Publications by authors named "Xianzhong Zhang"

Vitamin A is a crucial nutrient renowned for its role in visual health and cellular regulation. Its derivatives influence cell differentiation, proliferation, and tissue homeostasis, making them significant in cancer research due to their effects on both normal and tumour cells. This review explores the intricate relationship between vitamin A metabolism and the extracellular matrix (ECM) in cancer.

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V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) plays a critical role in regulating innate and adaptive immune responses within the tumor immune microenvironment. Quantifying VISTA expression is necessary to determine whether patients respond to a related combination immunotherapy. This study developed two Ga-labeled small-molecule probes ([Ga]Ga-DCA and [Ga]Ga-DNCA) for visualizing and differentiating VISTA expression.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on developing a non-invasive imaging platform to monitor STING expression in tumors, which is crucial for enhancing tumor immunotherapy.
  • Researchers used a specific radioprobe for positron emission tomography (PET) to assess STING levels in different tumor models and optimized the probe's structure to improve its effectiveness in imaging.
  • Results indicated a strong correlation between the amount of STING in tumors and the radioprobe uptake in PET imaging, leading to better visualization of tumors while minimizing non-targeted exposure.
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The limited progress in treatment options and the alarming survival rates in advanced melanoma emphasize the significant research importance of early melanoma diagnosis. RFVT3, a crucial protein at the core of energy metabolism reprogramming in melanoma, might play a pivotal role in early detection. In this study, [Ga]Ga-NOTA-RF, based on riboflavin (RF), was rationally developed and validated, serving as an innovative tool for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of RFVT3 expression in melanoma.

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Riboflavin transporter 3 (RFVT3) represents a potential cardioprotective biotarget in energetic metabolism reprogramming after myocardial infarction/reperfusion (MI/R). This study investigated the feasibility of noninvasive real-time quantification of RFVT3 expression after MI/R with an radiolabeled probe F-RFTA in a preclinical rat model of MI/R. The tracer F-RFTA was radio-synthesized manually and characterized on the subjects of radiolabeling yield, radiochemical purity, and stability .

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  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe lung condition, and current diagnostic methods may not effectively identify the disease in time for treatment.
  • The study investigates a new probe called F-NCRP for its potential to detect IPF early and monitor its progression, showing promising results in animal models with bleomycin-induced lung injury.
  • F-NCRP PET imaging demonstrated a stronger correlation with lung damage compared to traditional CT scans, suggesting it could be a valuable tool for understanding and evaluating IPF.
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With the development of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, the ability to monitor PD-L1 expression in the tumor microenvironment is important for guiding therapy. This study was performed to develop a novel radiotracer with optimal pharmacokinetic properties to reflect PD-L1 expression in vivo via single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. [Tc]Tc-HYNIC-WL12-tricine/M (M = TPPTS, PDA, ISONIC, 4-PSA) complexes with high radiochemical purity (>97%) and suitable molar activity (from 100.

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This study aimed to evaluate a novel albumin-binding strategy for addressing the challenge of insufficient tumor retention of fibroblast activation protein inhibitors (FAPIs). Maleimide, a molecule capable of covalent binding to free thiol groups, was modified to conjugate with FAPI-04 in order to enhance its binding to endogenous albumin, resulting in an extended blood circulation half-life and increased tumor uptake. DOTA-FAPI-maleimide was prepared and radiolabeled with Ga-68 and Lu-177, followed by cellular assays, pharmacokinetic analysis, PET/CT, and SPECT/CT imaging to assess the probe distribution in various tumor-bearing models.

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Activation of the adenosine 2A receptor (AR) can lead to tumor immunosuppression, which results in poor prognosis of immunotherapy. The aim of this study was to design novel F-labeled probes ([F]F-PFP and [F]F-PFP) to visualize AR in the tumor. The uptake of radioprobes in AR-negative 4T1 breast tumor was lower than that of AR-positive B16F10 melanoma at 1 h p.

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  • Aging and obesity significantly impact public health by contributing to muscle atrophy and influencing muscle fiber types.
  • Research reveals that oxidative muscle fibers remain stable in proportion during aging and obesity, while glycolytic muscle fibers show a notable decrease in oxidative fiber proportion.
  • The study also highlights distinct genetic responses between the two fiber types, with glycolytic fibers upregulating atrophy and inflammation-related genes, and oxidative fibers demonstrating increased antioxidant expression, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for muscle-related diseases.
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  • The study focuses on the development of new radioligands to visualize the expression of the STING protein, which plays a crucial role in immune responses against tumors.
  • Two novel inhibitors, [I]I-NFIP and [F]F-NFEP, were synthesized and shown to have high radiochemical purity and strong binding affinity to STING.
  • Imaging studies on tumor-bearing mice revealed that [I]I-NFIP specifically targets STING and accumulates in tumors, demonstrating its potential for noninvasive visualization of STING expression in cancer research.
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Article Synopsis
  • - The study introduces biotin/FAPI-conjugated heterobivalent radioligands designed to enhance tumor diagnostics by targeting both fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and the biotin receptor (BR).
  • - Experimental evaluations in mice with tumors showed that these dual-targeting tracers had better tumor uptake and retention compared to a standard single-targeted radioligand.
  • - The findings suggest that these novel heterodimers, especially the bispecific [F]AlF-NSFBP, could improve the pharmacokinetics of radioligands and warrant further clinical research.
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Lanthanide nanoparticle (LnNP) scintillators exhibit huge potential in achieving radionuclide-activated luminescence (radioluminescence, RL). However, their structure-activity relationship remains largely unexplored. Herein, progressive optimization of LnNP scintillators is presented to unveil their structure-dependent RL property and enhance their RL output efficiency.

