Pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics of Old and New Immunosuppressive Drugs for Precision Medicine in Kidney Transplantation

Fri, 2023-07-14 06:00

J Clin Med. 2023 Jul 3;12(13):4454. doi: 10.3390/jcm12134454.

ABSTRACT

Kidney transplantation is the preferred therapeutic option for end-stage kidney disease, but, despite major therapeutic advancements, allograft rejection continues to endanger graft survival. Every patient is unique due to his or her clinical history, drug metabolism, genetic background, and epigenetics. For this reason, examples of "personalized medicine" and "precision medicine" have steadily increased in recent decades. The final target of precision medicine is to maximize drug efficacy and minimize toxicity for each individual patient. Immunosuppressive drugs, in the setting of kidney transplantation, require a precise dosage to avoid either adverse events (overdosage) or a lack of efficacy (underdosage). In this review, we will explore the knowledge regarding the pharmacogenomics of the main immunosuppressive medications currently utilized in kidney transplantation. We will focus on clinically relevant pharmacogenomic data, that is, the polymorphisms of the genes that metabolize immunosuppressive drugs.

PMID:37445489 | DOI:10.3390/jcm12134454

Categories: Literature Watch

Characteristics and Long-Term Outcome of 535 Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis-The 20-Year Experience of a High-Volume Tertiary Center

Fri, 2023-07-14 06:00

J Clin Med. 2023 Jun 21;12(13):4192. doi: 10.3390/jcm12134192.

ABSTRACT

Background and aims: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a complex and progressive inflammatory liver disease characterized by immune-mediated destruction of the liver parenchyma, hypergammaglobulinemia, the presence of circulating autoantibodies, and good response to immunosuppressive therapy. Since the prevalence of AIH is relatively rare, data on the clinical course and the long-term outcome are scarce. Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 535 well-documented AIH patients treated at the University Hospital Essen between 2000 and 2020. Results: The majority of patients were middle-aged females (75% women, mean age 45 years) with AIH type 1 (97%). Approximately 32% of patients were diagnosed with cirrhosis due to AIH, 29% had concomitant autoimmune (predominantly autoimmune thyroiditis), and 10% had psychiatric diseases, respectively. Skin tumors were the most common malignant diseases (47% of all tumors), while hepatocellular carcinoma rarely occurred (only six cases). Overall long-term mortality and liver-associated mortality were 9.16% and 4.67%, respectively. However, long-term survival was strongly associated with disease remission. Conclusions: Although AIH is a silent disease and cirrhosis is present in many cases, a favorable long-term prognosis can be achieved by consequent immunosuppressive therapy. The incidence of (liver-associated) complications seems to be lower in comparison to other etiologies, such as viral hepatitis or NASH, and mainly depends on the long-term side effects of immunosuppressive therapy.

PMID:37445225 | DOI:10.3390/jcm12134192

Categories: Literature Watch

In Vitro and In Vivo Drug-Response Profiling Using Patient-Derived High-Grade Glioma

Fri, 2023-07-14 06:00

Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jun 22;15(13):3289. doi: 10.3390/cancers15133289.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Genomic profiling cannot solely predict the complexity of how tumor cells behave in their in vivo microenvironment and their susceptibility to therapies. The aim of the study was to establish a functional drug prediction model utilizing patient-derived GBM tumor samples for in vitro testing of drug efficacy followed by in vivo validation to overcome the disadvantages of a strict pharmacogenomics approach.

METHODS: High-throughput in vitro pharmacologic testing of patient-derived GBM tumors cultured as 3D organoids offered a cost-effective, clinically and phenotypically relevant model, inclusive of tumor plasticity and stroma. RNAseq analysis supplemented this 128-compound screening to predict more efficacious and patient-specific drug combinations with additional tumor stemness evaluated using flow cytometry. In vivo PDX mouse models rapidly validated (50 days) and determined mutational influence alongside of drug efficacy. We present a representative GBM case of three tumors resected at initial presentation, at first recurrence without any treatment, and at a second recurrence following radiation and chemotherapy, all from the same patient.

