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Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase Deficiency Potentiates the Antiproliferative Activity of Methotrexate through Enhanced Depletion of Intracellular ATP.
Singh, RK, van Haandel, L, Heruth, DP, Ye, SQ, Leeder, JS, Becker, ML, Funk, RS
The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. 2018;(1):96-106
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Abstract
Lower plasma nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) levels are associated with improved response to methotrexate (MTX) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Cell-based studies confirmed that reduced cellular NAMPT activity potentiates the pharmacologic activity of MTX; however, the mechanism of this interaction has yet to be defined. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the mechanism of enhanced pharmacologic activity of MTX in NAMPT-deficient A549 cells. Small interfering RNA-based silencing of NAMPT expression resulted in a greater than 3-fold increase in sensitivity to MTX (P < 0.005) that was completely reversed by supplementation with folinic acid. Despite a 68% reduction in cellular NAD levels in NAMPT-deficient cells, no change in expression or activity of dihydrofolate reductase was observed and uptake of MTX was not significantly altered. MTX did not potentiate the depletion of cellular NAD levels, but NAMPT-deficient cells had significant elevations in levels of intermediates of de novo purine biosynthesis and were 4-fold more sensitive to depletion of ATP by MTX (P < 0.005). Supplementation with hypoxanthine and thymidine completely reversed the antiproliferative activity of MTX in NAMPT-deficient cells and corresponded to repletion of the cellular ATP pool without any effect on NAD levels. Together, these findings demonstrate that increased MTX activity with decreased NAMPT expression is dependent on the antifolate activity of MTX and is driven by enhanced sensitivity to the ATP-depleting effects of MTX. For the first time, these findings provide mechanistic details to explain the increase in pharmacological activity of MTX under conditions of reduced NAMPT activity.
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Uterine artery embolization combined with local infusion of methotrexate and 5- fluorouracil in treating ectopic pregnancy: A CONSORT-compliant article.
Gao, J, Li, X, Chen, J, Gong, W, Yue, K, Wu, Z
Medicine. 2018;(5):e9722
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Abstract
BACKGROUND To compare the efficiency and safety of uterine artery embolization (UAE) combined with local infusion of methotrexate (MTX) or MTX and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy (EP). METHODS One hundred women with EP were prospectively enrolled from December 2012 to February 2015 and randomly allocated into 2 groups. One group was treated with UAE combined MTX, and the other with UAE combined with MTX and 5-FU. Local MTX was administrated at a dose of 80 to 120 mg, based on the initial β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) levels, and 5-FU was given intra-arterially at a uniform dose of 0.5 g. RESULTS Bilateral UAE was successfully performed in all 100 patients, 88 of whom were clinically successfully treated, 45 (91.8%) in the MTX group, and 43 (87.8%) in the MTX + 5-FU group; 89% of the patients achieved normalization of β-HCG below 70,000 mIU/mL within 14 to 21 days postoperatively. The time to successful β-HCG resolution was 26.74 ± 5.57 days for patients receiving MTX + UAE treatment, and 27.57 ± 5.08 days for those treated with additional 5-FU. Six patients had subsequent intramuscular injections of MTX and 6 had a unilateral salpingectomy after the treatment failure. Mild immediate side effects accounted for 24.5% in the sole MTX and 58.3% in MTX + 5-FU group. CONCLUSION A combination of UAE and intrauterine infusion of MTX showed comparable efficiency to UAE combined with a local infusion of MTX and 5-FU in treating EP patients with the intention to preserve fertility.
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Methotrexate in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: advice and recommendations from the MARAJIA expert consensus meeting.
Ferrara, G, Mastrangelo, G, Barone, P, La Torre, F, Martino, S, Pappagallo, G, Ravelli, A, Taddio, A, Zulian, F, Cimaz, R, et al
Pediatric rheumatology online journal. 2018;(1):46
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conventional pharmacological therapies for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) consist of non-biological, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, among which methotrexate (MTX) is the most commonly prescribed. However, there is a lack of consensus-based clinical and therapeutic recommendations for the use of MTX in the management of patients with JIA. Therefore, the Methotrexate Advice and RecommendAtions on Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (MARAJIA) Expert Meeting was convened to develop evidence-based recommendations for the use of MTX in the treatment of JIA. METHODS The preliminary executive committee identified a total of 9 key clinical issues according to the population, intervention, comparator, outcome (PICO) approach, and performed an evidence-based, systematic, literature review. During the subsequent Expert Meeting, the relevant evidence was assessed and graded, and 10 recommendations were made. RESULTS Recommendations relating to the efficacy, optimal dosing and route of administration and duration of treatment with MTX in JIA, and to the issue of folic acid supplementation to prevent MTX side effects, use of MTX in the treatment of chronic JIA-associated uveitis, combination treatment with biologic agents, and the use of vaccinations in patients with JIA were developed. The selected topics were considered to represent clinically important issues facing clinicians caring for patients with JIA. Evidence was insufficient to formulate recommendations for the use of biomarkers predictive of treatment response. CONCLUSIONS These consensus recommendations provide balanced and evidence-based recommendations designed to have broad value for physicians and healthcare clinicians involved in the clinical management of patients with JIA.
