Tailoring Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticle Surface Coating for Macrophage-Affinity Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, while macrophages as key players in plaque progression and destabilization are promising targets for atherosclerotic plaque imaging. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) has emerged as a powerful noninvasive imaging technique for the evaluation of atherosclerotic plaques within arterial walls. However, the visualization of macrophages within atherosclerotic plaques presents considerable challenges due to the intricate pathophysiology of the disease and the dynamic behavior of these cells. Biocompatible ferrite nanoparticles with diverse surface ligands possess the potential to exhibit distinct relaxivity and cellular affinity, enabling improved imaging capabilities for macrophages in atherosclerosis. In this work, we report macrophage-affinity nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of atherosclerosis via tailoring nanoparticle surface coating. The ultrasmall zinc ferrite nanoparticles (Zn0.4Fe2.6O4) as T1 contrast agents were synthesized and modified with dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, and phosphorylated polyethylene glycol to adjust their surface charges to be positively, negatively, and neutrally charged, respectively. In vitro MRI evaluation shows that the T1 relaxivity for different surface charged Zn0.4Fe2.6O4 nanoparticles was three higher than that of the clinically used Gd-DTPA. Furthermore, in vivo atherosclerotic plaque MR imaging indicates that positively charged Zn0.4Fe2.6O4 showed superior MRI efficacy on carotid atherosclerosis than the other two, which is ascribed to high affinity to macrophages of positively charged nanoparticles. This work provides improved diagnostic capability and a better understanding of the molecular imaging of atherosclerosis.

Intracellular Magnetic Hyperthermia Enables Concurrent Down-Regulation of CD47 and SIRPα To Potentiate Antitumor Immunity

Harnessing the potential of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to engulf tumor cells offers promising avenues for cancer therapy. Targeting phagocytosis checkpoints, particularly the CD47-signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) axis, is crucial for modulating TAM activity. However, single checkpoint inhibition has shown a limited efficacy. In this study, we demonstrate that ferrimagnetic vortex-domain iron oxide (FVIO) nanoring-mediated magnetic hyperthermia effectively suppresses the expression of CD47 protein on Hepa1-6 tumor cells and SIRPα receptor on macrophages, which disrupts CD47-SIRPα interaction. FVIO-mediated magnetic hyperthermia also induces immunogenic cell death and polarizes TAMs toward M1 phenotype. These changes collectively bolster the phagocytic ability of macrophages to eliminate tumor cells. Furthermore, FVIO-mediated magnetic hyperthermia concurrently escalates cytotoxic T lymphocyte levels and diminishes regulatory T cell levels. Our findings reveal that magnetic hyperthermia offers a novel approach for dual down-regulation of CD47 and SIRPα, reshaping the tumor microenvironment to stimulate immune responses, culminating in significant antitumor activity.

[Expression of neutrophil extracellular traps and phagocytic functions among patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and phagocytic function in the peripheral blood of patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE), and to examine their correlations with clinical inflamma tory indicators and liver functions.

METHODS

A total of 50 patients with HAE admitted to Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University from August 2022 to June 2023 were enrolled, while 50 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals from the Centre for Healthy Examinations of the hospital during the same period served as controls. The levels of NETs markers neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil elastase (NE) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated using density gradient centrifugation, stimulated in vitro using phorbol 12-myristate 13 acetate (PMA), and the levels of MPO and citrullination histone H3 (CitH3) released by neutrophils were quantified using flow cytometry. The phagocytic functions of neutrophils were examined using flow cytometry. In addition, the correlations of MPO and NE levels with clinical inflammatory indicators and liver biochemical indicators were examined using Spearman correlation analysis among HAE patients.

RESULTS

The peripheral blood plasma MPO［(417.15 ± 76.08) ng/mL vs. (255.70 ± 80.84) ng/mL; t = 10.28, P < 0.05］, NE［(23.16 ± 6.75) ng/mL vs. (11.92 ± 3.17) ng/mL; t = 10.65, P < 0.05］and CitH3 levels［(33.93 ± 18.93) ng/mL vs. (19.52 ± 13.89) ng/mL; t = 4.34, P < 0.05］were all significantly higher among HAE patients than among healthy controls, and a lower phagocytosis rate of neutrophils was detected among HAE patients than among healthy controls［(70.85 ± 7.32)% vs. (94.04 ± 3.90)%; t = 20.18, P < 0.05］, and the ability to produce NETs by neutrophils was higher among HAE patients than among healthy controls following in vitro PMA stimulation. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the phagocytosis rate of neutrophils correlated negatively with platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), interleukin-6 (IL-6) level and C-reactive protein (CRP) level (rs = -0.515 to -0.392, all P values < 0.05), and the MPO and NE levels positively correlated with inflammatory markers NLR, PLR, CRP and IL-6 (rs = 0.333 to 0.445, all P values < 0.05) and clinical liver biochemical indicators aspartic transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, direct bilirubin and total bilirubin among HAE patients (rs = 0.290 to 0.628, all P values < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Excessive formation of NETs is found among HAE patients, which affects the phagocytic ability of neutrophils and results in elevated levels of inflammatory indicators. NETs markers may be promising novel biomarkers for early diagnosis, monitoring, and severity assessment of liver disease.

Design, synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel 7H-thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazin-7-one derivatives

Based on the observed biological activity of 1,2,4-triazin-5-one derivatives and their cyclic analogues, a novel series of 7H-thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazin-7-one derivatives that contain ester moiety compounds 3a-3g, carboxylic acid moiety compounds 4a-4g and piperazine amide moiety compounds 5a-5k at position-3 of the thiazolotriazinone scaffold were synthesized. The intermolecular cyclization occurred regioselectively at N2-position of 1,2,4-triazine ring was characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis. The in vitro biological activities of the target compounds were assayed against some bacterial strains. Compared with ciprofloxacin, compounds 3g and 4g exhibited more excellent antibacterial activity, especially the activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, showing that the fluorine at the para position of the benzyl group would be the best choice. In addition, compounds 4e-4g with carboxylic acid moiety can enhance the antibacterial activity. Compounds 5g-5k containing bulky 1-(substituted phenyl)piperazine moiety were found with slightly less biological activity. Similar to ciprofloxacin, the docking result of target compounds with DNA topoisomerase II indicates the carboxyl group of the target compounds with carboxylic acid moiety has a crucial salt bridge interaction with Mg2+ in the protein.

Zn-Shik-PEG nanoparticles alleviate inflammation and multi-organ damage in sepsis

Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by excessive formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and dysregulated inflammatory response. Previous studies have reported that shikonin (Shik) possess prominent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and holds promise as a potential therapeutic drug for sepsis. However, the poor water solubility and the relatively high toxicity of shikonin hamper its clinical application. To address this challenge, we constructed Zn2+-shikonin nanoparticles, hereafter Zn-Shik-PEG NPs, based on an organic-inorganic hybridization strategy of metal-polyphenol coordination to improve the aqueous solubility and biosafety of shikonin. Mechanistic studies suggest that Zn-Shik-PEG NPs could effectively clear intracellular ROS via regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, meanwhile Zn-Shik-PEG NPs could inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated activation of inflammation and apoptosis by regulating the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway. As a result, the Zn-Shik-PEG NPs demonstrated excellent therapeutic efficacies in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as well as cecal ligation puncture (CLP) induced sepsis model. These findings suggest that Zn-Shik-PEG NPs may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of other ROS-associated and inflammatory diseases.

[Traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of echinococcosis: a review]

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by infection with Echinococcus species. As the drug of first choice for treatment of echinococcosis, albendazole suffers from problems of large doses and remarkable adverse reactions in clinical therapy. Development of novel drugs against echinococcosis is of urgent need. Recently, great advances have been achieved in the research on traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of echinococcosis. This review summarizes the progress of researches on traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of echinococcosis, aiming to provide insights into development of anti-echinococcosis drugs.

Reversal of HMGA1-Mediated Immunosuppression Synergizes with Immunogenic Magnetothermodynamic for Improved Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy

Magnetothermodynamic (MTD) therapy can activate antitumor immune responses by inducing potent immunogenic tumor cell death. However, tumor development is often accompanied by multifarious immunosuppressive mechanisms that can counter the efficacy of immunogenic MTD therapy. High-mobility group protein A1 (HMGA1) is overexpressed within hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and plays a crucial function in the generation of immunosuppressive effects. The reversal of HMGA1-mediated immunosuppression could enhance immunogenic tumor cell death-induced immune responses. A ferrimagnetic vortex-domain iron oxide (FVIO) nanoring-based nanovehicle was developed, which is capable of efficiently mediating an alternating magnetic field for immunogenic tumor cell death induction, while concurrently delivering HMGA1 small interfering (si)RNA (siHMGA1) to the cytoplasm of hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa 1-6 cells for HMGA1 pathway interference. Using siHMGA1-FVIO-mediated MTD therapy, the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa 1-6 tumors was inhibited, and the survival of a mouse model was improved. We also demonstrated that siHMGA1-FVIO-mediated MTD achieved synergistic antitumor effects in a subcutaneous hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa 1-6 and H22 tumor model by promoting dendritic cell maturation, enhancing antigen-presenting molecule expression (both major histocompatibility complexes I and II), improving tumor-infiltrating T lymphocyte numbers, and decreasing immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells, interleukin-10, and transforming growth factor-β expression. The nanoparticle system outlined in this paper has the potential to target HMGA1 and, in combination with MTD-induced immunotherapy, is a promising approach for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Magnetic nanomaterials-mediated neuromodulation

Researchers have leveraged magnetic nanomaterials (MNMs) to explore neural circuits and treat neurological diseases via an approach known as MNMs-mediated neuromodulation. Here, the magneto-responsive effects of MNMs to an external magnetic field are manipulated to activate or inhibit neuronal cell activity. In this way, MNMs can serve as a nano-mediator, by converting electromagnetic energy into heat, mechanical force/torque, and an electrical field at nanoscale. These physicochemical effects can stimulate ion channels and activate precise signaling pathways involved in neuromodulation. In this review, we outline the various ion channels and MNMs that have been applied to MNMs-mediated neuromodulation. We highlight the recent advances made in this technique and its potential applications, and then discuss the current challenges and future directions of MNMs-mediated neuromodulation. Our aim is to reveal the potential of MNMs to treat neurological diseases in the clinical setting. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Neurological Disease.

[Analysis of enterovirus infection type among acute respiratory tract infection cases in Luohe City, Henan Province from 2017 to 2021]

Objective: To understand the infection status of Enterovirus (EV) in cases of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in Luohe City, Henan Province from 2017 to 2021, and analyze the prevalence and type composition of EV in ARIs. Methods: From October 2017 to May 2021, pharyngeal swab samples were collected from 1 828 patients with ARIs in Luohe Central Hospital and the clinical epidemiological data of these cases were also collected. EV-positive samples were identified by Quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR). The 5'-untranslated region (5'UTR) was amplified by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). The results of 5'UTR region were initially typed by Enterovirus Genotyping Tool Version 1.0. Based on the typing results, the full-length of VP1 region was amplified by RT-PCR. The EV typing was identified again by VP1 region. Results: Among 1 828 cases of ARIs, 56.7% (1 036) were males. The median (Q₁, Q₃) age was about 3 (1, 5) years. Patients under 5 years old accounted for 71.6% (1 309 cases). Among all cases, a total of 71 EV-positive samples were identified by qPCR, with a detection rate of 3.88% (71/1 828). The EV detection rates for men and women were 3.28% (34/1 036) and 4.67% (37/792), without statistically significant differences (χ²=2.32, P=0.14). The EV detection rates for 2 to <6 years, 6 months to <2 years, 6 to <10 years, and <6 months were 6.29% (48/763), 3.00% (18/600), 2.52% (4/159), and 1.67% (1/60) (χ²=27.91, P<0.001). The EV detection rate was 0.92% (3/326) in autumn and winter of 2017. The EV detection rates were 1.18% (6/508), 2.47% (12/485) and 8.31% (34/409) in each year from 2018 to 2020, with an increasing trend year by year(χ²_trend=29.76, P<0.001). The main prevalent seasons were summer and autumn. The detection rate in spring of 2021 was 4.00% (4/100). A total of 12 types were identified and classified as CVA2, CVA4, CVA5, CVA6, CVA10, CVB3, CVB5, E5, E11, E30, PV-1, and EV-D68. The types of CVA2, CVA10, CVA6, and CVB3 were the dominant phenotypes. In 59 sample of EV typing, the main clinical manifestation was upper respiratory tract infection (36/59, 61.01%). The dominant types detected in upper respiratory tract infections were CVA10 (10/36, 27.78%), CVA6 (9/36, 25.00%) and CVB3 (8/36, 22.22%). The dominant type detected in lower respiratory tract infections was CVA2 (7/19, 36.84%). Conclusion: In Luohe City, Henan Province from 2017 to 2021, EV infection in ARIs cases has clear seasonal and age-specific patterns, and the dominant types of upper and lower respiratory tract infections are different.

A hepatocyte-targeting nanoparticle for enhanced hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging

Hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can inform the diagnosis of liver tumours in patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatitis. However, its clinical utility has been hampered by the lack of sensitive and specific contrast agents, partly because hepatocyte-specific nanoparticles, regardless of their surface ligands, are readily sequestered by Kupffer cells. Here we show, in rabbits, pigs and macaques, that the performance of hepatobiliary MRI can be enhanced by an ultrasmall nanoparticle composed of a manganese ferrite core (3 nm in diameter) and poly(ethylene glycol)-ethoxy-benzyl surface ligands binding to hepatocyte-specific transmembrane metal and anion transporters. The nanoparticle facilitated faster, more sensitive and higher-resolution hepatobiliary MRI than the clinically used contrast agent gadoxetate disodium, a substantial enhancement in the detection rate (92% versus 48%) of early-stage liver tumours in rabbits, and a more accurate assessment of biliary obstruction in macaques. The nanoparticle's performance and biocompatibility support the further translational development of liver-specific MRI contrast agents.

Engineering magnetic nano-manipulators for boosting cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has shown promising therapeutic results in the clinic, albeit only in a limited number of cancer types, and its efficacy remains less than satisfactory. Nanoparticle-based approaches have been shown to increase the response to immunotherapies to address this limitation. In particular, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as a powerful manipulator are an appealing option for comprehensively regulating the immune system in vivo due to their unique magnetically responsive properties and high biocompatibility. This review focuses on assessing the potential applications of MNPs in enhancing tumor accumulation of immunotherapeutic agents and immunogenicity, improving immune cell infiltration, and creating an immunotherapy-sensitive environment. We summarize recent progress in the application of MNP-based manipulators to augment the efficacy of immunotherapy, by MNPs and their multiple magnetically responsive effects under different types of external magnetic field. Furthermore, we highlight the mechanisms underlying the promotion of antitumor immunity, including magnetically actuated delivery and controlled release of immunotherapeutic agents, tracking and visualization of immune response in real time, and magnetic regulation of innate/adaptive immune cells. Finally, we consider perspectives and challenges in MNP-based immunotherapy.

