ABSTRACT
Lipids, which along with carbohydrates and proteins are among the most important nutrients for the living organism, have a variety of biological functions that can be applied widely in biomedicine. A fatty acid, the most fundamental biological lipid, may be classified by length of its aliphatic chain, and the short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids and each have distinct biological activities with therapeutic relevance. For example, short-chain fatty acids have immune regulatory activities and could be useful against autoimmune disease; medium-chain fatty acids generate ketogenic metabolites and may be used to control seizure; and some metabolites oxidized from long-chain fatty acids could be used to treat metabolic disorders. Glycerolipids play important roles in pathological environments, such as those of cancers or metabolic disorders, and thus are regarded as a potential therapeutic target. Phospholipids represent the main building unit of the plasma membrane of cells, and play key roles in cellular signaling. Due to their physical properties, glycerophospholipids are frequently used as pharmaceutical ingredients, in addition to being potential novel drug targets for treating disease. Sphingolipids, which comprise another component of the plasma membrane, have their own distinct biological functions and have been investigated in nanotechnological applications such as drug delivery systems. Saccharolipids, which are derived from bacteria, have endotoxin effects that stimulate the immune system. Chemically modified saccharolipids might be useful for cancer immunotherapy or as vaccine adjuvants. This review will address the important biological function of several key lipids and offer critical insights into their potential therapeutic applications.
ABSTRACT
Cell membranes have recently emerged as a new source of materials for molecular delivery systems. Cell membranes have been extruded or sonicated to make nanoscale vesicles. Unlike synthetic lipid or polymeric nanoparticles, cell membrane-derived vesicles have a unique multicomponent feature, comprising lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. Because cell membrane-derived vesicles contain the intrinsic functionalities and signaling networks of their parent cells, they can overcome various obstacles encountered
ABSTRACT
Lipids, which along with carbohydrates and proteins are among the most important nutrients for the living organism, have a variety of biological functions that can be applied widely in biomedicine. A fatty acid, the most fundamental biological lipid, may be classified by length of its aliphatic chain, and the short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids and each have distinct biological activities with therapeutic relevance. For example, short-chain fatty acids have immune regulatory activities and could be useful against autoimmune disease; medium-chain fatty acids generate ketogenic metabolites and may be used to control seizure; and some metabolites oxidized from long-chain fatty acids could be used to treat metabolic disorders. Glycerolipids play important roles in pathological environments, such as those of cancers or metabolic disorders, and thus are regarded as a potential therapeutic target. Phospholipids represent the main building unit of the plasma membrane of cells, and play key roles in cellular signaling. Due to their physical properties, glycerophospholipids are frequently used as pharmaceutical ingredients, in addition to being potential novel drug targets for treating disease. Sphingolipids, which comprise another component of the plasma membrane, have their own distinct biological functions and have been investigated in nanotechnological applications such as drug delivery systems. Saccharolipids, which are derived from bacteria, have endotoxin effects that stimulate the immune system. Chemically modified saccharolipids might be useful for cancer immunotherapy or as vaccine adjuvants. This review will address the important biological function of several key lipids and offer critical insights into their potential therapeutic applications.
ABSTRACT
Conjugation of antibodies to nanoparticles allows specific cancer targeting, but conventional conjugation methods generate heterogeneous conjugations that cannot guarantee the optimal orientation and functionality of the conjugated antibody. Here, a molecular engineering technique was used for site-specific conjugation of antibodies to nanoparticles. We designed an anti-claudin 3 (CLDN3) antibody containing a single cysteine residue, h4G3cys, then linked it to the maleimide group of lipid polydopamine hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs). Because of their negatively charged lipid coating, LPNs showed high colloidal stability and provided a functional surface for site-specific conjugation of h4G3cys. The activity of h4G3cys was tested by measuring the binding of h4G3cys-conjugated LPNs (C-LPNs) to CLDN3-positive tumor cells and assessing its subsequent photothermal effects. C-LPNsspecifically recognized CLDN3-overexpressing T47D breast cancer cells but not CLDN3-negative Hs578T breast cancer cells. High binding of C-LPNs to CLDN3-overexpressing T47D cells resulted in significantly higher temperature generation upon NIR irradiation and potent anticancer photothermal efficacy. Consistent with this, intravenous injection of C-LPNsin a T47D xenograft mouse model followed by NIR irradiation caused remarkable tumor ablation compared with other treatments through high temperature increases. Our results establish an accurate antibody-linking method and demonstrate the possibility of developing therapeutics using antibody-guided nanoparticles.
