and 1.45 hr for pH solutions of 1-11, respectively. DA-1131 was also unstable after incubation in human plasma, rat liver homogenates, and human gastric juice. However, DA-1131 seemed to be sable in human plasma for up to 12 hr storage at -20 degrees C. The spleen, kidney, liver, lung, mesentery, and stomach homogenates from rats showed metabolic activity to DA-1131. The tissue-to-plasma ratios of DA-1131 were lower than unity in all tissues studied except kidney when each tissue was collected at 30 min after i.v. administration of DA-1131 to rats. The tissue-to-plasma ratios of DA-1131 were lower than unity in all tissues studied except kidney when each tissue was collected at 30 min after i.v. administration of DA-1131 to rats. The plasma-to-blood cell concentration ratios of DA-1131 were independent of DA-1131 blood concentrations when the whole blood was incubated up to 120 min; the mean values were 5.56 +/- 1.47, 5.80 +/- 2.19, and 4.61 +/- 1.82 at DA-1131 blood concentrations of 2, 10, and 20 microgram/ml, respectively, rabbits A-C. There was also considerable in vivo and in vitro blood storage effect in the plasma concentration of DA-1131 in rabbits.

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