Correlates of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis cessation among men who have sex with men in China: implications from a nationally quantitative and qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated the population-level effectiveness of oral PrEP in reducing the risk of HIV infection. However, oral PrEP utilization among MSM in China remains below 1%. While existing literature has primarily focused on oral PrEP preference and willingness, there is limited exploration of the underlying factors contributing to oral PrEP cessation in China. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the factors associated with oral PrEP cessation among MSM in China. METHODS: Assisted by MSM community organizations, we collected 6,535 electronic questionnaires from 31 regions across China, excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. The questionnaire focused on investigating MSM's awareness, willingness, usage, and cessation of oral PrEP. Additionally, 40 participants were randomly chosen for key informant interviews. These qualitative interviews aimed to explore the reasons influencing MSM discontinuing oral PrEP. RESULTS: We eventually enrolled 6535 participants. Among the 685 participants who had used oral PrEP, 19.70% (135/685) ceased oral PrEP. The results indicated that individuals spending > ¥1000 on a bottle of PrEP (aOR = 2.999, 95% CI: 1.886-4.771) were more likely to cease oral PrEP compared to those spending ≤ ¥1000. Conversely, individuals opting for on-demand PrEP (aOR = 0.307, 95% CI: 0.194-0.485) and those using both daily and on-demand PrEP (aOR = 0.114, 95% CI: 0.058-0.226) were less likely to cease PrEP compared to those using daily PrEP. The qualitative analysis uncovered eight themes influencing oral PrEP cessation: (i) High cost and low adherence; (ii) Sexual inactivity; (iii) Lack of knowledge about PrEP; (iv) Trust in current prevention strategies; (v) Poor quality of medical service and counseling; (vi) PrEP stigma; (vii) Partner and relationship factors; (viii) Access challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The cessation of oral PrEP among MSM in China is associated with various factors, including the cost of oral PrEP medication, regimens, individual perception of HIV risk, stigma, and the quality of medical services. It is recommended to provide appropriate regimens for eligible MSM and develop tailored combinations of strategies to enhance PrEP awareness and acceptance among individuals, medical staff, and the MSM community. The findings from this study can support the refinement of HIV interventions among MSM in China, contributing to efforts to reduce the burden of HIV in this population.

Crystal Engineering-Driven Sunlight Responsiveness and Flexible Waveguide Transmission.

Here, a barbituric acid derivative containing pyrene rings (DPPT) was successfully synthesized, and two types of crystals were prepared by using crystal engineering methods. Orange sheet-like crystals (DPPT-O, observed in visible light), prepared in a DCM/CH3OH solution, exhibited brittleness and weak fluorescence emission, along with sunlight-induced bending and fracturing. Red needle-like crystals (DPPT-R, also observed in visible light), synthesized in a DCM/CH3CN solution, demonstrated elastic properties, strong fluorescence emission, and excellent optical waveguide performance (with an optical loss coefficient of 0.23-0.30 dB mm-1). Single-crystal data analysis revealed that the stacking arrangement of molecules critically influenced the elasticity of the crystals, while the reaction cavity size regulated the photomechanical properties of the crystals. This study achieved effective control over sunlight responsiveness and flexible optical waveguide transmission for the first time, providing innovative insights for the application of homogeneous organic polycrystalline molecular crystals in this field.

Optimisation of isolation of polyphenols from Malus pumila Mill. Leaves by high-speed countercurrent chromatography using response surface methodology.

Considering comprehensive utilization of natural products, isolation and activity determination processes of bioactive compounds are essential. In this study, a combined high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) with preparative HPLC method was developed to isolate the five antioxidant polyphenols from 75% ethanol extract of Malus pumila Mill. leaves. The HSCCC conditions were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) considering two response indexes including retention of stationary phase and analysis time. The optimal HSCCC conditions were flow rate of 2.11 mL/min, revolution speed of 717 rpm, and temperature of 25℃, with a solvent system of ethyl acetate/methanol/water (10:1:10, v/v/v). The unseparated fractions obtained from HSCCC were subjected to preparative HPLC for further isolation. As a result, phloridzin (15.3 mg), isoquercitrin (2.1 mg), quercetin 3-O-xyloside (1.9 mg), quercetin-3-O-arabinoside (4.0 mg), and quercitrin (2.0 mg) were isolated from 200.0 mg extracts. The purities of these compounds were all above 92%. Their chemical structures were identified by mass spectrometer and nuclear magnetic resonance. The five isolated compounds were further investigated for their rat hippocampal neuroprotective effects against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. No cytotoxicity was observed in all tested concentrations. While all five compounds except phloridzin showed significantly neurogenic activities and neuroprotective effects, especially at the concentration of 0.5 mg/L. These results demonstrate that RSM is a suitable technique for optimisation of HSCCC and the isolated polyphenols can be used as antioxidants in pharmaceutical and food products.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Ozonation Using Modified TiO2 with Designed Nucleophilic and Electrophilic Sites.

