Synovial fluid total protein concentration as a possible marker for canine idiopathic polyarthritis

Nanocarrier Drug Delivery Systems: Characterization, Limitations, Future Perspectives and Implementation of Artificial Intelligence

There has been an increasing demand for the development of nanocarriers targeting multiple diseases with a broad range of properties. Due to their tiny size, giant surface area and feasible targetability, nanocarriers have optimized efficacy, decreased side effects and improved stability over conventional drug dosage forms. There are diverse types of nanocarriers that have been synthesized for drug delivery, including dendrimers, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, polymersomes, polymer-drug conjugates, polymeric nanoparticles, peptide nanoparticles, micelles, nanoemulsions, nanospheres, nanocapsules, nanoshells, carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles, etc. Several characterization techniques have been proposed and used over the past few decades to control and predict the behavior of nanocarriers both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we describe some fundamental in vitro, ex vivo, in situ and in vivo characterization methods for most nanocarriers, emphasizing their advantages and limitations, as well as the safety, regulatory and manufacturing aspects that hinder the transfer of nanocarriers from the laboratory to the clinic. Moreover, integration of artificial intelligence with nanotechnology, as well as the advantages and problems of artificial intelligence in the development and optimization of nanocarriers, are also discussed, along with future perspectives.

Nanoformulation properties, characterization, and behavior in complex biological matrices: Challenges and opportunities for brain-targeted drug delivery applications and enhanced translational potential

Nanocarriers (synthetic/cell-based have attracted enormous interest for various therapeutic indications, including neurodegenerative disorders. A broader understanding of the impact of nanomedicines design is now required to enhance their translational potential. Nanoformulations in vivo journey is significantly affected by their physicochemical properties including the size, shape, hydrophobicity, elasticity, and surface charge/chemistry/morphology, which play a role as an interface with the biological environment. Understanding protein corona formation is crucial in characterizing nanocarriers and evaluating their interactions with biological systems. In this review, the types and properties of the brain-targeted nanocarriers are discussed. The biological factors and nanocarriers properties affecting their in vivo behavior are elaborated. The compositional description of cell culture and biological matrices, including proteins potentially relevant to protein corona built-up on nanoformulation especially for brain administration, is provided. Analytical techniques of characterizing nanocarriers in complex matrices, their advantages, limitations, and implementation challenges in industrial GMP environment are discussed. The uses of orthogonal complementary characterization approaches of nanocarriers are also covered.

Detection of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in dogs with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) is a type of autoantibody against neutrophil cytoplasm. In veterinary medicine, few studies have reported the detection of ANCA in dogs, and most of these studies were performed in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ANCA is detected in dogs with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) other than IBD. Serum samples were collected before treatment initiation from 40 client-owned dogs with various diseases and 22 healthy beagle dogs; the dogs were classified into two groups: IMID group (n = 16) and control group (n = 46). ANCA was detected using the indirect fluorescent antibody test. Of the 16 dogs in the IMID group, 13 (81.3%) tested positive for ANCA. In contrast, of the 46 dogs in the control group, 13 (28.03%) tested positive for ANCA. Moreover, a significant association between ANCA positivity and IMIDs was identified in the IMID group than in the control group (P = 0.0003). In the control group, however, dogs with bacterial infection showed a relatively high rate of ANCA positivity. Therefore, ANCA positivity was observed in dogs with both IMIDs and bacterial infection. This suggested that ANCA positivity is associated with diseases accompanied by neutrophil activation and infiltration.

CPSF6 is a Clinically Relevant Breast Cancer Vulnerability Target: Role of CPSF6 in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer represents a major health challenge. The majority of breast cancer deaths are due to cancer progression/recurrence for which no efficient therapies exist. Aggressive breast cancers are characterized by loss of cellular differentiation. Defining molecular mechanisms/targets contributing to cancer aggressiveness is needed to guide the design of new screening and targeted treatments. Here, we describe a novel tumor promoting function for the Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factor-6 (CPSF6). Importantly, aggressive breast cancer cells of luminal B, HER2-overexpressing and triple negative subtypes show dependency on CPSF6 for viability and tumorigenic capacity. Mechanistically, we found CPSF6 to interact with components of the A-to-I RNA editing machinery, paraspeckles and ADAR1 enzyme, and to be required for their physical integrity. Clinically, we found CPSF6 and all core paraspeckles proteins to be overexpressed in human breast cancer cases and their expression to correlate with poor patient outcomes. Finally, we found prolactin, a key mammary differentiation factor, to suppress CPSF6/RNA editing activity. Together, this study revealed CPSF6 as a molecular target with clinical relevance for prognosis and therapy in breast cancer.

CC chemokine ligand 2 and CXC chemokine ligand 8 as neutrophil chemoattractant factors in canine idiopathic polyarthritis

Canine idiopathic polyarthritis (IPA) is characterized by increased numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in the synovial fluid (SF). In humans, CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and CXC chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8) recruit monocytes and neutrophils, respectively, and are involved in various inflammatory disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the roles of these chemokines in driving PMNs infiltration into the joints of dogs with IPA. SF samples were collected from dogs with IPA (n=19) and healthy controls (n=8), and the concentrations of SF CCL2 and CXCL8 were determined by ELISA. Dogs with IPA had significantly higher concentrations of CCL2 (3316±2452pg/ml, mean±SD) and CXCL8 (3668±3879pg/ml) compared with the healthy controls (235±45pg/ml and <15.6pg/ml, respectively). Then, an in vitro chemotaxis assay was performed using a modified Boyden chamber (pore size: 3μm). SF from IPA dogs had a chemoattractant activity for PMNs that purified from the peripheral blood of a healthy dog. We subsequently found that combination treatment with MK-0812 (an antagonist of CCL2 receptor) and repertaxin (an antagonist of CXCL8 receptors) significantly inhibited the migration of PMNs to SF from IPA dogs. Thus, expression of the CCL2 receptor (chemokine (CC motif) receptor 2 (CCR2)) was examined using polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry. Canine peripheral blood PMNs exhibited significantly higher CCR2 mRNA expression levels than those in monocytes. In addition, we observed strong CCR2 expression on PMNs obtained from healthy controls and IPA dogs, although mononuclear cells did not express CCR2. Taken together, the data suggest that CCL2 acts as a canine PMNs chemotactic factor as well as CXCL8 and both CCL2 and CXCL8 facilitate the infiltration of PMNs into the joints of dogs with IPA.

Synovial fluid matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 activities in dogs suffering from joint disorders

The activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in synovial fluids (SF) sampled from dogs with joint disorders was investigated by gelatin zymography and densitometry. Pro-MMP-2 showed similar activity levels in dogs with idiopathic polyarthritis (IPA; n=17) or canine rheumatoid arthritis (cRA; n=4), and healthy controls (n=10). However, dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR; n=5) presented significantly higher pro-MMP-2 activity than IPA and healthy dogs. Meanwhile, dogs with IPA exhibited significantly higher activity of pro- and active MMP-9 than other groups. Activity levels in pro- and active MMP-9 in cRA and CCLR dogs were not significantly different from those in healthy controls. Different patterns of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity may reflect the differences in the underlying pathological processes.