[Effects of absorption enhancers on intestinal absorption of lumbrokinase].

AIM: To explore the intestinal absorption characteristics of lumbrokinase (YJM-I) in the absence or presence of various absorption enhancers and to find the optimum intestinal site for YJM-I absorption. METHODS: The absorption kinetics and absorption intestinal sites for YJM-I absorption were investigated with the method of diffusion cell in vitro, duodenum bolus injection, recirculating perfusion and in situ duodenum perfusion in vivo. RESULTS: YJM-I could be transported into blood and kept its biological activity across intestinal endothelial membrane after administration via duodenum site, whereas with lower bioavailability. Some of the absorption enhancers were shown good enhancement effects on intestinal absorption of YJM-I in vitro and in situ experiments. The order of enhanced efficiencies of various enhancers on duodenum, ileum and jejunum in vitro permeation experiments were shown as follows: 1% chitosan > 1% SDCh > 1% Na2EDTA > 1% SDS > 1% sodium caprylate > 1% poloxamer > 1% HP-beta-CD. The order of enhanced efficiencies of various enhancers on duodenum absorption of YJM-I in vivo were as follows: 2.5% SDCh > 2.5% Na2EDTA > 2.0% chitosan > 2.5% SDS > 2.5% sodium caprylate > 2.5% Poloxamer > 2.5% HP-beta-CD. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the absorption of YJM-I could be enhanced by various enhancers, and duodenum was the optimum absorption site of YJM-I. Furthermore, bio-adhesive chitosan might be a potential enhancer of intestinal YJM-I absorption.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of calcium phosphate composite scaffolds containing BMP-VEGF loaded PLGA microspheres for the treatment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) is difficult to treat due to high pressure and hypoxia, and reduced levels of growth factors such as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We generated a novel calcium phosphate (CPC) composite scaffold, which contains BMP-VEGF-loaded poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microspheres (BMP-VEGF-PLGA-CPC). The BMP-VEGF-loaded microspheres have an encapsulation efficiency of 89.15% for BMP, and 78.55% for VEGF. The BMP-VEGF-PLGA-CPC scaffold also demonstrated a porosity of 62% with interconnected porous structures, and pore sizes of 219 µm and compressive strength of 6.60 MPa. Additionally, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were seeded on scaffolds in vitro. Further characterization showed that the BMP-VEGF-PLGA-CPC scaffolds were biocompatible and enhanced osteogenesis and angiogenesis in vitro. Using a rabbit model of ANFH, BMP-VEGF-PLGA-CPC scaffolds were implanted into the bone tunnels of core decompression in the femoral head for 6 and 12 weeks. Radiographic and histological analysis demonstrated that the BMP-VEGF-PLGA-CPC scaffolds exhibited good biocompatibility, and osteogenic and angiogenic activity in vivo. These results indicate that the BMP-VEGF-PLGA-CPC scaffold may improve the therapeutic effect of core decompression surgery and be used as a treatment for ANFH.

Biocompatibility and osteogenesis of calcium phosphate composite scaffolds containing simvastatin-loaded PLGA microspheres for bone tissue engineering.

By utilizing a modified solid/oil/water (s/o/w) emulsion solvent evaporation technique, calcium phosphate composite scaffolds containing simvastatin-loaded PLGA microspheres (SIM-PLGA-CPC) were prepared in this study. We characterized the morphology, encapsulation efficiency and in vitro drug release of SIM-loaded PLGA microspheres as well as the macrostructure, pore size, porosity and mechanical strength of the scaffolds. Rabbit bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were seeded onto SIM-PLGA-CPC scaffolds, and the proliferation, morphology, cell cycle and differentiation of BMSCs were investigated using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), flow cytometry, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and alizarin red S staining, respectively. The results revealed that SIM-PLGA-CPC scaffolds were biocompatible and osteogenic in vitro. To determine the in vivo biocompatibility and osteogenesis of the scaffolds, both pure PLGA-CPC scaffolds and SIM-PLGA-CPC scaffolds were implanted in rabbit femoral condyles and microradiographically and histologically investigated. SIM-PLGA-CPC scaffolds exhibited good biocompatibility and could improve the efficiency of new bone formation. All these results suggested that the SIM-PLGA-CPC scaffolds fulfilled the basic requirements of bone tissue engineering scaffold and possessed application potentials in orthopedic surgery.

The biocompatibility of calcium phosphate cements containing alendronate-loaded PLGA microparticles in vitro.

