scholarly journals Feasibility of Capturing Circulating Tumor Cells With a Magnetized Device

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay D. Wheaton ◽  
Steven W. Day
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Particles ◽  
Magnetic Force ◽  
Permanent Magnets ◽  
Metastatic Cancer ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Ivc Filter ◽  
And Performance

Advancements in technology have led to the ability to tag virtually any cell with magnetic particles so long as the surface protein is known. In theory, these tagged cells may then be identified, imaged, or manipulated by magnetic force. In vitro separation using a magnetized stent and magnetically tagged cells was demonstrated by [1]. The motivation for this work was to investigate the feasibility of a magnetized inferior vena cava (IVC) filter for in vivo separation of metastatic cancer cells from the bloodstream. In use, the device would consist of a standard IVC filter plated with nickel, making it paramagnetic yet still biocompatible. The IVC filter is placed inside the vena cava, as is routinely done for other applications. Permanent magnets, which the patient would wear as an external vest, generate a field and the presence of the magnetized filter within this field can attract magnetic particles to the filter. In particular, our goal was to develop a numerical model that could be used to assess the feasibility and performance of such a device over a range of design space.

Flavonoids as P-gp Inhibitors: A Systematic Review of SARs

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (25) ◽  
pp. 4799-4831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiahua Cui ◽  
Xiaoyang Liu ◽  
Larry M.C. Chow
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Metastatic Cancer ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Chemical Structures ◽  
Transporter Family ◽  
Promising Area ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Nontoxic Inhibitors

P-glycoprotein, also known as ABCB1 in the ABC transporter family, confers the simultaneous resistance of metastatic cancer cells towards various anticancer drugs with different targets and diverse chemical structures. The exploration of safe and specific inhibitors of this pump has always been the pursuit of scientists for the past four decades. Naturally occurring flavonoids as benzopyrone derivatives were recognized as a class of nontoxic inhibitors of P-gp. The recent advent of synthetic flavonoid dimer FD18, as a potent P-gp modulator in reversing multidrug resistance both in vitro and in vivo, specifically targeted the pseudodimeric structure of the drug transporter and represented a new generation of inhibitors with high transporter binding affinity and low toxicity. This review concerned the recent updates on the structure-activity relationships of flavonoids as P-gp inhibitors, the molecular mechanisms of their action and their ability to overcome P-gp-mediated MDR in preclinical studies. It had crucial implications on the discovery of new drug candidates that modulated the efflux of ABC transporters and also provided some clues for the future development in this promising area.

scholarly journals An ARF GTPase module promoting invasion and metastasis through regulating phosphoinositide metabolism

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisa Nacke ◽  
Emma Sandilands ◽  
Konstantina Nikolatou ◽  
Álvaro Román-Fernández ◽  
Susan Mason ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metastatic Cancer ◽  
Cellular Responses ◽  
Signalling Pathways ◽  
External Signal ◽  
Phosphoinositide Metabolism ◽  
Invasion And Metastasis ◽  
3 Dimensional

AbstractThe signalling pathways underpinning cell growth and invasion use overlapping components, yet how mutually exclusive cellular responses occur is unclear. Here, we report development of 3-Dimensional culture analyses to separately quantify growth and invasion. We identify that alternate variants of IQSEC1, an ARF GTPase Exchange Factor, act as switches to promote invasion over growth by controlling phosphoinositide metabolism. All IQSEC1 variants activate ARF5- and ARF6-dependent PIP5-kinase to promote PI(3,4,5)P3-AKT signalling and growth. In contrast, select pro-invasive IQSEC1 variants promote PI(3,4,5)P3 production to form invasion-driving protrusions. Inhibition of IQSEC1 attenuates invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Induction of pro-invasive IQSEC1 variants and elevated IQSEC1 expression occurs in a number of tumour types and is associated with higher-grade metastatic cancer, activation of PI(3,4,5)P3 signalling, and predicts long-term poor outcome across multiple cancers. IQSEC1-regulated phosphoinositide metabolism therefore is a switch to induce invasion over growth in response to the same external signal. Targeting IQSEC1 as the central regulator of this switch may represent a therapeutic vulnerability to stop metastasis.

scholarly journals Targeting Toll-Like Receptor 2: Polarization of Porcine Macrophages by a Mycoplasma-Derived Pam2cys Lipopeptide

