Biological activities of siRNA-loaded lanthanum phosphate nanoparticles on colorectal cancer.

Lanthanum can reduce absorption of phosphate by forming lanthanum phosphate complexes after oral administration of lanthanum carbonate tablets (FOSRENOL®) in patients. Based on the pH-responsive interaction of phosphate and lanthanum ions, the chitosan coated siRNA-loaded lanthanum phosphate nanoparticles (CS/LaP/siRNA NPs) were prepared for improving cancer treatment, in which polysaccharide chitosan was used as the outer shell to control the excessive growth of lanthanum phosphate complexes, and enable intestinal mucoadhesion. The CS/LaP/siEGFR NPs exhibited significant biological activities in human colorectal cancer HT-29 cells by the synergistic effects of siEGFRs and lanthanum ions, such as downregulation of EGFR and upregulation of miR-34a.

Astragalus Polysaccharides Attenuate Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Rats.

Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) have been shown to possess a variety of biological activities including anti-oxidant and anti-inflammation functions in a number of diseases. However, their function in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is still unknown. Rats received APS (200[Formula: see text]mg/kg once two days) for 2 weeks after being injected with monocrotaline (MCT; 60[Formula: see text]mg/kg).

[Effects of different NO3- concentrations on the growth and antioxidant enzyme systems of strawberry seedlings].

The effects of different NO3- concentrations (CK, 16 mmol x L(-1) NO3-; T1, 48 mmol x L(-1) NO3-; T2, 96 mmol x L(-1) NO3-; T3, 144 mmol x L(-1) NO3-) on the growth properties and antioxidant enzymes activities of strawberry seedlings were studied by sand culture. The results indicated that the plant height, leaf area, dry matter accumulation and root/shoot ratio of strawberry seedlings in T1, T2 and T3 were significantly decreased compared to the control (CK) after 15 days of treatment. The plant heights in T1, T2 and T3 decreased by 16.