Amyloid plaques, consisting of deposited beta-amyloid (Aβ), are a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Cerebral vessels play a major role in AD, as Aβ is cleared from the brain by ...pathways involving the cerebrovasculature, most AD patients have cerebrovascular amyloid (cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), and cardiovascular risk factors increase dementia risk. Here we present a notable advance in vascular tissue engineering by generating the first functional 3-dimensioinal model of CAA in bioengineered human vessels. We show that lipoproteins including brain (apoE) and circulating (high-density lipoprotein, HDL) synergize to facilitate Aβ transport across bioengineered human cerebral vessels. These lipoproteins facilitate Aβ42 transport more efficiently than Aβ40, consistent with Aβ40 being the primary species that accumulates in CAA. Moreover, apoE4 is less effective than apoE2 in promoting Aβ transport, also consistent with the well-established role of apoE4 in Aβ deposition in AD.
Immunochemotherapy combines a chemotherapeutic agent with an immune-modulating agent and represents an attractive approach to improve cancer therapy. However, the success of immunochemotherapy is ...hampered by the lack of a strategy to effectively co-deliver the two therapeutics to the tumours. Here we report the development of a dual-functional, immunostimulatory nanomicellar carrier that is based on a prodrug conjugate of PEG with NLG919, an indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor currently used for reversing tumour immune suppression. An Fmoc group, an effective drug-interactive motif, is also introduced into the carrier to improve the drug loading capacity and formulation stability. We show that PEG
-Fmoc-NLG alone is effective in enhancing T-cell immune responses and exhibits significant antitumour activity in vivo. More importantly, systemic delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) using the PEG
-Fmoc-NLG nanocarrier leads to a significantly improved antitumour response in both breast cancer and melanoma mouse models.
apoE is the primary lipid carrier within the CNS and the strongest genetic risk factor for late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). apoE is primarily lipidated via ABCA1, and both are under ...transcriptional regulation by the nuclear liver X receptor (LXR). Considerable evidence from genetic (using ABCA1 overexpression) and pharmacological (using synthetic LXR agonists) studies in AD mouse models suggests that increased levels of lipidated apoE can improve cognitive performance and, in some strains, can reduce amyloid burden. However, direct synthetic LXR ligands have hepatotoxic side effects that limit their clinical use. Here, we describe a set of small molecules, previously annotated as antagonists of the purinergic receptor, P2X7, which enhance ABCA1 expression and activity as well as apoE secretion, and are not direct LXR ligands. Furthermore, P2X7 is not required for these molecules to induce ABCA1 upregulation and apoE secretion, demonstrating that the ABCA1 and apoE effects are mechanistically independent of P2X7 inhibition. Hence, we have identified novel dual activity compounds that upregulate ABCA1 across multiple CNS cell types, including human astrocytes, pericytes, and microglia, through an indirect LXR mechanism and that also independently inhibit P2X7 receptor activity.
ZUC-128 algorithm was listed as the core part in the third international encryption and integrity protection algorithms, EEA3 and EIA3 in 4G-LTE mobile communication system by 3rd generation ...partnership project (3GPP). ZUC-256 will soon become one of important encryption and integrity protection algorithms in 5G mobile communication system. Compared with software implementations, hardware implementations using field programmable gate array (FPGA) have significant advantages in terms of performance. Implementation’s solution for ZUC-256 algorithm was studied by using FPGA as the hardware platform, two optimized implementation algorithms for ZUC-256 were proposed based on linear feedback shift register feedback calculation optimization algorithm and S-box replacement optimization algorithm on the platform of Cyclone IV and Spartan-6. The operating efficiency of ZUC-256 algorithm was verified on two FPGA hardware platforms. The test results show that the optimized ZUC-256 keystream generation algorithm has a main frequency of 209.346 MHz and a throughput of 6.542 Gbps on the FPGA. Optimized ZUC-256 algorithm’s performance is improved by 12% compared with the original ZUC-256 algorithm. The running result in our optimized scheme is 214.4% higher than that of the stream cipher algorithm implemented by Kitsos et al., the speed is 95.8% higher than that of the research results from Wang et al., compared with the research results of Zhang et al., this optimized scheme has increased by 45.6%. Moreover, it possesses comprehensive performance advantages compared with the results of Drucker et al. on CCNC 2019. The proposed optimization implementation algorithms for ZUC-256 on FPGA have broad application prospects in the future of 5G system.
Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most commonly used antineoplastic agents, but its clinical application is oftentimes coupled with severe side effects. Selective delivery of DOX to tumors via ...nanosized drug carrier represents an attractive approach to this problem. Previously, we developed a dual functional nanomicellar carrier, PEG5K-embelin2 (PEG5K-EB2), which was able to deliver paclitaxel (PTX) selectively to tumors and to achieve an enhanced therapeutic effect. In the present study, we examined the utility of PEG5K-EB2 to deliver DOX to tumors. In addition, folic acid (FA) was coupled to the surface of the PEG5K-EB2 micelles (FA-PEG5K-EB2) to further improve the selective targetability of the system. DOX-loaded PEG5K-EB2 micelles were uniformly spherical particles with a diameter of approximately 20 nm. Incorporation of FA had minimal effect on the size of the particles. The DOX loading efficiency was as high as 91.7% and 93.5% for PEG5K-EB2 and FA-PEG5K-EB2, respectively. DOX formulated in PEG5K-EB2 micelles (with or without FA decoration) demonstrated sustained kinetics of DOX release compared to free DOX. FA-PEG5K-EB2 significantly facilitated the intracellular uptake of DOX over free DOX and PEGylated liposomal DOX (Doxil) in breast cancer cells, 4T1.2, and drug resistant cells, NCI/ADR-RES. P-gp ATPase assay showed that PEG5K-EB2 significantly inhibited the function of the P-gp efflux pump. The maximum tolerated dose of DOX-loaded PEG5K-EB2 micelles was 15 mg/kg in mice, which was 1.5-fold greater than that for free DOX. Pharmacokinetics (PK) and biodistribution studies showed that both types of DOX-loaded micelles, especially FA-PEG5K-EB2, were able to significantly prolong the blood circulation time of DOX and facilitate its preferential accumulation at the tumor tissue. Finally, DOX/PEG5K-EB2 mixed micelles demonstrated significantly enhanced tumor growth inhibitory effect with minimal toxicity in comparison to free DOX and Doxil and the antitumor activity was further enhanced after the decoration by folic acid. Our data suggest that FA-PEG5K-EB2 micelles represent a promising DOX delivery system that warrants more study in the future.
Gandou decoction (GDD) is a classic prescription for the treatment of hepatolenticular degeneration (HLD) in China; however, the liver-protecting mechanism of this prescription needs further ...evaluation. In the present study, we explored the protective mechanisms of GDD in a copper-laden HLD model using integrated pharmacology and cellular metabolomics
. The results revealed that GDD could significantly promote copper excretion in copper-laden HLD model cells and improve the ultrastructural changes in hepatocytes. In addition, GDD could decrease the extent of lipid peroxidation, levels of reactive oxygen species, and the release rate of lactate dehydrogenase while increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase and the ratio of glutathione to oxidized glutathione in the copper-laden HLD model cells. On conducting statistical analysis of significant metabolic changes, 47 biomarkers and 30 related metabolic pathways were screened as pharmacological reactions induced by GDD in HLD model cells. d-glutamate and d-glutamine metabolic pathways showed the highest importance and significance among the 30 metabolic pathways, and the differential expression levels of the glutamine synthetase (GS) and the renal type and liver type GLS (GLS1 and GLS2) proteins were verified by Western blotting. Collectively, our data established the underlying mechanism of GDD therapy, such as the promotion of copper excretion and improvement in oxidative stress by regulating the expressions of GS, GLS1, and GLS2 protein to protect hepatocytes from injury.
Background and aims:
Treprostinil is a prostacyclin analog used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. Dosing is empiric and based on tolerability. Adverse effects are common and can affect ...treatment persistence. Pharmacogenomic variants that may affect treprostinil metabolism and transport have not been well-characterized. We aimed to investigate the pharmacogenomic sources of variability in treatment persistence and dosing.
Methods:
Patients were prospectively recruited from an IRB approved biobank registry at a single pulmonary hypertension center. A cohort of patients who received oral treprostinil were screened for participation. Pharmacogenomic analysis was for variants in CYP2C8, CYP2C9, and ABCC4. A retrospective review was conducted for demographics, clinical status, dosing, and response. Fisher’s exact test was used for categorical data and Kruskal–Wallis test or Wilcoxon rank sum were used for continuous data.
Results:
A total of 15 patients received oral treprostinil and were consented. Their median age was 53 years, 73% were female, and 93% were White. The median total daily dose was 22.5 mg (13.5, 41) at last clinical observation. 40% of patients discontinued treatment with a majority due to adverse effects. Approximately 27% of patients had a loss-of-function variant in CYP2C8 (*1/*3 or *1/*4), whereas 47% of patients had a loss-of-function variant in CYP2C9 (*1/*2, *1/*3, or *2/*2). Minor allele frequencies for ABCC4 (rs1751034 and rs3742106) were 0.17 and 0.43, respectively. Survival analysis showed that increased CYP2C9 activity score was associated with decreased risk for treatment discontinuation hazard ratio (HR): 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02, 0.91; p = 0.04. Genetic variants were not significantly associated with dosing.
