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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a life-threatening disease for which there is no effective treatment currently. Novel theranostics simultaneously having excellent imaging and therapeutic functions are highly desired in cancer therapy. Herein, we develop the sialic acid (SA) modified polymeric micelles at an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of 43 °C (sialic acid-polyethylene glycol)-poly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile), SA-PEG-p(AAm-co-AN)), which further encapsulated with doxorubicin (DOX) and Gd-CuS nanoparticles (Gd-CuS NPs) for chemo-photothermal treatment of HCC guided by magnetic resonance (MR)/photoacoustic (PA) dual-mode imaging. The resultant SA-PEG-p(AAm-co-AN)/DOX/Gd-CuS (SPDG) had an excellent photothermal conversion efficiency, enabling SPDG with an instantaneous release behavior of DOX under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. This study also revealed that SPDG could actively target to HCC, which was due to that SA had a high affinity with E-selectin overexpressed at the tumor site. Moreover, benefiting from the HCC-targeted ability and NIR light-controlled on-demand delivery of DOX, SPDG showed a superior potential in MR/PA dual-mode imaging-guided chemo-photothermal treatment. Overall, our study reveals that the designed SPDG may be used as an ideal multifunctional nanoplatform for cancer theranostics.

Jing Liu,1,&ast; Qiling Shen,2,&ast; Huiping Zhang,1,&ast; Xueying Xiao,1 Changming lv,3,4 Yueyue Chu,2 Yujun Shen,5 Dong Wang,6 Qiying Shen3,4 1Department of Anesthesiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Bone Disease and Bone Tumor, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China; 4Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, People’s Republic of China; 5Biopharmaceutical Research Institute, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China; 6School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Qiying Shen; Dong Wang Tel +86-0551-62922057Email shenqiying-yy@163.com; wangdong@ahmu.edu.cnBackground: The increased inflammation is closely correlated with post-operative delirium (POD). Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) shows protective effect on inflammatory diseases. However, the relationship between MANF and POD is still undefined. This study aimed to explore the potential effect of MANF on POD.Methods: Pre- and post-operative levels of MANF and inflammatory cytokines were measured in serum from POD and non-POD patients by ELISA, as well as endogenous MANF in serum from healthy individuals with different ages. Endogenous MANF in mice brain from different ages was also measured. Abdominal surgery was performed for POD mice model. POD-like behavior changes in mice were evaluated using buried food test, open field test and Y maze test.Results: Endogenous MANF was decreased in age-dependent manner in both humans and mice. The pre-operative level of MANF in serum from POD patients was lower compared with that in non-POD patients (p=0.016). MANF increase in serum after surgery was less in POD patients than that in non-POD patients (p< 0.001). In mice, recombinant human MANF reversed the surgery-induced elongation of latency to eat food, increase in latency to center and increase in time in center in open field test, and also increase in duration in novel arm in Y maze test. In addition, MANF inhibited surgery-induced inflammation, microglial activation and M1 polarization in mice.Conclusion: The relative low MANF level may contribute to POD in the elderly. MANF has a protective role against POD-like behavior changes in mice.Keywords: MANF, post-operative delirium, inflammation, microglia

Low temperature plasma (LTP) is a developing field in recent years to play important roles of sterilization, material modification and wound healing. Breast cancer is a common gynecological malignant tumor. Recent studies have shown that LTP is a promising selective anti-cancer treatment, because some cancer cells are highly sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by LTP, but non-tumor cells are highly resistant to it, which indicates that the main effect of LTP is mediated through the generation of ROS. The effect of LTP on breast cancer is still unclear. In this study, We treated breast cancer cell lines with low temperature plasma for different periods of time and analyzed the relevant differences. we found that LTP was able to suppress cell vitality, proliferation, invasion and migration of SK-BR-3 cells. Also, SK-BR-3 apoptosis was induced by LTP in a time-dependent manner. These evidences suggest the negative effect of LTP on malignant development of SK-BR-3 cells, and LTP has the potential clinical application for breast cancer treatment.

Disulfiram (DSF), a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug for the treatment of alcoholism, has been found to have antitumor activity. DSF showed better antitumor efficiency when it was used in combination with certain antitumor drugs. DSF plays an important role in cancer treatment. It has been used as multidrug resistance (MDR) modulator to reverse MDR and can also combine with copper ions (Cu

