Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108402
Ahmad Tamim Ghafari , Yuslina Zakaria , Mizaton Hazizul Hasan , Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed , Qand Agha Nazari
{"title":"Corrigendum to ‘PolyCheck: A hybrid model for predicting polypharmacy-induced adverse drug reactions in tuberculosis treatment using heterogenous drug-target-ADR networks’ [Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods 136 (2025) 108393]","authors":"Ahmad Tamim Ghafari , Yuslina Zakaria , Mizaton Hazizul Hasan , Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed , Qand Agha Nazari","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108402","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108402","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108402"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145277014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-22DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108403
Peter Hoffmann , Michael K. Pugsley
Cardiovascular adverse drug reactions remain a leading cause of drug attrition. They may emerge during non-clinical or clinical development and often remain undetected until post-marketing, prompting increased regulatory focus. Historically, non-clinical cardiovascular safety testing has centered on assessing QT interval prolongation and torsades de pointes risk, primarily via inhibition of the delayed rectifier potassium current IKr. Such focus may overlook broader cardiovascular liabilities affecting other parameters of the cardiovascular system.
This review explores the status and limitations of current non-clinical cardiovascular safety assessments, in particular the over-reliance on the core battery studies defined in ICH S7A and S7B and the insufficient use of mechanistic follow-up assessments. We highlight the gaps between the results of non-clinical cardiovascular safety testing and the emergence of cardiovascular adverse drug reactions in later clinical phases or real-world use. We conclude that to narrow the gaps, there is a need to advance non-clinical methods to detect and adequately measure adverse effects on cardiac rhythm, myocardial contraction, blood pressure, and thrombogenicity. The review further discusses emerging trends and challenges for improving translational relevance, including advanced in vitro and in vivo models, and proposes a re-evaluation of outdated regulatory frameworks to better address diverse cardiovascular risks. Emphasis is placed on functional and mechanistic endpoints over structural pathology, aligning non-clinical safety methodologies with clinical outcomes.
{"title":"Non-clinical cardiovascular safety testing: Current status, gaps and emerging trends","authors":"Peter Hoffmann , Michael K. Pugsley","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108403","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108403","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cardiovascular adverse drug reactions remain a leading cause of drug attrition. They may emerge during non-clinical or clinical development and often remain undetected until post-marketing, prompting increased regulatory focus. Historically, non-clinical cardiovascular safety testing has centered on assessing QT interval prolongation and torsades de pointes risk, primarily <em>via</em> inhibition of the delayed rectifier potassium current IKr. Such focus may overlook broader cardiovascular liabilities affecting other parameters of the cardiovascular system.</div><div>This review explores the status and limitations of current non-clinical cardiovascular safety assessments, in particular the over-reliance on the core battery studies defined in ICH S7A and S7B and the insufficient use of mechanistic follow-up assessments. We highlight the gaps between the results of non-clinical cardiovascular safety testing and the emergence of cardiovascular adverse drug reactions in later clinical phases or real-world use. We conclude that to narrow the gaps, there is a need to advance non-clinical methods to detect and adequately measure adverse effects on cardiac rhythm, myocardial contraction, blood pressure, and thrombogenicity. The review further discusses emerging trends and challenges for improving translational relevance, including advanced <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> models, and proposes a re-evaluation of outdated regulatory frameworks to better address diverse cardiovascular risks. Emphasis is placed on functional and mechanistic endpoints over structural pathology, aligning non-clinical safety methodologies with clinical outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108403"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-06DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108401
Samantha J. Carew , Christiana M. Kennedy , Meghan L. Greenland, Matthew P. Parsons
Excitotoxicity is a key driver of neuronal death in diverse brain conditions, yet most toxicity assays rely on in vitro models that remove cells from their complex native environment within the brain parenchyma. Here, we present a novel ex vivo method to quantify N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxicity using acute brain slices from male and female young adult c57bl/6 and aged B6129SF2J mice, similar to those used for conventional electrophysiological recordings. Acute hippocampal slices were recovered in an N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG)-based recovery solution, then treated with low-magnesium artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) containing the co-agonist glycine to promote receptor activation, with or without exogenous NMDA. Following treatment, slices were fixed, cryoprotected, and cryosectioned to 20 μm for immunohistochemistry. Apoptotic cell death was assessed by staining for cleaved caspase-3, and was combined with the percentage of dead space to calculate a toxicity index for overall excitotoxic cell death. Importantly, exposure to low-magnesium aCSF with glycine alone was sufficient to elevate active caspase-3 levels, an effect that was further enhanced by exogenous NMDA application and prevented by NMDAR antagonism. Our ex vivo method largely preserves the cytoarchitecture and local microenvironment of brain tissue, enabling the assessment of cell-specific vulnerabilities to excitotoxic damage in select brain regions at defined ages. It is particularly well-suited for use in neurodegenerative disease models, where excitotoxic susceptibility may evolve over time. In all, the approach described here provides a reliable and accessible alternative to dissociated cell cultures, bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo systems for studying glutamate-induced cell death.
