NIR and magnetism dual-response multi-core magnetic vortex nanoflowers for boosting magneto-photothermal cancer therapy.

Due to the relatively low efficiency of magnetic hyperthermia and photothermal conversion, it is rather challenging for magneto-photothermal nanoagents to be used as an effective treatment during tumor hyperthermal therapy. The advancement of magnetic nanoparticles exhibiting a vortex-domain structure holds great promise as a viable strategy to enhance the application performance of conventional magnetic nanoparticles while retaining their inherent biocompatibility. Here, we report the development of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoflowers with ellipsoidal magnetic cores, and show them as effective nanoagents for magneto-photothermal synergistic therapy. Comparative studies were conducted on the heating performance of anisometric Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (MZF) nanoparticles, including nanocubes (MZF-C), hollow spheres (MZF-HS), nanoflowers consisting of ellipsoidal magnetic cores (MZF-NFE), and nanoflowers consisting of needle-like magnetic cores (MZF-NFN). MZF-NFE exhibits an intrinsic loss parameter (ILP) of up to 15.3 N h m2 kg-1, which is better than that of commercial equivalents. Micromagnetic simulations reveal the magnetization configurations and reversal characteristics of the various MZF shapes. Additionally, all nanostructures displayed a considerable photothermal conversion efficiency rate of more than 18%. Our results demonstrated that by combining the dual exposure of MHT and PTT for hyperthermia treatments induced by MZF-NFE, BT549, MCF-7, and 4T1 cell viability can be significantly decreased by ∼95.7% in vitro.

Effects of toothpaste containing inactivated Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Probio-01 on plaque-induced gingivitis and dental plaque microbiota.

Plaque-induced gingivitis is an inflammatory response in gingival tissues resulting from bacterial plaque accumulation at the gingival margin. Postbiotics can promote the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and optimise the state of microbiota in the oral cavity. In this study, we investigated the effect of inactivated Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Probio-01 on plaque-induced gingivitis and the dental plaque microbiota. A total of 32 healthy gingival participants (Group N, using blank toothpaste for 3 months) and 60 patients with plaque-induced gingivitis (30 in Group F, using inactivated Probio-01 toothpaste for 3 months, and 30 in Group B, using blank toothpaste for 3 months, respectively) were recruited. Clinical indices, which included bleeding on probing (BOP), gingival index (GI), and plaque index (PI), were used to assess the severity of gingivitis. Furthermore, 16SrDNA amplicon sequencing was used to explore changes in the gingival state and dental plaque microbiota in patients with plaque-induced gingivitis. The results showed that inactivated Probio-01 significantly reduced clinical indices of gingivitis, including BOP, GI, and PI, in participants with plaque-induced gingivitis and effectively relieved gingival inflammation, compared with that observed in the control group (group B). Inactivated Probio-01 did not significantly influence the diversity of dental plaque microbiota, but increased the relative abundance of dental plaque core bacteria, such as Leptotrichia and Fusobacterium (P < 0.05). Strong correlations were observed between the indices and abundance of dental plaque microbiota. Overall, the inactivated Probio-01 significantly reduced the clinical indices of gingivitis and effectively improved gingival inflammation in patients with plaque-induced gingivitis. The activity of inactivated Probio-01 against plaque-induced gingivitis was possibly mediated by its ability to regulate the dental plaque microbiota, as indicated by the close correlation between the plaque microbiota and clinical indices of gingivitis.

A developed and validated centrifugal ultrafiltration coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for rapid quantification of unbound lenvatinib in human plasma.

