Hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles carrying ISRIB for the sensitized photothermal therapy of breast cancer and brain metastases through inhibiting stress granule formation and reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages

As known, the benefits of photothermal therapy (PTT) are greatly limited by the heat tolerance of cancer cells resulting from overexpressed heat shock proteins (HSPs). Then HSPs further trigger the formation of stress granules (SGs) that regulate protein expression and cell viability under various stress conditions. Inhibition of SG formation can sensitize tumor cells to PTT. Herein, we developed PEGylated pH (low) insertion peptide (PEG-pHLIP)-modified hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles (HCuS NPs) encapsulating the SG inhibitor ISRIB, with the phase-change material lauric acid (LA) as a gate-keeper, to construct a pH-driven and NIR photo-responsive controlled smart drug delivery system (IL@H-PP). The nanomedicine could specifically target slightly acidic tumor sites. Upon irradiation, IL@H-PP realized PTT, and the light-controlled release of ISRIB could effectively inhibit the formation of PTT-induced SG to sensitize tumor cells to PTT, thereby increasing the antitumor effect and inducing potent immunogenic cell death (ICD). Moreover, IL@H-PP could promote the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), repolarizing them towards the M1 phenotype and remodeling the immunosuppressive microenvironment. In vitro/vivo results revealed the potential of PTT combined with SG inhibitors, which provides a new paradigm for antitumor and anti-metastases.

Microneurosurgery treatment for 41 recurrent craniopharyngioma cases / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the method and effect of microneurosurgery in the treatment of recurrent craniopharyngioma.Methods:The clinical data of 41 recurrent craniopharyngioma patients treated by microneurosurgery in Capital Medical University Sanbo Brain Hospitalfrom January 2018 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Among the 41 patients, 38 cases were treated with the frontal basal interhemispheric approach and 3 cases with the translongitudinal fissure combined with the transSylvian fissure approach. Gross total resection was performed in 34 cases (82.9%) and subtotal resection in 7 cases (17.1%). One patient (2.4%) died of pulmonary embolism during perioperative period. All patients had transient electrolyte disorder after operation, and recovered within 3 months after treatment. All patients had endocrine dysfunction. After 3 months of hormone replacement therapy, 11 patients were cured. Visual acuity decreased in 3 cases after operation, and 2 cases improved after treatment.Conclusions:Surgical treatment of recurrent craniopharyngioma is very difficult, which is a great challenge for doctors and patients. However, through the individualized evaluation of the patients and the meticulous technique of the doctors during the operation, a satisfactory effect can be achieved post the operation of recurrent craniopharyngioma.

The etiology and treatment of craniopharyngioma with aneurysm / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To explore the etiology and treatment of craniopharyngioma with aneurysm.Methods:Seven cases of craniopharyngioma with aneurysm from March 2014 to October 2019 treated in Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 7 patients, there were 5 males and 2 females. There were 4 cases of recurrent craniopharyngiomas, 1 case of primary tumor and 2 cases of non-recurrence tumor. Three patients with blood blister-like aneurysms were treated with microsurgical suture after craniopharyngioma resection. Among the three cases with internal carotid artery fusiform aneurysm, 1 case underwent craniopharyngioma resection after internal maxillary artery-radial artery-middle cerebral artery bypass and isolation of the aneurysm; 1 case only underwent internal maxillary artery-radial artery-middle cerebral artery bypass and isolation of the aneurysm for non-recurrence tumor; 1 case underwent craniopharyngioma resection and dynamic observation of aneurysm. One case with a cystic aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery was clipped and the craniopharyngioma did not relapse.Results:All patients had no serious postoperative complications. During the follow-up period, there was no recurrence of craniopharyngioma, no recurrence of treated aneurysms, and the stability of aneurysms was observed.Conclusions:Inflammatory stimulation of craniopharyngioma cystic fluid and operation itself are the important reasons for the occurrence of aneurysms after craniopharyngioma surgery. Choosing appropriate surgical methods can complete the removal of craniopharyngioma and the treatment of aneurysms at one time.

