Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an ester prodrug of the immunosuppressant mycophenolic acid (MPA), is widely used for maintenance immunosuppressive therapy and prevention of renal allograft rejection in renal transplant recipients. MPA inhibits inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), an enzyme involved in the “de novo” synthesis of purine nucleotides, thus suppressing both T-cell and B-cell p...

We report the case of an 11-year-old previously healthy girl who presented for microscopic hematuria and nephrotic proteinuria with normal renal function, which persisted after 6 months of steroids, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi)/angiotensin receptor blockers, hydroxychloroquine, mycophenolic acid and a low-salt diet. A serum investigation suggested lupus nephritis and a renal ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Adequate early mycophenolic acid (MPA) exposure is an important determinant for effective rejection prophylaxis. This pharmacokinetic study investigated whether an intensified dosing regimen of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) could achieve higher mycophenolic acid (MPA) exposure early after transplantation versus a standard dosing regimen. DESIGN, SETTIN...

BACKGROUND The actual prescription pattern of immunosuppressive agents in kidney transplantation is unclear. METHODS We investigated the pattern and trend of immunosuppressive treatment for kidney transplant patients in South Korea. A total of 636 patients at nine transplant centers were enrolled and followed for one year. We reviewed medical records and evaluated induction therapy, as well a...

The effects of three inhibitors of inosine monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase on a human erythroleukemic cell line, K562, were studied. Following incubation with these inhibitors, K562 cells underwent differ entiation and accumulated hemoglobins. The induction of hemoglobin accumulation was dose dependent; maximum induction was observed at 100, 25, and 3 MM,respectively, for ribavirin, tiazofuri...

Microbial transformation of imbricatolic acid (1) by Aspergillus niger afforded 1alpha-hydroxyimbricatolic acid (2), while transformation with Rhizopus nigricans yielded 15-hydroxy-8,17-epoxylabdan-19-oic acid (3). When the diterpene 1 was added to a Cunninghamella echinulata culture, the main products were the microbial metabolites mycophenolic acid (4) and its 3-hydroxy derivative 5. All the ...