Knowledge about the Management of Anti-Epileptic Drug Treatment among General Practitioners in Brazzaville, Congo

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder. It often leads to disabilities and handicaps. In Africa, epilepsy is almost exclusively treated by general practitioners (GPs) because of a shortage of epilepsy specialists. It is therefore important to know the level of knowledge about epilepsy among GPs in order to improve their skills. Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge about the management of anti-epileptic drug treatment among GPs in Brazzaville;to investigate the relationship between demographic factors and GPs’ knowledge. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. It was conducted from 20 July to 1 September 2021. It focused on GPs working in public hospitals and private care centers in Brazzaville. Information on treatment aspects was collected through a standardized 11-item questionnaire. Results: Among the 137 participants, there were 84 (61.3%) men and 53 (38.7%) women. Of these participants, 36 (26.3%) were trained in Congo versus 101 (73.7%) in other countries. Only 21 (15.3%) GPs had good knowledge about the management of anti-epileptic drug treatment. The overall average knowledge score among GPs was low (31.4%). No significant associations were found between low and good levels of knowledge and gender (OR = 1.03;95% CI = 0.40 - 2.68;p = 1.000), age groups (OR 0.05), training country (OR = 0.62;95% CI = 0.19 - 1.98;p = 0.591), practice hospital (OR = 0.40;95% CI = 0.05 - 3.20;p = 0.695) and duration of professional experience (OR 0.05). Conclusion: The study population has insufficient knowledge about the management of anti-epileptic drug treatment. Demographic factors have no impact on GPs’ knowledge. Epilepsy education programs are needed to improve GPs’ knowledge and skills.

Anti-Epileptic Drug Prescription in a Psychiatric Hospital Outpatient Clinic in Southeast Nigeria

The optimum control of seizures requires adequate dosing of appropriately selected anti-epileptic medications. The availability of AEDs in Nigeria is limited and this constrains the prescription latitude of clinicians. This study was conducted to describe the prescribing pattern of anti-epileptic drugs in the outpatient service of a psychiatric facility in southeast Nigeria. The case records of the epileptic patients attending the outpatient clinic of a psychiatric hospital were retrieved, reviewed and data abstracted with a prepared proforma. The information extracted include age, sex, marital status, residence, type of seizure and anti-seizure medications prescribed, frequency of administration and dosage among other variables. Of the 178 patients whose prescriptions and case records were assessed, males constituted 62.9% and females 37.1%. Most of the patients were single (78.1%) and the group had a mean age of 25.6 ± 10.9 years. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures predominated (61.2%) among the seizure types, whilst complex partial seizure type was identified in 35.4% of the patients. Patient diagnosis relied heavily on the use of clinical description alone. About 92.7% of the patients were treated with monotherapy, whereas 7.3% received two anti-epileptic drug combinations. Carbamazepine was the most frequently prescribed drug, and was utilized in the treatment of 87.9% of patients receiving monotherapy and 92.3% of individuals receiving two drug combinations. Adjunctive medications like benzodiazepines were rarely utilised to improve the effect of the AEDs. The patients that received polytherapy could only be distinguished from those that received monotherapy by higher frequency of epileptic auras and higher mean dose of AEDs per day. The predominant use of monotherapy is in accordance with the treatment recommendations and needs to be encouraged. The greater use of carbamazepine is probably related to its perceived benefits in the control of behavioural symptoms.

A follow-up study on newer anti-epileptic drugs as add-on and monotherapy for partial epilepsy in China

Background Recently,new anti-epileptic drugs （AEDs） have been more frequently selected to treat epilepsy.In the present study,we evaluated the dynamic changes of efficacy and safety of three newer AEDs for treating partial epilepsy in China.Methods Patients were collected sequentially and were divided into three groups which accepted oxcarbazepine （OXC）,lamotrigine （LTG） or topiramate （TPM） therapy.Each group included monotherapy and add-on therapy subgroups.We followed all patients for one year and recorded the indexes of efficacy and safety in detail.Results A total of 909 patients finished the follow-up observation.No significant difference was found in proportion of patients with 〉 or =50% reduction,〉 or =75% reduction and 100% seizure reduction in the LTG and OXC groups between the first and the second six months.In the TPM group there was a statistical difference between the first and the second six months in proportion of patients with 〉 or =50% reduction （P=-0.002）,〉 or =75% reduction （P 〈0.0001） and 100% seizure reduction （P=0.009） in the monotherapy subgroup,and about 〉 or =75% reduction and 100% seizure reduction in the add-on therapy subgroup （P 〈0.0001）.The efficacy between the add-on and monotherapy subgroups showed a statistical difference.The safety of the three newer AEDs was good.Conclusions The three newer AEDs all showed good efficacy and tolerability for partial epilepsy.And the efficacy can be maintained for at least one year.

