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Stability of protein pharmaceuticals
Book Reviews agonists and antagonists. The chapters deal with the receptor subtypes for; alpha adrenergic; beta adrenergic; nicotinic; muscarinic; 5HT; dopamine; histamine; purines; vasopressin; bradykinin; endothelin; ANF, neuropeptides Y/YY; angiotensin II; ACE; renin inhibitors; thrombin; fibrinogen; PAF; VIP; neurokinins, CCK, bombesin; calcitonin; cAMP; prostanoid; leukotrienes; protein kinases; calmodulin antagonists; calcium channel modulators (M); sodium channel M; potassium channel M; sodium counter transporters; H-K-ATPasc inhibitors; GABA-A and BZD; GABA-B; EAA; cytokines; steroid hormones; G-proteins; receptors. For each chapter there are very useful tables giving agonists, antagonists, selectivity, affinity/potency for each of the receptor subtype. This book will be extremely useful to all those working with receptors subtypes who wish to check on the use and dose of specific chemicals/drugs.
Bioaetive Spin Labels--Edited by R. I. Zhdanov. 636 pp. 1992. Springer Verlag, Berlin. DM 348. The study of the reactions of free radicals has been greatly facilitated by the development of the stable nitroxyl radicals. These have been used as spin labels (S-L) and probes in biochemical and pharmacological investigation. This volume describes their use in; S-L medicines, enzymes and pharmaceuticals; triacetonamine; redox processes; biomembranes; relaxation processes; spin exchange; S-L phospholipids; S-L protein-lipid interactions; S-L organophosphorus compounds; S-L sugars and nucleosides; S-L leucine aminopeptides; photoaffinity S-L; S-L platelet plasma membranes and nitroxyl aggregating inhibitors; anti-ischaemic effects of nitroxyl bioantioxidants; S-L of cancer membranes; aminoxyl S-L in clinical analysis; aminoxyl radicals as MRI contrast agents. Angiogenesis in Health and Disease--Edited by M. E. Maragoudakis, P. Gullino and P. I. Lelkes. NATO ASI Series A; Life Sciences, Vol. 227. 402pp. 1992. Plenum Press. New York. $110. Angiogenesis (A) the formation of new blood vessels is usually a slow process in adults. It is accelerated in wound healing and ovulation and also in specific diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, arthritis, chronic inflammation, hemangiomas, tumor growth and metastasis. This symposium deals with; the development of the vascular system; biology of endothelial cells and A (endothelial cell heterogeneity, basic fibroblast growth factor, integrins, plasminogen activators, fibronectin and thrombospondin, role of ischaemia); A in disease states (neoplastic transformation, tumor vascular system, PDGF, ischaemic heart, angiogenic factors, calcification linked A and bone growth); promoters and inhibitors of A (low molecular mass A factor ESAF, Hyaluronic acid, brain tumor A, membrane biosynthesis); therapeutic potential of promoters and inhibitors of A; methodology.
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cological control; IgE and A; injury and repair of airway epithelium; broncho-alveolar lavage; pulmonary gas exchange in A; allergen inhalation; management of A; A education program; children with A; inhaled corticosteroids; sympathomimetics and xanthine in A treatment; protective effect of furosemide; treatment with Dizolast; treatment with Betaxolol. Animal Models in Toxicology--Edited by S. C. Gad and C. P. Chengelis. 884pp. 1992. Dekker. New York. $225 (on order of 5 or more copies for classroom use only; $65 per copy). The scientific study of toxicology has to use animal models before the drugs can be tested on humans. It is necessary to use the correct animal model otherwise aberrant results will be obtained. For example guinea pigs are very sensitive to penicillin and had penicillin been tested first on guinea pigs, it probably would not have come into clinical use! However guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C and so are a good test animal for scurvy; they are also good test animals for tuberculosis. This book deals with the toxicology, pathology and metabolism in all the standard animals with a chapter on each of the following; rat, mouse, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, ferret; dog, non-human primates. There are also chapters on alternative species (earthworms, fish, minipigs); model selection and scaling; susceptibility factors; legal regulations; commercial sources of animals. All those who use laboratory animals will find this a useful book to read. Those carrying out drug tests will find it essential reading.
