An antibody that inhibits TGF-β1 release from latent extracellular matrix complexes attenuates the progression of renal fibrosis.

Inhibitors of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway are potentially promising antifibrotic therapies, but nonselective simultaneous inhibition of all three TGF-β homologs has safety liabilities. TGF-β1 is noncovalently bound to a latency-associated peptide that is, in turn, covalently bound to different presenting molecules within large latent complexes. The latent TGF-β-binding proteins (LTBPs) present TGF-β1 in the extracellular matrix, and TGF-β1 is presented on immune cells by two transmembrane proteins, glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP) and leucine-rich repeat protein 33 (LRRC33).

Preclinical Safety Assessment and Toxicokinetics of Apitegromab, an Antibody Targeting Proforms of Myostatin for the Treatment of Muscle-Atrophying Disease.

Myostatin is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle and has become a therapeutic target for muscle atrophying disorders. Although previous inhibitors of myostatin offered promising preclinical data, these therapies demonstrated a lack of specificity toward myostatin signaling and have shown limited success in the clinic. Apitegromab is a fully human, monoclonal antibody that binds to human promyostatin and latent myostatin with a high degree of specificity, without binding mature myostatin and other closely related growth factors.

Human placenta-derived adherent cell treatment of experimental stroke promotes functional recovery after stroke in young adult and older rats.

Background: Human Placenta-Derived Adherent Cells (PDAC®) are a novel mesenchymal-like cell population derived from normal human placental tissue. PDA-001 is a clinical formulation of PDAC® developed for intravenous administration. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of PDA-001 treatment in a rat model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in young adult (2-3 month old) and older rats (10-12 months old).

Neuroprotective effect of human placenta-derived cell treatment of stroke in rats.

Unlabelled: Human placenta-derived adherent (PDA001) cells are mesenchymal-like stem cells isolated from postpartum placenta. In this study, we tested whether intravenously infused PDA001 improves neurological functional recovery after stroke in rats. In addition, potential mechanisms underlying the PDA001-induced neuroprotective effect were investigated.

Human placenta-derived adherent cells prevent bone loss, stimulate bone formation, and suppress growth of multiple myeloma in bone.

Human placenta has emerged as a valuable source of transplantable cells of mesenchymal and hematopoietic origin for multiple cytotherapeutic purposes, including enhanced engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells, modulation of inflammation, bone repair, and cancer. Placenta-derived adherent cells (PDACs) are mesenchymal-like stem cells isolated from postpartum human placenta. Multiple myeloma is closely associated with induction of bone disease and large lytic lesions, which are often not repaired and are usually the sites of relapses.

Structure-Based Design of Anticancer Prodrug PABA/NO.

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a superfamily of detoxification enzymes, represented by GSTalpha, GSTmu, GSTpi, etc. GSTalpha is the predominant isoform of GST in human liver, playing important roles for our well being. GSTpi is overexpressed in many forms of cancer, thus presenting an opportunity for selective targeting of cancer cells.

Preclinical safety, pharmacokinetics and antitumor efficacy profile of liposome-entrapped SN-38 formulation.

Background: SN-38, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin, is a biologically active metabolite of irinotecan. Its poor solubility restricted its development as an anticancer agent. We have developed an easy-to-use liposome-entrapped SN-38 (LE-SN38) and evaluated its toxicology, pharmacokinetics and antitumor efficacy profile.

Systemic delivery of RafsiRNA using cationic cardiolipin liposomes silences Raf-1 expression and inhibits tumor growth in xenograft model of human prostate cancer.

Raf-1, a protein serine-threonine kinase, plays a critical role in mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK/MEK)- mitogen-activated protein kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) (MAPK/ERK) pathways. We show here that systemically delivered novel cationic cardiolipin liposomes (NeoPhectin-AT) containing a small interfering RNA (siRNA) against Raf-1 silence the expression of Raf-1 in tumor tissues and inhibit tumor growth in xenograft model of human prostate cancer. The knockdown of Raf-1 expression by siRNA is also associated with down-regulation of cyclin D1 expression in vivo.

Differential expression of glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes in murine small intestine and colon.

Glutathione (GSH) S-transferase (GST) isoenzymes of the small intestine and colon of female A/J mice have been purified and characterized to determine their interrelationships with other murine GSTs. Cytosolic GST activity in the small intestine was at least due to six isoenzymes with isoelectric points (pI) of 9.5, 9.