Apoptosis animal models

Apart from these two Vertex compounds, only one other caspase inhibitor, BDN-6556, has been used in clinical trials. This compound belongs to the class of oxamyl dipeptides and was originally developed by Idun Pharmaceuticals (taken over by Pfizer). It is the only pan-caspase inhibitor that has been evaluated in humans. BDN-6556 displays inhibitory activity against all tested human caspases. It is also an irreversible, caspase-specific inhibitor that does not inhibit other major classes of proteases, or other enzymes or receptors. The therapeutic potential of BDN-6556 was first evaluated in several animal models of liver disease because numerous publications suggested that apoptosis contributes substantially to the development of some hepatic diseases, such as alcoholic hepatitis, hepatitis B and C (HBV, HCV), non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis (NASH), and ischemia/reperfusion injury associated with liver transplant. Accordingly, BDN-6556 was tested in a phase I study. The drug was safe and... 

An important animal model of lupus is the lpr mouse. It was discovered that the abnormality leading to autoimmunity in this model is a defect in the gene coding for Fas protein and this leads to impaired apoptosis [103], This, in turn, leads to lymphade-nopathy and prevents elimination of autoimmune T cells, thus interfering with tolerance. Minocycline inhibits apoptosis, and it has been postulated that this contributes to the mechanism of minocycline-induced lupus [104],... 

Three lipids A have been more intensively studied in animal models, all of them having indirect effects, mediated in vivo by the immune system. For two of them, DT-5461 and ONO-4007, TNF-a is an important mediator acting at the vascular level that provokes tumor necrosis. For the third one, OM-174, the treatment induces the accumulation of IFN-y and EL-1 P in tumors, which activate NOS II transcription in tumor cells that produce autotoxic NO, which then provokes the apoptosis of tumor cells. At the same time this treatment inhibits the production of TGF-pi by tumor cells which reduces the TGF-pi induced immunosuppression and enhances NO production. Acquired immune response, probably completes the tumor regression started by the apoptosis process and, most probably induces specific memory. 

Jacobson KA, Hoffmann C, Cattabeni F, Abbracchio MP (1999) Adenosine-induced cell death evidence for receptor-mediated signalling. Apoptosis 4(3) 197—211 Kafka SH, Corbett R (1996) Selective adenosine A2A receptor/dopamine D2 receptor interactions in animal models of schizophrenia. Eur J Pharmacol 295(2-3) 147-154 Latini S, Bordoni F, Corradetti R, Pepeu G, Pedata F (1998) Temporal correlation between adenosine outflow and synaptic potential inhibition in rat hippocampal slices during ischemia-like conditions. Brain Res., 794, (2) 325-328. 

In this chapter we review the defects of respiratory function and DNA mutations in the mitochondrial genome and nuclear DNA underlying mitochondrial diseases and discuss the roles that oxidative stress, oxidative damage, and apoptosis may play in the pathogenesis of this group of overt metabolic disorders. The cell cultures and animal models for studies of mitochondrial diseases and potential therapies are also discussed. 

In addition to inflammation, another potential role for natural COX and LOX dual inhibitors is in the prevention and treatment of cancers [80], Over expression of COX-2 has been demonstrated in various different human malignancies. COX-2 inhibitors have also been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of animal models of skin, breast and bladder tumors. While the mechanism of action remains to be completely defined, the over expression of COX-2, in excess of production of prostaglandin E2 and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) have been shown to inhibit apoptosis and increase the invasiveness of tumerogenic cell types [81,82]. It is probable that the enhanced production of PGE2 and 5-HETE promotes cellular proliferation, and consequently, increases angiogenesis [83]. 

Studies in various animal models and in human hearts suggest that apoptosis does occur in ischemia/reperfusion injury of the heart, though the relative contribution of apoptosis in comparison with necrosis to cell loss in ischemia/ reperfusion injury is still controversial. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was first reported by Gottlieb et al. [107], who studied the ischemia/reperfusion in rabbit hearts and found the hallmark of apoptosis in ischemic/reperfused hearts but not in the normal or ischemic-only rabbit hearts. Identification of apoptosis was based on the presence of fragmented DNA in electrophoretic gels, on in situ nick end-labeling assays, and on electron microscopy. They concluded that apoptosis may be a specific feature of reperfusion injury in cardiac myocytes. Subsequent studies have shown that apoptosis probably occurs both in ischemia and reperfusion [108], It appears that apoptosis is more prominent after ischemia followed by reperfusion than after ischemia alone [109, 110],... 

Although several potential therapeutic agents have been tested in animal models of ischemia/reperfusion heart injury with some success, nearly none of the specific antiapoptotic agents have reached the stage of clinical research [172]. The studies which have examined the effect of caspase inhibitors on ischemia/reperfusion models are summarized in Table 2. Broad-spectrum caspase inhibitors have been shown in many studies to reduce cardiomyo-cyte apoptosis, to reduce the size of MI, and to preserve heart function after MI [173-175, 178, 181]. The protective effect of caspase inhibitors can be seen when these agents are administered before or after the onset of ischemia but are most prominent when introduced before the onset of reperfusion [172, 175, 178]. Selective caspase inhibitors, on the other hand, have been reported to have varying effect they have been found to reduce cardiomyocytes apoptosis, but the infarct size remained unchanged [177, 178, 181],... 

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