In clinical practice, the determination of unbound drug concentration is very important for dose adjustment and toxicity prediction because only the unbound fraction can achieve a pharmacological effect. A fast, sensitive and accurate analytical method of centrifugal ultrafiltration coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and applied to allow the quantification of unbound lenvatinib concentration. The application of linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of centrifugal force, centrifugal time, and protein content on ultrafiltrate volume (Vu). The results indicated that the centrifugal force and centrifugal time have an influence on Vu that is significantly positive (P < 0.05). This developed method with good linearity (r2 = 0.9996), good accuracy (bias % ≤ 2.24 %), good precision (CV % ≤ 7.10 %), and good recovery (95.46 %-106.46 %) was suitable for routine clinical practice and studies. Particularly, the ultrafiltration membrane had no non-specific binding to lenvatinib. The unbound fractions can be separated in just 15 min. This method was applied to quantify clinical samples and to determine the plasma protein binding and unbound fraction of lenvatinib. This study provides a more effective and promising method for determination of unbound lenvatinib. It could be beneficial to measure the unbound concentration of lenvatinib in personalized medicine and therapeutic drug monitoring in routine clinical practice.

Case Report: Successful Treatment of Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis with Voriconazole: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Fonsecaea monophora is a species of Fonsecaea that belongs to Chaetothyriales. It is usually isolated from tropical and subtropical regions, causing reactive inflammation, skin abscesses, and pain. Cerebral infection caused by F. monophora is rare but often fatal. Diagnosing this disease at an early stage is difficult, and appropriate antifungal therapy is often delayed as a result. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes who presented with a headache 2 months ago and progressive right-sided weakness of 1 month's duration. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a space-occupying lesion in the left frontal lobe and corpus callosum. The cystic mass was removed by surgical intervention, and the identification of the sample based on sequencing of the internal transcribed spaced region in BLAST-N search showed that the sequences producing most significant alignments were F. monophora or similar (query cover 99%, E value 0.0, per ident 99.84). The patient was treated with a 3-month course of twice daily voriconazole, leading to complete recovery.

A preoperative nomogram predicting risk of lymph node metastasis for early-stage cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a preoperative nomogram based on clinical and pathological characteristics to provide a more individualized and accurate estimation of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. METHODS: A total of 7,349 early-stage cervical cancer patients with pathologically confirmed between 1988 and 2015 were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. All the patients were divided into training (n = 5,500) and validation (n = 1,849) cohorts randomly. A cohort of 455 patients from multicenter was used for the external validation. We established a multivariate logistic regression model based on preoperative clinicopathological data, from which a nomogram was developed and validated. A predicted probability of LNM < 5% was defined as low risk. RESULTS: From multivariate logistic regression analysis, age at diagnosis, histologic subtype, tumor grade, tumor size and FIGO stage were identified as preoperative independent risk factors of LNM. The nomogram incorporating these factors demonstrated good discrimination and calibration (concordance index = 0.723; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.707-0.738). In the validation cohort, the discrimination accuracy was 0.745 (95% CI, 0.720-0.770) and 0.747 (95% CI, 0.690-0.804), respectively. The nomogram was well calibrated with a high concordance probability. We also established an R-enabled Internet browser for LNM risk assessment, which tool may be convenient for physicians. CONCLUSIONS: We developed an effective preoperative nomogram based on clinical and pathological characteristics to predict LNM for early-stage cervical cancer. This model could improve clinical trial design and help physicians to decide whether to perform lymphadenectomy or not.

Hollow spherical Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles with a magnetic vortex configuration for enhanced magnetic hyperthermia efficacy.

Conventional magnetic nanoagents in cancer hyperthermia therapy suffer from a low magnetic heating efficiency. To address this issue, researchers have pursued magnetic nanoparticles with topological magnetic domain structures, such as the vortex-domain structure, to enhance the magnetic heating performance of conventional nanoparticles while maintaining excellent biocompatibility. In this study, we synthesized hollow spherical Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (MZF-HS) nanoparticles using a straightforward solvothermal method, yielding samples with an average outer diameter of approximately 350 nm and an average inner diameter of about 220 nm. The heating efficiency of the nanoparticles was experimentally verified, and the specific absorption rate (SAR) value of the hollow MZF was found to be approximately 1.5 times that of solid MZF. The enhanced heating performance is attributed to the vortex states in the hollow MZF structure as validated with micromagnetic simulation studies. In vitro studies demonstrated the lower cell viability of breast cancer cells (MCF-7, BT549, and 4T1) after MHT in the presence of MZF-HS. The synthesized MZF caused 51% cell death after MHT, while samples of MZF-HS resulted in 77% cell death. Our findings reveal that magnetic particles with a vortex state demonstrate superior heating efficiency, highlighting the potential of hollow spherical particles as effective heat generators for MHT applications.