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Baseline metabolic profiles of early rheumatoid arthritis patients achieving sustained drug-free remission after initiating treat-to-target tocilizumab, methotrexate, or the combination: insights from systems biology.
Teitsma, XM, Yang, W, Jacobs, JWG, Pethö-Schramm, A, Borm, MEA, Harms, AC, Hankemeier, T, van Laar, JM, Bijlsma, JWJ, Lafeber, FPJG
Arthritis research & therapy. 2018;(1):230
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously identified, in newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, networks of co-expressed genes and proteomic biomarkers associated with achieving sustained drug-free remission (sDFR) after treatment with tocilizumab- or methotrexate-based strategies. The aim of this study was to identify, within the same patients, metabolic pathways important for achieving sDFR and to subsequently study the complex interactions between different components of the biological system and how these interactions might affect the therapeutic response in early RA. METHODS Serum samples were analyzed of 60 patients who participated in the U-Act-Early trial (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01034137) and initiated treatment with methotrexate, tocilizumab, or the combination and who were thereafter able to achieve sDFR (n = 37); as controls, patients were selected who never achieved a drug-free status (n = 23). Metabolomic measurements were performed using mass spectrometry on oxidative stress, amine, and oxylipin platforms covering various compounds. Partial least square discriminant analyses (PLSDA) were performed to identify, per strategy arm, relevant metabolites of which the biological pathways were studied. In addition, integrative analyses were performed correlating the previously identified transcripts and proteins with the relevant metabolites. RESULTS In the tocilizumab plus methotrexate, tocilizumab, and methotrexate strategy, respectively, 19, 13, and 12 relevant metabolites were found, which were subsequently used for pathway analyses. The most significant pathway in the tocilizumab plus methotrexate strategy was "histidine metabolism" (p < 0.001); in the tocilizumab strategy it was "arachidonic acid metabolism" (p = 0.018); and in the methotrexate strategy it was "arginine and proline metabolism" (p = 0.022). These pathways have treatment-specific drug interactions with metabolites affecting either the signaling of interleukin-6, which is inhibited by tocilizumab, or affecting protein synthesis from amino acids, which is inhibited by methotrexate. CONCLUSION In early RA patients treated-to-target with a tocilizumab- or methotrexate-based strategy, several metabolites were found to be associated with achieving sDFR. In line with our previous observations, by analyzing relevant transcripts and proteins within the same patients, the metabolic profiles were found to be different between the strategy arms. Our metabolic analysis further supports the hypothesis that achieving sDFR is not only dependent on predisposing biomarkers, but also on the specific treatment that has been initiated. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01034137 . Registered on January 2010.
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A systemic review and meta-analysis of the clinical efficacy and safety of total glucosides of peony combined with methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis.
Feng, ZT, Xu, J, He, GC, Cai, SJ, Li, J, Mei, ZG
Clinical rheumatology. 2018;(1):35-42
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To assess the efficacy and safety of the combination of total glucoside of peony (TGP) and methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Randomized controlled trial (RCT) data on the traditional Chinese active component TGP combined with MTX vs. MTX alone for the treatment of RA was collected by searching the Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP Journals database, and Wanfang database up to February 2017. Study selection, data extraction, data synthesis, and data analyses were performed according to the Cochrane standards. A total of eight RCTs involving 522 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with MTX alone, the use of TGP combined with MTX exhibited better therapeutic effects for the treatment of RA (P = 0.004). In addition, TGP combined with MTX caused a more significant decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P < 0.0001) and swollen joint count (SJC) (P < 0.00001). However, no significant differences were found in C-reactive protein (CRP) (P = 0.19), duration of morning stiffness (DMS) (P = 0.32), or tender joint count (TJC) (P = 0.23) between the two groups. In addition, adverse events were more frequently reported in the MTX monotherapy group than in the TGP and MTX combination group (P = 0.0007). Our study demonstrates that TGP combined with MTX is more effective than MTX alone for the treatment of RA. Nevertheless, the adverse effects of the combination of TGP and MTX need to be further assessed. Due to the poor methodological quality of included trials, well-designed, multi-center, and large-scale RCTs are necessary to draw a more definitive conclusion.
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Pharmacogenomics of Methotrexate: Current Status and Future Outlook.
