Biocompatible scaffolds based on collagen and oxidized dextran for endothelial cell survival and function in tissue engineering.

Angiogenesis is a vital step in tissue regeneration. Hence, the current study aimed to prepare oxidized dextran (Odex)/collagen (Col)-hydrogels with laminin (LMN), as an angiogenic extracellular matrix (ECM) component, for promoting human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and function. Odex/Col scaffolds were constructed at various concentrations and temperatures.

Indirect co-culture of islet cells in 3D biocompatible collagen/laminin scaffold with angiomiRs transfected mesenchymal stem cells.

Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreatic islets produce insufficient insulin. One of the treatment strategies is islet isolation, which may damage these cells as they lack vasculature. Biocompatible scaffolds are one of the efficient techniques for dealing with this issue.

Magnetic chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Amphotericin B: Synthesis, properties and potentiation of antifungal activity against common human pathogenic fungal strains.

Amphotericin B has long been regarded as the gold standard for treating invasive fungal infections despite its toxic potential. The main objective of this research was to develop a novel IONPs@CS-AmB formulation in a cost-effective manner in order to enhance AmB delivery performance, with lowering the drug's dose and adverse effects. The chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs@CS) were synthesized afterward, AmB-loaded IONPs@CS (IONPs@CS-AmB) prepared and characterized by AFM, FT-IR, SEM, EDX, and XRD.

PLGA-graphene quantum dot nanocomposites targeted against αβ integrin receptor for sorafenib delivery in angiogenesis.

Angiogenesis is a vital step in many severe diseases such as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, and rheumatoid arthritis. Sorafenib (SFB), a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has recently been shown to inhibit tumor progression and suppress angiogenesis. Its narrow therapeutic window, however, has limited its clinical application and therapeutic efficacy.

Synthesis of Pore-Size-Tunable Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles by Simultaneous Sol-Gel and Radical Polymerization to Enhance Silibinin Dissolution.

Background: Silibinin (SBN), a major active constituent of milk thistle seeds, exhibits numerous pharmacological activities. However, its oral bioavailability is low due to poor water solubility. This study aimed to develop a new synthetic approach for tuning the pore characteristics of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) intended for the oral delivery of SBN.

Microneedle Arrays Combined with Nanomedicine Approaches for Transdermal Delivery of Therapeutics.

Organic and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have shown promising outcomes in transdermal drug delivery. NPs can not only enhance the skin penetration of small/biomacromolecule therapeutic agents but can also impart control over drug release or target impaired tissue. Thanks to their unique optical, photothermal, and superparamagnetic features, NPs have been also utilized for the treatment of skin disorders, imaging, and biosensing applications.

microRNAs in liver and kidney ischemia reperfusion injury: insight to improve transplantation outcome.

Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is a condition that occurs wherever blood flow and oxygen is reduced or absent, such as trauma, vascular disease, stroke, and solid organ transplantation. This condition can lead to tissue damage, especially during organ transplantation. Under such circumstances, some signaling pathways are activated, leading to up- or down- regulation of several genes such as microRNAs (miRNAs) that might attenuate or ameliorate this status.

A DNA Based Biosensor Amplified With ZIF-8/Ionic Liquid Composite for Determination of Mitoxantrone Anticancer Drug: An Experimental/Docking Investigation.

An ultrasensitive DNA electrochemical biosensor based on the carbon paste electrode (CPE) amplified with ZIF-8 and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate (BMIMS) was fabricated in this research. The DNA/BMIMS/ZIF-8/CPE was used for the selective determination of a mitoxantrone anticancer drug in aqueous solution, resulting in a good catalytic effect and a powerful ability for determining mitoxantrone. Also, the interaction of the mitoxantrone anticancer drug with guanine bases of ds-DNA was used as a powerful strategy in the suggested biosensor, which was confirmed with docking investigation.

Evaluation of the efficacy of albendazole sulfoxide (ABZ-SO)-loaded chitosan-PLGA nanoparticles in the treatment of cystic echinococcosis in laboratory mice.

Albendazole is known as the drug of choice for medical treatment of cystic echinococcosis (CE). Albendazole sulfoxide (ABZ-SO), as the main active metabolite of albendazole, has low efficacy in the disease due to low water solubility and poor absorptivity. PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) enhance the dissolution of poorly soluble drugs, and chitosan (CS) coating enhances oral drug delivery of NPs.