Therapeutic goals for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) consist of inhibiting the inflammatory response and repairing the damaged bone/cartilage. Tissue engineering could achieve both goals, however, it was hindered due to the lack of biologically relevant tissue complexity, limitation in covering the entire polyarthritis lesions and requirement of extra surgical implantation. Integrating nanotechnologies into clinically sized implants represents a major opportunity to overcome these problems. Herein, we designed a sialic acid (SA)-modified chitosan oligosaccharide-based biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP), a biomimetic nanoplatform that could load with methotrexate. We found that SA modification could not only improve the accumulation of the designed organic–inorganic nanoplatform in arthritic paws (34.38% higher than those without SA modification at 48 h), but also cooperate with BCP to exert synergetic mineralization of calcium phosphate, allowing more osteoblasts to attach, proliferate and differentiate. The more differentiated osteoblasts produced 4.46-fold type I collagen and 2.60-fold osteoprotegerin compared to the control group. Besides, the disassembled nanorods released chitosan oligosaccharide-based micelles, revealing a cartilage-protective effect by reducing the loss of glycosaminoglycan. All these improvements contributed to the light inflammatory response and reduced destruction on cartilage/bone. The findings provide a novel strategy for RA therapy via nanometer-scale dimension mimicking the natural tissues.

Methotrexate (MTX) as an anti-inflammatory drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through oral and injectable administration is still problematic in the clinic. Herein, a MTX-loaded thermal-responsible flexible liposome (MTFL) incorporated within a carbomer-based gel was prepared as a novel transdermal agent (MTFL/Gel) for effective treatment of RA. It was found that MTFL had an average size of approximately 90 nm, which could rapidly release the drug under thermal conditions. The prepared MTFL/Gel could remarkably increase the MTX skin permeation as compared with free MTX, which was possibly due to the deformable membrane of flexible liposomes. Moreover, the results suggested MTFL/Gel could lead to a remarkably enhanced RA treatment when in combination with microwave hyperthermia. The superior ability of MTFL/Gel to alleviate RA response was attributed to the excellent skin permeation, thermal-responsible drug release, and synergistic anti-arthritic effect of MTX chemotherapy and microwave-induced hyperthermia therapy. Overall, the MTFL/Gel with dual deformable and thermal-responsible performances could be used as a novel promising transdermal agent for enhanced treatment of RA.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening form of a respiratory disorder, and there are few effective therapies. Abscisic acid (ABA) has been proven to be effective in influenza and asthma. Herein, we explored the protective effect of ABA on the resolution of ARDS and the underlying mechanism. Mice were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish an ARDS model. We found that ABA reduced pulmonary injury, with concomitant suppression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, after the elimination of ROS by the specific inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), ABA did not further inhibit airway inflammation or ER stress in ARDS mice. In addition, ABA inhibited ROS production through nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation in parallel with elevated levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ). Furthermore, the addition of a PPAR-γ antagonist abrogated the suppressive action of ABA on inflammation as well as on ER stress and oxidative stress, while NAC restored the protective effect of ABA in ARDS mice treated with a PPAR-γ antagonist. Collectively, ABA protects against LPS-induced lung injury through PPAR-γ signaling, and this effect may be associated with its inhibitory effect on ROS-mediated ER stress.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease without effective treatment. Tofacitinib (TOF) is a JAK inhibitor that can be used for RA therapy, but it still faces the problems of nonspecific distribution and relatively low therapeutic effect. Herein, ICAM-1-modified TOF-loaded P(AN-co-AAm)-PEG micelles (AI-TM) were developed, which can result in an enhanced RA therapy when combining with microwave hyperthermia (MH). It was found that AI-TM could rapidly release the encapsulated TOF under a thermal condition of43 °C, which was due to the fact that the polymeric micelles has an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of 43 °C. AI-TM could specifically distribute into the inflamed joints of RA mice, which is associated with the high affinity between anti-ICAM-1 and overexpressed ICAM-1 receptors. Moreover, the combination of AI-TM and MH could result in a remarkably enhanced anti-rheumatic activity, which was related to the RA-targeted ability of AI-TM, the rapid TOF release under MH, and the combined effect between TOF and MH treatment. Our study definitely provides a novel strategy for effective treatment of RA.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the largest obstacle to the success of chemotherapy. The development of innovative strategies and safe sensitizers is required to overcome MDR. Paclitaxel (PTX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug, the application of which has been learn to understand MDR. However, the application and use are severely restricted because of this MDR. Cyclodextrins (CDs) of many carriers, additionally have shown anti-cancer capability in MDR cancer cells. In this study, novel paclitaxel/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin complex-loaded liposomes (PTXCDL) have been developed in an attempt to overcome MDR in a PTX-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma (A549/T) cell line. The in vitro application of PTXCDL exhibited pH-sensitive PTX release, potent cytotoxicity, and enhanced intracellular accumulation. In comparison to in vivo, PTXCDL also show a stronger inhibition of tumor growth. In comparison, these findings suggest that the PTXCDL provide a novel strategy for effective therapy of resistant cancers by overcoming the drug resistance.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an urgent respiratory disease without effective treatment. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF)has been demonstrated to play a suppressive role in some inflammatory conditions. However, the effect of MANF on ALI has not yet been reported. In this study, we collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the patients with or without pulmonary inflammation, and used lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce mice ALI model. Mono-macrophage-specific MANF knockout (MKO) mice were constructed and recombinant human MANF protein was used to ALI mice. We found that the endogenous MANF protein in both human BALF and mice lung tissues was increased in inflammatory conditions. MANF level in the macrophages of inflammatory lung was higher than that in normal controls in both human and mice. MANF deficiency in macrophages induced lung inflammation and aggravated LPS-induced lung injury. MANF lowered LPS-induced lung injury, inhibited macrophage polarization to M1 functional type. Meanwhile, MANF inhibited-LPS induced activation of NF-κB signal pathway by down regulating phosphorylated p65in lung tissue and macrophages. These results indicate that MANF acts as a suppressor in ALI via negatively regulating NF-κB activation and macrophages polarization, which may be a novel potential target and shed light on ALI therapy.

