基于微流控液滴技术的载药缓释微球研究进展

单分散性载药缓释微球作为新型药物释放系统已成为缓释药物制剂研究的热点问题之一,但传统制备方法获得的载药微球大多存在大小不均一、粒径分布宽、载药量低、缓释效果不明显等问题,极大地限制了其应用。微流控液滴技术因其操作简单,可以控制液滴形成的过程,成为近年发展起来的制备单分散性载药微球的新方法,在制备粒径均匀、具有特殊性能等载药微球方面有极大的优势。本文从传统载药微球的制备及存在问题入手,简述微流控技术的基本原理及液滴微流控制备载药微球的基本方法与类型,体现微流控技术相比传统制备技术的优势,即可以制备得到粒径均一、大小组分可控且呈单分散性的药物可控释放微球。     

甘草、红景天及黄芪粗提取物对UVB诱导小鼠皮肤慢性光损伤的保护作用

目的研究甘草、红景天和黄芪三种粗提取物对皮肤慢性光损伤的保护作用。方法甘草、红景天和黄芪三种粗提取物局部外用于小鼠背部皮肤后给予UVB辐射,每天1次,连续30天,分别采用TUNEL、ELISA和免疫印迹检测小鼠背部皮肤组织的细胞凋亡指数、TNF-α含量和caspase-8蛋白水平。结果与空白对照组相比,UVB照射组(单纯给予UVB照射)小鼠皮肤中的细胞凋亡指数、TNF-α含量及caspase-8水平均显著增高(P0.05);不同浓度甘草等粗提取物处理后可下调TNF-α、caspase-8表达水平及细胞凋亡指数(P0.05),尤以甘草组明显。结论UVB慢性辐射可诱导皮肤光老化,而甘草、红景天和黄芪三种粗提取物可缓解紫外线引起的皮肤慢性光损伤,其作用机制与抑制炎症因子TNF-α释放、caspase-8表达和细胞凋亡有关。     

Exome sequencing identifies ACAD9 mutations as a cause of complex I deficiency

An isolated defect of respiratory chain complex I activity is a frequent biochemical abnormality in mitochondrial disorders. Despite intensive investigation in recent years, in most instances, the molecular basis underpinning complex I defects remains unknown. We report whole-exome sequencing of a single individual with severe, isolated complex I deficiency. This analysis, followed by filtering with a prioritization of mitochondrial proteins, led us to identify compound heterozygous mutations in ACAD9, which encodes a poorly understood member of the mitochondrial acyl-CoA dehydrogenase protein family. We demonstrated the pathogenic role of the ACAD9 variants by the correction of the complex I defect on expression of the wildtype ACAD9 protein in fibroblasts derived from affected individuals. ACAD9 screening of 120 additional complex I-defective index cases led us to identify two additional unrelated cases and a total of five pathogenic ACAD9 alleles.     

Genome-wide association studies of 14 agronomic traits in rice landraces

Uncovering the genetic basis of agronomic traits in crop landraces that have adapted to various agro-climatic conditions is important to world food security. Here we have identified ～ 3.6 million SNPs by sequencing 517 rice landraces and constructed a high-density haplotype map of the rice genome using a novel data-imputation method. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for 14 agronomic traits in the population of Oryza sativa indica subspecies. The loci identified through GWAS explained ～ 36% of the phenotypic variance, on average. The peak signals at six loci were tied closely to previously identified genes. This study provides a fundamental resource for rice genetics research and breeding, and demonstrates that an approach integrating second-generation genome sequencing and GWAS can be used as a powerful complementary strategy to classical biparental cross-mapping for dissecting complex traits in rice.     

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery: case studies for cancer and cardiovascular applications

Nanoparticles (NPs) comprised of nanoengineered complexes are providing new opportunities for enabling targeted delivery of a range of therapeutics and combinations. A range of functionalities can be included within a nanoparticle complex, including surface chemistry that allows attachment of cell-specific ligands for targeted delivery, surface coatings to increase circulation times for enhanced bioavailability, specific materials on the surface or in the nanoparticle core that enable storage of a therapeutic cargo until the target site is reached, and materials sensitive to local or remote actuation cues that allow controlled delivery of therapeutics to the target cells. However, despite the potential benefits of NPs as smart drug delivery and diagnostic systems, much research is still required to evaluate potential toxicity issues related to the chemical properties of NP materials, as well as their size and shape. The need to validate each NP for safety and efficacy with each therapeutic compound or combination of therapeutics is an enormous challenge, which forces industry to focus mainly on those nanoparticle materials where data on safety and efficacy already exists, i.e., predominantly polymer NPs. However, the enhanced functionality affordable by inclusion of metallic materials as part of nanoengineered particles provides a wealth of new opportunity for innovation and new, more effective, and safer therapeutics for applications such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, which require selective targeting of the therapeutic to maximize effectiveness while avoiding adverse effects on non-target tissues.     

TCR signaling requirements for activating T cells and for generating memory

Over the last two decades the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying T cell activation, expansion, differentiation, and memory formation have been intensively investigated. These studies revealed that the generation of memory T cells is critically impacted by a number of factors, including the magnitude of the inflammatory response and cytokine production, the type of dendritic cell [DC] that presents the pathogen derived antigen, their maturation status, and the concomitant provision of costimulation. Nevertheless, the primary stimulus leading to T cell activation is generated through the T cell receptor [TCR] following its engagement with a peptide MHC ligand [pMHC]. The purpose of this review is to highlight classical and recent findings on how antigen recognition, the degree of TCR stimulation, and intracellular signal transduction pathways impact the formation of effector and memory T cells.     

Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: a model for understanding the human machinery of cellular cytotoxicity

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and NKT cells are effector cells able to kill infected cells. In some inherited human disorders, a defect in selected proteins involved in the cellular cytotoxicity mechanism results in specific clinical syndromes, grouped under the name of familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Recent advances in genetic studies of these patients has allowed the identification of different genetic subsets. Additional genetic immune deficiencies may also induce a similar clinical picture. International cooperation and prospective trials resulted in refining the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to these rare diseases with improved outcome but also with improved knowledge of the mechanisms underlying granule-mediated cellular cytotoxicity in humans.