Cao, M, Guo, M, Wu, DQ, Meng, L
Current drug metabolism. 2018;(14):1182-1187
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methotrexate (MTX) is a folate analogue with high therapeutic efficiency in the treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases. The efficacy and toxicity of MTX may be altered by genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in MTX metabolic pathway. Personalized pharmacotherapy based on gene polymorphisms enables a more efficient, compatible and cost-effective treatment of patients. OBJECTIVE The present article aims to review genetic polymorphisms associated with MTX pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and outcome, and points out future development directions of individualized MTX therapy. METHODS Details regarding the pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics of MTX are obtained from PubMed literatures. CONCLUSION The influences of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in MTX pathway are controversial. Many pharmacogenetic associations are disease specific and race specific. Present studies have almost limited to some certain ethnic groups and diseases. The data from these studies are not convincing enough to draw far-reaching conclusions about the applicability of MTX pharmacogenetics in clinical practice. Studies with large scale and multiple centers are needed in the future. MTX-PG inhibits folic metabolism through three mechanisms. TS, MTHFR and ATIC are the rate-limiting enzymes separately. The function of SNPs in these genes is often onesided. Works focusing on the analysis of polymorphism in MTX transporters should be more efficient and meaningful.
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Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid and vitamin E in the prevention of liver injury from methotrexate in pediatric leukemia.
Bordbar, M, Shakibazad, N, Fattahi, M, Haghpanah, S, Honar, N
The Turkish journal of gastroenterology : the official journal of Turkish Society of Gastroenterology. 2018;(2):203-209
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and antioxidants such as vitamin E are considered to have a protective role in preventing chemotherapy-induced liver damage. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of these agents for hepatoprotection in pediatric patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), who were treated with methotrexate in their maintenance phase of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty children with B-cell ALL were randomly divided into four groups. Group 1 was administered oral vitamin E (400 mg/day); group 2 was administered oral UDCA (15 mg/kg/day); group 3 was administered a combination of the two drugs; and group 4 served as a control group and was administered no drug except their chemotherapy drugs. Complete blood count, liver function test, liver ultrasonography, and liver fibroscan were requested, and the results were compared. RESULTS Group 1 showed a slight increase in total bilirubin levels compared to baseline levels during the study (P=0.036). Group 2 showed a decline in aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels during the study and at 6 months after discontinuing the drug; however, these differences were not statistically significant (P=0.051 and 0.083, respectively). None of the patients showed the evidence of significant fibrosis on liver fibroscan. Eight patients showed some evidence of mild-to-moderate fibrosis (F1, F2), but the results were not different between the groups as well as between pre- and post-study periods in each group. CONCLUSION Low-dose methotrexate does not cause significant liver fibrosis in pediatric leukemia. UDCA and vitamin E have minimal roles in hepatoprotection among pediatric patients with ALL.
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Improved Survival for Children and Young Adults With T-Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Results From the Children's Oncology Group AALL0434 Methotrexate Randomization.
Winter, SS, Dunsmore, KP, Devidas, M, Wood, BL, Esiashvili, N, Chen, Z, Eisenberg, N, Briegel, N, Hayashi, RJ, Gastier-Foster, JM, et al
Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 2018;(29):2926-2934
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PURPOSE Early intensification with methotrexate (MTX) is a key component of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy. Two different approaches to MTX intensification exist but had not been compared in T-cell ALL (T-ALL): the Children's Oncology Group (COG) escalating dose intravenous MTX without leucovorin rescue plus pegaspargase escalating dose, Capizzi-style, intravenous MTX (C-MTX) regimen and the Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster (BFM) high-dose intravenous MTX (HDMTX) plus leucovorin rescue regimen. PATIENTS AND METHODS COG AALL0434 included a 2 × 2 randomization that compared the COG-augmented BFM (ABFM) regimen with either C-MTX or HDMTX during the 8-week interim maintenance phase. All patients with T-ALL, except for those with low-risk features, received prophylactic (12 Gy) or therapeutic (18 Gy for CNS3) cranial irradiation during either the consolidation (C-MTX; second month of therapy) or delayed intensification (HDMTX; seventh month of therapy) phase. RESULTS AALL0434 accrued 1,895 patients from 2007 to 2014. The 5-year event-free survival and overall survival rates for all eligible, evaluable patients with T-ALL were 83.8% (95% CI, 81.2% to 86.4%) and 89.5% (95% CI, 87.4% to 91.7%), respectively. The 1,031 patients with T-ALL but without CNS3 disease or testicular leukemia were randomly assigned to receive ABFM with C-MTX (n = 519) or HDMTX (n = 512). The estimated 5-year disease-free survival ( P = .005) and overall survival ( P = .04) rates were 91.5% (95% CI, 88.1% to 94.8%) and 93.7% (95% CI, 90.8% to 96.6%) for C-MTX and 85.3% (95% CI, 81.0%-89.5%) and 89.4% (95% CI, 85.7%-93.2%) for HDMTX. Patients assigned to C-MTX had 32 relapses, six with CNS involvement, whereas those assigned to HDMTX had 59 relapses, 23 with CNS involvement. CONCLUSION AALL0434 established that ABFM with C-MTX was superior to ABFM plus HDMTX for T-ALL in approximately 90% of patients who received CRT, with later timing for those receiving HDMTX.
