TPGS2k-PLGA composite nanoparticles by depleting lipid rafts in colon cancer cells for overcoming drug resistance.

Recently, studies showed that the drug-resistant cell membranes have formed high-density lipid rafts regions; traditional targeted drug delivery systems can hardly break through the hard shell and deliver drugs to drug-resistant cells. Here, α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 2000 succinate (TPGS2k) was successfully synthesized and used to modify poly (lactic-glycolic acid) nanoparticles co-loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and simvastatin (SV) (SV/DOX@TPGS2k-PLGA NPs). The purpose of this study is to explore the synergistic effect between SV consuming cholesterol in lipid rafts and directly down-regulating P-gp expression on the intracellular drugs retention. The research highlights these nanoparticles interrupted lipid rafts (cholesterol-rich domains, where P-gp is often located), which inhibited drug efflux by down-regulating P-gp, promoted the mitochondria apoptosis and made SW620/AD300 cells (DOX-resistant colon cancer cell line) re-sensitized to DOX. Therefore, the carrier can become a promising SV-based nano-delivery system with depleting cholesterol in lipid rafts to reverse drug resistance.

Chemotherapy based on "Domino-effect" combined with immunotherapy amplifying the efficacy of an anti-metastatic treatment.

In tumor immunotherapy, Treg cells are immunosuppressive cells. In general, the main strategy of chemo immune-therapy for Treg cells is to eliminate them using chemotherapy drugs combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, the dead Treg cells still exert immunosuppressive effects via the nucleoside adenosine pathway. To improve immunosuppression, we designed a nanosystem to deliver synthetic chemotherapeutics and immune activators. The homemade curcumin analog (CA) was encapsulated by α-lactalbumin (α-LA), and the Treg cell specific antibody (mAb), as a therapeutic agent, was linked to the drug-loaded protein via matrix metalloproteinase-responded peptide (P). After the cleavage peptide responded to matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2), the CA@α-LA-P-mAb nanoparticles were separated into CA@α-LA and antibody, which can specifically enter cancer cells and Treg cells via membrane fusion and Nrp-1 receptors, respectively. Finally, we found that CA can not only lead to cell death by the chondriosome apoptosis approach but also reduce the production of Treg cells by inhibiting the expression of foxp3 (a key transcription factor of Treg cells). In addition, specific antibodies can improve the immunosuppression of existing Treg cells. The combined effect of CA and antibodies amplifies the role of chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer.

Two-Way Cruise Nanosatellite Promotes Metastasis Inhibition by Immunochemotherapy.

Currently, immunochemotherapy based on tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is mainly used for elimination of M2 macrophages. However, these methods cannot make full use of the positive immune-modulatory effects of macrophages. This study explores a two-way cruise strategy for combining immunotherapy based on TAM phenotype reversal with classical chemotherapy, the nanosatellites (DOX@HFn-PGZL@Res) are proposed to accurately deliver the chemotherapeutic agents and immune activators to their respective target cells. When the delivery system is recruited to tumor microenvironment, the nanosatellites are separated into DOX@HFn and Res@GZL nanoparticles, which can enter cancer cells and M2-TAMs, respectively. The data show that DOX@HFn-PGZL@Res successfully re-educate M2 to M1 macrophages, resulting in an activated immune response and inhibition of tumor invasion and metastasis. In general, this work describes a two-way homing nanoplatform for the integration of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, which provides a new idea for the "attack-defense" integrated treatment of tumor.

Oxygen Self-Production Red Blood Cell Carrier System for MRI Mediated Cancer Therapy: Ferryl-Hb, Sonodynamic, and Chemical Therapy.