Repairing Diabetic Wounds with Polysaccharides from Traditional Chinese Medicines： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

As of 2020， there are more than 120 million diabetic patients in China. Diabetic wounds is one of the common complications of diabetes with increasing incidence and has the potential to cause disability and mortality. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a long history in treating diabetic wounds， demonstrating significant efficacy and safety. In recent years， increasing researchers have explored the mechanisms of polysaccharides from TCM in the repair of diabetic wounds. Polysaccharides are the main active ingredients of TCM and employ one or more blood sugar-lowering mechanisms. However， most studies focus on the repair mechanism of single polysaccharides， and there is little in-depth discussion and summary. To provide a new therapy for diabetic wounds， which meets international standards and has the characteristics of TCM， and provide reference for the clinical treatment of diabetic wounds， we reviewed relevant literature to summarize the mechanisms of TCM polysaccharides in treating diabetic wounds. The mechanisms include inhibiting inflammation to improve wound microenvironment， lowering blood sugar， promoting fibroblast migration and proliferation， regulating wound growth factor to promote angiogenesis， inhibiting oxidative stress response， and regulating immune function. Finally， we put forward some possible research directions in the future.

Effect of Maxing Shigantang on Airway Injury and EGFR Expression in Asthma Model Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the optimal formula of Maxing Shigantang in regulating epidermal growth factor receptor（EGFR）expression and alleviating airway injury in asthmatic rats and to reveal the underlying mechanism. MethodSD male rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, dexamethasone group (5×10-4 g·kg-1) and Maxing Shigantang 1∶0.5, 1∶1, 1∶2 groups (group A, B, C, 10 g·kg-1), with 8 rats in each group. The other groups except the normal group received nebulization of 2% acetylcholine chloride and 0.4% histamine phosphate for the modeling of asthma. One hour before modeling， the normal group and the model group were given the same amount of normal saline， and the other groups were given the same amount of corresponding drugs， once a day for 7 days. On the 7th day， the model was established and the incubation period of asthma was recorded. The rats were then immediately anesthetized， and arterial blood and tracheal tissue were collected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to detect the levels of interleukin-2 （IL-2）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum. Pathological sections were prepared for the observation of the pathological changes of tracheal tissues and the ultrastructure of epithelial cells in each group. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL） was adopted to detect epithelial cell apoptosis， and in situ hybridization and Western blot were employed to determine the mRNA and protein levels of epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）， respectively. ResultCompared with the model group， groups A， B and C prolonged the incubation period of asthma （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the model group showed declined IL-2 level （P<0.01）， risen IL-4 and TNF-α levels （P<0.05，P<0.01）， increased airway pathology score， collagen volume fraction， and airway epithelial cell apoptosis index （P<0.01）， and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of EGFR in trachea tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， group A showed increased IL-2 level （P<0.05） and declined IL-4 （P<0.05，P<0.01） level， and group B showed declined IL-4 level （P<0.05）. The level of TNF-α in groups A， B， and C declined compared with that in the model group （P<0.01）. Maxing Shigantang repaired the tracheal tissue to different degrees （P<0.05）. Among the three groups， group A inhibited tracheal fibrosis （P<0.05） and had the most significant effect of repairing the ultrastructural changes of airway epithelial cells. Groups A， B and C all inhibited the apoptosis of airway epithelial cells （P<0.05）. All the three groups inhibited the up-regulation of EGFR mRNA level （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and groups B and C inhibited the up-regulation of EGFR protein level （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionMaxing Shigantang can inhibit the abnormal changes of airway epithelial structure， alleviate airway injury， and can down-regulate the expression of EGFR in the tracheal tissue of asthma model rats. In this study， the optimal compatibility of Maxing Shigantang to repair airway epithelial injury in asthmatic rats was group A， with the Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Gypsum Fibrosum ratio of 1∶0.5∶4∶1.

Erratum: Author correction to "A nanocleaner specifically penetrates the blood‒brain barrier at lesions to clean toxic proteins and regulate inflammation in Alzheimer's disease" Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 12, (2021) 4032-4044

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.04.022.].

Evaluation and Current Clinical Progress of Invasiveness in Postoperative Residual Regrowth and Recurrence of Pituitary Adenoma / 肿瘤防治研究

Pituitary adenoma is one common type of intracranial tumors, accounting for about 10% of intracranial tumors. Although pituitary adenomas are benign tumors, the complete resection and recurrence prevention remain challengeable due to aggressive growth of tumor, limited equipment conditions and surgical techniques of the surgeon. The proportion of recurrent pituitary adenomas is rising year by year and the difficulty of treatment also increases. This article reviews the diagnosis and treatment of recurrent pituitary adenomas based on the summary data of invasive or recurrent pituitary adenomas cases in our center, including indication for the second transsphenoidal surgery, surgical techniques, and prevention and treatment of postoperative complications, to provide reference for clinicians in this field.

