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Li D, Donnelley M, Parsons D, Habgood MD, Schneider-Futschik EK. Extent of foetal exposure to maternal elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor during pregnancy. Br J Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38770951 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are living longer and healthier due to improved treatments, e.g. cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapy elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI), with treatment possibly occurring in pregnancy. The risk of ETI to foetuses remain unknown. Thus the effect of maternally administered ETI on foetal genetic and structural development was investigated. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were orally treated with ETI (6.7 mg·kg-1·day-1 elexacaftor + 3.5 mg·kg-1·day-1 tezacaftor + 25 mg·kg-1·day-1 ivacaftor) for 7 days from E12 to E19. Tissue samples collected at E19 were analysed using histology and RNA sequencing. Histological changes and differentially expressed genes (DEG) were assessed. KEY RESULTS No overt structural abnormalities were found in foetal pancreas, liver, lung and small intestine after 7-day ETI exposure. Very few non-functionally associated DEG in foetal liver, lung and small intestine were identified using RNA-seq. 29 DEG were identified in thymus (27 up-regulated and two down-regulated) and most were functionally linked to each other. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that multiple muscle-related terms were significantly enriched. Many more DEG were identified in cortex (44 up-regulated and four down-regulated) and a group of these were involved in central nervous system and brain development. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION Sub-chronic ETI treatment in late pregnancy does not appear to pose a significant risk to the genetic and structural development of many foetal tissues. However, significant gene changes in foetal thymic myoid cells and cortical neuronal development requires future follow-up studies to assess the risk to these organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danni Li
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Martin Donnelley
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - David Parsons
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Mark D Habgood
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Elena K Schneider-Futschik
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Li D, Zhu Y, Donnelley M, Parsons D, Habgood MD, Schneider-Futschik EK. Fetal drug exposure after maternally administered CFTR modulators Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor in a rat model. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116155. [PMID: 38232663 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The potential effects of the very effective cystic fibrosis triple combination drug, Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor (ETI) in pregnancy on prenatal development of offspring remain largely unknown. RESEARCH QUESTION We aimed to investigate the fetal tissue distribution pattern of maternally administered ETI by placental transfer in the rat fetuses. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Sprague Dawley pregnant rats were administered ETI (6.7 mg/kg/d elexacaftor + 3.5 mg/kg/d tezacaftor + 25 mg/kg/d ivacaftor) traced with [3 H]-ivacaftor in single dose acute experiments (intraperitoneal injection) or treated orally with ETI (the same dose) for 7 days in sub-chronic experiments. Fetal tissue samples were collected at embryonic day (E) 19 and analyzed using liquid scintillation counting for acute experiments or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for sub-chronic experiments. RESULTS On day E19, after acute exposure, the entry of ivacaftor into fetal brain (brain/plasma concentration ratios <50%) was significantly lower than to other tissues (>100%). However, after sub-chronic exposure, the entry of all 3 components into the developing brain was comparably extensive as into other tissues (tissue/plasma ratios, 260 - 1000%). Each component of ETI accumulated in different fetal tissues to approximately equal extent. Inter-litter differences on fetal drug distribution were found in cortex for ivacaftor, muscle for tezacaftor and cortex and mid/hindbrain for elexacaftor. Fetal plasma concentrations of ETI (ng/mL) were variable between litters. The entry of ivacaftor and tezacaftor into adult brain appeared to be restricted (<100%). INTERPRETATION Fetal rats are exposed to maternally ingested ETI after sub-chronic exposure, potentially impacting fetal development. The brain entry data highlights the need for attention be paid to any long-term potential effects ETI exposure could have on normal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danni Li
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Yimin Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Martin Donnelley
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006, Australia
| | - David Parsons
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006, Australia
| | - Mark D Habgood
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Elena K Schneider-Futschik
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
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Raubenolt B, Blankenberg D. Generalized open-source workflows for atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of viral helicases. Gigascience 2024; 13:giae026. [PMID: 38869150 PMCID: PMC11170216 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Viral helicases are promising targets for the development of antiviral therapies. Given their vital function of unwinding double-stranded nucleic acids, inhibiting them blocks the viral replication cycle. Previous studies have elucidated key structural details of these helicases, including the location of substrate binding sites, flexible domains, and the discovery of potential inhibitors. Here we present a series of new Galaxy tools and workflows for performing and analyzing molecular dynamics simulations of viral helicases. We first validate them by demonstrating recapitulation of data from previous simulations of Zika (NS3) and SARS-CoV-2 (NSP13) helicases in apo and complex with inhibitors. We further demonstrate the utility and generalizability of these Galaxy workflows by applying them to new cases, proving their usefulness as a widely accessible method for exploring antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Raubenolt
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Daniel Blankenberg
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
