Efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-based immune combination therapy versus sorafenib in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-based immunotherapy (hereafter referred to as "combination immunotherapy") compared with that of sorafenib in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Databases such as PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from the date of their establishment to September 2023 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of combination immunotherapy versus sorafenib for the treatment of advanced HCC. Two reviewers independently evaluated the quality of the included studies, extracted the data, and cross-checked the information. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: A total of 5 RCTs were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed the following: (1) Effectiveness. Compared to sorafenib, combination immunotherapy significantly improved overall survival (OS, HR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.58 ~ 0.82, p < 0.01) and progression-free survival (PFS, HR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.50 ~ 0.78, p < 0.001) in patients with advanced HCC. (2) Safety. Both groups had comparatively high incidences of adverse events (AEs), but the difference in any treatment-related adverse events was not significant between the two arms (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95 ~ 1.02, p = 0.34). The difference in the incidence of grade 1-2 adverse reactions was statistically significant (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49-0.90, p = 0.001). There were no differences in grade 3/4 TRAEs or grade 5 TRAEs (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 0.78 ~ 2.71, p = 0.24; OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.73 ~ 1.58, p = 0.71). Conclusion: Combined immunotherapy can significantly prolong the OS and PFS of patients with advanced HCC without increasing the incidence of adverse effects in terms of safety, but the incidence of AEs in different systems is different.

Geniposide ameliorates psoriatic skin inflammation by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway and MMP9.

Psoriasis is an incurable immune-mediated disease affecting the skin or the joints. There are continuing studies on drugs for psoriasis prevention and treatment. This research found that Geniposide (GE) significantly thinned IMQ mice's skin lesions, reduced the scales, and lowered the presence of inflammatory cells in the pathology in a dose-dependent manner. GE inhibited IL-23, IL-22, IL-17A, IL-12, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in psoriatic mice serum. AKT1, TNF, TLR4, MMP9, MAPK3, and EGFR were selected as the top 6 targets of GE against psoriasis via network pharmacology, and GE-TLR4 has the most robust docking score value by molecular docking. Taken together, GE significantly inhibited TLR4 and MMP9 protein expression and influenced MyD88/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway. Finally, TLR4 was verified as the critical target of GE, which engaged in immunomodulatory activities and reduced MMP9 production in LPS and TAK-242-induced HaCaT cells. GE had a medium affinity for TLR4, and the KD value was 1.06 × 10-5 M. GE is an effective treatment and preventative strategy for psoriasis since it impacts TLR4.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz. Polysaccharides and the Synergistic Antigastric Cancer Effect in Combination with Oxaliplatin.

Oxaliplatin (OXA) is recognized as a first-line drug for gastric cancer. However, low accumulation of the OXA in the target site and the development of drug resistance directly led to treatment failure. In the present study, an ultrasonic extraction method for Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz. polysaccharides (AKUs) and the combination treatment with OXA in vitro were studied. Results showed that when the pH level was 11, the ultrasound power at 450 W, the solid-liquid ratio was 1:20, and the ultrasound treatment for 30 min, the yield of AKUs was significantly increased to 13.20 ± 0.35%. The molecular weights of the AKUs ranged from 7.21 to 185.94 kDa, and its monosaccharides were mainly composed of arabinose (Ara), galactose (Gal), and glucose (Glu) with a ratio of 58.36, 16.90, and 15.49%, respectively. Cell experiments showed that, compared to OXA alone (2 µg/mL, inhibition rate of 18%), the treatment of OXA with AKUs had a significant synergistic inhibitory effect on MKN45 proliferation, which increased to 33, 41, and 45% with increasing AKUs concentrations (5-50 µg/mL), respectively, representing a 2.5-fold inhibition. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) determination confirmed that AKUs significantly increased the intracellular uptake of OXA by 29%, compared to that of OXA alone. We first demonstrated that the combined synergistic inhibitory effect of AKUs and OXA on gastric cancer cells was mediated by reducing the expression of efflux proteins (MRP1 and MRP2) and increasing the expression of ingested protein (OCT2). As a result of the above, AKUs deserved to be an effective adjuvant combined with chemotherapeutics in a clinical setting.

