Effects of hydrophilic fullerene nanoarchitectured structures on the behaviour of neural stem cells.

The interaction between nanoarchitectonic fullerenes and cells is essential for their applications in the biological field. Herein we reported the preparation and investigation of the function of different types of water-dispersible self-assembled fullerenes. The hydrophobic self-assembled fullerenes were either surface-modified or chemically etched to become water dispersible.

Enhancement of chitosan nanoparticle-facilitated gene transfection by ultrasound both in vitro and in vivo.

In recent years, inefficiency of transfection and the lack of safe gene vectors have limited the feasibility of gene therapy. Fabrication of a vector that is safe and has high transfection efficiency is crucial for the development of successful gene therapies. Herein, we complexed chitosan to plasmids at various N/P ratios, the molar ratios of the amino groups of chitosan to the phosphate groups of DNA, to create chitosan-DNA nanoparticles (CDNs), and then measured CDNs size, zeta-potential, efficiency of plasmid complexation, and plasmid integrity from enzyme digestion.

Folic acid-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles enhanced protoporphyrin IX accumulation in colorectal cancer cells.

Folic acid can be covalently conjugated to chitosan molecules via its gamma-carboxyl moiety and thus retain a high affinity for colorectal cancer cells bearing folate receptor overexpression. Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of malignant death and often goes undetected with current colonoscopy practices. Improved methods of detecting dysplasia and tumors during colonoscopy will improve mortality.

Effect of chitosan-alginate nanoparticles and ultrasound on the efficiency of gene transfection of human cancer cells.

Background: Gene therapy has been used to treat a variety of health problems, but transfection inefficiency and the lack of safe vectors have limited clinical progress. Fabrication of a vector that is safe and has high transfection efficiency is crucial for the development of successful gene therapy. The present study aimed to synthesize chitosan-alginate nanoparticles that can be used as carriers of the pAcGFP1-C1 plasmid and to use these nanoparticles with an ultrasound protocol to achieve high efficiency gene transfection.

Differences in gene expression between sonoporation in tumor and in muscle.

Background: Ultrasound (US) is a novel and effective tool for the local delivery of genes into target tissues. US can temporarily change the permeability of a cell membrane and thus enhance the delivery of naked DNA into cells. In the present study, the efficiencies of gene expression mediated by US delivery in orthotopic liver tumor, subcutaneous tumor and muscle tissue were evaluated by changing the contrast agent concentrations and US exposure durations.

Time dependency of ultrasound-facilitated gene transfection.

Background: The use of ultrasound (US)-facilitated gene therapy is increasing rapidly as a result of its high specificity and non-invasiveness. However, the acoustic parameters that produce the most efficient transfection have not been established. The present study investigated the effects of time parameters [including pulsing strategy (on- and off-times), exposure duration, pore opening time and expression duration] of US-facilitated gene transfection.