Synthesis, transport and antiviral activity of Ala-Ser and Val-Ser prodrugs of cidofovir

We report the synthesis and biological evaluation of Ala-(Val-)l-Ser-CO₂R prodrugs of 1, where a dipeptide promoiety is conjugated to the P(OH)₂ group of cidofovir (1) via esterification by the Ser side chain hydroxyl group and an ethyl group (4 and 5) or alone (6 and 7). In a murine model, oral administration of 4 or 5 did not significantly increase total cidofovir species in the plasma compared to 1 or 2, but 7 resulted in a 15-fold increase in a rat model and had an in vitro EC₅₀ value against human cytomegalovirus comparable to 1. Neither 6 nor 7 exhibited toxicity up to 100 μM in KB or HFF cells.     

Eukaryotic and prokaryotic contributions to colonic hydrogen sulfide synthesis

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is an important modulator of many aspects of digestive function, both in health and disease. Colonic tissue H(2)S synthesis increases markedly during injury and inflammation and appears to contribute to resolution. Some of the bacteria residing in the colon can also produce H(2)S. The extent to which bacterial H(2)S synthesis contributes to what is measured as colonic H(2)S synthesis is not clear. Using conventional and germ-free mice, we have delineated the eukaryotic vs. prokaryotic contributions to colonic H(2)S synthesis, both in healthy and colitic mice. Colonic tissue H(2)S production is entirely dependent on the presence of the cofactor pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (vitamin B(6)), while bacterial H(2)S synthesis appears to occur independent of this cofactor. As expected, approximately one-half of the H(2)S produced by feces is derived from eukaryotic cells. While colonic H(2)S synthesis is markedly increased when the tissue is inflamed, and, in proportion to the extent of inflammation, fecal H(2)S synthesis does not change and tissue granulocytes do not appear to be the source of the elevated H(2)S production. Rats fed a B vitamin-deficient diet for 6 wk exhibited significantly diminished colonic H(2)S synthesis, but fecal H(2)S synthesis was not different from that of rats on the control diet. Our results demonstrate that H(2)S production by colonic bacteria does not contribute significantly to what is measured as colonic tissue H(2)S production, using the acetate trapping assay system employed in this study.     

Tree girdling responses simulated by a water and carbon transport model

Background and Aims

Girdling, or the removal of a strip of bark around a tree''s outer circumference, is often used to study carbon relationships, as it triggers several carbon responses which seem to be interrelated.

Methods

An existing plant model describing water and carbon transport in a tree was used to evaluate the mechanisms behind the girdling responses. Therefore, the (un)loading functions of the original model were adapted and became a function of the phloem turgor pressure.

Key Results

The adapted model successfully simulated the measured changes in stem growth induced by girdling. The model indicated that the key driving variables for the girdling responses were changes in turgor pressure due to local changes in sugar concentrations. Information about the local damage to the phloem system was transferred to the other plant parts (crown and roots) by a change in phloem pressure. After girdling, the loading rate was affected and corresponded to the experimentally observed feedback inhibition. In addition, the unloading rate decreased after girdling and even reversed in some instances. The model enabled continuous simulation of changes in starch content, although a slight underestimation was observed compared with measured values.

Conclusions

For the first time a mechanistic plant model enabled simulation of tree girdling responses, which have thus far only been experimentally observed and fragmentally reported in literature. The close agreement between measured and simulated data confirms the underlying mechanisms introduced in the model.     

