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Magister Scientiae - MSc / The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of the SLC22A1 gene and to deduce its possible pharmacogenetic implications within the Cape Coloured population of South Africa; a uniquely admixed population of immigrant Europeans, Asians and the indigenous populations. Recent studies have reported an abundance of polymorphic variants within this solute carrier transporter gene encoding for the organic cation transporter 1, as well as evidence linking these variants to an effect on metformin uptake. This study included establishing baseline frequency distribution of previously reported alleles for 20 SNP variants within the SLC22A1 gene, as well as the development of SNaPshot® and Multiplex AS-PCR genotyping assays, and also exploring the possibility of using High-resolution melt (HRM) analysis as a costeffective alternative for SNP genotyping. Ethics clearance was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University of the Western Cape. Biological samples in the form of buccal (oral) swabs were collected from 132 unrelated voluntary donors from the Cape Coloured population residing in the Cape Metropolitan area. Two SNaPshot® Multiplex Systems were specifically designed for the study,successfully optimized and used for genotyping. Hundred genetic profiles were then generated for a total of 20 SNP variants on SLC22A1 gene, using this primer extension-based genotyping method that enables multiplexing up 10 SNPs. Population genetics data obtained for the investigated SNPs were analysed using various statistical analysis software. Important population genetic parameters were calculated, and possible pharmacogenetics implications were then discussed. Among others, allelic and genotypic frequencies, as well as linkage disequilibrium were determined and compared with world populations. Minor deviation from Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium was observed in the Cape Coloured population. No significantLinkage Disequilibrium between the investigated SNPs was observed in this population. A Multiplex allele specific – PCR (MAS-PCR) genotyping system was successfully designed and optimized for the genotyping of 10 SNPs from the SLC22A1. This system, also developed specifically for this study, was made of 2 multiplexes each covering 5 SNPs. It is an inexpensive genotyping assay that allows for efficient discrimination of SNP polymorphisms in one reaction tube with standard PCR conditions. A pilot study was conducted to explore the possibility of using High-resolution melt (HRM) analysis as a cost-effective alternative for SNP genotyping. In addition to genotyping, HRM analysis can be used to scan large numbers of samples for novel genetic variations. / South Africa

Since a large number of polar and often ionizable anthropogenic organic trace compounds, such as pharmaceutical residues, can be detected in various stages of the water cycle, there is a need to elucidate the effects and behavior of such substances in the aquatic environment. Despite the fact that numerous studies on the sorption behavior of ionizable organic trace compounds have already been carried out, reliable sorption models, which allow a sufficiently accurate prediction of the sorption of organic cations, are not yet available. For this reason, the general objective of this thesis was to improve the fundamental process understanding of the interactions between dissolved cationic organic substances and solid surfaces including relevant influence parameters. The investigations were based on a differentiated process consideration in order to ultimately provide the essential prerequisites for a future reliable prediction of the sorption behavior of cationic organic compounds. Due to the complex superposition of several mechanisms, the basic relationships cannot be clearly elucidated with heterogeneous sorbents. Therefore, it was consciously worked with largely homogeneous, synthetic sorbents. The use of well-defined sorbents with different properties as well as the variation of background electrolyte concentration and the targeted use of different sorbates were the 'tools' that were used to identify and to separate the underlying sorption processes. / Da eine Vielzahl polarer und oftmals ionisierbarer anthropogener organischer Spurenstoffe, wie z. B. Pharmakarückstände, in verschiedenen Bereichen des Wasserkreislaufes nachweisbar ist, besteht die Notwendigkeit die Wirkung und das Verhalten solcher Spurenstoffe in der Umwelt näher aufzuklären. Trotz der Tatsache, dass bereits zahlreiche Untersuchungen zum Sorptionsverhalten ionisierbarer organischer Spurenstoffe bestehen, sind zuverlässige prognosefähige Sorptionsmodelle, welche eine ausreichend genaue Vorhersage der Sorption von organischen Kationen ermöglichen, zurzeit noch nicht verfügbar. Das generelle Ziel dieser Arbeit bestand daher darin, das grundlegende Prozessverständnis der Wechselwirkungen zwischen gelösten kationischen organischen Substanzen und festen Oberflächen einschließlich relevanter Einflussgrößen zu verbessern. Die Untersuchungen basierten auf einer differenzierten Prozessbetrachtung, um letztlich die wesentlichen Voraussetzungen für eine zukünftig zuverlässige Prognose des Sorptionsverhaltens kationischer organischer Verbindungen zu liefern. Aufgrund der komplexen Überlagerung mehrerer Mechanismen können die grundlegenden Zusammenhänge mit heterogen zusammengesetzten natürlichen Sorbentien nicht eindeutig aufgeklärt werden. Daher wurde bewusst mit weitgehend homogenen, synthetischen Sorbentien gearbeitet. Die Verwendung wohldefinierter Sorbentien mit unterschiedlichen Eigenschaften sowie die Variation der Elektrolytkonzentration und der gezielte Einsatz verschiedener Sorptive waren die 'Werkzeuge', die verwendet wurden, um die zugrunde liegenden Sorptionsprozesse zu identifizieren und zu separieren.

