Thymulin has been shown to present anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties in experimental lung diseases. We hypothesized that a biologically active thymulin analog gene, methionine serum thymus factor, delivered by highly compacted DNA nanoparticles may prevent lung inflammation and remodeling in a mouse model of allergic asthma. The DNA nanoparticles are composed of a single molecule of plasmid DNA compacted with block copolymers of poly-L-lysine and polyethylene glycol (CK30PEG), which have been found safe in a human phase I/II clinical trial. Thymulin plasmids were detected in the lungs of ovalbumin-challenged asthmatic mice up to 27days after administration of DNA nanoparticles carrying thymulin plasmids. A single dose of DNA nanoparticles carrying thymulin plasmids prevented lung inflammation, collagen deposition and smooth muscle hypertrophy in the lungs of a murine model of ovalbumin-challenged allergic asthma, leading to improved lung mechanics. In the present model of chronic allergic asthma, highly compacted DNA nanoparticles using thymulin analog gene modulated the inflammatory and remodeling processes improving lung mechanics.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.02.010 | DOI Listing |
NanoImpact
December 2024
Biology Department & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address:
Considering the increase in demand for rare earth elements (REEs) and their accumulation in soil ecosystems, it is crucial to understand their toxicity. However, the impact of lanthanum, yttrium and cerium oxides (LaO, YO and CeO, respectively) on soil organisms remains insufficiently studied. This study aims to unravel the effects of LaO, YO and CeO nanoparticles (NPs) and their corresponding bulk forms (0, 156, 313, 625, 1250 and 2500 mg/kg) on the terrestrial species Enchytraeus crypticus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
December 2024
Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Electronic address:
This study aimed to examine how mesoporous silica nanoparticles-chitosan-folic acid impacted the release of recombinant Azurin within the tumor environment. The goal was to trigger apoptosis and stimulate immune responses against both transformed and normal cells in BALB/c mice. The study found that the use of rAzu-MSNs-CS-FA, a specific formulation containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles-chitosan-folic acid, resulted in pH-responsive behavior and slower release of rAzurin compared to other groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Fungi (Basel)
December 2024
Mushroom Science Division, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Eumseong 27709, Republic of Korea.
Gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 is an innovative tool for developing new mushroom strains, offering a promising alternative to traditional breeding methods that are time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, plasmid-based gene editing presents several challenges, including the need for selecting appropriate promoters for Cas9 expression, optimizing codons for the Cas9 gene, the unintended insertion of fragmented plasmid DNA into genomic DNA (gDNA), and regulatory concerns related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). To address these issues, we utilized a Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex consisting of Cas9 and gRNA for gene editing to modify the A mating-type gene of .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiosensors (Basel)
December 2024
School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea.
Metal nanoclusters (NCs) are promising alternatives to organic dyes and quantum dots. These NCs exhibit unique physical and chemical properties, such as fluorescence, chirality, magnetism and catalysis, which contribute to significant advancements in biosensing, biomedical diagnostics and therapy. Through adjustments in composition, size, chemical environments and surface ligands, it is possible to create NCs with tunable optoelectronic and catalytic activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiosensors (Basel)
December 2024
International Research Center for Food and Health, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Storage and Preservation (Shanghai), Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic-Product Process & Preservation, College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
Accurate methods for assessing food freshness through colorimetric pH response play a critical role in determining food spoilage and ensuring food quality standards. This study introduces a novel unlabeled DNA sequence, poly-dA, designed to exploit the colorimetric properties of both the single strand and the fold-back A-motif structure in conjunction with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) under varying pH conditions. When exposed to storage temperatures of 4 °C and 25 °C, the color variations in the AuNP solution, influenced by pH level changes in mutton and sea bass samples' different storage periods, are easily discernible to the naked eye within a minute.
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