Intravesical In Situ Immunostimulatory Gel for Triple Therapy of Bladder Cancer.

Bladder cancer displays multiple biological features aided in drug resistance; therefore, single therapy fails to induce complete tumor regression. To address this issue, various kinds of cell death of cancer cells as well as restoring tumor immune microenvironment need to be taken into consideration. Here, we introduce a gel system termed AuNRs&IONs@Gel, which target-delivers a combination of photothermal, ferroptotic, and immune therapy through intravesical instillation. AuNRs&IONs@Gel consists of a gel delivery platform, embedded gold nanorods (AuNRs), and iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs). The targeted delivery gel platform provides dextran aldehyde-selective adhesion with cancer collagen. In this condition, photothermal therapy can be performed by gold nanorods (AuNRs) under imaging-guided near-infrared radiation. Local high concentrations of IONs can be absorbed by cancer cell to induce ferroptosis. Moreover, tumor-associated macrophages which often display an immune-suppressive M2-like phenotype will be repolarized by IONs into the antitumor M1-like phenotype, exerting a direct antitumor effect and professional antigen presentation of dead cancer cells. This process triggers a potent immune response of innate and adapt immunities to protect tumor rechallenge in long terms. Our triple-therapy strategy employs FDA-approved nanoparticles to inhibit bladder cancer which may possess great potential for clinical translation.

Preharvest UV-C treatment affected postharvest senescence and phytochemicals alternation of strawberry fruit with the possible involvement of abscisic acid regulation.

As an environmentally friendly approach for fruit quality improvement, the effect of preharvest UV-C on the physiology of strawberry fruit during postharvest storage remains to be assessed. Strawberry fruit developed with supplementary UV-C were stored at room temperature for 2 weeks. Preharvest UV-C attenuated fruit postharvest senescence and altered phytochemicals composition. Higher ester titer was found in the treated fruit at harvest, whereas higher terpene and furanone contents were detected after 72 h of storage. At harvest, polyphenolics accumulated to a higher level in UV-C group, but the difference disappeared after 24 h of storage. Meanwhile, the intrinsic level of abscisic acid and the expressions of FaPYR1, SnRK2, and FaASR in the UV-C-treated fruit was enhanced at harvest but returned to a lower level as storage proceeded. This study highlights the time-dependent effect of preharvest UV-C on strawberry fruit postharvest biochemical indexes and the possible involvement of abscisic acid signaling factors.

Preharvest Ultraviolet C Treatment Affected Senescence of Stored Strawberry Fruit with a Potential Role of MicroRNAs in the Activation of the Antioxidant System.

Recent studies presented preharvest ultraviolet C (UV-C) as an environmentally friendly approach for the management of horticultural crop diseases. The effect of this approach on quality preservation during postharvest storage has not yet been investigated. Strawberry fruit harvested from plants grown with supplemental UV-C were stored at room temperature for 72 h, and their postharvest shelf-life biochemical indicators were evaluated. The involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the activation of UV-C-induced antioxidant systems was investigated. Preharvest UV-C contributed to the preservation of sugar and organic acid and reduced overall lipid peroxidation in strawberry fruit during storage. We found that miR159 and miR398 were downregulated by preharvest UV-C and that their respective targets were upregulated at the early stage of storage with enhancement of the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The initial burst of H2O2 and O2• - suggested that preharvest UV-C primed the fruit in an antioxidative activated state via reactive-oxygen-species-mediated feedback control with post-transcriptional involvement of miRNAs.

The experimental study on treatment of glucocorticoid-induced ischemic necrosis of femoral head by gu fu sheng capsule.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Gu Fu Sheng Capsule ([symbol: see text] GFSC) on nitric oxide (NO) level and fibrinolytic activity in rabbits with glucocorticoid-induced ischemic necrosis of femoral head (GINFH) so as to explain the therapeutic mechanism of GFSC. METHODS: 48 rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups: GFSC group A, Ma Shi Gu Pian ([symbol: see text] MSGP) group B, model group C, and control group D. The models of GINFH were produced by injection of glucocorticoid hormone for 8 weeks. From the 9th week, GFSC decoction was given to the rabbits of the group A (45 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and MSGP extract was given to the group B (0.17 g kg(-1) x d(-1)) and the same volume of normal saline to group C and D by intragastric infusion. The content of plasma nitric oxide (NO), and activities of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) were detected after the hormone was injected for 4 and 8 weeks and after the drugs were given for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Compared with the group D, the contents of NO and t-PA activity in the group C decreased significantly (P<0.01), but the activity of PAI increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the group C, the contents of NO and t-PA activity in the group A and B increased significantly (P<0.05), but the activity of PAI decreased significantly (P<0.05), with no significant difference between the two treatment groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: GFSC could increase the level of NO, protect endotheolial cells and improve fibrinolytic activity, which might be the mechanism of GFSC in curing GINFH.