Mechanism of Chinese Medicine Against Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Injury in Acute Pancreatitis： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Acute pancreatitis （AP） is one of the most common digestive system diseases in clinic. Its pathogenesis is complex and has not yet been fully clarified. It easily progresses to severe AP if the treatment is not provided in time， and the resulting condition is dangerous with high mortality. Intestinal mucosal barrier （IMB） injury is the key link leading to the aggravation of AP. The IMB injury in the late stage of AP promotes the translocation of harmful intestinal bacteria， the entry of bacteria and the produced endotoxins into blood circulation triggers endotoxemia and enterogenous infection，causing multiple organ failure and even death. Western medicine has limitations in the treatment of IMB injury induced by AP. By contrast， Chinese medicine has been proved effective and reliable in repairing the IMB injury induced by AP through oral administration and external application，and has been widely recognized by physicians and patients. AP falls into the categories of "precordial pain due to spleen disorder"， "thoracic accumulation"， and "pancreas-heat syndrome" in traditional Chinese medicine. The main causes of AP are excessive intake of sweet and greasy food， improper diet， and cholelithiasis， which lead to damp-heat accumulation in the middle energizer， stagnation of spleen and stomach， and obstruction of fu-organ intestine. Therefore， dredging the interior， purging， clearing heat， removing toxin， moving Qi， and activating blood should be emphasized in treatment. According to the related literature both in China and abroad in the past five years， this paper summarized the action mechanisms of Chinese medicine in the treatment of AP-induced IMB injury as follows： It protects the mechanical barrier by improving intestinal microcirculation disorders， relieving intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury and oxidative stress response， reducing the release of inflammatory mediators and cytokines， and inhibiting the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells. It restores the chemical barrier by promoting gastrointestinal functional recovery and shortening enteral nutrition time. It improved the biological barrier by regulating intestinal microecological imbalance. It reinforces the immune barrier by adjusting the level of immune cells. This paper reviewed the characteristics of IMB injury in AP as well as its therapeutic principles and mechanisms with Chinese medicine， aiming to provide a theoretical and scientific basis for the in-depth study and rational application of Chinese medicine for the treatment of IMB injury in AP.

Ultrasonographic and pathologic features in fetal arthrogryposis multiplex congenita / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To summarize the prenatal sonographic characteristics of affected joints of fetal arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) by comparing the ultrasonographic features and the postnatal pathological manifestations.Methods:The cases of AMC detected by antenatal ultrasound and confirmed by postnatal pathology were collected in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University and Kaiping Central Hospital from January 2015 to June 2020. The differences between prenatal ultrasonic manifestations, types of affected joints and postnatal pathological features were analyzed. And the different involvements of joints in AMC cases with or without other system abnormalities were also explored separately.Results:A total of 31 cases of AMC were included, in which 11 cases were with other system abnormalities and 20 cases without. No significant difference was observed in number of affected joints between these two groups ( P>0.05). The prenatal sonogram features were completely consistent with the postnatal pathological manifestations in 21 (21/31, 67.7%) cases. Among 31 cases, the involvement rates of joints were: interphalangeal joints of fingers (23/31, 74.2%), knee joints (20/31, 64.5%) and ankle joints (19/31, 61.3%), temporomandibular joint (11/31, 35.5%), wrists (11/31, 35.5%), elbow joints (10/31, 32.3%), interphalangeal joints of toes (6/31, 19.4%), spinal joints (2/31, 6.5%), shoulder joint (1/31, 3.2%) and hip joint (1/31, 3.2%), respectively. The coincidence rates of prenatal ultrasound in involved joints were: interphalangeal joints of fingers (100%), ankles (100%), spines (100%), hips (100%), wrists (90.9%), knees (75.0%), elbows (70.0%), jaws (54.5%), interphalangeal joints of toes (50.0%), and shoulders (0), respectively. Conclusions:When postural abnormalities of fetal upper and lower extremities are detected by prenatal ultrasound screening, especially overlapping fingers, extended knee and club foot, AMC should be kept on alert. Simultaneously, other joints should be carefully scanned to improve the prenatal detection rate of AMC.

