Phenytoin

BackgroundVoltage-gated Na(+) channels (VGSCs) are heteromeric protein complexes containing pore-forming α subunits and smaller, non-pore-forming β subunits. VGSCs are classically expressed in electrically excitable cells, e.g. neurons. VGSCs are also expressed in tumour cells, including breast cancer (BCa) cells, where they enhance cellular migration and invasion. However, despite extensive work defining in detail the molecular mechanisms underlying the expression of VGSCs and their pro-invasive role in cancer cells, there has been a notable lack of clinically relevant in vivo data exploring their value as potential therapeutic targets.FindingsWe have previously reported that the VGSC-blocking antiepileptic drug phenytoin inhibits the migration and invasion of metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro. The purpose of the present study was to establish whether VGSCs might be viable therapeutic targets by testing the effect of phenytoin on tumour growth and metastasis in vivo. We found that expression of Nav1.5, previously detected in MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro, was retained on cells in orthotopic xenografts. Treatment with phenytoin, at a dose equivalent to that used to treat epilepsy (60 mg/kg; daily), significantly reduced tumour growth, without affecting animal weight. Phenytoin also reduced cancer cell proliferation in vivo and invasion into surrounding mammary tissue. Finally, phenytoin significantly reduced metastasis to the liver, lungs and spleen.ConclusionsThis is the first study showing that phenytoin reduces breast tumour growth and metastasis in vivo. We propose that pharmacologically targeting VGSCs, by repurposing antiepileptic or antiarrhythmic drugs, should be further studied as a potentially novel anti-cancer therapy.

BackgroundCurrent standard therapy for seizure prophylaxis in Neuro-surgical patients involves the use of Phenytoin (PHY). However, a new drug Levetiracetam (LEV) is emerging as an alternate treatment choice. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to compare these two drugs in patients with brain injury.MethodsAn electronic search was performed in using Pubmed, Embase, and CENTRAL. We included studies that compared the use of LEV vs. PHY for seizure prophylaxis for brain injured patients (Traumatic brain injury, intracranial hemorrhage, intracranial neoplasms, and craniotomy). Data of all eligible studies was extracted on to a standardized abstraction sheet. Data about baseline population characteristics, type of intervention, study design and outcome was extracted. Our primary outcome was seizures.ResultsThe literature search identified 2489 unduplicated papers. Of these 2456 papers were excluded by reading the abstracts and titles. Another 25 papers were excluded after reading their complete text. We selected 8 papers which comprised of 2 RCTs and 6 observational studies. The pooled estimate's Odds Ratio 1.12 (95% CI = 0.34, 3.64) demonstrated no superiority of either drug at preventing the occurrence of early seizures. In a subset analysis of studies in which follow up for seizures lasted either 3 or 7 days, the effect estimate remained insignificant with an odds ratio of 0.96 (95% CI = 0.34, 2.76). Similarly, 2 trials reporting seizure incidence at 6 months also had insignificant pooled results while comparing drug efficacy. The pooled odds ratio was 0.96 (95% CI = 0.24, 3.79).ConclusionsLevetiracetam and Phenytoin demonstrate equal efficacy in seizure prevention after brain injury. However, very few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the subject were found. Further evidence through a high quality RCT is highly recommended.

Receptor-interacting protein kinases 1 and 3 (RIPK1/3) have best been described for their role in mediating a regulated form of necrosis, referred to as necroptosis. During this process, RIPK3 phosphorylates mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) to cause plasma membrane rupture. RIPK3-deficient mice have recently been demonstrated to be protected in a series of disease models, but direct evidence for activation of necroptosis in vivo is still limited. Here, we sought to further examine the activation of necroptosis in kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and from TNFα-induced severe inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), two models of RIPK3-dependent injury. In both models, MLKL-ko mice were significantly protected from injury to a degree that was slightly, but statistically significantly exceeding that of RIPK3-deficient mice. We also demonstrated, for the first time, accumulation of pMLKL in the necrotic tubules of human patients with acute kidney injury. However, our data also uncovered unexpected elevation of blood flow in MLKL-ko animals, which may be relevant to IRI and should be considered in the future. To further understand the mode of regulation of cell death by MLKL, we screened a panel of clinical plasma membrane channel blockers and we found phenytoin to inhibit necroptosis. However, we further found that phenytoin attenuated RIPK1 kinase activity in vitro, likely due to the hydantoin scaffold also present in necrostatin-1, and blocked upstream necrosome formation steps in the cells undergoing necroptosis. We further report that this clinically used anti-convulsant drug displayed protection from kidney IRI and TNFα-induces SIRS in vivo. Overall, our data reveal the relevance of RIPK3-pMLKL regulation for acute kidney injury and identifies an FDA-approved drug that may be useful for immediate clinical evaluation of inhibition of pro-death RIPK1/RIPK3 activities in human diseases.

Background and objectivesAcute demyelinating optic neuritis (AON) can lead to irreversible neuroaxonal loss. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of phenytoin on macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thickness.MethodsWe reanalyzed Spectralis optical coherence tomography scans from the phenytoin AON trial (NCT01451593), a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 2 trial. Participants attended 2 trial centers in London or Sheffield, United Kingdom. Patients with unilateral AON, age 18-60 years, within 2 weeks of onset, with visual acuities 6/9 or worse, were randomly assigned (1:1) to oral phenytoin (4-6 mg/kg/d) or placebo for 3 months, stratified by onset time, center, previous multiple sclerosis diagnosis, disease-modifying treatment, and corticosteroid use. Macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thicknesses were extracted at baseline and 6 months. Linear regression models evaluated treatment effects on 6-month affected eye mGCIPL, adjusting for 6-month full-field visual evoked potential (VEP) latency and amplitude and baseline variables including mGCIPL thicknesses, steroid use, baseline acuity, and time interval to treatment. We also compared neuroprotective effects between peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and mGCIPL outcomes.ResultsEighty patients (39 phenytoin: 41 placebo) with a mean age of 33.59 years, 70% female, participated in this study. At 6 months, significant treatment effects were estimated for phenytoin vs placebo (affected eye mGCIPL thicker by 6.79 μm, p = 0.006, [SE = 2.35 µm]); estimated means for mGCIPL thickness for phenytoin vs placebo were 73.8 μm (SE = 2.40 μm) and 67.0 μm (SE = 2.2 μm), respectively. Treatment effects appeared to be greater for worse baseline acuities. At 6 months, higher mGCIPL thicknesses were associated with lower VEP latencies (p p = 0.013). Neuroprotective effects on mGCIPL outcomes were more robust than for pRNFL outcomes.DiscussionThis study supports superiority of the mGCIPL over the pRNFL as a neuroprotective marker after AON and demonstrates strong associations with myelination, providing additional mechanistic insights.Trial registration informationThis trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01451593; submitted for registration on October 11, 2011; first patient enrollment was on February 2, 2012.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class II evidence that compared with placebo, phenytoin is associated with greater preservation of the mGCIPL thickness in patients with acute demyelinating optic neuropathy.