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Zymogen activation in serine proteinases. Proton magnetic resonance pH titration studies of the two histidines of bovine chymotrypsinogen A and chymotrypsin Aalpha.

Reversible unfolding of bovine chymotrypsinogen A in 2H2O either by heating at low pH or by exposure to 6 M guanidinium chloride results in the exchange of virtually all the nitrogen-bound hydrogens that give rise to low-field 1H NMR peaks, without significant exchange of the histidyl ring Cepsilon1 hydrogens. These preexchange procedures have enabled the resolution of two peaks, using 250-MHz correlation 1H NMR spectroscopy, that are attributed to the two histidyl residues of chymotrypsinogen A. Assignments of the Cepsilon1 hydrogen peaks to histidine-40 and -57 were based on comparison of the NMR titration curves of the native zymogen with those of the diisopropylphosphoryl derivative. Two histidyl Cepsilon1 H peaks were also resolved with solutions of preexchanged chymotrypsin Aalpha. The histidyl peaks of chymotrypsin Aalpha were assigned by comparison of NMR titration curves of the free enzyme with those of its complex with bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz). The NMR titration curves of histidine-57 in the zymogen and enzyme and histidine-40 in the zymogen exhibit two inflections; the additional inflections were assigned to interactions with neighboring carboxyl groups: aspartate-102 in the case of histidine-57 and aspartate-194 in the case of histidine-40 of the zymogen. In bovine chymotrypsinogen A in 2H2O at 31 degrees C, histidine-57 has a pK' of 7.3 and aspartate-102 a pK' of 1.4, and the histidine-40-aspartate-194 system exhibits inflections at pH 4.6 and 2.3. In bovine chymotrypsin Aalpha under the same conditions, the histidine-57-aspartate-102 system has pK' values of 6.1 and 2.8, and histidine-40 has a pK' of 7.2. The results suggest that the pK' of histidine-57 is higher than the pK' of aspartate-102 in both zymogen and enzyme. A significant difference exists in the structure and properties of the catalytic center between the zymogen and activated enzyme. In addition to the difference in pK' values, the chemical shift of histidine-57, which is highly abnormal in the zymogen (deshielded by 0.6 ppm), becomes normalized upon activation. These changes may explain part of the increase in the catalytic activity upon activation. The 1H NMR chemical shift of the Cepsilon1 H of histidine-57 in the chymotrypsin Aalpha-pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) complex is constant between pH 3 and 9 at a value similar to that of histidine-57 in the porcine trypsin-pancreatic trypsin inhibitor complex [Markley, J.L., and Porubcan, M. A. (1976), J. Mol. Biol. 102, 487--509], suggesting that the mechanisms of interaction are similar in the two complexes.

Animals↗

The buoyant titration of native and carbamylated bovine serum mercaptalbumin.

The buoyant density titration curves of native and carbamylated bovine serum mercaptalbumin were measured throughout the pH range 5.3-12.7. Large increments in the buoyant density were observed above pH 10, with inflection pH values of 11.2 and 11.4 for native and carbamylated bovine serum mercaptalbumin, respectively. For the modified protein in which 25 out of 58 lysine residues were carbamylated, the buoyant densities were 0.048 g/ml higher at neutral pH and 0.024 g/ml higher at the extrapolated pH 13. The carbamyl groups apparently produce a larger residual density at pH 13 than they did in the case of ovalbumin. Homopolymer buoyant density titration data were demonstrated to be of value in calculating the contributions of titratable residues to the buoyant density of both proteins. The buoyant density increment at high pH was due largely to the deprotonation of the lysines as indicated by the diminished change in buoyant density between pH 10 and 12.7 for the modified protein. These density changes were attributable primarily to a gain of cesium ions. The limited modification of the lysine residues under mild reaction conditions and the rather high intrinsic dissociation constant of tyrosine residues in mercaptalbumin may indicate a preferential modification of easily accessible lysine residues. Phenolic deprotonation is facilitated by the neutralization of normally charged lysine residues and demonstrates ionic interactions between internal lysines and certain carboxyl and tyrosine residues thereby stabilizing the native state of the protein.

Amino Acids↗

Investigations of Sso7d catalytic residues by NMR titration shifts and electrostatic calculations.