Transcription factors MdMYC2 and MdMYB85 interact with ester aroma synthesis gene MdAAT1 in apple.

Volatile esters in apple (Malus domestica) fruit are the critical aroma components determining apple flavor quality. While the exact molecular regulatory mechanism remains unknown, jasmonic acid (JA) plays a crucial role in stimulating the synthesis of ester aromas in apples. In our study, we investigated the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the production of ester aroma in apples. MeJA treatment significantly increased ester aroma synthesis, accompanied by the upregulation of several genes involved in the jasmonate pathway transduction. Specifically, expression of the gene MdMYC2, which encodes a transcription factor associated with the jasmonate pathway, and the R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene MdMYB85 increased upon MeJA treatment. Furthermore, the essential gene ALCOHOL ACYLTRANSFERASE 1 (MdAAT1), encoding an enzyme responsible for ester aroma synthesis, showed increased expression levels as well. Our investigation revealed that MdMYC2 and MdMYB85 directly interacted with the promoter region of MdAAT1, thereby enhancing its transcriptional activity. In addition, MdMYC2 and MdMYB85 directly bind their promoters and activate transcription. Notably, the interaction between MdMYC2 and MdMYB85 proteins further amplified the regulatory effect of MdMYB85 on MdMYC2 and MdAAT1, as well as that of MdMYC2 on MdMYB85 and MdAAT1. Collectively, our findings elucidate the role of the gene module consisting of MdMYC2, MdMYB85, and MdAAT1 in mediating the effects of JA and promoting ester aroma synthesis in apples.

Drug-drug interactions and dose management of BTK inhibitors when initiating nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (paxlovid) based on physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models.

OBJECTIVE: Co-administration of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is challenging because of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs). However, clinical trials specifically evaluating such DDIs are absent. To evaluate and quantify the DDIs between them and provide rational dose management strategies of BTK inhibitors, we conducted this study using physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models. METHODS: Physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetic parameters were acquired from the published literature and databases. The PBPK models were developed using Simcyp® software. These models were validated by comparing with published literature values. The successfully validated PBPK models were used to simulate the plasma concentration-time profiles and DDIs in a virtual healthy population receiving BTK inhibitors alone or with ritonavir. RESULTS: Simulated plasma concentration-time profiles and pharmacokinetic parameters of each drug were in agreement with clinically observed values from literatures. Ritonavir increased ibrutinib maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and the area under plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) 33- and 53.88-fold, respectively, increased zanubrutinib Cmax and AUC 2.57- and 3.18-fold, respectively, and increased acalabrutinib Cmax and AUC 3.85- and 6.54-fold, respectively. Based on our simulations, dose-adjustment strategies may consist of ibrutinib at 25 mg q48h, zanubrutinib at 80 mg twice-daily and acalabrutinib at 25 mg twice-daily with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. CONCLUSIONS: The PBPK models predicted the in vivo pharmacokinetics and the DDIs of BTK inhibitors and ritonavir. The prospective simulations not only provided scientific evidence regarding rational dosing management strategies when initiating nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy but also provided a reference for the design of clinical DDIs study that may save resources and time. SUMMARY: Paxlovid could increase Cmax and AUC0-τ of BTK inhibitors (ibrutinib, zanubrutinib and acalabrutinib), and dose adjustment strategy of ibrutinib (25 mg q48h), zanubrutinib (80 mg q12h) and acalabrutinib (25 mg q12h) should be considered when combination with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir.