Strategies for translating proteomics discoveries into drug discovery for dementia

Tauopathies,diseases characterized by neuropathological aggregates of tau including Alzheimer's disease and subtypes of fro ntotemporal dementia,make up the vast majority of dementia cases.Although there have been recent developments in tauopathy biomarkers and disease-modifying treatments,ongoing progress is required to ensure these are effective,economical,and accessible for the globally ageing population.As such,continued identification of new potential drug targets and biomarkers is critical."Big data"studies,such as proteomics,can generate information on thousands of possible new targets for dementia diagnostics and therapeutics,but currently remain underutilized due to the lack of a clear process by which targets are selected for future drug development.In this review,we discuss current tauopathy biomarkers and therapeutics,and highlight areas in need of improvement,particularly when addressing the needs of frail,comorbid and cognitively impaired populations.We highlight biomarkers which have been developed from proteomic data,and outline possible future directions in this field.We propose new criteria by which potential targets in proteomics studies can be objectively ranked as favorable for drug development,and demonstrate its application to our group's recent tau interactome dataset as an example.

Peptide drugs: a new direction in cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach in cancer treatment and is considered a major advancement after surgical interventions, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. The clinical use of immunotherapeutic drugs, particularly antibody-based drugs that target immune checkpoints, has notably increased~1.

Microglia in drug addiction:A perspective from neuroimmunopharmacology

Drug addiction refers to a state of dependence that arises from habitual drug intake and can result in specific withdrawal symptoms upon cessation.The most commonly abused substances include psychostimulants,cannabinoids,and opioids.When drugs are consumed,they stimulate the release of dopamine,a neurotransmitter crucial for the pleasure and reward centers of the brain.With repeated drug use,the brain undergoes various changes,leading to tolerance,dependence,and addiction(Lüscher et al.,2020).The mechanisms involved in drug addiction are highly complex and involve diverse cell types within the brain.

Chinese expert consensus on the clinical application of drugcoated balloon(2^(nd) Edition)

Percutaneous coronary interventions have progressed through the era of plain balloon dilation, bare-metal stent insertion to drug-eluting stent treatment, which has significantly reduced the acute occlusion and restenosis rates of target vessels and improved patient prognosis, making drug-eluting stents the mainstream interventional treatment for coronary artery disease. In recent years, drug-coated balloons(DCBs) have become a new treatment strategy for coronary artery disease, and the drugs used in the coating and the coating technology have progressed in the past years. Without permanent implant, a DCB delivers antiproliferative drugs rapidly and uniformly into the vessel wall via the excipient during a single balloon dilation. Many evidence suggests that DCB angioplasty is an effective measure for dealing with in-stent restenosis and de novo lesions in small coronary vessels.As more clinical studies are published, new evidence is emerging for the use of DCB angioplasty in a wide range of coronary diseases, and the indications are expanding internationally. Based on the latest research from China and elsewhere, the Expert Writing Committee of the Chinese Expert Consensus on Clinical Applications of Drug-Coated Balloon has updated the previous DCB consensus after evidence-based discussions and meetings in terms of adequate preparation of in-stent restenosis lesions, expansion of the indications for coronary de novo lesions, and precise guidance of DCB treatment by intravascular imaging and functional evaluation.

Drug resistance mechanisms in cancers:Execution of prosurvival strategies

One of the quintessential challenges in cancer treatment is drug resistance.Several mechanisms of drug resistance have been described to date,and new modes of drug resistance continue to be discovered.The phenomenon of cancer drug resistance is now widespread,with approximately 90% of cancer-related deaths associated with drug resistance.Despite significant advances in the drug discovery process,the emergence of innate and acquired mechanisms of drug resistance has impeded the progress in cancer therapy.Therefore,understanding the mechanisms of drug resistance and the various pathways involved is integral to treatment modalities.In the present review,I discuss the different mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer cells,including DNA damage repair,epithelial to mesenchymal transition,inhibition of cell death,alteration of drug targets,inactivation of drugs,deregulation of cellular energetics,immune evasion,tumor-promoting inflammation,genome instability,and other contributing epigenetic factors.Furthermore,I highlight available treatment options and conclude with future directions.