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 692
Author(s):  
Giulia Franzoni ◽  
Antonio Anfossi ◽  
Chiara Grazia De Ciucis ◽  
Samanta Mecocci ◽  
Tania Carta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mhc Class Ii ◽  
Macrophage Polarization ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Antimicrobial Activities ◽  
Toll Like Receptor ◽  
Activation Markers ◽  
Class I Mhc ◽  
Toll Like Receptor 2

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) ligands are attracting increasing attention as prophylactic and immunotherapeutic agents against pathogens and tumors. We previously observed that a synthetic diacylated lipopeptide based on a surface protein of Mycoplasma agalactiae (Mag-Pam2Cys) strongly activated innate immune cells, including porcine monocyte-derived macrophages (moMΦ). In this study, we utilized confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, multiplex cytokine ELISA, and RT-qPCR to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the effects of scalar doses of Mag-Pam2Cys on porcine moMΦ. We observed enhanced expression of activation markers (MHC class I, MHC class II DR, CD25), increased phagocytotic activity, and release of IL-12 and proinflammatory cytokines. Mag-Pam2Cys also upregulated the gene expression of several IFN-α subtypes, p65, NOS2, and molecules with antimicrobial activities (CD14, beta defensin 1). Overall, our data showed that Mag-Pam2Cys polarized porcine macrophages towards a proinflammatory antimicrobial phenotype. However, Mag-Pam2Cys downregulated the expression of IFN-α3, six TLRs (TLR3, -4, -5, -7, -8, -9), and did not interfere with macrophage polarization induced by the immunosuppressive IL-10, suggesting that the inflammatory activity evoked by Mag-Pam2Cys could be regulated to avoid potentially harmful consequences. We hope that our in vitro results will lay the foundation for the further evaluation of this diacylated lipopeptide as an immunopotentiator in vivo.

scholarly journals The Implications of Regulatory Framework for Topical Semisolid Drug Products: From Critical Quality and Performance Attributes towards Establishing Bioequivalence

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 710
Author(s):  
Tanja Ilić ◽  
Ivana Pantelić ◽  
Snežana Savić
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Power ◽  
Failure Modes ◽  
In Vitro Release ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Drug Products ◽  
Pharmaceutical Equivalence ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Low Sensitivity

Due to complex interdependent relationships affecting their microstructure, topical semisolid drug formulations face unique obstacles to the development of generics compared to other drug products. Traditionally, establishing bioequivalence is based on comparative clinical trials, which are expensive and often associated with high degrees of variability and low sensitivity in detecting formulation differences. To address this issue, leading regulatory agencies have aimed to advance guidelines relevant to topical generics, ultimately accepting different non-clinical, in vitro/in vivo surrogate methods for topical bioequivalence assessment. Unfortunately, according to both industry and academia stakeholders, these efforts are far from flawless, and often upsurge the potential for result variability and a number of other failure modes. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the literature focused on amending regulatory positions concerning the demonstration of (i) extended pharmaceutical equivalence and (ii) equivalence with respect to the efficacy of topical semisolids. The proposed corrective measures are disclosed and critically discussed, as they span from mere demands to widen the acceptance range (e.g., from ±10% to ±20%/±25% for rheology and in vitro release parameters highly prone to batch-to-batch variability) or reassess the optimal number of samples required to reach the desired statistical power, but also rely on specific data modeling or novel statistical approaches.

scholarly journals The Topical Nanodelivery of Vismodegib Enhances Its Skin Penetration and Performance In Vitro While Reducing Its Toxicity In Vivo

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 186
Author(s):  
Maria Natalia Calienni ◽  
Daniela Maza Vega ◽  
C. Facundo Temprana ◽  
María Cecilia Izquierdo ◽  
David E. Ybarra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Water Solubility ◽  
Polymeric Micelles ◽  
Skin Penetration ◽  
Distribution Volume ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Oral Doses ◽  
Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma

Vismodegib is a first-in-class inhibitor for advanced basal cell carcinoma treatment. Its daily oral doses present a high distribution volume and several side effects. We evaluated its skin penetration loaded in diverse nanosystems as potential strategies to reduce side effects and drug quantities. Ultradeformable liposomes, ethosomes, colloidal liquid crystals, and dendrimers were able to transport Vismodegib to deep skin layers, while polymeric micelles failed at this. As lipidic systems were the most effective, we assessed the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Vismodegib-loaded ultradeformable liposomes, apoptosis, and cellular uptake. Vismodegib emerges as a versatile drug that can be loaded in several delivery systems for topical application. These findings may be also useful for the consideration of topical delivery of other drugs with a low water solubility.

scholarly journals Reduced Lamin A/C does Not Facilitate Cancer Cell Transendothelial Migration but Compromises Lung Metastasis

