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Treatments of central nervous system (CNS) diseases often fail due to the blood–brain barrier. Circumvention of this obstacle is crucial for any systemic treatment of such diseases to be effective. One approach to transfer drugs into the brain is the use of colloidal carrier systems—amongst others, liposomes. A prerequisite for successful drug delivery by colloidal carriers to the brain is the modification of their surface, making them invisible to the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and to target them to specific surface epitopes at the blood–brain barrier. This study characterizes liposomes conjugated with cationized bovine serum albumin (cBSA) as transport vectors in vitro in porcine brain capillary endothelial cells (PBCEC) and in vivo in rats using fluorescently labelled liposomes. Experiments with PBCEC showed that sterically stabilized (PEGylated) liposomes without protein as well as liposomes conjugated to native bovine serum albumin (BSA) were not taken up. In contrast, cBSA-liposomes were taken up and appeared to be concentrated in intracellular vesicles. Uptake occurred in a concentration and time dependent manner. Free BSA and free cBSA inhibited uptake. After intravenous application of cBSA-liposomes, confocal fluorescence microscopy of brain cryosections from male Wistar rats showed fluorescence associated with liposomes in brain capillary surrounding tissue after 3, 6 and 24 h, for liposomes with a diameter between 120 and 150 nm, suggesting successful brain delivery of cationized-albumin coupled liposomes.

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ABC transporters act as efflux pumps, thereby influencing the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of many drugs. Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element contributing to cellular growth and differentiation. It is increasingly recognized as an intracellular messenger. The present study aims at investigating the impact of Zn2+ on the function and regulation of ABC transporters at the blood–brain barrier (BBB). ABC transporter function was first studied in isolated rat brain capillaries. Zn2+ rapidly stimulated the activity of the multidrug resistance-related protein 2 (Mrp2), p-glycoprotein (P-gp), and breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp). These short-term effects were independent of transporter de novo synthesis but based on Zn2+ triggering intracellular signaling to stimulate basal transport activity. Studies focused on Mrp2 and P-gp showed that Zn2+ induced signaling through an endothelin receptor type B (ETB)/nitric oxide synthase (NOS)/protein kinase C (PKC) pathway and caused, specifically, an activation of the isoform PKCα. Studies revealed signaling through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, as well as induction of the downstream target serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1). Short-term effects of Zn2+ were also demonstrated in human hCMEC/D3 cells. An initial in vivo study in rats suggested enhanced P-gp transport activity at the BBB due to elevated Zn2+ plasma levels. This work provides the first evidence for Zn2+ being a regulator of basal ABC transporter activity at the BBB, driving a rapid and nongenomic stimulation of transport function.

A metabolite of CG 3033, a structural analog of thalidomide, was examined for teratogenic potential in rhesus monkeys. The metabolite EM 240 is produced in man by hydrolysis of the parent compound but the pathway is absent in nonhuman primates. Fifteen mg/kg administered orally throughout organogenesis to pregnant rhesus monkeys produced no evidence of embryotoxicity, including malformation.

Teratologic evaluation of a mild tranquilizer being developed for human therapeutic use involved daily oral administration to 29 baboons (P. cynocephalus) during organogenesis according to three treatment regimens. In Phase I, 9 animals (3 groups of 3) received 2, 6, or 20 mg/kg CG 3033 per day for 28 consecutive days between 18 and 45 days gestation; in Phase II, 14 animals (7 groups of 2) were given 20 mg/kg CG 3033 for four consecutive days: 18-21, 22-25, 26-29, 30-33, 34-37, 38-41, or 42-45; and in Phase III, 6 animals (2 groups of 3) were administered 40 mg/kg daily between days 18-21 or 22-25 of gestation. No teratologic changes attributable to drug treatment were observed, and the abortion rate was within the range for controls.

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