Double-headed nanosystems for oral drug delivery

We demonstrate a novel strategy to engineer double-headed nanosystems by chemical modification of the carboxyl terminal polyester with a linker that offers tripodal arrangement of ligands on the particle surfaces. The in vivo results suggest that the bioavailability of encapsulated curcumin is proportional to the ligand density rendered by double-headed nanosystems.

Potential therapeutic roles of stem cells in ischemia-reperfusion injury

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/RI), produced by an initial interruption of organ blood flow and its subsequent restoration, contributes significantly to the pathophysiologies of stroke, myocardial infarction, renal I/RI, intestinal I/RI and liver I/RI, which are major causes of disability (including transplant failure) and even mortality. While the restoration of blood flow is required to restore oxygen and nutrient requirements, reperfusion often triggers local and systemic inflammatory responses and subsequently elevate the ischemic insult where the duration of ischemia determines the magnitude of I/RI damage. I/RI increases vascular leakage, changes transcriptional and cell death programs, drives leukocyte entrapment and inflammation and oxidative stress in tissues. Therapeutic approaches which reduce complications associated with I/RI are desperately needed to address the clinical and economic burden created by I/RI. Stem cells (SC) represent ubiquitous and uncommitted cell populations with the ability to self-renew and differentiate into one or more developmental 'fates'. Like immune cells, stem cells can home to and penetrate I/R-injured tissues, where they can differentiate into target tissues and induce trophic paracrine signaling which suppress injury and maintain tissue functions perturbed by ischemia-reperfusion. This review article summarizes the present use and possible protective mechanisms underlying stem cell protection in diverse forms of ischemia-reperfusion.

RNA sequencing, selection of reference genes and demonstration of feeding RNAi in Thrips tabaci (Lind.) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Background

Thrips tabaci is a severe pest of onion and cotton. Due to lack of information on its genome or transcriptome, not much is known about this insect at the molecular level. To initiate molecular studies in this insect, RNA was sequenced; de novo transcriptome assembly and analysis were performed. The RNAseq data was used to identify reference and RNAi pathway genes in this insect. Additionally, feeding RNAi was demonstrated in T. tabaci for the first time.

Results

From the assembled transcriptome, 27,836 coding sequence (CDS) with an average size of 1236 bp per CDS were identified. About 85.4% of CDS identified showed positive Blast hits. The homologs of most of the core RNAi machinery genes were identified in this transcriptome. To select reference genes for reverse-transcriptase real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) experiments, 14 housekeeping genes were identified in the transcriptome and their expression was analyzed by (RT-qPCR). UbiCE in adult, 28s in nymphs and SOD under starvation stress were identified as the most stable reference genes for RT-qPCR. Feeding dsSNF7 and dsAQP caused 16.4- and 14.47-fold reduction in SNF7 and AQP mRNA levels respectively, when compared to their levels in dsGFP fed control insects. Feeding dsSNF7 or dsAQP also caused 62 and 72% mortality in T. tabaci. Interestingly, simultaneous feeding of dsRNAs targeting SNF7 or AQP and one of the RNAi pathway genes (Dicer-2/Aubergine/Staufen) resulted in a significant reduction in RNAi of target genes. These data suggest the existence of robust RNAi machinery in T. tabaci.

Conclusion

The current research is the first report of the assembled, analyzed and annotated RNAseq resource for T. tabaci, which may be used for future molecular studies in this insect. Reference genes validated across stages and starvation stress provides first-hand information on stable genes in T. tabaci. The information on RNAi machinery genes and significant knockdown of the target gene through dsRNA feeding in synthetic diet confirms the presence of efficient RNAi in this insect. These data provide a solid foundation for further research on developing RNAi as a method to manage this pest.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12867-019-0123-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Reference Gene Selection in Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and Their Normalization Impact on Gene Expression in RNAi Studies

Phenacoccus solenopsis, the cotton mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is one of the major cotton pests in India. Scanty information is available on molecular studies in this insect due to limited genomic or transcriptomic sequence data. With advancement in sequencing technology, enormous genomic and sequencing data are being generated, and RNAi studies are being undertaken in insects, which require reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction evaluation. These gene expression studies require normalization of mRNA levels with reference genes to account for sample variability. To supplement the molecular studies in this insect, candidate reference genes were identified and evaluated for their expression stability across various developmental stages and starvation stress. Fourteen candidate reference genes including several commonly used ones were investigated across five different stages and under starvation stress using four different statistical algorithms (NormFinder, genNorm, BestKeeper, and RefFinder). Based on this analysis, GST (third, fourth, and adult stage), Actin (Crawler, second instar), TFIID (starvation stress), SDHA, and 28s were identified as best reference genes for expression studies in mealybug.