Comparison of Effects of Different Courses of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Treatment of Erosive Esophagitis / 胃肠病学

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a commonly seen disease of digestive system, and its prevalence is increasing year by year. Xinjiang is located in the northwestern part of China and is a multi-ethnic region. The diets consumed are mainly meat, sweet food and strong tea, and the incidence of GERD is high in Xinjiang. Aims: To compare the efficacy of 4-week and 8-week courses of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) in the treatment of mild erosive esophagitis (EE) and to explore the factors influencing the efficacy of PPI. Methods: A total of 151 LA-A/B grade EE patients from November 2020 to February 2021 at General Hospital of Xinjiang Military Region were recruited, and grading of gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire (GerdQ), STOP-Bang questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS) were performed. Patients received 40 mg qd esomeprazole for 8 weeks. The factors influencing the efficacy of PPI were analyzed. Results: No significant difference in symptom remission rate was found between 4-week and 8-week courses of PPI (74.1% vs. 81.3%, P=0.163). Multivariate analysis results showed that high risk of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and presence of hiatal hernia were the factors influencing the efficacy of 4-week course of PPI (P<0.05) and presence of hiatal hernia was the factor influencing the efficacy of 8-week course of PPI (P<0.05). Conclusions: Symptom remission rates are similar between 4-week and 8-week courses of PPI for mild EE. The presence of hiatal hernia and high risk of OSAHS can increase the difficulty and prolong the course of PPI in the treatment of EE.

Establishment and application of DUE criteria for human albumin in pediatric patients / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To provide reference for rational application of human albumin in pediatrics. METHODS: On the basis of the human albumin instructions, refer to the relevant guidelines and literature on the use of human albumin in pediatrics, draft the first draft of the Drug Use Evaluation standard and list it into an expert consultation questionnaire, which is finalized through two rounds of expert discussions. This standard was used to retrospectively evaluate the medical records of hospitalized children who used human albumin in the Pediatric Department of our hospital from June 2019 to January 2020. RESULTS: The standards established in this study included three primary indicators of medication indications, medication process, medication results and 6 secondary indicators of indications, contraindications, treatment process monitoring, drug application, efficacy, and adverse reactions. A total of 269 medical records of hospitalized children were included in this evaluation, of which newborns accounted for the highest proportion (56.88%). 229 cases met the indications, accounting for 85.13%; 251 cases were tested for serum albumin concentration before medication, accounting for 93.31%; after medication, the relevant indicators reached the standard, and the symptoms improved significantly in 226 cases, accounting for 84.01%. CONCLUSION: The Drug Use Evaluation criteria for pediatric human albumin established by our hospital has strong practicability, which is conducive to discovering problems or deficiencies in clinical medication and promoting rational clinical use of medication.

A nanocleaner specifically penetrates the blood‒brain barrier at lesions to clean toxic proteins and regulate inflammation in Alzheimer's disease

Insurmountable blood‒brain barrier (BBB) and complex pathological features are the key factors affecting the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Poor accumulation of drugs in lesion sites and undesired effectiveness of simply reducing A

RNA Binding Protein RBM47 Inhibits the K562 Cell Proliferation by Regulating HMGA2 mRNA Expression / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the regulatory effects of RBM47 on HMGA2 and the function of RBM47 in human chronic myeloid leukemia cell K562.@*METHODS@#K562 cells were transduction by the overexpressed and knockdown RBM47 lentiviral vector. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effect of RBM47 on the proliferation of K562 cells. Flow cytometry assay was used to detect the effect of RBM47 on the cell cycle progression of K562 cells. RNA immunoprecipitation assay was used to detect the association between RBM47 and HMGA2 mRNA. RT-qPCR was used to detect the effects of RBM47 on the stability of HMGA2 mRNA. Western blot was used to evaluate the effect of RBM47 on HMGA2 protein expression.@*RESULTS@#The overexpressed RBM47 could inhibit the proliferation and cell cycle progression of K562 cells. However, the inhibitation of RBM47 could improve the proliferation and cell cycle progression of K562 cells. RBM47 combined with HMGA2 mRNA could promote the degradation of HMGA2 mRNA. Thus, the overexpressed RBM47 could decrease the expression of HMGA2 protein in K562 cells.@*CONCLUSION@#RNA binding protein RBM47 can inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells by regulating HMGA2 expression.