Hypoxia in tumors can lead to insufficient oxygen supply during sonodynamic therapy (SDT), which in turn strengthens tumor resistance to sonodynamic efficacy. To conquer hypoxia in tumors and improve the treatment effectiveness, we developed oxygen self-production red blood cell (RBC) carrier system to decompose tumor endogenic H2O2 into O2 and combine triplex cancer therapy: ferryl-hemoglobin (ferryl-Hb), sonodynamic, and chemical therapy. Both hydrophilic sonosensitizer and doxorubicin (DOX) were encapsulated inside RBCs (DOX/Mn-TPPS@RBCs). The drug release can be improved by combining the effects of H2O2 and ultrasonic irradiation. Here, we introduced a contrast agent, meso-tetra (4-sulfonatephenyl) porphyrinate manganese(III) complex (Mn-TPPS), which could be used to enhance the signal intensity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the tumor site. The feasibility of Mn-TPPS as a sonosensitizer was investigated during SDT. Importantly, DOX/Mn-TPPS@RBCs overcame hypoxia in the tumor and improved the efficacy of SDT owing to the O2 generation by the catalase-catalyzed decomposition of tumor endogenic H2O2. Hemoglobin was simultaneously oxidized into highly oxidative ferryl-Hb species by H2O2 and reactive oxygen species, resulting in cytotoxicity. Overall, this drug delivery system is a promising therapeutic agent involving in situ production of oxygen inside the tumor, triplex therapy, and MRI.

A novel restricted access material combined to molecularly imprinted polymers for selective solid-phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography determination of 2-methoxyestradiol in plasma samples.

A feasibility study was performed in order to ensure the possibilities in using a restricted access material combined to molecularly imprinted polymers (RAM-MIP) as sorbent material in solid phase extraction (SPE) for clean-up of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) from plasma samples. The MIP with hydrophilic external layer was designed by precipitation polymerization. The polymer was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The use of analogs of 2-ME as templates, in combination with a chromatographic separation of the analytes in the sample, overcame the problem of the template bleeding. To demonstrate the property of the RAM-MIP obtained, a comparison of commercially available C18 SPE was performed. The results showed that the RAM-MISPE recoveries were significantly higher than that of C18 SPE for 2-ME in trace concentration. During the extraction process, 2-ME was sufficiently cleaned for further chromatographic analysis with no interferences from template leakage and matrix. Good linearity was obtained from 0.06 to 20 µg mL(-1) with the correlation coefficient r>0.9991. The coefficient of variation of the inter-assay precision was less than 11.9%. The recoveries of 2-ME in rat plasma at three spiked levels were in the range of 99.10-101.00%. Based on the analytical validation results, the proposed method (RAM-MIP off-line SPE/HPLC) can be a useful tool to determine 2-ME in rat plasma samples.

Chiral liquid chromatography resolution and stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of pioglitazone enantiomers in rats.

A selective chiral high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed and validated to separate and quantify the pioglitazone enantiomers in rat plasma. After extraction of the plasma samples with ethyl acetate, the separation of pioglitazone enantiomers and internal standard (I.S., dexamethasone acetate) was achieved on a cellulose tris (3,5-dichlorophenylcarbamate) column known as Chiralpak IC with a mobile phase of hexane-isopropanol (70:30, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0mL/min. The ultraviolet (UV) detection wavelength was set at 225nm. Baseline separation of pioglitazone enantiomers and I.S., free from endogenous interferences, was achieved in less than 25min. Ratio of peak area of each enantiomer to I.S. was used for quantification of plasma samples. Linear calibration curves were obtained over the range of 0.25-50µg/mL in plasma for both enantiomers (R(2)>0.9990) with quantitation limit of 0.25µg/mL. The mean extraction recoveries were 82.37-91.38% for pioglitazone enantiomers and 95.76% for I.S. from rat plasma. The mean relative error (R.E. %) of accuracy and the mean relative standard deviation (R.S.D. %) of intra-day and inter-day precision for both enantiomers were <10%. The method was validated with accuracy, precision, recovery and stability and used to determine the pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone enantiomers, after a single oral administration of racemic pioglitazone (30mg/kg). The differences between the pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax, AUC0-24, AUC0-∞, CL/F of (+)-pioglitazone and (-)-pioglitazone were significant, suggesting that the disposition of pioglitazone in rats may be enantioselective. Moreover, the plasma levels of (+)- and (-)-pioglitazone in female rats were apparently higher than that in male rats, respectively.

Chemiluminescence determination of streptomycin in pharmaceutical preparation and its application to pharmacokinetic study by a flow injection analysis assembly.