The composite of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and calcium phosphate cements (CPC) are currently widely used in bone tissue engineering. However, the properties and biocompatibility of the alendronate-loaded PLGA/CPC (APC) porous scaffolds have not been characterized. APC scaffolds were prepared by a solid/oil/water emulsion solvent evaporation method. The morphology, porosity, and mechanical strength of the scaffolds were characterized. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from rabbit were cultured, expanded and seeded on the scaffolds, and the cell morphology, adhesion, proliferation, cell cycle and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs were determined. The results showed that the APC scaffolds had a porosity of 67.43 ± 4.2% and pore size of 213 ± 95 µm. The compressive strength for APC was 5.79 ± 1.21 MPa, which was close to human cancellous bone. The scanning electron microscopy, cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry and ALP activity revealed that the APC scaffolds had osteogenic potential on the BMSCs in vitro and exhibited excellent biocompatibility with engineered bone tissue. APC scaffolds exhibited excellent biocompatibility and osteogenesis potential and can potentially be used for bone tissue engineering.

Gene therapy with recombinant adenovirus encoding endostatin encapsulated in cationic liposome in coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor-deficient colon carcinoma murine models.

Adenovirus (Ad)-based antiangiogenesis gene therapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment. Downregulation or loss of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) is often detected in various human cancers, which hampers adenoviral gene therapy approaches. Cationic liposome-complexed adenoviral vectors have been proven useful in CAR-deficient cells to enhance therapeutic gene transfer in vivo. Here, we investigated the antitumor effects of recombinant adenovirus encoding endostatin (Ad-hE) encapsulated in cationic liposome (Ad-hE/Lipo) on CAR-deficient CT26 colon carcinoma murine models. In vitro, Ad-hE/Lipo enhanced adenovirus transfection in CAR-deficient cells (CT26), and endostatin gene expression was measured by both qualitative and quantitative detection. In addition, an antibody neutralizing assay indicated that neutralizing serum inhibited naked adenovirus 5 (Ad5) at rather higher dilution than the complexes of Ad5 and cationic liposomes (Ad5-CL), which demonstrated that Ad5-CL was more capable of protecting Ad5 from neutralization. In vivo, Ad-hE/Lipo treatment in the murine CT26 tumor model by intratumoral injection resulted in marked suppression of tumor growth and prolonged survival time, which was associated with a decreased number of microvessels and increased apoptosis of tumor cells. In conclusion, recombinant endostatin adenovirus encapsulated with cationic liposome effectively inhibited CAR-deficient tumor growth through an antiangiogenic mechanism in murine models without marked toxicity, thus showing a feasible strategy for clinical applications.

[Productions analyses and pH dynamics during rice straw degradation by the lignocellulose degradation bacteria system WSC-6].

To detect the metabolic characteristic of rice straw degradation by composite microbial system WSC-6, we cultured WSC-6 in the media used rice straw as the limiting carbon source. The rice straw was added in the style of different quantity once or the same quantity at the different time intervals during 90 days culture. The systems were cultivated under static condition at 50 degrees C. The degradation ratio, absolute degradation quantity,products from degradation and dynamics of pH value of fermentation system were all investigated. The results showed: when 1% rice straw was added once, the pH of fermentation system decreased from initial 7.8 to 6.0 within the first three days inoculation, and after six-day cultivation, it increased to 8.0 and was stable. For dissolved oxygen concentration (DO), the value was maintained at range of 0.01 to 0.12 mg x L(-1) of microaerobic condition. During the rice straw degradation, more than ten kinds of products including ethanol, acetic acid, lactic acid and glycerol and so on were detected using GC-MS. Especially, the highest concentration of lactic acid among all products was 7.381 g x L(-1) at 24 h after inoculation. During 90-day cultivation, for the addition treatments of the different quantity once, the more rice straw added, the quicker and lower the pH decreased, and the longer time intervals returned the pHs were. Especially for 5.0% addition, when 5.0% of rice straw was added once, pH did not increase again after it decreased. Among the addition of the same quantity at the different time intervals, the trend of decrease-increase in pH at 12-day and 15-day intervals could be repeated and high degradation activity well maintained. After 90-day of inoculation, the highest degradation ratio occurred in the treatment at 15-day interval, which was 86.7%. The highest absolute quantity occurred in the treatment at 6-day interval, which was 32.4 g. The trend of pH changes can indicate the activity of lignocellulose degradation and degradation process of the WSC-6.