Objective. To develop, implement, and evaluate "Test2Learn" a program to enhance pharmacogenomics education through the use of personal genomic testing (PGT) and real genetic data. Design. One hundred twenty-two second-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students in a required course were offered PGT as part of a larger program approach to teach pharmacogenomics within a robust ethical framework. The program added novel learning objectives, lecture materials, analysis tools, and exercises using individual-level and population-level genetic data. Outcomes were assessed with objective measures and pre/post survey instruments. Assessment. One hundred students (82%) underwent PGT. Knowledge significantly improved on multiple assessments. Genotyped students reported a greater increase in confidence in understanding test results by the end of the course. Similarly, undergoing PGT improved student's self-perceived ability to empathize with patients compared to those not genotyped. Most students (71%) reported feeling PGT was an important part of the course, and 60% reported they had a better understanding of pharmacogenomics specifically because of the opportunity. Conclusion. Implementation of PGT in the core pharmacy curriculum was feasible, well-received, and enhanced student learning of pharmacogenomics.

Drug interactions with plasma proteins influence their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. We aimed to test whether a strong quantitative relationship exists between plasma free fraction (fP) and lipophilicity for low molecular weight nonacidic drug-like compounds. We measured the n-octanol-buffer distribution coefficients at pH 7.4 (mlogD) of 18 diverse radiotracers (<470 Da) used for brain imaging with positron emission tomography in vivo. Lipophilicities were also computed as clogD with two software packages. The fP values for monkeys and humans were determined by ultrafiltration and transformed into mlogDpr/pl values representing the log10 of the within phase partition of the radiotracers between plasma proteins and remaining plasma. mlogDpr/pl correlated strongly with mlogD for human (mlogDpr/pl = 0.733mlogD−0.780, r2 = 0.74) and monkey (mlogDpr/pl = 0.780mlogD−1.15, r2 = 0.83), but less strongly with clogD. These relationships were significantly different between species (P = 0.006). Removal of eight fluorinated compounds from the datasets raised r2 to 0.81 and 0.91 for humans and monkeys, respectively. For the tested compounds, we conclude that n-octanol-buffer (pH 7.4) distribution strongly models that between plasma proteins and remaining plasma and moreover that mlogD accounts for over 74% of compound mlogDpr/pl and is a strong determinant of fP.

BackgroundPoor interferon gamma (IFNγ) production during respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with prolonged viral clearance and increased disease severity in neonatal mice and humans. We previously showed that intra-nasal delivery of IFNγ significantly enhances RSV clearance from neonatal lungs prior to observed T-lymphocyte recruitment or activation, suggesting an innate immune mechanism of viral clearance. We further showed that alveolar macrophages dominate the RSV-infected neonatal airways relative to adults, consistent with human neonatal autopsy data. Therefore, the goal of this work was to determine the role of neonatal alveolar macrophages in IFNγ-mediated RSV clearance.MethodsClodronate liposomes, flow cytometry, viral plaque assays, and histology were used to examine the role of alveolar macrophages (AMs) and the effects of intra-nasal IFNγ in RSV infected neonatal Balb/c mice. The functional outcomes of AM depletion were determined quantitatively by viral titers using plaque assay. Illness was assessed by measuring reduced weight gain.ResultsAM activation during RSV infection was age-dependent and correlated tightly with IFNγ exposure. Higher doses of IFNγ more efficiently stimulated AM activation and expedited RSV clearance without significantly affecting weight gain. The presence of AMs were independently associated with improved RSV clearance, whereas AM depletion but not IFNγ exposure, significantly impaired weight gain in RSV-infected neonates.ConclusionWe show here for the first time, that IFNγ is critical for neonatal RSV clearance and that it depends, in part, on alveolar macrophages (AMs) for efficient viral clearing effects. Early reductions in viral burden are likely to have profound short- and long-term immune effects in the vulnerable post-natally developing lung environment. Studies are ongoing to elucidate the pathologic effects associated with early versus delayed RSV clearance in developing neonatal airways.

This study sought to determine whether cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor binding was altered in the postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of individuals with schizophrenia (schizophrenia; n=47) compared to controls (n=43). The CB1 receptor inverse agonist radioligand [3H]MePPEP was used to measure specific binding to CB1 receptors. The specific binding of [3H]MePPEP to CB1 receptors was 20% higher in patients with schizophrenia than in controls. Power analyses suggested that 53 subjects per group would be needed to detect a similar difference in vivo with positron emission tomography (PET) and the structurally related inverse agonist radioligand [18F]FMPEP-d2 (80% statistical power, p<0.05).