A novel and rapid method for the determination of streptomycin has been established by chemiluminescence (CL) based on significant intensity enhancement of streptomycin on the weak CL of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and eosin in alkaline medium. The method is simple, rapid and effective to determine streptomycin in the range of 8.0×10(-9)-1.0×10(-6)gmL(-1) with a determination limit of 2.25×10(-9)gmL(-1). The relative standard deviation is 1.95% for the determination of 2.0×10(-7)gmL(-1) streptomycin (n=11). The pharmacokinetics of streptomycin in plasma of rat coincides with the two-compartment open model. The T1/2α, T1/2ß, CL/F, AUC(0-t), MRT, Tmax and Cmax were 18.83±1.24min, 82.14±3.07min, 0.0026±0.0011Lkg(-1)min(-1), 36044.50±105.02mgmin(-1)L(-1), 92.29±8.21min, 21.63±1.26min and 375.61±8.50µgmL(-1), respectively. There was no significant difference between the results obtained by CL and HPLC. The FI-CL method can be used to determine streptomycin in pharmaceutical preparation and biological samples. The established method is simple, rapid and sensitive without expensive instruments. The possible enhancement mechanism was also investigated.

Determination of ferulic acid by flow injection chemiluminescence analysis based on enhancement of the N-bromobutanimide-eosin-CrCl3 system in alkaline solution.

A simple and sensitive flow injection chemiluminescence method has been developed for the determination of ferulic acid (FA) based on the significant enhancement effect of FA on the CL signal of the N-bromobutanimide (NBS)-eosin-CrCl3 system in alkaline solution. Under optimum conditions, the enhanced CL intensity is linearly related to the concentration of FA in its pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma samples. The corresponding linear regression equations were established over the 4.0 × 10(-10)-1.0 × 10(-7) g/mL for FA tablets and 2.0 × 10(-10)-1.0 × 10(-7) g/mL for plasma samples. The limit of detection for FA tablets and limit of quantification for plasma samples were 2.8 × 10(-10) g/mL (3 σ) and 3.04 × 10(-10) g/mL (10 σ), respectively. A complete analysis could be performed within 40 s, including washing and sampling, giving a throughput of ≈90/h. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of FA in pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma samples with satisfactory results. The recoveries of pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma samples at three different concentrations were 97.8-102.6% and 96.7-104.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the possible mechanism of CL reactions was also discussed briefly.

Development and characterization of glimepiride nanocrystal formulation and evaluation of its pharmacokinetic in rats.

In this paper, orally nanocrystal capsules were produced using nanocrystal formulations in order to optimize dissolution properties of poorly soluble drug glimepiride and improve its bioavailability. The important preparation variables, such as stabilizers, the power input and the time length of ultrasonication on the mean particle size and polydispersity index were investigated systematically, and the optimal values were 0.2% glimepiride (w/v), 1.2% Lipoid S100, 0.6% PEG 6000 (w/v), 0.6% PVPK 30 (w/v), 500 W and 2 min, respectively. Characterization of glimepiride nanocrystal was carried out by X-ray powder diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. In vitro dissolution test, the nanocrystal-loaded capsules of glimepiride showed an evident increase in dissolution rate compared to micronized and market capsules. The in vivo studies demonstrated that a marked enhancement of bioavailability of nanocrystal-loaded capsules was superior compared to the marketed formulation and microcrystal-loaded capsules, which may reduce the risk of side effect by allowing a reduction in either the dose or its frequency of administration.

Tissue distribution of 2-methoxyestradiol nanosuspension in rats and its antitumor activity in C57BL/6 mice bearing lewis lung carcinoma.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the tissue distribution and antitumor activity of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) nanosuspension compared with 2-ME solution both in vitro and in vivo. 2-ME nanosuspension was made by nanoprecipitation-high-frequency ultrasonication method with the particle size of 168.4 ± 3.2 nm and the zeta potential of -29.79 ± 1.89 mV. The overall targeting efficiency (TE(Q)) of 2-ME nanosuspension was improved from 28.71 to 51.95% in the lung of rats. MTT assay showed that 2-ME nanosuspension could significantly enhance the in vitro cytotoxicity against lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells compared with the 2-ME solution, the IC(50) at 72 h was reduced from 6.35 µM for 2-ME solution to 3.56 µM for 2-ME nanosuspension. The antitumor activity in vivo was investigated in C57BL/6 mice bearing LLC, and the results indicated that 2-ME nanosuspension not only exhibited significant suppression of the tumor growth when compared with that of positive group or cyclophosphamide group at the same dose, but also enhanced the spleen indices. Overall, 2-ME nanosuspension could mainly deliver the drug to lungs and made the drug accumulate in the lungs, so 2-ME nanosuspension has a possible lung cancer therapeutic potential.