Malaysian Northern Region Cancer Support Effort: Education and Empowerment - Building Hope, Strengthening Lives

Background: The agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls for unanimous actions to end poverty, battle against inequalities, protect the earth and to promote inclusive well-being. Today, the impact of cancer on societies threatens the ambitions of the SDGs. In developing nations, public awareness campaigns often focus on controlling the spread of communicable diseases, overlooking the rise of cancer afflictions. As a nation of multiethnic populations with different cultural and educational backgrounds, the views pertaining cancer treatment in Malaysia are often hampered by cultural beliefs. Cancer is often linked to bad luck or black magic, particularly among rural communities. The lack of knowledge in diagnostics and cancer therapeutics, in addition to many firm believers in alternative medicine may contribute to late detection and treatment only at the advanced stages of cancer. Aim: This project aims to tap into the pool of skills and expertise of the staff at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to help educate and raise public awareness on cancer causes, diagnosis and treatment among cancer survivors and the general public. Methods: My role as a scientist is to ensure that my research addresses the key problems faced in cancer therapies and that this information trickles down to the less informed traditional societies who have very different perceptions toward modern medicine. Workshops on cancer awareness highlighting cancer causes and treatment options, cancer diagnosis and holistic approaches while living with cancer were organized in partnership with MAKNA National Cancer Council Malaysia between the years 2015-2017. Support groups led by MAKNA, were also organized in a bid to educate cancer survivors who may lack important knowledge which could impinge on daily informed decisions concerning cancer diagnosis and treatment. Results: Through working hand in hand with MAKNA, a nonprofit organization with a duty 'to pool and use every effort, expertise and welfare from every faction of society to fight cancer', this project has successfully drawn knowledge and expertise from USM staff to come together as one to raise awareness and support cancer survivors. Members have also traveled to remote regions of Malaysia for home visits and cancer group meetings to support the cancer survivors and to raise awareness. Cancer survivors have been able to obtain personal advice from the university's cancer pathologist on their diagnosis, and have their queries answered pertaining to western medicine vs alternative medicine from academic research point of view. Conclusion: Working together with MAKNA has enabled cancer researchers and university staff to relate to real-life adversities so that we can continue to translate our research and knowledge to benefit the society.

Integrating screening for non-communicable diseases and their risk factors in routine tuberculosis care in Delhi, India: A mixed-methods study

Background

Evidence supports the integration of prevention and management for tuberculosis (TB) with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Bi-directional screening for TB and diabetes mellitus (DM) is already implemented in India, a country with a dual burden of TB and NCDs. However, very limited programmatic data are available on the feasibility of adding other NCDs and their risk factors in such screening programme.

Objective

To assess the yield, feasibility, and acceptability of a two-stage integrated screening for NCDs and risk factors for NCDs among patients with TB ≥20 years and treated in DOTS centres of two medical colleges in Delhi, between October 2016 and March 2017.

Methods

It was a mixed-methods, triangulation study with a quantitative component (cross-sectional study using questionnaires, anthropometric measurements and records review) and a qualitative component (descriptive study using interview data).

Results

Amongst 403 patients screened, the prevalence of hypertension was 7% (n = 28) with 20 new cases detected and 8% for DM (n = 32) with 6 new cases diagnosed. The number needed to screen to find a new case was 20 and 63 for hypertension and DM respectively. The most frequent NCD-risk factors were inadequate vegetable (80%) and fruits (72%) intake, alcohol use (34%), use of smokeless tobacco (33%) and smoking (32%). Clustering of four or more risk factors was associated with increasing age and male sex (p<0.05). Both patients and health providers considered the screening relevant and acceptable. However, waiting time and costs involved in blood tests were considered as bothersome by the patients, while health providers perceived increased workload, inadequate medical supplies and inadequate skills and knowledge as key challenges in implementation of the screening.

