Bypassing Ca Influx for Antimetastasis Photodynamic Therapy via Robust Nucleus-Targeted Near-Infrared Cyanines.

Hypoxia-induced tumor metastasis severely hinders the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in cancer treatment. Current strategies predominantly offer palliative suppression of the HIF-1α pathway, emphasizing the urgent need for innovative PDT approaches to prevent metastasis from the outset. Our study revealed that typical PDT triggers an increase in cytoplasmic Ca levels, activating HIF-1α, and that reducing Ca levels can, in turn, mitigate metastasis.

Near-infrared-dye labeled tumor vascular-targeted dimer GEBP11 peptide for image-guided surgery in gastric cancer.

Introduction: Positive resection margins occur in about 2.8%-8.2% gastric cancer surgeries and is associated with poor prognosis.

Visualization and quantification of lipogenesis using a -GLuc mouse model.

Background: De novo lipogenesis (DNL) is a dynamic process that converts excess carbohydrates into fatty acids to maintain cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of DNL is associated with diverse obesity-related diseases and many tumor types. Therefore, monitoring DNL in real-time with high sensitivity should be highly beneficial when screening therapeutic agents for their potential use as obesity treatments.

Gut Microbiota and Metabolite Changes in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis and Infection.

Background: Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are at an increased risk of developing infection (CDI), which in turn leads to poor outcomes. The gut microbial structure and metabolites in patients with UC and CDI have been scarcely studied. We hypothesized that CDI changes the gut microbiota and metabolites of patients with UC.

The role of morphology, shell composition and protein corona formation in Au/FeO composite nanoparticle mediated macrophage responses.

The great interest in using nanoparticles (NPs) for biomedical applications is transversal to various materials despite the poorly understood correlation between their physicochemical properties and effects on the immune system. NPs, such as gold and FeO, are generally regarded as safe, but the immunotoxicological profile of Au/FeO composite NPs with different physicochemical properties is not well documented. This study investigated the biological impact of Au/FeO composite NPs with different morphologies (spherical core-shell and flower-like) and shell composition in vitro to analyze their potential cytotoxic effects and inflammatory responses on RAW 264.

Targeted imaging of esophageal adenocarcinoma with a near-infrared fluorescent peptide.

Background: Targeted optical imaging offers a noninvasive and accurate method for the early detection of gastrointestinal tumors, especially for flat appearances. In our previous study, a sequence of SNFYMPL (SNF) was identified as a specific peptide to bind to esophageal carcinoma using phage-display technology. This study aimed to evaluate the tumor-targeting efficacy of Cy5.

Albumin-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer nanoprobes for multileveled tumor tissue imaging and dye release imaging.

Tumor tissue imaging and drug release imaging are both crucial for tumor imaging and image-guided drug delivery. It is urgent to develop a multileveled tumor imaging platform to realize the multiple imaging applications. In this work, we synthesized an albumin-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probe Cy5/7@HSA NPs containing two near-infrared cyanine dyes (CyBI5 and CyBI7) with high FRET efficiency (97 %).

KRAS Mutation-Responsive miR-139-5p inhibits Colorectal Cancer Progression and is repressed by Wnt Signaling.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) frequently harbors KRAS mutations that result in chemoresistance and metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are usually dysregulated and play important regulatory roles in tumor progression. However, the KRAS mutation-responsive miRNA profile in CRC remains uninvestigated.

In Vivo and in Situ Activated Aggregation-Induced Emission Probes for Sensitive Tumor Imaging Using Tetraphenylethene-Functionalized Trimethincyanines-Encapsulated Liposomes.

The design and exploration of fluorescent probes with high-sensitivity and low-background are essential for noninvasive optical molecular imaging. The in vivo and in situ activated aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probes were found to be ideal for achieving higher signal-to-background ratios for tumor detections. We herein developed novel tetraphenylethene-encapsulated liposomes (TPE-LPs) constructed by loading TPE-trimethincyanine into liposomes for the first time, and the probes were applied to tumor bioimaging in vivo.

Forkhead box C1 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis through transactivating ITGA7 and FGFR4 expression.

Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide; however, the molecular mechanism underlying CRC metastasis remains unknown. Using an integrated approach, we identified forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) as a novel regulator of CRC metastasis. Elevated expression of FOXC1 is significantly correlated with metastasis, recurrence and reduced survival.

Novel peptide GX1 inhibits angiogenesis by specifically binding to transglutaminase-2 in the tumorous endothelial cells of gastric cancer.

