Insight into dysregulated VEGF-related genes in diabetic retinopathy through bioinformatic analyses.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a prevalent microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. VEGF plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of DR. To characterize the VEGF-related genes in DR patients, the RNAseq dataset of DR and normal control were downloaded from the GEO database and analyzed using R package limma.

Polyphenol-Scaffolded Modular Assembly of Heterotypic Cell-Cell Assemblies for Potentiating Cancer Immunotherapy.

Cells existing in the form of clusters often exhibit distinct biological functions from their single-cell counterparts. However, the ability to modulate cell-cell interactions among multiple cell types through molecular scaffolds remains an ongoing challenge. Here, a supramolecular phenolic network on surfaces of live cells designed is engineered to act as modular scaffolds that promote intercellular interactions, presenting a universal platform for the construction of cell-cell assemblies (CCAs).

Polyphenol-Nanoengineered Monocyte Biohybrids for Targeted Cardiac Repair and Immunomodulation.

Myocardial infarction is one of the leading cause of cardiovascular death worldwide. Invasive interventional procedures and medications are applied to attenuate the attacks associated with ischemic heart disease by reestablishing blood flow and restoring oxygen supply. However, the overactivation of inflammatory responses and unsatisfactory drug delivery efficiency in the infarcted regions prohibit functional improvement.

Metal-Phenolic Nanocloaks on Cancer Cells Potentiate STING Pathway Activation for Synergistic Cancer Immunotherapy.

Due to the presence of natural neoantigens, autologous tumor cells hold great promise as personalized therapeutic vaccines. Yet autologous tumor cell vaccines require multi-step production that frequently leads to the loss of immunoreactive antigens, causing insufficient immune activation and significantly hampering their clinical applications. Herein, we introduce a novel whole-cell cancer vaccine by cloaking cancer cells with lipopolysaccharide-decorated manganese(II)-phenolic networks (MnTA nanocloaks) to evoke tumor-specific immune response for highly efficacious synergistic cancer immunotherapy.

Systemic Tumor Suppression via Macrophage-Driven Automated Homing of Metal-Phenolic-Gated Nanosponges for Metastatic Melanoma.

Cell-based therapies comprising the administration of living cells to patients for direct therapeutic activities have experienced remarkable success in the clinic, of which macrophages hold great potential for targeted drug delivery due to their inherent chemotactic mobility and homing ability to tumors with high efficiency. However, such targeted delivery of drugs through cellular systems remains a significant challenge due to the complexity of balancing high drug-loading with high accumulations in solid tumors. Herein, a tumor-targeting cellular drug delivery system (MAGN) by surface engineering of tumor-homing macrophages (Mφs) with biologically responsive nanosponges is reported.

Multifunctional Dual Cross-Linked Bioadhesive Patch with Low Immunogenic Response and Wet Tissues Adhesion.

The development of bioadhesives is an important, yet challenging task as seemingly mutually exclusive properties need to be combined in one material, that is, strong adhesion, water resistance, and high biocompatibility. Here, a biocompatible and biodegradable protein-based bioadhesive patch (PBP) with high adhesion strength and low immunogenic response is reported. PBP exists as a strong adhesion for biological surfaces, which is higher than some conventional bioadhesives (i.

Intratumoral synthesis of transformable metal-phenolic nanoaggregates with enhanced tumor penetration and retention for photothermal immunotherapy.

Effective photothermal therapy (PTT) remains a great challenge due to the difficulties of delivering photothermal agents with both deep penetration and prolonged retention at tumor lesion spatiotemporally. : Here, we report an intratumoral self-assembled nanostructured aggregate named FerH, composed of a natural polyphenol and a commercial iron supplement. FerH assemblies possess size-increasing dynamic kinetics as a pseudo-stepwise polymerization from discrete nanocomplexes to microscale aggregates.

First Survey of the Pathogenic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Wild Populations of the Yunnan Caecilian (Ichthyophis bannanicus) in Guangxi, China.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes chytridiomycosis, mainly infects Anura and Caudata but is poorly known in Gymnophiona. We conducted a survey of Bd in the Yunnan caecilian (Ichthyophis bannanicus) and found that 6 of 71 samples (8.4%) tested positive for Bd.

Roles of tissue plasminogen activator and its inhibitor in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Aim: To investigate the role of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and to discuss the correlations among t-PA, PAI and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressions.

Methods: A total of 36 vitreous samples were collected from 36 patients with PDR (PDR group), and 17 vitreous samples from 17 patients with idiopathic macular hole were used as control. The concentrations of t-PA, PAI and VEGF in samples were determined by ELISA method.

[The correlation study of the expression of VEGF with t-PA and PAI expression in plasma and intraocular tissue in proliferative diabetic retinopathy].

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between the expression of VEGF with t-PA and PAI expression in plasma aqueous humor and vitreous of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods: It was an experimental study. The concentrations of VEGF t-PA and PAI in plasma, aqueous humor and vitreous body in PDR and normal group were detected by ELISA.