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2383
Author(s):  
Francesco Roncato ◽  
Ofer Regev ◽  
Sara W. Feigelson ◽  
Sandeep Kumar Yadav ◽  
Lukasz Kaczmarczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Lung Metastasis ◽  
Metastatic Cancer ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Transendothelial Migration ◽  
Soft Agar ◽  
Lamin A ◽  
And Migration

The mechanisms by which the nuclear lamina of tumor cells influences tumor growth and migration are highly disputed. Lamin A and its variant lamin C are key lamina proteins that control nucleus stiffness and chromatin conformation. Downregulation of lamin A/C in two prototypic metastatic lines, B16F10 melanoma and E0771 breast carcinoma, facilitated cell squeezing through rigid pores, and reduced heterochromatin content. Surprisingly, both lamin A/C knockdown cells grew poorly in 3D spheroids within soft agar, and lamin A/C deficient cells derived from spheroids transcribed lower levels of the growth regulator Yap1. Unexpectedly, the transendothelial migration of both cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, through lung capillaries, was not elevated by lamin A/C knockdown and their metastasis in lungs was even dramatically reduced. Our results are the first indication that reduced lamin A/C content in distinct types of highly metastatic cancer cells does not elevate their transendothelial migration (TEM) capacity and diapedesis through lung vessels but can compromise lung metastasis at a post extravasation level.

scholarly journals Biological nanoscale fluorescent probes: From structure and performance to bioimaging

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-221
Author(s):  
Jiafeng Wan ◽  
Xiaoyuan Zhang ◽  
Kai Zhang ◽  
Zhiqiang Su
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Probes ◽  
Organic Dyes ◽  
Resonance Energy Transfer ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Biological Imaging ◽  
Fluorescent Materials ◽  
And Performance

Abstract In recent years, nanomaterials have attracted lots of attention from researchers due to their unique properties. Nanometer fluorescent materials, such as organic dyes, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), metal nano-clusters (MNCs), carbon dots (CDs), etc., are widely used in biological imaging due to their high sensitivity, short response time, and excellent accuracy. Nanometer fluorescent probes can not only perform in vitro imaging of organisms but also achieve in vivo imaging. This provides medical staff with great convenience in cancer treatment. Combined with contemporary medical methods, faster and more effective treatment of cancer is achievable. This article explains the response mechanism of three-nanometer fluorescent probes: the principle of induced electron transfer (PET), the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and the principle of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), showing the semiconductor QDs, precious MNCs, and CDs. The excellent performance of the three kinds of nano fluorescent materials in biological imaging is highlighted, and the application of these three kinds of nano fluorescent probes in targeted biological imaging is also introduced. Nanometer fluorescent materials will show their significance in the field of biomedicine.

Neuromuscular target recognition by a homophilic interaction of connectin cell adhesion molecules in Drosophila

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (8) ◽  
pp. 1433-1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nose ◽  
T. Umeda ◽  
M. Takeichi
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Target Recognition ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Transgenic Lines ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Neuromuscular Connectivity ◽  
Recognition Molecule

Drosophila Connectin (CON) is a cell surface protein of the leucine-rich repeat family. During the formation of neuromuscular connectivity, CON is expressed on the surface of a subset of embryonic muscles and on the growth cones and axons of the motoneurons that innervate these muscles, including primarily SNa motoneurons and their synaptic targets (lateral muscles). In vitro, CON can mediate homophilic cell adhesion. In this study, we generated transgenic lines that ectopically expressed CON on all muscles. In the transformant embryos and larvae, SNa motoneurons often inappropriately innervated a neighboring non-target muscle (muscle 12) that ectopically expressed CON. Furthermore, the ectopic synapse formation was dependent on the endogenous CON expression on the SNa motoneurons. These results show that CON can function as an attractive and homophilic target recognition molecule in vivo.

