Lipid-Nanoparticle-Based Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 Genome-Editing Components

Gene editing mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 systems is due to become a beneficial therapeutic option for treating genetic diseases and some cancers. However, there are challenges in delivering CRISPR components which necessitate sophisticated delivery systems for safe and effective genome editing. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have become an attractive nonviral delivery platform for CRISPR-mediated genome editing due to their low immunogenicity and application flexibility. In this review, we provide a background of CRISPR-mediated gene therapy, as well as LNPs and their applicable characteristics for delivering CRISPR components. We then highlight the challenges of CRISPR delivery, which have driven the significant development of new, safe, and optimized LNP formulations in the past decade. Finally, we discuss considerations for using LNPs to deliver CRISPR and future perspectives on clinical translation of LNP-CRISPR gene editing.

Multidisciplinary Studies of Folk Medicine "Five Thieves' Oil" (Olejek Pięciu Złodziei) Components

To meet the growing interest in natural antibacterial agents, we evaluated the physicochemical and biological properties of the folk medicine known as “five thieves’ oil” (Polish name: olejek pięciu złodziei). Five thieves’ oil consists of a mixture of five oils: rosemary, lemon, clove, eucalyptus, and cinnamon. In this study, we performed gas chromatography, FTIR, and UV–vis spectroscopic analysis, as well as L-a-b color tests, contact angle determination, and surface tension determination. To verify its antibacterial activity, the metabolic activity and changes in cell membrane permeability of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas were studied. As a result, it was found that among the constituent oils, the oils of clove and cinnamon were the least volatile and, at the same time, had the strongest antibacterial activity. However, a mix of all the oils also showed comparable activity, which was even more pronounced for the oils after 4 weeks of aging. This effect can be linked to the high content of terpene derivatives such as eugenol and cinnamaldehyde, which can cause changes in bacterial membrane permeability, affecting cell activity and survival. This study is the first to characterize the constituents of the popular folk medicine five thieves’ oil, confirming and explaining its strong antibacterial activity, thus constituting a significant contribution to contemporary health education.

Quantitative secondary electron energy filtering in a scanning electron microscope and its applications

Two-dimensional dopant mapping in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) has recently attracted attention due to its ability to measure dopant levels rapidly with high spatial resolution while requiring little or no sample preparation. The dopant concentration could be derived from the energy distribution of secondary electrons emitted per doped region. However, the lack of reliable quantification, when standard SEM imaging is used, has so far hindered a wide application of the technique. This paper aims to resolve this problem with quantitative energy-filtering using a through-the-lens (TTL) detector in a field emission gun SEM (FEG-SEM). We have used the linear shift obtained in the SE energy distribution with variable specimen bias using sample containing copper wires, defined as the experimental detector response R(exp), to quantify the energy filtering. Using different experimental conditions, values of (2.42+/-0.04)<or=R(exp)<or=(3.01+/-0.05) were obtained. Results were validated by comparison with calculations obtained from ray-tracing simulations. Recommendations for the linear range of the TTL detector as an energy filter were established on the basis of these results. In addition, using our quantitative energy-filtering capabilities, the potential difference across a Si pn-junction was measured to be 0.81+/-0.10 V, which is in good agreement with the calculated value.

Respiratory control in neonatal mice with NADPH oxidase deficiency

A membrane bound cytochrome b(558) (NADPH oxidase) is a candidate for the oxygen sensor in pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs) - putative airway chemoreceptors. Recent electrophysiological studies on NEB from mice with NADPH oxidase deficiency (OD; gp(91phox) knock-out) have shown lack of response of O(2) sensitive K(+) current to hypoxia challenge compared with wild-type (WT) control mice. To assess the effects of oxidase deficiency on the control of ventilation at the whole animal level, respiratory measurements were conducted under normoxic and hypoxic conditions in neonatal OD mice and compared that with the WT control group. Five-day-old OD mice were faster and shallower breathers during normoxia as well as hypoxia. In addition, the maximum hypoxic ventilatory response of the OD mice was lower than that of the WT control group and the peak increase in minute ventilation (.V(max)-.V(normoxia)) was greater in WT control than the OD mice (P=0.02). Since the lung development and NEB morphology in OD mice were comparable to the WT control mice, the observed differences implicate NADPH oxidase as an O(2) sensor involved in neonatal ventilatory control, possibly modulated via pulmonary NEBs.

Alteration by cadmium of rat submandibular gland secretory function and the role of the l-arginine/nitric oxide pathway

The effects of cadmium, l-arginine (nitric oxide precursor) and N(omega)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l -NAME) as a nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor and cotreatment of them on rat submandibular secretory function were studied. Pure submandibular saliva was collected intraorally by micro polyethylene cannula from anaesthetized rats using pilocarpine as secretagogue. Fourteen days treatment with 10 mg l(-1)cadmium as cadmium chloride in drinking water caused significant alterations on salivary function. Salivary flow rate, total protein concentration and amylase activity of saliva were decreased while secretion of calcium was increased by cadmium. Two weeks treatment of rats with l -arginine (2.25%) in drinking water caused an increase in submandibular gland weight. Flow rate was reduced by l-NAME. The total protein concentration of saliva was increased by l-arginine while decreased by l-NAME. Calcium concentration of saliva was reduced by l-arginine and increased by l-NAME. Cotreatment of cadmium with l-arginine prevented cadmium-induced reduction of flow rate while l-NAME cotreatment potentiated cadmium-induced reduction of flow rate. l-arginine showed a preventive effect on cadmium-induced decrease of protein concentration and reached control levels. l-arginine potentiated cadmium-induced increase of saliva calcium concentration. It is confirmed that nitric oxide (NO) has a role in salivary gland function. It is also concluded that cadmium inhibitory effects on salivary gland function are modulated by the NO system as it is observed that the cadmium inhibitory effect on submandibular gland function is diminished by l-arginine and extended by l-NAME. Considering the properties of cadmium substitution for calcium in many intracellular events, different types of alterations can be discussed.

Translocational status of ApoB in the presence of an inhibitor of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein

Despite numerous studies demonstrating that microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) activity is critical to apoB secretion, there is still controversy as to whether MTP directly facilitates the translocation of apoB across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through either the recruitment of lipids and/or chaperone activity. In the present study, a specific inhibitor of MTP (BMS 197636) was utilized in HepG2 cells to investigate whether a direct relationship exists between the translocation of apoB across the ER membrane and the lipid-transferring activity of MTP. Inhibition of MTP (with 10 and 50 nmol/L of the inhibitor) did not significantly affect the translocation of newly synthesized apoB (P = 0.77) or the translocational efficiency of the steady-state apoB mass (P = 0.45), despite a 49% decrease in apoB secretion and increased proteosomal degradation. These results compared well with subcellular fractionation experiments which showed no significant change in the fraction of apoB accumulated in the lumen of isolated microsomes in MTP-treated cells (P = 0.35). In summary, MTP lipid transfer activity does not appear to influence translocational status of apoB, but its inhibition is associated with an increased susceptibility to proteasome-mediated degradation and reduced assembly and secretion of apoB lipoprotein particles.