Photocatalytic ozonation is considered to be a promising approach for the treatment of refractory organic pollutants, but the design of efficient catalyst remains a challenge. Surface modification provides a potential strategy to improve the activity of photocatalytic ozonation. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were first performed to check the interaction between O3 and TiO2-OH (surface hydroxylated TiO2) or TiO2-F (surface fluorinated TiO2), and the results suggest that TiO2-OH displays better O3 adsorption and activation than does TiO2-F, which is confirmed by experimental results. The surface hydroxyl groups greatly promote the O3 activation, which is beneficial for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Importantly, TiO2-OH displays better performance towards pollutants (such as berberine hydrochloride) removal than does TiO2-F and most reported ozonation photocatalysts. The total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency reaches 84.4% within two hours. This work highlights the effect of surface hydroxylation on photocatalytic ozonation and provides ideas for the design of efficient photocatalytic ozonation catalysts.

Measurement of the distance between tumor micro-foci and gross tumor in rectal cancer pathological specimens: implication on margin distance of clinical target volume treated with high-dose radiotherapy for rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: To measure the micro-foci distance away from gross tumor and to provide reference to create the clinical target volume (CTV) margin for boost radiotherapy in rectal adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Twenty-eight rectal cancer surgical specimens of only total mesorectal excision were collected. The pathological specimens were retrospectively measured, and the nearest distance between the tumor micro-foci and gross tumor was microscopically measured. The "in vivo-in vitro" retraction factor was calculated as the ratio of the deepest thickness laterally and the vertical height superior/inferiorly of the rectal tumor measured in MRI and those measured in immediate pathological specimens. The retraction factor during pathological specimen processing was calculated as the distance ratio before and after dehydration in the lateral, superior, and inferior sides by the "knot marking method." The distances of tumor micro-foci were individually corrected with these two retraction factors. RESULTS: The mean "in vivo-in vitro" tumor retraction factors were 0.913 peripherally and 0.920 superior/inferiorly. The mean tumor specimen processing retraction factors were 0.804 peripherally, 0.815 inferiorly, and 0.789 superiorly. Of 28 patients, 14 cases (50.0%) had 24 lateral micro-foci, 8 cases (28.6%) had 13 inferior micro-foci, and 7 cases (25.0%) had 19 superior micro-foci. The 95th percentiles of the micro-foci distance for 28 patients were 6.44 mm (peripheral), 5.54 mm (inferior), and 5.42 mm (superior) after retraction correction. CONCLUSION: The micro-foci distances of 95% of rectal adenocarcinoma patients examined were within 6.44 mm peripherally, 5.54 mm inferiorly, and 5.42 mm superiorly. These findings provide reference to set the boost radiotherapy CTV margin for rectal cancer.

Nynrin preserves hematopoietic stem cell function by inhibiting the mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening.

Mitochondria are key regulators of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homeostasis. Our research identifies the transcription factor Nynrin as a crucial regulator of HSC maintenance by modulating mitochondrial function. Nynrin is highly expressed in HSCs under both steady-state and stress conditions. The knockout Nynrin diminishes HSC frequency, dormancy, and self-renewal, with increased mitochondrial dysfunction indicated by abnormal mPTP opening, mitochondrial swelling, and elevated ROS levels. These changes reduce HSC radiation tolerance and promote necrosis-like phenotypes. By contrast, Nynrin overexpression in HSCs diminishes irradiation (IR)-induced lethality. The deletion of Nynrin activates Ppif, leading to overexpression of cyclophilin D (CypD) and further mitochondrial dysfunction. Strategies such as Ppif haploinsufficiency or pharmacological inhibition of CypD significantly mitigate these effects, restoring HSC function in Nynrin-deficient mice. This study identifies Nynrin as a critical regulator of mitochondrial function in HSCs, highlighting potential therapeutic targets for preserving stem cell viability during cancer treatment.

