Environment-responsive dopamine nanoplatform for tumor synergistic therapy.

Nanoparticle-based photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as a promising approach in tumor treatment due to its high selectivity and low invasiveness. However, the penetration of near-infrared light (NIR) is limited, leading it fails to induce damage to the deep-seated tumor cells within the tumor tissue. Additionally, inefficient uptake of photothermal nanoparticles by tumor cells results in suboptimal outcomes for PTT.

IgG immune complex-induced acute lung injury is ameliorated by cAMP via down-regulation of C/EBP- and AP-1-mediated transcriptions.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) and its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are life threatening pulmonary diseases, and we are now lack of effective therapeutic methods. Inflammatory responses are essential for initiating ALI/ARDS. Thus, ameliorating inflammatory reaction might be beneficial for treatment of the disease.

The Crucial Role of PPARγ-Egr-1-Pro-Inflammatory Mediators Axis in IgG Immune Complex-Induced Acute Lung Injury.

Background: The ligand-activated transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ plays crucial roles in diverse biological processes including cellular metabolism, differentiation, development, and immune response. However, during IgG immune complex (IgG-IC)-induced acute lung inflammation, its expression and function in the pulmonary tissue remains unknown.

Objectives: The study is designed to determine the effect of PPARγ on IgG-IC-triggered acute lung inflammation, and the underlying mechanisms, which might provide theoretical basis for therapy of acute lung inflammation.

TNF-α induction of IL-6 in alveolar type II epithelial cells: Contributions of JNK/c-Jun/AP-1 element, C/EBPδ/C/EBP binding site and IKK/NF-κB p65/κB site.

Although participation of IL-6 in lung inflammation has been widely elucidated, the transcriptional regulation of its generation in alveolar type II cells stimulated by TNF-α remain unclear. Here, we find that TNF-α significantly induces IL-6 production, and TNF-α induction of IL-6 is mainly regulated at transcriptional level. Upon stimulated by TNF-α, Activator Protein-1 (AP-1)-mediated transcriptional activity is apparently increased in alveolar type II epithelial cells, which might be derived from elevated phosphorylation of JNK and subsequent activation of c-Jun.

Studies of in situ-forming hydrogels by blending PLA-PEG-PLA copolymer with silk fibroin solution.

Hydrogels had been prepared by blending PLA-PEG-PLA copolymer with Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) solution. Copolymers were synthesized by ring opening polymerization of L-lactide in the presence of dihydroxyl PEG with molar mass of 400 and 1000, and characterized by using (1)H NMR and DSC. Hydrogels formed leaf-like lamellar structures with many nanoglobules which may reserve drugs or growth factors more effectively.