A colorimetric sensing strategy based on chitosan-stabilized platinum nanoparticles for quick detection of α-glucosidase activity and inhibitor screening.

α-Glucosidase (α-Glu) is implicated in the progression and pathogenesis of type II diabetes (T2D). In this study, we developed a rapid colorimetric technique using platinum nanoparticles stabilized by chitosan (Ch-PtNPs) to detect α-Glu activity and its inhibitor. The Ch-PtNPs facilitate the conversion of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into oxidized TMB (oxTMB) in the presence of dissolved O2. The catalytic hydrolysis of 2-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) by α-Glu produces ascorbic acid (AA), which reduces oxTMB to TMB, leading to the fading of the blue color. However, the presence of α-Glu inhibitors (AGIs) hinders the generation of AA, allowing Ch-PtNPs to re-oxidize colorless TMB back to blue oxTMB. This unique phenomenon enables the colorimetric detection of α-Glu activity and AGIs. The linear range for α-Glu was found to be 0.1-1.0 U mL-1 and the detection limit was 0.026 U mL-1. Additionally, the half-maximal inhibition value (IC50) for acarbose, an α-Glu inhibitor, was calculated to be 0.4769 mM. Excitingly, this sensing platform successfully detected α-Glu activity in human serum samples and effectively screened AGIs. These promising findings highlight the potential application of the proposed strategy in clinical diabetes diagnosis and drug discovery.

Recombinant cucurmosin-based immunotoxin targeting HER-2 with potent in vitro anti-cancer cytotoxicity.

Trastuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against HER2 approved by FDA for breast and gastric cancer therapy. However, only a quarter of patients have the potential to benefit from it, and most of them develop resistance within therapy. The main purpose of this study is to broaden trastuzumab's therapeutic window by conjugating trastuzumab with recombinant cucurmosin to form an immunotoxin called T-CUS245C. T-CUS245C was chemically conjugated and the purification of T-CUS245C was evaluated by SDS-PAGE. SRB tests showed a remarkable cytotoxicity of T-CUS245C with IC50 values in picomolar range on HER2 positive cancer cells without significantly proliferation inhibition on HER2 negative cells (P < 0.01). Confocal microscopy verified the time-dependent internalization effects of T-CUS245C and revealed that the lethal efficacy can be increased by provoking the internalization. These results indicate the therapeutic potential of T-CUS245C for the HER-2 targeted therapy.

A Fluorescence Inner-Filter Effect Based Sensing Platform for Turn-On Detection of Glutathione in Human Serum.

A novel turn-on fluorescence assay was developed for the rapid detection of glutathione (GSH) based on the inner-filter effect (IFE) and redox reaction. Molybdenum disulfide quantum dots (MoS2 QDs), which have stable fluorescent properties, were synthesized with hydrothermal method. Manganese dioxide nanosheets (MnO2 NSs) were prepared by exfoliating the bulk δ-MnO2 material in bovine serum albumin (BSA) aqueous solution. The morphology structures of the prepared nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Studies have shown that the fluorescence of MoS2 QDs could be quenched in the presence of MnO2 NSs as a result of the IFE, and is recovered after the addition of GSH to dissolve the MnO2 NSs. The fluorescence intensity showed a good linear relationship with the GSH concentration in the range 20⁻2500 µM, the limit of detection was 1.0 µM. The detection method was applied to the analysis of GSH in human serum samples. This simple, rapid, and cost-effective method has great potential in analyzing GSH and in disease diagnosis.

A novel label-free and sensitive electrochemical biosensor for Hg2+ based on ligase-mediated formation of DNAzyme.