Corrigendum: Effects of Caragana korshinskii tannin on fermentation, methane emission, community of methanogens, and metabolome of rumen in sheep.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1334045.].

Broadening anticancer spectrum by preprocessing and treatment of T- lymphocytes expressed FcγRI and monoclonal antibodies for refractory cancers.

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies have achieved remarkable success in the treatment of hematological tumors. However, given the distinct features of solid tumors, particularly heterogeneity, metabolic aggressiveness, and fewer immune cells in tumor microenvironment (TME), the practical utility of CAR-T cells for solid tumors remains as a challenging issue. Meanwhile, although anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) has shown clinical efficacy, most mAbs also show limited clinical benefits for solid tumors due mainly to the issues associated with the lack of immune cells in TME. Thus, the infiltration of targeted immunological active cells into TME could generate synergistic efficacy for mAbs. Methods: We present a combinational strategy for solid tumor treatment, which combines armored-T cells to express Fc-gamma receptor I (FcγRI) fragment on the surfaces for targeting various tumors with therapeutically useful mAbs. Choosing CD20 and HER-2 as the targets, we characterized the in vitro and in vivo efficacy and latent mechanism of the combination drug by using flow cytometry, ELISA and other methods. Results: The combination and preprocessing of armored T-cells with corresponding antibody of Rituximab and Pertuzumab exerted profound anti-tumor effects, which is demonstrated to be mediated by synergistically produced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) effects. Meanwhile, mAb was able to carry armored-T cell by preprocessing for the infiltration to TME in cell derived xenograft (CDX) model. Conclusions: This combination strategy showed a significant increase of safety profiles from the reduction of antibody doses. More importantly, the present strategy could be a versatile tool for a broad spectrum of cancer treatment, with a simple pairing of engineered T cells and a conventional antibody.

Accelerated Stochastic Variance Reduction Gradient Algorithms for Robust Subspace Clustering.

Robust face clustering enjoys a wide range of applications for gate passes, surveillance systems and security analysis in embedded sensors. Nevertheless, existing algorithms have limitations in finding accurate clusters when data contain noise (e.g., occluded face clustering and recognition). It is known that in subspace clustering, the ℓ1- and ℓ2-norm regularizers can improve subspace preservation and connectivity, respectively, and the elastic net regularizer (i.e., the mixture of the ℓ1- and ℓ2-norms) provides a balance between the two properties. However, existing deterministic methods have high per iteration computational complexities, making them inapplicable to large-scale problems. To address this issue, this paper proposes the first accelerated stochastic variance reduction gradient (RASVRG) algorithm for robust subspace clustering. We also introduce a new momentum acceleration technique for the RASVRG algorithm. As a result of the involvement of this momentum, the RASVRG algorithm achieves both the best oracle complexity and the fastest convergence rate, and it reaches higher efficiency in practice for both strongly convex and not strongly convex models. Various experimental results show that the RASVRG algorithm outperformed existing state-of-the-art methods with elastic net and ℓ1-norm regularizers in terms of accuracy in most cases. As demonstrated on real-world face datasets with different manually added levels of pixel corruption and occlusion situations, the RASVRG algorithm achieved much better performance in terms of accuracy and robustness.

FeOCl/MOF-derived In2S3 photocatalysts with high H2O2 adsorption: Degradation mechanism, H2O2 activation process.

The FeOCl-based photo-Fenton heterojunction catalyst holds great promise for effective water pollution treatment. A novel heterojunction FeOCl/MOF-In2S3 (F/M-I) was fabricated by coating hollow MOF-In2S3 nanoflowers onto the surface of FeOCl. Under the optimal conditions, the maximum photo-Fenton degradation rate constants of FeOCl/MOF-In2S3 for oxytetracycline (OTC) within 20 min is 0.88192 L mg-1·min-1, which are 3.2 and 2.5 times that of pure FeOCl (0.27357 L mg-1·min-1) and MOF-In2S3 (0.35222 L mg-1·min-1). Density functional theory (DFT) results confirm that the electron-rich nature of MOF-In2S3 accelerates the cycle between Fe (III)/Fe (II)of FeOCl, promoting H2O2 adsorption by FeOCl/MOF-In2S3 and generating more hydroxyl radicals (·OH) for pollutant degradation. Based on the results of DFT, combined with the results of the reactive oxidation species scavenger (ROSs), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Mott-Schottky curves, the separation and transfer behavior of photoexcited charges in FeOCl/MOF-In2S3 heterojunction and the possible photocatalytic degradation mechanism were investigated. Finally, a Z-scheme heterostructure is proposed to elucidate the catalytic mechanism. This study provides a new perspective on designing and synthesizing semiconductor materials for water treatment by photo-Fenton catalysis.

