Membrane drug transporters in cancer: From chemoresistance mechanism to therapeutic strategies.

Chemoresistance is a multifactorial phenomenon and the primary cause to the ineffectiveness of oncotherapy and cancer recurrence. Membrane drug transporters are crucial for drug delivery and disposition in cancer cells. Changes in the expression and functionality of these transporters lead to decreased intracellular accumulation and reduced toxicity of antineoplastic drugs.

Peritoneal chemotherapy delivery systems for ovarian cancer treatment: systematic review of animal models.

Introduction: Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for ovarian cancer treatment has controversial benefits as most methodologies are associated with significant morbidity. We carried out a systematic review to compare tumor response, measured by tumor weight and volume, between intraperitoneal chemotherapy delivered via drug delivery systems (DDSs) and free intraperitoneal chemotherapy in animal models of ovarian cancer. The secondary aim was to assess the toxicity of DDS-delivered chemotherapy, based on changes in animal body weight.

An sp Carbon-Conjugated Covalent Organic Framework for Fusing Lipid Droplets and Engineered Macrophage Therapy.

Engineered immune cell therapy has proven to be a transformative cancer treatment despite the challenges of its prohibitive costs and manufacturing complexity. In this study, we propose a concise "lipid droplet fusion" strategy for engineering macrophages. Because of the integration of hydrophobic alkyl chains and π-conjugated structures, the mildly synthesized spC-conjugated covalent organic framework (COF) UM-101 induced lipid droplet fusion and metabolic reprogramming of macrophages, thus promoting their antitumor classical activation.

Selective utilization of medicinal polysaccharides by human gut Bacteroides and Parabacteroides species.

Human gut Bacteroides and Parabacteroides species play crucial roles in human health and are known for their capacity to utilize diverse polysaccharides. Understanding how these bacteria utilize medicinal polysaccharides is foundational for developing polysaccharides-based prebiotics and drugs. Here, we systematically mapped the utilization profiles of 20 different medicinal polysaccharides by 28 human gut Bacteroides and Parabacteroides species.

Hypoxia-Initiated Supramolecular Free Radicals Induce Intracellular Polymerization for Precision Tumor Therapy.

Despite the development of various controlled release systems for antitumor therapies, off-target side effects remain a persistent challenge. In situ therapeutic synthesis from biocompatible substances offers a safer and more precise alternative. This study presents a hypoxia-initiated supramolecular free radical system capable of inducing intracellular polymerization, thereby disrupting the cytoskeleton and organelles within 4T1 cells.

Artemisinin protected human bronchial epithelial cells from amiodarone-induced oxidative damage via 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation.

Background: Amiodarone, a common antiarrhythmic drug, is known for its severe side effects, including pulmonary toxicity, which involves oxidative stress and apoptosis. Artemisinin, an antimalarial drug, has shown cytoprotective properties by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. This study investigated the protective effects of artemisinin against amiodarone-induced toxicity in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and mouse models.

Zebrafish as a Visible Neuroinflammation Model for Evaluating the Anti-Inflammation Effect of Curcumin-Loaded Ferritin Nanoparticles.

It is crucial to inhibit the neuroinflammation response as it is a prominent factor contributing to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. However, the limited development of neuroinflammation models dramatically hinders the efficiency of nanomedicine discovery. In recent years, the optically transparent zebrafish model provided unique advantages for imaging of the whole body, allowing the progression of the disease to be visualized.

Marsilea: an intuitive generalized paradigm for composable visualizations.

Biological data visualization is challenged by the growing complexity of datasets. Traditional single-data plots or simple juxtapositions often fail to fully capture dataset intricacies and interrelations. To address this, we introduce "cross-layout," a novel visualization paradigm that integrates multiple plot types in a cross-like structure, with a central main plot surrounded by secondary plots for enhanced contextualization and interrelation insights.

Oncolytic alphavirus-induced extracellular vesicles counteract the immunosuppressive effect of melanoma-derived extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs)-mediated communication by cancer cells contributes towards the pro-tumoral reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment. Viral infection has been observed to alter the biogenesis and cargo of EVs secreted from host cells in the context of infectious biology. However, the impact of oncolytic viruses on the cargo and function of EVs released by cancer cells remains unknown.

Artemisinin Suppressed Melanoma Recurrence and Metastasis after Radical Surgery through the KIT/PI3K/AKT Pathway.

Cancer radical surgery is the primary treatment for melanoma, but almost all malignant melanoma patients get recurrence and metastasis after surgery and are eventually dead. This clinical dilemma appeals to better drugs for post-surgery therapy. Artemisinin is a safe and effective antimalarial drug used in the clinic for decades.

The modulation of calcium and chloride channels induces cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells.

Ion channels play a crucial role in cardiac functions, and their activities exhibit dynamic changes during heart development. However, the precise function of ion channels in human heart development remains elusive. In this study, we utilized human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as a model to mimic the process of human embryonic heart development.

Assessing Wound Healing in Vivo Using a Dual-Function Phosphorescent Probe Sensitive to Tissue Oxygenation and Regenerating Collagen.