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Recognizing the significance of SPECT in nuclear medicine and the pivotal role of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in cancer diagnosis and therapy, this study focuses on the development of Tc-labeled dimeric HF with high tumor uptake and image contrast. The dimeric HF was synthesized and radiolabeled with Tc in one pot using various coligands (tricine, TPPTS, EDDA, and TPPMS) to yield [Tc]Tc-TPPTS-HF, [Tc]Tc-EDDA-HF, and [Tc]Tc-TPPMS-HF dimers. SPECT imaging results indicated that [Tc]Tc-TPPTS-HF exhibited higher tumor uptake and tumor-to-normal tissue (T/NT) ratio than [Tc]Tc-EDDA-HF and [Tc]Tc-TPPMS-HF.

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Expression of concern for 'Gadolinium embedded iron oxide nanoclusters as - dual-modal MRI-visible vectors for safe and efficient siRNA delivery' by Xiaoyong Wang , , 2013, , 8098-8104, https://doi.org/10.1039/C3NR02797J.

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  • Radiotheranostics combines simultaneous imaging and therapy for cancer treatment, necessitating a balance between diagnostic and therapeutic needs.
  • A new strategy was tested using a specially designed ligand (DOTA-PSMA-Tz) for imaging and therapy with Gallium ([Ga]) and Lutetium ([Lu]), along with a signal amplification module (Pd@Au-PEG-TCO) in tumor-bearing mice.
  • Results showed significant improvements in tumor uptake of the treatments when the signal amplification module was used, indicating the strategy's potential to enhance pretargeted radiotherapy in theranostics.
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The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is pivotal in mediating STING-dependent type I interferon production, which is crucial for enhancing tumor rejection. Visualizing STING within the tumor microenvironment is valuable for STING-related treatments, yet the availability of suitable STING imaging probes is limited. In this study, we developed [F]AlF-ABI, a novel F-labeled agent featuring an amidobenzimidazole core structure, for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of STING in B16F10 and CT26 tumors.

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TMTP1 (NVVRQ) has been proven to selectively target various highly metastatic tumor cells. Nonetheless, existing TMTP1 probes encounter challenges such as rapid blood clearance, limited tumor uptake, and inadequate suitability for therapeutic interventions. To overcome these constraints, we designed and synthesized eight peptide probes, employing innovative chemical modification strategies involving d-amino acid modification and retro-inverso isomerization.

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Purpose: Programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a crucial biomarker for immunotherapy. However, nearly 70% of patients do not respond to PD-L1 immune checkpoint therapy. Accurate monitoring of PD-L1 expression and quantification of target binding during treatment are essential.

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Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors among women, characterized by high invasiveness, high heterogeneity, and lack of specific therapeutic targets such as estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Trophoblast cell-surface antigen-2 (TROP-2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein over-expressed in 80% of TNBC patients and is associated with the occurrence, progress, and poor prognosis of TNBC. The TROP-2 targeted immunoPET imaging allows non-invasive quantification of the TROP-2 expression levels of tumors, which could help to screen beneficiaries most likely to respond to SG and predict the response.

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Riboflavin (RF, vitamin B2) plays a key role in metabolic oxidation-reduction reactions, especially in the mitochondrial reprogramming of energy metabolism. Riboflavin transporter 3 (RFVT3) is a vital section of the mitochondrial network and involved in riboflavin homeostasis and production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The abnormal expression of RFVT3 is closely associated with the occurrence and progression of multiple diseases.

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The objective of this study is to compare a series of albumin-based folate radiotracers for the potential imaging of folate receptor (FR) positive macrophages in advanced atherosclerotic plaques. Diversified radioiodinated FR-targeting albumin-binding probes ([I]IBAHF, [I]IBHF, and [I]HF) were developed through various strategies. Among the three radiotracers, [I]IBAHF and [I]IBHF showed excellent stability (>98%) in saline and PBS 7.

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Background: Sarcopenia is highly prevalent in elderly individuals and has a significant adverse effect on their physical health and quality of life, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Studies have indicated that transcription factors (TFs) and the immune microenvironment play a vital role in skeletal muscle atrophy.

Methods: RNA-seq data of 40 muscle samples were downloaded from the GEO database.

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Highly efficient sulfate reduction coupled to autotrophic denitrification plus nitrification is demonstrated by integrating an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) with a membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR). Concurrent chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and sulfate reduction were accomplished in the AnMBR, while simultaneous nitrification and autotrophic denitrification were carried out in the MABR. Separate operation of the MABR achieved >90% total nitrogen (TN) removal when the N/S ratio was controlled at 0.

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