This study introduces boronic ester-based ROS-responsive amphiphilic copolymers for antioxidant drug delivery. Tuning the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance optimized the size, curcumin encapsulation, ROS-triggered release, cellular uptake, and intracellular ROS scavenging. The lead P1b formulation self-assembled into stable 10 nm micelles enabling rapid ROS-triggered curcumin release and preferential cellular internalization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe development of drug delivery systems with real-time cargo release monitoring capabilities is imperative for optimizing nanomedicine performance. Herein, we report an innovative self-reporting drug delivery platform based on a ROS-responsive random copolymer () capable of visualizing cargo release kinetics via the activation of an integrated fluorophore. was synthesized by copolymerization of pinacol boronate, PEG, and naphthalimide monomers to impart ROS-sensitivity, hydrophilicity, and fluorescence signaling, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiabetes has been listed as one of the three major diseases that endanger human health. Accurately injecting insulin (Ins) depending on the level of blood glucose (LBG) is the standard treatment, especially controlling LBG in the long-term by a single injection. Herein, the pH-responsive hexa-histidine metal assembly (HmA) encapsulated with enzymes (GOx and CAT) and Ins (HmA@GCI) is engineered as the vehicle for glucose-mediated insulin delivery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDue to the high reactivity of reactive oxygen species (ROS), it is essential to sweep them away in time. In this study, ClO-responsible amphiphilic brush polymers were prepared by free radical polymerization using two monomers consisting of polyethylene glycol as the hydrophilic part, and an alkyl chain connected by hydrazone as the hydrophobic part. The macromolecules assemble into particles with nanoscaled dimensions in a neutral buffer, which ensures quick cellular internalization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCombined drug administration is a potential strategy to increase efficacy through therapeutic synergy. Small molecule drugs and protein drugs are the two most popular kinds of drugs in medicine. However, efficiently encapsulating these two drugs still have key challenges due to their distinct properties (molecular weight, hydrophilicity, chemical groups, etc.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn recent decades, the use of protein drugs has increased dramatically for almost every clinical indication, including autoimmunity and cancer infection, given their high specificity and limited side effects. However, their easy deactivation by the surrounding microenvironment and limited ability to pass through biological barriers pose large challenges to the use of these agents for therapeutic effects; these deficits could be greatly improved by nanodelivery using platforms with suitable physicochemical properties. Here, to assess the effect of the hydrophobicity of nanoparticles on their ability to penetrate biological barriers, the hydrophobic amino acid tyrosine (Y) was decorated onto hexahistidine peptide, and two nanosized YHmA and HmA particles were generated, in which Avastin (Ava, a protein drug) was encapsulated by a coassembly strategy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOvarian cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) play a vital role in drug resistance and recurrence of ovarian cancer. Inducing phenotypic differentiation is an important strategy to enhance the effects of chemotherapy and reduce the drug resistance of CSCs. This study found that lumiflavin, a riboflavin decomposition product, reduced the development of CSC resistance and enhanced the chemotherapy effect of cisplatin (DDP) on CSCs in DDP-resistant ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cell line (CSCs/DDP) and was related to the induction of CSC phenotypic differentiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTraumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Our previous studies have found that traditional Chinese medicine, () can reduce cerebral hemorrhage in rats with TBI. Yet, the exact mechanism still remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnticancer Agents Med Chem
January 2022
Background: The development of Cancer Stem-like Cells (CSCs) is one of the main causes of ovarian cancer tolerance to radiotherapy. Autophagy is an adaptive process by which cells damage due to radiation. As a metabolite of riboflavin, lumiflavin can enhance the chemotherapeutic effects of cisplatin on ovarian cancer CSCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Periodontal Res
October 2020
Background And Objective: Human gingival fibrolasts aging is an important cause of periodontal disease. Phenytoin sodium (phenytoin) has a side effect of gingival hyperplasia and an effect on the autophagy progress. This study investigated whether the effect of phenytoin on aging gingival fibroblast is related to the autophagy pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) has proven to be a promising alternative to traditional corneal grafts. This prospective case series was conducted to further investigate the healing characteristics of APCS following keratoplasty.