RESULTS: Molecular and in vitro screening helped identify effective drug targets against several pathways as well as synergistic drug combinations of cobimetinib and vemurafenib for this patient, supported in part by in vivo tumor growth assessment. Each tumor iteration showed significantly varying stemness and drug resistance.

CONCLUSIONS: Our integrative model utilizing molecular, in vitro, and in vivo approaches provides direct evidence of a patient's tumor response drifting with treatment and time, as demonstrated by dynamic changes in their tumor profile, which may affect how one would address that drift pharmacologically.

PMID:37444398 | DOI:10.3390/cancers15133289

Categories: Literature Watch

Enterolactone and trabectedin suppress epithelial ovarian cancer synergistically via upregulating THBS1

Fri, 2023-07-14 06:00

Phytother Res. 2023 Jul 13. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7942. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most common and fatal subtype of ovarian malignancies, with no effective therapeutics available. Our previous studies have demonstrated extraordinary suppressive efficacy of enterolactone (ENL) on EOC. A chemotherapeutic agent, trabectedin (Trabe), is shown to be effective on ovarian cancer, especially when combined with other therapeutics, such as pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or oxaliplatin. Thrombospondin 1 (THBS1), a kind of matrix glycoprotein, plays important roles against cancer development through inhibiting angiogenesis but whether it is involved in the suppression of EOC by ENL or Trabe remains unknown. To test combined suppressive effects of ENL and Trabe on EOC and possible involvement of THBS1 in the anticancer activities of ENL and Trabe. The EOC cell line ES-2 was transfected with overexpressed THBS1 by lentivirus vector. We employed tube formation assay to evaluate the anti-angiogenesis activity of ENL and of its combined use with Trabe after THBS1 overexpression and established drug intervention and xenograft nude mouse cancer models to assess the in vivo effects of the hypothesized synergistic suppression between the agents and the involvement of THBS1. Mouse fecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing and microbiota analysis. We detected strong inhibitory activities of ENL and Trabe against the proliferation and migration of cancer cells and observed synergistic effects between ENL and Trabe in suppressing EOC. ENL and Trabe, given either separately or in combination, could suppress the tube formation capability of human microvascular endothelial cells, and this inhibitory effect became even stronger with THBS1 overexpression. In the ENL plus Trabe combination group, the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3 and cluster of differentiation 36 was both upregulated, whereas matrix metalloproteinase 9, vascular endothelial growth factor, and cluster of differentiation 47 were all decreased. With the overexpression of THBS1, the results became even more pronounced. In animal experiments, combined use of ENL and Trabe showed superior inhibitory effects to either single agent and significantly suppressed tumor growth, and the overexpression of THBS1 further enhanced the anti-cancer activities of the drug combination group. ENL and Trabe synergistically suppress EOC and THBS1 could remarkably facilitate the synergistic anticancer effects of ENL and Trabe.

PMID:37443453 | DOI:10.1002/ptr.7942

Categories: Literature Watch

Relationship Between Cetuximab Target-Mediated Pharmacokinetics and Progression-Free Survival in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients

Thu, 2023-07-13 06:00

Clin Pharmacokinet. 2023 Jul 13. doi: 10.1007/s40262-023-01270-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cetuximab, an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 antibody, has been approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The influence of target-antigen on cetuximab pharmacokinetics has never been investigated using target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) modelling. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cetuximab concentrations, target kinetics and progression-free survival (PFS).

METHODS: In this ancillary study (NCT00559741), 91 patients with mCRC treated with cetuximab were assessed. Influence of target levels on cetuximab pharmacokinetics was described using TMDD modelling. The relationship between cetuximab concentrations, target kinetics and time-to-progression (TTP) was described using a joint pharmacokinetic-TTP model, where unbound target levels were assumed to influence hazard of progression by an Emax model. Mitigation strategies of concentration-response relationship, i.e., time-varying endogenous clearance and mutual influences of clearance and time-to-progression were investigated.