A novel label-free electrochemical biosensor for the detection of Hg2+ based on ligase mediated creation of G-quadruplex-hemin DNAzyme has been developed. Firstly, Cp probe was immobilized on the gold electrode surface through Au-SH bond. In the presence of Hg2+, Cp and Ap probes were partly hybridized with the LJ probe respectively through the specific T-Hg2+-T interaction. Then, the adjacent 3'-OH terminal of Cp will link with the 5'-PO4 terminal of Ap to form a G-rich DNA at the function of T4-ligase. After interaction with hemin, the G-rich DNA can form a G-quadruplex-hemin HRP-mimicking DNAzyme. Through measuring the current change caused by DNAzyme-catalyzed oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB), sensitive detection of Hg2+ can be achieved. The proposed sensor is simple, sensitive and selective, without the need of complicated labeling process, thus holds great potential for routine analysis of Hg2+ in environmental and biological samples.

Microemulsions containing long-chain oil ethyl oleate improve the oral bioavailability of piroxicam by increasing drug solubility and lymphatic transportation simultaneously.

Drug solubility and lymphatic transport enhancements are two main pathways to improve drug oral bioavailability for microemulsions. However, it is not easy to have both achieved simultaneously because excipients used for improving lymphatic transport were usually insufficient in forming microemulsions and solubilizing drugs. Our research is to explore whether ethyl oleate, an oil effective in developing microemulsions with desired solubilizing capability, could increase bioavailability to a higher extent by enhancing lymphatic transport. As a long-chain oil, ethyl oleate won larger microemulsion area than short-chain tributyrin and medium-chain GTCC. In contrast, long-chain soybean oil failed to prepare microemulsions. The solubility of piroxicam in ethyl oleate microemulsions (ME-C) increased by about 30 times than in water. ME-C also won significantly higher AUC0-t compared with tributyrin microemulsions (ME-A) and GTCC microemulsions (ME-B). Oral bioavailability in ME-C decreased by 38% after lymphatic transport was blocked by cycloheximide, severer than those in ME-A and ME-B (8% and 34%). These results suggest that improving lymphatic transport and solubility simultaneously might be a novel strategy to increase drug oral bioavailability to a higher extent than increasing solubility only. Ethyl oleate is a preferred oil candidate due to its integrated advantages of high solubilizing capability, large microemulsion area and effective lymphatic transport.

Optimized mixed oils remarkably reduce the amount of surfactants in microemulsions without affecting oral bioavailability of ibuprofen by simultaneously enlarging microemulsion areas and enhancing drug solubility.

The toxicity and irritation associated with high amounts of surfactants restrict the extensive utilization of microemulsions. To address these shortcomings, employing mixed oils to enlarge microemulsion areas therefore reducing surfactant contents is a promising strategy. However, what kinds of mixed oils are more efficient in enlarging microemulsion areas still remains unclear. In this research, we found that the chain length and degree of unsaturation of oils play a key role in enlarging microemulsion areas. The combination of moderate chain saturated oil caprylic/capric triglyceride (GTCC) with long chain unsaturated oil glycerol trioleate significantly increased the microemulsion areas. Solubility of ibuprofen in the mixed oils was unexpectedly and remarkably increased (almost 300mg/mL) compared with that (around 100mg/mL) of the single oil (GTCC), which also resulted in greatly increased solubility of ibuprofen in mixed oils-containing microemulsions. By optimizing the mixed oil formulation, the absolute amount of surfactant in drug-loaded microemulsions was reduced but increased drug oral bioavailability in rats was maintained. It could be concluded that the combined use of moderate chain oils and long chain unsaturated oils could not only acquire enlarged microemulsion areas but also enhanced drug solubility, therefore doubly reducing surfactant amount, which is extremely beneficial for developing safe microemulsions.

Determination of neuroprotective oxysterols in Calculus bovis, human gallstones, and traditional Chinese medicine preparations by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry.