A novel pectin polysaccharide from vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri absorbed by microfold cells in the form of nanoparticles.

Polysaccharides of vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri (VBCP) have been reported to exhibit liver-targeting and immunomodulatory activities through oral administration, but the absorption behavior and mechanism of VBCPs have not been extensively studied. In this study, a novel HG type pectin polysaccharide, VBCP1-4, with a high molecular weight of 2.94 × 106 Da, was separated from VBCP. VBCP1-4 backbone was contained 1,4-α-D-GalpA, 1,4-α-D-GalpA6OMe, 1,3,4-α-D-GalpA and 1,2,4-α-D-Rhap. The branches were mainly contained 1,5-α-L-Araf, 1,3,5-α-L-Araf, t-α-L-Araf and t-α-D-Galp, which linked to the 3 position of 1,3,4-α-D-GalpA and the 4 position of 1,2,4-α-D-Rhap. VBCP1-4 could self-assemble to nanoparticles in water, with CMC values of 106.41 µg/mL, particle sizes of 178.20 ± 2.82 nm and zeta potentials of -23.19 ± 1.44 mV. The pharmacokinetic study of VBCP1-4, which detected by marking with FITC, revealed that it could be partially absorbed into the body through Peyer's patches of the ileum. In vitro absorption study demonstrated that VBCP1-4 was difficult to be absorbed by Caco-2 cell monolayer, but could be absorbed by M cells in a time and concentration dependent manner. The absorption mechanism was elucidated that VBCP1-4 entered M cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis in the form of nanoparticles. These findings provide valuable insights into the absorption behavior of VBCP and contribute to its further development.

Differential mRNA profiles reveal the potential roles of genes involved in lactate stimulation in mouse macrophages.

Lactate is a glycolysis end product, and its levels are markedly associated with disease severity, morbidity, and mortality in sepsis. It modulates key functions of immune cells, including macrophages. In this investigation, transcriptomic analysis was performed using lactic acid, sodium lactate, and hydrochloric acid-stimulated mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (iBMDM), respectively, to identify lactate-associated signaling pathways. After 24 h of stimulation, 896 differentially expressed genes (DEG) indicated were up-regulation, whereas 792 were down-regulated in the lactic acid group, in the sodium lactate group, 128 DEG were up-regulated, and 41 were down-regulated, and in the hydrochloric acid group, 499 DEG were up-regulated, and 285 were down-regulated. Subsequently, clinical samples were used to further verify the eight genes with significant differences, among which Tssk6, Ypel4, Elovl3, Trp53inp1, and Cfp were differentially expressed in patients with high lactic acid, indicating their possible involvement in lactic acid-induced inflammation and various physiological diseases caused by sepsis. However, elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 3 (Elovl3) was negatively correlated with lactic acid content in patients. The results of this study provide a necessary reference for better understanding the transcriptomic changes caused by lactic acid and explain the potential role of high lactic acid in the regulation of macrophages in sepsis.

Calreticulin (CALR) promotes ionophore-induced microneme secretion in Toxoplasma gondii.

The flow of calcium ions (Ca2+) is involved in numerous vital activities of Toxoplasma gondii. Calreticulin is a type of Ca2+-binding protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that is involved in Ca2+ signaling pathway regulation, Ca2+ storage, and protein folding. In this work, the calreticulin (CALR), a protein predicted to possess a conserved domain of calreticulin in T. gondii, was characterized. The CALR localized in the ER. Using reverse genetics, we discovered that CALR is not necessary for the lytic cycle, including invasion and replication. However, depletion of CALR affected microneme secretion triggered by A23187, which is a Ca2+ ionophore used to increase cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration. Furthermore, we discovered that CALR influences Ca2+ release. Transcriptomic comparison between Δcalr and Δku80 parasites showed that 226 genes in the Δcalr parasites were significantly downregulated (p < 0.05). The cellular biological functions of the downregulated genes were mainly involved in calmodulin-dependent protein kinase pathways. Furthermore, in the absence of CALR, tachyzoites were still able to cause acute infection in mice. These results imply that by influencing ER Ca2+ release content, CALR may further impair the ionophore-induced secretion of the parasite. However, this protein is not required for the completion of the parasite's lytic cycle or for the acute virulence of the parasite.