ABSTRACT
The safety of nanomaterials, a crucial consideration for clinical translation, is enhanced by using building blocks that are biologically nontoxic. Here, we used poly(-glutamic acid) (-PGA) and dopamine as building blocks of polymeric nanomaterials for carrying hydrophobic anticancer drugs. The introduction of phenylalanine onto -PGA enabled the resulting amphiphilic derivative of -PGA acid to self-assemble in the presence of the anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) to form PTX-encapsulated micelles. The surfaces of PTX-loaded micelles were then coated with polymerized dopamine (PDA). The PDA-coated, amphiphilic -PGA-based micelles (AM) carrying PTX (PDA/AM/P) exerted near-infrared-responsive photothermal effects. Near-infrared irradiation of cancer cells treated with PDA/AM/P nanoparticles produced a greater anticancer effect than that observed in other treatment groups, indicating a synergistic effect. Intravenous administration of PDA/AM/P completely ablated tumors and prevented their recurrence. Notably, the safety profile of PDA/AM/P nanoparticles allowed PTX to be delivered at a 3.6-fold higher dose than was possible with PTX solubilized in surfactant, and circumvented the side effects of the surfactant. These results support the multifunctional potential of PDA/AM for the delivery of various hydrophobic drugs and imaging dyes for safe translation of nanomaterials into the clinic.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Safe blood and blood products should be offered to all patients in need for blood transfusion. The objectives of the present study were to establish prevalence estimates for hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections as a foundation for safe blood transfusion in rural Vietnam, and to check the accuracy of the laboratory analysis used for hepatitis testing of blood donors in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two rural communities in Quang Tri, Vietnam. A total of 1,200 blood samples collected from potential blood donors were tested by an enzyme immunoassay technique (EIA) for detection of hepatitis surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and antibodies to hepatitis C antigen (anti-HCV). The EIA test outcome was validated by a chemiluminescent micro particle immunoassay technique (CMIA). Results: The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBc in the study population was 11.4 per cent (95% CI 9.6 - 13.2) and 51.7 per cent (95% CI 48.8 - 54.5), respectively, the prevalences being higher in males than females. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 0.17 per cent. The test agreement between the EIA and CMIA techniques was high both for HBsAg detection (κ = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.83 - 0.99) and for anti-HBc detection (κ = 0.89; 95% CI 0.81 - 0.97). Compared to CMIA results, the positive and negative predictive values of the EIA tests were found to be 94.9 per cent (95% CI 87.5 - 98.6) and 97.5 per cent (95% CI 86.8 - 99.9) for HBsAg, and 92.4 per cent (95% CI 84.2 - 97.2) and 100 per cent (95% CI 91.2 - 100) for anti-HBc. Interpretation & conclusions: The study shows that hepatitis B virus infection is endemic in rural areas of Vietnam and that almost half of the population is or has been infected. Hepatitis C infection is rare, but false negative test results cannot be ruled out. Also, the results indicate that the EIA performance in blood donor screening in Vietnam may be sub-optimal, missing 2.5 per cent of hepatitis B virus carriers and falsely excluding more than 7 per cent of blood donors. As the prevalence of hepatitis B infection is high, occult hepatitis B infection may represent a threat to safe blood transfusion. Therefore, nucleic acid amplification testing for HBV should be considered for blood donor screening in Vietnam.
ABSTRACT
Background: For a long time, the domestic pharmaceutical companies have performed Public Relation (PR) activities to help their business and ensure good relations with their customers. However, the effects of the pharmaceutical companies\u2019 PR activities were not high. Objective: To discover the actual circumstances of PR for a number of pharmaceutical companies in Viet Nam in recent years. Subjects and method: Subjects were the PR activities of pharmaceutical companies through the relations with various public groups. This was a descriptive, retrospective and observational study. Results: The pharmaceutical companies were more and more interested in relations with the public through sponsorship programs. Client relations had been consolidated after health consultancies, customer conferences, workshops, trade fairs, etc\u2026 The image of domestic pharmaceutical companies has appeared more often on mass media. Internal PR activities had built the culture of business and cemented relations between the company and employees. Investment and distribution relations had lagged behind.Conclusions: The PR activities of the pharmaceutical companies appeared to be more varied through relations with various public groups, making contributions to the development of the company.
ABSTRACT
An investigation of drug and medical equipment in port and export companies, pharmaceutical companies and factories, international pharmaceutical enterprises, hospitals and pharmacies, and morbidity structure, pharmaceutical and medical science and technology, drug distribution networks...to find the objective and subjective causes that impacted on the drug market in Vietnam has shown that there were many factors impacted on the drug market, including physicians, patients, morbidity structure, health economy, health policy, medical and pharmaceutical science which generated a various, exciting drug market during 1991-2000. All factors promoted the production and business to meet the needs of user.
Subject(s)
Pharmaceutical Preparations , Health Care SectorABSTRACT
Drug is a kind of products that must be a good quality. Therefore, it is necessary to unify the definition of drug quality and related terms and strengthen the awareness in assuring the drug quality. The activities of assurance and management of drug quality should be enhanced to reduce the inqualitative drugs circulated in the market.
Subject(s)
Pharmaceutical Preparations , Quality ControlABSTRACT
The pharmaceutical market in Vietnam met the needs of disease prevention and care in which the foreign pharmaceutical companies contributed to this aspect. However, the activities of foreign pharmaceutical companies mainly focused the trading. Their investment in the drug manufacture was limited and was only on the popular drugs
Subject(s)
Financial Management , Pharmaceutical PreparationsABSTRACT
A essential drug resource is consuming at Vietnam is imported. Manufacturing on the domestic drug only met about 25-30% requirement. We must have specific feasable solution for Vietnamese pharmaceutical industry to meet 60% of people drug requirement in 2005 as such pharmaceutical developmental policy
Subject(s)
Pharmaceutical Preparations , Health Care SectorABSTRACT
Figures of buying turnover grow; total expense and transport expense structure; use of capita resource; resource structure and distribution were studied. Results: Company’s activity is stable and gradually developing; the business scale is expanded, resource is richened, the capital is well managed.
Subject(s)
Commerce , Pharmaceutical PreparationsABSTRACT
Since Government have been defined the economy of Vietnam is commodity economy with multicomponent under management of Government. The pharmaceutical Branch have been had a firm advance that responded the requisition about drug in task of protection and care of people's health. The attainment such results is to have the great contribution of private pharmaceutical practice system. We hope that the pharmaceutical will have soon a summation about this problem to infer strengths and weaknesses, and valuable lessons, helping the private pharmaceutical practice more and more completely