Biocompatible Iron Oxide Nanoring-Labeled Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An Innovative Magnetothermal Approach for Cell Tracking and Targeted Stroke Therapy

Labeling stem cells with magnetic nanoparticles is a promising technique for in vivo tracking and magnetic targeting of transplanted stem cells, which is critical for improving the therapeutic efficacy of cell therapy. However, conventional endocytic labeling with relatively poor labeling efficiency and a short labeling lifetime has hindered the implementation of these innovative enhancements in stem-cell-mediated regenerative medicine. Herein, we describe an advanced magnetothermal approach to label mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) efficiently by local induction of heat-enhanced membrane permeability for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tracking and targeted therapy of stroke, where biocompatible γ-phase, ferrimagnetic vortex-domain iron oxide nanorings (γ-FVIOs) with superior magnetoresponsive properties were used as a tracer. This approach facilitates a safe and efficient labeling of γ-FVIOs as high as 150 pg of Fe per cell without affecting the MSCs proliferation and differentiation, which is 3.44-fold higher than that by endocytosis labeling. Such a high labeling efficiency not only enables the ultrasensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detection of sub-10 cells and long-term tracking of transplanted MSCs over 10 weeks but also endows transplanted MSCs with a magnetic manipulation ability in vivo. A proof-of-concept study using a rat stroke model showed that the labeled MSCs facilitated MRI tracking and magnetic targeting for efficient replacement therapy with a significantly reduced dosage of 5 × 10⁴ transplanted cells. The findings in this study have demonstrated the great potential of the magnetothermal approach as an efficient labeling technique for future clinical usage.

[Role of type 2 innate lymphoid cells in helminth infections: a review]

Helminth infections may trigger host innate and adaptive immune responses. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) are an important factor involved in type 2 immune responses, and produce a large number of T helper 2 cell (Th2) cytokines following stimulation by interleukin (IL)-25, IL-33 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), which play a critical role in parasite clearance and tissue repair. Following helminth infections, autocrine factors, mast cells, enteric nervous system and Th2 cells have been recently found to be involved in regulation of ILC2. Unraveling the role of ILC2 in immune response against helminth infections is of great value for basic research and drug development. This review summarizes the research progress on ILC2 and its role in helminth infections.

[Predictive value of serum HBV RNA for therapeutic effect of entecavir in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the value of HBV RNA for predicting the therapeutic effect of long-term entecavir (ETV) antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODS

Serum samples were collected from 59 CHB patients treated with ETV for 96 or 108 months. HBV RNA levels, HBV DNA levels, and serological marker (HBeAg) levels were measured at baseline and 3, 6, 9, 12, 36, 72, and 96 (or 108) months during the therapy.

RESULTS

Although HBV RNA level decreased after 12 and 36 months of ETV antiviral therapy, no significance changes occurred in HBV RNA negative conversion rate (P>0.05). After 72 months of treatment or longer, 33 patients had HBV RNA levels lower than 100 copies/mL, and among them 29 patients had HBV RNA levels lower than the detection limit, and HBV RNA negative conversion rate was statistically significant (P < 0.05). A lower HBV RNA level was associated with a higher HBeAg negative conversion rate (P < 0.05). Age and HBV RNA level were positively correlated with HBeAg negative conversion rate (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Prolonged ETV antiviral therapy results in better clearance of HBV RNA and a higher negative conversion rate in CHB patients. The length of antiviral therapy and age are positively correlated with the negative conversion rate of HBV RNA, and earlier administration of the antiviral treatment achieves better therapeutic effect. Serum HBV RNA level can be used as an indicator for predicting conversion to negative HBeAg in CHB patients receiving ETV therapy.

[Progress in the study of antiviral activity of cepharanthine against SARS-CoV-2]

As a member of the dibenzyl isoquinoline alkaloid family, cepharathine is an alkaloid from the traditional Chinese medicine cepharathine, which is mainly used for treatment of leukopenia and other diseases. Recent studies of the inhibitory effect of cepharathine against SARS-CoV-2 have attracted widespread attention and aroused heated discussion. As the original discoverer of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of cepharanthine, here we briefly summarize the discovery of cepharanthine and review important progress in relevant studies concerning the discovery and validation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of cepharathine, its antiviral mechanisms and clinical trials of its applications in COVID-19 therapy.

The Metal Ion Release of Manganese Ferrite Nanoparticles: Kinetics, Effects on Magnetic Resonance Relaxivities, and Toxicity

Mn²⁺ release is particularly important for biological application of manganese-based nanomaterials. However, the Mn²⁺ release profiles of the manganese ferrite nanoparticles are under clarification. Here, we synthesized 3, 10, and 18 nm manganese ferrite nanoparticles (MFNPs) as model systems to study the Mn²⁺ release behavior, size, and pH-dependent kinetics. The Mn²⁺ release kinetic study showed that the first-order kinetic model was suitable for 3 and 10 nm MFNPs, while the Higuchi model was suitable for 18 nm MFNPs in a neutral PBS buffer (pH 7.4). In an acidic PBS buffer (pH 4.8), the Mn²⁺ release from all sizes of MFNPs follows first-order kinetics, which is possible due to the reaction between MFNPs and H⁺. The influence of Mn²⁺ release was evaluated by comparing the variations of magnetic resonance (MR) relaxation and magnetic properties before and after Mn²⁺ release of MFNPs. The results showed that the saturation magnetization (M_s), longitudinal relaxivity (r₁), and transverse relaxivity (r₂) values declined due to Mn²⁺ release, while the ratio of r₂/r₁ increased slightly, showing that all sizes of MFNPs exhibited the same MR mode as the synthesized MFNPs. More importantly, the release kinetics were employed to estimate the toxicity of the released Mn²⁺ in vivo. The potential toxicity is acceptable for MFNP administration since the calculated amount of Mn²⁺ is in the range of safe doses.

A compact x-ray diffraction system for dynamic compression experiments on pulsed-power generators

Pulsed-power generators can produce well-controlled continuous ramp compression of condensed matter for high-pressure equation-of-state studies using the magnetic loading technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data from dynamically compressed samples provide direct measurements of the elastic compression of the crystal lattice, onset of plastic flow, strength-strain rate dependence, structural phase transitions, and density of crystal defects, such as dislocations. Here, we present a cost-effective, compact, pulsed x-ray source for XRD measurements on pulsed-power-driven ramp-loaded samples. This combination of magnetically driven ramp compression of materials with a single, short-pulse XRD diagnostic will be a powerful capability for the dynamic materials' community to investigate in situ dynamic phase transitions critical to equation of states. We present results using this new diagnostic to evaluate lattice compression in Zr and Al and to capture signatures of phase transitions in CdS.