- Center for Computational Life Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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Bentley S, Cheong J, Gudka N, Makhecha S, Hadjisymeou-Andreou S, Standing JF. Therapeutic drug monitoring-guided dosing for pediatric cystic fibrosis patients: recent advances and future outlooks. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2023; 16:715-726. [PMID: 37470695 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2023.2238597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Medicine use in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) is complicated by inconsistent pharmacokinetics at variance with the general population, a lack of research into this and its effects on clinical outcomes. In the absence of established dose regimens, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a clinically relevant tool to optimize drug exposure and maximize therapeutic effect by the bedside. In clinical practice though, use of this is variable and limited by a lack of expert recommendations. AREAS COVERED We aimed to review the use of TDM in children with CF to summarize recent developments, current recommendations, and opportunities for future directions. We searched PubMed for relevant publications using the broad search terms "cystic fibrosis" in combination with the specific terms "therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)" and "children." Further searches were undertaken using the name of identified drugs combined with the term "TDM." EXPERT OPINION Further research into the use of Bayesian forecasting and the relationship between exposure and response is required to personalize dosing, with the opportunity for the development of expert recommendations in children with CF. Use of noninvasive methods of TDM has the potential to improve accessibility to TDM in this cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siân Bentley
- Pharmacy Department, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | - Jamie Cheong
- Pharmacy Department, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | - Nikesh Gudka
- Pharmacy Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | | | - Joseph F Standing
- Pharmacy Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation,great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
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Guimbellot JS, Nichols DP, Brewington JJ. Novel Applications of Biomarkers and Personalized Medicine in Cystic Fibrosis. Clin Chest Med 2022; 43:617-630. [PMID: 36344070 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
As routine care in cystic fibrosis (CF) becomes increasingly personalized, new opportunities to further focus care on the individual have emerged. These opportunities are increasingly filled through research in tools aiding drug selection, drug monitoring and titration, disease-relevant biomarkers, and evaluation of therapeutic benefits. Herein, we will discuss such research tools presently being translated into the clinic to improve the personalization of care in CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S Guimbellot
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham; 1600 7th Avenue South, ACC 620, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - David P Nichols
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington School of Medicine, Building Cure, 1920 Terry Avenue, Office 4-209, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - John J Brewington
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 2021, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Ivacaftor, Lumacaftor, Tezacaftor, and Elexacaftor in Cystic Fibrosis: Where Are We Now? Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14081674. [PMID: 36015300 PMCID: PMC9412421 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14081674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Drugs modulating the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein, namely ivacaftor, lumacaftor, tezacaftor, and elexacaftor, are currently revolutionizing the management of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly those with at least one F508del variant (up to 85% of patients). These “caftor” drugs are mainly metabolized by cytochromes P450 3A, whose enzymatic activity is influenced by environmental factors, and are sensitive to inhibition and induction. Hence, CFTR modulators are characterized by an important interindividual pharmacokinetic variability and are also prone to drug–drug interactions. However, these CFTR modulators are given at standardized dosages, while they meet all criteria for a formal therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) program that should be considered in cases of clinical toxicity, less-than-expected clinical response, drug or food interactions, distinct patient subgroups (i.e., pediatrics), and for monitoring short-term adherence. While the information on CFTR drug exposure–clinical response relationships is still limited, we review the current evidence of the potential interest in the TDM of caftor drugs in real-life settings.
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Harwood KH, McQuade RM, Jarnicki A, Schneider-Futschik EK. Anti-Inflammatory Influences of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Drugs on Lung Inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7606. [PMID: 34299226 PMCID: PMC8306345 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defect in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR) which instigates a myriad of respiratory complications including increased vulnerability to lung infections and lung inflammation. The extensive influx of pro-inflammatory cells and production of mediators into the CF lung leading to lung tissue damage and increased susceptibility to microbial infections, creates a highly inflammatory environment. The CF inflammation is particularly driven by neutrophil infiltration, through the IL-23/17 pathway, and function, through NE, NETosis, and NLRP3-inflammasome formation. Better understanding of these pathways may uncover untapped therapeutic targets, potentially reducing disease burden experienced by CF patients. This review outlines the dysregulated lung inflammatory response in CF, explores the current understanding of CFTR modulators on lung inflammation, and provides context for their potential use as therapeutics for CF. Finally, we discuss the determinants that need to be taken into consideration to understand the exaggerated inflammatory response in the CF lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera H. Harwood
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
| | - Rachel M. McQuade
- Gut-Axis Injury and Repair Laboratory, Department of Medicine Western Health, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC 3021, Australia;
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew Jarnicki
- Lung Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC 3021, Australia
| | - Elena K. Schneider-Futschik
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
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