ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology-based photothermal therapy has attracted great attention in the past decade. Nevertheless, photothermal therapy has some inherent drawbacks, such as the uneven heat production and limited laser penetration, often leading to insufficient treatment outcomes. Here, we developed a combination strategy to improve cancer therapy. The biomimetic albumin-modified gold nanorods (AuNRs) were prepared with incorporation of paclitaxel (PTX). This therapeutic system was characterized by several features. First, the albumin modification enhanced the biocompatibility and colloidal stability. Second, the surface-coated albumin promoted cellular uptake the albumin-binding protein pathway. Third, PTX was incorporated hydrophobic interaction between PTX and the albumin lipophilic domain. Fourth, the system can be used for combined photothermo-chemotherapy for yielding synergistic effects. The antitumor activity of the system was evaluated both and using the HCT116 colon cancer cell and tumor model. The combination therapy was found with an enhanced treatment efficiency and no obvious side effect. Most importantly, the thermal effect was also discovered with the ability to modulate the tumor microenvironments and suppress the macrophages polarization towards the M2 pro-tumor phenotype. It could be a mechanism for photothermal immunotherapy. The combination strategy and the system provide a potential method for cancer therapy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a,interleukin (IL)-1β,IL-2,1L-6,IL-8,1L-10,IL-12 and interferon (IFN)-α in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of the patients with epidemic encephalitis B,and to investigate the roles in pathogenesis of epidemic encephalitis B.Methods Approximately of 2 mL serum and 2 mL cerebrospinal fluid from 24 patients with epidemic encephalitis B during acute phase were collected,and 2 mL serum from 20 healthy controls were collected.The levels of eytokines in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Means of multi-sample were compared by analysis of variance and means of two-sample were compared by t test.Results The levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10 and IFN-α in eerebrospinal fluid were (24.5±6.6),(7.8±2.4),(16.0±5.7),(17.6±4.8),(130.2±33.6) and (45.2±10.8) ng/L,respectively,and in serum were (25.3±11.2),(7.1±3.2),(14.5±6.2),(16.0±6.5),(82.0±27.8) and (42.5±16.2) ng/L,respectively.The levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10 and IFN-α in serum and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with epidemic encephalitis B were all higher than those in serum of healthy controls [(12.7±7.9),(2.6±1.0),(6.2±2.2),(9.6±3.3),(71.4±12.8) and (30.0±14.0) ng/L;F value was 14.10,29.46,23.38,14.78,32.59,7.52;all P＜0.01];while the levels of IL-2 and IL-12 were not increased significantly.The levels of IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-12 and IFN-α in cerebrospinal fluid were higher than those in serum,while the levels of TNF-± and IL-2 in cerebrospinal fluid were lower than those in serum.The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with severe type of epidemic encephalitis B were (18.8±5.4) ng/L and (20.7±2.7) ng/L,and were higher than those with common type [(12.1±3.0) and (13.3±3.3) ng/L;t=3.50,t=5.96;P＜0.05],while the levels of IL-2 in serum and in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with severe type were lower than those with common type. Conclusions Oversecretions of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10 and IFN-a are involved in the inflammatory damage of epidemic encephalitis B,while under-secretions of IL 2 and ILl2 may be involved in cellular immune responses.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical and pathological features of patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus(HBV)and hepatitis C virus(HCV)and to study the underlying interaction between HBV and HCV in these patients.Methods The liver biopsy and sera samples of 226 patients with chronic hepatitis were collected.Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used tO measure HBV DNA and HCV RNA,respectively.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)was utilized to detect HBV serological marker and anti-HCV antibody.Liver biopsy examination was performed through needle aspiration.HBsAg and HBcAg in liver tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry,while HBV DNA and HCV RNA were detected by in situ hybridization.Results Sixty two point five percent patients co-infected with HBV and HCV suffered from severe hepatitis,while the rates of those infected with HBV or HCV alone were 27.1%and 30.6%,respectively(X2=14.70,P＜0.01).The serum alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin.direct bilirubin and albumin levels of patients infected with HBV alone were higher than those of patients co-infected with HBV and HCV or those infected with HCV alone,which showed statistically significant difference(X2=8.52.P＜0.05).The HBsAg titers in serum samples and in liver tissue samples were inconsistent in both co-infected patients and HCV mono infected patients (X2=15.60,P＜0.01).The HBV DNA positive rate of co-infected patients was 12.5%,which was lower than that of patients infected with HBV alone(87.7%,X2=17.66,P＜0.01).Meanwhile,the HCV RNA positive rate of patients co-infected with HBV and HCV was 75.0%,which was lower than that of patients infected with HCV alone(80.6%).However,the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion Co-infection with HBV and HCV may induce severer liver injury than HBV infection or HCV infection alone.