Conclusion

Integrating screening for NCDs and their risk factors in the existing TB programme produces high yield and it is feasible and acceptable by patients and health providers provided the challenges are overcome.

Selection of housekeeping genes and demonstration of RNAi in cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida)

Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) commonly known as cotton leafhopper is a severe pest of cotton and okra. Not much is known on this insect at molecular level due to lack of genomic and transcriptomic data. To prepare for functional genomic studies in this insect, we evaluated 15 common housekeeping genes (Tub, B-Tub, EF alpha, GADPH, UbiCF, RP13, Ubiq, G3PD, VATPase, Actin, 18s, 28s, TATA, ETF, SOD and Cytolytic actin) during different developmental stages and under starvation stress. We selected early (1st and 2nd), late (3rd and 4th) stage nymphs and adults for identification of stable housekeeping genes using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder software. Based on the different algorithms, RP13 and VATPase are identified as the most suitable reference genes for quantification of gene expression by reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Based on RefFinder which comprehended the results of three algorithms, RP13 in adults, Tubulin (Tub) in late nymphs, 28S in early nymph and UbiCF under starvation stress were identified as the most stable genes. We also developed methods for feeding double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) incorporated in the diet. Feeding dsRNA targeting Snf7, IAP, AQP1, and VATPase caused 56.17-77.12% knockdown of targeted genes compared to control and 16 to 48% mortality of treated insects when compared to control.

Past, present, and future of iodine deficiency disorders in India: Need to look outside the blinkers

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) have been recognized as one of the major nutritional disorders throughout the world affecting 200 million people who are at risk and another 71 million suffering from goiter and other IDDs. These groups of disorders can affect every stage of life, but most vulnerable age group is between 6 and 12 years and these disorders together constitute the single largest preventable cause of brain damage leading to learning disabilities and psychomotor impairment. The existence of endemic goiter in an extensive belt along the southern slopes of the Himalayas, Alps, and Andes has long been described, but consistently high prevalence of IDDs outside the endemic zones and failure to attain goals set by the National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Program questions the strategy and achievements till date. Therefore, the present article is an attempt to critically examine the program since inception in India.

Abstract A161: Comparison of EGFR inhibitor response of patient-derived NSCLC lines grown as monolayers, simple spheroids, and mixed cell complex spheroids

Background: Human cancer cell lines are important tools in cancer research and drug discovery. NCI has established cell lines from patient-derived xenografts. These lines form multicellular spheroids under low adhesion culture conditions. In the tumor microenvironment, stromal (fibroblast, endothelial cells) and cancer cells engage in crosstalk mediated by soluble factors and cell-cell contact; therefore, we generated complex spheroids by mixing tumor cells, endothelial, and mesenchymal stem cells. We investigated the growth inhibitory activity of EGFR inhibitors, erlotinib and osimertinib, in eight patient-derived NSCLC lines. Materials and Methods: Erlotinib and osimertinib were tested in 9-point concentration response starting at 30uM and 5uM, respectively, and diluting by half-logs. Tumor cells were cultured in 96-well plates as monolayers, in 96-well U-bottom ultra-low adhesion (ULA) plates as 3D simple spheroids, and tumor cells were cocultured with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) and human endothelial cells (HUVEC) in 96-well ULA plates as 3D complex spheroids. At 72h post plating, the cells were exposed to the test drugs for 72h and 96h. Cell viability was measured using luminescence by 2D CellTiter-Glo® in 2D monolayer cultures and 3D CellTiter-Glo® in 3D simple and complex spheroids. Cell viability was determined relative to a vehicle-treated control and IC50s were calculated from concentration response curves. To determine the localization of HUVEC and hMSC in complex spheroids, GFP-labeled HUVEC and REP-labeled hMSC were used. Images were captured at several time points using a Leica DMi8 microscope. Results: The response of 4 lung adenocarcinoma lines and 1 lung neuroendocrine line with 3 sublines exposed to the EGFR inhibitors erlotinib and osimertinib was assessed. All lines cultured as monolayer were unresponsive to erlotinib (&gt;30 µM) and osimertinib (&gt;5 µM). Simple spheroids formed by TLG0904F1496 and TLG0703F948 tumor cells; complex spheroids formed by TLG0703F948, TLG0904F1496 and its three clones were sensitive to erlotinib with IC50s below the clinical Cmax, indicating the importance of the 3D culture format. When tested separately as monolayers, hMSC and HUVEC were resistant to erlotinib with an IC50s of &gt;30 and 13 µM, respectively. We observed varied patterns of HUVEC and hMSC localization in the complex spheroids. The TLG0904F1496 and three clones formed spheroids with a tight cluster of HUVEC and hMSC in the center while the other four lines have HUVEC and hMSC dispersed throughout the spheroid. Conclusion: Patient-derived NSCLC line response to anticancer drugs varied with culture conditions. Osimertinib showed activity in the T790 mutant TLG0703F948 line in 3D complex spheroids only. The differential response to EGFR inhibitors in 3D simple and 3D complex spheroids, versus 2D culture, suggests that the tumor microenvironment may play a role in EGFR inhibitor activity and needs to be explored further using imaging techniques.