Xiaoyaosan promotes neurotransmitter transmission and alleviates CUMS-induced depression by regulating the expression of Oct1 and Oct3 in astrocytes of the prefrontal cortex.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Xiaoyaosan (XYS) is a traditional prescription for the treatment of liver depression and qi stagnation, and pharmacological studies have shown that XYS has great potential to reverse depression. However, anti-depression targets and the mechanism of XYS are still not entirely clear. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aims to explore and verify the anti-depression mechanism of XYS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antidepressant effect of XYS was assessed in rats with depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stimulation (CUMS). The levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE) in different brain regions were measured using ELISA. The expression of organic cation transporters (Octs) were detected by western blot and immunohistochemical techniques. Then, Decynium-22 (D22), an Octs inhibitor, was injected into the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to verify the correlation between Octs and depression-like behavior. Then, the effects of XYS on the behavior, neurotransmitter concentration, and Octs expression in D22-induced rats were examined. Finally, primary astrocytes were used to verify the mechanism of XYS exerting anti-depressant activity by regulating Octs. RESULTS: The result showed that XYS had a significant positive impact on the behavior of depression rats induced by CUMS. XYS also improved the secretion of 5-HT, DA, and NE in the PFC, as well as the promotion of Oct1, Oct2, and Oct3 expression in the PFC. These results suggest that XYS has the potential to alleviate depression by enhancing the secretion of neurotransmitters. This may be related to XYS regulation of Oct's expression. When the expression of Octs was inhibited in the PFC, rats exhibited behavior similar to depression, and XYS was able to reverse this behavior, indicating that Octs play a significant role in the development of depression and XYS may exert its antidepressant effects through the regulation of Octs. Furthermore, the study also found that dopamine uptake decreased after inhibiting the expression of Octs, and XYS-containing serum could reverse the downregulation of Oct1 and Oct3 and promote intracellular dopamine homeostasis in the astrocytes. Overall, XYS may exert antidepressant effects by promoting dopamine uptake to improve neurotransmitter transport by regulating the protein expression of Oct1 and Oct3 in astrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The antidepressant effect of XYS may be attributed to its ability to regulate the expression of Oct1 and Oct3 in astrocytes of the PFC, thereby promoting neurotransmitter transport.

APTES-mediated Cu2(OH)3(NO3) nanomaterials on the surface of silicone catheters for abscess.

Metal-based nanomaterials have remarkable bactericidal effects; however, their toxicity cannot be disregarded. To address this concern, we developed a simple synthesis route for antibacterial catheters using metal-based nanomaterials to reduce toxicity while harnessing their excellent bactericidal properties. The grafting agent (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) forms -NH2 groups on the catheter surface, onto which copper ions form a nanomaterial complex known as Cu2(OH)3(NO3) (defined as SA-Cu). The synthesized SA-Cu exhibited outstanding contact antibacterial effects, as observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed cell membrane crumbing and bacterial rupture on the catheter surface. Furthermore, SA-Cu exhibited excellent biosafety characteristics, as evidenced by the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, which showed no significant cytotoxicity. SA-Cu demonstrated sustained antimicrobial capacity, with in vivo experiments demonstrating over 99% bactericidal efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for two weeks. The transcriptome sequencing results suggested that SA-Cu may exert its bactericidal effects by interfering with histidine and purine metabolism in MRSA. This study presents a straightforward method for synthesizing antimicrobial silicone catheters containing copper nanomaterials using copper ions.

Engineering Hyaluronic Acid Microneedles Loaded with Mn2+ and Temozolomide for Topical Precision Therapy of Melanoma.

