Hypoxia alters ocular drug transporter expression and activity in rat and calf models: implications for drug delivery.

Chronic hypoxia, a key stimulus for neovascularization, has been implicated in the pathology of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, and wet age related macular degeneration. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of chronic hypoxia on drug transporter mRNA expression and activity in ocular barriers. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia (PB = 380 mmHg) for 6 weeks, and neonatal calves were maintained under hypobaric hypoxia (PB = 445 mmHg) for 2 weeks.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Although most cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) occur in smokers, only a fraction of smokers develop the disease. We hypothesized distinct molecular signatures for COPD and emphysema in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of current and former smokers. To test this hypothesis, we identified and validated PBMC gene expression profiles in smokers with and without COPD.