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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development
Published on: February 11, 2019
[New methods of patient selection for improved anticholinergic therapy]
J Neuhaus1, T Schwalenberg, N Schlichting
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Urologie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig AöR, Liebigstrasse 20, 04103 Leipzig. jochen.neuhaus@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Background:
M3-specific inhibitors are currently preferred for anticholinergic therapy of OAB. However, not all of the patients profit from this regimen. This might reflect a heterogeneity of the patient group. The aim of this work is to define subgroups of patients with specific alterations of receptor expression and to profile the receptor expression individually. These receptor profiles might be used for the development of evidence-based "tailored" therapies.
Patients And Methods:
Detrusor probes from bladder carcinoma patients (BCa, n=9 F, n=7 male) and interstitial cystitis patients (IC, n=9 female) were examined using confocal immunofluorescence and PCR.
Results:
M2, M3, P2X1-3, and H1-3 mRNAs were demonstrated in detrusor tissue. As revealed by immunofluorescence, the M2 receptor expression was significantly higher in female compared to male BCa tissues. In addition, the M2 receptor was further upregulated in IC vs BCa in female detrusor.
Conclusions:
IC patients showed specific alterations of their receptor profile. Individual receptor profiles might be used to optimize medicinal therapies.
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