mRNA-From COVID-19 Treatment to Cancer Immunotherapy.

This review provides an overview covering mRNA from its use in the COVID-19 pandemic to cancer immunotherapy, starting from the selection of appropriate antigens, tumor-associated and tumor-specific antigens, neoantigens, the basics of optimizing the mRNA molecule in terms of stability, efficacy, and tolerability, choosing the best formulation and the optimal route of administration, to summarizing current clinical trials of mRNA vaccines in tumor therapy.

Resistance to prostate cancer treatments.

A review of the current treatment options for prostate cancer and the formation of resistance to these regimens has been compiled including primary, acquired, and cross-resistance. The diversification of the pathways involved and the escape routes the tumor is utilizing have been addressed. Whereas early stages of tumor can be cured, there is no treatment available after a point of no return has been reached, leaving palliative treatment as the only option.

Resistance to anti-tubulin agents: From vinca alkaloids to epothilones.

This review describes the mechanism of action - inhibition of microtubules - and the most important mechanisms of resistance for vinca alkaloids, taxanes and epothilones. Resistance is a major problem in vinca and taxane chemotherapy and arises in most cases from overexpression of efflux pumps that transport the drugs out of the cancer cells and from modifications of the target, the microtubules, by overexpression of tubulin isotypes or by attachment of proteins to the ends of the microtubules so that the target is no longer recognized by the drugs. In some cases, however, this process can have the opposite effect, leading to sensitization, e.

Alemtuzumab-induced elimination of HIV-1-infected immune cells.

Background: Currently, there is no drug known that is able to eradicate either HIV or HIV-infected host cells. The effectiveness of all available treatments is based on the prevention of viral replication. We investigated whether the monoclonal, CD52 receptor-targeting antibody, alemtuzumab, which is currently approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, is able to eliminate HIV-infected immune cells.

CT imaging with iopromide liposomes in a rabbit model.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the computed tomography (CT)-imaging potential of iopromide-carrying liposomes (SPC/CH/SPG, 6:3:1) of approximately 200 nm in diameter in healthy rabbits and in rabbits with implanted liver tumors in an intraindividual comparison with iopromide. Normal rabbits and animals with VX2 tumors implanted into the liver received iopromide (600 mg of iodine/kg, bolus injection) and, 1 or 2 days later, iopromide liposomes (300 mg of iodine/kg, bolus injection or 10-minute infusion). CT imaging up to 1 hour after administration was performed, focusing on the aorta, vena cava, kidney, spleen, and liver.

Iodinated nitroimidazoles as radiosensitizers.

Four different nitroimidazole derivatives, with up to two iodine atoms on the imidazole ring, were investigated for their radiosensitizing potency under hypoxic conditions, in order to test whether the introduction of iodine atoms increases the radiosensitizing potency of nitroimidazoles. Misonidazole and metronidazole were used as controls. Human colonic adenocarcinoma cells were incubated with the drugs at different concentrations and for different time-periods.

A new animal model for testing renal tolerance of contrast agents.

Rationale And Objectives: To develop a new animal model for the evaluation of the renal tolerance of contrast agent and its application to diatrizoate and iotrolan injections in comparison to saline and mannitol solution.

Materials And Methods: The nephrotoxic potential of intravenously injected contrast agents in Beagle dogs was determined from the effects on the pharmacokinetics of creatinine injected immediately after these agents in comparison with the kinetics of creatinine injected alone. The kinetic parameters evaluated included plasma half-life, volume of distribution, and clearance.

Single-trial classification of elementary comparison processes on the basis of instantaneous EEG and MEG coherences.

The present study is focused on the evidence of possible single-trial EEG/MEG analysis of information processing. The discrimination between thinking modalities of concept activation and pattern comparison for single tasks of elementary comparison procedures is investigated. A neural network classifier with backpropagation learning algorithm is used.

Use of additives to contrast media to improve imaging in plain film and computed tomography urography.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate the effects of additives to iodinated radiograph contrast agents on image quality in plain film and CT urography.

Materials And Methods: Urea (52 mg/mL), iloprost (10, 20, 50, and 100 ng/mL), nifedipine (0.02 mg/mL), papaverine (0.

Efficacy of the iodine-free computed tomography liver contrast agent, Dy-EOB-DTPA, in comparison with a conventional iodinated agent in normal and in tumor-bearing rabbits.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of the new liver-specific x-ray contrast agent, Dy-EOB-DTPA, in rabbits with VX2 liver tumors by spiral computed tomography (CT) in comparison to iopromide.

Materials And Methods: The time course of liver enhancement was determined in five groups of two normal anesthetized rabbits, which received intravenous injections of Dy-EOB-DTPA before anesthesia at a dose of 0.5 mmol/kg.