Advanced Glycation End Products: A Comprehensive Review of Their Detection and Occurrence in Food.

The Maillard reaction (MR) is a complicated chemical process that has been extensively studied. Harmful chemicals known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs), with complex structures and stable chemical characteristics, are created during the final stage of the MR. AGEs can be formed both during the thermal processing of food and in the human body. The number of AGEs formed in food is much higher compared to endogenous AGEs. A direct connection exists between human health and the build-up of AGEs in the body, which can result in diseases. Therefore, it is essential to understand the content of AGEs in the food we consume. The detection methods of AGEs in food are expounded upon in this review, and the advantages, disadvantages, and application fields of these detection methods are discussed in depth. Additionally, the production of AGEs in food, their content in typical foods, and the mechanisms influencing their formation are summarized. Since AGEs are closely related to the food industry and human health, it is hoped that this review will further the detection of AGEs in food so that their content can be evaluated more conveniently and accurately.

An Optimized LC-MS/MS Method for Quantification of Sunitinib and N -Desethyl Sunitinib in Human Plasma and Its Application for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring.

BACKGROUND: Sunitinib (SUN) malate is an oral, multitargeted, tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, imatinib-resistant or imatinib-intolerant gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. SUN has a narrow therapeutic window and high variability in interpatient pharmacokinetic parameters. Clinical detection methods for SUN and N -desethyl SUN limit the application of SUN to therapeutic drug monitoring. All published methods for quantifying SUN in human plasma require strict light protection to avoid light-induced isomerism or the use of additional quantitative software. To avoid these difficult processes in clinical routines, the authors propose a novel method that merges the peaks of the E -isomer and Z -isomer of SUN or N -desethyl SUN into a single peak. METHODS: The E -isomer and Z -isomer peaks of SUN or N -desethyl SUN were merged into a single peak by optimizing the mobile phases to decrease the resolution of the isomers. A suitable chromatographic column was selected to obtain a good peak shape. Thereafter, the conventional and single-peak methods (SPM) were simultaneously validated and compared according to the guidelines published by the Food and Drug Administration in 2018 and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia in 2020. RESULTS: The verification results showed that the SPM was superior to the conventional method in the matrix effect and met the requirements for biological sample analysis. SPM was then applied to detect the total steady-state concentration of SUN and N -desethyl SUN in tumor patients who received SUN malate. CONCLUSIONS: The established SPM makes the detection of SUN and N -desethyl SUN easier and faster without light protection or extra quantitative software, making it more appropriate for routine clinical use. The clinical application results showed that 12 patients took 37.5 mg per day, with a median total trough steady-state concentration of 75.0 ng/mL.

Design of experiments (DoE) to develop and to optimize extraction of psychoactive substances.

The design of experiments (DoE) method was employed to optimize the adsorption processes of seven psychoactive substances in magnetic solid phase extraction. Fe3O4/GO/ZIF-8 was utilized as an adsorbent for the efficient extraction of psychoactive substances from environmental water samples. The analytes were ephedrine, methylephedrine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, morphine, papaverine, and thebaine, which were determined by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Plackett-Burman design was employed to identify the significant factors responsible for adsorption, and Box-Behnken design was used for further optimization to obtain the optimum values for each variable. The predicted and experimental values were found to be in good agreement. The coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.9500-0.9976 indicated that the model was significant. The linear ranges were 1-100 ng mL-1, and the correlation coefficient was good (r2 ≥ 0.995). The EF with values of about 2.5 was obtained with recoveries in the range of 74.92-94.47%. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.086-0.353 ng mL-1 and 0.286-1.175 ng mL-1, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day RSDs were in the range of 0.17-1.87% and 0.06-2.21%, respectively. By using the DoE method, the errors associated with inferring the influence and interaction between various factors can be reduced. The combination of MSPE and DoE improves the recovery, precision, and simultaneous detectability of the target analytes. It has a high potential for psychoactive substance analysis in environmental water.