Sso7d is a small basic protein consisting of 62 amino acids isolated from the thermoacidophilic archeobacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus. The protein is endowed with DNA binding properties, RNase activity, and the capability of rescuing aggregated proteins in the presence of ATP. In this study, the electrostatic properties of Sso7d are investigated by using the Poisson-Boltzmann calculation of the surface potential distribution and following by NMR spectroscopy the proton chemical shift pH titration of acidic residues. Although the details of the catalytic mechanism still have to be defined, the results from NMR experiments confirm the possible involvement of Glu35 as the proton acceptor in the catalytic reaction, as seen by its abnormally high pK(a) value. Poisson-Boltzmann calculations and NMR titration shifts suggest the presence of a possible hydrogen bond between Glu35 and Tyr33, with a consequent rather rigid arrangement at these positions. Comparison with RNase T1 suggests that Tyr7 may be a good candidate for acting as a proton donor in the active site of Sso7d as shown by its low phenolic pK(a) of approximately 9.3. Titration experiments performed with the UpA, a RNA dinucleotide model, showed that the protein residues affected by the interaction are mainly located in a different region with respect to the surface affected by DNA recognition, in good agreement with the surface potential distribution found with electrostatic calculations.

Archaeal Proteins↗

Oxidative titration of the nitrogenase VFe protein from Azotobacter vinelandii: an example of redox-gated electron flow.

The nitrogenase VFe protein of Azotobacter vinelandii (Av1') has been shown to exist in two forms called Av1'A, which has a primary alpha beta 2 trimeric structure, and Av1'B, which has an alpha 2 beta 2 tetrameric structure [Blanchard, C. Z., & Hales, B. J. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 472-478]. Both forms exhibit S = 5/2 EPR signals in the as-isolated state that may be assigned to 1-equiv-oxidized P clusters (P+). These signals are abolished by enzymatic reduction with the component 2 protein (Av2'). Stepwise oxidative titrations of enzymatically reduced Av1'B result in the restoration of the S = 5/2 P+ signals and the concurrent decrease of the S = 3/2 vanadium cofactor signal. Further oxidation results in the appearance of an integer spin signal assigned to the 2-equiv-oxidized P cluster (P2+). Unlike the analogous signal previously observed in Mo nitrogenase component 1 (Av1), which arises from an excited state, the integer spin P2+ signal in Av1'B originates from a ground-state doublet. Similar oxidative titrations of enzymatically reduced Av1'A show redox behavior dramatically different from that of Av1'B, as monitored by EPR spectroscopy. We observed spectral evidence for a redox-induced intramolecular electron transfer between the reduced P cluster and the oxidized FeV cofactor cluster during the titrations.

Azotobacter vinelandii↗

Zinc sorption to three gram-negative bacteria: combined titration, modeling, and EXAFS study.

The acid-base and Zn sorption properties of three bacteria, Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34, Pseudomonas putida ATCC12633, and Escherichia coli K12DH5alpha, were investigated through an original combination of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy and equilibrium titration studies. Acid-base titration curves of the three strains were fitted with a model accounting for three conceptual reactive sites: an acidic (carboxyl and/or phosphodiester), a neutral (phosphomonoester), and a basic (amine and/or hydroxyl) group. Calculated proton and Zn equilibrium constants and site densities compare with literature data. The nature of Zn binding sites was studied by EXAFS spectroscopy. Phosphoester, carboxyl, and unexpectedly sulfhydryl ligands were identified. Their proportions depended on Zn loading and bacterial strain and were consistent with the titration results. These findings were compared to the structure and site density of the major cell wall components. It appeared that the cumulated theoretical site density of these structures (<2 Zn nm(-2)) was much lower than the total site density of the investigated strains (16-56 Zn nm(-2)). These results suggest a dominant role of extracellular polymeric substances in Zn retention processes, although Zn binding to inner cell components cannot be excluded.

Adsorption↗

On the value of c: can low affinity systems be studied by isothermal titration calorimetry?

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) allows the determination of DeltaG degrees, DeltaH degrees, and DeltaS degrees from a single experiment and is thus widely used for studying binding thermodynamics in both biological and synthetic supramolecular systems. However, it is widely believed that it is not possible to derive accurate thermodynamic information from ITC experiments in which the Wiseman "c" parameter (which is the product of the receptor concentration and the binding constant, K(a)) is less than ca. 10, constraining its use to high affinity systems. Herein, experimental titrations and simulated data are used to demonstrate that this dogma is false, especially for low affinity systems, assuming that (1) a sufficient portion of the binding isotherm is used for analysis, (2) the binding stoichiometry is known, (3) the concentrations of both ligand and receptor are known with accuracy, and (4) there is an adequate level of signal-to-noise in the data. This study supports the validity of ITC for determining the value of K(a) and, hence, DeltaG degrees from experiments conducted under low c conditions but advocates greater caution in the interpretation of values for DeltaH degrees. Therefore, isothermal titration calorimetry is a valid and useful technique for studying biologically and synthetically important low affinity systems.

