Vitamin A - modified Betulin polymer micelles with hepatic targeting capability for hepatic fibrosis protection.

Targeting hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) can improve the therapeutic efficacy of medicines used to treat hepatic fibrosis. The present work aimed to study the feasibility of homing devices with vitamin A(V) chemically attached for delivering betulin(Bt)specifically to HSCs. The manufacture and characterisation of V modified poly (ethylene glycol) -poly (lactide-co-glycolide) block copolymer micelles loaded with Bt (Bt/ VPPMs) and their potential therapeutic benefits in vitro and in vivo are described in this paper.

Arctigenin ameliorates depression-like behaviors in Toxoplasma gondii-infected intermediate hosts via the TLR4/NF-κB and TNFR1/NF-κB signaling pathways.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a known neurotropic protozoan that remains in the central nervous system and induces neuropsychiatric diseases in intermediate hosts. Arctigenin (AG) is one of the major bioactive lignans of the fruit Arctium lappa L.

Ultrasensitive MRI detection of spontaneous pancreatic tumors with nanocage-based targeted contrast agent.

Contrast agents with greater specificity and sensitivity are required for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancers by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, small heat shock protein 16.5 (Hsp16.

Noninvasive mapping of the redox status of dimethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic fibrosis using in vivo dynamic nuclear polarization-magnetic resonance imaging.

Hepatic fibrosis is a chronic disorder caused by viral infection and/or metabolic, genetic and cholestatic disorders. A noninvasive procedure that enables the detection of liver fibrosis based on redox status would be useful for disease identification and monitoring, and the development of treatments. However, an appropriate technique has not been reported.

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer-Based Self-Assembled Nanoprobe for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is the most serious and challenging complication following gastroenterological surgery. Activated pancreatic juice leaking from the organ remnant contains proteases that attack the surrounding tissue, potentially leading to severe inflammation, tissue necrosis, and fistula formation. However, it is difficult to observe pancreatic leakage during surgery and to evaluate the protease activity of leaked fluid at the patient's bedside.

Splenectomy enhances the therapeutic effect of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell infusion on cirrhosis rats.

Background & Aims: Clinical studies suggest that splenectomy improves liver function in cirrhotic patients, but the influence of splenectomy on stem cell transplantation is poorly understood. This study investigated the effect of splenectomy on stem cell infusion and elucidated its mechanism.

Methods: Rat adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells were infused into cirrhosis rats with or without splenectomy, followed by the assessment of the in vivo distribution of stem cells and pathological changes.

Design and Function of Engineered Protein Nanocages as a Drug Delivery System for Targeting Pancreatic Cancer Cells via Neuropilin-1.

We describe the development of neuropilin 1-binding peptide (iRGD)-nanocages that specifically target human pancreatic cancer cells in which an iRGD is joined to the surface of naturally occurring heat shock protein (HSP) cages. Using a genetic engineering approach, the iRGD domain was joined to the C-terminal region of the HSP cage using flexible linker moieties. The characteristics of the interdomain linkages between the nanocage and the iRGD domain play an important role in the specificity and affinity of the iRGD-nanocages for their target cells.

Basic fibroblast growth factor-treated adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell infusion to ameliorate liver cirrhosis via paracrine hepatocyte growth factor.

Background And Aim: Recent studies show that adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells have potential clinical applications. However, the mechanism has not been fully elucidated yet. Here, we investigated the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor-treated adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells infusion on a liver fibrosis rat model and elucidated the underlying mechanism.

Systemic delivery of protein nanocages bearing CTT peptides for enhanced imaging of MMP-2 expression in metastatic tumor models.

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) in metastatic cancer tissue, which is associated with a poor prognosis, is a potential target for tumor imaging in vivo. Here, we describe a metastatic cancer cell-targeted protein nanocage. An MMP-2-binding peptide, termed CTT peptide (CTTHWGFTLC), was conjugated to the surface of a naturally occurring heat shock protein nanocage by genetic modification.

Expression and characterization of myristoylated preS1-conjugated nanocages for targeted cell delivery.

Lipid modification of proteins plays key roles in cellular signaling pathways. We describe the development of myristoylated preS1-nanocages (myr-preS1-nanocages) that specifically target human hepatocyte-like HepaRG cells in which a specific receptor-binding peptide (preS1) is joined to the surface of naturally occurring ferritin cages. Using a genetic engineering approach, the preS1 peptide was joined to the N-terminal regions of the ferritin cage via flexible linker moieties.

A nanocarrier based on a genetically engineered protein cage to deliver doxorubicin to human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Herein, we report the preparation of genetically engineered protein cages (HspG41C-SP94), taken up selectively by human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. An engineered protein cage-doxorubicin (DOX) conjugate was as cytotoxic as free DOX against HCC cells but much less cytotoxic against normal hepatocytes.

Liver cell specific targeting by the preS1 domain of hepatitis B virus surface antigen displayed on protein nanocages.

Protein nanocages are self-organized complexes of oligomers whose three-dimensional architecture can been determined in detail. These structures possess nanoscale inner cavities into which a variety of molecules, including therapeutic or diagnostic agents, can be encapsulated. These properties yield these particles suitable for a new class of drug delivery carrier, or as a bioimaging reagent that might respond to biochemical signals in many different cellular processes.

Development of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell-targeted protein cages.

We described herein a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell-targeted protein cage for which the HCC-binding peptide termed SP94 was modified at the surface of a naturally occurred heat shock protein (Hsp) cage. Six types of HCC-targeted Hsp cages were chemically synthesized using two types of heterobifunctional linker (SM(PEG)(n)) with different lengths and two types of SP94 peptide, which contained a unique Cys residue at the N- or C-terminus of the peptide. These Hsp cages were characterized using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) analyses, sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analyses, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement.