Gifu Pharmaceutical University

This study investigates the influence of needleless versus needle-based electrospinning methods on the fiber diameter of polyamide 6 (PA6) nanofibers under comparable conditions, with an emphasis on potential pharmaceutical applications. Additionally, it examines how varying solvent systems impact fiber diameter specifically in needleless electrospinning. In this study, it was found that fibers produced by the needleless method were thicker compared to those produced by the needle-based method, a trend attributable to the specific solution characteristics and parameter settings unique to this study. Notably, a 2 : 1 acetic acid : formic acid solvent mixture yielded the largest fiber diameters among the solvent systems assessed for needleless electrospinning. These results underscore the potential of PA6 nanofibers in pharmaceutical applications, suggesting that further optimization of electrospinning conditions could enhance their suitability. The study also discusses the implications of scale-up production using needleless technology, highlighting its viability for industrial applications over single-needle electrospinning. Fullsize Image

Osteoporosis is caused by an imbalance between bone resorption and formation, which decreases bone mass and strength and increases the risk of fracture. Therefore, osteoporosis is treated with oral resorption inhibitors, such as bisphosphonates, and parenteral osteogenic drugs, including parathyroid hormone and antisclerostin antibodies. However, orally active osteogenic drugs have not yet been developed. In the present study, to find novel candidates for oral osteogenic drugs, various benzofuran derivatives were synthesized and their effects on osteoblast differentiation were examined in mouse mesenchymal stem cells (ST2 cells). Among the compounds tested, 3-{4-[2-(2-isopropoxyethoxy)ethoxy]phenyl}benzofuran-5-carboxamide (23d) exhibited potent osteoblast differentiation-promoting activity, estimated as EC200 for increasing alkaline phosphatase activity, and good oral absorption in female rats, resulting in high Cmax/EC200. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning revealed that 23d at 10 mg/kg/d for 8 weeks increased femoral bone mineral density in ovariectomized rats with an elevation in plasma bone-type alkaline phosphatase activity, and micro-computed tomography showed that it increased bone volume, mineral contents, and strength in femoral diaphysis cortical, but not trabecular bone during the experiment period. 23d potently inhibited cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) activity, suggesting that its osteoblastogenic activity is mediated by the suppression of CDK8, as previously reported for diphenylether derivatives. In conclusion, the structure–activity relationships of novel benzofuran derivatives were clarified and 3,5-disubstituted benzofuran was identified as a useful scaffold for orally active osteogenic compounds. Compound 23d exhibited potent osteoblastogenic activity through CDK8 inhibition and osteogenic effects in ovariectomized rats, indicating its potential as an orally active anti-osteoporotic drug. Fullsize Image

The ocular tissue is one of the most densely populated tissues in the body with extremely small blood vessels, and vascular lesions have been reported to be a factor in vision loss and visual field defects in many ocular diseases. Currently, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted agents are the first line of treatment for intraocular vascular lesions, however, there are some cases in which they are not fully effective. Therefore, we explored pathogenic molecules other than VEGF, aiming to develop new molecular-targeted therapy. Using an experimental pathological model mimicking intraocular vascular lesions, we found that B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6 member B protein (BCL6B), which has been identified as a Bric-a-brac, Tramtrack, and Broad Complex protein, may play an important role in intraocular angiogenesis and vascular hyperpermeability. In this article, we introduce the usefulness of suppressing BCL6B expression and discuss the possibility of drug discovery by targeting Notch signaling in chorioretinal vascular lesions.