兴奋性毒性是多种脑条件下神经元死亡的关键驱动因素,然而大多数毒性试验依赖于体外模型,将细胞从脑实质内复杂的天然环境中移除。在这里,我们提出了一种新的离体方法来量化n -甲基-d-天冬氨酸(NMDA)诱导的兴奋毒性,使用雄性和雌性年轻成年c57bl/6和老年B6129SF2J小鼠的急性脑切片,类似于传统的电生理记录。急性海马切片在n -甲基- d -葡萄糖胺(NMDG)为基础的恢复液中恢复,然后用含有协同激动剂甘氨酸的低镁aCSF处理,以促进受体激活,有或没有外源性NMDA。处理后,固定切片,冷冻保护,冷冻切片至20 μm进行免疫组织化学。通过裂解caspase-3染色评估凋亡细胞死亡,并结合死亡空间百分比计算总体兴奋性毒性细胞死亡的毒性指数。重要的是,仅用甘氨酸暴露于低镁aCSF足以提高活性caspase-3水平,外源NMDA应用进一步增强了这一作用,并被NMDAR拮抗阻止。我们的离体方法在很大程度上保留了脑组织的细胞结构和局部微环境,从而能够评估特定年龄的特定大脑区域对兴奋毒性损伤的细胞特异性脆弱性。它特别适合用于神经退行性疾病模型,其中兴奋毒性易感性可能随着时间的推移而演变。总之,本文所描述的方法提供了一种可靠且可接近的解离细胞培养替代方法,弥合了体外和体内系统之间的差距,用于研究谷氨酸诱导的细胞死亡。
{"title":"A novel, flexible, and accessible method for the ex vivo induction and quantification of excitotoxicity","authors":"Samantha J. Carew , Christiana M. Kennedy , Meghan L. Greenland, Matthew P. Parsons","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108401","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108401","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excitotoxicity is a key driver of neuronal death in diverse brain conditions, yet most toxicity assays rely on <em>in vitro</em> models that remove cells from their complex native environment within the brain parenchyma. Here, we present a novel <em>ex vivo</em> method to quantify <em>N</em>-methyl-<span>d</span>-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxicity using acute brain slices from male and female young adult c57bl/6 and aged B6129SF2J mice, similar to those used for conventional electrophysiological recordings. Acute hippocampal slices were recovered in an <em>N</em>-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG)-based recovery solution, then treated with low-magnesium artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) containing the co-agonist glycine to promote receptor activation, with or without exogenous NMDA. Following treatment, slices were fixed, cryoprotected, and cryosectioned to 20 μm for immunohistochemistry. Apoptotic cell death was assessed by staining for cleaved caspase-3, and was combined with the percentage of dead space to calculate a toxicity index for overall excitotoxic cell death. Importantly, exposure to low-magnesium aCSF with glycine alone was sufficient to elevate active caspase-3 levels, an effect that was further enhanced by exogenous NMDA application and prevented by NMDAR antagonism. Our <em>ex vivo</em> method largely preserves the cytoarchitecture and local microenvironment of brain tissue, enabling the assessment of cell-specific vulnerabilities to excitotoxic damage in select brain regions at defined ages. It is particularly well-suited for use in neurodegenerative disease models, where excitotoxic susceptibility may evolve over time. In all, the approach described here provides a reliable and accessible alternative to dissociated cell cultures, bridging the gap between <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> systems for studying glutamate-induced cell death.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108401"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145254150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108399
Liming He , Xinxin Shi , Yucheng Wang , Shuwei Huang
Objective
This study aimed to validate the feasibility of establishing a sick sinus syndrome (SSS) rat model by injecting 3 % sodium hydroxide (NaOH) into the jugular vein at a rate of 0.01 mL/s, and to assess reductions in animal mortality and vascular injury.
