Penetration and drug delivery of albumin nanoparticles into pancreatic multicellular tumor spheroids.

Albumin-based nanoparticles have been exploited as a useful carrier for the efficient delivery of anti-cancer drugs. In this study, albendazole was encapsulated into bovine serum albumin (BSA)-polycaprolactone (PCL) conjugates and the formed nanoparticles with a size about 100 nm were used to treat pancreatic carcinoma cells. In addition, two more types of albendazole-loaded BSA nanoparticles, 10 nm and 200 nm ones, were prepared using a desolvation method.

Stabilization of Paclitaxel-Conjugated Micelles by Cross-Linking with Cystamine Compromises the Antitumor Effects against Two- and Three-Dimensional Tumor Cellular Models.

Paclitaxel (PTX)-conjugated micelles provide a promising tool for the treatment of prostate cancer. Core cross-linking by incorporating a disulfide bridge is a useful approach to improving the in vivo stability of polymeric micelles. This paper aims to investigate the effects of different degrees of cross-linking on the antitumor efficacy of micelles formed by poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate)-b-poly(carboxyethyl acrylate) (POEGMEA-b-PCEA-PTX) block copolymer.

Pharmacological blockade of aquaporin-1 water channel by AqB013 restricts migration and invasiveness of colon cancer cells and prevents endothelial tube formation in vitro.

Background: Aquaporins (AQP) are water channel proteins that enable fluid fluxes across cell membranes, important for homeostasis of the tissue environment and for cell migration. AQP1 knockout mouse models of human cancers showed marked inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis, and in pre-clinical studies of colon adenocarcinomas, forced over-expression of AQP1 was shown to increase angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. We have synthesized small molecule antagonists of AQP1.

Contextual, organizational and ecological effects on the variations in hospital readmissions of rural Medicare beneficiaries in eight southeastern states.

The enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been expected to improve the coverage of health insurance, particularly as related to the coordination of seamless care and the continuity of elder care among Medicare beneficiaries. The analysis of longitudinal data (2007 through 2013) in rural areas offers a unique opportunity to examine trends and patterns of rural disparities in hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge among Medicare beneficiaries served by rural health clinics (RHCs) in the eight southeastern states of the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Region 4. The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to examine rural trends and patterns of hospital readmission rates by state and year (before and after the ACA enactment); and second, to investigate how contextual (county characteristic), organizational (clinic characteristic) and ecological (aggregate patient characteristic) factors may influence the variations in repeat hospitalizations.

Core-Cross-Linking Accelerates Antitumor Activities of Paclitaxel-Conjugate Micelles to Prostate Multicellular Tumor Spheroids: A Comparison of 2D and 3D Models.

The 2D monolayer cell culture model is often the first step in the prediction of the success or failure of a nanoparticle-based drug delivery system. However, there is often poor translation between the 2D monolayer in vitro results and the nanoparticle-drug performance in vivo. One possible way of bridging this gap is the use of multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs) as an intermediate in vitro model due to its 3D structure.

Drug carriers for the delivery of therapeutic peptides.

Peptides take on an increasingly important role as therapeutics in areas including diabetes, oncology, and metabolic, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. In addition, many peptides such as insulin have been employed for many years. A challenge in the administration of peptide drugs is their often low hydrolytic stability, as well as other problems that are common to any drug treatment such as systemic distribution.