In vivo MRI tracking and therapeutic efficacy of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells labeled with ferrimagnetic vortex iron oxide nanorings for liver fibrosis repair

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have showed promising effects in the treatment of liver fibrosis. Long-term and noninvasive in vivo tracking of transplanted MSCs is essential for understanding the therapeutic mechanism of MSCs during the therapy of liver fibrosis. In this study, we report the development of a ferrimagnetic vortex iron oxide nanoring (FVIO)-based nanotracer for the long-term visualization of transplanted human MSCs (hMSCs) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The FVIOs were prepared by a hydrothermal reaction followed by hydrogen reduction. To endow the FVIOs with biocompatibility, polyethylene glycol amine (mPEG-NH₂) was covalently coupled on the surface of FVIOs, forming FVIO@PEG nanotracers with high contrast enhancement and intracellular uptake. The hMSCs labeled with FVIO@PEG nanotracers exhibited enhanced MRI contrast than those labeled with a commercial contrast agent, and could be continuously monitored by MRI in liver fibrosis mice for 28 days after transplantation, clearly clarifying the migration behavior of hMSCs in vivo. Moreover, we explored the therapeutic mechanism of the FVIO@PEG labeled hMSCs in the amelioration of liver fibrosis, including the reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress, the inhibition of hepatic fibrosis-caused histopathological damage, as well as the down-regulation of the expression of relevant cytokines. The results obtained in this work may deepen our understanding of the behavior and role of hMSCs in the treatment of liver fibrosis, which is key to the clinical application of stem cells in the therapy of liver diseases.

[Analysis on incidence trend of liver cancer in China, 2005-2016]

Objective: To understand the incidence trend of liver cancer in China from 2005 to 2016, and explore the correlation between the incidence trend of liver cancer and the incidence trend of hepatitis B. Methods: The incidence data of liver cancer in China from 2005 to 2016 were collected from the Annual Report of Cancer Registry in China. The incidence data of hepatitis B were collected from China Public Health Science Data Center. World standardized incidence rate (WSR) was calculated according to the World Segi's population. Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the trend of WSR of liver cancer [measured by average annual percentage change (AAPC)]. The age-period-cohort model was fitted to analyze the age, period and cohort effects in people aged 20- years and above. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to explore the correlation between the incidence of liver cancer and the incidence of hepatitis B. Results: The crude incidence of liver cancer in China showed a trend of first increase before 2009 and then relatively stable. The world standardized morbidity rate of liver cancer in China decreased from 19.11 per 100 000 in 2005 to 17.74 per 100 000 in 2016 (AAPC=-0.5%, 95%CI: -1.3%-0.3%, P=0.240). The incidence of liver cancer in male decreased significantly (AAPC=-1.0%, 95%CI: -1.5%--0.5%, P=0.001). The incidence of liver cancer in women increased from 2005 to 2010 [annual percentage change (APC)=1.7%, 95%CI: -0.1%-3.4%, P=0.059] but showed a significant decrease trend from 2010 to 2016 (APC=-1.6%, 95%CI: -2.3%--1.0%, P=0.001). From 2005 to 2016, the incidence of liver cancer showed a decreasing trend in urban areas (AAPC=-0.3%, 95%CI: -0.8%-0.3%, P=0.316) and rural areas (AAPC=-3.9%, 95%CI: -4.4%--3.3%, P<0.001). Risk for liver cancer increased with age, while the period effect showed a trend of first increase then decrease and cohort effect showed a decrease trend. The morbidity rates of both hepatitis B and liver cancer showed decrease trends from 2009 to 2016, and there was a significant correlation (r=0.71, 95%CI: 0.01-0.94, P=0.048). Conclusions: From 2005 to 2016, the morbidity rate of liver cancer in China showed a decrease trend, and there were significant gender and urban-rural area specific differences. Age effect had a great impact on the risk for liver cancer. With the progress of population aging in China, liver cancer is still a public health problem, to which close attention needs to be paid.

Design of Magnetic Nanoplatforms for Cancer Theranostics

Cancer is the top cause of death globally. Developing smart nanomedicines that are capable of diagnosis and therapy (theranostics) in one-nanoparticle systems are highly desirable for improving cancer treatment outcomes. The magnetic nanoplatforms are the ideal system for cancer theranostics, because of their diverse physiochemical properties and biological effects. In particular, a biocompatible iron oxide nanoparticle based magnetic nanoplatform can exhibit multiple magnetic-responsive behaviors under an external magnetic field and realize the integration of diagnosis (magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonic imaging, photoacoustic imaging, etc.) and therapy (magnetic hyperthermia, photothermal therapy, controlled drug delivery and release, etc.) in vivo. Furthermore, due to considerable variation among tumors and individual patients, it is a requirement to design iron oxide nanoplatforms by the coordination of diverse functionalities for efficient and individualized theranostics. In this article, we will present an up-to-date overview on iron oxide nanoplatforms, including both iron oxide nanomaterials and those that can respond to an externally applied magnetic field, with an emphasis on their applications in cancer theranostics.

Magnetic hyperthermia induces effective and genuine immunogenic tumor cell death with respect to exogenous heating

This study systematically verified that magnetic hyperthermia (MH) with intracellular heating can induce genuine immunogenic tumor cell death for effective antitumor therapy, while exogenous heating fails to elicit this effect.

Synthesizing the First Phase of Dynamic Sequences of Breast MRI for Enhanced Lesion Identification

Objective

To develop a deep learning model for synthesizing the first phases of dynamic (FP-Dyn) sequences to supplement the lack of information in unenhanced breast MRI examinations.

Methods

In total, 97 patients with breast MRI images were collected as the training set (n = 45), the validation set (n = 31), and the test set (n = 21), respectively. An enhance border lifelike synthesize (EDLS) model was developed in the training set and used to synthesize the FP-Dyn images from the T1WI images in the validation set. The peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity (SSIM), mean square error (MSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) of the synthesized images were measured. Moreover, three radiologists subjectively assessed image quality, respectively. The diagnostic value of the synthesized FP-Dyn sequences was further evaluated in the test set.

Results

The image synthesis performance in the EDLS model was superior to that in conventional models from the results of PSNR, SSIM, MSE, and MAE. Subjective results displayed a remarkable visual consistency between the synthesized and original FP-Dyn images. Moreover, by using a combination of synthesized FP-Dyn sequence and an unenhanced protocol, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of MRI were 100%, 72.73%, 76.92%, and 100%, respectively, which had a similar diagnostic value to full MRI protocols.

Conclusions

The EDLS model could synthesize the realistic FP-Dyn sequence to supplement the lack of enhanced images. Compared with full MRI examinations, it thus provides a new approach for reducing examination time and cost, and avoids the use of contrast agents without influencing diagnostic accuracy.