RESULTS: Cetuximab concentration-time data were satisfactorily described using the TMDD model with quasi-steady-state approximation and time-varying endogenous clearance. Estimated target parameters were baseline target levels (R0 = 43 nM), and complex elimination rate constant (kint = 0.95 day-1). Estimated time-varying clearance parameters were time-invariant component of CL (CL0= 0.38 L/day-1), time-variant component of CL (CL1= 0.058 L/day-1) and first-order rate of CL1 decreasing over time (kdes = 0.049 day-1). Part of concentration-TTP was TTP-driven, where clearance and TTP were inversely correlated. In addition, increased target occupancy was associated with increased TTP.

CONCLUSION: This is the first study describing the complex relationship between cetuximab target-mediated pharmacokinetics and PFS in mCRC patients using a joint PK-time-to-progression model. Further studies are needed to provide a more in-depth description of this relationship.

PMID:37442917 | DOI:10.1007/s40262-023-01270-2

Categories: Literature Watch

Effects of different doses of esketamine intervention on postpartum depressive symptoms in cesarean section women: A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical study

Thu, 2023-07-13 06:00

J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 11:S0165-0327(23)00839-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The optimal dosage and method of esketamine for postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) are unclear. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effect of different doses of esketamine on PDS in women undergoing cesarean section, with evidence of prenatal depression.

METHODS: The three groups were high- (2 mg kg-1) and low-dose (1 mg kg-1) esketamine via patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA), following an initial intravenous infusion of 0.25 mg kg-1 esketamine, compared to placebo (0.9 % saline infusion). All groups also received the sufentanil (2.2 μg kg-1). The primary outcome was the incidence of PDS at 7 and 42 days postpartum. The secondary outcomes were: the remission from depression and total EPDS scores at 7 days and 42 days postpartum; mean change from baseline in the EPDS score; postoperative analgesia.

RESULTS: i). 0.25 mg kg-1 of esketamine intravenous infusion combined with 1 mg kg-1 (n = 99) or 2 mg kg-1 (n = 99) esketamine PCIA reduces PDS incidence at 7 days postpartum (p < 0.05), with high-dose esketamine PCIA also reduces PDS incidence 42 days postpartum (p < 0.05), compared to placebo (n = 97). ii). Low- and high-dose esketamine PCIA lowers NRS scores at rest within 48 h postoperatively (p < 0.01), with high-dose esketamine also reducing the NRS score during movement at 48 h postoperatively (p = 0.018). iii). Neither high- nor low-dose esketamine PCIA increased postoperative adverse reactions (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Esketamine (0.25 mg kg-1) intravenous infusion combined with 1 mg kg-1 or 2 mg kg-1 esketamine PCIA seems safe and with few adverse effects in the management of PDS and pain in women undergoing cesarean section.

LIMITATIONS: The tolerability and safety of esketamine requires further investigation based on more specific scales; the transient side effects of esketamine could have biased the staff and patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-ROC-2000039069.

PMID:37442447 | DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.007

Categories: Literature Watch

Direct Oral Anticoagulant Failures in Atrial Fibrillation With Stroke: Retrospective Admission Analysis and Novel Classification System

Thu, 2023-07-13 06:00

Neurohospitalist. 2023 Jul;13(3):256-265. doi: 10.1177/19418744231161390. Epub 2023 May 12.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Breakthrough acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in patients with known, nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation (AF), on Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOAC), is an ongoing clinical conundrum. Switching anticoagulants was shown to be ineffective in preventing recurrent AIS. Systematic, patient-level chart review of so-called "DOAC failures" may offer insight into this phenomenon.