Expression of mechanogated two-pore domain potassium channels in mouse lungs: special reference to mechanosensory airway receptors

Afferent activities arising from sensory nerve terminals located in lungs and airways are carried almost exclusively by fibres travelling through the vagus nerve. Based on electrophysiological investigations, intrapulmonary airway-related vagal afferent receptors have been classified into three main subtypes, two of which are myelinated and mechanosensitive, i.e., rapidly and slowly adapting receptors. To allow for a full functional identification of the distinct populations of airway receptors, morphological and neurochemical characteristics still need to be determined. Nerve terminals visualised using markers for myelinated vagal afferents seem to be almost uniquely associated with two morphologically well-formed airway receptor end organs, smooth muscle-associated airway receptors (SMARs) and neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs), localised in airway smooth muscle and epithelium, respectively. Due to the lack of a selective marker for SMARs in mice, no further neurochemical coding is available today. NEBs are extensively innervated diffusely spread groups of neuroendocrine cells in the airway epithelium, and are known to receive at least two separate populations of myelinated vagal afferent nerve terminals. So far, however, no evidence has been reported for the expression of channels that may underlie direct sensing and transduction of mechanical stimuli by the receptor terminals in NEBs and SMARs. This study focused on the expression of mechanogated two-pore domain K⁺ (K_2P) channels, TREK-1 and TRAAK, in mouse airways and more particular in the NEB micro-environment and in SMARs by multiple immunostaining. TREK-1 could be detected on smooth muscle cells surrounding intrapulmonary airways and blood vessels, while TRAAK was expressed on myelinated vagal afferents terminating both in SMARs and in the NEB micro-environment. Co-stainings with known markers for subpopulations of myelinated vagal afferents and general neuronal markers revealed that all identified SMARs exhibit TRAAK immunoreactivity, and that at least three subpopulations exist in mouse airways. Also, the intraepithelial terminals of both subpopulations of NEB-associated myelinated vagal sensory nerve fibres were shown to express TRAAK. In conclusion, the present study finally characterised an intrinsically mechanosensitive ion channel, the K_2P channel TRAAK, on the terminals of identified myelinated vagal nodose airway afferents, organised as SMARs and as components of the innervation of NEBs. These data support the hypothesis that both SMARs and NEBs harbour the morphological counterparts of electrophysiologically identified myelinated vagal airway mechanoreceptors. TRAAK appears to be strongly involved in regulating airway mechanosensing since it was found to be expressed on the terminals of all subpopulations of potential vagal mechanosensors.     

Outcomes of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Infection: Results from Two International Cohort Studies

Background

Data from prospectively planned cohort studies on risk of major clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus are limited. In 2009, in order to assess outcomes and evaluate risk factors for progression of illness, two cohort studies were initiated: FLU 002 in outpatients and FLU 003 in hospitalized patients.

Methods and Findings

Between October 2009 and December 2012, adults with influenza-like illness (ILI) were enrolled; outpatients were followed for 14 days and inpatients for 60 days. Disease progression was defined as hospitalization and/or death for outpatients, and hospitalization for >28 days, transfer to intensive care unit (ICU) if enrolled from general ward, and/or death for inpatients. Infection was confirmed by RT-PCR. 590 FLU 002 and 392 FLU 003 patients with influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 were enrolled from 81 sites in 17 countries at 2 days (IQR 1–3) and 6 days (IQR 4–10) following ILI onset, respectively. Disease progression was experienced by 29 (1 death) outpatients (5.1%; 95% CI: 3.4–7.2%) and 80 inpatients [death (32), hospitalization >28 days (43) or ICU transfer (20)] (21.6%; 95% CI: 17.5–26.2%). Disease progression (death) for hospitalized patients was 53.1% (26.6%) and 12.8% (3.8%), respectively, for those enrolled in the ICU and general ward. In pooled analyses for both studies, predictors of disease progression were age, longer duration of symptoms at enrollment and immunosuppression. Patients hospitalized during the pandemic period had a poorer prognosis than in subsequent seasons.

Conclusions

Patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, particularly when requiring hospital admission, are at high risk for disease progression, especially if they are older, immunodeficient, or admitted late in infection. These data reinforce the need for international trials of novel treatment strategies for influenza infection and serve as a reminder of the need to monitor the severity of seasonal and pandemic influenza epidemics globally.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: FLU 002- {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01056354","term_id":"NCT01056354"}}NCT01056354, FLU 003- {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01056185","term_id":"NCT01056185"}}NCT01056185.