Dual targeting of TGF-β and PD-L1 inhibits tumor growth in TGF-β/PD-L1-driven colorectal carcinoma.

Immunosuppressive factors within the tumor microenvironment (TME), such as Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), constitute a crucial hindrance to immunotherapeutic approaches in colorectal cancer (CRC). Furthermore, immune checkpoint factors (e.g.

Nutritional, biological, and structural properties of bioactive peptides from bellflower, Persian-willow, and bitter-orange pollens.

In this study, the composition of amino acids, nutritional characteristics, degree of hydrolysis (DH), antioxidant properties, and antibacterial activity of proteins and hydrolysates of bellflower (Campanula latifolia), Persian willow (Salix aegyptiaca), and bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.) were investigated under the influence of different proteases (Alcalase: Al, trypsin: Tr, pancreatin: Pa, and pepsin: Pe). Evaluation of the structural features of the proteins showed amide regions (amide A, B, I-III) and secondary structures.

The Effects of Gamma-Aminobuytric Acid (GABA) Enrichment on Nutritional, Physical, Shelf-Life, and Sensorial Properties of Dark Chocolate.

Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has potential in regulating hypertension. Cocoa beans are rich in GABA, but GABA is being destroyed during roasting of cocoa beans and chocolate production.

Review on Approved and Inprogress COVID-19 Vaccines.

The last generation of Coronavirus named COVID-19 is responsible for the recent worldwide outbreak. Concerning the widespread and quick predominance, there is a critical requirement for designing appropriate vaccines to surmount this grave problem. Correspondingly, in this revision, COVID-19 vaccines (which are being developed until March 29th, 2021) are classified into specific and non-specific categories.

Functionalized Nanostructured Bioactive Carriers: Nanoliposomes, Quantum Dots, Tocosome, and Theranostic Approach.

Background: Lipid nanocarriers have great potential for the encapsulation and delivery of numerous bioactive compounds. They have demonstrated significant benefits over traditional disease management and conventional therapy. The benefits associated with the particular properties of lipid nanocarriers include site-specific drug deposition, improved pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, enhanced internalization and intracellular transport, biodegradability, and decreased biodistribution.

A critical review on approaches to regulate the release rate of bioactive compounds from biopolymeric matrices.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in novel food formulations and packaging materials using controlled release systems in order to enhance the functional performance of food bioactive ingredients and to prolong the shelf-life of food products. Correspondingly, numerous types of matrices (polymers, biopolymers, synthetic materials) could be implemented as carriers based on their compatibility with the bioactive ingredients and the type of releasing medium. A plethora of applications of controlled release can be identified in the pharmaceutical, agriculture, cosmetics, and particularly the food industries.

Entrapment of rosemary extract by liposomes formulated by Mozafari method: physicochemical characterization and optimization.

A major obstacle in the utilization of phenolic antioxidant compounds is their sensitivity and as a result stability issue. The current study aimed to encapsulate polyphenolic compounds, extracted from Rosemary, in liposomes prepared by the Mozafari method without the utilization of toxic solvents or detergents. The extract was prepared and converted into a powder by freeze-drying.

Potential micro-/nano-encapsulation systems for improving stability and bioavailability of anthocyanins: An updated review.

Anthocyanins (ACNs) are notable hydrophilic compounds that belong to the flavonoid family, which are available in plants. They have excellent antioxidants, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer activity, and so on. Furthermore, ACNs can be used as a natural dye in the food industry (food colorant).

Challenges of the Health System in Preventing Non-Communicable Diseases; Systematized Review.

Background: The basis of prevention of non-communicable diseases is the identification of primary risk factors and the prevention and control of these factors. The purpose is to prevent the spread of the disease and to control it as much as possible. If population growth continues at this rate, by 2030, 52 million people will die from these diseases each year.

Strategies of confining green tea catechin compounds in nano-biopolymeric matrices: A review.

Catechins are polyphenolic compounds which abundantly occur in the plants, especially tea leaves. They are widely used in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical formulations due to their capability of lowering the risk of developing various diseases. Nevertheless, low stability, loss of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities hinder the direct application of catechins in food formulations.

Strategic Moves of "Superbugs" Against Available Chemical Scaffolds: Signaling, Regulation, and Challenges.

Superbugs' resistivity against available natural products has become an alarming global threat, causing a rapid deterioration in public health and claiming tens of thousands of lives yearly. Although the rapid discovery of small molecules from plant and microbial origin with enhanced bioactivity has provided us with some hope, a rapid hike in the resistivity of superbugs has proven to be the biggest therapeutic hurdle of all times. Moreover, several distinct mechanisms endowed by these notorious superbugs make them immune to these antibiotics subsequently causing our antibiotic wardrobe to be obsolete.

Nanoliposomes and Tocosomes as Multifunctional Nanocarriers for the Encapsulation of Nutraceutical and Dietary Molecules.

Nanoscale lipid bilayers, or nanoliposomes, are generally spherical vesicles formed by the dispersion of phospholipid molecules in a water-based medium by energy input. The other nanoscale object discussed in this entry, i.e.

Manufacturing of nanoliposomal extract from algae and investigating its release behavior and antioxidant activity.

In this paper, the fabrication of algal extract-loaded nanoliposomes was optimized based on the central composite response surface design. Different concentrations of phenolic compounds (500, 1,000, and 1,500 ppm) of algal extract and lecithin (0.5, 1.

Probing nanoliposomes using single particle analytical techniques: effect of excipients, solvents, phase transition and zeta potential.

There has been a steady increase in the interest towards employing nanoliposomes as colloidal drug delivery systems, particularly in the last few years. Their biocompatibility nature along with the possibility of encapsulation of lipid-soluble, water-soluble and amphipathic molecules and compounds are among the advantages of employing these lipidic nanocarriers. A challenge in the successful formulation of nanoliposomal systems is to control the critical physicochemical properties, which impact their in vivo performance, and validating analytical techniques that can adequately characterize these nanostructures.

Impact of Particle Size and Polydispersity Index on the Clinical Applications of Lipidic Nanocarrier Systems.

Lipid-based drug delivery systems, or lipidic carriers, are being extensively employed to enhance the bioavailability of poorly-soluble drugs. They have the ability to incorporate both lipophilic and hydrophilic molecules and protecting them against degradation in vitro and in vivo. There is a number of physical attributes of lipid-based nanocarriers that determine their safety, stability, efficacy, as well as their in vitro and in vivo behaviour.