ABSTRACT
AIM: To synthesize antisense oligonucleotides (ASODNs) of midkine (MK), package the ASODNs with nanoparticles, and to inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth using these nanoparticles. METHODS: HepG2 cell proliferation was analyzed in vitro using the 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2Htetrazolium, inner salt assay. The in vivo activity of nanoparticles delivering the MK-ASODNs was analyzed by histopathological and immunohistochemical staining and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The in vitro proliferation of HepG2 cells was significantly inhibited by the nanoparticles packaged with MK-ASODNs (NANO-ASODNs). Furthermore, the NANO-ASODNs significantly inhibited the growth of HCC in the mouse model. CONCLUSION: NANO-ASODNs can significantly suppress the growth of HCC in vitro and in vivo.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology , Cytokines/therapeutic use , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Nanoparticles , Oligonucleotides, Antisense/therapeutic use , Animals , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Cytokines/genetics , Female , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Nude , Midkine , Molecular Sequence Data , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Nanoparticles/therapeutic use , Oligonucleotides, Antisense/genetics , Random Allocation , alpha-Fetoproteins/metabolismABSTRACT
Nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthases are key players in synaptic plasticity events in spinal cord (SC), which underlies the chronic pain states. To date, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating the activity of nitric oxide synthases in nociceptive systems. The present study was aimed at the determination of the gene expression of nNOS-interacting DHHC domain-containing protein with dendritic mRNA (NIDD), a recently identified protein regulating nNOS enzyme activity, in rat SC and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and studying its regulation in states of nociceptive hypersensitivity in a rat model of neuropathic or inflammatory pain. It was found that NIDD mRNA was predominantly expressed in nociceptive primary neurons and in neurons of the spinal dorsal horn (DH) and the number of NIDD-positive neurons in the corresponding DRG or SC increased significantly following induction of chronic hyperalgesia. Meanwhile, remarkable changes of nNOS were detected under such pain conditions. Our data suggest a potential role for NIDD in the maintenance of thermal pain hypersensitivity possibly via regulating the nNOS activity.