Results
Compared with the conventional 10 % NaOH method, the modified 3 % NaOH approach yielded a significantly higher modeling success rate (78 % vs. 44 %), substantially lower mortality (15 % vs. 48 %), and reduced jugular vein injury. Electrophysiological evaluations demonstrated a time-dependent decrease in post-modeling heart rate (HR), characterized by widened P-waves and prolonged PR intervals. Additionally, heart rate variability (HRV) analysis revealed a notable increase in the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) 2 weeks post-modeling. Histopathological analysis (HE staining) indicated more pronounced necrosis and fibrosis in sinus node P-cells, accompanied by elevated levels of hydroxyproline (HYP) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). Furthermore, assessments of pacing-related ion channels showed downregulated transcription and expression of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4 (HCN4) and reduced SCN5A transcription, aligning with observed electrophysiological abnormalities.
Conclusion
The modified 3 % NaOH method effectively establishes an SSS rat model, offering advantages in simplicity, cost-efficiency, and animal welfare. This model provides a practical platform for fundamental SSS research, especially in resource-limited laboratories.
{"title":"Optimization strategy for modeling sick sinus syndrome in rats: Balancing effect and animal care","authors":"Liming He , Xinxin Shi , Yucheng Wang , Shuwei Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108399","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108399","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to validate the feasibility of establishing a sick sinus syndrome (SSS) rat model by injecting 3 % sodium hydroxide (NaOH) into the jugular vein at a rate of 0.01 mL/s, and to assess reductions in animal mortality and vascular injury.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with the conventional 10 % NaOH method, the modified 3 % NaOH approach yielded a significantly higher modeling success rate (78 % vs. 44 %), substantially lower mortality (15 % vs. 48 %), and reduced jugular vein injury. Electrophysiological evaluations demonstrated a time-dependent decrease in post-modeling heart rate (HR), characterized by widened P-waves and prolonged PR intervals. Additionally, heart rate variability (HRV) analysis revealed a notable increase in the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) 2 weeks post-modeling. Histopathological analysis (HE staining) indicated more pronounced necrosis and fibrosis in sinus node P-cells, accompanied by elevated levels of hydroxyproline (HYP) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). Furthermore, assessments of pacing-related ion channels showed downregulated transcription and expression of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4 (HCN4) and reduced <em>SCN5A</em> transcription, aligning with observed electrophysiological abnormalities.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The modified 3 % NaOH method effectively establishes an SSS rat model, offering advantages in simplicity, cost-efficiency, and animal welfare. This model provides a practical platform for fundamental SSS research, especially in resource-limited laboratories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108399"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A highly sensitive and reproducible liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was systematically developed and optimized using a Quality by Design (QbD) framework for the simultaneous quantification of chlorthalidone and cilnidipine in rat plasma. Critical method variables—organic phase composition, flow rate, and mobile phase pH—were identified through risk assessment and subsequently optimized via Box–Behnken Design to ensure analytical robustness. Optimal chromatographic conditions comprised 20 % organic content, a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and a mobile phase pH of 3.0, facilitating efficient resolution of both analytes. Detection was achieved in positive electrospray ionization mode using multiple reaction monitoring, with transitions of m/z 339.8909 → 85.0951 for chlorthalidone, m/z 493.5237 → 300.1587 for cilnidipine, and m/z 515.6423 → 342.6158 for telmisartan, employed as the internal standard. Method validation, performed in accordance with European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines, demonstrated excellent linearity (r2 > 0.998), accuracy, and precision, with coefficient of variation consistently <10 %. The method exhibited strong analyte stability and was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic evaluation of both drugs in Wistar rats. This DoE-optimized LC–MS/MS platform offers a selective, reliable, and environmentally conscious analytical solution for the preclinical assessment of chlorthalidone and cilnidipine.