Bacterial myocarditis is a key cause leading to myocardial damage and cardiac dysfunction. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) has been found to be an anti-inflammatory factor. This study is to explore the effect of MANF on LPS-induced myocardial inflammation and macrophage differentiation. The myocarditis mouse model was constructed by LPS treatment. Myocardial damage and serum inflammatory factors were evaluated by ELISA. RT-qPCR was used to detect mRNA of M1/M2 macrophage markers. Western blot, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescent staining were used to examine myocardial M1/M2 macrophages and NF-κB activation. Mono-macrophage-derived MANF deficiency enhanced LPS-induced inflammatory response and increased M1 macrophages in myocardium tissues, further causing more severe myocardial injury and lower survival rate of mice. Also, LPS-induced myocardial NF-κB activation was strengthened after mono-macrophage-derived MANF knockout. Mono-macrophage-derived MANF inhibits bacterial myocarditis and myocardial M1 macrophage differentiation, which is potential to be used for bacterial myocarditis treatment clinically.

Background: Exogenous melatonin exerts a similar effect to protective ventilation on attenuating ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in mouse model. However, the effect of protective ventilation on the production of endogenous melatonin and prognosis in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to reveal the effects of protective ventilation on the production of endogenous melatonin, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18 and major complications in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery. Methods: Eight-eight patients were randomized to receive “conventional” ventilation (Vt=10 mL/kg) or lung protective ventilation [Vt=5 mL/kg along with 5 cm of H2O positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)]. IL-1β, IL-18 and melatonin levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were measured. Respiratory variables and outcomes were evaluated.Results: Lung protective ventilation decreased the peak airway pressure (Ppeak), plateau airway pressure (Pplat) and driving pressure (ΔP) compared with the “conventional” ventilation group. Lung protective ventilation inhibited polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells invasion into the BALF (P=0.000). Likewise, lung protective ventilation suppressed alveolar and serum IL-1β and IL-18 secretion after mechanical ventilation. Furthermore, lung protective ventilation resulted in a decrease in the inhibition of endogenous MT production compared to “conventional” ventilation (P=0.000). In addition, lung protective ventilation reduced the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (P=0.04) and the rate of major postoperative complications (P=0.023).Conclusions: Taken together, lung protective ventilation for esophageal cancer surgery suppressed the secretion of IL-1β, IL-18 and restored the endogenous melatonin level. Meanwhile, lung protective ventilation improved postoperative outcomes after esophageal cancer surgery.Trial registration: The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900026190. Registered 25 September 2019, http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=34677&htm=4

Atmospheric pressure cold plasma has shown multiple biological effects of anti-bacteria and anti-cancer. In this study, the effect of atmospheric pressure cold plasma on respiratory inflammation and oxidant stress is explored. Tunicamycin was used to stimulate human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) and A549 cells for inflammatory response and oxidative stress, followed by atmospheric pressure cold plasma treatment. For HBECs and A549 cells, atmospheric pressure cold plasma was able to alleviate tunicamycin-induced cell proliferation inhibition, inflammation and oxidant stress, and enhance nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway activation. Moreover, NRF2/ARE (anti-oxidant response elements) pathway was involved in the regulation of atmospheric pressure cold plasma on tunicamycin-induced oxidative stress. These results suggest the positive effect of atmospheric pressure cold plasma on inflammation and oxidant stress of respiratory system, indicating the therapeutic potential of atmospheric pressure cold plasma for respiratory diseases.