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Prostate carcinoma is considered to be one of the main medical problem in male population. Prostate carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in men and the death rate has the second position within all diagnosed malignancies in Czech Republic (ÚZIS). There is only one reliable diagnostic tool: PSA (prostate specific antigen). Level of PSA is often elevated in men with prostate carcinoma. This diploma thesis is focused on study of changes in gene expression in prostate carcinoma. Three candidate genes were analyzed: VCL (vinculin), SHB (Src homology 2 binding protein) and OCT3 (organic cation transporter 3). According to recent publications, these genes are related to tumor progression and they could have prognostic significance. In this thesis the following methodological approaches were used: 82 prostatic specimens were collected from patients and mRNA was isolated from these specimens; then RT-PCR was used to obtain cDNA, fragments were detected by electrophoresis. At the end statistical methods were used for evaluation. Relative expression of the genes in prostate carcinoma tissue was compared to relative expression of the genes in BPH (benign prostatic neoplasia) tissue. Results showed higher expression of genes SHB and OCT3 in prostate carcinoma tissue in compariscon to BPH...

In vorliegender Arbeit wurden Synthese, Kristallstruktur und thermisches Verhalten von sauren und basischen Monofluorophosphate untersucht. Es wurden Salze mit Alkalimetall- und N-haltigen Kationen dargestellt und kristallographisch charakterisiert. Die Strukturen dieser Verbindungen wurden dann mit denen der isoelektronischen Hydrogensulfate verglichen. Mit Hilfe des Kationenaustausches und der Gefriertrocknung konnte ein erfolgreicher Syntheseweg fuer diese Verbindungen entwickelt werden. Die Gefriertrocknung hinderte die Abspaltung von HF und Kondensation des Phosphats und ermöglichte die Isolierung der Rohprodukte. Auf diesem Weg gelang die Darstellung der reinen Verbindungen in höherer Ausbeute, so daß es möglich wurde, die Substanzen mit unterschiedlichen Methoden zu untersuchen. Hergestellt und kristallographisch untersucht wurden folgende Verbindungen: - Hydrogenmonofluorophosphate mit × Alkalimetallkationen: Na, K, Rb, Cs × N-haltigen Kationen: NH4, NMe4, NH2Et2, NHEt3, [C(NH2)3], {HOC[NH(CH3)]2}, [H2N(CH2CH2)NH2], - basische Monofluorophosphate: Na2PO3F·10H2O und [C(NH2)3]2PO3F - gemischte Salze: Cs3(NH4)2(HPO3F)3(PO3F)2 und Na5[NMe4](PO3F)3·18H2O. Die Kristallstrukturen zeigen eine Vielzahl an Strukturtypen, definiert durch die Verknüpfung der verzerrten HPO3F Tetraeder über kurze O-H···O Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen zu Ketten, Dimere oder Tetramere. Diese sind ihrerseits über längere N-H···O und Ow-H···O Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen verknüpft. Kompliziertere Strukturmotive sind in den Strukturen der basischen Monofluorophosphate und der gemischten Salze zu finden. Allgemein werden nur Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen des Typs N-H...O und O-H...O gefunden, dagegen werden keine N-H···F Bindungen in den Strukturen beobachtet. Auch ist mehrheitlich keine Isotypie zwischen sauren und basischen Monofluorophosphaten einerseits und den entsprechenden Sulfaten andererseits zu finden. Isotyp sind nur die Strukturen [NMe4]HPO3F·H2O mit [NMe4]HSO4·H2O und Na2PO3F·10H2O mit Na2SO4·10H2O. Interessanterweise wurden genau in einer dieser isotypen Strukturen, nämlich der des Na2PO3F×10H2O, als Ausnahme zwei O-H···F Bindungen gefunden. Die O···F Abstände liegen im Bereich der Abstände der Ow···O Bindungen in der Struktur. Eine Erklärung für das seltene Auftreten von H-Brücken mit Fluor als Akzeptor ist eine fast vollständige Valenz des Fluors durch seine Bindung zum Phosphor. Mehrere Strukturen widerspiegeln diese Tatsache mit der Orientierung der P-F Bindung. Die Bindung wird nach inerten Stellen, wo kein Metall- oder Wasserstoffatom in der Struktur vorhanden ist, ausgerichtet, um ein weiteres Binden des Fluors (Metallkoordination, Wasserstoffbrückenbindung) zu vermeiden. Weiterhin wurde das thermische Verhalten der Verbindungen NaHPO3F, NaHPO3F·2.5H2O, CsHPO3F