{"title":"LC–MS/MS-based simultaneous quantification of chlorthalidone and cilnidipine in rat plasma: Pharmacokinetic evaluation, green analytical assessment, and DoE-driven optimization","authors":"Sravanthi Gandu, Kumaraswamy Gandla, Lalitha Repudi","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108400","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108400","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A highly sensitive and reproducible liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was systematically developed and optimized using a Quality by Design (QbD) framework for the simultaneous quantification of chlorthalidone and cilnidipine in rat plasma. Critical method variables—organic phase composition, flow rate, and mobile phase pH—were identified through risk assessment and subsequently optimized via Box–Behnken Design to ensure analytical robustness. Optimal chromatographic conditions comprised 20 % organic content, a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and a mobile phase pH of 3.0, facilitating efficient resolution of both analytes. Detection was achieved in positive electrospray ionization mode using multiple reaction monitoring, with transitions of <em>m</em>/<em>z</em> 339.8909 → 85.0951 for chlorthalidone, <em>m</em>/<em>z</em> 493.5237 → 300.1587 for cilnidipine, and m/z 515.6423 → 342.6158 for telmisartan, employed as the internal standard. Method validation, performed in accordance with European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines, demonstrated excellent linearity (r<sup>2</sup> > 0.998), accuracy, and precision, with coefficient of variation consistently <10 %. The method exhibited strong analyte stability and was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic evaluation of both drugs in Wistar rats. This DoE-optimized LC–MS/MS platform offers a selective, reliable, and environmentally conscious analytical solution for the preclinical assessment of chlorthalidone and cilnidipine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108400"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145182447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-09DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108395
Julie Jacobsen, Berit Ø. Christoffersen
Introduction
Adverse cardiovascular (CV) effects is a major cause of drug attrition. Early assessment of CV risk for new drug candidates may be warranted for early de-risking of the further development. Predictive animal models and a careful study design are needed for decision-making. The aim of this study was to characterise the CV effects of three cardiometabolic compounds with known CV effects in humans – the GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide, the melanocortin receptor 4 agonist (MC4-RA) LY2112688 and urocortin-2 (UCN2) - in Göttingen Minipigs to evaluate the predictability of this model.
Materials and methods
Female Göttingen Minipigs with telemetry implants (n = 6–8) were used in 3 consecutive cross-over studies looking at CV effects of liraglutide, LY2112688 and UCN2. Main endpoints were: Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR), in addition to activity and body temperature.
Results
Liraglutide at the highest dose level of 3 nmol/kg (Day 7) induced a significant increase in 24 h HR (p < 0.01) compared to vehicle. No significant differences in MAP, SBP or DBP were observed. The MC4-RA LY2112688 at a dose level of 0.1–0.15 mg/kg (Day 4) gave rise to significant increases in all of 24 h HR (p < 0.05), MAP (p < 0.01), SBP (p < 0.01) and DBP (p < 0.05) compared to vehicle. UCN2 infusion resulted in a significant increase in HR (p < 0.05) and a significant decrease in SBP (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
The study highlights different CV study designs in Göttingen Minipigs and show that this model qualitatively reproduced the CV effects observed in humans following treatment with the three test compounds. These data support the minipig as a translational preclinical model for exploratory safety evaluations, although the magnitude of the changes may not translate completely between species.
