Specific adsorption of a β-lactam antibiotic by an anion-exchange resin for protection of the intestinal microbiota.

The fraction of antibiotics that are excreted from the intestine during administration leads to disruption of commensal bacteria as well as resulting in dysbiosis and various diseases. To protect the gut microbiota during treatment with antibiotics, use of activated carbon (AC) has recently been reported as a method to adsorb antibiotics. However, the antibiotic adsorption by AC is nonspecific and may also result in the adsorption of essential biological molecules.

A Lipid-Based Nanocarrier Containing Active Vitamin D Ameliorates NASH in Mice via Direct and Intestine-Mediated Effects on Liver Inflammation.

The gut-liver axis may be involved in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) progression. Pathogen-associated molecular patterns leak through the intestinal barrier to the liver via the portal vein to contribute to NASH development. Active vitamin D (1,25(OH)D) is a potential therapeutic agent to enhance the intestinal barrier.

Protection of gut microbiome from antibiotics: development of a vancomycin-specific adsorbent with high adsorption capacity.

The fraction of administered antibiotics that reach the cecum and colon causes dysbiosis of the gut microbiome, resulting in various diseases. Protection of the gut microbiome from antibiotics using antibiotic adsorbents in the cecum and colon is a promising method to overcome this issue. Previously, activated charcoal (AC) has been reported to protect the gut microbiome of host animals.

Therapeutic effect of vitamin D-containing nanostructured lipid carriers on inflammatory bowel disease.

The active form of vitamin D, 1,25(OH)D has been found to exert multiple effects on the suppression of progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Vitamin D has been gathering attention as a therapy for IBD. However, the clinical trials conducted to date revealed that a relatively high dosage of vitamin D was required to see a significant therapeutic effect.

Preparation of Complexes between Ovalbumin Nanoparticles and Retinoic Acid for Efficient Induction of Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells.

The induction of antigen-specific immunotolerance has been gathering attention concerning the therapy of allergy and autoimmune diseases. Tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDCs) play crucial roles in immunotolerance therapy because they induce anergic responses for auto-reactive helper T cells, and also enhance differentiation to regulatory T cells to maintain tolerance against auto-antigens. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is one of the representative molecules used to induce tDCs.

Regulation of inflammatory response of macrophages and induction of regulatory T cells by using retinoic acid-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier.

Immunomodulatory function of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been gathering much attention for the therapy of autoimmune diseases. ATRA is a chemically unstable molecule which requires proper formulation for targeted delivery. Here we examined nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) for the formulation of ATRA.

A Dual Alkylated Peptide-ligand Enhances Affinity to Human Serum Albumin.

Therapeutic peptides and diagnostic agents with their molecular size below the renal clearance threshold suffer from short blood circulation time. Here, we report a novel design of peptide-based ligand with a strong binding affinity to human serum albumin (HSA), which can be used as a tag to extend the blood circulation of small-size molecules. We designed ligands with dual alkyl groups connected with a negatively charged spacer.