Application of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Evaluation the Activity of Crohn's Disease.

Background And Objective: The dynamic assessment of disease activity during the follow-up of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) remains a significant challenge. In this study, we aimed to identify the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) in the evaluation of activity of CD.

Methods: In the retrospective study, patients diagnosed with CD in our hospital were included.

Gold-caged copolymer nanoparticles as multimodal synergistic photodynamic/photothermal/chemotherapy platform against lethality androgen-resistant prostate cancer.

Given that there is no effective treatment method for lethality androgen-resistant prostate cancers (ARPC), herein we report a multifunctional gold-caged nanoparticle (PTX-PP@Au NPs) against ARPC through integrating functional organic/inorganic materials to exploit the superiors of gold particles such as photothermal effects (PTT), generating reactive oxygen species (photodynamic effects, PDT), carrying chemotherapeutic agents (chemotherapy effects, CT), and inhibiting ion channel. This synergistic PTT/PDT/CT platform consists of three components: i) the Pluronic-polyethylenimine assembling into micelles to encapsulate drugs and providing reduction sites for gold cage formation through a "green" method, ii) the gold cage with surface plasmon resonance peak at near-infrared (NIR) region in a broad window qualifying the PTT/PDT potentiality, iii) a chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel (PTX) arresting the tumor cell cycle. As demonstrated, the system has remarkable performance on controlling drug release, blocking TRPV6 cation channel, enhancing cell cycle arrest, elevating temperature and generating ROS, thus improving cellular toxicity along with apoptosis, enhancing tumor targeting, and achieving the therapy to ARPC with low toxicity on liver function and minimal side effects to normal organs.

Enhanced delivery of biodegradable mPEG-PLGA-PLL nanoparticles loading Cy3-labelled PDGF-BB siRNA by UTMD to rat retina.

We investigated the efficacy and safety of ultrasound (US)-targeted microbubble (MB) destruction (UTMD)-enhanced delivery of monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly-L-lysine (mPEG-PLGA-PLL) nanoparticles (NPs) loading Cy3-labelled platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) siRNA to rat retina in vivo. Eighty Wistar rats were divided into five groups (G). The right eyes, respectively, received an intravitreal injection as follows: normal saline (NS) (G1), NPs and NS (G2), NPs and MBs (G3), NPs and NS (G4) and NPs and MBs (G5).

Biodegradable double-targeted PTX-mPEG-PLGA nanoparticles for ultrasound contrast enhanced imaging and antitumor therapy in vitro.

A porous-structure nano-scale ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) was made of monomethoxypoly (ethylene glycol)-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (mPEG-PLGA), and modified by double-targeted antibody: anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and anti-carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), as a double-targeted nanoparticles (NPs). Anti-tumor drug paclitaxel (PTX) was encapsulated in the double-targeted nanoparticles (NPs). The morphor and release curve were characterized.

Development of targeted therapies in treatment of glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a type of tumor that is highly lethal despite maximal therapy. Standard therapeutic approaches provide modest improvement in progression-free and overall survival, necessitating the investigation of novel therapies. Oncologic therapy has recently experienced a rapid evolution toward "targeted therapy", with drugs directed against specific targets which play essential roles in the proliferation, survival, and invasiveness of GBM cells, including numerous molecules involved in signal transduction pathways.

Preparation of a Thermosensitive Gel Composed of a mPEG-PLGA-PLL-cRGD Nanodrug Delivery System for Pancreatic Tumor Therapy.

It is hypothesized that a gel (NP-Gel) composed of thermosensitive gel (Gel) and nanoparticles (NP) can prolong drug release time and overcome the drug resistance of pancreatic tumor cells. Paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded monomethoxy (polyethylene glycol)-poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide)-poly(l-lysine)-cyclic peptide (arginine-glycine-aspartic-glutamic-valine acid) (mPEG-PLGA-PLL-cRGD) NP and NP-Gel were designed, optimized, and characterized using dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, high efficiency liquid chromatography, and rheological analyses. Aspc-1/PTX cell was used in a cell uptake test.

Ultrasound contrast-enhanced imaging and in vitro antitumor effect of paclitaxel-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-monomethoxypoly (ethylene glycol) nanocapsules with ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction.

A combination of diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound (US) techniques may be able to provide the basis of specific therapeutic protocols, particularly for the treatment of tumors. Nanotechnology may aid the progression towards the use of US for tumor diagnosis and targeted therapy. The current study investigated in vivo and in vitro US contrast imaging using nanocapsules (NCs), and also US and US‑targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) therapy using drug‑loaded NCs for pancreatic cancer in vitro.

Preparation of bufalin-loaded pluronic polyetherimide nanoparticles, cellular uptake, distribution, and effect on colorectal cancer.

A large number of studies have shown that bufalin can have a significant antitumor effect in a variety of tumors. However, because of toxicity, insolubility in water, fast metabolism, short half-life, and other shortcomings, its application is limited in cancer therapy. In this study, we explored the anti-metastatic role of bufalin-loaded pluronic polyetherimide nanoparticles on HCT116 colon cancer-bearing mice.