Evaluation of Pt,Pd-Doped, NiO-Decorated, Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube-Ionic Liquid Carbon Paste Chemically Modified Electrode: An Ultrasensitive Anticancer Drug Sensor for the Determination of Daunorubicin in the Presence of Tamoxifen.

Measuring the concentration of anticancer drugs in pharmacological and biological samples is a very useful solution to investigate the effectiveness of these drugs in the chemotherapy process. A Pt,Pd-doped, NiO-decorated SWCNTs (Pt,Pd-NiO/SWCNTs) nanocomposite was synthesized using a one-pot procedure and combining chemical precipitation and ultrasonic sonochemical methods and subsequently characterized by TEM and EDS analysis methods. The analyses results showed the high purity and good distribution of elements and the ~10-nm diameter of the Pt,Pd-NiO nanoparticle decorated on the surface of the SWCNTs with a diameter of about 20-30 nm.

Paclitaxel-loaded polypeptide-polyacrylamide nanomicelles overcome drug-resistance by enhancing lysosomal membrane permeability and inducing apoptosis.

The aim of the current project was to investigate the in vitro properties of Paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded pHPMA -pHis -pLeu nanomicelles (NMs) on multidrug resistance cell line. Circular dichroism analysis was done to investigate the effect of pH on the secondary structure of the copolymer. Cytotoxicity assay together with fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry were performed to get an insight about toxicity and cellular uptake mechanism of NMs.

Facile synthesis and characterization of magnetic nanocomposite ZnO/CoFeO hetero-structure for rapid photocatalytic degradation of imidacloprid.

This work has attempted to investigate the potential of ZnO/CoFeO magnetic nanocomposite to mineralize imidacloprid completely to have sustainable pollutant free and safe water supply. The co-precipitation method was performed to prepare the composites; was performed to characterize composites, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive x-ray crystallography (EDX), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). It was attempted to explore and enhance parameters influencing the process and the percentage of imidacloprid degradation, including photocatalyst amount, pesticide concentration, pH, radiation time, and temperature.

Nanoparticulate delivery of irinotecan active metabolite (SN38) in murine colorectal carcinoma through conjugation to poly (2-ethyl 2-oxazoline)-b-poly (L-glutamic acid) double hydrophilic copolymer.

SN-38 is the active metabolite of irinotecan, an FDA-approved chemotherapeutic agent indicated for colorectal carcinoma, which would not be clinically applicable due to its very poorly soluble and hydrolytic degradation properties. To overcome these limitations, it was proposed to conjugate SN38 to residing carboxylic acid residues in poly (2-ethyl 2-oxazoline) block poly (L-glutamic acid), inducing nano-assembly in aqueous medium. Following a series of reactions including poly (2-ethyl oxazoline) macro-initiated ring opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride, deprotection of benzyl group and chemical conjugation of SN38 via biodegradable ester linkage, the as-synthesized product was characterized by dynamic light scattering, ζ potential and transmission electron microscopy.

Generation and characterization of a specific single-chain antibody against DSPP as a prostate cancer biomarker: Involvement of bioinformatics-based design of novel epitopes.

Isolation of specific single chain antibodies (scFvs) against key epitopes of cancer markers are applied for cancer immunotherapy and diagnosis. In this study following the prediction of the 3D structure of the DSP part of Dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), the epitope was chosen using in silico programs. Panning process was applied to isolate specific human scFv against the epitope.

Reversing multi-drug tumor resistance to Paclitaxel by well-defined pH-sensitive amphiphilic polypeptide block copolymers via induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization.

A series of hybrid di-block copolymers of poly(l- glutamic acid-b-l- leucine) (PGA-PLeu), methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly(l-leucine) (PEG-PLeu), methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamic acid) (PEG-PBLG) and tri-block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(l-glutamic acid-co-nullleucine) (PEG-PGA-PLeu) were synthesized through sequential HMDS-mediated ring-opening polymerization (ROP). Chemical structure of copolymers was studied by FTIR and H-NMR and their molecular weight was determined by H-NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Copolymers self-assembled into nanomicelles with particle size (PS) of 65 to 139 nm.

