PEGylated Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Jintrolong Exhibits Good Long-Term Safety in Cynomolgus Monkeys and Human Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency Patients.

Jintrolong is a long-acting PEGylated recombinant human growth hormone (PEG-rhGH) developed for weekly injection in patients with pediatric growth hormone deficiency (PGHD). Although PEG modification of therapeutic proteins is generally considered safe, concerns persist about the potential for adverse vacuolation in tissues with long-term exposure to PEG-included therapies, particularly in children. We assessed the safety of Jintrolong in cynomolgus monkeys with an examination of vacuolation in the brain choroid plexus (CP) and reported long-term clinical safety data obtained from children with PGHD.

Exendin-4 stimulation of cyclin A2 in beta-cell proliferation.

Objective: Beta-cell proliferation is an important mechanism underlying beta-cell mass adaptation to metabolic demands. We have examined effects, in particular those mediated through intracellular cAMP signaling, of the incretin hormone analog exendin-4 on cell cycle regulation in beta-cells.

Research Design And Methods: Changes in islet protein levels of cyclins and of two critical cell cycle regulators cyclin kinase inhibitor p27 and S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) were assessed in mice treated with exendin-4 and in a mouse model with specific upregulation of nuclear cAMP signaling exhibiting increased beta-cell proliferation (CBP-S436A mouse).

Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sFLT-1) mediates downregulation of FLT-1 and prevents activated neutrophils from women with preeclampsia from additional migration by VEGF.

Neutrophil activation and increased migration is associated with preeclampsia and is resolved after delivery. Preeclampsia is an inflammatory disorder where altered levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the circulating soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) have a pathogenic role. VEGF, by binding to FLT-1, induces leukocytic chemotaxis.

Neurologic abnormalities in workers of a 1-bromopropane factory.

We reported recently that 1-bromopropane (1-BP; n-propylbromide, CAS Registry no. 106-94-5), an alternative to ozone-depleting solvents, is neurotoxic and exhibits reproductive toxicity in rats. The four most recent case reports suggested possible neurotoxicity of 1-BP in workers.