Prolonged blood circulation outperforms active targeting for nanocarriers-mediated enhanced hepatocellular carcinoma therapy in vivo.

Successful hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy in vivo remains a significant challenge due to the down-regulated expression of the receptors on the surface of tumor cells for compromised active targeting efficiency and cellular uptake of nanoparticles (NPs)-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) and "accelerated blood clearance" and premature unpackaging of NPs in vivo induced by the poly(ethylene glycol)ylation (PEGylation). Inspired by the repeatedly highlighted prolonged blood circulation property of RBCm-camouflaged NPs, we hypothesis that the prolonged blood circulation property resulting from RBCm coating outperforms the active targeting mechanisms of various targeting ligands for enhanced HCC therapy in vivo. Clarification of this hypothesis is therefore of great significance and urgency to break the afore mentioned bottlenecks that hamper the efficient HCC treatment in vivo.

Cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 and fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 may protect against cognitive impairment in rats of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion via PI3K/AKT signaling.

The present study further investigated the protective effects of cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (WIN) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 (URB) on chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH)-induced cognitive impairment in rats. Spatial learning and memory were assessed with the Morris water maze and by measuring Long-term potentiation. The expression of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP)-2, growth-associated protein-43 (GAP)-43, synaptophysin, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), FAAH, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D(NAPE-PLD) and monoacyl glycerol lipase (MGL) as well as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway molecules and downstream targets including AKT, phosphorylated (p-)AKT, cyclic AMP response element- binding protein (CREB), p-CREB, Bcl-2-associated death protein (BAD), p-BAD, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β, p-GSK-3β, forkhead box protein (FOXO) 3A and p-FOXO3A was determined by western blotting.

miR-150, p53 protein and relevant miRNAs consist of a regulatory network in NSCLC tumorigenesis.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding small RNAs that act as negative regulators of gene expression by binding to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of target mRNAs. Tumor protein p53, a transcriptional factor, plays an important role in the progression of tumorigenesis. miR-150 was the only miRNA predicted to target 3'-UTR of p53 by Targetscan.

A triazatruxene-based glycocluster as a fluorescent sensor for concanavalin A.

A new triazatruxene-based fluorescent glycocluster has been designed, synthesized, and fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, its specific and selective binding properties with concanavalin A (Con A) have been investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and turbidity assay. The obtained results showed that the multivalent mannose-modified triazatruxene exhibited specific binding with Con A, but no binding to peanut agglutinin (PNA) lectin or bovine serum albumin (BSA), corresponding to a two-orders-of-magnitude higher affinity than that of monovalent mannose ligands.

Multivalent glycoclusters constructed by chiral self-assembly of mannose functionalized perylene bisimide.

Water-soluble perylene bisimide derivative 7 modified with six mannoses was synthesized and its self-assembled properties were studied by UV-Vis and CD spectroscopy, which revealed an interesting self-assembly with a solvent-tuning chiral conformation in H(2)O-DMSO solution. As H(2)O was added to the DMSO solution until a 60% (or 70%) v/v proportion was achieved, the self-assembly of the mannose functionalized compound 7 exhibited a left-handed helical conformation. More interestingly, when the volume of H(2)O constituted beyond 85% of the solution, the conformation of the self-assembly turned out to be a right-handed helical conformation.

Synthesis of perylene bisimide-centered glycodendrimer and its interactions with concanavalin A.

A novel glycodendrimer based on 18 peripheral α-D-mannoses functionalized perylene bisimide derivative PBI-18-Man was synthesized and its selectively binding interactions for Con A were investigated by CD spectra and turbidity assay, which exhibited strong binding affinity for Con A with the binding constant of 1.3×10(8) M(-1) (7.2×10(6) M(-1) for monomeric mannose, valency corrected), 3 orders of magnitude higher affinity than the monovalent mannose ligand.

[Spectrum analysis of crop and weeds at seedling].

The infestation information on field weeds is the basis of variable spraying herbicides. It was found that the method using the spectral characteristics of plant is superior in real-time respect. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum technique was applied to measure the reflectance of wheat and weeds in the range from 700 to 1100 nm.