A Mitochondrial Nanoguard Modulates Redox Homeostasis and Bioenergy Metabolism in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

As a major late complication of diabetes, diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the primary reason for amputation. Nevertheless, there are no wonder drugs available. Regulating dysfunctional mitochondria is a key therapeutic target for DPN. Resveratrol (RSV) is widely proven to guard mitochondria, yet the unsatisfactory bioavailability restricts its clinical application. Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) are promising carriers due to their excellent cell entrance efficiency, biological safety, and structure editability. Here, RSV was intercalated into tFNAs to form the tFNAs-RSV complexes. tFNAs-RSV achieved enhanced stability, bioavailability, and biocompatibility compared with tFNAs and RSV alone. With its treatment, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was minimized and reductases were activated in an in vitro model of DPN. Besides, respiratory function and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production were enhanced. tFNAs-RSV also exhibited favorable therapeutic effects on sensory dysfunction, neurovascular deterioration, demyelination, and neuroapoptosis in DPN mice. Metabolomics analysis revealed that redox regulation and energy metabolism were two principal mechanisms that were impacted during the process. Comprehensive inspections indicated that tFNAs-RSV inhibited nitrosation and oxidation and activated reductase and respiratory chain. In sum, tFNAs-RSV served as a mitochondrial nanoguard (mito-guard), representing a viable drilling target for clinical drug development of DPN.

DNA-based Nanomaterials in the Immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Nucleic acid is a genetic material that shows great potential in a variety of biological applications. With the help of nanotechnology, the fabrication of DNA-based nanomaterials has emerged. From genetic DNA to non-genetic functional DNA, from single-layer and flat structure to multi-layer and complex structure, and from two-dimensional to three-dimensional structure, DNA-based nanomaterials have been greatly developed, bringing significant changes to our lives. In recent years, the research of DNA-based nanomaterials for biological applications has developed rapidly. METHODS: We extensively searched the bibliographic database for a research article on nanotechnology and immunotherapy and further discussed the advantages and drawbacks of current DNA-based nanomaterials in immunotherapy. By comparing DNA-based nanomaterials with traditional biomaterials applied in immunotherapy, we found that DNA-based nanomaterials are a promising candidate material in Immunotherapy. RESULTS: Due to the unrivaled editability and biocompatibility, DNA-based nanomaterials are not only investigated as therapeutic particles to influence cell behavior but also as drug delivery systems to treat a variety of diseases. Moreover, when DNA-based nanomaterials are loaded with therapeutic agents, including chemical drugs and biomolecules, which significantly enhance the therapeutic effects, DNA-based nanomaterials have great potential in immunotherapy. CONCLUSION: This review summarizes the structural development history of DNA-based nanomaterials and their biological applications in immunotherapy, including the potential treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory diseases.

Diabetes mellitus and the risk of ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies.

OBJECTIVE: Emerging evidence from observational studies (cohort and case-control studies) suggests that a history of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been linked to increased risk of ovarian cancer (OC), but the association between them remains inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was to clarify this association. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library databases published from the inception through 9 April 2020 without language restriction. Observational studies that evaluated the correlation between DM and the incidence of OC were included in our study. Relative risk (RR) with 95% CI was pooled by use of a random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 36 epidemiological articles, including 9 case-control and 27 cohort studies, were finally enrolled, consisting of 14 496 incident cases of OC. Synthesised RRs of developing OC by history of DM were 1.20 (95% CI=1.10 to 1.31) for all eligible studies, 1.08 (95% CI=0.77 to 1.53) for case-control studies and 1.22 (95% CI=1.11 to 1.33) for cohort studies. The above-mentioned positive association persisted across most of subgroup analyses, whereas it was not significant among studies from North American and European countries, level of unadjusted, and patients with low-quality and gestational DM group. The cumulative meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis showed pooled effect was stable and reliable, and no apparent publication bias was identified in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found weaker but still association between DM and OC risk. However, further well-designed prospective studies that control for potential confounders are warranted.