und [NHEt3]HPO3F untersucht. Dies erfolgte mit dem Ziel, Information über mögliche Phasenübergänge und die unterschiedlichen Zersetzungstypen zu bekommen. Sowohl der Kation wie auch die Anwesenheit von Kristallwasser haben Einfluß auf den thermischen Abbau. Die Na-Verbindungen zeigen eine Zersetzung über mehrere Schritte, die zu unterschiedlichen Endprodukten führt (Na3P3O9 für NaHPO3F und (NaPO3)n für das Hydrat). Im Vergleich dazu zersetzt sich CsHPO3F nach dem Schmelzen direkt zum Endprodukt, ohne stabile Zwischenprodukte zu bilden. Ähnlich verläuft der thermische Abbau der [NHEt3] Verbindung, die sich allerdings mit einem Masseverlust von 92,27%, also ohne Bildung eines signifikanten Endproduktes, vollständig zersetzt. Während des thermischen Abbaus wurde die Freisetzung von HF und H2O bei allen Verbindungen beobachtet, die sich aber bezüglich der Zersetzungstemperatur und -menge zwischen den Substanzen unterscheiden. Es wurden keine Phasenübergänge erster Ordnung beobachtet. Dies war insbesondere für CsHPO3F überraschend, da das isoelektronische Hydrogensulfat mehrere Phasenübergänge aufweist [2]. Das Ausbleiben von Phasenübergängen allgemein und auch für CsHPO3F wird folgendermassen erklärt. Während das Sulfat Bindungsmöglichkeiten an allen vier Ecken des SO4-Tetraeders hat, besitzt der (H)PO3F-Tetraeder nur eine begrenzte Flexibilität wegen der Anwesenheit von Fluor an einer Ecke. Fluor bevorzugt eine "isolierte" Position am Phosphor. Anhand der vorliegenden Ergebnisse kann die Schlußfolgerung gezogen werden, daß Fluor auf Grund seiner niedrigeren Valenz im Vergleich zu Sauerstoff andere strukturelle und funktionelle Charakteristika aufweist. Die Valenzunterschiede zwischen Sauerstoff und Fluor haben einen starken Einfluß auf das Wasserstoffbrückenbindungssystem in den Kristallstrukturen der Hydrogenmonofluorophosphate und folglich auf die "Nicht-Isotypie" zu den Hydrogensulfaten. / In this thesis, the crystal structures and thermal behavior of hydrogen monofluorophosphates and basic monofluorophosphates with alkali metal and N-containing cations were studied. A comparison to the analogous hydrogen sulfates showed interesting structural variations and differences in thermal behavior. Synthesis of the studied monofluorophosphates involved cation exchange and freeze drying. Freeze drying enabled the isolation of raw products by avoiding the escape of HF and consequent phosphate condensation. This method of preparation led to the synthesis of the hydrogen monofluorophosphates with the following cations: - the alkali metals: Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+, - N-containing cations: NH4+, [NMe4]+, [NH2Et2]+, [NHEt3]+, [C(NH2)3]+, {HOC[NH(CH3)]2}+, and [H2N(CH2CH2)NH2]2+, and the basic monofluorophoshates, Na2PO3F·10H2O and [C(NH2)3]2PO3F. The following mixed salts were also obtained with partial cation exchange: - Cs3(NH4)2(HPO3F)3(PO3F)2 - Na5[NMe4](PO3F)3·18H2O. In the crystal structures, the HPO3F tetrahedra were hydrogen-bonded to chains, dimers, and tetramers in the structures of the hydrogen monofluorophosphates. Extensive hydrogen bonding in the basic monofluorophosphates due to high amounts of crystal water led to more complicated structural motifs. Limitations on the bonding of fluorine were observed in each of the structures, whether it be metal coordination or hydrogen bonding. The valency of fluorine is filled by its bond to phosphorus and thus, generally, the fluorine atom does not participate in additional bonds. This explains why, for the most part, the hydrogen monofluorophosphates are not isostructural with the hydrogen sulfates. Only three atoms of the tetrahedron instead of four atoms are available for hydrogen bonding, which influences the crystal structure. This was further confirmed by the comparison of the decahydrates, Na2PO3F×10H2O and Na2SO4×10H2O, which are consequently isostructural based on two O-H×××F bonds formed in Na2PO3F·10H2O. These were the only hydrogen bonds found that involved fluorine as an hydrogen acceptor or donor. The investigations on the thermal behavior of NaHPO3F, NaHPO3F·2.5H2O, CsHPO3F, and [NHEt3]HPO3F found no first-order phase transitions. Stepwise decompositions were observed for the