Levels of tissue oxygenation and collagen regeneration are critical indicators in the early evaluation of wound healing. Traditionally, these factors have been assessed using separate instruments and different methodologies. Here, we adopt the spatially averaged phosphorescence lifetime approach using Re-diimine complexes (Re-probe) to enable simultaneous quantification of these two critical factors in healing wounds.

Magnesium-Phenolic Nanoeditor Refining Gliomatous T Cells for Metalloimmunotherapy.

More than the sparse infiltration in glioblastoma, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) also function inefficiently and overexpress the inhibitory markers, especially the identified NK cell receptor (NK1.1). However, most studies solely focus on how to augment tumor-infiltrating CTLs and overlook their killing maintenance.

Deep learning-based low count whole-body positron emission tomography denoising incorporating computed tomography priors.

Background: Deep-learning-based denoising improves image quality and quantification accuracy for low count (LC) positron emission tomography (PET). Conventional deep-learning-based denoising methods only require single LC PET image input. This study aims to propose a deep-learning-based LC PET denoising method incorporating computed tomography (CT) priors to further reduce the dose level.

Fluorinated polyethyleneimine vectors with serum resistance and adjuvant effect to deliver LMP2 mRNA vaccine for nasopharyngeal carcinoma therapy.

Latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2), which is an important protein of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the latent phase to mediate metastasis and recurrence, has shown great potential as a targeting antigen in mRNA vaccine for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) therapy. In this study, an LMP2 mRNA vaccine was developed based on a serum-resistant fluorinated polyethyleneimine (PF) with the self-adjuvant effect for achieving a strong anti-tumor immunity in NPC treatment. Specifically, the proposed vaccine PEG[PF/mLMP2] was comprised of a PF/mLMP2 core formed by the cationic PF and LMP2 mRNA, together with a dialdehyde poly (ethyl glycol) (OHC-PEG-CHO) coating.

A metal-phenolic nanotuner induces cancer pyroptosis for sono-immunotherapy.

Although ultrasound therapy is efficacious and safe in clinical oncology, its capacity to elicit an anti-tumor immune response is constrained by ultrasound-induced apoptosis. Pyroptosis, which releases immunogenic damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), can significantly enhance immune activation. It necessitates robust Gasdermin E (GSDME) expression in cancer cells for caspase-3-mediated pyroptosis.

Casticin inhibits proliferation of Non-small cell lung cancer cells through regulating reprogramming of glucose metabolism.

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, with poor prognosis due to its rapid progression and resistance to existing therapies. Metabolic reprogramming, particularly alterations in glucose metabolism, is a key mechanism underlying tumor growth and progression, providing potential targets for novel therapeutic strategies. Casticin (CAS), a bioactive flavonoid, has shown anticancer effects in various cancers, but its specific role in NSCLC metabolism remains unclear.

GSK3β Deficiency Expands Obese Adipose Vasculature to Mitigate Metabolic Disorders.

Background: Maintaining a well-developed vascular system alongside adipose tissue (AT) expansion significantly reduces the risk of metabolic complications. Although GSK3β (glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta) is known for its role in various cellular processes, its specific functions in AT and regulation of body homeostasis have not been reported.

Methods: GSK3β-floxed and GSK3α-floxed mice were crossed with adiponectin-Cre mice to generate GSK3β or GSK3α adipocyte-specific knockout mice (GSK3β and GSK3α).

Tumor budding and lymphovascular invasion as prognostic factors in p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas.

Background: We aimed to validate the prognostic significance of tumor budding (TB) in p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC).

Methods: We analyzed digitized H&E-stained slides from a multicenter cohort of five large university centers consisting of n = 275 cases of p16-positive OPSCC. We evaluated TB along with other histological parameters (morphology, tumor-stroma-ratio, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion) and calculated survival outcomes using both univariate and multivariate analyses.

Tumor Site-Specific In Vivo Theranostics Enabled by Microenvironment-Dependent Chemical Transformation and Self-Amplifying Effect.

Precise tumor diagnosis and treatment remain complex challenges. While numerous fluorescent probes have been developed for tumor-specific imaging and therapy, few exhibit effective function in vivo. Herein, a probe called TQ-H is designed that can realize robust theranostic effects both in vitro and in vivo.

A Supramolecular Protein Assembly Intrinsically Rescues Memory Deficits in an Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model.

Supramolecular protein assemblies have been used as intelligent drug delivery systems that can encapsulate drugs and transport them to specific tissues or cells. However, the known methods for designing supramolecular protein assemblies for transportation across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) remain challenging and inefficient. Herein, we report that the supramolecular recombinant-protein-based strategy enables the biosynthesis and production of a supramolecular protein assembly that is intrinsically capable of crossing the BBB.

The Influence of Fatty Acid Oxygenases PpoA and PpoC on Caspofungin Susceptibility.

can cause invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Fungicidal azoles and fungistatic caspofungin (CAS) are the first- and second-line therapies, respectively, used to treat IPA. Treatment of with CAS or micafungin induces the production of the oxylipin 5,8-diHODE by the fungal oxygenase PpoA.