The metabolic syndrome is characterized by insulin resistance and abnormal apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) and apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB) metabolism that may collectively accelerate atherosclerosis. The effects of atorvastatin (40 mg/day) and micronised fenofibrate (200 mg/day) on the kinetics of apoAI and apoB were investigated in a controlled cross-over trial of 11 dyslipidemic men with the metabolic syndrome. ApoAI and apoB kinetics were studied following intravenous d 3 -leucine administration using gas-chromatography mass spectrometry with data analyzed by compartmental modeling. Compared with placebo, atorvastatin significantly decreased (P < 0.001) plasma concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, VLDL apoB, intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) apoB, and LDL apoB. Fenofibrate significantly decreased (P < 0.001) plasma triglyceride and VLDL apoB and elevated HDL 2 cholesterol (P < 0.001), HDL 3 cholesterol (P < 0.01), apoAI (P ‫؍‬ 0.01), and apoAII (P < 0.001) concentrations, but it did not significantly alter LDL cholesterol. Atorvastatin significantly increased (P < 0.002) the fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of VLDL apoB, IDL apoB, and LDL apoB but did not affect the production of apoB in any lipoprotein fraction or in the turnover of apoAI. Fenofibrate significantly increased (P < 0.01) the FCR of VLDL, IDL, and LDL apoB but did not affect the production of VLDL apoB. Relative to placebo and atorvastatin, fenofibrate significantly increased the production (P < 0.001) and FCR (P ‫؍‬ 0.016) of apoAI. Both agents significantly lowered plasma triglycerides and apoCIII concentrations, but only atorvastatin significantly lowered (P < 0.001) plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity. Neither treatment altered insulin resistance. In conclusion, these differential effects of atorvastatin and fenofibrate on apoAI and apoB kinetics support the use of combination therapy for optimally regulating dyslipoproteinemia in the metabolic syndrome. Diabetes 52:803-811, 2003

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Our data support a greater focus on the impact of pre-existing, drug-reactive autoantibodies on the development of antibody fragments and biotherapeutics targeting cell surface receptors.

BackgroundTumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a pleiotropic cytokine with both injurious and protective functions, which are thought to diverge at the level of its two cell surface receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2. In the setting of acute injury, selective inhibition of TNFR1 is predicted to attenuate the cell death and inflammation associated with TNF-α, while sparing or potentiating the protective effects of TNFR2 signalling. We developed a potent and selective antagonist of TNFR1 (GSK1995057) using a novel domain antibody (dAb) therapeutic and assessed its efficacy in vitro, in vivo and in a clinical trial involving healthy human subjects.MethodsWe investigated the in vitro effects of GSK1995057 on human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-L) and then assessed the effects of pretreatment with nebulised GSK1995057 in a non-human primate model of acute lung injury. We then tested translation to humans by investigating the effects of a single nebulised dose of GSK1995057 in healthy humans (n=37) in a randomised controlled clinical trial in which subjects were subsequently exposed to inhaled endotoxin.ResultsSelective inhibition of TNFR1 signalling potently inhibited cytokine and neutrophil adhesion molecule expression in activated HMVEC-L monolayers in vitro (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively), and also significantly attenuated inflammation and signs of lung injury in non-human primates (P<0.01 in all cases). In a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of nebulised GSK1995057 in 37 healthy humans challenged with a low dose of inhaled endotoxin, treatment with GSK1995057 attenuated pulmonary neutrophilia, inflammatory cytokine release (P<0.01 in all cases) and signs of endothelial injury (P<0.05) in bronchoalveolar lavage and serum samples.ConclusionThese data support the potential for pulmonary delivery of a selective TNFR1 dAb as a novel therapeutic approach for the prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov NCT01587807.