A desirable cancer therapeutic strategy is supposed to have effective ability to not only exert maximum anticancer ability but also inspire antitumor immunity for preventing tumor relapse and metastasis. During this research, multifunctional upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) coated by ROS-responsive micelles are prepared for tumor targeting and near-infrared (NIR)-triggered photodynamic therapy (PDT)-combined synergistic effect of chemotherapy. Moreover, both PDT and chemotherapy agents could activate antitumor immunity via inducing immunogenic cell death with CD8+ and CD4+ T cells infiltrating in tumors. Through the experiments, intravenous administration of multifunctional nanocarriers with noninvasive NIR irradiation destroys the orthotopic tumors and efficiently suppresses lung metastasis in a metastatic triple-negative breast cancer model by cascade-amplifying chemo-PDT and systemic antitumor immunity. In conclusion, this study provides prospective chemo-PDT with inspired antitumor immunity for metastatic cancer treatment.

We aimed to evaluate the effect of Dexmedetomidine (Dex) on immunology function of macrophages and inflammatory reactions in non-ventilated lung tissues from both humans and rats.Patients scheduled for lung lobectomy were randomly assigned to traditional anesthesia group or Dex anesthesia group, 15 subjects in each group. CD68, CD86 and CD206 were used to mark activate and polarized macrophages using immunofluorescence staining in human lung tissues. Sprague-Dawley rats were used to set lung injury model and randomly divided into Control group, one-lung ventilation group (CLI group) and CLI + Dex group. Lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from non-ventilated lungs were collected. The acquired lung tissues were subjected to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and the inflammatory cells in BALF were calculated. Levels of cytokines and chemokines were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).Results from humans showed that anesthesia with Dex decreased the number of both CD68 positive cells and CD86 positive cells and down-regulated level of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) in human lung. Results from rats demonstrated that treatment with Dex reversed the increased inflammatory cells in lung and the increased levels of TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-β), MCP-1 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) resulted from non-ventilation; Dex increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in BALF from non-ventilated lung.This study showed that Dex modulated the activation and immunological function of macrophages in non-ventilated lung and revealed a protective role in collapsed lung injury.

Low drug concentrations at interest sites and unwanted systemic side effects are major obstacles to effective therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With the aim of improving the efficacy of tofacitinib citrate (TOF), a liposomal system was developed for targeted delivery to inflamed joints, and this approach was validated in a RA rat model. TOF was effectively loaded into the liposomes (entrapment efficiency: 86.5±1.9%; drug loading: 2.3±0.05%) by a pH gradient method, and these molecules featured sustained drug release behaviour over 48 h.

An SS31 prodrug improved AKI therapy via rapid distribution in the kidney and long-term retention in the renal tubule., The development of drugs with rapid distribution in the kidney and long-term retention in the renal tubule is a breakthrough for enhanced treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI). Here, l-serine–modified chitosan (SC) was synthesized as a potential AKI kidney–targeting agent due to the native cationic property of chitosan and specific interaction between kidney injury molecule–1 (Kim-1) and serine. Results indicated that SC was rapidly accumulated and long-term retained in ischemia-reperfusion–induced AKI kidneys, especially in renal tubules, which was possibly due to the specific interactions between SC and Kim-1. SC-TK-SS31 was then prepared by conjugating SS31, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, to SC via reactive oxygen species (ROS)–sensitive thioketal linker. Because of the effective renal distribution combined with ROS-responsive drug release behavior, the administration of SC-TK-SS31 led to an enhanced therapeutic effect of SS31 by protecting mitochondria from damage and reducing the oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell apoptosis.

Background: NLRP3 inflammasome has been confirmed to play a pivotal role in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), while exogenous melatonin can attenuate VILI by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in mouse model. However, the relationship between endogenous melatonin and the NLRP3 inflammasome-related inflammatory cytokines in VILI induced by one-lung ventilation (OLV) remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to reveal the relationship between the NLRP3 inflammasome-related inflammatory cytokines: interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18 and endogenous melatonin in OLV-induced VILI during esophageal cancer surgery.Methods: Twenty-eight patients were randomized to receive “conventional” ventilation (Vt=8 mL/kg) or lung protective ventilation (Vt=5 mL/kg along with 5 cm H 2 O positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)). Respiratory variables were evaluated. IL-1β, IL-18 and melatonin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and plasma were measured.Results: we found that lung protective ventilation during OLV decreased peak airway pressure (Ppeak), plateau airway pressure (Pplat) and driving pressure (ΔP) compared with that in “conventional” ventilation group. Moreover, lung protective ventilation inhibited polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells invasion into BALF. Likewise, lung protective ventilation not only suppressed alveolar and plasma IL-1β secretion, but also reduced increased production of IL-18 in both BALF and plasma after OLV. Furthermore, we found that both alveolar and plasma endogenous melatonin levels in “conventional” ventilation group were lower than that in lung protection group.Conclusion: Taken together, the present study suggested that lung protective ventilation during OLV prevented VILI via suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome-related inflammatory cytokines secretion and restoring the level of endogenous melatonin in patients.Trial registration: the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900026190. Registered 25 September 2019, http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=34677&htm=4