Fever for 2 months and disturbance of consciousness for 1 week in a preschool-aged girl / 中国当代儿科杂志

Rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysfunction, hypoventilation, and autonomic dysregulation syndrome (ROHHADS) is a rare multi-system disease, and delayed diagnosis and treatment may lead to catastrophic cardiopulmonary complications. As far as we know, no patient with ROHHADS has been reported in China, and this article reports a child with ROHHADS to improve the awareness of this disease among clinicians. A girl, aged 3 years, had the clinical manifestations of rapid weight gain, fever, disturbance of consciousness, and convulsion. The physical examination showed a body weight of 20 kg, somnolence, irregular breathing, and stiff neck. She had increased blood levels of prolactin and follicle-stimulating hormone and hyponatremia. The lumbar puncture showed an increased intracranial pressure. The brain MRI and magnetic resonance venography showed symmetrical lesions in the periventricular region and venous thrombosis in the right transverse sinus and the superior sagittal sinus. The sleep monitoring showed hypopnea. The girl was finally diagnosed with ROHHADS and intracranial venous thrombosis. She recovered after symptomatic treatment including decreasing intracranial pressure, anticoagulation, and respiratory support. The possibility of ROHHADS should be considered for patients with unexplained obesity, fever, and hypoventilation, with or without central nervous system symptoms. Early diagnosis and standardized follow-up can improve the prognosis of children with ROHHADS.

Criticalquality attribute assessment of big brand traditional Chinese medicine: visualization method for quality control of Ginkgo Leaves Tablets based on spatial distribution uniformity / 中国中药杂志

Spatial distribution uniformity is the critical quality attribute(CQA) of Ginkgo Leaves Tablets, a variety of big brand traditional Chinese medicine. The evaluation of the spatial distribution uniformity of active pharmaceutical ingredients(APIs) in Ginkgo Leaves Tablets is important in ensuring their stable and controllable quality. In this study, hyperspectral imaging technology was used to construct the spatial distribution map of API concentration based on three prediction models, further to realize the visualization research on the spatial distribution uniformity of Ginkgo Leaves Tablets. The region of interest(ROI) was selected from each Ginkgo Leaves Tablet, with length and width of 50 pixels, and a total of 2 500 pixels. Each pixel had 288 spectral channels, and the number of content prediction data could reach 1×10~5 for a single sample. The results of the three models showed that the Partial Least Squares(PLS) model had the highest prediction accuracy, with calibration set determination coefficient R_(pre)~2 of 0.987, prediction set determination coefficient R_(pre)~2 of 0.942, root mean square error of calibration(RMSEC) of 0.160%, and root mean square error of prediction(RMSEP) of 0.588%. The classical least-squares(CLS) model had a greater prediction error, with the RMSEP of 0.867%. Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Square(MCR-ALS) model showed the worst predictive ability among the three models, and it couldn't realize content prediction. Based on the prediction results of PLS and CLS models, the spatial distribution map of APIs concentration was obtained through three-dimensional data reconstruction. Furthermore, histogram method was used to evaluate the spatial distribution uniformity of API. The data showed that the spatial distribution of APIs in Ginkgo Leaves Tablets was relatively uniform. The study explored the feasibility of visualization of spatial distribution of Ginkgo Leaves Tablets based on three models. The results showed that PLS model had the highest prediction accuracy, and MCR-ALS model had the lowest prediction accuracy. The research results could provide a new strategy for the visualization method of quality control of Ginkgo Leaves Tablets.

Critical quality attribute assessment of big brand traditional Chinese medicine: modular identification of Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills based on efficacy with chemical properties / 中国中药杂志

Identification of critical quality attribute(CQA) is crucial in quality control of Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills(TRNHQXP). In this study, 661 active components in TRNHQXP were selected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) and network pharmacology based on reported data and TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM, and TCMID databases, as well as mass spectrometry data, and 1 413 targets of the active components were obtained through SwissTargetPrediction. The 152 potential targets obtained from the intersection of predicted targets with 456 stroke targets underwent functional enrichment analysis by Metascape. The 27 Chinese medicinals in TRNHQXP were divided into four sets according to efficacies. Thirty-seven key targets in the blood-activating and stasis-resolving set and 41 in the tonifying set were screened out. On the basis of these potential key targets, 137 potential key CQA of TRNHQXP for stroke were reversely predicted. This study revealed the possible mechanism of TRNHQXP in treating stroke and established a modular identification method for the potential CQA of big brand traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) based on efficacies and chemical properties. Consequently, the CQA of TRNHQXP were identified by this method, which has provided a reference for the following experimental studies of CQA.