不良心血管(CV)效应是药物损耗的主要原因。早期评估新的候选药物的心血管风险可能是必要的,以早期降低进一步开发的风险。决策需要预测性动物模型和仔细的研究设计。本研究的目的是在Göttingen迷你猪中表征三种已知心血管效应的心脏代谢化合物——GLP-1受体激动剂利拉鲁肽、黑素皮质素受体4激动剂(MC4-RA) LY2112688和尿皮质素-2 (UCN2)的心血管效应,以评估该模型的可预测性。材料和方法:使用携带遥测植入物的雌性Göttingen迷你猪(n = 6-8)进行连续3项交叉研究,观察利拉鲁肽、LY2112688和UCN2的CV效应。主要终点是:平均动脉压(MAP)、收缩压(SBP)、舒张压(DBP)和心率(HR),以及活动和体温。结果:利拉鲁肽最高剂量3 nmol/kg(第7天)诱导24 h HR显著增加(p )。结论:该研究突出了Göttingen迷你猪的不同CV研究设计,并表明该模型在三种试验化合物治疗后对人类观察到的CV效应进行了定量再现。这些数据支持迷你猪作为探索性安全性评估的转化临床前模型,尽管变化的幅度可能无法完全在物种之间转换。
{"title":"Exploratory safety investigations in normal, freely moving Göttingen Minipigs using telemetry: Pharmacological validation","authors":"Julie Jacobsen, Berit Ø. Christoffersen","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108395","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Adverse cardiovascular (CV) effects is a major cause of drug attrition. Early assessment of CV risk for new drug candidates may be warranted for early de-risking of the further development. Predictive animal models and a careful study design are needed for decision-making. The aim of this study was to characterise the CV effects of three cardiometabolic compounds with known CV effects in humans – the GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide, the melanocortin receptor 4 agonist (MC4-RA) LY2112688 and urocortin-2 (UCN2) - in Göttingen Minipigs to evaluate the predictability of this model.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Female Göttingen Minipigs with telemetry implants (<em>n</em> = 6–8) were used in 3 consecutive cross-over studies looking at CV effects of liraglutide, LY2112688 and UCN2. Main endpoints were: Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR), in addition to activity and body temperature.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Liraglutide at the highest dose level of 3 nmol/kg (Day 7) induced a significant increase in 24 h HR (<em>p</em> < 0.01) compared to vehicle. No significant differences in MAP, SBP or DBP were observed. The MC4-RA LY2112688 at a dose level of 0.1–0.15 mg/kg (Day 4) gave rise to significant increases in all of 24 h HR (<em>p</em> < 0.05), MAP (<em>p</em> < 0.01), SBP (p < 0.01) and DBP (p < 0.05) compared to vehicle. UCN2 infusion resulted in a significant increase in HR (<em>p</em> < 0.05) and a significant decrease in SBP (p < 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The study highlights different CV study designs in Göttingen Minipigs and show that this model qualitatively reproduced the CV effects observed in humans following treatment with the three test compounds. These data support the minipig as a translational preclinical model for exploratory safety evaluations, although the magnitude of the changes may not translate completely between species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108395"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-06DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108394
Yafei Chen , Nathan Bivens , Hong An , Brian Mooney , Thao Nguyen , Lyndon Coghill , Jennifer Horkman , Lois Haupt , Melissa Evans , Rebecca Campbell , Wendell Davis
The Nanopig™ model is an emerging non-rodent platform for (bio)pharmaceutical safety assessment, with potential advantages for translational research. Here, we report initial characterization results using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and tissue-based proteomics, focusing on drug metabolism and immune system relevance. WGS produced a high-quality Nanopig™ genome assembly (2.8–2.9 Gb), with >98 % alignment to the Duroc pig reference genome, and identified key metabolic and immune-related genes, including 47 cytochrome P450 (CYP450) genes with high homology to human CYP450 families. Proteomic profiling of 15 pharmaceutically relevant tissues revealed human orthologous drug metabolism enzymes and transporters (DMETs), as well as immune-related proteins, indicating similarities to human CYP450 enzyme abundance and tissue distribution. Functional evaluation of hepatic CYP450 activity yielded kinetic parameters (Km, Vmax) in the range observed in humans and beagle dogs. These early findings represent a foundational multi-omics dataset for the Nanopig™, suggesting its future use as a translational model in preclinical safety assessment. This work provides an early framework for species selection strategies and model optimization, with the long-term goal of reducing reliance on traditional non-rodent species in drug development.