Osteoporosis is treated with oral and parenteral resorption inhibitors and parenteral osteogenic drugs. However, orally active small-molecule osteogenic drugs are not clinically available. Natural coumarin derivatives, such as osthole, exert osteoblastogenic effects. In the present study, novel 4,6-substituted coumarin derivatives were synthesized, and their osteoblastogenic effects were assessed in a bone mesenchymal stem cell line (ST2 cell), and structure–activity relationships were discussed. Among the derivatives tested, the osteoblastogenic effects of 2-oxo-4-[4-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yloxymethyl)phenyl]-2H-chromene-6-carboxamide (11m) and 2-oxo-4-[4-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ylmethoxy)phenyl]-2H-chromene-6-carboxamide (29v) were potent: EC200 for increasing alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were 34 and 24 nM, respectively. The maximal plasma concentrations (Cmax) of 11m and 29v (10 mg/kg, per os (p.o.)) in female rats were 3637 and 975 nM, respectively, resulting in high Cmax/EC200 ratios of 105.9 and 40.8, respectively, indicating possible osteoblastogenic effects in vivo. Compound 11m (10 mg/kg, p.o., 8 weeks) was previously reported to increase plasma bone-type ALP activity as well as femoral metaphyseal and diaphyseal cortical bone volumes and mineral contents in micro-computed tomography analyses of ovariectomized female rats (OVX rats). Compound 29v at the same dose also exerted osteoblastogenic and osteogenic effects in OVX rats; however, these effects were weaker than those of 11m. Furthermore, 11m and 29v inhibited cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) activity, suggesting that their osteoblastogenic effects involved the suppression of CDK8. In conclusion, a synthetic 4,6-substituted coumarin structure is a useful scaffold for osteoblastogenic and osteogenic compounds via the inhibition of CDK8, and 11m and 29v have potential as anti-osteoporotic drugs that exert osteogenic effects on cortical bone. Fullsize Image

Introduction Early Brain Injury (EBI) significantly contributes to poor neurological outcomes and death following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The mechanisms underlying EBI post-SAH remain unclear. This study explores the relationship between serial cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes and neurological symptoms, as well as the mechanisms driving CBF changes in the ultra-early stages after experimental SAH in mice. Methods SAH was induced by endovascular perforation in male ddY mice. Mice were sacrificed at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after behavioral tests using the modified neurological score and grid walking test, and CBF was measured via Laser Speckle Flow Imaging (LSFI). Neurofunctional evaluation, CBF analysis, and Western blotting were used to assess SAH-induced damage. Results Neurological symptoms were significantly worse at 12 h post-SAH compared to sham (9.5 ± 1.7 vs. 25.6 ± 0.63, respectively; p < 0.0001). CBF was significantly reduced at 12 h post- SAH compared to sham (35.34 ± 8.611 vs. 91.06 ± 12.45, respectively; p < 0.0001). Western blotting revealed significantly elevated thrombin and matrix metalloproteinase 9 levels 12 h post-SAH (p < 0.05). Conclusion Our results suggest that microthrombus formation peaked at 12 h post-SAH, potentially causing EBI and worsening neurological symptoms. Microthrombus formation in the ultraearly stages may represent a novel therapeutic target for managing EBI.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a heterogeneous disease that exhibits androgen sensitivity and responsiveness to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). However, ADT induces only temporary remission, and the majority of PCa cases eventually progress to castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). During the development and progression of CRPC, androgen sensitivity and androgen receptor (AR) dependency in PCa cells are often deceased or lost due to ADT or spontaneously arising AR variants even before starting ADT. To prevent CRPC, a clinical PCa model derived from an AR-positive cancer cell line with weak or no androgen sensitivity is required. The human prostate LNCaP cell line is a good model for PCa because of its androgen sensitivity and AR dependency in terms of cell growth and gene expression. Notably, LNCaP cells are heterogeneous cells comprising different clones with natural variations in androgen sensitivity and AR dependency resulting from spontaneously occurring changes. In our group, to obtain androgen-insensitive or weakly sensitive clones spontaneously derived from parental LNCaP cells, we performed a limiting dilution of parental LNCaP cells and obtained several sublines with varying levels of androgen sensitivity and AR dependency. In addition, we established an androgen-insensitive subline from parental LNCaP cells by continuous passage under hormone-depleted conditions. This article provides a unique perspective on our original PCa progression model interacting with fibroblasts and its application in preclinical research.

