Page 25 - COMP Magazine - Winter 2018
P. 25
has been known since the late 1970s. Cisplatin causes • Availability of diverse classes of antiemetics will bring In 1991, Dr. Darmani accepted a faculty position in the
the release of serotonin in the gut, which subsequently the cost of vomit prevention down. department of pharmacology at A.T. Still University
activates serotonin 5-HT3 receptors present on vagal (ATSU), Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
afferent nerves in the gut, leading to activation of • Explain why NK1 receptor antagonists behave as (KCOM) in Missouri. There he came across a laboratory-
brainstem machinery to evoke vomiting. broad-spectrum antiemetics. bred colony of least shrews and found that the species
However, the ensuing biochemical events occurring “Based upon future results, potential cancer can also vomit. Least shrews are a small species about
the size of the human thumb, and live in the wild in
inside nerves/cells in both the brain and gut to produce chemotherapeutics that do not modulate the identified the Midwest.
the early-phase vomiting remained unknown until 2014, emetic signals could be further developed clinically, which
when Darmani’s laboratory published the sequence of would save time, effort and research dollars in the quest Darmani began to characterize vomit circuits in this tiny
emetic events in the least shrew model of vomiting. for development of improved cancer therapeutics,” species. He was the first investigator to define the
Darmani said. receptor mechanism by which the major psychoactive
The cost of the best antiemetic (anti-vomiting) regimen component of the marijuana plant, delta-9-
(Akynzeo) containing a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor This NIH grant research award represents scientific peer tetrahydrocannabinol, produces its antiemetic effect
antagonist (palonosetron) and a substance P neurokinin recognition of the creative series of studies Dr. Darmani against cisplatin-evoked vomiting in the shrew. To pursue
NK1 receptor antagonist (netupitant) is currently more has proposed to understand the critical brain circuitry his marijuana anti-vomit research at KCOM, Darmani
than $500 per pill in the U.S., according to Darmani. and neurochemical pathways underlying cancer
chemotherapy-induced emesis, said Steven Henriksen, obtained several RO1 grants through the National
Darmani’s current research objective is to define the PhD, Vice President for Research and Biotechnology Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National
vomit signal transduction pathways for the delayed phase at WesternU. Cancer Institute (NCI), which are major divisions of the
that occurs following release of substance P, and National Institute of Health (NIH). One of his funded
subsequent activation of NK1R in the central “This will lead to a better understanding of the RO1 grants for more than $800,000 was transferred to
(brainstem) and peripheral (enterochromaffin cells in the mechanisms underlying a debilitating side effect of College of Osteopathic Medicine of the
gut) emetic loci in the least shrew model of emesis. chemotherapy in cancer patients, and may potentially Pacific/WesternU upon his arrival in 2005.
lead to better treatments and compliance strategies for
He suggests that some intracellular NK1 receptor human cancer patients,” he said. RO1 grants are highly revered sources of extramural
emetic signals may overlap with those of the funding for research institutions in the United States. n
serotonergic 5-HT3 receptor system. The attained Darmani, originally from Afghanistan, left the United
results from his future experiments are expected to: Kingdom and immigrated to the US in 1988 to pursue
postdoctoral research in the field of drug abuse at
• Reveal downstream PLC signals play a major role in Medical College of Virginia (MCV).
NK1 receptor-evoked vomiting.
Reading published literature, Darmani found that
• Show calcium mobilization is necessary for physicians treating marijuana-smoking cancer patients
the evoked vomiting. experienced less vomits than the general cancer
population when treated with cisplatin-like cancer
• Identify a point(s) of emetic signal convergence whose chemotherapeutics. This finding led to the idea that
antagonism/blockade could lead to the development of marijuana may have antiemetic effects.
new classes of highly potent antiemetics against
diverse causes of vomiting.
Winter 2018 23
the release of serotonin in the gut, which subsequently the cost of vomit prevention down. department of pharmacology at A.T. Still University
activates serotonin 5-HT3 receptors present on vagal (ATSU), Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
afferent nerves in the gut, leading to activation of • Explain why NK1 receptor antagonists behave as (KCOM) in Missouri. There he came across a laboratory-
brainstem machinery to evoke vomiting. broad-spectrum antiemetics. bred colony of least shrews and found that the species
However, the ensuing biochemical events occurring “Based upon future results, potential cancer can also vomit. Least shrews are a small species about
the size of the human thumb, and live in the wild in
inside nerves/cells in both the brain and gut to produce chemotherapeutics that do not modulate the identified the Midwest.
the early-phase vomiting remained unknown until 2014, emetic signals could be further developed clinically, which
when Darmani’s laboratory published the sequence of would save time, effort and research dollars in the quest Darmani began to characterize vomit circuits in this tiny
emetic events in the least shrew model of vomiting. for development of improved cancer therapeutics,” species. He was the first investigator to define the
Darmani said. receptor mechanism by which the major psychoactive
The cost of the best antiemetic (anti-vomiting) regimen component of the marijuana plant, delta-9-
(Akynzeo) containing a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor This NIH grant research award represents scientific peer tetrahydrocannabinol, produces its antiemetic effect
antagonist (palonosetron) and a substance P neurokinin recognition of the creative series of studies Dr. Darmani against cisplatin-evoked vomiting in the shrew. To pursue
NK1 receptor antagonist (netupitant) is currently more has proposed to understand the critical brain circuitry his marijuana anti-vomit research at KCOM, Darmani
than $500 per pill in the U.S., according to Darmani. and neurochemical pathways underlying cancer
chemotherapy-induced emesis, said Steven Henriksen, obtained several RO1 grants through the National
Darmani’s current research objective is to define the PhD, Vice President for Research and Biotechnology Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National
vomit signal transduction pathways for the delayed phase at WesternU. Cancer Institute (NCI), which are major divisions of the
that occurs following release of substance P, and National Institute of Health (NIH). One of his funded
subsequent activation of NK1R in the central “This will lead to a better understanding of the RO1 grants for more than $800,000 was transferred to
(brainstem) and peripheral (enterochromaffin cells in the mechanisms underlying a debilitating side effect of College of Osteopathic Medicine of the
gut) emetic loci in the least shrew model of emesis. chemotherapy in cancer patients, and may potentially Pacific/WesternU upon his arrival in 2005.
lead to better treatments and compliance strategies for
He suggests that some intracellular NK1 receptor human cancer patients,” he said. RO1 grants are highly revered sources of extramural
emetic signals may overlap with those of the funding for research institutions in the United States. n
serotonergic 5-HT3 receptor system. The attained Darmani, originally from Afghanistan, left the United
results from his future experiments are expected to: Kingdom and immigrated to the US in 1988 to pursue
postdoctoral research in the field of drug abuse at
• Reveal downstream PLC signals play a major role in Medical College of Virginia (MCV).
NK1 receptor-evoked vomiting.
Reading published literature, Darmani found that
• Show calcium mobilization is necessary for physicians treating marijuana-smoking cancer patients
the evoked vomiting. experienced less vomits than the general cancer
population when treated with cisplatin-like cancer
• Identify a point(s) of emetic signal convergence whose chemotherapeutics. This finding led to the idea that
antagonism/blockade could lead to the development of marijuana may have antiemetic effects.
new classes of highly potent antiemetics against
diverse causes of vomiting.
Winter 2018 23
