Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0079731 (B-cell lymphoma)
 16,671 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Sphingomyelin/cholesterol liposomal vincristine (SV) is a novel formulation of vincristine encapsulated in the aqueous interior of liposomes composed of sphingomyelin and cholesterol. Benefits of the liposomal formulation include prolongation of the circulation half-life of total vincristine and an increase in drug delivery to sites of tumour growth resulting in enhanced efficacy. In addition, higher doses of vincristine than ordinarily administered can be prescribed without significant toxicity. Phase II studies have demonstrated that SV is active and well tolerated in relapsed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), including patients who have relapsed following an autologous stem cell transplant. SV has been successfully substituted for free vincristine in the CHOP regimen for those with previously untreated aggressive B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and is undergoing study in other settings. The achievement of responses in heavily pretreated patients with DLBCL and its low toxicity profile make SV a potential therapy for the palliative treatment of patients with multiply relapsed DLBCL. Ultimately, it is likely to be incorporated into combination chemotherapy regimens for use in untreated or relapsed patients. Its true value both as a single agent in heavily pretreated patients and in combination regimens will need to be established in Phase III trials.
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PMID:Sphingomyelin/cholesterol liposomal vincristine: a new formulation for an old drug. 1654 67

Sphingomyelin (SM) plays key roles in regulating cell membrane fluidity and in intracellular signal transduction. However, little is known as to whether alterations in SM concentration or SM species distribution are linked pathological conditions. The present study examined SM concentrations and species profiles in serum taken from patients with hematologic malignancies. Serum was collected from normal subjects and from patients with B-cell lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphatic leukemia/ lymphoblastic lymphoma (ALL/LBL). Serum SM species distribution was analyzed using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry/ mass spectrometry (ESI MS/MS). Serum lipids concentration were measured using enzymatic assays. Normal and hematologic malignancy sera were similar in terms of total serum SM and phosphatidylcholine (PC) concentrations and SM/PC ratio. However, all hematologic malignancy sera had lower levels of SM species containing saturated odd chain fatty acids (OCFAs) in the side chain compared to normal serum. In addition, the proportion of SM species with saturated (C20 and C22) and mono unsaturated fatty acids (C18, C20, C22) were lower in MDS patient serum compared to normal serum. The present study revealed that the serum SM species profile in patients with hematologic malignancies differed from that of normal subjects despite total serum SM and PC concentrations and SM/PC ratios being similar between the various cancer groups and the normal group.
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PMID:Serum sphingomyelin species profile is altered in hematologic malignancies. 3327 3