Citation Format: Gurmeet Kaur, John W. Connelly, Annamaria Rapisarda, James H. Doroshow, Beverly A. Teicher. Comparison of EGFR inhibitor response of patient-derived NSCLC lines grown as monolayers, simple spheroids, and mixed cell complex spheroids [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A161.

Diagnosis of Mycobacterial infections (Tuberculosis and Paratuberculosis) in tissue samples using molecular (inhouse multiplex PCR, PCR and TaqMan real-time PCR), histopathology and immunohistochemical techniques

An in-house multiplex PCR designed for differential detection of M. bovis, M. avium paratuberculosis (MAP) and M. smegmatis in tissue samples, besides PCR and TaqMan real-time PCR targeting esxA (ESAT-6) and esxB (CFP-10) gene of M. tuberculosis complex (MTC) and IS900 gene targeting MAP were carried out in the present study. Tissue samples comprising of lung, mediastinal lymph node, intestine and mesenteric lymph node from cattle and buffaloes (n=16) suspected to have died of tuberculosis (TB) or paratuberculosis (JD) were collected at post-mortem. Out of 16 animals, only 4 (25%) cases were positive for M. bovis by in-house designed multiplex PCR, where as 9 (56.25%) cases were positive for MTC by both conventional and real-time PCR targeting esxA (ESAT-6) and esxB (CFP-10) genes. Out of 9 TB positive animals, 2 (22.22%) had co-infection with MAP as confirmed by IS900 PCR, real-time PCR and also by in-house multiplex PCR. No samples were found positive for M. smegmatis by the in-house multiplex PCR. Analytical sensitivity of in-house multiplex primers targeting M. bovis, MAP and M. smegmatis were 170 fg/µl, 300 fg/µl and 51 fg/µl of genomic DNA respectively. Analytical sensitivity of primers for both conventional and real time PCR tareting esxA were 8 pg/µl and 800 fg/µl, esxB were 800 fg/µl and 80 fg/µl and IS900 were 30 fg/µl and 3 fg/µl of M. tuberculosis and MAP genomic DNA respectively. The tissue samples were also subjected to histopathology and Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining using ESAT-6 and CFP-10 antibodies for TB and anti-JD anti-serum (raised in rabbit) for JD. All the animals positive for TB (9 of 9) and JD (2 of 2) in PCR and real-time PCR were also positive in histopathology and IHC. Thus, combination of molecular, histopathology and IHC techniques increased the accuracy of TB and JD diagnosis, all of which had same sensitivity and specificity except the in-house multiplex PCR which was comparatively less sensitive in M. bovis detection. However, the molecular methods were found to be more convenient and rapid, capable of making the diagnosis within 6 hours. The study indicated that Real-time PCR was ten times more sensitive than the conventional PCR.