METHODS: We conducted an IRB-approved, 6-year, retrospective study of AIS admissions, already prescribed DOAC for known AF. We sought plausible, alternative reasons for the AIS using a novel classification schema, CLAMP: C for Compliance concerns, L for Lacunes (small-vessel disease), A for Arteriopathy (atherosclerosis, web, or vasculitis), M for Malignancy, and P for Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO). These categories were labeled as DOAC "Pseudo-failures." Conversely, absence of CLAMP variables were labeled as DOAC "Crypto-failures" conceivably from AF itself ("atriopathy") or pharmacokinetic/pharmacogenomic dysfunction (ie, altered DOAC absorption, clearance, metabolism, or genetic polymorphisms). Forward logistic regression analysis was performed on prespecified DOAC subgroups.

RESULTS: Of 4890 AIS admissions, 606 had AF, and 87 were previously prescribed DOAC (14.4% overall DOAC failure rate, 2.4% annualized over 6 years). Pseudo-failures comprised 77%: Compliance concerns (48.9%), Lacunes (5.7%), Arteriopathy (17.0%), Malignancy (26.1%), and PFO (2.3%). Crypto-failures comprised 23%, had lower CHADSVASc scores (AOR = .65, P = .013), and occurred more with rivaroxaban (41%) than apixaban (16%) or dabigatran (5.6%).

CONCLUSION: In AIS patients with known AF, DOAC Pseudo-failures, with identified alternate etiologies, are 3 times more likely than DOAC Crypto-failures. The CLAMP schema represents a novel approach to diagnostic classification and therapeutic adjustments in patients already prescribed DOAC for AF.

PMID:37441203 | PMC:PMC10334065 | DOI:10.1177/19418744231161390

Categories: Literature Watch

Pan-cancer pharmacogenomic analysis of patient-derived tumor cells utilizing clinically relevant drug exposures

Thu, 2023-07-13 06:00

Mol Cancer Ther. 2023 Jul 13:MCT-22-0486. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-22-0486. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

As a result of tumor heterogeneity and solid cancers harboring multiple molecular defects, precision medicine platforms in oncology are most effective when both genetic and pharmacological determinants of a tumor are evaluated. Expandable patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse tumor and corresponding PDX culture (PDXC) models recapitulate many of the biological and genetic characteristics of the original patient tumor, allowing for a comprehensive pharmacogenomic analysis. Here, the somatic mutations of 23 matched patient tumor and PDX samples encompassing four cancers were first evaluated using next generation sequencing (NGS). 19 antitumor agents were evaluated across 78 patient-derived tumor cultures using clinically relevant drug exposures. A binarization threshold sensitivity classification determined in culture (PDXC) was used to identify tumors that best respond to drug in vivo (PDX). Utilizing this sensitivity classification, logic models of DNA mutations were developed for 19 antitumor agents to predict drug response. We determined that the concordance of somatic mutations across patient and corresponding PDX samples increased as variant allele frequency (VAF) increased. Notable individual PDXC responses to specific drugs, as well as lineage-specific drug responses where identified. Robust responses identified in PDXC were recapitulated in vivo in PDX-bearing mice and logic modeling determined somatic gene mutation(s) defining response to specific antitumor agents. In conclusion, combining NGS of primary patient tumors, high-throughput drug screen (HTDS) using clinically relevant doses, and logic modeling, can provide a platform for understanding response to therapeutic drugs targeting cancer.

PMID:37440705 | DOI:10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-22-0486

Categories: Literature Watch

Pharmacogenetic testing improves treatment responses in patients with PLA2R-related membranous nephropathy

Thu, 2023-07-13 06:00

Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2023 Jun 20;43(6):1047-1050. doi: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2023.06.23.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of pharmacogenetic testing for improving the efficacy and safety of treatment with cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and cyclophosphamide (CTX) for PLA2R-related membranous nephropathy and for determing individualized and precise treatment plans for the patients.

METHODS: A total of 63 patients with PLA2R-related membranous nephropathy hospitalized in the Department of Nephrology at our hospital from January, 2019 to October, 2021 were enrolled in this study. Thirty-three of the patients underwent pharmacogenetic testing before taking the immunosuppressive drugs selected based on the results of genetic screening for sensitive targets, and the other 30 patients were empirically given immunosuppressive drugs according to the guidelines (control group). The clinical efficacy and adverse effects of the immunosuppressive drugs were analyzed for all the patients. The two groups of patients were compared for demographic and biochemical parameters including 24-h urine protein, serum albumin, renal function, and serum anti-phospholipase A2 receptor antibody both before and at 3 months after the beginning of the treatment.

RESULTS: Among the 33 patients undergoing pharmacogenetic testing, 51.5% showed a GG genotype for cyclosporine, and 61.6% had an AG genotype for tacrolimus; for CTX, 51.5% of the patients showed a homozygous deletion and 63.6% had an AA genotype. After treatment for 3 months, serum anti-phospholipase A2 receptor antibody, 24-h urine protein, and serum albumin levels were significantly improved in pharmacogenetic testing group as compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Individualized and precise administration of immunosuppressive drugs based on pharmacogenetic testing better controls proteinuria and serum antiphospholipase A2 receptor antibodies and increases serum albumin level in patients with PLA2R-related membranous nephropathy.

PMID:37439180 | DOI:10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2023.06.23

Categories: Literature Watch

Impact of age, sex and CYP genotype on quetiapine- and N-desalkylquetiapine serum concentrations - A study based on real-world data from 8118 patients

Thu, 2023-07-13 06:00

Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2023 Jul 12. doi: 10.1111/bcp.15849. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the effect of aging, sex, and CYP genotypes on the exposure of quetiapine (QUE) and the pharmacologically active metabolite N-desalkylquetiapine (NDQ).

METHODS: Patients with serum concentrations of QUE and NDQ were included retrospectively from a therapeutic drug monitoring service. The outcome measures were concentration:dose (C:D) ratios of QUE and NDQ, and NDQ-to-QUE metabolic ratio (MPR). Linear mixed model analyses were used to evaluate the effects of age, sex, and subsequently, CYP2D6/3A genotypes.

RESULTS: The average age of the included population (n=8,118 patients) was 44 years (13.5% ≥65y). The C:D ratio of QUE and NDQ gradually increased in patients aged >50y compared to those aged 18-30y, with 28% and 29% increase, respectively, for patients aged >70y (p<0.001). Compared to males, females had 15% lower QUE C:D ratio and 10% higher C:D ratio of NDQ (both p<0.001). The MPR was 30% higher in females than in males (p<0.001). For females ≥65y, the NDQ C:D ratio was 36% higher compared to males <65y (p<0.001). A significantly higher NDQ C:D ratio was observed for CYP2D6 intermediate- (IMs: +7%, p=0.012) and poor- (PMs: +17%, p=0.001) compared to normal metabolizers (NMs). No effects of CYP3A4*22 and CYP3A5*1 allele variants were observed.

CONCLUSION: This study shows an increase of the QUE and NDQ exposures during aging. Old age, female sex and CYP2D6 allele variants encoding reduced activity are factors associated with high NDQ exposure. Therefore, females ≥65y carrying CYP2D6 allele variants encoding reduced activity have the highest risk of dose-dependent side effects of NDQ during QUE treatment.

PMID:37438870 | DOI:10.1111/bcp.15849

Categories: Literature Watch

Rapid Detection of the Monkeypox Virus Genome and Antigen Proteins Based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Wed, 2023-07-12 06:00

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2023 Jul 12. doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c04285. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The conventional detection methods cannot satisfy the need for early and rapid detection of monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection. This is due to complicated pretreatment, time consumption, and complex operation of the diagnostic tests. Based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), this study attempted to capture the characteristic fingerprints of the MPXV genome and multiple antigenic proteins without the need to design specific probes. The minimum detection limit of this method is 100 copies/mL, with good reproducibility and signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, the relationship between characteristic peak intensity and the protein and nucleic acid concentration can be used to construct a concentration-dependent spectral line with a good linear relationship. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) could identify the SERS spectra of four different MPXV proteins in serum. Therefore, this rapid detection method in the current outbreak of monkeypox control and the future response to possible new outbreaks has broad application prospects.