Calorimetry↗

Simple, intuitive calculations of free energy of binding for protein-ligand complexes. 2. Computational titration and pH effects in molecular models of neuraminidase-inhibitor complexes.

One factor that can strongly influence predicted free energy of binding is the ionization state of functional groups on the ligands and at the binding site at which calculations are performed. This analysis is seldom performed except in very detailed computational simulations. In this work, we address the issues of (i) modeling the complexity resulting from the different ionization states of ligand and protein residues involved in binding, (ii) if, and how, computational methods can evaluate the pH dependence of ligand inhibition constants, and (iii) how to score the protonation-dependent models. We developed a new and fairly rapid protocol called "computational titration" that enables parallel modeling of multiple ionization ensembles for each distinct protonation level. Models for possible protonation combinations for site/ligand ionizable groups are built, and the free energy of interaction for each of them is quantified by the HINT (Hydropathic INTeractions) software. We applied this procedure to the evaluation of the binding affinity of nine inhibitors (six derived from 2,3-didehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid, DANA) of influenza virus neuraminidase (NA), a surface glycoprotein essential for virus replication and thus a pharmaceutically relevant target for the design of anti-influenza drugs. The three-dimensional structures of the NA enzyme-inhibitor complexes indicate considerable complexity as the ligand-protein recognition site contains several ionizable moieties. Each computational titration experiment reveals a peak HINT score as a function of added protons. This maximum HINT score indicates the optimum pH (or the optimum protonation state of each inhibitor-protein binding site) for binding. The pH at which inhibition is measured and/or crystals were grown and analyzed can vary from this optimum. A protonation model is proposed for each ligand that reconciles the experimental complex structure with measured inhibition and the free energy of binding. Computational titration methods allow us to analyze the effect of pH in silico and may be helpful in improving ligand binding free energy prediction when protonation or deprotonation of the residues or ligand functional groups at the binding site might be significant.

Algorithms↗

Inclusion complexes of PBN-type nitrone spin traps and their superoxide spin adducts with cyclodextrin derivatives: parallel determination of the association constants by NMR titrations and 2D-EPR simulations.

(1)H NMR and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) titrations were used to determine the association constants of the complexes of alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) analogues and their superoxide spin adducts, respectively, with methylated beta-cyclodextrins. A 1:1 stoichiometry for the nitrones with randomly methylated beta-cyclodextrin and 2,6-di-O-methyl-beta-cyclodextrin and 1:1 and 1:2 stoichiometries for the corresponding cyclodextrin-nitroxide complexes were observed. After the superoxide radical spin trapping reaction, EPR titrations afforded the association constants of the corresponding cyclodextrin-nitroxide complexes. Two-dimensional EPR simulations indicated a bimodal inclusion of the nitroxide free radical spin adducts into the cyclodextrins. For all the nitrone-cyclodextrin and nitroxide-cyclodextrin complexes, the association constants were always higher for the nitroxide complexes than for the nitrone complexes. A cooperative system concerning the complexation of the nitroxide spin adduct with a cyclodextrin was evidenced by EPR titrations. The efficiency of the cyclodextrin inclusion technique to trap superoxide and to resist bioreduction by sodium l-ascorbate was also investigated.

Cyclodextrins↗

Partition coefficients by curve fitting: the use of two different octanol volumes in a dual-phase potentiometric titration.

It is shown that when two different volumes of the second phase are employed in a single dual-phase potentiometric titration, the partition coefficients of the most highly ionized species can be readily calculated by refinement of the parameters for the dual-purpose titration equations. Graphical comparison of the calculated titration curve with that obtained experimentally is helpful in making initial estimates of the parameters.

Acids↗

Determination of liposome partitioning of ionizable drugs by titration.

