Monitoring of the choline/lipid ratio by 1H-MRS can be helpful for prediction and early detection of tumor response to nano-photo-thermal therapy

Using the metabolite alterations monitoring the AEG-1 expression level and cell biological behaviour of U251 cell in vitro

Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is an important oncogene that overexpresses in gliomas and plays a vital role in their occurrence and progression. However, few reports have shown which biomarkers could reflect the level of AEG-1 expression in vivo so far. In recent years, intracellular metabolites monitored by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) as non-invasive imaging biomarkers have been applied to the precise diagnosis and therapy feedback of gliomas. Therefore, understanding the correlation between 1H MRS metabolites and AEG-1 gene expression in U251 cells may help to identify relevant biomarkers. This study constructed three monoclonal AEG-1-knockout U251 cell lines using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) /Cas9 technique and evaluated the biological behaviors and metabolite ratios of these cell lines. With the decline in AEG-1 expression, the apoptosis rate of the AEG-1-knockout cell lines increased. At the same time, the metastatic capacities decreased, and the relative contents of total choline (tCho) and lactate (Lac) were also reduced. In conclusion, deviations in AEG-1 expression influence the apoptosis rate and metastasis capacity of U251 cells, which the 1H MRS metabolite ratio could monitor. The tCho/creatinine(Cr) and Lac/Cr ratios positively correlated with the AEG-1 expression and malignant cell behavior. This study may provide potential biomarkers for accurate preoperative diagnosis and future AEG-1-targeting treatment evaluation of gliomas in vivo.

Recent Developments on Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles as Smart Photo-Therapeutic Agents for Cancer Treatments-A Review

Semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPN) have been emerging as novel functional nano materials for phototherapy which includes PTT (photo-thermal therapy), PDT (photodynamic therapy), and their combination. Therefore, it is important to look into their recent developments and further explorations specifically in cancer treatment. Therefore, the present review describes novel semiconducting polymers at the nanoscale, along with their applications and limitations with a specific emphasis on future perspectives. Special focus is given on emerging and trending semiconducting polymeric nanoparticles in this review based on the research findings that have been published mostly within the last five years.