Electrical Stimulation Induces Activation of Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathway and Down-Regulates Heat Shock Proteins in Pork: An Innovative Strategy for Enhancing the Ripening Process and Quality of Dry-Cured Loin Ham.

A fundamental regulatory framework to elucidate the role of electrical stimulation (ES) in reducing long production cycles, enhancing protein utilization, and boosting product quality of dry-cured ham is essential. However, how mitochondria and enzymes in meat fibers are altered by ES during post-processing, curing, and fermentation procedures remains elusive. This study sought to explore the impact of ES on the regulation of heat shock proteins (HSP27, HSP70), apoptotic pathways, and subsequent influences on dry-cured pork loin quality. The gathered data validated the hypothesis that ES notably escalates mitochondrial oxidative stress and accelerates mitochondrial degradation along the ripening process. The proapoptotic response in ES-treated samples was increased by 120.7%, with a cellular apoptosis rate 5-fold higher than that in control samples. This mitochondrial degradation is marked by increased ratios of Bax/Bcl-2 protein along the time course, indicating that apoptosis could contribute to the dry-cured ham processing. ES was shown to further down-regulate HSP27 and HSP70, establishing a direct correlation with the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathways, accompanied by dry-cured ham quality improvements. The findings show that ES plays a crucial role in facilitating the ripening of dry-cured ham by inducing mitochondrial apoptosis to reduce HSP expression. This knowledge not only explains the fundamental mechanisms behind myofibril degradation in dry-cured ham production but also offers a promising approach to enhance quality and consistency.

Inflammatory microenvironment regulation and osteogenesis promotion by bone-targeting calcium and magnesium repletion nanoplatform for osteoporosis therapy.

Osteoporosis is the most common bone metabolic disease that affects the health of middle-aged and elderly people, which is hallmarked by imbalanced bone remodeling and a deteriorating immune microenvironment. Magnesium and calcium are pivotal matrix components that participate in the bone formation process, especially in the immune microenvironment regulation and bone remodeling stages. Nevertheless, how to potently deliver magnesium and calcium to bone tissue remains a challenge. Here, we have constructed a multifunctional nanoplatform composed of calcium-based upconversion nanoparticles and magnesium organic frameworks (CM-NH2-PAA-Ald, denoted as CMPA), which features bone-targeting and pH-responsive properties, effectively regulating the inflammatory microenvironment and promoting the coordination of osteogenic functions for treating osteoporosis. The nanoplatform can efficaciously target bone tissue and gradually degrade in response to the acidic microenvironment of osteoporosis to release magnesium and calcium ions. This study validates that CMPA possessing favorable biocompatibility can suppress inflammation and facilitate osteogenesis to treat osteoporosis. Importantly, high-throughput sequencing results demonstrate that the nanoplatform exerts a good inflammatory regulation effect through inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway, thereby normalizing the osteoporotic microenvironment. This collaborative therapeutic strategy that focuses on improving bone microenvironment and promoting osteogenesis provides new insight for the treatment of metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis.