Excessive fructose intake causes a variety of adverse conditions (e.g., obesity, hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance and uric acid overproduction). High fructose-induced hypertension is a particularly common and pathologically significant condition induced by excess fructose, but its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated these mechanisms in 7-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats fed normal rat food or a diet containing 60% glucose (GLU group) or 60% fructose (FRU group) for 3, 6, or 12 weeks. Daily food consumption was measured to avoid between-group discrepancies in caloric/salt intake, adjusting for feeding amounts. The mean blood pressure of FRU rats was significantly higher (12 weeks GLU: 94.8 ± 3.4 mmHg vs. 12 weeks FRU: 103.7 ± 1.2 mmHg), and fractional sodium excretion was significantly lower (12 weeks GLU: 0.084 ± 0.011% vs. 12 weeks FRU: 0.059 ± 0.08%), indicating that the high-fructose diet caused salt retention. The kidney weight and glomerular surface area were greater in FRU rats (12 weeks GLU: 7495 ± 181 vs. 12 weeks FRU: 9831 ± 164 μm2), suggesting that the high-fructose diet induced an increase in extracellular fluid volume. The expressions of GLUT5 and ketohexokinase, an enzyme required for fructose metabolism, were up-regulated in the FRU group rats (GLUT5 12 weeks GLU: 104.7 ± 15.4% vs. 12 weeks FLU: 309.0 ± 99.9%, ketohexokinase 12 weeks GLU: 129.6 ± 3.5% vs. 12 weeks FLU: 163.9 ± 13.0%). Cortical ATP levels were significantly lower in FRU rats (12 weeks GLU: 9.82 ± 1.26 nmol/mg protein vs. 12 weeks FRU: 7.59 ± 1.68 nmol/mg protein), possibly indicating ATP consumption due to fructose metabolism. Unlike in previous reports the high-fructose diet did not affect NHE3 expression (12 weeks GLU: 166.1 ± 6.3% vs. 12 weeks FLU: 142.0 ± 5.9%). A gene chip analysis conducted to identify susceptible molecules revealed that only Slc5a10 (corresponding to SGLT5) showed >two-fold up-regulation in FRU versus GLU rats. RT-PCR and in situ hybridization confirmed the SGLT5 up-regulation (12 weeks GLU: 75.0 ± 5.8% vs. 12 weeks FLU: 230.1 ± 16.0%). Our findings may indicate that the high-fructose diet increased sodium reabsorption principally through up-regulated SGLT5, finally causing salt-sensitive hypertension.

Use of benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor agonists for delirious or elderly patients has occasionally been found as a result of inappropriate instructions for insomnia or restlessness, according to research of the dementia and delirium support team (DDST), which manages instructions on admission and during hospital rounds. We believe that one reason for this is the lack of hospital guidelines for managing insomnia and restlessness. When changing electronic medical record vendors, we took the opportunity to establish proper drug usage instructions. The percentage of available instructions for insomnia and restlessness at the time of admission and the prescribed medications were surveyed and compared before and after the vendor change. The prescription rate for insomnia was 88.6% (1,779/2,007) before and 91.9% (1,902/2,069) after the change, showing a significant increase. The prescription rate of benzodiazepine receptor agonist use was 47.7% (848/1,779) before and 41.6% (792/1,902) after the change, showing a significant decrease. The prescription rate for restlessness was 71.2% (1,429/2,007) before and 85.6% (1,771/2,069) after the change, showing a significant increase. The recommended drug usage instructions affected prescriptions for insomnia and restlessness at admission and prescriptions of BZD receptor agonist usage at admission. Our findings seem to suggest that setting drug usage instructions for insomnia and restlessness when changing the electronic medical record vendor will be useful for promoting proper medication use.