Abstract 34: Endogenous Superoxide Dismutase Protects From Impaired Generation of Activated Protein C and Enhanced Susceptibility to Experimental Thrombosis in Mice

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjana Dayal ◽  
Sean X Gu ◽  
Katinan M Wilson ◽  
Ryan Hutchins ◽  
Steven R Lentz
Keyword(s):  
Superoxide Dismutase ◽  
Protein C ◽  
Activated Protein C ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Oxidative Modification ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Endothelial Protein C Receptor ◽  
Experimental Thrombosis

In vitro studies have suggested that reactive oxygen species such as superoxide can produce prothrombotic effects, including enhanced platelet activation, increased tissue factor (TF) expression, and an oxidative modification in thrombomodulin impairing its capacity to enhance the generation of activated protein C (APC) by thrombin. It is not known, however, if elevated levels of superoxide accelerate susceptibility to experimental thrombosis in vivo . We used mice genetically deficient in superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1, an antioxidant enzyme that dismutates superoxide to hydrogen peroxide), to test the hypothesis that lack of SOD1 enhances susceptibility to thrombosis. Susceptibility to carotid artery thrombosis in a photochemical injury model demonstrated that Sod1-/- mice formed stable occlusions significantly faster than Sod1+/+ mice (P<0.05). In an inferior vena cava (IVC) stasis model Sod1- /- mice developed significantly larger thrombi 48 hours after IVC ligation (P<0.05 vs. Sod1+/+ mice). After activation with thrombin (0.5 U/ml) or convulxin (200 ng/ml), no differences in surface expression of P-selectin or binding of fibrinogen were observed between platelets from Sod1-/- and Sod1+/+ mice. The expression of TF mRNA in lung measured by real time qPCR showed similar levels in Sod1-/- and Sod1 +/+ mice. However, the activation of exogenous protein C by thrombin in lung homogenates was decreased in Sod1 -/- mice (P<0.05 vs. Sod1 +/+ mice). Further, in vivo generation of activated protein C in response to thrombin (40 U/Kg) infusion was significantly lower in Sod1-/- mice (P<0.05 vs. Sod1+/+ mice). No differences in mRNA levels for thrombomodulin or endothelial protein C receptor were detected in Sod1 -/- mice vs. Sod1 +/+ mice, suggesting that altered generation of activated protein C in Sod1-/- mice may be related to a direct oxidative effect on thrombomodulin. In accordance, thrombomodulin treated with xanthine/hypoxanthine showed 40% loss of ability to activate protein C that was overcome by addition of SOD and catalase (P<0.05). We conclude that endogenous SOD1 in mice protects from impaired generation of activated protein C and accelerated thrombosis.

scholarly journals 5-HT causes splanchnic venodilation

2017 ◽  
Vol 313 (3) ◽  
pp. H676-H686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget M. Seitz ◽  
Hakan S. Orer ◽  
Teresa Krieger-Burke ◽  
Emma S. Darios ◽  
Janice M. Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Inferior Vena Cava ◽  
Portal Vein ◽  
Superior Mesenteric Vein ◽  
Inferior Vena ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Receptor Protein ◽  
Mesenteric Vein

Serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] causes relaxation of the isolated superior mesenteric vein, a splanchnic blood vessel, through activation of the 5-HT7 receptor. As part of studies designed to identify the mechanism(s) through which chronic (≥24 h) infusion of 5-HT lowers blood pressure, we tested the hypothesis that 5-HT causes in vitro and in vivo splanchnic venodilation that is 5-HT7 receptor dependent. In tissue baths for measurement of isometric contraction, the portal vein and abdominal inferior vena cava relaxed to 5-HT and the 5-HT1/7 receptor agonist 5-carboxamidotryptamine; relaxation was abolished by the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB-269970. Western blot analyses showed that the abdominal inferior vena cava and portal vein express 5-HT7 receptor protein. In contrast, the thoracic vena cava, outside the splanchnic circulation, did not relax to serotonergic agonists and exhibited minimal expression of the 5-HT7 receptor. Male Sprague-Dawley rats with chronically implanted radiotelemetry transmitters underwent repeated ultrasound imaging of abdominal vessels. After baseline imaging, minipumps containing vehicle (saline) or 5-HT (25 μg·kg−1·min−1) were implanted. Twenty-four hours later, venous diameters were increased in rats with 5-HT-infusion (percent increase from baseline: superior mesenteric vein, 17.5 ± 1.9; portal vein, 17.7 ± 1.8; and abdominal inferior vena cava, 46.9 ± 8.0) while arterial pressure was decreased (~13 mmHg). Measures returned to baseline after infusion termination. In a separate group of animals, treatment with SB-269970 (3 mg/kg iv) prevented the splanchnic venodilation and fall in blood pressure during 24 h of 5-HT infusion. Thus, 5-HT causes 5-HT7 receptor-dependent splanchnic venous dilation associated with a fall in blood pressure. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research is noteworthy because it combines and links, through the 5-HT7 receptor, an in vitro observation (venorelaxation) with in vivo events (venodilation and fall in blood pressure). This supports the idea that splanchnic venodilation plays a role in blood pressure regulation.

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