Topical therapy has received worldwide attention for in situ tumors owing to its higher efficacy of drug delivery. Herein, this work reports a dissolvable multifunctional hyaluronic acid microneedles (HMNs) patch coloaded with temozolomide (TMZ) and MnCl2 (TMZ/MnCl2@HMN) for chemoimmunotherapy of melanoma. HMNs can ensure the stability of TMZ over time, and exhibit fewer side effects with a localized release way. In particular, TMZ not only promotes dendritic cell maturation by triggering immunogenic cell death in tumor cells, but also induces DNA damage that can further enhance the Mn2+-activated cGAS-STING (stimulator of interferon genes pathway). As a result, the TMZ/MnCl2@HMN multifunctional platform significantly inhibits lung metastases for melanoma, providing a practical strategy for precision therapy of melanoma.

Epidemiologic Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5.1.3 Variant and the Protection Provided By Inactivated Vaccination.

Omicron variants have become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants due to their increased transmissibility and immune-escape ability. An outbreak of the Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 occurred in August 2022 in Sanya, China. Studying Omicron variants can promote the understanding of them and further contribute to managing the SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. This retrospective study analyzed the data of 258 patients with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 admitted to the First Cabin Hospital of Sanya, China, between August 14 and September 4, 2022. The 258 patients comprised 128 males and 130 females with a mean age of 36.6 years and mean length of medical observation (LMO) of 10.1 days. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that LMO was positively and negatively associated with age (p = 0.036) and vaccination status (p = 0.004), respectively. A Cox proportional-hazards model revealed that age (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.99, p = 0.029) and vaccination (HR = 1.23, p = 0.023) were risk and protective factors for LMO, respectively. Causal mediation analysis indicated that vaccination suppressed the effect of prolonging LMO caused by increasing age. Recovery times became longer with increasing age, which could be counterbalanced by vaccination. The present results indicate that vaccination interventions, even those developed through inactivated approaches, can still provide protection against Omicron variants.

Comparative Study on Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Polysaccharides from Vinegar-Baked Radix Bupleuri Using Different Methods.

The impact of the extraction method on the physiochemical characteristics and anti-inflammatory effect of polysaccharides from vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri (VBCPs) was studied. Five extraction methods were employed to obtain the VBCPs: hot water extraction (HW), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UA), enzyme-assisted extraction (EA), citric acid-assisted extraction (CA), and ammonia-assisted extraction (KA). The results showed that the extraction method affects the yield, characteristics, and anti-inflammatory effect of the polysaccharides significantly. KA produced the highest yield, Ara content, and the strongest effect of enhancing IL-10 secretion. VBCP-EA exhibited the largest molecular weight (Mw), the highest Man content, and the poorest effect on inhibiting NO, VBCP-UA possessed more Gal than other VBCPs, the lowest Mw, and a comparable effect on inhibiting NO and TNF-α with VBCP-KA and VBCP-CA. All VBCP self-assembled into nanoparticles in solutions, and VBCP-KA presented the lowest particle size. The structure-activity analysis showed that Mw and Man content are negatively correlated and Ara content is positively correlated with the NO inhibition and IL-10 secretion effects; Rha and Gal A content are positively correlated and Glu is negatively correlated with the TNF-α inhibiting effect. The above results indicated that KA is an efficient method for obtaining anti-inflammatory VBCP, which provides new insight into the extraction of VBCP.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in children from China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cryptosporidium is an important zoonotic pathogen that causes diarrhea in humans and animals, and a leading cause of diarrhea morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years old. However, the meta-analysis of Cryptosporidium infection in children in China has not been published. We searched the databases for articles published on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in children in China since the inception of these databases to 31 October 2022. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in children was estimated using a random effects model. The results showed that 111 datasets from 24 provinces were selected for the final quantitative analysis. The estimated pooled Cryptosporidium infection prevalence in children in China was 2.9% (3300/126,381). The highest prevalence rate was in southwestern China (4.8%, 365/7766). Subgroup analysis indicated that the Cryptosporidium infection rate in children aged < 3 years (4.9%, 330/8428) was significantly higher than that in children aged 3-6 years (2.5%, 609/26,080) and >6 years (2.6%, 647/27,586). Six Cryptosporidium species were detected in children in China from the selected studies. C. hominis was the dominant species (77.1%, 145/188) and the proportions of subgenotype IaA14R4 of C. hominis was highest (42.8%, 62/145). The findings suggest that Chinese children is in a low level of Cryptosporidium infection, however, the geographical distribution of the infection is extensive. We suggest that measures should be taken to ensure the healthy growth of Chinese children by improving the water environment, increasing public health facilities, strengthening children's health education, and developing sound Cryptosporidium infection control programs.