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Morphea and Eosinophilic Fasciitis: An Update.
Mertens, JS, Seyger, MMB, Thurlings, RM, Radstake, TRDJ, de Jong, EMGJ
American journal of clinical dermatology. 2017;(4):491-512
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Morphea, also known as localized scleroderma, encompasses a group of idiopathic sclerotic skin diseases. The spectrum ranges from relatively mild phenotypes, which generally cause few problems besides local discomfort and visible disfigurement, to subtypes with severe complications such as joint contractures and limb length discrepancies. Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF, Shulman syndrome) is often regarded as belonging to the severe end of the morphea spectrum. The exact driving mechanisms behind morphea and EF pathogenesis remain to be elucidated. However, extensive extracellular matrix formation and autoimmune dysfunction are thought to be key pathogenic processes. Likewise, these processes are considered essential in systemic sclerosis (SSc) pathogenesis. In addition, similarities in clinical presentation between morphea and SSc have led to many theories about their relatedness. Importantly, morphea may be differentiated from SSc based on absence of sclerodactyly, Raynaud's phenomenon, and nailfold capillary changes. The diagnosis of morphea is often based on characteristic clinical findings. Histopathological evaluation of skin biopsies and laboratory tests are not necessary in the majority of morphea cases. However, full-thickness skin biopsies, containing fascia and muscle tissue, are required for the diagnosis of EF. Monitoring of disease activity and damage, especially of subcutaneous involvement, is one of the most challenging aspects of morphea care. Therefore, data harmonization is crucial for optimizing standard care and for comparability of study results. Recently, the localized scleroderma cutaneous assessment tool (LoSCAT) has been developed and validated for morphea. The LoSCAT is currently the most widely reported outcome measure for morphea. Care providers should take disease subtype, degree of activity, depth of involvement, and quality-of-life impairments into account when initiating treatment. In most patients with circumscribed superficial subtypes, treatment with topical therapies suffices. In more widespread disease, UVA1 phototherapy or systemic treatment with methotrexate (MTX), with or without a systemic corticosteroid combination, should be initiated. Disappointingly, few alternatives for MTX have been described and additional research is still needed to optimize treatment for these debilitating conditions. In this review, we present a state-of-the-art flow chart that guides care providers in the treatment of morphea and EF.
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A randomised, double-blind trial to demonstrate bioequivalence of GP2013 and reference rituximab combined with methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.
Smolen, JS, Cohen, SB, Tony, HP, Scheinberg, M, Kivitz, A, Balanescu, A, Gomez-Reino, J, Cen, L, Zhu, P, Shisha, T
Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2017;(9):1598-1602
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OBJECTIVES The aim of this report is to demonstrate pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) equivalence as well as similar efficacy, safety and immunogenicity between GP2013, a biosimilar rituximab, and innovator rituximab (RTX) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with inadequate response or intolerance to tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment. METHODS In this multinational, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group study, 312 patients with active disease despite prior TNFi therapy were randomised to receive GP2013 or either the EU (RTX-EU) or the US (RTX-US) reference product, along with methotrexate (MTX) and folic acid. The primary endpoint was the area under the serum concentration-time curve from study drug infusion to infinity (AUC0-inf). Additional PK and PD parameters, along with efficacy, immunogenicity and safety outcomes were also assessed up to week 24. RESULTS The 90% CI of the geometric mean ratio of the AUCs were within the bioequivalence limits of 80% to 125% for all three comparisons; GP2013 versus RTX-EU: 1.106 (90% CI 1.010 to 1.210); GP2013 versus RTX-US: 1.012 (90% CI 0.925 to 1.108); and RTX-EU versus RTX-US: 1.093 (90% CI 0.989 to 1.208). Three-way PD equivalence of B cell depletion was also demonstrated. Efficacy, safety and immunogenicity profiles were similar between GP2013 and RTX. CONCLUSIONS Three-way PK/PD equivalence of GP2013, RTX-EU and RTX-US was demonstrated. Efficacy, safety and immunogenicity profiles were similar between GP2013 and RTX. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT01274182; Results.