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a broad-spectrum anti-tumor drug, but it has certain limitations in its therapeutic effects due to poor tumor selectivity. Chitosan-based pH-sensitive polymers drug delivery systems could improve DOX's activity and selectivity against tumor cells. Understanding the atomic interaction mechanism between chitosan and DOX at different pH levels is important in the design and application of chitosan-based drug delivery systems. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the encapsulation and release of DOX by chitosan at different pH levels. Our results show that the protonation state of amine groups of chitosan and the π-π stacking interaction between the conjugated anthraquinone ring of DOX regulate the interaction behavior between chitosan and DOX. Moreover, DOX could gradually release from chitosan at acidic pH environment in tumor tissue. These results revealed the underlying atomic interaction mechanism between DOX and chitosan at various pH levels and may provide novel ideas for the design and application of chitosan-based drug delivery system.

The crystallization mechanism for natural mineral, especially the role of biological molecules in biomineralization, is still under debate. Protein adsorption on material surfaces plays a key role in biomineralization. In this article, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to systematically investigate the adsorption behavior of struthio camelus eggshell protein struthiocalcin-1 (SCA-1) on the calcite (104) surface with several different starting orientations in an explicit water environment. For each binding configuration, detailed adsorption behaviors and a mechanism were presented with the analysis of interaction energy, binding residues, hydrogen bonding, and structures (such as DSSP, dipole moment, and the electrostatic potential calculation). The results indicate that the positively charged and polar residues are the dominant residues for protein adsorption on the calcite (104) surface, and the strong electrostatic interaction drives the binding of model protein to the surface. The hydrogen bond bridge was found to play an important role in surface interactions as well. These results also demonstrate that SCA-1 is relatively rigid in spite of strong adsorption with few structural changes in α-helix and β-sheet contents. The results of the orientation calculation suggest that the dipole moment of the protein tends to remain parallel to calcite in most stable cases, which was confirmed by electrostatic potential isosurfaces analysis.

Sevoflurane was found to show protective roles in mice with asthma, however, the mechanism of which needs further exploring. Aquaporins (AQPs) have been demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma, while endoplasmic reticulum stress has been reported to be related to many inflammatory diseases and involved in protein processing, including AQPs. The present study aimed to determine the role of sevoflurane in AQPs (AQP1,3,4,5) expression in mice with allergic airway inflammation and the probable mechanism. The increased number of inflammatory cells infiltrating the lung tissue, and the elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL) 13 (IL-13) were all decreased after sevoflurane treatment (all P

Asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation, which is the underlying cause of airway remodeling featured by goblet cell hyperplasia, subepithelial fibrosis, and proliferation of smooth muscle. Sevoflurane has been used to treat life-threatening asthma and our previous study shows that sevoflurane inhibits acute lung inflammation in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic mice. However, the effect of sevoflurane on airway remodeling in the context of chronic airway inflammation and the underlying mechanism are still unknown. Here, female C57BL/6 mice were used to establish chronic airway inflammation model. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), and Sirius red (SR) staining were used to evaluate airway remodeling. Protein levels of α-SMA, VEGF, and TGF-β1 in lung tissues were detected by western blotting analyses and immunohistochemistry staining. Results showed that inhalation of sevoflurane inhibited chronic airway inflammation including inflammatory cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in BALF of the OVA-challenged mice. Meanwhile, sevoflurane suppressed airway thickening, goblet cell hyperplasia, smooth muscle hyperplasia, collagen deposition, and fiber hyperplasia in the lung tissues of the mice with airway remodeling. Most notably, sevoflurane inhibited the OVA-induced expressions of VEGF and TGF-β1. These results suggested that sevoflurane effectively inhibits airway remodeling in mouse model of chronic airway inflammation, which may be due to the downregulation of VEGF and TGF-β1in lung tissues. Therefore, our results indicate a potential role of sevoflurane in inhibiting airway remodeling besides its known suppression effect on airway inflammation, and support the use of sevoflurane in treating severe asthma in ICU.