{"title":"Introducing the Sinclair Nanopig™ model: Preliminary genomic, proteomic, and hepatic CYP450 characterization for (bio)pharmaceutical safety assessment","authors":"Yafei Chen , Nathan Bivens , Hong An , Brian Mooney , Thao Nguyen , Lyndon Coghill , Jennifer Horkman , Lois Haupt , Melissa Evans , Rebecca Campbell , Wendell Davis","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Nanopig™ model is an emerging non-rodent platform for (bio)pharmaceutical safety assessment, with potential advantages for translational research. Here, we report initial characterization results using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and tissue-based proteomics, focusing on drug metabolism and immune system relevance. WGS produced a high-quality Nanopig™ genome assembly (2.8–2.9 Gb), with >98 % alignment to the Duroc pig reference genome, and identified key metabolic and immune-related genes, including 47 cytochrome P450 (CYP450) genes with high homology to human CYP450 families. Proteomic profiling of 15 pharmaceutically relevant tissues revealed human orthologous drug metabolism enzymes and transporters (DMETs), as well as immune-related proteins, indicating similarities to human CYP450 enzyme abundance and tissue distribution. Functional evaluation of hepatic CYP450 activity yielded kinetic parameters (K<sub>m</sub>, V<sub>max</sub>) in the range observed in humans and beagle dogs. These early findings represent a foundational multi-omics dataset for the Nanopig™, suggesting its future use as a translational model in preclinical safety assessment. This work provides an early framework for species selection strategies and model optimization, with the long-term goal of reducing reliance on traditional non-rodent species in drug development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108394"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145020812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108393
Ahmad Tamim Ghafari , Yuslina Zakaria , Mizaton Hazizul Hasan , Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed , Qand Agha Nazari
Polypharmacy during tuberculosis (TB) treatment, particularly in patients with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (DM), significantly increases the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to complex drug–drug interactions (DDIs). Existing computational methods primarily focus on pairwise drug interactions, often failing to capture the multifactorial nature of ADRs in polypharmacy contexts. To address this gap, we developed PolyCheck, a hybrid predictive model that integrates network-based and rule-based methods to identify potential ADRs arising from multi-drug regimens. We constructed a heterogeneous Drug–Target–ADR interaction network comprising first-line anti-TB and antidiabetic drugs, their targets, and associated ADRs. The Random Walk with Restart (RWR) algorithm was employed to rank ADR nodes, and a rule-based layer further refined predictions by incorporating the biological relevance of Drug–Target–ADR associations. Evaluation using cross-validation and case-based testing demonstrated strong predictive performance, with accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUPRC values of 0.70, 0.74, 0.92, 0.81, and 0.74, respectively. PolyCheck offers a scalable and interpretable approach for predicting ADRs in complex treatment regimens and can support safer, individualized TB therapy in patients with comorbid conditions.
{"title":"PolyCheck: A hybrid model for predicting polypharmacy-induced adverse drug reactions in tuberculosis treatment using heterogenous drug-target-ADR networks","authors":"Ahmad Tamim Ghafari , Yuslina Zakaria , Mizaton Hazizul Hasan , Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed , Qand Agha Nazari","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.108393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polypharmacy during tuberculosis (TB) treatment, particularly in patients with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (DM), significantly increases the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to complex drug–drug interactions (DDIs). Existing computational methods primarily focus on pairwise drug interactions, often failing to capture the multifactorial nature of ADRs in polypharmacy contexts. To address this gap, we developed PolyCheck, a hybrid predictive model that integrates network-based and rule-based methods to identify potential ADRs arising from multi-drug regimens. We constructed a heterogeneous Drug–Target–ADR interaction network comprising first-line anti-TB and antidiabetic drugs, their targets, and associated ADRs. The Random Walk with Restart (RWR) algorithm was employed to rank ADR nodes, and a rule-based layer further refined predictions by incorporating the biological relevance of Drug–Target–ADR associations. Evaluation using cross-validation and case-based testing demonstrated strong predictive performance, with accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUPRC values of 0.70, 0.74, 0.92, 0.81, and 0.74, respectively. PolyCheck offers a scalable and interpretable approach for predicting ADRs in complex treatment regimens and can support safer, individualized TB therapy in patients with comorbid conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 108393"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2025.107814