Targeted delivery of biodegradable nanoparticles with ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction-mediated hVEGF-siRNA transfection in human PC-3 cells in vitro.

A potentially viable approach for treating late-stage prostate cancer is gene therapy. Successful gene therapy requires safe and efficient delivery systems. In this study, we report the efficient delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) via the use of biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) made from monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly-l-lysine (mPEG-PLGA-PLL) triblock copolymers.

Asymmetric siRNA targeting the bcl‑2 gene inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are valuable reagents for efficient gene silencing in a sequence‑specific manner via the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. The current synthetic siRNA structure consists of symmetrical duplexes of 19‑21 base pairs (bp) with 2 nucleotide (nt) 3' overhangs. In this study, we report that an asymmetric siRNA (asiRNA) consisting of 17 bp duplex region (17 bp asiRNA) exhibited potent activity in inhibiting bcl-2 gene expression and cancer cell proliferation in vitro.

Enhanced delivery of monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly l-lysine nanoparticles loading platelet-derived growth factor BB small interfering RNA by ultrasound and/or microbubbles to rat retinal pigment epithelium cells.

Background: A novel small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery method based on the combined use of nanoparticles (NPs) with ultrasound (US) and/or microbubbles (MBs) was introduced in the present study. We investigated the efficacy and safety of US and/or MBs-enhanced delivery of monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly l-lysine (mPEG-PLGA-PLL) NPs loading platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) siRNA to rat retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-J cells.

Methods: The effect of US and/or MBs on the delivery of NPs containing Cy3-labeled siRNA was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.

Flower-like hierarchically nanostructured hydroxyapatite hollow spheres: facile preparation and application in anticancer drug cellular delivery.

Flower-like nanostructured hydroxyapatite hollow spheres (NHHS) assembled with nanosheets with a hierarchical morphology are fabricated by a rapid microwave-assisted hydrothermal route. The presence and concentration of block copolymer poly(lactide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) are important parameters for the formation of the hollow structure. The possible formation mechanism of NHHS is proposed.

Porous nanocomposites of PEG-PLA/calcium phosphate: room-temperature synthesis and its application in drug delivery.

We report room-temperature preparation of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polylactide (PEG-PLA)/calcium phosphate (CP) nanocomposites with a porous morphology. The reaction time and concentration of the inorganic ingredients play an important role in the morphology and chemical composition of the nanocomposite. Thermogravimetry analysis shows that there is approximately 8.

Hydroxylapatite nanorods: an efficient and promising carrier for gene transfection.

Calcium phosphate (CaP) has been used as the vector for gene transfection in the past three decades with the characteristics of excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, clinical application of calcium phosphate is still not popular due to poor-controlling of DNA/CaP complex preparation and its low transfection efficiency. In this study, block copolymer (PLGA-mPEG) assisted synthesis of hydroxylapatite (HAP) nanorods and DNA post-adsorbing method for transfection in vitro have been reported.

Combined use of polycationic peptide and biodegradable macromolecular polymer as a novel gene delivery system: a preliminary study.

Plasmid(p) DNA was condensed by polycationic peptide polylysine (PLL) to be a core and then encapsulated in biodegradable monomethoxy (polyethyleneglycol)-poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-monomethoxy (poly-ethylene glycol) (PELGE) to form core-shell nanoparticles as a novel gene delivery system PPD (PELGE-PLL-DNA). Nanoparticles formed from PPD had several complementary properties such as improved biocompatibility, decreased cytotoxicity, enhanced pDNA integrity, and the characteristic of lysosomal escape as PLGA nanoparticles. The results demonstrated the potential of this PPD as an efficient gene delivery system.

PELGE nanoparticles as new carriers for the delivery of plasmid DNA.

Biodegradable monomethoxy(polyethyleneglycol)-poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-monomethoxy(poly-ethyleneglycol) (PELGE) copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization to formulate plasmid DNA loaded nanoparticles. A double emulsion method with polyvinyl alcohol as the emulsifier in the external aqueous phase was employed to prepare nanoparticles. The effects of monomethoxypoly(ethyleneglycol) (mPEG) segments in the polymer on particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release were investigated.

[The preparation of PELGE-NP and a study of the factors affecting their diameter].

Objective: To prepare Poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lacticacid-co-glycolicacid)-poly(ethylene-glycol) nanoparticles (PELGE-NP) and investigate the factors affecting their diameter.

Methods: PELGE were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization, PELGE nanoparticles (PELGE-NP) were prepared by using the emulsion-solvent evaporation technique (O/W). Orthogonal design was applied to optimize the preparation technology on the basis of the single factor evaluation.

[Effects of simulated body fluid flowing rate on bone-like apatite formation on porous calcium phosphate ceramics].

Objective. Bone-like apatite formation on the surface of calcium phosphate ceramics was believed to be the necessary step that new bone grows on the ceramics and to be relative to the osteoinductivity of the material. This study aimed at investigating the influence of the flow rate of simulated body fluid (SBF) (2 ml/min) in skeletal muscle upon the formation of bone-like apatite on porous calcium phosphate ceramics.