Cellular uptake, intracellular behavior, and acute/sub-acute cytotoxicity of a PEG-modified quantum dot with promising biomedical applications.

Quantum Dots (QDs) modified with branched Polyethylene Glycol-amine (6- or 8-arm PEG-amine) coupled with methoxy PEG (mPEG) hold great promise for biomedical applications due to a long half-life in blood and negligible toxicity. However, the potential risks regarding their concomitant prolonged co-incubation with cardiovascular and blood cells remains inconclusive. In the present study, the feasible, effective and convenient proliferating-restricted cell line models representing the circulatory system were established to investigate the cellular internalization followed by intracellular outcomes and resulting acute/sub-acute cytotoxicity of the 6-arm PEG-amine/mPEG QDs.

Effective suppression of triple negative breast cancer by paclitaxel nanoparticles conjugated with transmembrane TNF-α monoclonal antibody.

Transmembrane TNF-α (tmTNF), a transmembrane form of TNF-α, was reported overexpressed in approximately 84% of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients and has emerged as a valid candidate biomarker for targeting TNBC. Paclitaxel is a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, but suffers from low water solubility, resulting in its low bioavailability. To achieve site-specific delivery of the anticancer chemotherapeutic drug (paclitaxel) on TNBC, we developed tmTNF-α monoclonal antibody (mAb)-conjugated paclitaxel (PTX) nanoparticles (NPs) (tmTNF-α mAb-PTX NPs) as potential nanocarriers.

Kinetics and mechanism of Pseudoanabaena cell inactivation, 2-MIB release and degradation under exposure of ozone, chlorine and permanganate.

The organic pollutants produced by cyanobacteria cells, such as off-flavor compounds (e.g. 2-methylisoborneol, 2-MIB) and hazardous toxins (e.