Periostin antisense oligonucleotide suppresses bleomycin-induced formation of a lung premetastatic niche for melanoma.

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer death. A tumor-supportive microenvironment, or premetastatic niche, at potential secondary tumor sites plays an important role in metastasis, especially in tumor cell colonization. Although a fibrotic milieu is known to promote tumorigenesis and metastasis, the underlying molecular contributors to this effect have remained unclear.

Therapeutic Effect of Novel Single-Stranded RNAi Agent Targeting Periostin in Eyes with Retinal Neovascularization.

Retinal neovascularization (NV) due to retinal ischemia remains one of the principal causes of vision impairment in patients with ischemic retinal diseases. We recently reported that periostin (POSTN) may play a role in the development of preretinal fibrovascular membranes, but its role in retinal NV has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of POSTN in the ischemic retinas of a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinal NV.

Periostin antisense oligonucleotide prevents adhesion formation after surgery in mice.

To study the role of periostin in adhesion formation, the effect of periostin antisense oligonucleotide (PAO) on adhesion formation was evaluated in mice. Under anesthesia, the serous membrane of the cecum was abraded, and the adhesion score and mRNA levels of periostin and its related factors were determined after surgery. Saline, 40 mg/kg of negative sense oligonucleotide (NSO), or 40 mg/kg of PAO were injected into the abdomen after surgery, and the adhesion score and mRNA levels were evaluated 14 days later.

A-5021: a new acyclovir analogue inhibits murine herpetic keratitis.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of A-5021, a new analogue of acyclovir, on murine herpetic keratitis.

Methods: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (strain CHR3) was inoculated onto bilateral scarified BALB/c corneas. Clinical scores on the corneas treated with A-5021 eyedrops were compared with those obtained from the treatment with 3% acyclovir eye ointment by slit lamp microscopy.

Oncolytic viral therapy for breast cancer with herpes simplex virus type 1 mutant HF 10.

Background And Objectives: Many genetically engineered viruses have been evaluated for their potential as therapeutic agents in the treatment of malignant tumors. We applied a spontaneously generated, highly attenuated herpes simplex virus (HSV) type-1 clone, HF10, to the treatment of breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the ability of HF10 to infect and lyse human and murine breast cancer cells in vitro and tested its efficacy in an immuno-competent animal model of breast cancer.