PMID:37436060 | DOI:10.1021/acsami.3c04285

Categories: Literature Watch

Prescription medications with actionable pharmacogenomic recommendations in Veterans Health Administration patients

Wed, 2023-07-12 06:00

Pharmacogenomics. 2023 Jul 12. doi: 10.2217/pgs-2023-0018. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of medications with actionable pharmacogenomic (PGx) safety and efficacy recommendations in patients receiving care from the Veterans Health Administration. Materials & methods: Outpatient prescription data from 2011 to 2021 and any documented adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were reviewed for those who received PGx testing at one Veterans Administration location between November 2019 and October 2021. Results: Among the reviewed prescriptions, 381 (32.8%) were associated with an actionable recommendation based on the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) prescribing guidelines, with 205 (17.7%) for efficacy concerns and 176 (15.2%) for safety concerns. Among those with a documented ADR for a PGx-impacted medication, 39.1% had PGx results that aligned with CPIC recommendations. Conclusion: Medications with actionable PGx recommendations for safety and efficacy concerns are received with similar frequency, and most patients who have undergone PGx testing at the Phoenix Veterans Administration have received medications that may be impacted by PGx testing.

PMID:37435738 | DOI:10.2217/pgs-2023-0018

Categories: Literature Watch

Congruence rates for pharmacogenomic noninterruptive alerts

Wed, 2023-07-12 06:00

Pharmacogenomics. 2023 Jul 12. doi: 10.2217/pgs-2023-0016. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Meaningful clinical decision support (CDS) recommendations are vital for implementation of pharmacogenomics (PGx) into routine clinical care. PGx CDS alerts include interruptive and noninterruptive alerts. The objective of this study was to evaluate provider ordering behavior after noninterruptive alerts are displayed. A retrospective manual chart review was conducted from the time of noninterruptive alert implementation to the time of data analysis to determine congruence with CDS recommendations. The congruence rate for noninterruptive alerts was 89.8% across all drug-gene interactions. The drug-gene interaction with the most alerts for analysis included metoclopramide (n = 138). The high rate of medication order congruence after noninterruptive alerts were deployed suggests this modality may be appropriate for PGx CDS as a method for best practice adherence.

PMID:37435734 | DOI:10.2217/pgs-2023-0016

Categories: Literature Watch

Warfarin pharmacogenetics in a black Zimbabwean cohort: an observational prospective study

Wed, 2023-07-12 06:00

Pharmacogenomics. 2023 Jul 12. doi: 10.2217/pgs-2023-0089. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Aim: A prospective observational study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of implementing clinical guidelines for warfarin dosing in black Zimbabwean patients. Methods: CYP2C9*5, CYP2C9*6, CYP2C9*8 and CYP2C9*11 and VKORC1 c. 1639 G>A variations were observed in 62 study patients. Results & Conclusion: Overall, 39/62 (62.90%) participants did not receive a warfarin starting dose as would have been recommended by Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium guidelines. US FDA and Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group guidelines are based on CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 only, hence, unlikely useful in this cohort, where such variants were not detected. Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium guidelines, on the other hand, have a specific recommendation on the African-specific variants CYP2C9*5, CYP2C9*6 and CYP2C9*11, and are hence suitable for implementation in Zimbabwe and would help optimize warfarin doses in patients in the study cohort.