Conclusion:
Genetic variants responsible for the metabolism and transport of oral treprostinil were common. Increased CYP2C9 activity score was associated with decreased risk for treatment discontinuation. However, dosing was not associated with genetic variants in metabolizing enzymes for treprostinil. Our findings suggest significant variability in treatment persistence to oral treprostinil, with pharmacogenomics being a potentially important contributor.
The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
The aim of this analysis was to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of sublingual buprenorphine (BUP) and its metabolites (buprenorphine glucuronide; BUP-g, norbuprenorphine; Nor-BUP, and ...norbuprenorphine glucuronide; Nor-BUP-g) in opioid use disorder (OUD) patients in Puerto Rico (PR) as a first step of evidence-based BUP dosing strategies in this population.
BUP and metabolites concentrations were measured from 0 to 8 h after the administration of sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone films in 12 stable OUD subjects.
PK non-compartmental characteristics showed considerable variability in parameters between the subjects over the 8-h sampling time (
= 1.5 ± 0.7 h,
= 1.6 ± 1.4 ng/mL,
= 7.1 ± 6 ng/mL, and
= 26.8 ± 17.8 h·ng/mL). Subjects had a significantly higher tendency towards CYP-mediated
-demethylation, with the
ratios of the molar concentrations of Nor-BUP + Nor-BUP-g to BUP being (3.4 ± 1.9) significantly higher compared with BUP-g to BUP (0.19 ± 0.2). A two-compartment population-PK model with linear absorption (
= 2.54 h
), distribution (
= 2.34 h
,
= 1.29 h
), metabolism (
= 1.28 × 10
h
,
= 6.43 × 10
h
,
= 1.23 × 10
h
,
= 8.73 × 10
h
), and elimination (
= 3.81 × 10
h
,
= 1.27 × 10
h
) adequately described the time-course of BUP and its metabolites, which has been externally validated using published data.
Although limited in sampling time and number of recruited subjects, this study presents specific BUP PK characteristics that evidenced the need for additional PK studies and subsequent modeling of the data for the development of evidence-based dosing approaches in Puerto Rico.
The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is the most highly associated susceptibility locus for late onset Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and augmenting the beneficial physiological functions of apoE is a ...proposed therapeutic strategy. In a high throughput phenotypic screen for small molecules that enhance apoE secretion from human CCF-STTG1 astrocytoma cells, we show the chrysanthemic ester 82879 robustly increases expressed apoE up to 9.4-fold and secreted apoE up to 6-fold and is associated with increased total cholesterol in conditioned media. Compound 82879 is unique as structural analogues, including pyrethroid esters, show no effect on apoE expression or secretion. 82879 also stimulates liver x receptor (LXR) target genes including ATP binding cassette A1 (ABCA1), LXRα and inducible degrader of low density lipoprotein receptor (IDOL) at both mRNA and protein levels. In particular, the lipid transporter ABCA1 was increased by up to 10.6-fold upon 82879 treatment. The findings from CCF-STTG1 cells were confirmed in primary human astrocytes from three donors, where increased apoE and ABCA1 was observed along with elevated secretion of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-like apoE particles. Nuclear receptor transactivation assays revealed modest direct LXR agonism by compound 82879, yet 10 μM of 82879 significantly upregulated apoE mRNA in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) depleted of both LXRα and LXRβ, demonstrating that 82879 can also induce apoE expression independent of LXR transactivation. By contrast, deletion of LXRs in MEFs completely blocked mRNA changes in ABCA1 even at 10 μM of 82879, indicating the ability of 82879 to stimulate ABCA1 expression is entirely dependent on LXR transactivation. Taken together, compound 82879 is a novel chrysanthemic ester capable of modulating apoE secretion as well as apoE-associated lipid metabolic pathways in astrocytes, which is structurally and mechanistically distinct from known LXR agonists.
We have developed a dual-function drug carrier, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-derivatized farnesylthiosalicylate (FTS). Here we report that incorporation of a drug-interactive motif (Fmoc) into ...PEG5k–FTS2 led to further improvement in both drug loading capacity and formulation stability. Doxorubicin (DOX) formulated in PEG5k–Fmoc–FTS2 showed sustained release kinetics slower than those of DOX loaded in PEG5k–FTS2. The maximum tolerated dose of DOX- or paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded PEG5k–Fmoc–FTS2 was significantly higher than that of the free drug. Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution studies showed that DOX/PEG5k–Fmoc–FTS2 mixed micelles were able to retain DOX in the bloodstream for a significant amount of time and efficiently deliver the drug to tumor sites. More importantly, drug (DOX or PTX)-loaded PEG5k–Fmoc–FTS2 led to superior antitumor activity over other treatments including drugs formulated in PEG5k–FTS2 in breast cancer and prostate cancer models. Our improved dual function carrier with a built-in drug-interactive motif represents a simple and effective system for targeted delivery of anticancer agents.
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