Global prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in pigs: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cryptosporidium spp. are significant opportunistic pathogens causing diarrhoea in humans and animals. Pigs are one of the most important potential hosts for Cryptosporidium. We evaluated the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in pigs globally using published information and a random-effects model. In total, 131 datasets from 36 countries were included in the final quantitative analysis. The global prevalence of Cryptosporidium in pigs was 16.3% (8560/64 809; 95% confidence interval [CI] 15.0­17.6%). The highest prevalence of Cryptosporidium in pigs was 40.8% (478/1271) in Africa. Post-weaned pigs had a significantly higher prevalence (25.8%; 2739/11 824) than pre-weaned, fattening and adult pigs. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium was higher in pigs with no diarrhoea (12.2%; 371/3501) than in pigs that had diarrhoea (8.0%; 348/4874). Seven Cryptosporidium species (Cryptosporidium scrofarum, Cryptosporidium suis, Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium muris, Cryptosporidium tyzzeri, Cryptosporidium andersoni and Cryptosporidium struthioni) were detected in pigs globally. The proportion of C. scrofarum was 34.3% (1491/4351); the proportion of C. suis was 31.8% (1385/4351) and the proportion of C. parvum was 2.3% (98/4351). The influence of different geographic factors (latitude, longitude, mean yearly temperature, mean yearly relative humidity and mean yearly precipitation) on the infection rate of Cryptosporidium in pigs was also analysed. The results indicate that C. suis is the dominant species in pre-weaned pigs, while C. scrofarum is the dominant species in fattening and adult pigs. The findings highlight the role of pigs as possible potential hosts of zoonotic cryptosporidiosis and the need for additional studies on the prevalence, transmission and control of Cryptosporidium in pigs.

Citric Acid Enhances the Activities of Astilbin on Psoriasis via Down-Regulation of P-Glycoprotein.

Astilbin (AS) has been confirmed to be an attractive candidate drug for psoriasis; however, the low oral absorption limits its further development and utilization. Herein, a simple method was discovered to solve this problem, which was combined with citric acid (CA). The efficiency was estimated by imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mice, and the absorption was predicted by the Ussing chamber model, HEK293-P-gp cells were used to validate the target. Compared with the AS group, the combination with CA significantly reduced the PASI score and down-regulated the protein expression of IL-6 and IL-22, which showed that the combination of CA enhanced the anti-psoriasis effect of AS. Moreover, AS concentration in psoriasis-like mice plasma was significantly increased (3.90-fold) in the CA combined group, and the mRNA and protein levels of P-gp in the small intestine of the combined group were decreased by 77.95 and 30.00%, respectively. In addition, when combined with CA, AS absorption significantly increased while the efflux ratio decreased in vitro. Furthermore, CA significantly elevated the uptake of AS by 153.37% and decreased the protein expression of P-gp by 31.70% in HEK293-P-gp cells. These results indicated that CA enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of AS by improving its absorption via down-regulation of P-gp.