PMID:37435666 | DOI:10.2217/pgs-2023-0089

Categories: Literature Watch

Complex interactions of cellular players in chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Wed, 2023-07-12 06:00

Front Immunol. 2023 Jun 26;14:1199422. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1199422. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease is a life-threatening inflammatory condition that affects many patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although we have made substantial progress in understanding disease pathogenesis and the role of specific immune cell subsets, treatment options are still limited. To date, we lack a global understanding of the interplay between the different cellular players involved, in the affected tissues and at different stages of disease development and progression. In this review we summarize our current knowledge on pathogenic and protective mechanisms elicited by the major involved immune subsets, being T cells, B cells, NK cells and antigen presenting cells, as well as the microbiome, with a special focus on intercellular communication of these cell types via extracellular vesicles as up-and-coming fields in chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease research. Lastly, we discuss the importance of understanding systemic and local aberrant cell communication during disease for defining better biomarkers and therapeutic targets, eventually enabling the design of personalized treatment schemes.

PMID:37435079 | PMC:PMC10332803 | DOI:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1199422

Categories: Literature Watch

Association of polygenic score and the involvement of cholinergic and glutamatergic pathways with lithium treatment response in patients with bipolar disorder

Tue, 2023-07-11 06:00

Mol Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 11. doi: 10.1038/s41380-023-02149-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Lithium is regarded as the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), a severe and disabling mental health disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. Nevertheless, lithium is not consistently effective, with only 30% of patients showing a favorable response to treatment. To provide personalized treatment options for bipolar patients, it is essential to identify prediction biomarkers such as polygenic scores. In this study, we developed a polygenic score for lithium treatment response (Li+PGS) in patients with BD. To gain further insights into lithium's possible molecular mechanism of action, we performed a genome-wide gene-based analysis. Using polygenic score modeling, via methods incorporating Bayesian regression and continuous shrinkage priors, Li+PGS was developed in the International Consortium of Lithium Genetics cohort (ConLi+Gen: N = 2367) and replicated in the combined PsyCourse (N = 89) and BipoLife (N = 102) studies. The associations of Li+PGS and lithium treatment response - defined in a continuous ALDA scale and a categorical outcome (good response vs. poor response) were tested using regression models, each adjusted for the covariates: age, sex, and the first four genetic principal components. Statistical significance was determined at P < 0.05. Li+PGS was positively associated with lithium treatment response in the ConLi+Gen cohort, in both the categorical (P = 9.8 × 10-12, R2 = 1.9%) and continuous (P = 6.4 × 10-9, R2 = 2.6%) outcomes. Compared to bipolar patients in the 1st decile of the risk distribution, individuals in the 10th decile had 3.47-fold (95%CI: 2.22-5.47) higher odds of responding favorably to lithium. The results were replicated in the independent cohorts for the categorical treatment outcome (P = 3.9 × 10-4, R2 = 0.9%), but not for the continuous outcome (P = 0.13). Gene-based analyses revealed 36 candidate genes that are enriched in biological pathways controlled by glutamate and acetylcholine. Li+PGS may be useful in the development of pharmacogenomic testing strategies by enabling a classification of bipolar patients according to their response to treatment.

PMID:37433967 | DOI:10.1038/s41380-023-02149-1

Categories: Literature Watch

Sample size determination for adaptive crossover trial in detecting gene-drug interactions

Tue, 2023-07-11 06:00

Stat Methods Med Res. 2023 Jul 11:9622802231181704. doi: 10.1177/09622802231181704. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Parallel design and crossover design are two of the most frequently used designs for studying drug-gene interactions. Due to the concerns of statistical power and ethics, it is often more prudent to use the crossover design while allowing the patients to have choices of not switching the treatment if the first stage treatment is effective. This complicates the calculation of the required sample size to achieve pre-specified statistical power. We propose a method to determine the required sample size with a closed-form formula. The proposed approach is applied to determine the sample size of an adaptive crossover trial in studying gene-drug interaction in treating atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice. Our simulation study confirms the power achieved by the sample size determined using the proposed approach. Issues related to the adaptive crossover trial are also discussed and practical guidelines are provided.