Stability of Protein Pharmaceuticals--Edited by T. J. Ahern and M. C. Manning. Part A. Chemical ~ Physical Pathways of Protein Degrndltion. 434 pp. 1992. Plenum Press, New York. $79.50. Part B. In vivo Pathways of Degradation and Strategies for Protein Stabilization. 337 pp. 1992. Plenum Press, New York. $65. Recombinant DNA technology has made it possible to produce designer proteins on a large enough scale to make their use as drugs economically feasible. Such proteins would have to be stable and steps have to be taken to reduce their premature denaturation. These two volumes deal with this problem. In Part A, the topics are; lability of asparagine and aspartic acid residues, spontaneous deamidation; disulphide bonds; proteolytically sensitive peptides; protein solubility; aggregation-preeipitation; conformational stability; adsorption at interfaces; effect of temperature; protein water interactions; water sorption; compaction; effect of radiation. Part B deals with; improper giycosylation; protein aggregation; intracellular protein degradation; aging of proteins; increase in stability of subtilisin; increased stability of yeast cytochrome c; formulation of protein pharmaceuticals; PEG-modified proteins; solvent additives; heat shock proteins as pharmaceuticals.
Asthma Treatment; A Multi-discipfinary Approach--Edited by D. Olivieri, P. J. Barnes, S. S. Hurd and G. C. Folco. NATO ASI Series A: Life Sciences, Vol. 229. 295 pp. 1992. Plenum Press. New York. $85.
Nucleic Acid Targeted Drug Design---Edited by C. L. Propst and T. J. Perun. 619 pp. 1992. Marcel Dekker, New York. $165.
In the U.S.A. 10 million people suffer from asthma (A) and the estimated cost in health care is a 3 billion dollars. This symposium deals with; histopathology of A; neural control of airways; airway neuropeptides; mast cells, basophils and their mediators; platelets and A; methacholine and PAF; leukotrienes and A; plasma exudation in A and its pharma-
X-ray crystallography, NMR, molecular modelling and computer software/graphics have provided a better understanding of DNA and RNA structure and drug-DNA binding. This book deals with the design of drugs that interact with nucleic acids; X-ray crystallographic and NMR studies of drug-DNA interactions; sequence specificity; QSAR of ligand-DNA, netropsin and lexitropsins,
Bioaetive Spin Labels--Edited by R. I. Zhdanov. 636 pp. 1992. Springer Verlag, Berlin. DM 348. The study of the reactions of free radicals has been greatly facilitated by the development of the stable nitroxyl radicals. These have been used as spin labels (S-L) and probes in biochemical and pharmacological investigation. This volume describes their use in; S-L medicines, enzymes and pharmaceuticals; triacetonamine; redox processes; biomembranes; relaxation processes; spin exchange; S-L phospholipids; S-L protein-lipid interactions; S-L organophosphorus compounds; S-L sugars and nucleosides; S-L leucine aminopeptides; photoaffinity S-L; S-L platelet plasma membranes and nitroxyl aggregating inhibitors; anti-ischaemic effects of nitroxyl bioantioxidants; S-L of cancer membranes; aminoxyl S-L in clinical analysis; aminoxyl radicals as MRI contrast agents. Angiogenesis in Health and Disease--Edited by M. E. Maragoudakis, P. Gullino and P. I. Lelkes. NATO ASI Series A; Life Sciences, Vol. 227. 402pp. 1992. Plenum Press. New York. $110. Angiogenesis (A) the formation of new blood vessels is usually a slow process in adults. It is accelerated in wound healing and ovulation and also in specific diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, arthritis, chronic inflammation, hemangiomas, tumor growth and metastasis. This symposium deals with; the development of the vascular system; biology of endothelial cells and A (endothelial cell heterogeneity, basic fibroblast growth factor, integrins, plasminogen activators, fibronectin and thrombospondin, role of ischaemia); A in disease states (neoplastic transformation, tumor vascular system, PDGF, ischaemic heart, angiogenic factors, calcification linked A and bone growth); promoters and inhibitors of A (low molecular mass A factor ESAF, Hyaluronic acid, brain tumor A, membrane biosynthesis); therapeutic potential of promoters and inhibitors of A; methodology.