Push forward LC-MS-based therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacometabolomics for anti-tuberculosis precision dosing and comprehensive clinical management

The spread of tuberculosis(TB),especially multidrug-resistant TB and extensively drug-resistant TB,has strongly motivated the research and development of new anti-TB drugs.New strategies to facilitate drug combinations,including pharmacokinetics-guided dose optimization and toxicology studies of first-and second-line anti-TB drugs have also been introduced and recommended.Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)has arguably become the gold standard in the analysis of both endo-and exo-genous compounds.This technique has been applied successfully not only for therapeutic drug monitoring(TDM)but also for pharmacometabolomics analysis.TDM improves the effectiveness of treatment,reduces adverse drug reactions,and the likelihood of drug resistance development in TB patients by determining dosage regimens that produce concentrations within the therapeutic target window.Based on TDM,the dose would be optimized individually to achieve favorable outcomes.Pharmacometabolomics is essential in generating and validating hypotheses regarding the metabolism of anti-TB drugs,aiding in the discovery of potential biomarkers for TB diagnostics,treatment monitoring,and outcome evaluation.This article highlighted the current progresses in TDM of anti-TB drugs based on LC-MS bioassay in the last two decades.Besides,we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of this technique in practical use.The pressing need for non-invasive sampling approaches and stability studies of anti-TB drugs was highlighted.Lastly,we provided perspectives on the prospects of combining LC-MS-based TDM and pharmacometabolomics with other advanced strategies(pharmacometrics,drug and vaccine developments,machine learning/artificial intelligence,among others)to encapsulate in an all-inclusive approach to improve treatment outcomes of TB patients.

Systematic review and network meta-analysis of different nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for juvenile idiopathic arthritis

BACKGROUND Various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs)have been used for juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA).However,the optimal method for JIA has not yet been developed.AIM To perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis to determine the optimal instructions.METHODS We searched for randomized controlled trials(RCTs)from PubMed,EMBASE,Google Scholar,CNKI,and Wanfang without restriction for publication date or language at August,2023.Any RCTs that comparing the effectiveness of NSAIDs with each other or placebo for JIA were included in this network meta-analysis.The surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA)analysis was used to rank the treatments.P value less than 0.05 was identified as statistically significant.RESULTS We included 8 RCTs(1127 patients)comparing 8 different instructions including meloxicam(0.125 qd and 0.250 qd),Celecoxib(3 mg/kg bid and 6 mg/kg bid),piroxicam,Naproxen(5.0 mg/kg/d,7.5 mg/kg/d and 12.5 mg/kg/d),inuprofen(30-40 mg/kg/d),Aspirin(60-80 mg/kg/d,75 mg/kg/d,and 55 mg/kg/d),Tolmetin(15 mg/kg/d),Rofecoxib,and placebo.There were no significant differences between any two NSAIDs regarding ACR Pedi 30 response.The SUCRA shows that celecoxib(6 mg/kg bid)ranked first(SUCRA,88.9%),rofecoxib ranked second(SUCRA,68.1%),Celecoxib(3 mg/kg bid)ranked third(SUCRA,51.0%).There were no significant differences between any two NSAIDs regarding adverse events.The SUCRA shows that placebo ranked first(SUCRA,88.2%),piroxicam ranked second(SUCRA,60.5%),rofecoxib(0.6 mg/kg qd)ranked third(SUCRA,56.1%),meloxicam(0.125 mg/kg qd)ranked fourth(SUCRA,56.1%),and rofecoxib(0.3 mg/kg qd)ranked fifth(SUCRA,56.1%).CONCLUSION In summary,celecoxib(6 mg/kg bid)was found to be the most effective NSAID for treating JIA.Rofecoxib,piroxicam,and meloxicam may be safer options,but further research is needed to confirm these findings in larger trials with higher quality studies.