Effect of PEGylation on assembly morphology and cellular uptake of poly ethyleneimine-cholesterol conjugates for delivery of sorafenib tosylate in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Sorafenib (SFB) is an FDA-approved chemotherapeutic agent with a high partition coefficient (log P = 4.34) for monotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The oral bioavailability is low and variable, so it was aimed to study the application of the polymeric nanoassembly of cholesterol conjugates of branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) for micellar solubilization of SFB and to investigate the impact of the polymer PEGylation on the physicochemical and cellular characteristics of the lipopolymeric dispersions.

Co-condensation synthesis of well-defined mesoporous silica nanoparticles: effect of surface chemical modification on plasmid DNA condensation and transfection.

Chemically modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are of interest due to their chemical and thermal stability with adjustable morphology and porosity; therefore, it was aimed to develop and compare the MCM-41 MSNs functionalised with imidazole groups (MCM-41-Im) to unmodified (MCM-41-OH) and primary amine functionalised (MCM-41-NH) MSNs for experimental gene delivery. The results show efficient transfection of the complexes of the plasmid and either MCM-41-NH or MCM-41-Im. Furthermore, following transfection of HeLa cells using MCM-41-Im, an enhanced GFP expression was achieved consistent with the noticeable DNase1 protection and endosomal escape properties of MCM-41-Im using carboxyfluorescein tracer.

The structural damages of lens crystallins induced by peroxynitrite and methylglyoxal, two causative players in diabetic complications and preventive role of lens antioxidant components.

Peroxynitrite (PON) and methylglyoxal (MGO), two diabetes-associated compounds, are believed to be important causative players in development of diabetic cataracts. In the current study, different spectroscopic methods, gel electrophoresis, lens culture and microscopic assessments were applied to examine the impact of individual, subsequent or simultaneous modification of lens crystallins with MGO and PON on their structure, oligomerization and aggregation. The protein modifications were confirmed with detection of the significantly increased quantity of carbonyl groups and decreased levels of sulfhydryl, tyrosine and tryptophan.

Efficacy and safety of enteric coated capsules of anise oil to treat irritable bowel syndrome.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Anise is a well-recognized plant in Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) sources. Anise oil has been suggested for the treatment of bowel disorders in Persian medical textbooks. Based on TPM scholars, this ingredient has a favorable effect on gastrointestinal diseases.

Protective effects of carnosine on dehydroascorbate-induced structural alteration and opacity of lens crystallins: important implications of carnosine pleiotropic functions to combat cataractogenesis.

The high level of dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) in the lenticular tissue is an important risk factor for the development of age-related cataracts. In this study, the effects of DHA on structure and function of lens crystallins were studied in the presence of carnosine using gel mobility shift assay, different spectroscopic techniques, and lens culture analysis. The DHA-induced unfolding and aggregation of lens proteins were largely prevented by this endogenous dipeptide.

Polyionic complex of single-walled carbon nanotubes and PEG-grafted-hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (PEG-PEI-SWNT) for an improved doxorubicin loading and delivery: development and in vitro characterization.

To take advantages of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for cellular delivery of chemotherapeutic agents (e.g. doxorubicin) in order to decrease general toxicities of doxorubicin (DOX) and to promote the efficacy, we aimed to develop a novel approach to stabilize SWNTs through consequent steps of oxidation and PEG-g-PEI polyionic complexation (PEG-PEI-SWNT).

Effectiveness of Anise Oil for Treatment of Mild to Moderate Depression in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Active and Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Depression is a prevalent disorder among patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. The current study was performed to evaluate the effect of a traditional Persian medicine product, anise oil, in removing the symptoms of mild to moderate depression in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. In a randomized double-blinded active and placebo controlled clinical trial, 120 participants with mild to moderate depression according to the Beck Depression Inventory-II total scores were categorized into 3 equal groups and received anise oil, Colpermin, and placebo.

Stealth Nanogels of Histinylated Poly Ethyleneimine for Sustained Delivery of Methotrexate in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Model.

Purpose: The study aimed to illustrate application of polycation Stealth nanogels for sustained delivery of methotrexate (MTX) in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) model in C57Bl/6 mice.

Methods: Nanogel synthesis involves metal ion coordinated self-assembly of PEGylated poly ethyleneimine (L-histidine substituted), chemical crosslinking and subsequent removal of the coordinated metal. The nanogels were characterized by TEM and DLS-zeta potential.