Background: Numerous studies indicate that TLR2 activation led to contradictory effects in asthma. In addition, the occurance of autophagy such an innate immune response in asthma pathogenesis is still incompletely understood. This study investigated the role of TLR2 and the underlying mechanisms in allergic airway inflammation (AAI) and autophagy activation. Methods: Wild-type (WT) and TLR2 knockout (TLR2-/-) mice were subjected to an ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized and airway-challenged model to investigate the role of TLR2 in AAI and autophagy activation. SP600125, a specific JNK inhibitor, was administered in mice to study its effects on AAI and autophagy activation. Findings: Our study showed that the expression of TLR2 was increased concomitantly with airway inflammation upon OVA challenge, and TLR2 deficiency was associated with a dramatical decrease in serum OVA-specific IgE, pulmonary inflammatory cells infiltration, goblet cell metaplasia and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) inflammatory cytokine production. Meanwhile, the expression of inflammatory proteins in lung tissues, autophagy activation were induced in OVA-challenge mice, while such inductions were significantly weakened by TLR2 deficiency. Moreover, inhibition of JNK by SP600125 also down-regulated airway inflammation and autophagy activation in OVA-challenged WT mice. Interestingly, treating TLR2-/- mice with SP600125 upon OVA challenge showed similar pulmonary inflammation manifestations, lung inflammatory proteins expression as well as autophagy activation compared to that in vehicle-treated TLR2-/- mice. Interpretation: TLR2 might contribute to the maintenance of AAI through JNK signaling pathway accompanying with autophagy activation. These findings may provide a novel signal target for prevention of AAI. Funding Statement: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 81170030, 81270082) and Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (NO. 1908085QH311). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: All procedures were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of University of Science and Technology of China.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play pivotal role in the pathogenesis of allergic airway diseases such as asthma. TLR9 is one of the most extensively studied TLRs as an approach to treat asthma. In this study, we investigated the role of TLR9 in the allergic airway inflammation and the underlying mechanism. Wild-type (WT) mice and TLR9(-/-) mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA to establish allergic airway disease model. We found that the expression of TLR9 was elevated concomitantly with airway inflammation post-OVA challenge, and TLR9 deficiency effectively inhibited airway inflammation, including serum OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), pulmonary inflammatory cell recruitment, mucus secretion, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) inflammatory cytokine production. Meanwhile, the protein expression of hydroxyindole-o-methyltransferase (HIOMT) in lung tissues, the level of melatonin in serum, and BALF were reduced in OVA-challenged WT mice, while these reductions were significantly restored by TLR9 deficiency. Additionally, we showed that although TLR9 deficiency had no effect on OVA-induced phosphorylation of JNK, inhibition of JNK by specific inhibitor SP600125 significantly decreased OVA-induced expression of TLR9, suggesting that JNK is the upstream signal molecular of TLR9. Furthermore, SP600125 treatment promoted resolution of allergic airway inflammation in OVA-challenged WT mice, but not further ameliorated allergic airway inflammation in OVA-challenged TLR9(-/-) mice. Similarly, SP600125 significantly restored the protein expression of HIOMT and the level of melatonin in OVA-challenged WT mice, while such effect was not further enhanced by TLR9 deficiency. Collectively, our results indicated that JNK-TLR9 signal pathway mediates allergic airway inflammation through suppressing melatonin biosynthesis.

As lung impairment is an indicator of increased morbidity and mortality in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), the risk factors associated with impaired lung function are of great significance. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effects of inflammatory biomarkers and dialysis adequacy on pulmonary function, in CAPD patients. 101 patients undergoing CAPD, 30 CKD5 patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled. Spirometry and serum biomarkers were evaluated in each subject. Pulmonary function was compared among patients and control groups. Pearson analysis was used to analyze the correlation between serum biomarkers, dialysis adequacy and pulmonary function. Lower vital capacity, maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal mid-expiratory flow rate (MMEF), and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were observed in the CAPD group (all P

Aims Glucocorticoids are the most effective anti-inflammatory agent in treating pulmonary diseases typically accompanied by hypoxia. Our previous study has demonstrated that glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα) expression is reduced in hypoxia but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study we aim to identify the signaling pathway involved in hypoxia-induced down-regulation of GRα, and whether hypoxia affects nuclear translocation of GRα. Main methods Female C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with saline or ovalbumin (OVA) as the in vivo model. Mice were divided into control and OVA groups, and their lung histology and the expression of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1) and GRα were examined. A549 cells were exposed to chemical hypoxia as the in vitro model, where mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were inhibited specifically by SB203580. Next, under normal or hypoxic conditions, the expression of GRα, MAPKs and HIF-1 signal protein were determined by Western blot analysis, and GRα translocation were observed through live-cell imaging. Key findings In OVA challenged mice the expression of GRα was down-regulated whereas HIF-1 was up-regulated. Hypoxia caused a time-dependent decrease of GRα expression, and activated multiple signaling pathways including MAPKs and HIF-1. Moreover, GRα expression increased with MAPK inhibition. Interestingly, only MAPK inhibitor SB203580, but not JNK inhibitor SP600125 or ERK inhibitor U0126 improved the expression of GRα under hypoxic condition. GRα nuclear translocation was also significantly inhibited by hypoxia. Significance Hypoxia down-regulated the expression of GRα through p38 signaling pathway, as well as inhibited GRα nuclear translocation significantly.