Supplementing artemisinin positively influences growth, antioxidant capacity, immune response, gut health and disease resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Litopenaeus vannamei fed cottonseed protein concentrate meal diets.

Artemisinin (ART) is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine worth exploring, which obtains various physiological activities. In order to study the prebiotic effect of ART on Litopenaeus vannamei fed cottonseed protein concentrate meal diets, six groups of isonitrogenous and isolipid diets were prepared (including the fish meal control group, FM; cottonseed protein concentrate replacing 30% fishmeal protein and supplementing ART groups: ART0, ART0.3, ART0.6, ART0.9, and ART1.2). The feeding trials was lasted for 56 days. The results showed that the final body weight, weight gain and specific growth rate of the ART0.6 group were the highest, yet the feed coefficient rate of the ART0.6 group was the lowest significantly (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in survival rate among treatments (P > 0.05). In serum, the content of malondialdehyde in ART0 group was the highest (P < 0.05); the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, phenol oxidase and lysozyme increased firstly and then decreased among the ARTs groups (P < 0.05). The activities of intestinal digestive enzymes (including the trypsin, lipase and amylase) showed an upward trend among the ARTs groups (P < 0.05). The histological sections showed that the intestinal muscle thickness, fold height and fold width in the FM group were significantly better than those in the ART0 group; while the mentioned above morphological indexes in the ART0 group were significantly lowest among the ARTs groups (P < 0.05). Sequencing of intestinal microbiota suggested that the microbial richness indexes firstly increased and then decreased (P < 0.05); the bacterial community structure of each treatment group was almost close; the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria decreased significantly (P < 0.05), such as the Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria at phylum level, besides the Vibrio and Candidatus Bacilloplasma at genus level. In intestinal tissue, the relative expression levels of TOLL1, TRAF6 and Pehaeidih3 showed up-regulated trends, while the expression of Crustin and LZM firstly up-regulated and then down-regulated (P < 0.05). The challenge experiment suggested that the cumulative mortality of FM group was significantly lower than that of ART0 group; besides the cumulative mortality firstly increased and then decreased between the ARTs groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of ART can improve the growth, antioxidant capacity, immune response, gut health and disease resistance of the shrimp. To be considered as a dietary immune enhancer, the recommended supplementation level of ART in shrimp's cottonseed protein concentrate meal diets is 0.43%.

Use of modeling and simulation to predict the influence of triazole antifungal agents on the pharmacokinetics of zanubrutinib and acalabrutinib.

Background: Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors are commonly used in the targeted therapy of B-cell malignancies. It is reported that myelosuppression and fungal infections might occur during antitumor therapy of BTK inhibitors, therefore a combination therapy with triazole antifungals is usually required. Objective: To evaluate the influence of different triazoles (voriconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole) on the pharmacokinetics of BTK inhibitors (zanubrutinib, acalabrutinib) and to quantify the drug-drug interactions (DDIs) between them. Methods: The physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models were developed based on pharmacokinetic parameters and physicochemical data using Simcyp® software. These models were validated using clinically observed plasma concentrations data which based on existing published studies. The successfully validated PBPK models were used to evaluate and predict potential DDIs between BTK inhibitors and different triazoles. BTK inhibitors and triazole antifungal agents were simulated by oral administration. Results: Simulated plasma concentration-time profiles of the zanubrutinib, acalabrutinib, voriconazole, fluconazole, and itraconazole are consistent with the clinically observed profiles which based on existing published studies, respectively. The exposures of BTK inhibitors increase by varying degrees when co-administered with different triazole antifungals. At multiple doses regimen, voriconazole, fluconazole and itraconazole may increase the area under plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of zanubrutinib by 127%, 81%, and 48%, respectively, and may increase the AUC of acalabrutinib by 326%, 119%, and 264%, respectively. Conclusion: The PBPK models sufficiently characterized the pharmacokinetics of BTK inhibitors and triazole antifungals, and were used to predict untested clinical scenarios. Voriconazole exhibited the greatest influence on the exposures of BTK inhibitors. The dosage of zanubrutinib or acalabrutinib need to be reduced when co-administered with moderate CYP3A inhibitors.