So far, the components responsible for the neuroprotective effects of Calculus bovis are unclear. Cholesterol, one of the major components in Calculus bovis, is easily oxidized into oxysterols, which possess direct or indirect neuroprotective effects proved by our and others' previous studies. Therefore, a liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry method coupled with ultrasonic extraction and solid-phase extraction was developed for the determination of neuroprotective oxysterols in Calculus bovis, human gallstones, and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column with isocratic elution at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The established method showed good linearity (R(2) > 0.998), sensitivity with low limits of detection (0.06-0.39 µg/g), acceptable precisions (relative standard deviations ≤ 7.4%), stability (relative standard deviations ≤ 5.9%), and satisfactory accuracy (92.4-102.9%) for all analytes identified by different retention times, which could be applied for the determination of oxysterols. Five kinds of oxysterols proved to function as neuroprotectants were detected at different concentrations. Among them, 7ß-hydroxycholesterol and cholestane-3ß,5α,6ß-triol were rather abundant in the samples. It could be concluded that the potential neuroprotective components in Calculus bovis may be these oxysterols.

The major cholesterol metabolite cholestane-3ß,5α,6ß-triol functions as an endogenous neuroprotectant.

Overstimulation of NMDA-type glutamate receptors is believed to be responsible for neuronal death of the CNS in various disorders, including cerebral and spinal cord ischemia. However, the intrinsic and physiological mechanisms of modulation of these receptors are essentially unknown. Here we report that cholestane-3ß,5α,6ß-triol (triol), a major metabolite of cholesterol, is an endogenous neuroprotectant and protects against neuronal injury both in vitro and in vivo via negative modulation of NMDA receptors. Treatment of cultured neurons with triol protects against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity, and administration of triol significantly decreases neuronal injury after spinal cord ischemia in rabbits and transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats. An inducible elevation of triol is associated with ischemic preconditioning and subsequent neuroprotection in the spinal cord of rabbits. This neuroprotection is effectively abolished by preadministration of a specific inhibitor of triol synthesis. Physiological concentrations of triol attenuate [Ca(2+)]i induced by glutamate and decrease inward NMDA-mediated currents in cultured cortical neurons and HEK-293 cells transiently transfected with NR1/NR2B NMDA receptors. Saturable binding of [(3)H]triol to cerebellar granule neurons and displacement of [(3)H]MK-801 binding to NMDA receptors by triol suggest that direct blockade of NMDA receptors may underlie the neuroprotective properties. Our findings suggest that the naturally occurring oxysterol, the major cholesterol metabolite triol, functions as an endogenous neuroprotectant in vivo, which may provide novel insights into understanding and developing potential therapeutics for disorders in the CNS.

Optimizing surfactant content to improve oral bioavailability of ibuprofen in microemulsions: just enough or more than enough?

Microemulsions show excellent potential as drug delivery systems, but the surfactants used to prepare them can cause side effects. Researchers have explored various strategies to expand microemulsion area and thereby reduce the surfactant content necessary, but how these strategies affect drug oral bioavailability has not been investigated in detail. Microemulsions were prepared using 16% or 24% mixed surfactant Tween 80-Cremophor EL-PEG400 (1:1:2) and either 6% caprylic/capric triglyceride oil (GTCC) or 6% or 15% mixed oil (Maisine™ 35-1 with GTCC). Some microemulsions contained just enough surfactant based on ternary phase diagrams, while others had excess surfactant. All empty and ibuprofen-loaded microemulsions were clear or translucent with a slight blue color, and they remained stable after dilution and centrifugation. In experiments with rats, oral bioavailability (AUC0⟶t) of ibuprofen in the microemulsions was similar for the different formulations (6779.0-7413.3 min µg/mL) and significantly higher than that of an ibuprofen suspension (4830.9 min µg/mL). The different formulations behaved similarly in a cellular uptake assay with Caco-2 cells. These results suggest that excess surfactant does not increase oral bioavailability or cellular uptake of ibuprofen. Therefore, to minimize side effects, using just enough surfactant to ensure microemulsion stability and drug solubility may be an appropriate strategy.