Aims Numerous studies indicate that toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) led to divergent effects in asthma. The occurrence of autophagy in asthma pathogenesis is still incompletely understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of TLR2 and the underlying mechanisms in allergic airway inflammation and autophagy activation. Main methods C57BL/6 and TLR2 knockout (TLR2−/−) mice were subjected to an ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized allergic airway model, and were treated with SP600125. Differential cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were determined by Wright's staining. Histological analysis of airway inflammation was determined by haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. The levels of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Proteins expression in lung tissues was detected by western blot, expression of TLR2 was further observed by immunofluorescence. Autophagy activation was determined by western blot and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Key findings TLR2 expression was increased upon OVA challenge, and TLR2 deficiency was associated with decreased allergic airway inflammation. Meanwhile, TLR2 deficiency weakened autophagy activation. Moreover, inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) by SP600125 also suppressed OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation and autophagy activation. Interestingly, treating TLR2−/− mice with SP600125 showed similar OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation and autophagy activation compared to that in vehicle-treated TLR2−/− mice. Significance TLR2 might contribute to the maintenance of allergic airway inflammation through JNK signaling pathway accompanying with autophagy activation. These findings may provide a novel signal target for prevention of allergic airway inflammation.

The conventional medications are still facing a huge challenge for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thus, looking for an effective therapy of RA has became an urgent issue nowadays. In this study, a novel thermosensitive liposome loaded with sinomenine hydrochloride (SIN-TSL) was developed by a pH gradient method. The SIN-TSL had a mean particle size of around 100 nm, and an high entrapment efficiency and drug loading capacity. The results also suggested that SIN-TSL had a thermosensitive drug release behaviour, with the drug release rate at 43 °C was much faster than the one at 37 °C. The SIN-TSL could be effectively taken up by lipopolysaccharide-activated HUVECs, without any cytotoxicity was observed. In addition, both in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that the SIN-TSL combined with microwave hyperthermia exhibited superior anti-rheumatoid arthritis effect. Overall, these results suggest that SIN-loaded thermosensitive liposomes combined with microwave hyperthermia could provide an optional strategy for alleviating the clinical symptoms of RA.

Background c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) relays extracellular stimuli through phosphorylation cascades that lead to various cell responses. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the JNK inhibitor SP600125 on the resolution of airway inflammation, and the underlying mechanism using a murine acute asthma model. Methods Female C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with saline or ovalbumin (OVA) on day 0, and challenged with OVA on day 14–20. Meanwhile, some of the mice were treated with SP600125 (30 mg/kg) intraperitoneally 2 h before each challenge. The airway inflammation was evaluated by counting the numbers of various types of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), histopathology, cytokines production and mucus secretion in individual mouse. In addition, we analyzed the protein levels of phosphorylated JNK and TLR9 in the lung tissues. Results SP600125 markedly reduced the invasion of inflammatory cells into the peribronchial regions, and decreased the numbers of eosinophils, monocytes, neutrophils and lymphocytes in BALF. SP600125 also reduced the level of plasma OVA-specific IgE, lowered the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in BALF and alleviated mucus secretion. Meanwhile, SP600125 inhibited OVA-induced, increased expression of p-JNK and TLR9 in the lung tissues. Conclusions Collectively, our data demonstrated that SP600125 promoted resolution of allergic airway inflammation via TLR9 in an OVA-induced murine acute asthma model. The JNK-TLR9 pathway may be a new therapeutic target in the treatment for the allergic asthma.

Nebulized lidocaine has been suggested to be beneficial in asthma therapy, but the underlying mechanisms are little known. We aimed to investigate whether Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 was involved in the protective effect of lidocaine on allergic airway inflammation. Female C57BL/6 mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). Meanwhile, some of the mice were treated with TLR2 agonist (Pam3CSK4, 100 μg) intraperitoneally in combination with OVA on day 0. Just after allergen provocation, mice were treated with inhaled lidocaine or vehicle for 30 min. In this model, we found that lidocaine markedly attenuated OVA-evoked airway inflammation, leukocyte recruitment and mucus production. Moreover, lidocaine abrogated the increased concentrations of T cytokines and TNF-α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of allergic mice, as well as reducing the expression of phosphorylated nuclear factor (P-NF)-κBp65 and the NOD-like receptor pyridine containing 3 (NLRP3), which are important for the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, our study showed that lidocaine dramatically decreased OVA-induced increased expression of TLR2 in the lung tissues. Furthermore, activation of TLR2 aggravated OVA-challenged airway inflammation, meanwhile, it also elevated OVA-induced expression of P-NF-κBp65 and NLRP3 in the lungs. However, lidocaine effectively inhibited airway inflammation and counteracted the expression of P-NF-κBp65 and NLRP3 in allergic mice pretreated with Pam3CSK4. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that lidocaine prevented allergic airway inflammation via TLR2 in an OVA-induced murine allergic airway inflammation model. TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for allergic airway inflammation.