[Effects of N-trimethyl chitosan-recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor complex on avulsion flap with roll compaction in rat]

Objective: To investigate the effect of N-trimethyl chitosan-recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor (rTFPI) complex on avulsion flap with roll compaction in rat. Methods: The experimental methods were adopted. The N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI complex solution was prepared by ion cross-linking method. The morphology of the complex was observed by scanning electron microscope, and its diameter was measured. The encapsulation rate of rTFPI in the complex and drug loading rate of the complex was determined and calculated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method (n=3). The concentration of rTFPI in the solution at 0, 10, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 240 minutes of storage was measured by ELISA method to observe the release of rTFPI, and its half-life was calculated (n=3). Twenty-four 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group, N-trimethyl chitosan alone group, rTFPI alone group, and N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group according to the random number table, with 6 rats in each group. The avulsion flaps with roll compaction were prepared on the backs of rats with pedicles located on the line of the bilateral iliac spine and lifted from the surface of the muscle membrane. One injection of corresponding reagents was carried out immediately after in-situ suture and on post operation day (POD) 1, 2, and 3. General changes of the flap were observed on POD 1, 3, and 7. On POD 7, the survival area of the flap was measured and the survival rate of the flap was calculated; the flaps were divided into pedicle, proximal, middle, and distal segments, and the blood perfusion in the proximal, middle, and distal segment tissue of the flap was detected by the laser speckle blood flow imager; tissue samples in the middle of the flap were cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin to observe the changes in tissue structure and the infiltration of inflammatory cells, and the numbers of embolized blood vessels and new blood vessels per 100 times visual field were counted. Data were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and least significant difference test. Results: The N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI complex had an irregular spherical structure with a diameter of 150-200 nm. The encapsulation rate of rTFPI in the complex and drug loading rate of the complex were (88.7±2.1)% and (2.83±0.09)%, respectively. The concentration of rTFPI in the solution of the N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI complex gradually increased with prolonged storage time, and the release was basically stable at 90 min, with half-life of (651±36) min. On POD 1, the distal parts of flaps of rats in N-trimethyl chitosan alone group darkened significantly. On POD 3, scabs and necrosis were relatively mild on the distal segment of the flaps of rats in rTFPI alone group and N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group as compared with those of the other two groups. On POD 7, the necrosis boundaries of the flaps of rats in each group were clear. On POD 7, the flap survival rates of rats in rTFPI alone group and N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group were (63±7)% and (73±5)%, respectively, which were significantly higher than (41±3)% in PBS group and (52±7)% in N-trimethyl chitosan alone group. Moreover, the flap survival rate of rats in N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group was significantly higher than that in rTFPI alone group (P<0.05). On POD 7, the flaps of rats in each group had blood perfusion; the blood perfusion values in the proximal segment tissue of the rat flaps in N-trimethyl chitosan alone group and the blood perfusion values in the proximal, middle, and distal segment tissue of the rat flaps in rTFPI alone group and N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group were significantly higher than those in PBS group (P<0.05 or P<0.01); the blood perfusion values in the distal segment tissue of the rat flaps in rTFPI alone group and the blood perfusion values in the middle and distal segment tissue of the rat flaps in N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group were significantly higher than those in N-trimethyl chitosan alone group (P<0.05 or P<0.01); the blood perfusion value in the middle segment tissue of the rat flaps in N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group was significantly higher than that in rTFPI alone group (P<0.01). On POD 7, inflammatory cells infiltrated more and cell edema was obvious in the middle segment tissue of the rat flaps in PBS group and N-trimethyl chitosan alone group. Compared with those of the previous two groups, the inflammation degrees in the middle segment tissue of the rat flaps in rTFPI alone group and N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group were significantly milder, the number of embolized blood vessels was significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the number of new blood vessels was significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with that of rTFPI alone group, the number of new blood vessels in the middle segment tissue of the rat flaps in N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI group increased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusions: The effect of sustained release of rTFPI can be achieved by loading rTFPI with N-trimethyl chitosan. Compared with rTFPI alone, the N-trimethyl chitosan-rTFPI complex can further improve the blood perfusion of the avulsion flaps with roll compaction in rat and improve the survival rate of the flap.

The Dynamic Interactions between Nanoparticles and Macrophages Impact Their Fate in Brain Tumors

Functional nanomaterials such as iron oxide nanoparticles have been extensively explored for the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system diseases. However, an insufficient understanding of the comprehensive nanomaterial-biological interactions in the brain hinders the nanomaterials from meeting the medical requirements for translational research. Here, FDA-approved ferumoxytol, an iron oxide nanoparticle, is chosen as the model nanomaterial for a systematic study of the dynamic interactions between ferumoxytol and immune cells, including microglia and macrophages, in the brain tumors. Strikingly, up to 90% of intratumorally injected ferumoxytol nanoparticles are recognized and phagocytized by tumor-associated microglia and macrophages. The dynamic trafficking progress of ferumoxytol in microglia and macrophages, including scavenger receptor-mediated endocytosis, lysosomal internalization, and extracellular vesicle-dominated excretion, is further studied. Importantly, the results demonstrate that extracellular vesicle-encapsulated nanoparticles could be gradually eliminated from the brain along with cerebrospinal fluid circulation over 21 days. Moreover, ferumoxytol exhibits no obvious long-term neurological toxicity after its injection. The study suggests that the dynamic biointeractions of nanoparticles with immune cells in the brain exert a key rate-limiting impact on the efficiency of targeting tumor cells and their in vivo fate and thus provide a deeper understanding of the nanomaterials in the brain for clinical applications.

Precise Regulation of Enzyme-Nanozyme Cascade Reaction Kinetics by Magnetic Actuation toward Efficient Tumor Therapy

Spatiotemporal regulation of multi-enzyme catalysis with stimuli is crucial in nature to meet different metabolic requirements but presents a challenge in artificial cascade systems. Here, we report a strategy for precise and tunable modulation of enzyme-nanozyme cascade reaction kinetics by remote magnetic stimulation. As a proof of concept, glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized onto a ferrimagnetic vortex iron oxide nanoring (Fe3O4 NR) functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol) of different molecular weights to construct a series of Fe3O4 NR@GOx with nanometer linking distances. The activities of GOx and the Fe3O4 NR nanozyme in these systems were shown to be differentially stimulated by Fe3O4 NR-mediated local heat in response to an alternating magnetic field (AMF), leading to modulated cascade reaction kinetics in a distance-dependent manner. Compared to the free GOx and Fe3O4 NR mixture, Fe3O4 NR(D2)@GOx with an optimum linking distance of 1 nm exhibits a superior kinetic match between GOx and the Fe3O4 NR nanozyme and over a 400-fold higher cascade activity under AMF exposure. This enables remarkable intracellular reactive oxygen species production and significantly improved tumor inhibition of AMF-stimulated Fe3O4 NR(D2)@GOx in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. The strategy reported here offers a straightforward new tool for fine-tuning multi-enzyme catalysis at the molecular level using magnetic stimuli and holds great promise for use in a variety of biotechnology and synthetic biology applications.

Design and Preparation of "corn-like" SPIONs@DFK-SBP-M13 Assembly for Improvement of Effective Internalization

Purpose

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have exhibited preeminent diagnosis and treatment performances, but their low internalization severely limits predesigned functions. The low cell internalization is now an urgent bottleneck problem for almost all nanomaterials. To achieve more internalization of SPIONS, recombinant M13 phage was designed for targeted delivery and smart release.

Methods

M13 phages were designed to co-express exogenous SPARC binding peptide (SBP) and cathepsin B cleavage peptide (DFK), formed recombinant DFK-SBP-M13. 3.37± 0.06 nm of SPIONs were modified by 3, 4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid (DHCA) to gain 10.80 ± 0.21 nm of DHCA-coated SPIONs, i.e., DHCA@SPIONs. Upon adjusting the proportions of DHCA@SPIONs and DFK-SBP-M13, the multi-carboxyl SPIONs assembled onto recombinant M13 phages via covalent bonding. The assemblies were co-cultured with MDA-MB-231 cells to interpret their internalization and smart release.

