Inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Inflammatory cytokines are highly inducible small glycoproteins or regulatory proteins of low molecular weight secreted by different cell types. They regulate intercellular communication and mediate a number of physiological functions in the human immune system. Numerous prospective studies report that inflammatory cytokines strongly predict coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure and other adverse cardiac events. Inflammatory cascade is believed to be a causative factor in the development of atherosclerotic process. Several aspects of atherogenesis are accelerated by cytokines. This article provides an overall overview of current understanding of cytokines in various cardiovascular events. Besides, inflammatory cytokines trigger cellular events that can induce malignancy and carcinogenesis. Elevated expression of several cytokines such as interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, macrophage migration inhibitory factor and transforming growth factor-ß are involved in tumor initiation and progression. Thus, they exert a pivotal role in cancer pathogenesis. This review highlights the role of several cytokines in various events of tumorigenesis. Actually, this article summarizes the contributions of cytokines in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Local drug delivery from surgical thread for area-specific anesthesia.

The application of surgical suture-thread and the systemic analgesics regimens for pain control in the postoperative surgery remain the criterion standard. However, these medications have daunting adverse effects on the body's innate pain management system. To address this issue, we have developed a local analgesic-loaded suture system which could be efficiently used for surgical repair with localized sedation effect. The drug-loaded conventional suture has modified by adhesive poly-dopamine coating with the local anesthetic lidocaine. The surface modifications have been ascertained by FE-SEM imaging. The tensile strength of suture ensures required elasticity to use in surgical skin closure. In vitro drug release and the in vivo local analgesia was achieved one day after surgery and persisted approximately for one week in 80% of treated animals. Our pre-clinical results suggest that drug-loaded surgical thread may be an effective strategy for improving the overall outcome.