Methods: Twenty-seven patients undergoing APCS implantation to treat infectious keratitis were included.
Here, we used lumiflavin, an inhibitor of riboflavin, as a new potential therapeutic chemosensitizer to ovarian cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). This study demonstrates that the enrichment of riboflavin in CSCs is an important cause of its resistance to chemotherapy. Lumiflavin can effectively reduce the riboflavin enrichment in CSCs and sensitize the effect of cisplatin Diamminedichloroplatinum (DDP) on CSCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProbucol has antioxidant effects and inhibits inflammation. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor that regulates autophagy, which is regarded as the key cause of the activation of hepatic stellate cell (HSC). In this study, the effects of probucol on HSC activation and autophagy in vitro and vivo and the role of FXR in this progress were investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aims: Cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction (MI) is involved in fibroblast transforming and differentiating into myofibroblast phenoconversion, however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated pathogen-associated molecular patterns are key factors that deteriorate cardiac remodelling after MI. Moreover, autophagy has dual roles in cell survival in myocardial tissues after MI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study was conducted to evaluate conjunctival blood flow velocities and microvascular network density in patients with dry eye disease (DED). Twenty-five patients with DED and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The microvasculature and microcirculation of the temporal bulbar conjunctiva of the right eyes were assessed using a functional slit-lamp biomicroscope.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of the present study was to examine whether aspirin interferes with the inflammatory response in a thrombus‑stimulated lung microvascular endothelial cell (LMVEC) model. The LMVECs were randomly divided into eight groups: Normal group (group N), model group (group M), model + ASP group (group M+A), model+CX3CL1‑short hairpin (sh)RNA group (group M+SH), model + CX3CL1‑overexpression vector group (group M+CX3), model + ASP + shRNA group (group M+A+SH), model + ASP + CX3CL1‑overexpression vector group (group M+A+CX3), and normal + virus control group (group N+V). The endothelial cells were cultured, and a thrombus was added to the cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To investigate the expression and roles of type I and II interferons (IFNs) in fungal keratitis, as well as the therapeutic effects of tacrolimus (FK506) and voriconazole on this condition.
Methods: The mRNA and protein expression levels of type I (IFN-α/β) and II (IFN-γ) IFNs, as well as of related downstream inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-17), were detected in macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and corneal epithelial cells (A6(1) cells) stimulated with zymosan (10 mg/ml) for 8 or 24 h. A fungal keratitis mouse model was generated through intrastromal injection of , and the mice were then divided into four groups: group I, the PBS group; group II, the voriconazole group; group III, the FK506 group; and group IV, the voriconazole plus 0.
Purpose: To establish a new scoring system for limbal dermoid, in order to unify the diagnostic criteria and assess the prognosis.
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 261 patients with limbal dermoid. The basic information, clinical features, and pathology of dermoids were recorded, and the prognosis at 1 year after keratoplasty was assessed at follow-up.
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced keratitis is a progressive infectious ocular disease in which innate inflammatory responses often cause clinical tissue damage and vision loss. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of tacrolimus, an effective immunomodulator, on LPS‑induced innate immune responses. The effects of tacrolimus on the apoptotic rate and viability of human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs), polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and monocytes (THP‑1 cells) were examined using flow cytome-try and MTT assays.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStatins are competitive inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-A) reductase, and studies have shown that statins also have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-asthmatic effects of pitavastatin, a type of statin, in an asthma mouse model. Mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to establish the asthma model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study aimed to explore the influence of aspirin on the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling pathway in acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in rats. Our previous study found that CX3CL1/CX3CR1 was increased in APE. However, the effect of this signaling pathway on APE remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAsthma is a chronic airway disease common around the world. The burden of this disease could be reduced with new and effective treatments. Here, the efficacy of a polysaccharide extract from the (BEP) mushroom, which has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, was tested in a mouse model of asthma.
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