Drug partitioning to liposomes has been suggested as a model for partitioning to biomembranes but has been lacking a rapid analytical assay useful for drug screening. A fast pH-metric titration method for the determination of liposome partitioning of ionizable drugs using small unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles prepared by sonic homogenization has been successfully developed, enabling the use of high lipid-to-drug ratios. Liposome-water partition coefficients of diclofenac and propranolol were determined to study the impact of varying titration parameters, temperature, equilibration time, lipid, and liposome types on the partitioning. To validate this method, the results were compared to literature values generated with different techniques and to pH-metric titration results with large unilamellar vesicles. The rapid pH-metric assay gave liposome partitioning data for the two model compounds which were consistent with other analytical techniques and liposome types.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Chemical force titrations of amine- and sulfonic acid-modified poly(dimethylsiloxane).

Chemical force titrations-measurements of the adhesive interaction between a pair of suitably chemically modified atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip and sample surfaces as a function of pH-have been carried out for various combinations of silanol, amine, carboxylic acid, and sulfonic acid functional groups on both tip and sample. The primary surface material studied was poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). Surface modification was carried out using a plasma oxidation process to form silanol sites; further modification with amine or sulfonic acid sites was carried out by reaction of the silanol sites with the appropriate trialkoxysilane derivative. AFM tips were also modified using trialkoxysilane compounds. In the cases of tip/sample combinations with the same functional group on each, surface pK(1/2) values could be determined. In several "mixed" tip/sample combinations, a peak appeared in the titration curve midway between the surface pK(1/2) values of the tip and sample, consistent with an ionic H-bonding model for the interactions. The amine/sulfonic acid pair showed more complex behavior; the amine-terminated tip/sulfonic acid-terminated PDMS surface force titration curve consisted of two peaks centered at pH 4 and pH 8. Reversing the tip/sample pair resulted in the peak positions being shifted upward by 1.0 pH unit. The peak appearing at lower pH is assigned to electrostatic interactions between the two oppositely charged surfaces, whereas the higher pH peak is believed to arise due to ionic H-bonding interactions. AFM images show the effects on surface patterning of amine- and sulfonic acid-modified PDMS surfaces that have undergone two different oxidation methods (air plasma oxidation and Tesla coil oxidation). The surface morphologies of freshly prepared and 24 h aged air plasma oxidized PDMS are also discussed in this study.

Journal Article↗

Does the Schulman's titration of microemulsions really provide meaningful parameters?

In 1955, Bowcott and Schulman coined the term microemulsions and, in passing, proposed a cosurfactant titration of interfaces tailored for water-in-oil systems (Bowcott, J. E.; Schulman, J. H. Z. Elektrochem. 1955, 59, 283). This procedure, elegant and inexpensive, is accomplished by dilution with both oil and cosurfactant up to the onset of microemulsion formation. The rationale they proposed for this method should furnish, with high accuracy, the composition of reverse micelles and continuous bulk in the presence of cosurfactant partition. The present paper demonstrates, by means of pulsed gradient spin-echo NMR, that the Schulman's titration quantitatively describes the cosurfactant partition and that the titration path really corresponds to a dilution path for reverse micelles (at constant composition) dispersed in a continuous bulk (at constant composition).

Letter↗

On the indirect polyelectrolyte titration of cellulosic fibers. Conditions for charge stoichiometry and comparison with ESCA.

The effect of electrolyte (NaHCO3) concentration on the adsorption of poly-DADMAC (poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride) onto cellulosic fibers with different charge profiles was investigated. Surface carboxymethylated fibers were obtained by grafting carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) onto the fiber surface and bulk carboxymethylated fibers were obtained by reacting the fibers with monochloroacetic acid. It was shown that nonionic interactions do not exist between cellulose and poly-DADMAC, rather electrostatic interactions govern the adsorption. Charge stoichiometry prevails under electrolyte-free conditions, whereas surface charge overcompensation occurs at higher electrolyte concentrations. It was shown that charge stoichiometry prevails if the thickness of the electric double layer kappa(-1) was larger than the mean distance between the charges on the fiber surface, as predicted by polyelectrolyte adsorption theories, taking lateral correlation effects into account. In a second set of experiments the ESCA technique served to independently calibrate the polyelectrolyte titrations for determining the surface charge of cellulosic fibers. Various molecular masses of poly-DADMAC were adsorbed to carboxymethylated fibers having different charge profiles. The adsorption of low M(w) poly-DADMAC (7.0 x 10(3)), analyzed by polyelectrolyte titration, was about 10 times higher than that of the high M(w) poly-DADMAC (9.2 x 10(5)). Despite the difference in accessibility of these two polyelectrolytes to the fiber cell wall, ESCA surface analysis showed, as expected, only slight differences between the two polyelectrolytes. This gives strong credibility to the idea that surface charge content of cellulosic fibers can be analyzed by means of adsorption of a high-molecular-mass cationic polymer, i.e., by polyelectrolyte titration.