Kazuya Tsurudome, Hironori Ohshiro, Taku Izumi
Cardiac ion channel activity is crucial for generating cardiac action potentials with proper timing and duration. Drug-induced impairment of these ion channels can cause abnormal cardiac activity, including QT interval prolongation, ventricular arrhythmia, and, in the most severe cases, sudden death. These adverse effects are among the leading reasons for drug withdrawal from the market or the denial of regulatory approval for new therapeutic candidates. The ICH E14/S7B Q&A released in August 2022 provided recommended conditions for best practices for in vitro assay of IKr/hERG to maintain reproducibility and consistency in evaluations. These recommendations include testing under physiological temperature conditions, as well as considering factors such as voltage protocols. In this study, we have investigated whole-cell patch-clamp measurements of hERG currents under physiological temperature conditions (36–37 °C) using the semi-automated patch-clamp system QPatch compact using the recommended best practices. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in hERG channel-expressing cells were performed using the QPatch Compact automated patch-clamp system with a temperature control system and the voltage protocol recommended by the CiPA project. Compared to room temperature conditions, the rise time of the hERG current was shorter and its amplitude larger under physiological temperature conditions. The tail current decay rate was also slower. The overall duration of the current was prolonged. These findings imply that temperature influences the dynamics of hERG channels, providing a more accurate reproduction of their physiological function. Furthermore, when testing the temperature-dependent effects of erythromycin, the current inhibition rate at the highest applied concentration of 1000 μM was around 50 % under room temperature conditions (25 °C). In contrast, under physiological temperature conditions, the IC50 was approximately 60 μM, and a nearly complete blockade of hERG currents was achieved at 1000 μM. This result confirms that the inhibitory effect of erythromycin is more pronounced under physiological temperature conditions. Additionally, we have tested other reference compounds, such as dofetilide, ondansetron, and moxifloxacin, to assess their temperature sensitivity. These insights are expected to improve our understanding of the influence of temperature on drug effects and enhance the reliability of testing protocols in accordance with ICH guidelines.
{"title":"Investigation of in vitro IKr/hERG assays under physiological temperature conditions using the semi-automated patch-clamp system QPatch compact with temperature control system","authors":"Kazuya Tsurudome, Hironori Ohshiro, Taku Izumi","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.107814","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.107814","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cardiac ion channel activity is crucial for generating cardiac action potentials with proper timing and duration. Drug-induced impairment of these ion channels can cause abnormal cardiac activity, including QT interval prolongation, ventricular arrhythmia, and, in the most severe cases, sudden death. These adverse effects are among the leading reasons for drug withdrawal from the market or the denial of regulatory approval for new therapeutic candidates. The ICH E14/S7B Q&A released in August 2022 provided recommended conditions for best practices for in vitro assay of IKr/hERG to maintain reproducibility and consistency in evaluations. These recommendations include testing under physiological temperature conditions, as well as considering factors such as voltage protocols. In this study, we have investigated whole-cell patch-clamp measurements of hERG currents under physiological temperature conditions (36–37 °C) using the semi-automated patch-clamp system QPatch compact using the recommended best practices. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in hERG channel-expressing cells were performed using the QPatch Compact automated patch-clamp system with a temperature control system and the voltage protocol recommended by the CiPA project. Compared to room temperature conditions, the rise time of the hERG current was shorter and its amplitude larger under physiological temperature conditions. The tail current decay rate was also slower. The overall duration of the current was prolonged. These findings imply that temperature influences the dynamics of hERG channels, providing a more accurate reproduction of their physiological function. Furthermore, when testing the temperature-dependent effects of erythromycin, the current inhibition rate at the highest applied concentration of 1000 μM was around 50 % under room temperature conditions (25 °C). In contrast, under physiological temperature conditions, the IC50 was approximately 60 μM, and a nearly complete blockade of hERG currents was achieved at 1000 μM. This result confirms that the inhibitory effect of erythromycin is more pronounced under physiological temperature conditions. Additionally, we have tested other reference compounds, such as dofetilide, ondansetron, and