Dual-modal molecular imaging and therapeutic evaluation of coronary microvascular dysfunction using indocyanine green-doped targeted microbubbles.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), which causes a series of cardiovascular diseases, seriously endangers human health. However, precision diagnosis of CMD is still challenging due to the lack of sensitive probes and complementary imaging technologies. Herein, we demonstrate indocyanine green-doped targeted microbubbles (named T-MBs-ICG) as dual-modal probes for highly sensitive near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging and high-resolution ultrasound imaging of CMD in mouse models. In vitro results show that T-MBs-ICG can specifically target fibrin, a specific CMD biomarker, via the cysteine-arginine-glutamate-lysine-alanine (CREKA) peptide modified on the surface of microbubbles. We further employ T-MBs-ICG to achieve NIR fluorescence imaging of injured myocardial tissue in a CMD mouse model, leading to a signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of up to 50, which is 20 fold higher than that of the non-targeted group. Furthermore, ultrasound molecular imaging of T-MBs-ICG is obtained within 60 s after intravenous injection, providing molecular information on ventricular and myocardial structures and fibrin with a resolution of 1.033 mm × 0.466 mm. More importantly, we utilize comprehensive dual-modal imaging of T-MBs-ICG to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of rosuvastatin, a cardiovascular drug for the clinical treatment of CMD. Overall, the developed T-MBs-ICG probes with good biocompatibility exhibit great potential in the clinical diagnosis of CMD.

X-Ray Activatable Au/Ag Nanorods for Tumor Radioimmunotherapy Sensitization and Monitoring of the Therapeutic Response Using NIR-II Photoacoustic Imaging.

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is an advanced physical therapy used to kill primary cancer cells and inhibit the growth of distant metastatic cancer cells. However, challenges remain because RIT generally has low efficacy and serious side effects, and its effects are difficult to monitor in vivo. This work reports that Au/Ag nanorods (NRs) enhance the effectiveness of RIT against cancer while allowing the therapeutic response to be monitored using activatable photoacoustic (PA) imaging in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm). The Au/Ag NRs can be etched using high-energy X-ray to release silver ions (Ag+ ), which promotes dendritic cell (DC) maturation, enhances T-cell activation and infiltration, and effectively inhibits primary and distant metastatic tumor growth. The survival time of metastatic tumor-bearing mice treated with Au/Ag NR-enhanced RIT is 39 days compared with 23 days in the PBS control group. Furthermore, the surface plasmon absorption intensity at 1040 nm increases fourfold after Ag+ are released from the Au/Ag NRs, allowing X-ray activatable NIR-II PA imaging to monitor the RIT response with a high signal-to-background ratio of 24.4. Au/Ag NR-based RIT has minimal side effects and shows great promise for precise cancer RIT.

Albumin-Consolidated AIEgens for Boosting Glioma and Cerebrovascular NIR-II Fluorescence Imaging.

The application of an exogenous polymer matrix to construct aggregation-induced emission (AIE) nanoprobes promotes the utility of AIE luminogens (AIEgens) in diagnosing brain diseases. However, the limited fluorescence (FL) and low active-targeting abilities of AIE-based nanoprobes impede their imaging application. Here, we employed endogenous albumin as an effective matrix to encapsulate AIEgens to enhance FL quantum yield (QY) and active-targeting ability. The albumin-consolidated strategy effectively inhibited the intramolecular vibration of AIEgens and enhanced endocytosis mediated by the gp60 receptor. The QYs of three kinds of albumin-based AIE nanoprobes with FL emissions ranging from the visible (400-650 nm) to the second near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) region was at least 10% higher, and the tumor-targeting efficiency was ∼25% higher, compared with those of nanoprobes constructed by the exogenous polymer. Albumin-based AIE nanoprobes have achieved active-targeting NIR-II imaging of brain tumors and cerebrovascular imaging with a high signal-to-background ratio (SBR, ∼90) and high resolution (∼70 µm) in mouse models. Therefore, the albumin-based AIE nanoprobes will enable FL imaging-guided surgery of brain tumors and cerebral ischemia, which will improve surgical efficacy to prevent recurrence and side effects.

Optimization of the Transdermal Delivery System in Astilbin Microemulsion with Improved Stability and Anti-psoriatic Activity.

