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Silica microparticle hydrogel depot (HG) formulation was prepared using spray drying of silica-based sol-gels for the sustained delivery of MR1 antibody which binds to CD40 ligand (CD40L). The formulation was tested in vitro for antibody release, surface morphology, particle size, rheology, and injectability. In vivo pharmacokinetic evaluation was performed for the microparticle formulation and free MR1 antibody in BALB/c female mice. Serum samples up to day 62 were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In vitro release indicated that the MR1 antibody was uniformly encapsulated in silica microparticles, and less than 5% burst release of the antibody was observed. In vivo pharmacokinetics showed a zero-order release up to 62 days from the MR1 silica microparticle HG-controlled release composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our purpose was to investigate the effect of locally administered cis-urocanic (cis-UCA) in two experimental models of allergic conjunctivitis. Methods: The compound 48/80 (C48/80)-induced ocular irritation model (IgE-independent) and the ovalbumin (OA)-induced ocular allergy model (IgE-mediated) were used to test and compare the effect of cis-UCA on dexamethasone, ketotifen and olopatadine. In the C48/80 model, clinical severity scoring from photographs, immunohistochemical analysis of nuclear Ki-67 antigen to quantify actively proliferating epithelial cells and of caspase-3 enzyme to identify apoptotic activity in the conjunctival tissue were used. In the OA model, an Evans Blue stain concentration of conjunctival tissue was used to evaluate vascular leakage due to allergic reaction. Results: The cis-UCA was well tolerated and effective in both the IgE-independent and -mediated rat models. Treatment with C48/80 caused conjunctival hyperaemia, which was significantly inhibited by ketotifen at the 6 h time point ( p = 0.014) and by dexamethasone and cis-UCA 0.5% at 12 ( p = 0.004) and 24 ( p = 0.004) hour time points. In a comparison between the active drug treatments, only ketotifen showed a significant difference ( p = 0.023) to cis-UCA treatment at the 1 h time point, otherwise there were no statistically significant differences between the active drugs. Ketotifen, dexamethasone and cis-UCA 0.5% significantly inhibited the C48/80-induced nuclear accumulation of Ki-67, without differences between the active treatment groups. In the OA model, cis-UCA 0.5% did not inhibit the vascular leakage of conjunctiva, whereas cis-UCA 2.5% of was at least equally effective compared to olopatadine, abolishing the allergic vascular leakage response almost completely. Conclusions: The present findings in the two AC models suggest that cis-UCA might have anti-allergic potency both in immediate and delayed-type allergic reactions in the eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidant enzyme activities and peroxidation potential were measured in primary mouse keratinocytes and neoplastic keratinocytes containing an active ras oncogene. In neoplastic cell lines, SP-1 and 308, the activities of Cu, Zh-superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione transferase were significantly elevated. The peroxidation potential was lower in cell homogenates prepared from neoplastic keratinocytes than in those prepared from normal keratinocytes. Consistently, the neoplastic 308 cell line was found to be more resistant than the normal keratinocytes to cytotoxicity induced by UV-B irradiation. The present study suggests that the enhanced antioxidant defense system protects the initiated cells from UV-B-induced oxidative stress, and that the enhanced enzymic anti-oxidant defense system is potentially a mechanism favoring the selective growth of neoplastic keratinocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]