Background and objective Repeated inhalation of sevoflurane (SVF) can benefit asthmatic patients by bronchodilation. However, the impact of repeated inhalation of SVF on allergic airway inflammation has not been clarified. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of repeated inhalation of SVF on airway inflammation in mice. Methods Female C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and treated by inhalation with SVF or vehicle daily for seven consecutive days, immediately followed by OVA challenge. Airway inflammation was evaluated by counting the numbers of different types of inflammatory infiltrates in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), histology, cytokine measurements and mucus production in individual mice. Results In comparison with the OVA group, repeated inhalation of SVF significantly reduced the numbers of total cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, macrophages and neutrophils (P

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle to successful clinical cancer chemotherapy. Currently, there is still unsatisfactory demand for innovative strategies as well as effective and safe reversing agent to overcome MDR. In this study, we developed a novel nanoformulation, in which doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and quinine hydrochloride (QN) were simultaneously loaded into liposomes by a pH-gradient method for overcoming MDR and enhancing cytotoxicity in a doxorubicin-resistant human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7/ADR). The various factors were investigated to optimize the formulation and manufacturing conditions of DOX and QN co-loaded liposomes (DQLs). The DQL showed uniform size distribution and high encapsulation efficiency (over 90%) for both the drugs. Furthermore, DQLs significantly displayed high intracellular accumulation and potential of MDR reversal capability in MCF-7/ADR cells through the cooperation of DOX with QN, in which QN played the role as a MDR reversing agent. The IC50 of DQL0.5:1 with the DOX/QN/SPC weight ratio of 0.5:1:50 was 1.80 ± 0.03 μg/mL, which was 14.23 times lower than that of free DOX in MCF-7/ADR cells. And the apoptotic percentage induced by DQL0.5:1 was also increased to 62.2%. These findings suggest that DQLs have great potential for effective treatment of MDR cancer.

The aim of this study was to synthesize water-soluble chitosan derivatives with good compatibility and multiple amine functionalities for delivery applications. Periodate mediate oxidation was employed to give rise to chitosan with flanking aldehyde groups, onto which oligoamines were conjugated. The polymer structure was confirmed by FT-IR and 1H NMR spectra. These newly synthesized chitosan derivatives displayed high water-solubility. In vitro cell culture experiments using both normal and tumor cell lines indicated that some polymers synthesized herein possess extremely low cytotoxicity even at concentrations as high as 5.0 mg/mL. Depending on amine type, the IC50 values of newly synthesized chitosan derivatives for both cell lines are 3–4 order of magnitude larger than those of branched polyethyleneimine (25 kDa). Concentration/structure-dependent toxicity was observed for both cell lines as well. In vitro hemolysis test using ethylenediamine-conjugated chitosan suggested that this polymer did not elicit any hemolysis at concentrations up to 200 μg/mL. In vivo local inflammation evaluation also revealed the compatibility of this polymer post-intramuscular injection. These functionalized chitosan derivatives are candidate materials to construct particulate or hydrogel formulations for biomedical applications.

To explore the role and mechanism of signal molecule high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) mediated by Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in a murine asthma model.Fourteen specific pathogen free (SPF) female C57 and TLR2(-/-) mice each were randomly divided into 4 groups of C57 control, C57 asthma, TLR2(-/-) control and TLR2(-/-) asthma (n = 7 each). The animals were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) for asthmatic modeling. The same amount of normal saline was used in the control group. The supernatant of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for detecting the level of HMGB1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And the expression of HMGB1 in lung tissue was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.Asthmatic murine model was successfully established. The level of HMGB1 in the BALF of C57 asthma group was significantly higher than that in C57 control, TLR2(-/-) asthma and TLR2(-/-) control groups ((59.0 ± 13.9) vs (42.3 ± 1.6), (47.5 ± 2.3), (42.4 ± 1.4) ng/L; P = 0.001, 0.001, 0.037) . The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the marker of HMGB1 in lung tissue was less than those in the C57 control and TLR2(-/-) control groups. However, the C57 asthma and TLR2(-/-) asthma groups were obviously more and they were located in airway epithelium. Western blot showed that the expression of HMGB1 was significantly higher in C57 asthma group than that in the C57 control, TLR2(-/-) asthma and TLR2(-/-) control groups (0.92 ± 0.29 vs 0.18 ± 0.09, 0.31 ± 0.16, 0.21 ± 0.14; P = 0.007, 0.022, 0.009).HMGB1 promotes the airway inflammation mediated by TLR2. And it may participate in the pathogenesis of asthma.