1293
cological control; IgE and A; injury and repair of airway epithelium; broncho-alveolar lavage; pulmonary gas exchange in A; allergen inhalation; management of A; A education program; children with A; inhaled corticosteroids; sympathomimetics and xanthine in A treatment; protective effect of furosemide; treatment with Dizolast; treatment with Betaxolol. Animal Models in Toxicology--Edited by S. C. Gad and C. P. Chengelis. 884pp. 1992. Dekker. New York. $225 (on order of 5 or more copies for classroom use only; $65 per copy). The scientific study of toxicology has to use animal models before the drugs can be tested on humans. It is necessary to use the correct animal model otherwise aberrant results will be obtained. For example guinea pigs are very sensitive to penicillin and had penicillin been tested first on guinea pigs, it probably would not have come into clinical use! However guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C and so are a good test animal for scurvy; they are also good test animals for tuberculosis. This book deals with the toxicology, pathology and metabolism in all the standard animals with a chapter on each of the following; rat, mouse, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, ferret; dog, non-human primates. There are also chapters on alternative species (earthworms, fish, minipigs); model selection and scaling; susceptibility factors; legal regulations; commercial sources of animals. All those who use laboratory animals will find this a useful book to read. Those carrying out drug tests will find it essential reading.
Stability of Protein Pharmaceuticals--Edited by T. J. Ahern and M. C. Manning. Part A. Chemical ~ Physical Pathways of Protein Degrndltion. 434 pp. 1992. Plenum Press, New York. $79.50. Part B. In vivo Pathways of Degradation and Strategies for Protein Stabilization. 337 pp. 1992. Plenum Press, New York. $65. Recombinant DNA technology has made it possible to produce designer proteins on a large enough scale to make their use as drugs economically feasible. Such proteins would have to be stable and steps have to be taken to reduce their premature denaturation. These two volumes deal with this problem. In Part A, the topics are; lability of asparagine and aspartic acid residues, spontaneous deamidation; disulphide bonds; proteolytically sensitive peptides; protein solubility; aggregation-preeipitation; conformational stability; adsorption at interfaces; effect of temperature; protein water interactions; water sorption; compaction; effect of radiation. Part B deals with; improper giycosylation; protein aggregation; intracellular protein degradation; aging of proteins; increase in stability of subtilisin; increased stability of yeast cytochrome c; formulation of protein pharmaceuticals; PEG-modified proteins; solvent additives; heat shock proteins as pharmaceuticals.
Asthma Treatment; A Multi-discipfinary Approach--Edited by D. Olivieri, P. J. Barnes, S. S. Hurd and G. C. Folco. NATO ASI Series A: Life Sciences, Vol. 229. 295 pp. 1992. Plenum Press. New York. $85.
Nucleic Acid Targeted Drug Design---Edited by C. L. Propst and T. J. Perun. 619 pp. 1992. Marcel Dekker, New York. $165.
In the U.S.A. 10 million people suffer from asthma (A) and the estimated cost in health care is a 3 billion dollars. This symposium deals with; histopathology of A; neural control of airways; airway neuropeptides; mast cells, basophils and their mediators; platelets and A; methacholine and PAF; leukotrienes and A; plasma exudation in A and its pharma-
X-ray crystallography, NMR, molecular modelling and computer software/graphics have provided a better understanding of DNA and RNA structure and drug-DNA binding. This book deals with the design of drugs that interact with nucleic acids; X-ray crystallographic and NMR studies of drug-DNA interactions; sequence specificity; QSAR of ligand-DNA, netropsin and lexitropsins,