Adsorption↗

Axial penile rigidity as primary efficacy outcome during multi-institutional in-office dose titration clinical trials with alprostadil alfadex in patients with erectile dysfunction. Alprostadil Alfadex Study Group.

The purpose of the study was to utilize axial penile buckling testing as a primary efficacy variable of erection quality during multi-institutional in-office dose titration testing with alprostadil alfadex, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1)-alpha-cyclodextrin, (EDEX /VIRIDAL, Schwarz Pharma) in patients with erectile dysfunction. In 41 study sites, in three different dose titration studies involving 894 patients with impotence >6 months, a buckling test was performed and repeated every 10 min for up to 60 min, within 30 min following alprostadil alfadex administration, or when two consecutive circumference measurements reached maximum values. The buckling device consisted of a standard weight scale attached to a 2 inch diameter plastic cap with a concavity on its ventral surface (H. Eric Richards, Inc., Canton MA). A positive test was associated with absent penile shaft buckling to a downward force of 1.0 kg, slowly applied to the glans in the axis of the erect shaft. A total of 630 (71%) patients experienced at least one positive buckling test. Three consecutive positive buckling tests, implying a functionally rigid erection for at least 20 min, were noted in 521 (58%) patients. There were high correlations between the presence of three consecutive positive buckling tests following alprostadil alfadex injection and the patient's (83% of cases) and the investigator's (88% of cases) evaluation of adequacy of erection for intercourse. Similarly, there were high correlations between the presence of negative buckling tests and the patient's (95% of cases) and the investigator's (96% of cases) evaluation of inadequacy of erection for intercourse. The axial penile buckling test offers a simple, reliable, and inexpensive method to objectively quantify erectile response following in-office dose titration of intracavernosal alprostadil alfadex. The high correlation to subjective patient/investigator assessment adds to the validity of the test.

Adult↗

Molar absorption coefficients of porphyrin esters in chloroform determined by copper titration.

Chromatographically pure porphyrin esters free from metalloporphyrins were titrated with Cu2+ to determine the molar amount of porphyrin present. The end point of the titration was defined by a t.l.c. method detecting traces of metal-free porphyrin ester in admxture to its copper complex. From spectrometric measurement at the Soret maximum and the molar amounts found by the titration, epsilonM was calculated for proto-, copro-, penta-, hexa- and hepta-carboxylic and uro-porphyrin permethyl esters. The values for uroporphyrin showed perfect agreement with those of previous workers, whereas those for coproporphyrin were about 5% lower and those for protoporphyrin more than 20% lower. The implications of the findings are discussed. Determinations of epsilonM of some higher esters (ethyl to pentyl) and some partial methyl esters with one carboxyl group free are also presented.

Chloroform↗

Spectrophotometric titration with cobalt(III) for the determination of accurate absorption coefficients of transferrins.

A rapid and sensitive technique, involving difference spectral titration with cobalt(III), to measure the epsilon values of chicken ovotransferrin, human serum transferrin, the N-lobe of human transferrin and several single point mutants is reported. The resulting epsilon values were compared with the values calculated from the equation proposed by Pace, Vajdos, Fee, Grimsley and Gray [(1995) Protein Sci. 4, 2411-2423]. The titrations with cobalt feature sharp break-points and do not destroy the protein samples. The choice of buffer was found to be important, depending on the metal-binding avidity of the proteins. Cobalt titration should prove useful for studying the comparative metal-binding properties of transferrin and mutants of transferrin being generated by recombinant technology.

