Stem cell-based therapies offer promising avenues for treating inflammatory diseases owing to their immunomodulatory properties. However, challenges persist regarding their survival and efficacy in inflamed tissues. Our study introduces a novel approach by engineering adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to enhance their viability in inflammatory environments and boost the secretion of paracrine factors for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEstrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) is a member of the ERR orphan nuclear receptor family which possesses three subtypes, α, β, and γ. ERRγ is reportedly predominantly expressed in metabolically active tissues and cells, which promotes positive and negative effects in different tissues. ERRγ overexpression in the liver, pancreas, and thyroid cells is related to liver cancer, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation, and carcinoma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Pharm Sin B
July 2024
Optimum genetic delivery for modulating target genes to diseased tissue is a major obstacle for profitable gene therapy. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), considered a prospective vehicle for nucleic acid delivery, have demonstrated efficacy in human use during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study introduces a novel biomaterial-based platform, M1-polarized macrophage-derived cellular nanovesicle-coated LNPs (M1-C-LNPs), specifically engineered for a combined gene-immunotherapy approach against solid tumor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAphids are a major problem in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry by feeding on leaves and stems, causing discoloration, leaf curling, yellowing, and stunted growth. Although urushiol, a phenolic compound containing a catechol structure, is known for its antioxidant and anticancer properties, using small molecules to control aphids via catechol-mediated mechanisms is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of 3-methylcatechol (3-MC) on Myzus persicae fecundity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer recurrence and metastasis are major contributors to treatment failure following tumor resection surgery. We developed a novel implantable drug delivery system utilizing glycol chitosan to address these issues. Glycol chitosan is a natural adjuvant, inducing dendritic cell activation to promote T helper 1 cell immune responses, macrophage activation, and cytokine production.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a family of chronic disorders along the gastrointestinal tract. Because of its idiopathic nature, IBD does not have a fundamental cure; current available therapies for IBD are limited to prolonged doses of immunomodulatory agents. While these treatments may reduce inflammation, limited therapeutic efficacy, inconsistency across patients, and adverse side effects from aggressive medications remain as major drawbacks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAtopic dermatitis (AD) is a widespread, recurrent, and chronic inflammatory skin condition that imposes a major burden on patients. Conventional treatments, such as corticosteroids, are associated with various side effects, underscoring the need for innovative therapeutic approaches. In this study, the possibility of using indole-3-acetic acid-loaded layered double hydroxides (IAA-LDHs) is evaluated as a novel treatment for AD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParticulate matter (PM) exposure disrupts the skin barrier, causing cutaneous inflammation that may eventually contribute to the development of various skin diseases. Herein, we introduce anti-inflammatory artificial extracellular vesicles (AEVs) fabricated through cell extrusion using the biosurfactant PEGylated mannosylerythritol lipid (P-MEL), hereafter named AEV. The P-MEL has anti-inflammatory abilities with demonstrated efficacy in inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system, has shown immense promise in the fight against malignancies. Messenger RNA (mRNA) stands as a versatile instrument in this context, with its capacity to encode tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), immune cell receptors, cytokines, and antibodies. Nevertheless, the inherent structural instability of mRNA requires the development of effective delivery systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most lethal form of breast cancer. TNBC patients have higher rates of metastasis and restricted therapy options. Although chemotherapy is the conventional treatment for TNBC, the frequent occurrence of chemoresistance significantly lowers the efficacy of treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists has shown great promise in preclinical studies, the clinical development of STING agonist therapy is challenged by its limited systemic delivery. Here, positively charged fusogenic liposomes loaded with a STING agonist (PoSTING) are designed for systemic delivery and to preferentially target the tumor microenvironment. When PoSTING is administered intravenously, it selectively targets not only tumor cells but also immune and tumor endothelial cells (ECs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDF-NT (-NT) is an anaerobic bacterium that can be used for targeted cancer therapy because it germinates selectively in the hypoxic regions of tumor tissues. However, systemic administration of -NT spores cannot effectively