Results

The “corn-like” SPIONs@DFK-SBP-M13 (261.47±3.30 nm) assemblies have not been reported previously. The assembly was stable, dispersible, superparamagnetic and biocompatible. After co-cultivation with MDA-MB-231 cells, the SPIONs@DFK-SBP-M13 assemblies quickly bond to the cell surface and are internalized. The enrichment rate of SPIONs@DFK-SBP-M13 assembly was 13.9 times higher than free SPIONs at 0.5 h, and intracellular Fe content was 3.6 times higher at 1 h. Furthermore, the DFK peptides favored cathepsin B to cleave SPIONs from the M13 templates resulting in release of SPIONs inside cells.

Conclusion

The novel SPIONs@DFK-SBP-M13 assembly can rapidly deliver SPIONs to the targeted sites and enabled smart release. The combination of genetic recombination and nanotechnology is beneficial for designing and optimizing some new nanomaterials with special functions to achieve wider applications.

Boosting the photothermal performance of vacancy-rich MoSe2-x nanoflowers for photoacoustic imaging guided tumor chemo-photothermal therapy

Due to the relatively low photo-thermal conversion efficiency and poor tumor targeting capacity, phototheranostic nanoagents encounter some challenges in cancer photothermal therapy. To address this problem, in the current research we developed vacancy-rich MoSe_2-x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanoflowers (MNFs) with molecular 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) as the activity target, which could be used as a novel phototheranostic nanoagent in the photoacoustic imaging guided chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy. This selenium-deficient structure endows MNFs with high photothermal conversion efficiency (41.7%) due to the strong localized surface plasmon resonances. Besides, the surface linked 2-DG molecules and the flower-like morphology in the nanoagents promoted the targeting effect (active and passive), thus facilitating the efficient concentration of the nanoagents within the tumor site. Both in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor experiments have demonstrated the high synergistic efficacy promoted by MNFs and complete tumor eradication with lower administration dosages could be achieved. This rational design of nanoparticles not only provided the paradigm of high therapeutic efficacy of a chemo-photothermal protocol for precise cancer theranostics, but also expanded the scope of nanomedical applications using semiconductor-based nanoplatforms through well-defined designing of their microstructures and physiochemical properties.

[Urine proteomics signatures associated with alcohol drinking among residents attending the National Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Early Detection Program in Linqu, Shandong province]

The liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect the urinary proteomics of 223 residents aged 40-69 years old who participated in the National Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Early Detection Program in Linqu County, Shandong Province from November 22 to December 7, 2018, and analyze the alcohol consumption related proteomic profiles and individual urinary protein. There were significant differences in urinary protein profiles between alcohol consumption group and non-alcohol consumption group. The expression of 26 urinary proteins was up-regulated and 20 urinary proteins were down-regulated in alcohol consumption group (P<0.05). The differentially expressed proteins had enzyme inhibitor activity and phospholipid binding function, and mainly enriched in pathways involving proximal tubule bicarbonate regeneration, complement and coagulation cascade, and cholesterol metabolism. The protein expressions of complement factor I (CFI), angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and protein C inhibitor (SERPINA5) were positively correlated with daily alcohol consumption.

Electromagnetic Field-Programmed Magnetic Vortex Nanodelivery System for Efficacious Cancer Therapy

Effective delivery of anticancer drugs into the nucleus for pharmacological action is impeded by a series of intratumoral transport barriers. Despite the significant potential of magnetic nanovehicles in electromagnetic field (EF)-activated drug delivery, modularizing a tandem magnetoresponsive activity in a one-nanoparticle system to meet different requirements at both tissue and cellular levels remain highly challenging. Herein, a strategy is described by employing sequential EF frequencies in inducing a succession of magnetoresponses in the magnetic nanovehicles that aims to realize cascaded tissue penetration and nuclear accumulation. This nanovehicle features ferrimagnetic vortex-domain iron oxide nanorings coated with a thermo-responsive polyethylenimine copolymer (PI/FVIOs). It is shown that the programmed cascading of low frequency (Lf)-EF-induced magnetophoresis and medium frequency (Mf)-EF-stimulated magneto-thermia can steer the Doxorubicin (DOX)-PI/FVIOs to the deep tissue and subsequently trigger intracellular burst release of DOX for successful nuclear entry. By programming the order of different EF frequencies, it is demonstrated that first-stage Lf-EF and subsequent Mf-EF operation enables DOX-PI/FVIOs to effectively deliver 86.2% drug into the nucleus in vivo. This nanodelivery system empowers potent antitumoral activity in various models of intractable tumors, including DOX-resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells, triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells with poor permeability.

[Transepidermal water loss of scar skin in three types of scar patients and its correlation with scar severity]

Objective: To study the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) of scar skin in patients with superficial scars, hypertrophic scars, and atrophic scars, and to explore the correlation between TEWL and scar severity. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From February 2017 to February 2019, 120 scar patients who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the General Hospital of Jilin Chemical Industry Group, including 78 males and 42 females, aged (35±14) years. According to the diagnosis on admission, there were 40 cases of superficial scar patients, 40 cases of hypertrophic scar patients, and 40 cases of atrophic scar patients. On admission, the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used to score the scar of each patient; the TEWL of scar skin and normal skin 1 cm from the edge of scar or the same site of the healthy side (hereinafter referred to as normal skin) of each patient was measured by water loss tester, and the difference value of TEWL between scar skin and normal skin (hereinafter referred to as the TEWL difference) was calculated. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, paired sample t test, one-way analysis of variance, and Dunnett-t test for comparison, and the correlation between the difference value of TEWL and scar VSS score was analyzed with univariate linear regression analysis. Results: On admission, the scar VSS score of superficial scar patients was significantly lower than that of hypertrophic scar or atrophic scar patients (t=4.403, 4.768, P<0.01), and the scar VSS score of atrophic scar patients was significantly lower than that of hypertrophic scar patients (t=4.185, P<0.01). On admission, the TEWL of scar skin of superficial scar, hypertrophic scar, and atrophic scar patients were (18±4), (20±4), and (20±5) g·m^-2·h^-1 respectively, significantly higher than (12±3), (12±3), and (14±4) g·m^-2·h^-1 of normal skin (t=6.889, 10.221, 5.870, P<0.01). The difference values of TEWL of superficial scar, hypertrophic scar, and atrophic scar patients were (5.9±1.7), (8.1±1.7), and (6.4±2.1) g·m^-2·h^-1 respectively. In comparison among different types of scar patients, only the TEWL difference of hypertrophic scar patients was significantly higher than that of superficial scar patients (t=6.975, P<0.05). The TEWL difference and the scar VSS score in patients with superficial scars, hypertrophic scars, and atrophic scars were significantly positively correlated (r=0.805, 0.872, 0.826, P<0.01). Conclusions: The TEWL of scar skin in patients with superficial scars, hypertrophic scars, and atrophic scars is increased compared with normal skin, and the degree of increase was positively correlated with the severity of scars.

[PI3K/Akt signaling pathway mediates the protective effect of endomorphin-1 postconditioning against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in mediating the protective effect of endomorphin-1 against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury.

OBJECTIVE

Fifty SD male rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, myocardial IR group, endomorphin-1 post-treatment group (EM50 group), endomorphin-1+wortmannin (a PI3K/Akt signaling pathway inhibitor) treatment group (EM50+Wort group), and wortmannin treatment group (Wort group). Rat models of myocardial IR injury were established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 120 min. The heart rate and mean arterial pressure were monitored during the experiment. Plasma levels of LDH, CK-MB, cTnI, IL-6, TNF-α, SOD and MDA were measured after reperfusion. The mRNA expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was detected using RT-PCR, and the expression of apoptosis-related protein cleaved caspase-3, phosphorylated Akt protein and total Akt protein in myocardial tissue was detected using Western blotting.

