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Tumor Discovery                                                       A comprehensive review of bexarotene



              The incorporation of bexarotene into nanomatrix solid   stimulation tests is needed to understand bexarotene’s
            dispersions with natural and synthetic polymers like locust   role in central hypothyroidism (CH). These findings
            bean gum has demonstrated a substantial enhancement   contribute to understanding and imply the importance of
            in solubility, suggesting their suitability for personalized   TSH monitoring during bexarotene treatment for CTCL,
            medicine applications . In addition, the utilization of   requiring additional investigation for optimal monitoring
                              [60]
            predictive models, such as the CocrystalGCN model,   and treatment approaches .
                                                                                    [63]
            facilitated the discovery of new bexarotene cocrystals
            with superior solubility and dissolution properties.   8.2.2. Characteristics and strategies of using
            These cocrystals exhibited higher bioavailability than   bexarotene
            commercially available bexarotene powder, addressing   The study provides the first report on bexarotene-induced
                                                  [61]
            absorption challenges for water-insoluble drugs .  CH in Japanese CTCL patients. Despite limitations such as
              To conclude, these formulations offer promising   small sample size and retrospective analysis, the findings
            strategies to overcome the limitations associated with   are valuable for an Asian population. Notably, TSH
            bexarotene, such  as poor solubility,  bioavailability, and   values significantly decreased after 1 week of bexarotene
            targeted drug delivery. They provide enhanced therapeutic   treatment, indicating the potential for an early decline in
            effectiveness in the treatment of various disorders, paving   thyroid function parameters. Correlations between pre-
            the way for improved patient outcomes.             treatment TSH values and subsequent FT4 levels highlight
                                                               the sensitivity of TSH as a marker for thyroid capacity. The
            8. Recent pharmacological findings                 study suggests that a preventive levothyroxine regimen
            8.1. Bexarotene cytotoxicity                       may be appropriate for patients with lower normal range
                                                               FT4 or higher pre-treatment TSH values. The observed
            Bexarotene, possessing a polyaromatic structure, displayed   occurrence of hypothyroidism after relatively low doses
            stability in an ethanol solution under experimental   of  bexarotene  and  the  potential  influence  of  RXRγ1
            conditions following ultraviolet (UV) exposure, except   genetic polymorphism warrants further investigation.
            when TiO2 and ZnO were present. The concentration of   In addition, iodine sufficiency may mitigate bexarotene-
            bexarotene in gel formulation remained unchanged when   induced hypothyroidism. Importantly, the study proposes
            subjected to BP-1, BP-2, 4-MBC, and BP-4 chemical filters,   that TSH values at 1  week post-treatment could predict
            but degradation occurred in the presence of avobenzone   thyroid function at 1  month, emphasizing the need for
            or physical UV filters. This investigation highlighted the   regular monitoring. These findings have implications for
            influence of UV absorbers on bexarotene’s stability in the   managing thyroid function in CTCL patients undergoing
            formulation. Non-cancerous murine fibroblasts exhibited   bexarotene treatment in Japan .
                                                                                       [64]
            notable inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner
            when exposed to bexarotene, while the solution resulting   8.3. Myelin repair and cognitive restoration
            from bexarotene’s photodegradation demonstrated a more   In this study, the authors investigated the neurological
            pronounced antiproliferative effect, particularly at the   impairments associated with cancer treatment and
            highest concentration employed .                   explored potential interventions to mitigate these effects.
                                     [62]
            8.2. Bexarotene-induced hypothyroidism             They used a mouse model to show that cisplatin treatment,
                                                               commonly used in chemotherapy, resulted in cognitive and
            8.2.1. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)         sensorimotor deficits, along with changes in white matter
            stimulation test                                   density and myelin structure. To address these deficits,
            The study demonstrated that bexarotene treatment   the researchers administered the RXR agonist bexarotene
            in patients with CTCL leads to a blunted response of   and found that it effectively restored cognitive function,
            thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to TRH stimulation,   sensorimotor performance, and myelin structure after
            supporting the hypothesis of pituitary hypothyroidism.   cisplatin  treatment.  RNA  sequencing  analysis  confirmed
            TSH levels after TRH stimulation were correlated with LT4   the activation of pathways involved in myelination,
            replacement dosage. However, the study has limitations,   axon guidance, and synaptic function with bexarotene
            including a small sample size and a lack of criteria   treatment. Importantly, bexarotene is already approved for
            to differentiate between pituitary and hypothalamic   other medical conditions, indicating its potential for rapid
            hypothyroidism. Nonetheless, the study suggests that TSH   clinical translation. The study also identified myelination-
            levels from TRH stimulation accurately reflect residual   associated genes, such as CDH1, prostaglandin D2
            pituitary-thyroid function during bexarotene treatment.   synthase (PTGDS), and MAL, which may contribute to
            Further, research with larger studies and serial TRH   myelin decompaction. The beneficial effects of bexarotene


            Volume 2 Issue 2 (2023)                         9                          https://doi.org/10.36922/td.0436
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