Identification of Adipocytokine Pathway-Related Genes in Epilepsy and Its Effect on the Peripheral Immune Landscape.

Epilepsy is a multifactorial neurological disorder with recurrent epileptic seizures. Current research stresses both inflammatory and autoimmune conditions as enablers in the pathophysiological process of epilepsy. In view of the growing concern about the role of adipocytokines in antiepileptic and modulating immune responses, we aimed to investigate the relevance of the adipocytokine signaling pathway in the pathological process of epilepsy and its impacts on peripheral immune characteristics. In this study, expression profiles of 142 peripheral blood samples were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Adipocytokine pathway-related genes were screened out by feature selection using machine-learning algorithms. A nomogram was then constructed and estimated for the efficacy of diagnosis. Cluster analysis was employed for the recognization of two distinct epilepsy subtypes, followed by an estimation of the immune cell infiltration levels using single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). The biological characteristics were analyzed by functional enrichment analysis. The aberrant regulation of adipocytokine signaling pathway was found in the peripheral blood of patients with epilepsy. Twenty-one differently expressed adipocytokine pathway-related genes were identified and five (RELA, PRKAB1, TNFRSF1A, CAMKK2, and CPT1B) were selected to construct a nomogram. Subsequent validations of its forecasting ability revealed that this model has satisfactory predictive value. The immune cell infiltration degrees, such as those of innate immune cells and lymphocytes, were found to significantly correlate to the levels of adipocytokine pathway-related genes. Additionally, 239 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and their biological functions were mainly enriched in the regulation of the immune response. In conclusion, our results confirmed the predictive value of adipocytokine pathway-related genes for epilepsy and explored their effects on immune infiltration, thereby improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of epilepsy and providing assistance in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.

MdERF1B-MdMYC2 module integrates ethylene and jasmonic acid to regulate the biosynthesis of anthocyanin in apple.

Ethylene and jasmonic acid (JA) are crucial hormones that promote anthocyanin synthesis in apple (Malus × domestica). However, the mechanism by which these hormones cooperate to modulate anthocyanin production in apple is unclear. According to our results, MdERF1B expression was strongly induced by ethylene and JA. Physiological phenotypes and the results of molecular biological analyses indicated that MdERF1B encodes a positive regulator of anthocyanin synthesis. Specifically, MdERF1B was capable of combining directly with the MdMYC2 promoter to promote gene expression. Additionally, MdERF1B interacted with two JA signaling pathway inhibitors, namely MdJAZ5 and MdJAZ10. The MdERF1B-MdJAZ5/10 protein complex decreased the ability of MdERF1B to activate the MdMYC2 promoter. Furthermore, MdEIL1, which is a crucial protein for ethylene signal transduction, was observed to bind directly to the MdERF1B promoter, thereby upregulating gene expression. These results suggest that MdERF1B is a core gene responsive to JA and ethylene signals. The encoded protein, together with MdMYC2, MdJAZ5/10, and MdEIL1, modulates anthocyanin synthesis in apple. This study clarifies the synergistic mechanism by which JA and ethylene regulate anthocyanin production in apple.

Lysine-Tethered Stable Bicyclic Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide Combats Bacterial Infection in Vivo.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted great attention as next generation antibiotics for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. Poor proteolytic stability has however undermined clinical applications of AMPs. A novel peptide cyclization approach is described to enhance the in vivo antibacterial activity of AMPs. Bicyclic antimicrobial peptides were synthesized by cross-linking the ε-amino groups of three lysine residues with a 1,3,5-trimethylene benzene spacer. In a proof of principal study, four bicyclic peptides were synthesized from the cationic AMP OH-CM6. One bicyclic peptide retained strong antimicrobial activity and low toxicity but exhibited a prolonged half-life in serum. Antibacterial activity was consequently improved in vivo without renal or hepato-toxicity. The novel peptide cyclization approach represents an important tool for enhancing AMP proteolytic stability for improved treatment of bacterial infection.