Animals↗

Dose titration and patient selection increases the efficacy of GH replacement in severely GH deficient adults.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies of GH replacement in adults have used unselected cohorts of GH deficient (GHD) adults and weight-based dosing regimens resulting in supraphysiological serum IGF-I levels and a high frequency of side-effects and withdrawal from these studies. By choosing patients with a high level of morbidity at baseline and using a low dose GH titration regimen we aimed to avoid over-replacement and increase the efficacy of treatment. DESIGN: An open study of GH replacement, initiating treatment with a dose of 0. 8 U/day and titrating the dose by 0.4 U increments to normalize the IGF-I SDS between - 2.0 and + 2.0 SD of the age-related normal range. PATIENTS: 65 severely GHD patients (peak GH < 9 mU/l to provocative testing), 25 males, of mixed adult and childhood-onset and mean age 38.7 (range 17-72) years. Inclusion criterion was that of subjectively poor quality of life on clinical interview. MEASUREMENTS: Height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured to allow calculation of body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Serum haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), lipid profile and insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) were measured. The Psychological General Well-Being Schedule (PGWB) and Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency Assessment (AGHDA) self-rating questionnaires (SRQ) were used to assess quality of life. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were consistent with those previously described in severely GHD adults; mean IGF-I SDS - 2.4 (+/- 2.7), BMI 28.8 (+/- 5. 4) kg/m2, total cholesterol 6.17 (+/- 1.2) mmol/l, reduced BMD z-scores at the lumbar spine (- 0.8 +/- 1.2) and femoral neck (- 0. 44 +/- 1.4), and SRQ scores considerably lower than reported in previous studies of GH deficient adults and normal controls. Following initiation of GH serum IGF-I SDS was increased significantly from baseline to a mean level of 0.15 +/- 2.7 (P < 0. 001) and 0.31 +/- 2.0 (P < 0.001) at three and eight months, respectively. The mean PGWB score increased from 59.7 +/- 19.9 to 75. 8 +/- 15.0 (P < 0.001) and 73.7 +/- 19.5 (P = 0.001) at three and eight months, respectively. An increase of 14 points represents the largest improvement in quality of life, using this index, that has been reported in GHD adults. The mean AGHDA score also demonstrated considerable improvement, falling from 15.3 +/- 6.0 to 10.4 +/- 6.2 (P < 0.001) and 9.8 +/- 6.5 (P < 0.001) at three and eight months, respectively. The changes observed in both the PGWB and AGHDA scores between baseline and at both three and eight months were shown to correlate significantly with the respective baseline score. A significantly greater improvement was observed in the PGWB following GH replacement in those with a baseline PGWB score of < 60 than in those with a score > 60. This observation was significant at both three (27.1 vs 6.7, P = 0.0001) and eight (25.6 vs 3.3, P = 0.0003) months. All PGWB subscales showed significant improvement though that of vitality was of greatest magnitude. A strong correlation was observed between the generic and disease-specific SRQ (r = - 0.73, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The observed improvement in quality of life in GH deficient adults is proportional to the degree of impairment before commencing therapy. The use of low-dose titration and selection of a population with greater morbidity reduces the occurrence of over-replacement and increases the efficacy of treatment. This allows direction of resources to those in greatest need.

Adolescent↗

A pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic approach vs. a dose titration for the determination of a dosage regimen: the case of nimesulide, a Cox-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug in the dog.

The present experiment was designed to determine a dosage regimen (dose, interval of administration) in the dog for nimesulide, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with in vitro selectivity for the inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase 2 (Cox-2), using a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) approach. The PK/PD results were compared with those obtained using a classical dose titration study. In the PK/PD experiment, 11 dogs were subjected to Freund's adjuvant arthritis characterized by permanent hyperthermia. Nimesulide (5 mg/kg, oral route) was tested during the secondary phase of the inflammatory response. In the dose titration study, nimesulide (0, 3, 6 and 9 mg/kg, oral route) was tested in eight other dogs using a reversible urate crystal arthritis in a 4-period crossover design. Different PD endpoints (including lameness assessed by force plate and hyperthermia) were regularly measured during the PK/PD experiment, and plasma samples were obtained to determine the plasma nimesulide concentration. The data were modeled using an indirect effect model. The IC50 of nimesulide for lameness was 6.26 +/- 3.01 microg/mL, which was significantly higher than the EC50 value obtained for antipyretic effect (2.72 +/- 1.29 microg/mL). The ED50 estimated from the classical dose titration study were 1.34 mg/kg (lameness) and 3.0 mg/kg (skin temperature). The PK/PD parameters were used to simulate different dosage regimens (dose, interval of administration). The antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects were calculated from the model for the recommended dosage regimen (5 mg/kg/24 h). It was apparent from this approach, that this dosage regimen enabled 76% of the theoretical maximal drug efficacy to be obtained for pyresis and 43% for lameness. It was concluded from the comparison of in vivo and in vitro IC50, that nimesulide is a potent NSAID for which some Cox-1 inhibition is required to obtain clinically relevant efficacy.

Administration, Oral↗