A drug-loaded flexible substrate improves the performance of conformal cortical electrodes

Cortical electrodes are a powerful tool for the stimulation and/or recording of electrical activity in the nervous system.However,the inevitable wound caused by surgical implantation of electrodes presents bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction risks associated with foreign body exposure.Moreover,inflammation of the wound area can dramatically worsen in response to bacterial infection.These consequences can not only lead to the failure of cortical electrode implantation but also threaten the lives of patients.Herein,we prepared a hydrogel made of bacterial cellulose(BC),a flexible substrate for cortical electrodes,and further loaded antibiotic tetracycline(TC)and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone(DEX)onto it.The encapsulated drugs can be released from the BC hydrogel and effectively inhibit the growth of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.Next,therapeutic cortical electrodes were developed by integrating the drug-loaded BC hydrogel and nine-channel serpentine arrays;these were used to record electrocorticography(ECoG)signals in a rat model.Due to the controlled release of TC and DEX from the BC hydrogel substrate,therapeutic cortical electrodes can alleviate or prevent symptoms associated with the bacterial infection and inflammation of brain tissue.This approach facilitates the development of drug delivery electrodes for resolving complications caused by implantable electrodes.

Recent advances in promising drugs for primary prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding with cirrhotic portal hypertension

Background:Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is one of the most severe complications of patients with cirrhosis.Although primary prevention drugs,including non-selectiveβ-blockers,have effectively reduced the incidence of bleeding,their efficacy is limited due to side effects and related contraindications.With recent advances in precision medicine,precise drug treatment provides better treatment efficacy.Data sources:Literature search was conducted in PubMed,MEDLINE and Web of Science for relevant articles published up to May 2022.Information on clinical trials was obtained from https://clinicaltrials.gov/and http://www.chictr.org.cn/.Results:The in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis and advances of portal hypertension has enabled the discovery of multiple molecular targets for promising drugs.According to the site of action,these drugs could be classified into four classes:intrahepatic,extrahepatic,both intrahepatic and extrahepatic targets and others.All these classes of drugs offer advantages over traditional treatments in prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.Conclusions:This review classified and summarized the promising drugs,which prevent gastroesophageal variceal bleeding by targeting specific markers of pathogenesis of portal hypertension,demonstrating the significance of using the precision medicine strategy to discover and develop promising drugs for the primary prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Effect and mechanism of Qingre Huashi decoction on drug-resistant Helicobacter pylori

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori(HP),the most common pathogenic microorganism in stomach,can induce inflammatory reactions in the gastric mucosa,causing chronic gastritis and even gastric cancer.HP infection affects over 4.4 billion people globally,with a worldwide infection rate of up to 50%.The multidrug resistance of HP poses a serious challenge to eradication.It has been monstrated that compared to bismuth quadruple therapy,Qingre Huashi decoction(QHD)combined with triple therapy exhibits comparable eradication rates but with a lower incidence of adverse reactions;in addition,QHD directly inhibit and kill HP in vitro.METHODS In this study,12 HP strains were isolated in vitro after biopsy during gastroscopy of HP-infected patients.In vitro,the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)values for clinical HP strains and biofilm quantification were determined through the E-test method and crystal violet staining,respectively.The most robust biofilm-forming strain of HP was selected,and QHD was evaluated for its inhibitory and bactericidal effects on the strain with strong biofilm formation.This assessment was performed using agar dilution,E-test,killing dynamics,and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The study also explored the impact of QHD on antibiotic resistance in these HP strains with strong biofilm formation.Crystalline violet method,scanning electron microscopy,laser confocal scanning microscopy,and(p)ppGpp chromatographic identification were employed to evaluate the effect of QHD on biofilm in strong biofilm-forming HP strains.The effect of QHD on biofilm and efflux pump-related gene expression was evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Non-targeted metabolomics with UHPLC-MS/MS was used to identify potential metabolic pathways and biomarkers which were different between the NC and QHD groups.RESULTS HP could form biofilms of different degrees in vitro,and the intensity of formation was associated with the drug resistance of the strain.QHD had strong bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on HP,with MICs of 32-64 mg/mL.QHD could inhibit the biofilm formation of the strong biofilm-forming HP strains,disrupt the biofilm structure,lower the accumulation of(p)ppGpp,decrease the expression of biofilm-related genes including LuxS,Spot,glup(HP1174),NapA,and CagE,and reduce the expression of efflux pump-related genes such as HP0605,HP0971,HP1327,and HP1489.Based on metabolomic analysis,QHD induced oxidative stress in HP,enhanced metabolism,and potentially inhibited relevant signaling pathways by upregulating adenosine monophosphate(AMP),thereby affecting HP growth,metabolism,and protein synthesis.CONCLUSION QHD exerts bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on HP,and reduces HP drug resistance by inhibiting HP biofilm formation,destroying its biofilm structure,inhibiting the expression of biofilm-related genes and efflux pump-related genes,enhancing HP metabolism,and activating AMP in HP.