The Myopia Prevalence and Association With Physical Activity Among Primary School Students Aged 6-12 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study in Tianjin, China.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of myopia and determine the association between physical activity and risk of myopia among primary school students in Tianjin, China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among subjects from nine primary schools. All of the subjects underwent visual acuity and spherical equivalent (SE) with noncycloplegic autorefraction measurement. Myopia was defined as an SE refraction ≤-0.50D and an uncorrected visual acuity <5.0 in either eye. Physical activity was measured via the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children. Data were analyzed using the Pearson χ2 test and binary logistic regression. Stratification analysis by sex was also performed. Results: A total of 2976 participants (1408 boys and 1568 girls) aged six to 12 years (mean age 8.82 years) were included in this study. The overall prevalence of myopia was 52.92%. When stratified according to physical activity, myopia prevalence significantly decreased with increasing physical activity levels (χ2 trend test = 127.63, P < 0.001). In the binary logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for age, sex, and school region, the odds ratio for the association between physical activity and myopia was 0.762 (95% confidence interval, 0.675-0.862, P < 0.001). When stratified by sex, the significant statistical association between physical activity and myopia both can be found in two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Higher levels of physical activity were independently associated with decreased risk of myopia. The significant reverse statistical association between physical activity and myopia can be found in male or female groups. Translational Relevance: Taking part in physical activities may be an effective way to reduce the prevalence of myopia.

A versatile, rapid Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression system for functional genomics studies in cannabis seedling.

MAIN CONCLUSION: We have developed and optimized a rapid, versatile Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression system for cannabis seedlings that can be used in functional genomics studies of both hemp-type and drug-type cannabis. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) holds great promise in the medical and food industries due to its diverse chemical composition, including specialized cannabinoids. However, the study of key genes involved in various biological processes, including secondary metabolite biosynthesis, has been hampered by the lack of efficient in vivo functional analysis methods. Here, we present a novel, short-cycle, high-efficiency transformation method for cannabis seedlings using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. We used the RUBY reporter system to monitor transformation results without the need for chemical treatments or specialized equipment. Four strains of A. tumefaciens (GV3101, EHA105, LBA4404, and AGL1) were evaluated for transformation efficiency, with LBA4404 and AGL1 showing superior performance. The versatility of the system was further demonstrated by successful transformation with GFP and GUS reporter genes. In addition, syringe infiltration was explored as an alternative to vacuum infiltration, offering simplicity and efficiency for high-throughput applications. Our method allows rapid and efficient in vivo transformation of cannabis seedlings, facilitating large-scale protein expression and high-throughput characterization studies.

Tissue-resident trained immunity in hepatocytes protects against septic liver injury in zebrafish.

Trained immunity is classically characterized by long-term functional reprogramming of innate immune cells to combat infectious diseases. Infection-induced organ injury is a common clinical severity phenotype of sepsis. However, whether the induction of trained immunity plays a role in protecting septic organ injury remains largely unknown. Here, through establishing an in vivo ß-glucan training and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge model in zebrafish larvae, we observe that induction of trained immunity could inhibit pyroptosis of hepatocytes to alleviate septic liver injury, with an elevated trimethyl-histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) modification that targets mitophagy-related genes. Moreover, we identify a C-type lectin domain receptor in zebrafish, named DrDectin-1, which is revealed as the orchestrator in gating H3K4me3 rewiring-mediated mitophagy activation and alleviating pyroptosis-engaged septic liver injury in vivo. Taken together, our results uncover tissue-resident trained immunity in maintaining liver homeostasis at the whole-animal level and offer an in vivo model to efficiently integrate trained immunity for immunotherapies.

Metal-Free C60-Doped Mesoporous Carbon Nitride Drives Red-Light Photocatalysis.

The pursuit of novel strategies for synthesizing high-performance nanostructures of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has garnered increasing scholarly attention in the field of photocatalysis. Herein, we have successfully designed a metal-free photocatalyst by integrating mesoporous carbon nitride (mpg-C3N4) and C60 through a straightforward and innovative method, marking the first instance of such an achievement. Under red light, the C60/mpg-C3N4 composite exhibited a significantly accelerated rhodamine B (RhB) photodecomposition rate, surpassing bulk g-C3N4 by more than 25.8 times and outperforming pure mpg-C3N4 by 7.8 times. The synergistic effect of C60 and the mesoporous structure significantly enhanced the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4 by adjusting its electronic structure, broadening the light absorption range, increasing the active sites, and reducing the recombination of photogenerated carriers. This work presents a promising avenue for harnessing a metal-free, stable, efficient photocatalyst driven by red light, with potential for enhancing solar energy utilization in environmental remediation.

SOS2-AFP2 module regulates seed germination by inducing ABI5 degradation in response to salt stress in Arabidopsis.