OBJECTIVE

Myocardial IR injury significantly decreased heart rate and blood pressure of the rats in comparison with the sham operation (P < 0.05). Compared with those in the IR group, the rats in EM50 group showed significantly increased heart rate and blood pressure (P < 0.05) with decreased plasma LDH, CK-MB, cTnI, IL-6, TNF-α and MDA levels (P < 0.05), increased SOD activity (P < 0.05), increased expression of p-Akt protein and Bcl-2 mRNA (P < 0.05), and decreased expression of Bax mRNA and cleaved caspase-3 protein (P < 0.05). In EM50+Wort group, the heart rate and blood pressure were significantly lowered (P < 0.05), plasma LDH, CK-MB, cTnI, IL-6, TNF-α and MDA levels increased (P < 0.05), SOD activity decreased (P < 0.05), the expression of p-Akt protein and Bcl-2 mRNA was reduced (P < 0.05), and the expression of Bax mRNA and cleaved caspase-3 protein increased (P < 0.05) as compared with those in EM50 group.

OBJECTIVE

EM-1 postconditioning can regulate cardiac myocyte apoptosis and reduce myocardial IR injury in rats. The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway may play a role in mediating the myocardial protective effects of EM-1 postconditioning.

POS0651 CLINICAL AND FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE TO TOFACITINIB IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: PROBABILITY PLOT ANALYSIS OF RESULTS FROM A 48-WEEK PHASE 3b/4 METHOTREXATE WITHDRAWAL STUDY

Background:

The Phase 3b/4 study ORAL Shift (NCT02831855) demonstrated sustained efficacy/safety of tofacitinib modified-release 11 mg QD following MTX withdrawal, that was non-inferior to continued tofacitinib + MTX use, in patients (pts) with moderate to severe RA who achieved LDA with tofacitinib + MTX at Week (W)24.1

Objectives:

To assess differences and similarities in clinical/functional responses in pts receiving tofacitinib ± MTX in ORAL Shift.

Methods:

In ORAL Shift, pts received open-label tofacitinib + MTX to W24; at W24, pts who achieved CDAI LDA were randomised to receive tofacitinib + MTX or tofacitinib + placebo (PBO) from W24–48. In this post hoc analysis, clinical efficacy endpoints were ACR-N (minimum % change from baseline [BL; Δ] at W48 achieved by each pt in 3 efficacy measures), ΔDAS28-4(ESR), and DAS28-4(ESR) remission/LDA (scores ≤3.2) and moderate/high disease activity (scores >3.2). Functional efficacy endpoints were ΔHAQ-DI and HAQ-DI clinically relevant functional progression (CRFP) status at W48, defined as failure to achieve improvement in HAQ-DI ≥ minimum clinically important difference (MCID; ≥0.22 decrease from BL in HAQ-DI). Thus, CRFP was defined as <0.22 decrease, no change or increase from BL in HAQ-DI at W48. All efficacy endpoints were summarised descriptively. Cumulative probability plots of ACR-N and ΔHAQ-DI were produced. Median of mean CRP values from BL–W24 and >W24–48 were assessed by response subgroups.

Results:

266 pts receiving tofacitinib + MTX and 264 pts receiving tofacitinib + PBO in W24–48 were included. At W48: mean ACR-N was numerically greater with tofacitinib + MTX vs tofacitinib + PBO (60.8 vs 53.1); mean decrease in HAQ-DI was generally similar between groups (-0.71 vs -0.67); mean decrease in DAS28-4(ESR) was numerically greater with tofacitinib + MTX vs tofacitinib + PBO (-2.95 vs -2.68). The differences/similarities between groups in ACR-N and ΔHAQ-DI were also seen in cumulative probability plots (Figure 1). CRFP rates were numerically lower with tofacitinib + MTX (18.7%) vs tofacitinib + PBO (23.5%), and in pts with remission/LDA (tofacitinib + MTX, 12.1%; tofacitinib + PBO, 16.8%) vs moderate/high disease activity (tofacitinib + MTX, 26.2%; tofacitinib + PBO, 30.8%). Median of mean CRP over time was generally numerically lower in pts with CRFP vs non-CRFP and DAS28-4(ESR)-defined remission/LDA vs moderate/high disease activity; and in those receiving tofacitinib + PBO vs tofacitinib + MTX, irrespective of CRFP or DAS28-4(ESR) disease status (Table 1).

Table 1.

Median of mean CRPa up to W48 by response subgroups

Tofacitinib 11 mg QD + MTXTofacitinib 11 mg QD + PBOMean CRP,amedian (IQR) [n]>BL–W24>W24–48>BL–W24>W24–48HAQ-DI CRFP2.84 (1.15–7.30)2.30 (0.82–4.75)1.45 (0.77–4.42)2.28 (0.53–7.28)[45][46][56][56]HAQ-DI non-CRFP2.81 (1.09–6.19)2.91 (1.19–5.84)2.26 (0.98–4.63)2.47 (1.13–5.53)[195][195][176][178]DAS28-4(ESR) remission/LDA2.48 (1.05–4.95)2.46 (1.07–4.76)1.70 (0.89–4.14)1.95 (0.81–3.82)[126][127][115][117]DAS28-4(ESR) moderate/high disease activity3.56 (1.17–7.13)3.58 (1.36–8.33)2.60 (0.87–5.16)2.68 (1.34–8.23)[107][107][115][115]

aMean CRP was calculated as the average CRP value during each time period (>BL–W24 or >W24–48)

CRP, C-reactive protein; DAS28-4(ESR), Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ-DI, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; IQR, interquartile range; LDA, low disease activity; MTX, methotrexate; n, number of pts meeting assessment criteria; QD, once daily

Conclusion:

Although clinical/functional responses were generally similar between treatment groups, numerical improvements were seen for some efficacy endpoints with tofacitinib + MTX vs tofacitinib + PBO. A numerically higher CRFP rate may be associated with higher DAS28-4(ESR) disease activity. CRP changes up to W48 may not trend with CRFP status.

References:

[1]Cohen et al. Lancet Rheumatol 2019; 1: E23-34.

Acknowledgements:

Study sponsored by Pfizer Inc. Medical writing support was provided by Anthony G McCluskey, CMC Connect, and funded by Pfizer Inc.

Disclosure of Interests:

Stanley B. Cohen Consultant of: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Pfizer Inc, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Pfizer Inc, Yi-Hsing Chen Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Inc, Naonobu Sugiyama Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Jose Luis Rivas Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Annette Diehl Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Tatjana Lukic Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Jerome Paulissen Consultant of: Pfizer Inc, Haiyun Fan Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Tomohiro Hirose Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, Edward Keystone Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, F. Hoffman-La Roche, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Sanofi Genzyme, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, F. Hoffman-La Roche, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, Merck, Myriad Autoimmune, Pfizer Inc, Sandoz, Sanofi Genzyme, Samsung Bioepsis, Grant/research support from: Amgen, Merck, Pfizer Inc, PuraPharm

Ferrite Nanoparticles-Based Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Cancer Therapy

Ferrite nanoparticles have been widely used in the biomedical field (such as magnetic targeting, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic hyperthermia, etc.) due to their appealing magnetic properties. In tumor acidic microenvironment, ferrite nanoparticles show intrinsic peroxidase-like activities, which can catalyze the Fenton reaction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to produce highly toxic hydroxyl free radicals (•OH), causing the death of tumor cell. Recent progresses in this field have shown that the enzymatic activity of ferrite can be improved via converting external field energy such as alternating magnetic field and near-infrared laser into nanoscale heat to produce more •OH, enhancing the killing effect on tumor cells. On the other hand, combined with other nanomaterials or drugs for cascade reactions, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can also be increased to obtain more efficient cancer therapy. In this review, we will discuss the current status and progress of the application of ferrite nanoparticles in ROS-mediated cancer therapy and try to provide new ideas for this area.