Vitamin D,selenium,and antidiabetic drugs in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with Hashimoto's thyroiditis

BACKGROUND Diabetes and thyroiditis are closely related.They occur in combination and cause significant damage to the body.There is no clear treatment for type-2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)with Hashimoto's thyroiditis(HT).While single symptomatic drug treatment of the two diseases is less effective,combined drug treatment may improve efficacy.AIM To investigate the effect of a combination of vitamin D,selenium,and hypoglycemic agents in T2DM with HT.METHODS This retrospective study included 150 patients with T2DM and HT treated at The Central Hospital of Shaoyang from March 2020 to February 2023.Fifty patients were assigned to the control group,test group A,and test group B according to different treatment methods.The control group received low-iodine diet guidance and hypoglycemic drug treatment.Test group A received the control treatment plus vitamin D treatment.Test group B received the group A treatment plus selenium.Blood levels of markers of thyroid function[free T3(FT3),thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),free T4(FT4)],autoantibodies[thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAB)and thyroid globulin antibody(TGAB)],blood lipid index[low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),total cholesterol(TC),triacylglycerol(TG)],blood glucose index[fasting blood glucose(FBG),and hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c)]were measured pre-treatment and 3 and 6 months after treatment.The relationships between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3[25(OH)D3]level and each of these indices were analyzed.RESULTS The levels of 25(OH)D3,FT3,FT4,and LDL-C increased in the order of the control group,test group A,and test group B(all P<0.05).The TPOAB,TGAB,TC,TG,FBG,HbA1c,and TSH levels increased in the order of test groups B,A,and the control group(all P<0.05).All the above indices were compared after 3 and 6 months of treatment.Pre-treatment,there was no divergence in serum 25(OH)D3 level,thyroid function-related indexes,autoantibodies level,blood glucose,and blood lipid index between the control group,test groups A and B(all P>0.05).The 25(OH)D3 levels in test groups A and B were negatively correlated with FT4 and TGAB(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION The combination drug treatment for T2DM with HT significantly improved thyroid function,autoantibody,and blood glucose and lipid levels.

Development of small molecule drugs targeting immune checkpoints

Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)are used to relieve and refuel anti-tumor immunity by blocking the interaction,transcription,and translation of co-inhibitory immune checkpoints or degrading co-inhibitory immune checkpoints.Thousands of small molecule drugs or biological materials,especially antibody-based ICIs,are actively being studied and antibodies are currently widely used.Limitations,such as anti-tumor efficacy,poor membrane permeability,and unneglected tolerance issues of antibody-based ICIs,remain evident but are thought to be overcome by small molecule drugs.Recent structural studies have broadened the scope of candidate immune checkpoint molecules,as well as innovative chemical inhibitors.By way of comparison,small molecule drug-based ICIs represent superior oral bioavailability and favorable pharmacokinetic features.Several ongoing clinical trials are exploring the synergetic effect of ICIs and other therapeutic strategies based on multiple ICI functions,including immune regulation,anti-angiogenesis,and cell cycle regulation.In this review we summarized the current progression of small molecule ICIs and the mechanism underlying immune checkpoint proteins,which will lay the foundation for further exploration.

Recent advances in the diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury

Drug-induced liver injury(DILI)is a major problem in the United States,commonly leading to hospital admission.Diagnosing DILI is difficult as it is a diagnosis of exclusion requiring a temporal relationship between drug exposure and liver injury and a thorough work up for other causes.In addition,DILI has a very variable clinical and histologic presentation that can mimic many different etiologies of liver disease.Objective scoring systems can assess the probability that a drug caused the liver injury but liver biopsy findings are not part of the criteria used in these systems.This review will address some of the recent updates to the scoring systems and the role of liver biopsy in the diagnosis of DILI.