PMID:37431594 | DOI:10.1177/09622802231181704

Categories: Literature Watch

The implications of pharmacogenomics in oncology

Tue, 2023-07-11 06:00

Bioimpacts. 2023;13(3):181-182. doi: 10.34172/bi.2023.27686. Epub 2023 May 1.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37431482 | PMC:PMC10329749 | DOI:10.34172/bi.2023.27686

Categories: Literature Watch

Genome-Wide Association Study for the Genetic Determinants of Thiopurine Methyltransferase Protein Expression in Human Livers and Racial Differences

Mon, 2023-07-10 06:00

Pharm Res. 2023 Jul 10. doi: 10.1007/s11095-023-03558-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Polymorphisms in the Thiopurine S-Methyltransferase (TPMT) gene are associated with decreased TPMT activity, but little is known about their impact on TPMT protein expression in the liver. This project is to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with altered TPMT protein expression in human livers and to determine if demographics affect hepatic TPMT protein expression.

METHODS: Human liver samples (n = 287) were genotyped using a whole genome genotyping panel and quantified for TPMT protein expression using a Data-Independent Acquisition proteomics approach.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Thirty-one SNPs were found to be associated with differential expression of TPMT protein in the human livers. Subsequent analysis, conditioning on rs1142345, a SNP associated with the TPMT*3A and TPMT*3C alleles, showed no additional independent signals. Mean TPMT expression is significantly higher in wildtype donors compared to those carrying the known TPMT alleles, including TPMT*3A, TPMT*3C, and TPMT*24 (0.107 ± 0.028 vs. 0.052 ± 0.014 pmol/mg total protein, P = 2.2 × 10-16). After removing samples carrying the known TPMT variants, European ancestry donors exhibited significantly higher expression than African ancestry donors (0.109 ± 0.026 vs. 0.090 ± 0.041 pmol/mg total protein, P = 0.020).

CONCLUSION: The GWAS identified 31 SNPs associated with TPMT protein expression in human livers. Hepatic TPMT protein expression was significantly lower in subjects carrying the TPMT*3A, TPMT*3C, and TPMT*24 alleles compared to non-carriers. European ancestry was associated with significantly higher hepatic TPMT protein expression than African ancestry, independent of known TPMT variants.

PMID:37430149 | DOI:10.1007/s11095-023-03558-1

Categories: Literature Watch

Genetic polymorphisms of very important pharmacogene variants in the Chinese Lisu population

Mon, 2023-07-10 06:00

Per Med. 2023 Jul 10. doi: 10.2217/pme-2022-0117. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Aim: Interindividual and interethnic differences in drug efficacy drive the development and progress of pharmacogenomics and precision medicine. This study was performed to enrich the pharmacogenomic information for the Lisu population from China. Methods: Fifty-four very important pharmacogene variants were selected from PharmGKB and genotyped in 199 Lisu individuals. The genotype distribution data of 26 populations were downloaded from the 1000 Genomes Project and analyzed with the χ2 test. Results: Among the 26 populations in the 1000 Genomes Project, African Caribbeans in Barbados; Esan in Nigeria; Gambian in Western Divisions, The Gambia; Luhya in Webuye, Kenya; Yoruba in Ibadan; Finnish in Finland; Toscani in Italy and Sri Lankan Tamil in the UK were the top eight nationalities with the most significant differences in genotype distribution from the Lisu population. The loci of CYP3A5 rs776746, KCNH2 rs1805123, ACE rs4291, SLC19A1 rs1051298 and CYP2D6 rs1065852 were significantly different in the Lisu. Conclusion: The results showed that there were substantial differences in SNPs of very important pharmacogene variants, which can provide a theoretical basis for individualized drug use for the Lisu.

PMID:37427690 | DOI:10.2217/pme-2022-0117

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