Purpose Pyrrolidinophenone derivatives (PPs) are amphetamine-like designer drugs containing a pyrrolidine ring, and their adverse effects resemble those of methamphetamine (METH). Microglial activation has been recently suggested as a key event in eliciting the adverse effects against dysfunction of the central nervous system. The aim of this study is to clarify the mechanisms of microglial activation induced by PPs. Methods We employed the human microglial cell line HMC3 to assess microglial activation induced by PPs and evaluated the capacities for proliferation and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production that are characteristic features of the activation events. Results The WST-1 assay indicated that viability of HMC3 cells was increased by treatment with sublethal concentrations (5–20 µM) of α-pyrrolidinooctanophenone (α-POP), a highly lipophilic PP, whereas it was decreased by treatment with concentrations above 40 µM. Treatment with sublethal α-POP concentrations up-regulated the expression and secretion of IL-6. Additionally, α-POP-induced increase in cell viability was restored by pretreating with N -acetyl- l -cysteine, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, and stattic, an inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), respectively, suggesting that activation of the ROS/STAT3 pathway is involved in the α-POP-induced activation of HMC3 cells. The increases in cell viability were also observed in HMC3 cells treated with other α-POP derivatives and METH. Conclusions These results suggest that enhanced productions of ROS and IL-6 are also involved in microglial activation by drug treatment and that HMC3 cell-based system is available to evaluate accurately the microglial activation induced by abused drugs.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a class of drugs used in the clinical management of patients with type 2 diabetes, and their prescriptions have been increasing in recent years. Herein, we performed a retrospective analysis of seasonal variation in SGLT2 inhibitor-associated adverse events recorded in the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report (JADER) database, an adverse event reporting database which reflects real-world clinical practice. To this end, seasonal variations in SGLT2 inhibitor-related dehydration, cerebral infarction, urinary tract infection, and ketoacidosis were analyzed. Six SGLT2 inhibitors prescribed in Japan (ipragliflozin, empagliflozin, luseogliflozin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and tofogliflozin) were included. The reporting ratio (RR) for SGLT2 inhibitor adverse events per month in the JADER database from April 2014 to December 2023 was determined. The RR for dehydration-related adverse events was highest in the summer months of July and August, as well as in the winter months of December, January, and February. The highest RR for cerebral infarction was in February. No association with seasonal variations in the occurrence of ketoacidosis related to dehydration was observed. Healthcare providers should take adequate precautions against dehydration caused by SGLT2 inhibitors, not only in summer but also in winter. These findings are instructive and informational for health care professionals involved in diabetes care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-024-81698-z.

Powders used in pharmaceuticals require good flowability. The angle of repose and compressibility index are often used to measure the flowability of pharmaceutical powders. However, confirming the relationship between external forces and flowability for smooth powder handling is necessary. Therefore, we measured pharmaceutical excipient powder using a lower cell direct movable constant-volume shear tester and evaluated the powder’s physical properties. In this study, we utilized microcrystalline cellulose, widely used as a pharmaceutical excipient and developed in many grades with different physical properties such as particle shape. We measured the shear parameters that describe the characteristic friction and cohesion properties of each microcrystalline cellulose grade. We found that the relative compression ratio (RCR) correlated with the angle of repose. Differences in the shape of the powder yield locus were observed among the grades, and the ratio of the upward convex area of the powder yield locus curve (APC) was defined as the value that quantified these differences. Furthermore, to clarify the relationship between the particle shape parameters (e.g., particle size distribution and shape) and shear parameters, we analyzed these factors using partial least squares regression. RCR was correlated with linearity and was significantly influenced by particle shape. Accurate prediction formulas were also calculated for the stress transmission and relaxation ratios. There was no correlation with the individual shape parameters, and these are considered that is involved in a complex combination. In APC, in addition to the shape parameters used in this study, bulk density had a significant effect. Fullsize Image

The expression of claudins (CLDNs), major components of tight junctions (TJs), is abnormal in various solid tumors. CLDN14 is highly expressed in human colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and confers chemoresistance. CLDN14 may become a novel therapeutic target for CRC, but CLDN14‐targeting drugs have not been developed. Here, we searched for a CLDN14‐targeting peptide, which can suppress CLDN14 expression and chemoresistance using human CRC‐derived DLD‐1 and LoVo cells. Among some short peptides which mimic the second extracellular loop structure of CLDN14, PSGMK most strongly suppressed the protein expression of CLDN14. The mRNA expression of other endogenous TJ components was unchanged by PSGMK. The PSGMK‐induced reduction of CLDN14 protein was inhibited by chloroquine, a lysosome inhibitor, and monodansylcadaverine, a clathrin‐dependent endocytosis inhibitor, indicating that PSGMK may enhance endocytosis and lysosomal degradation of CLDN14. In a three‐dimensional culture model, the oxidative stress was significantly reduced by PSGMK, whereas hypoxia stress was not. Furthermore, the expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2, an oxidative stress response factor, and its target genes were decreased by PSGMK. These results suggest that PSGMK relieves stress conditions in spheroids. The cell viability of spheroids was decreased by anticancer drugs such as doxorubicin and oxaliplatin, which was exaggerated by the cotreatment with PSGMK. Our data indicate that CLDN14‐targeting peptide, PSGMK has an anti‐chemoresistance effect in CRC cells.