Critical quality attribute assessment of big brand traditional Chinese medicine: study on NIR field detection method of chemical properties of moisture in Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills / 中国中药杂志

For the field detection problems of critical quality attribute(CQA) of moisture content in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) manufacturing process, big brand TCM Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills were used as the carrier, to establish a moisture content NIR field detection model with or without cellophane in real world production with use of near infrared(NIR) spectroscopy combined with stoichiometry. With the moisture content determined by drying method as reference value, the partial least square method(PLS) was used to analyze the correlation between the spectrum and the moisture reference value. Then the spectral pretreatment methods were screened and optimized to further improve the accuracy and stability of the model. The results showed that the best quantitative model was developed by the spectral data pretreatment of standard normal variate(SNV) with the latent variable factor number of 2 and 7 of Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills with or without cellophane samples. The prediction coefficient of determination(R_(pre)~2) and standard deviation of prediction(RMSEP) of the model with cellophane samples were 0.765 7 and 0.157 2%; R_(pre)~2 and RMSEP of the model without cellophane samples were 0.772 2 and 0.207 8%. The NIR quantitative models of moisture content of Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills with and without cellophane both showed good predictive performance to realize the rapid, accurate and non-destructive quantitative analysis of moisture content in such pills, and provide a method for the field quality control of the critical chemical attributes of moisture in the manufacturing of big brand TCM.

GSH-responsive SN38 dimer-loaded shape-transformable nanoparticles with iRGD for enhancing chemo-photodynamic therapy

Accurate tumor targeting, deep penetration and superb retention are still the main pursuit of developing excellent nanomedicine. To achieve these requirements, a stepwise stimuli-responsive strategy was developed through co-administration tumor penetration peptide iRGD with shape-transformable and GSH-responsive SN38-dimer (d-SN38)-loaded nanoparticles (d-SN38@NPs/iRGD). Upon intravenous injection, d-SN38@NPs with high drug loading efficiency (33.92 ± 1.33%) could effectively accumulate and penetrate into the deep region of tumor sites with the assistance of iRGD. The gathered nanoparticles simultaneously transformed into nanofibers upon 650 nm laser irradiation at tumor sites so as to promote their retention in the tumor and burst release of reactive oxygen species for photodynamic therapy. The loaded d-SN38 with disulfide bond responded to the high level of GSH in tumor cytoplasm, which consequently resulted in SN38 release and excellent chemo-photodynamic effect on tumor.

High expression of ZNF652 promotes carcinogenesis and progression of breast cancer / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the expression of ZNF652 in breast cancer tissues and cells and explore its role in breast cancer cell proliferation, invasion and migration.@*METHODS@#We exploited the data from the TCGA database to analyze the differential expression of ZNF652 in breast cancer tissues and adjacent tissues and the correlations of ZNF652 expression with the clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer patients including molecular subtypes, pathological types, TNM stages and clinical stages. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of ZNF652 in 5 breast cancer cell lines including MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, SK-BR-3, UACC-812 and BT-474. Using a lentivirus system and siRNA technique, we assessed the effects of ZNF652 over-expression and knockdown on proliferation, colony forming ability, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells with CCK-8 assay, clonogenic assay, Transwell assay and wound healing assay. The subcellular localization of ZNF652 in 293T cells was determined using immunofluorescence assay.@*RESULTS@#ZNF652 was significantly up-regulated in breast cancer tissues (@*CONCLUSIONS@#ZNF652 is highly expressed in breast cancer tissues and cells to promote the development and progression of breast cancer and may serve as a potential molecular target for diagnosis and treatment of the malignancy.

Application of laboratory diagnostic technologies for SARS-CoV-2: current progress and prospect / 南方医科大学学报

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the detection capability has been improving and the detection techniques have been evolving with innovations. qRT- PCR and mNGS, which represent the current mainstay diagnostic technologies, play key roles in disease diagnosis and monitoring of virus variation. The detection technologies based on serum and plasma IgM and IgG antibodies are important for auxiliary diagnosis. RT-LAMP is highly specific for a diagnostic purpose. Digital PCR could quantitatively detect nucleic acid and SHERLOCK has a higher sensitivity. These techniques all have great potential for future development and application for pathogen detection. In this review the authors summarize the basic rationales, technical characteristics and the current application of the SARS-CoV-2 detection techniques.