Anti-proliferation effects of Sirolimus sustained delivery film in rabbit glaucoma filtration surgery.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of Sirolimus sustained delivery film on prevention of scar formation in a rabbit model of glaucoma filtration surgery. METHODS: Sixty-four New Zealand white rabbits who underwent trabeculectomy in the right eye were randomly allocated to one of the four treatment regimens: Sirolimus sustained delivery film treatment group (Group A), or drug-free film treatment group (Group B), or 30 ng/ml Sirolimus-soaked sponge treatment group (Group C), or no adjunctive treatment group (Group D), and each group consists of 16 rabbits. Intraocular pressure (IOP), morphologic changes of bleb, anterior chamber flare, and corneal endothelial cell count and complications were evaluated over a 28-day period follow-up time. Aqueous humor samples were gathered from Group A, and the concentration of Sirolimus was measured regularly post-operation. Rabbits were sacrificed on the 7th, 14th, and 28th day post-operation separately, and the fibroblast hypertrophy, infiltration of inflammatory, and proliferation of new collagen fiber formation in each group were evaluated with HE and Masson staining. Proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and fibroblast apoptosis were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferasemediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay at the 28th day post-operation. RESULTS: Both Sirolimus sustained delivery film (Group A) and Sirolimus alone (Group C) were well tolerated in this model, and significantly prolonged bleb survival compared with no drug treatment group (Group B and D; p<0.001). Group A had the longest bleb survival time in comparison with other groups (p<0.001). There were significant differences in IOP readings between Group A and other groups at the last follow-up (p<0.05). The concentration of Group A maintained stable for over 2 weeks, drops from (10.56 ±0.05) ng/ml at day 3 to (7.74 ±0.05) ng/ml at day 14. The number of corneal endothelial cells of Group A was not statistically significant between pre and post-operation. Histologic examination demonstrated that eyes treated with Sirolimus, especially the Sirolimus sustained delivery film, showed an obvious reduction in subconjunctival fibroblast scar tissue formation compared with no drug treatment groups, and had minimal evidence of inflammatory cell infiltration and new collagen deposition in the subconjunctiva. Immunohistochemistry assay showed that PCNA-expression was lower in the Group A (16.25±3.24%) compared to other groups (p<0.01). TUNEL assay showed a significant increase in the number of apoptotic fibroblasts around the surgical area in Group A and Group C (9.75±1.71% and 8.50±1.92%) compared to the Group B and D (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Sirolimus drug sustained delivery film can inhibit inflammatory cell activity, impede fibroblast proliferation activity, and induce fibroblast apoptosis in the filtration surgery sites in rabbit. The results indicate a safe and effective treatment strategy in anti-scaring treatment in glaucoma surgery.

[Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of patchoulic alcohol to improve oral bioavailability in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To improve the oral bioavailability of patchoulic alcohol in rats by using self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS). METHOD: Patchoulic alcohol was separated and purified from patchoulic oil, and the SMEDDSs including patchoulic alcohol or patchoulic oil were optimized by pseudo-ternary phase diagrams via central composite design-response surface methodology. Pharmacokinetics of both SMEDDSs and patchoulic alcohol itself in rats were investigated. RESULT: The patchoulic alcohol SMEDDS (Cremophor EL-Tween 80-PEG 400-isopropyl myristate-patchoulic alcohol, 2:2:0.8:1.95:0.65) was considered as the optimized formulation. The mean drop size of the system was 30. 1 nm after diluted 100 folds in water. The average self-microemulsifying time was 142 s. Patchoulic alcohol SMEDDS and patchoulic oil SMEDDS showed no signficant difference in Tmax compared with patchoulic alcohol with around 60 minutes, while the AUCs of both SMEDDSs (2001 745.6 +/- 329 663.6) and (1594 005.6 +/- 280 150.3) microg x min x L(-1) were significantly higher than that of patchoulic alcohol (1 163 153.3 +/- 232 324.3) microg x min x L(-1). CONCLUSION: SMEDDS can effectively improve the oral bioavailability of patchoulic alcohol in rats.