sodium salts, which was attributed to the formation of stable intermediates identified with simulated experiments. The Cs and [NHEt3] compounds demonstrated a direct decomposition postmelting. In general, the release of H2O from the melt occured at lower temperatures, while HF escaped at higher temperatures. The temperatures, at which this initially occured, and the first maximum observed were dependent on the cation and the presence of crystal water. The immediate decomposition of CsHPO3F after melting differs from that of the hydrogen sulfate, CsHSO4, which undergoes several phase transitions before decompositon. This suggests that the sulfate has more structural flexibility on the basis of the four oxygen corners of the tetrahedra. In comparison, the monofluorophosphate is limited in its bonding mobility due to the presence of fluorine on one of the tetrahedral vertices. Therefore, phase transitions are not observed prior to decomposition. It was concluded that fluorine functions differently in the crystal structures on the basis of its lower valency. Thus, the difference in valency between fluorine and oxygen affects the hydrogen bonding of the hydrogen monofluorophosphates and thus pervents the expected isotypy of the isoelectronic hydrogen monofluorophosphates and hydrogen sulfates.

Drug transport across cells and cell membranes in the human body is crucial for the pharmacological effect of drugs. Active transport governed by transport proteins plays an important role in this process. A vast number of transport proteins with a wide tissue distribution have been identified during the last 15 years. Several important examples of their role in drug disposition and drug-drug interactions have been described to date. Investigation of drug-drug interactions at the transport protein level are therefore of increasing interest to the academic, industrial and regulatory research communities. The gene expression of transport proteins involved in drug transport was investigated in the jejunum, liver, kidney and colon to better understand their influence on the ADMET properties of drugs. In addition, the gene and protein expression of transport proteins in cell lines, widely used for predictions of drug transport and metabolism, was examined. The substrate and inhibitor heterogeneity of many transport proteins makes it difficult to foresee whether the transport proteins will cause drug-drug interactions. Therefore, in vitro assays for OCT1 and OATP1B1, among the highest expressed transport proteins in human liver, were developed to allow investigation of the inhibitory patterns of these proteins. These assays were used to investigate two data sets, consisting of 191 and 135 registered drugs and drug-like molecules for the inhibition of OCT1 and OATP1B1, respectively. Numerous new inhibitors of the transport proteins were identified in the data sets and the properties governing inhibition were determined. Further, antidepressant drugs and statins displayed strong inhibition of OCT1 and OATP1B1, respectively. The inhibition data was used to develop predictive in silico models for each of the two transport proteins. The highly polymorphic nature of some transport proteins has been shown to affect drug response and may lead to an increased risk of drug-drug interactions, and therefore, the OCT1 in vitro assay was used to study the effect of common genetic variants of OCT1 on drug inhibition and drug-drug interactions. The results indicated that OCT1 variants with reduced function were more susceptible to inhibition. Further, a drug-drug interaction of potential clinical significance in the genetic OCT1 variant M420del was proposed. In summary, gene expression of transport proteins was investigated in human tissues and cell lines. In vitro assays for two of the highest expressed liver transport proteins were used to identify previously unknown SLC transport protein inhibitors and to develop predictive in silico models, which may detect previously known drug-drug interactions and enable new ones to be identified at the transport protein level. In addition, the effect of genetic variation on inhibition of the OCT1 was investigated.

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