The clinical application of GX1, an optimal gastric cancer (GC) targeting peptide, is greatly limited because its receptor in the GC vasculature is unknown. In this study, we screened the candidate receptor of GX1, transglutaminase-2(TGM2), by co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) combined with mass spectrometry. We found that TGM2 was up-regulated in GC vascular endothelial cells and that GX1 receptor expression was suppressed correspondingly after TGM2 downregulation.

Improved Tumor Targeting and Longer Retention Time of NIR Fluorescent Probes Using Bioorthogonal Chemistry.

The traditional labeling method for targeted NIR fluorescence probes requires directly covalent-bonded conjugation of targeting domains and fluorophores . Although this strategy works well, it is not sufficient for detecting or treating cancers , due to steric hindrance effects that relatively large fluorophore molecules exert on the configurations and physiological functions of specific targeting domains. The copper-free, "click-chemistry"-assisted assembly of small molecules in living systems may enhance tumor accumulation of fluorescence probes by improving the binding affinities of the targeting factors.

Reduced silent information regulator 1 signaling exacerbates sepsis-induced myocardial injury and mitigates the protective effect of a liver X receptor agonist.

Myocardial injury and dysfunction are critical manifestations of sepsis. Previous studies have reported that liver X receptor (LXR) activation is protective during sepsis. However, whether LXR activation protects against septic heart injury and its underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

SIRT1 Activation by Resveratrol Alleviates Cardiac Dysfunction via Mitochondrial Regulation in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Mice.

Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major threat for diabetic patients. Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) has a regulatory effect on mitochondrial dynamics, which is associated with DCM pathological changes. Our study aims to investigate whether resveratrol, a SRIT1 activator, could exert a protective effect against DCM.

Activation of Cannabinoid Receptor Type II by AM1241 Ameliorates Myocardial Fibrosis via Nrf2-Mediated Inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad3 Pathway in Myocardial Infarction Mice.

Aims: Myocardial interstitial fibrosis is a major histologic landmark resulting in cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI). Activation of cannabinoid receptor type II (CB2 receptor) have been demonstrated to reduce fibrosis in hepatic cirrhotic rat. However, the anti-fibrotic effect of CB2 receptor activation in infarcted hearts was still unclear.

Combined cell surface carbonic anhydrase 9 and CD147 antigens enable high-efficiency capture of circulating tumor cells in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have emerged as promising tools for noninvasive cancer detection and prognosis. Most conventional approaches for capturing CTCs use an EpCAM-based enrichment strategy, which does not work well in cancers that show low or no expression of EpCAM, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In this study, we developed a new set of cell surface markers including CA9 and CD147 as alternative CTC-capture antigens specifically designed for RCC patients.

Quaternized Chitosan/Alginate-Fe3O4 Magnetic Nanoparticles Enhance the Chemosensitization of Multidrug-Resistant Gastric Carcinoma by Regulating Cell Autophagy Activity in Mice.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) and targeted therapies present major challenges in tumor chemotherapy. Nanoparticles (NPs) hold promise for use in cancer theranostics due to their advantages in terms of tumor-targeted cytotoxicity and imaging. In this study, we developed N-((2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium) propyl) chitosan chloride (HTCC)/alginate-encapsulated Fe3O4 magnetic NPs (HTCC-MNPs) and applied them to MDR gastric cancer both in vivo and in vitro.

POU2F2-oriented network promotes human gastric cancer metastasis.

Background And Aims: Aberrant upregulation of POU2F2 expression has been discovered in metastatic gastric cancer (GC). However, the mechanisms underlying the aberrant upregulation and the potential functions of POU2F2 remain uncertain.

Design: The role and mechanism of POU2F2 in GC metastasis were investigated in gastric epithelial cells, GC cell lines and an experimental metastasis animal model by gain of function and loss of function.

In vivo molecular imaging of gastric cancer in human-murine xenograft models with confocal laser endomicroscopy using a tumor vascular homing peptide.

The early detection of premalignant lesions and cancers are very important for improving the survival of patients with gastric malignancies. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is a novel imaging tool for achieving real-time microscopy during the ongoing endoscopy at subcellular resolution. In the present study, to evaluate the feasibility of real-time molecular imaging of GEBP11 by CLE in gastric cancer, CLE was performed on two types of tumor-bearing mice models, as well as surgical specimens of patients with gastric cancer, after the application of GEBP11.