treat tumors because of the limited intratumoral delivery of active spores. In this study, we demonstrated that multifunctional porous microspheres (MPMs) containing -NT spores have the potential for image-guided local tumor therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdoptive cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells (CAR-Ts) has emerged as an innovative immunotherapy for hematological cancer treatment. However, the limited effect on solid tumors, complex processes, and excessive manufacturing costs remain as limitations of CAR-T therapy. Nanotechnology provides an alternative to the conventional CAR-T therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe tumor microenvironment (TME) is a unique environment that is developed by the tumor and controlled by tumor-induced interactions with host cells during tumor progression. The TME includes immune cells, which can be classified into two types: tumor- antagonizing and tumor-promoting immune cells. Increasing the tumor treatment responses is associated with the tumor immune microenvironment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMacrophages are present in all tissues for maintaining tissue homeostasis, and macrophage polarization plays a vital role in alleviating inflammation. Therefore, specific delivery of polarization modulators to macrophages is critical for treating inflammatory diseases. We demonstrate that a size-controlled miRNA-encapsulated macrophage-targeting liposomes (miR/MT-Lip) specifically targets macrophages to promote M1-to-M2 polarization conversion, alleviating inflammation without cytotoxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaterials (Basel)
November 2022
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with two-dimensional nanostructure are inorganic materials that have attractive advantages such as biocompatibility, facile preparation, and high drug loading capacity for therapeutic bioapplications. Since the intercalation chemistry of DNA molecules into the LDH materials were reported, various LDH nanohybrids have been developed for biomedical drug delivery system. For these reasons, LDHs hybridized with numerous therapeutic agents have a significant role in cancer imaging and therapy with targeting functions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients with high-risk non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are at risk of metastatic relapse following nephrectomy. Cabozantinib (CZ), a potent multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor, interferes with angiogenesis and immunosuppression associated with surgery-induced metastasis. Here, we explored the therapeutic potential of CZ-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (CZ-PLGA-NPs) as an adjuvant strategy for targeting post-nephrectomy metastasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer immunotherapy is a next-generation treatment strategy; however, its side effects limit its clinical translation. Here, a novel combination of a multi-functional nano-adjuvant (M-NA) prepared with an iron oxide/gold core and a cationic polymer shell via multilayer synthesis with CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) electrostatically complexed on its surface, and irreversible electroporation (IRE) technique was developed for effective image-guided in situ cancer vaccination. The M-NA can be retained long-term in the dense tumoral extracellular matrix after intratumoral injection and internalized by antigen-presenting cells (APCs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsive cleavable hierarchical metallic supra-nanostructure (HMSN) is reported. HMSN structured with thin branches composed of primary gold (Au) nanocrystals and silver (Ag) nano-linkers is synthesized by a one-pot aqueous synthesis with a selected ratio of Au/Ag/cholate. ROS responsive degradability of HMSN is tested in the presence of endogenous and exogeneous ROS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are core components of innate immunity to protect insects against microbial infections. Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors that can regulate the expression of genes critical for insect development including molting and metamorphosis. However, the role of NRs in host innate immune response to microbial infection remains poorly understood in Tribolium castaneum (T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Chitin, a major component of insect cuticles, plays a critical role in insect molting and morphogenesis. Thus, coordination of chitin remodeling during insect development requires tight transcriptional control of the chitin metabolism genes involved in chitin synthesis, assembly and degradation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying transcriptional coordination of chitin metabolism genes during beetle development is not yet completely understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLoading and eluting drugs on self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) can be challenging in terms of fabrication, mechanical stability, and therapeutic effects. In this study, a flexible 3D nanonetworked silica film (NSF) capable of withstanding mechanical stress during dynamic expansion is constructed to function as a drug delivery platform on an entire SEMS surface. Despite covering a broad curved area, the synthesized NSF is defect-free and thin enough to increase the stent strut diameter (110 µm) by only 0.
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