Stimuli-Responsive Gold Nanocages for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment.

With advances in nanotechnology, various new drug delivery systems (DDSs) have emerged and played a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Over the last two decades, gold nanocages (AuNCs) have been attracting considerable attention because of their outstanding properties. This review summarizes current advancements in endogenous, exogenous, and dual/multi-stimuli responsive AuNCs in drug delivery. This review focuses on the properties, clinical translation potential, and limitations of stimuli-responsive AuNCs for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Imatinib-associated skin rash is related to treatment outcome in patients with unresectable and/or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Background: Imatinib-associated skin rash in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients is one of the most troublesome adverse effects, and can reduce imatinib adherence and persistence. However, the relationship between skin rash and adherence is unknown, and there are few published studies on the clinical outcomes of patients with severe skin rash. Methods: Adult patients (≥18 years) who were treated with 400 mg/day imatinib for unresectable or metastatic GIST were enrolled in this retrospective study. The skin rash was graded by physicians according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.03. Progression-free survival (PFS) was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method between groups with and without skin rash. The risk factors for GIST progression were investigated by Cox regression analysis. Results: A total of 125 GIST patients were finally included. Among them, 43 (34.4%) patients developed skin rash during imatinib treatment. Serial blood eosinophil levels were associated with skin rash and severity (P<0.001). Patients with skin rash tended to have poorer PFS than patients with no rash (P=0.035). Moreover, patients with rash had a significantly higher prevalence of non-adherence compared with patients without rash [odds ratio (OR): 3.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.36-8.61, P=0.009 for grades 1-2; OR: 6.07, 95% CI: 1.42-26.11, P=0.015 for grades 3-4). Cox regression analysis indicated that the independent risk factors for GIST progression were non-adherence (OR: 4.20, 95% CI: 1.57-11.25, P=0.004) and medium- and high-risk GIST (OR: 5.38, 95% CI: 1.15-25.09, P=0.032). Conclusions: Non-adherence and medium- and high-risk GIST are independent risk factors for GIST progression. Skin rash can be associated with treatment adherence, which can in turn be associated with poor outcomes of GIST treatment. Measuring the blood eosinophil levels could be helpful in predicting risk of skin rash during imatinib treatment.

Ethylene precisely regulates anthocyanin synthesis in apple via a module comprising MdEIL1, MdMYB1, and MdMYB17.

Ethylene regulates anthocyanin synthesis in ripening apple fruit via the antagonistic activities of the R2R3-MYB repressors and activators. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this process remains unknown. In this study, ethylene significantly induced the expression of the R2R3-MYB gene MdMYB17 in apple fruit. Moreover, MdMYB17 was revealed to be an important repressor of anthocyanin synthesis. Specifically, MdMYB17 binds directly to the promoters of the ethylene-induced genes MdMYB1 and MdEIL1, which encode positive regulators of anthocyanin synthesis, and represses their expression. Additionally, MdMYB1 and MdEIL1 bind to the MdMYB17 promoter to activate its expression. Thus, MdMYB17, MdMYB1, and MdEIL1 form a regulatory module that controls the expression of the corresponding genes. MdMYB17 interacts with MdEIL1. The interaction between MdMYB17 and MdEIL1 attenuates the regulatory effects of MdMYB17 on MdMYB1 and MdEIL1 as well as the regulatory effects of MdEIL1 on MdMYB17. Overall, our results reveal the molecular mechanisms by which MdMYB17, MdMYB1, and MdEIL1 finely mediate ethylene-regulated anthocyanin synthesis in apple fruit.