Role of targeting ferroptosis as a component of combination therapy in combating drug resistance in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a form of cancer that is often resistant to chemotherapy,targeted therapy,radiotherapy,and immunotherapy due to its genomic instability and inflammatory tumor microenvironment.Ferroptosis,a type of non-apoptotic cell death,is characterized by the accumulation of iron and the oxidation of lipids.Studies have revealed that the levels of reactive oxygen species and glutathione in CRC cells are significantly lower than those in healthy colon cells.Erastin has emerged as a promising candidate for CRC treatment by diminishing stemness and chemoresistance.Moreover,the gut,responsible for regulating iron absorption and release,could influence CRC susceptibility through iron metabolism modulation.Investigation into ferroptosis offers new insights into CRC pathogenesis and clinical management,potentially revolutionizing treatment approaches for therapy-resistant cancers.

Beware of the serious harm of veterinary drug poisoning:a case report

Veterinary drugs are substances(including pharmaceutical feed additives)used to prevent,treat,and diagnose diseases or regulate the physiological functions of animals.Veterinary drug poisoning in humans is relatively rare both in China and the rest of the world.Here,we report a case of death from veterinary drug poisoning from avermectin-closantel.Avermectin-closantel is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug,which has high efficacy against a variety of trematodes and nematodes.

Recent Advances of Bioactive Marine Natural Products in Drug Discovery

Marine natural products(MNPs)are valuable resources for drug development.To date,17 drugs from marine sources are in clinical use,and 33 pharmaceutical compounds are in clinical trials.Presently the success of drug development from the marine resources is higher than the industry average.It is a feasible strategy to conduct the discovery of druglead compounds based on marine chemical ecology by fully exploiting the pharmacological potential of marine chemical defense matters.In the search for bioactive MNPs,our group has constructed a biological resources library including more than 1500 strains of fungi.Focusing on the strategy of Blue Drug Library,we have discovered a series of novel MNPs with abundant biological functions.Highly efficient and scalable total synthesis of(+)-aniduquinolone A(44)and pesimquinolone I(48)have been completed,which will facilitate access to sufficient quantities of candidates for in vivo pharmacological and toxicological studies.As a nucleoprotein(NP)inhibitor,QLA(75)possesses significant anti-influenza A virus(IAV)activities both in vitro and in vivo.CHNQD-00803(76)is a potent and selective AMP-activated kinase(AMPK)activator that can effectively inhibit metabolic disorders and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis(MASH)progression.Moreover,we identified two new candidate molecules with potent anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects.Particularly,as a natural guanine-nucleotide exchange factors for ADP-ribosylation factor GTPases(Arf-GEFs)inhibitor prodrug,CHNQD-01255(78)is qualified to be developed as a targeted candidate anticancer drug,which may be promising to apply for cancer immunotherapy.Hence,it is evident that MNPs play an important role in drug development.

Repurposing Loperamide as an Anti-Infection Drug for the Treatment of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens

Infections caused by intracellular bacterial pathogens are difficult to treat since most antibiotics have low cell permeability and undergo rapid degradation within cells.The rapid development and dissemination of antimicrobial–resistant strains have exacerbated this dilemma.With the increasing knowledge of host–pathogen interactions,especially bacterial strategies for survival and proliferation within host cells,host-directed therapy(HDT)has attracted increased interest and has emerged as a promising antiinfection method for treating intracellular infection.Herein,we applied a cell-based screening approach to a US Food and Drug Administration(FDA)-approved drug library to identify compounds that can inhibit the intracellular replication of Salmonella Typhimurium(S.Typhimurium).This screening allowed us to identify the antidiarrheal agent loperamide(LPD)as a potent inhibitor of S.Typhimurium intracellular proliferation.LPD treatment of infected cells markedly promoted the host autophagic response and lysosomal activity.A mechanistic study revealed that the increase in host autophagy and elimination of intracellular bacteria were dependent on the high expression of glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B(GPNMB)induced by LPD.In addition,LPD treatment effectively protected against S.Typhimurium infection in Galleria mellonella and mouse models.Thus,our study suggested that LPD may be useful for the treatment of diseases caused by intracellular bacterial pathogens.Moreover,LPD may serve as a promising lead compound for the development of anti-infection drugs based on the HDT strategy.