Constructing network structures to enhance stability and target deposition of selenium nanoparticles via amphiphilic sodium alginate and alkyl glycosides.

Dietary selenium (Se) supplementation has recently received increasing attention; however, Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) exhibit poor stability and tend to aggregate in aqueous solution. Therefore, enhancing the stability of SeNPs and their effective delivery to plants remain challenging. In this study, sodium alginate (SA) and lysozyme (LZ) were reacted via the wet-heat Maillard reaction (MR) to obtain amphiphilic alginate-based polymers (SA-LZ). Alkyl glycosides (APG) were introduced into SA-LZ to enhance the deposition of SeNPs in leaves. Thus, a renewable and degradable polysaccharide-based material (SA-LZ/APG) loaded with Se formed an amphiphilic alginate-based-based shell with a Se core. Notably, the encapsulation of SeNPs into a polysaccharide base (SA-LZ/APG) increased the stabilization of SeNPs and resulted in orange-red, zero-valent, monoclinic and spherical SeNPs with a mean diameter of approximately 43.0 nm. In addition, SA-LZ/APG-SeNPs reduced the interfacial tension of plant leaves and increased the Se content of plants compared to the blank group. In vitro studies have reported that SA-LZ/APG-SeNPs and SA-LZ-SeNPs have significantly better clearance of DDPH and ABTS than that of APG-SeNPs. Thus, we believe that SA-LZ/APG is a promising smart delivery system that can synergistically enhance the stability of SeNPs in aqueous solutions and improve the bioavailability of Se nutrient solutions.

Thymidylate synthase gene polymorphism predicts disease free survival in stage II-III rectal adenocarcinoma patients receiving adjuvant 5-FU-based chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The objective is to investigate whether thymidylate synthase gene TS 5'-UTR polymorphism of peripheral blood mononuclear cells are associated with clinical outcomes of patients with stage II-III rectal adenocarcinoma treated with adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy in Chinese population. METHODS: One hundred and seventeen pathologically diagnosed colorectal adenocarcinoma patients with stage II-III, who underwent curative resection and received 5-fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled to this study. The 5'-TSER polymorphisms determined from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by Direct Sequencing. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used for survival analysis. The independent prognostic factors influencing DFS and OS were estimated by Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The distribution of TS 5'-UTR polymorphisms ware 2.6% 2R/2R, 31.6% 2R/3R and 65.8% 3R/3R respectively, which was fitted with Hard-Weinberg equilibrium (χ2=0.345, P=0.558). Stage, N stage, number of mesenteric lymph node metastasis, KPS, and 5'-UTR polymorphisms (2R/2R/2R/3R vs. 3R/3R, P<0.001) were significantly associated with DFS. Meanwhile, gender (female vs. male, P=0.025) and adjuvant radiotherapy (yes vs. no, P=0.025) were significantly associated with OS. Multivariate Cox regression showed that KPS score (HR =0.947, P=0.007), TS 5'-UTR polymorphism (HR =0.455, P=0.004) were independent prognostic factors for DFS. Whereas, KPS score was the only independent prognostic factors for OS (HR =0.910, P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: TS 5'-UTR tandem repeat polymorphisms had potential utilization for personalized therapy in Chinese population.