Abstract
Delayed emesis in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy remains a significant problem. The pathogenesis of delayed emesis is still obscure. It was recently demonstrated that methotrexate (MTX), an anticancer drug, evoked delayed emesis in dogs in a manner similar to its actions in humans. We evaluated the antiemetic activity of FK1052, a potent antagonist for both the 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)3and 5-HT4 receptors, on delayed emesis induced by MTX in beagle dogs. Animal behavior was recorded for 3 days using a video camera. Delayed emesis lasting up to 72 h was observed in dogs treated with MTX (2.5 mg/kg i.v.), but acute emesis did not occur. The following antiemetics, at the dose that prevents cisplatin-induced acute emesis in dogs, were administered i.v. as multiple injections every 12 h during days 2 to 3. FK1052 (1 and 3.2 mg/kg) significantly reduced the emetic episodes caused by MTX, whereas ondansetron (1 mg/kg), a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, was not effective. The emetic episodes induced by MTX were also inhibited by another 5-HT3/4 receptor antagonist, tropisetron (1 mg/kg). CP-122,721 (0.1 mg/kg), a potent selective tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist, significantly reduced the emetic responses to MTX. Copper sulfate-induced emesis in dogs was also prevented by FK1052, tropisetron, and CP-122,721 but not by ondansetron. FK1052, tropisetron, and ondansetron had negligible affinity for the NK1 receptor at 1 μM. These results suggest that the 5-HT4 receptor may be in part involved in the production of delayed emesis induced by MTX in dogs and that FK1052 may be a useful drug against both acute and delayed emesis induced by cancer chemotherapy.
Footnotes
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Send reprint requests to: Dr. Hisashi Yamakuni, Department of Metabolic Diseases, Medicinal Biology Research Laboratories, Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kashima 2-1-6, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 532-8514, Japan. E-mail:hisashi_yamakuni{at}po.fujisawa.co.jp
- Abbreviations:
- 5-HT
- 5-hydroxytryptamine
- MTX
- methotrexate
- 5-MeOT
- 5-methoxytryptamine
- CHO
- Chinese hamster ovary
- p-APMSF
- p-amidinophenyl methanesulfonyl fluoride HCl
- CNS
- central nervous system
- Received September 23, 1999.
- Accepted November 29, 1999.
- The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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