LncRNA SNHG15 promotes the proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma via sponging miR-141-3p to upregulate KLF9

OBJECTIVE

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to exert an oncogenic or anti-tumor function in malignant tumors. LncRNA SNHG15 is verified to be an oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. In this paper, we mainly investigate the potential influence of SNHG15 on the progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

SNHG15 levels in NPC tissues and cell lines were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Correlation between SNHG15 level and prognosis of NPC patients was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Regulatory effects of SNHG15 on proliferative, colony formation abilities, and apoptosis of SUNE1 and CNE1 cells were assessed through a series of functional experiments. Potential miRNAs binding SNHG15 and the downstream gene of the microRNA (miRNA) were predicted by bioinformatics method, which was confirmed by Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot.

RESULTS

SNHG15 was upregulated in NPC tissues and cells. High level of SNHG15 indicated worse survival in NPC patients. Knockdown of SNHG15 markedly suppressed proliferative ability and induced apoptosis in SUNE1 and CNE1 cells. It is verified that miR-141-3p was the direct target binding SNHG15, and KLF9 was the downstream gene of miR-141-3p. SNHG15 was demonstrated to be a ceRNA to upregulate KLF9 by competitively binding miR-141-3p.

CONCLUSIONS

SNHG15 is upregulated in NPC tissues, and this aggravates the progression of NPC by absorbing miR-141-3p to upregulate KLF9.

Electrochemical Formation Mechanism of Microdroplets on Pure Iron

The electrochemical formation mechanism of microdroplets formed around a primary droplet of 3.5% NaCl solution on an iron-plated film was investigated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and concentric three-electrode array (CTEA) measurements. During the initial stage, the microdroplets mainly originate from evaporation owing to cathodic polarization and electric current of the localized corrosion cell under the primary droplet. The maximal electrochemical potential difference between the anode and cathode was measured to be 0.36 V and acted as the driving force for the formation of microdroplets. The maximums of anodic and cathodic electric current density of pure iron under the NaCl droplet are 764 and -152 μA/cm², respectively. Propagation of microdroplets in the developing stage attributes to horizontal movement of the electrolyte, water evaporation, and recondensation from primary and capillary condensation from moist air. The results of the study suggest that the initiation and propagation of microdroplets could promote and accelerate marine atmospheric corrosion.

Quantitative characterisation of the ring normal modes. Pyridine as a study case

In the present work, the vibrational normal modes (NM) of pyridine were revisited. Quantum Chemical calculations were performed to help understand the true nature of some ring related vibrational normal modes (RNM) and how they may be correlated with the electronic structure on the ring. The 27 vibrational normal modes were decomposed into the molecular internal coordinates, and the interest was focused on 7 of them, involving the in-plane ring motion. The electronic structure was analysed through frontier Molecular Orbitals (MO), maps of Molecular Electrostatic Potential surfaces (MEPs) and Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis in a dynamic manner, wherein, each vibration was scanned. The present investigation is aimed to provide the Reader with a quantitative characterisation of the RNMs of pyridine.

Structure-Relaxivity Mechanism of an Ultrasmall Ferrite Nanoparticle T1 MR Contrast Agent: The Impact of Dopants Controlled Crystalline Core and Surface Disordered Shell

Ultrasmall ferrite nanoparticles (UFNPs) have emerged as powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T₁ nanoprobe for noninvasive visualization of biological events. However, the structure-relaxivity relationship and regulatory mechanism of UFNPs remain elusive. Herein, we developed chemically engineered 3.8 nm Zn_xFe_3-xO₄@Zn_xMn_yFe_3-x-yO₄ (denoted as Zn_xF@Zn_xMn_yF) nanoparticles with precise dopants control in both crystalline core and disordered shell as a model system to assess the impact of dopants on the relaxometric properties of UFNPs. It is determined that the core-shell dopant architecture allows the optimal tuning of r₁ relaxivity for Zn_0.4F@Zn_0.4Mn_0.2F up to 20.22 mM^-1 s^-1, which is 5.2-fold and 6.5-fold larger than that of the original UFNPs and the clinically used Gd-DTPA. Moreover, the high-performing UFNPs nanoprobe, when conjugated with a targeting moiety AMD3100, enables the in vivo MRI detection of small lung metastasis with greatly enhanced sensitivity. Our results pave the way toward the chemical design of ultrasensitive T₁ nanoprobe for advanced molecular imaging.

[Study on the influence of sleeve height and implant length on accuracy of static computer-assisted implant surgery]

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the sleeve lengths and implant lengths on accuracy of static computer-assisted implant surgery (sCAIS). Methods: Twenty-eight models of bilateral mandibular single tooth loss were included. Fifty-five implants were placed under the guidance of sCAIS (Straumann Bone Level 4.1 mm×10 mm). According to the height of metal sleeve of static guide plate, 55 implants were divided into 11 groups (free hand group, 1 mm group, 2 mm group, 3 mm group, 4 mm group, 5 mm group, 6 mm group, 7 mm group, 8 mm group, 9 mm group, 10 mm group), with 5 implants in each group. Eight research models were included. Group with 5 mm sleeve guides were used to place implants of different length, (Straumann Bone Level width 4.1 mm, height was 8 mm, 10 mm and 14 mm), 5 implants in each group. Eighteen patients with mandibular single tooth loss were included in the Department of Oral Implantology, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital from October 2018 to June 2019. There were 10 males and 8 females, 18-46(33.7±7.9) years old. A total of 18 implants were implanted and divided into 3 groups (free hand group, 3 mm group and 5 mm group) with 6 implants in each group. Digital software was used to compare the implant positions before and after implantation. Non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test or one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the results. Results: There was no significant difference in implant vertical deviation between different sleeve height groups (1-10 mm) and free hand group, but the neck deviation in free hand group[(1.04±0.13) mm] was significantly higher than that in different sleeve height groups (1-10 mm) (P<0.05). The tip deviations of free hand group, 1 mm group and 2 mm group [(1.32±0.43), (0.83±0.10) and (0.78±0.11) mm, respectively] was significantly higher than that of 10 mm group [(0.31±0.14) mm](P<0.05). The angle deviation of free hand group and 1 mm group (3.99°±0.85° and 2.59°±0.69°), respectively] was significantly higher than that of 10 mm group (0.61°±0.03°) (P<0.05). The tip deviations of implants in the 14 mm group [(0.83±0.22) mm] was significantly higher than that in the 8 mm and 10 mm groups [(0.44±0.07) and (0.49±0.06) mm, respectively]. Clinical studies showed that there was no significant difference in neck deviation, tip deviation and angle deviation between 3 mm group and 5 mm group (P>0.05), but deviations were significantly lower than those in free hand group (P<0.05). Conclusions: The length of the sleeves has significant influence on the accuracy of the surgical guide. There was no significant difference in accuracy of the implant guide with 3 mm or 5 mm metal sleeves. The vitro study has some limitations and needs further systematic research.