BACKGROUND: Astilbin is a promising candidate drug for psoriasis. However, the poor solubility and stability limited its clinical application. PURPOSE: The present work aimed to develop a stable microemulsion of astilbin formulation and evaluate its effect in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Oil phase, surfactants, and cosurfactants were screened using solubility and stability of astilbin as the index. The central composite experiment design and response surface methodology analysis were adopted to optimize microemulsion parameters. The particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, viscosity, drug content, encapsulation, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and stability of the optimized microemulsion were evaluated. Then, the drug release and anti-psoriasis effects were evaluated in a mouse model induced by imiquimod. RESULTS: The optimum formulation contained Labrafil M 1944 Cs (10.12%), Polyoxyethylene Castor Oil 35 (37.41%), propylene glycol (12.47%), water (40%), and gallic acid (2.9%), and the average particle size was 14.71 nm. The permeability of astilbin from the optimized astilbin-gallic acid microemulsion in 24 hr was 4.39 times higher compared with the astilbin's microemulsion. The content of astilbin in astilbin-gallic acid microemulsion remained unchanged after being stored at 25°C for 4 months compared with astilbin aqueous (3 h) and astilbin microemulsion (185 h). Compared with the model group, the optimized formulation decreased the PASI score and Baker score by 49% and 73%, respectively, which showed a favorable anti-psoriasis effect. Moreover, there was no difference in the anti-psoriasis effect between the optimized group and the positive control. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that the astilbin-gallic acid microemulsion might be a potential topical drug used for the treatment of psoriasis.

Miniature NIR-II Nanoprobes for Active-Targeted Phototheranostics of Brain Tumors.

Nanoprobes (NPs) in the second near-infrared biowindow (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) are developed and widely used in cancer phototheranostics. However, most NIR-II NPs exhibit low phototheranostic efficiency due to their tedious synthetic routes, large particle sizes (>20 nm), and lack of active targeting properties. Here, miniature NIR-II NPs, named HSA-ICG-iRGD, for active-targeted NIR-II phototheranostics of brain tumors are reported. The HSA-ICG-iRGD probes are designed based on hydrophobic interactions as well as hydrogen bonds between albumin and indocyanine green derivatives (ICG-iRGD) via molecular docking. The as-prepared NPs have a compact size of 10 nm and show tumor-targeting ability by specifically binding to αv ß3 integrin receptors which are highly expressed on the surface of brain tumor cells via iRGD peptides. The HSA-ICG-iRGD NPs are then applied to perform active-targeted NIR-II fluorescence imaging, resulting in a signal-to-background ratio of 6.85 in orthotopic glioma mouse models. Under the selected laser irradiation of 808 nm, the photothermal effect of HSA-ICG-iRGD extends the survival of the tumor-bearing mice to 55 days, significantly longer than that of the control group (30 days). These results highlight the potential of miniature NPs for active-targeted NIR-II fluorescence imaging and phototherapy of brain tumors.

Vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri enhances the liver-targeting effect of rhein on liver injury rats by regulating transporters.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore whether the liver-targeting enhancing effect of vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri (VBRB) on rhein was achieved by affecting transporters, metabolism enzymes as well as hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α/4α (HNF1α/HNF4α) in liver injury. METHODS: The effect of VBRB on the efficacy of rhein was performed with the LPS-induced acute liver injury rat model. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were determined and histopathological examination was taken. Drug concentrations in tissues were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The protein expressions of drug transporters, metabolic enzymes and hepatic nuclear factors were determined by Western blotting and ELISA assays. KEY FINDING: VBRB improved the liver protecting effect of rhein, which was consistent with its promoting effect on targeted enrichment of rhein in the liver. VBRB or in combination with rhein inhibited P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and multi-resistance related protein 2 (MRP2), while increased organic anion transporting polypeptide 2 (OATP2), which might be the reason why VBRB promoted liver-targeting effect of rhein. CONCLUSION: VBRB enhances the liver-protecting effect of rhein by down-regulating Pgp, MRP2, and up-regulating OATP2.