Soil salinity pose a significant challenge to global agriculture, threatening crop yields and food security. Understanding the salt tolerance mechanisms of plants is crucial for improving their survival under salt stress. AFP2, a negative regulator of ABA signaling, has been shown to play a crucial role in salt stress tolerance during seed germination. Mutations in AFP2 gene lead to increased sensitivity to salt stress. However, the underline mechanisms by which AFP2 regulates seed germination under salt stress remain elusive. In this study, we identified a protein interaction between AFP2 and SOS2, a Ser/Thr protein kinase known to play a critical role in salt stress response. Using a combination of genetic, biochemical, and physiological approaches, we investigated the role of the SOS2-AFP2 module in regulating seed germination under salt stress. Our findings reveal that SOS2 physically interacts with AFP2 and stabilizes it, leading to the degradation of the ABI5 protein, a negative transcription factor in seed germination under salt stress. This study sheds light on previously unknown connections within salt stress and ABA signaling, paving the way for novel strategies to enhance plant resilience against environmental challenges.

Macrocyclic Neutralizer to Polybrene via Direct Host-Guest Complexation.

Hexadimethrine bromide (HB), a synthetic polycationic species, was introduced to clinical practice as a heparin antidote and recently used in gene therapy. However, HB causes various complications such as severe red blood cells (RBCs) aggregation and tissue damage. Herein, we have synthesized a water-soluble quaterphen[3]arene containing multiple sulfonate moieties (SQP3) as a novel macrocyclic neutralizer to reverse HB via direct host-guest complexation. SQP3 exhibited a robust binding affinity toward HB with a considerably high association constant of (4.73 ± 0.61) × 107 M-1. Co-dosed with 1 equiv of SQP3, HB-induced RBCs aggregation and blood coagulation could be effectively reversed. In vitro cellular assay verified that complexation of HB with SQP3 significantly decreased reactive oxygen species production, thereby suppressing cell apoptosis. In vivo neutralization efficacy studies demonstrated that HB/SQP3 was capable of alleviating related organic damage caused by HB and improving the survival rate of HB-treated mice from 20 to 100%.

Targeting Inflammatory Lesions Facilitated by Galactosylation Modified Delivery System Eudragit/Gal-PLGA@Honokiol for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.

Honokiol (HNK) is one of the bioactive ingredients from the well-known Chinese herbal medicine Magnolia officinalis, and its research interests is rising for its extensive pharmacological activities, including novel therapeutic effect on ulcerative colitis (UC). However, further application of HNK is largely limited by its unique physicochemical properties, such as poor water solubility, low bioavailability, as well as unsatisfied targeting efficacy for inflammatory lesions. In this study, we constructed galactosylation modified PLGA nanoparticles delivery system for efficient target delivery of HNK to the colitic lesions, which could lay a research foundation for the deep development of HNK for the treatment of UC. D-galactose was grafted by chemical coupling reactions with PLGA to prepare Gal-PLGA, which was used as a carrier for HNK (Gal-PLGA@HNK nanoparticles (NPs)). To improve the colon targeting efficiency by oral administration of the NPs, Eudragit S100 was used for wrapping on the surface of Gal-PLGA@HNK NPs (E/Gal-PLGA@HNK NPs). Our results showed that the encapsulation efficiency and drug loading capacity of E/Gal-PLGA@HNK NPs were 90.72 ± 0.54% and 8.41 ± 0.02%, respectively. Its average particle size was 242.24 ± 8.42 nm, with a PDI value of 0.135 ± 0.06 and zeta-potential of -16.83 ± 1.89 mV. The release rate of HNK from E/Gal-PLGA@HNK NPs was significantly decreased when compared with that of free HNK in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, which displayed a slow-releasing property. It was also found that the cellular uptake of E/Gal-PLGA@HNK NPs was significantly increased when compared with that of free HNK in RAW264.7 cells, which was facilitated by D-galactose grafting on the PLGA carrier. Additionally, our results showed that E/Gal-PLGA@HNK NPs significantly improved colonic atrophy, body weight loss, as well as reducing disease activity index (DAI) score and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in UC mice induced by DSS. Besides, the retention time of E/Gal-PLGA@HNK NPs in the colon was significantly increased when compared with that of other preparations, suggesting that these NPs could prolong the interaction between HNK and the injured colon. Taken together, the efficiency for target delivery of HNK to the inflammatory lesions was significantly improved by galactosylation modification on the PLGA carrier, which provided great benefits for the alleviation of colonic inflammation and injury in mice.