In rats, troleandomycin induces microsomal enzymes and promotes its own transformation into a metabolite forming an inactive complex with the iron (II) of cytochrome P-450; eventually, several monooxygenase activities are markedly reduced. In humans, troleandomycin also induces microsomal enzymes, and forms an inactive cytochrome P-450-troleandomycin metabolite complex; the clearance of antipyrine, that of theophylline, and that of methylprednisolone are markedly reduced. The concomitant administration of troleandomycin and other drugs may produce ischaemic accidents (ergotamine), cholestasis (oral contraceptives) and neurologic signs of intoxication (theophylline or carbamazepine). Qualitatively similar effects are produced, in rats and in humans, by erythromycin. These effects, however, are much weaker than those of troleandomycin. In humans, the clearance of antipyrine and that of theophylline are only slightly affected. Drug interactions have been reported in a few patients only. Josamycin and midecamycin do not form cytochrome P-450-metabolite complexes in rats. In humans, these macrolides do not inhibit the clearance of theophylline; midecamycin does not inhibit the clearance of antipyrine. Although a case of possible josamycin-ergotamine interaction has been reported, the role of josamycin may be questioned in this isolated instance. Midecamycin, or josamycin, might be preferred to other macrolides in those patients who must receive other drugs metabolized by cytochrome P-450.

Many compounds, including established drugs, cause liver damage through biotransformation to reactive cytotoxic metabolites which bind covalently to hepatic macromolecules. The forms of expression of such injury include acute necrosis, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and neoplasia. Hepatotoxicity depends on the balance between metabolic activation and inactivation and reduced glutathione protects against the toxicity of some agents by trapping their reactive electrophilic metabolites. Toxicity is usually increased by induction and decreased by inhibition of hepatic microsomal enzymes.

Apart from the well known factors involved in drug absorption, distribution and renal excretion, the major cause for interindividual differences in the kinetics of drugs in man is the variability in drug metabolizing activity. A critical review of the influence of genetic factors, age, sex, smoking, alcohol, diet, liver disease and thyroid disease is undertaken. Additionally, drugs causing microsomal induction or inhibition and the effect of exposure to chemicals must be known at a relatively early stage in new drug development. "First-pass" hepatic effect and enzyme saturation are respectively responsible for the wide range of plasma concentrations of some highly liver-extracted drugs or for non-linear kinetics. The implications of variability in human drug metabolism are discussed for drug therapy in daily practice and for new drugs under development. It can be concluded that a high degree of interrelationships between genetic and environmental factors exists in the case of most drugs and that many drugs require dose individualization during actual therapy.

To map the multiple interactive sites on the C3 polypeptide, it is advantageous to combine the approaches of protein chemistry, nucleic acid technology, and molecular biology. This review summarizes the currently known molecular properties of mouse liver C3 mRNA, cloned C3 cDNA, and genomic DNA. Original data communicated have specified the amino acid sequence of the 215 amino-terminal residues of mature mouse C3 beta. Southern blot analysis of liver DNA indicated that the mouse genome contains only one type of C3 gene, that murine and human C3 sequences strongly cross-hybridize, and that the human C3 gene is not somatically rearranged. Included are descriptions of the first human C3 genomic DNA clones, their preparation, and their use to map the human C3 gene to chromosome 19 in linkage with the myotonic dystrophy (DM) locus. After a brief survey of reports describing inherited human C3 deficiencies, we discuss a Dutch family and their three members with total homozygous C3 deficiency who were the subjects of a recent publication. The restricted synthesis of C3 in major and minor producer tissues is discussed and it is proposed that the C3 gene provides a good model system for studying the molecular basis of tissue-specific gene expression. Data are presented documenting the production of C3 in two established mouse macrophage-like cell lines and two rat hepatoma cell lines in tissue cultures. A short account covers the extensive literature on regulation of C3 serum concentrations in acute and chronic inflammation and the very incomplete picture that presently depicts hormonal regulation of C3 synthesis. The final experiment reported demonstrates that nucleic acid hybridization with cloned cDNA probes is a sensitive assay for quantitative determinations of C3 mRNA. With the help of cloned cDNA and genomic DNA, researchers can address questions concerning the functional topography of the C3 polypeptide, the gene's structure, and the molecular nature of inherited C3 deficiencies in humans.

Phorbol ester tumor promoters bind to specific cellular receptors (probably protein kinase C) and modulate membrane structure and function and gene expression of target cells. Using cell culture systems, we are studying the interaction of phorbol esters with the cellular membrane and subsequent modulation of gene expression. Our recent results can be summarized as follows: 1) specific binding of phorbol esters to mammalian cells can be inhibited by a human placental factor, which we have partially purified and characterized. 2) Phorbol ester tumor promoters reversibly inhibit intercellular communication, as measured by electrical coupling and dye transfer between cultured cells, suggesting that they inhibit both ionic and molecular transfer between cells. 3) In vitro transformation of Balb/c 3T3 cells results in blockage of intercellular communication between normal and transformed cells, indicating that blocked intercellular communication may play a role in cell transformation. 4) 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) can continuously inhibit differentiation and globin gene expression in Friend erythroleukemia cells, without affecting their growth rate, for about 3 years. Both globin gene expression and terminal differentiation of Friend cells occur again upon removal of TPA from culture medium during such long-term culture.

Forty years of prescribing barbiturates to pregnant women and infants, and thirty years of animal research have shown that barbiturates affect the developing central nervous system (CNS) and behavior. This paper compiles and reviews animal and selected human literature in this research area. Early barbiturate exposure in animals reduces brain weight with related changes in brain biochemistry and neuromorphology. Significant changes may be found in surviving adult offspring. Evidence of CNS and behavioral damage in human beings due to early barbiturate exposure is not clearcut, however, confounded by the conditions for which the drugs are prescribed. In animals, early drug exposure significantly reduces levels of hormones, vitamins, and other biologically active macromolecules via (long-lasting) induction of hepatic metabolizing enzymes. Whether or not in humans treated with barbiturates, hormone levels remain within the normal range (by-feed-back regulation) and, also, if vitamin deficiencies can be simply corrected by supplements is still being debated. Early barbiturates administered to animals is associated with long-lasting disturbances in activity, learning performance, sexual behavior, and reproductive function, but not in a simple dose-exposure related manner. Animal studies show that long-lasting functional tolerance to drugs develops following early barbiturate exposure. Although infants become "passively addicted" following in utero exposure, there is as yet no data on subsequent development of human adult tolerance. Drug related damage must, in any case, be weighed against therapeutic benefits of drug administration and the results of failure to treat.

The main features of the oncodevelopmental biology of alpha 1-fetoprotein (AFP) are reviewed. Progress made in the molecular biology of AFP gene regulation is discussed and we present our recent data on the mechanisms of AFP suppression by glucocorticoid hormones. The relationship between AFP gene transcription and cell replication is examined, and it is suggested that the degree of methylation of the AFP gene (or of co-methylated regulatory DNA sequences) conditions its response to hormones.

Ornithine decarboxylase may undergo posttranslational modifications which alter its function. Both transamidation of glutamine residues in the enzyme catalyzed by TGase and phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues catalyzed by a polyamine-stimulated protein kinase have been demonstrated. Data are presented which suggest that these modifications result in translocation of the modified protein to the nucleolus where it regulates the activity of RNA polymerase I to transcribe rDNA, the only active nucleolar genes. Transamidation of specific proteins with primary amines catalyzed by intracellular TGase may be an important posttranslational modification, capable of altering genetic transcription. The rapid half-life of ODC (10-15 min) may be related to rapid posttranslational modification with loss of enzymatic activity rather than to protein degradation.