Hypertension is the major controllable risk factor associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events such as myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and end-stage diabetes. A 5 mm Hg decrease in blood pressure has been equated with approximately 16% decrease in CVD. In the U.S. alone current annual antihypertensive drug costs are approximately dollars 15 billion. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is a target for blood pressure control. Cleavage of angiotensinogen by renin produces angiotensin I which is subsequently hydrolyzed by angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) to angiotensin II (a potent vasoconstrictor). Various side effects are associated with the use of ACE inhibitory drugs in the control of blood pressure including hypotension, increased potassium levels, reduced renal function, cough, angioedema, skin rashes, and fetal abnormalities. Milk proteins, both caseins and whey proteins, are a rich source of ACE inhibitory peptides. Several studies in spontaneously hypertensive rats show that these casokinins and lactokinins can significantly reduce blood pressure. Furthermore, a limited number of human studies have associated milk protein-derived peptides with statistically significant hypotensive effects (i.e., lower systolic and diastolic pressures). The advent of effective milk protein based functional food ingredients/nutraceuticals for the prevention/control of blood pressure therefore has the potential to significantly reduce global healthcare cost.

Temsirolimus is well tolerated in recurrent GBM patients. Despite the effect of EIACs on temsirolimus metabolism, therapeutic levels were achieved. Radiographic improvement was observed in 36% of temsirolimus-treated patients, and was associated with significantly longer TTP. High levels of phosphorylated p70s6 kinase in baseline tumor samples appear to predict a patient population more likely to derive benefit from treatment. These findings should be validated in other studies of mTOR inhibitors.