moxifloxacin, to assess their temperature sensitivity. These insights are expected to improve our understanding of the influence of temperature on drug effects and enhance the reliability of testing protocols in accordance with ICH guidelines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 107814"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Opioids (opioid mu receptor [MOR] agonists) are one of the most powerful analgesics and are widely used around the world, however, the rapid increase in the number of deaths due to drug abuse and overdose have become a major social problem. One of the causes of opioid-mediated abuse is known to be an increase of dopamine release in nucleus accumbens (NAc) via MOR activation in brain, and this effect is also known to be counteracted by opioid kappa receptor (KOR) activation expressed in NAc. We, therefore, hypothesized that a MOR/KOR dual agonist would be able to avoid the risk of abuse and psychological dependence while maintaining a strong analgesic effect. In this study, we evaluated the analgesic effects and reinforcing effect of Compound A, a novel MOR/KOR dual agonist (non-morphinan structure) that we created and compared with those of oxycodone. To investigate in vitro functional activity of compound A, cAMP assay was conducted. Hot-plate test (55°C) in rats (n = 5/dose, p.o) was performed to assess the analgesic effect. The time-course of dopamine level in NAc in rats was determined using in vivo microdialysis method (n = 3–8/dose, i.v.). Abuse liability was assessed by rat conditioned place preference (CPP) test (n = 7/dose, i.v.) and monkey intravenous self-administration study under a fixed-ratio 30 schedule of reinforcement (n = 4/dose, i.v.). In vitro profile, Compound A exhibited MOR and KOR agonism. Compound A exhibited dose-dependent analgesic effect, with a maximum response comparable to or greater than that of oxycodone. Compound A introduced less level dopamine release in rat NAc compared to oxycodone and no increase of CPP score at the analgesic dose in rats. In monkeys, Compound A did not show any reinforcing properties over a wide dose range covering the expected clinical pharmacological exposure, whereas oxycodone showed a strong reinforcing effect. MOR/KOR dual agonists may be able to overcome the risk of abuse and psychological dependence of traditional opioids while maintaining a potent analgesic effect comparable to them, which would contribute to one solution of current opioid crisis.
{"title":"Compound A, a novel dual mu and kappa opioid receptor agonist that exerts potent an analgesic effect comparable to oxycodone, showed no reinforcing effect in monkeys","authors":"Yukiko Orita , Atsushi Nakamura , Yuki Azuma , Kana Yasufuku , Erika Kasai , Tohko Arai","doi":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.107800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vascn.2025.107800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Opioids (opioid mu receptor [MOR] agonists) are one of the most powerful analgesics and are widely used around the world, however, the rapid increase in the number of deaths due to drug abuse and overdose have become a major social problem. One of the causes of opioid-mediated abuse is known to be an increase of dopamine release in nucleus accumbens (NAc) via MOR activation in brain, and this effect is also known to be counteracted by opioid kappa receptor (KOR) activation expressed in NAc. We, therefore, hypothesized that a MOR/KOR dual agonist would be able to avoid the risk of abuse and psychological dependence while maintaining a strong analgesic effect. In this study, we evaluated the analgesic effects and reinforcing effect of Compound A, a novel MOR/KOR dual agonist (non-morphinan structure) that we created and compared with those of oxycodone. To investigate in vitro functional activity of compound A, cAMP assay was conducted. Hot-plate test (55°C) in rats (<em>n</em> = 5/dose, p.o) was performed to assess the analgesic effect. The time-course of dopamine level in NAc in rats was determined using in vivo microdialysis method (<em>n</em> = 3–8/dose, i.v.). Abuse liability was assessed by rat conditioned place preference (CPP) test (<em>n</em> = 7/dose, i.v.) and monkey intravenous self-administration study under a fixed-ratio 30 schedule of reinforcement (<em>n</em> = 4/dose, i.v.). In vitro profile, Compound A exhibited MOR and KOR agonism. Compound A exhibited dose-dependent analgesic effect, with a maximum response comparable to or greater than that of oxycodone. Compound A introduced less level dopamine release in rat NAc compared to oxycodone and no increase of CPP score at the analgesic dose in rats. In monkeys, Compound A did not show any reinforcing properties over a wide dose range covering the expected clinical pharmacological exposure, whereas oxycodone showed a strong reinforcing effect. MOR/KOR dual agonists may be able to overcome the risk of abuse and psychological dependence of traditional opioids while maintaining a potent analgesic effect comparable to them, which would contribute to one solution of current opioid crisis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16767,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 107800"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}