Detection of anomalous cells such as cancer cells from normal blood cells has the potential to contribute greatly to cancer diagnosis and therapy. Conventional methods for the detection of cancer ...cells are usually tedious and cumbersome. Herein, we report on the use of a particle size analyzer for the convenient size-based differentiation of cancer cells from normal cells. Measurements made using a particle size analyzer revealed that size parameters for cancer cells are significantly greater (e.g., inner diameter and width) than the corresponding values for normal cells (white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes and splenocytes), with no significant difference in shape parameters (e.g., circularity and convexity). The inner diameter of many cancer cell lines is greater than 10 µm, in contrast to normal cells. For the detection of WBC having similar size to that of cancer cells, we developed a PC software “Cancer Cell Finder” that differentiates them from cancer cells based on brightness stationary points on a cell surface. Furthermore, the aforementioned method was validated for cancer cell/clusters detection in spiked mouse blood samples (a B16 melanoma mouse xenograft model) and circulating tumor cell cluster-like particles in the cat and dog (diagnosed with cancer) blood samples. These results provide insights into the possible applicability of the use of a particle size analyzer in conjunction with PC software for the convenient detection of cancer cells in experimental and clinical samples for theranostics.
Previous reports indicate that N-acetyl-d-glucosamine oligomers (chitin oligosaccharide; NACOS) and d-glucosamine oligomers (chitosan oligosaccharide; COS) have various biological activities, ...especially against cancer and inflammation. In this review, we have summarized the findings of previous investigations that have focused on anticancer or anti-inflammatory properties of NACOS and COS. Moreover, we have introduced recent evaluation of NACOS and COS as functional foods against cancer and inflammatory disease.
Chitin (β-(1-4)-poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) is widely distributed in nature and is the second most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose. Chitin occurs in nature as ordered macrofibrils. It is the ...major structural component in the exoskeleton of crab and shrimp shells and the cell wall of fungi and yeast. As chitin is not readily dissolved in common solvents, it is often converted to its more deacetylated derivative, chitosan. Chitin, chitosan, and its derivatives are widely used in tissue engineering, wound healing, and as functional foods. Recently, easy methods for the preparation of chitin and chitosan nanofibers have been developed, and studies on biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan nanofibers are ongoing. Chitin and chitosan nanofibers are considered to have great potential for various biomedical applications, because they have several useful properties such as high specific surface area and high porosity. This review summarizes methods for the preparation of chitin and chitosan nanofibers. Further, biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan nanofibers in (i) tissue engineering, (ii) wound dressing, (iii) cosmetic and skin health, (iv) stem cell technology, (v) anti-cancer treatments and drug delivery, (vi) anti-inflammatory treatments, and (vii) obesity treatment are summarized. Many studies indicate that chitin and chitosan nanofibers are suitable materials for various biomedical applications.
Background
The ratio of C-reactive protein to albumin (CRP/Alb) is a biochemical marker of systemic inflammatory response and has been associated with poor survival in cancer. This study ...retrospectively investigated the relationship between the CRP/Alb ratio and prognosis in gastric cancer patients.
Methods
This study enrolled 453 patients with a histopathological diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent curative surgery.
Results
A statistically significant weak correlation was observed between CRP/Alb ratio and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (
r
= 0.19;
P
< 0.0001). There were statistically significant correlations between high CRP/Alb ratio and age (
P
= 0.0004), tumor size (
P
= 0.02), depth of invasion (
P
= 0.012), and lymph node metastasis (
P
= 0.022). A high NLR was significantly correlated with age (
P
= 0.0027), tumor size (
P
= 0.0006), depth of invasion (
P
< 0.0001), lymphatic involvement (
P
= 0.0031), venous involvement (
P
= 0.0022), and stage of disease (
P
= 0.0024). Based on results by receiver operating characteristic analysis, patients were divided as follows: CRP/Alb ratio ≥ 0.0232 (CAR
High
), CRP/Alb ratio < 0.0232 (CAR
Low
), NLR ≥ 2.43 (NLR
High
), and NLR < 2.43 (NLR
Low
). Five-year survival rates of patients with both CAR
High
and NLR
High
, either CAR
High
or NLR
High
, and both CAR
Low
and NLR
Low
were 59.6, 75.8, and 87.5%, respectively, with statistically significant differences (
P
< 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the combination of CRP/Alb ratio and NLR was an independent prognostic indicator.
Conclusions
The combination of CRP/Alb ratio and NLR may be useful in predicting prognosis in gastric cancer patients.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are widely used as an agent in photothermal therapy (PTT) against various cancers. However, a drug delivery system (DDS) is required for effective PTT using AuNPs as AuNPs ...accumulate passively in tumors. In the present study, we used polyhistidine peptide, a novel cell-penetrating peptide, which is efficiently internalized into tumor cells, as a DDS carrier for PTT using AuNPs. Polyhistidine peptide-modified AuNPs are efficiently internalized into RERF-LC-AI human lung squamous cancer cells and localized to the intracellular lysosome, which is based on the nature of the polyhistidine peptide. Furthermore, the polyhistidine peptide-modified AuNPs inhibited proliferation of RERF-LC-AI cells in a polyhistidine peptide modification-dependent manner under 660nm laser irradiation. Quantitative real-time PCR showed increased expression levels of an apoptosis-related gene (bax) and heat stress-related gene (hsp70) in RERF-LC-AI cells treated with polyhistidine peptide-modified AuNPs and laser. Our findings highlight the efficacy of AuNPs modified with H16 peptide in PTT.
•CGH16 peptide was used as a DDS carrier to develop tumor-selective AuNPs.•AuNPs-CGH16 are efficiently internalized into RERF-LC-AI human lung cancer cells.•AuNPs-CGH16 showed cytotoxicity to RERF-LC-AI cells under 660nm laser irradiation.•Cytotoxic mechanism of AuNPs-CGH16 was the induction of heat stress and apoptosis.•AuNPs-CGH16 shows human lung cancer cells-selective PTT efficacy.
Abstract Novel biological adhesives made from chitin derivatives were prepared and evaluated for their adhesive properties and biocompatibility. Chitin derivatives with acrylic groups, such as ...2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropylated carboxymethyl chitin (HMA-CM-chitin), were synthesized and cured by the addition of an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution as a radical initiator. The adhesive strength of HMA-CM-chitin increased when it was blended with chitin nanofibers (CNFs) or surface-deacetylated chitin nanofibers (S-DACNFs). HMA-CM-chitin/CNFs or HMA-CM-chitin/S-DACNFs have almost equal adhesive strength compared to that of a commercial cyanoacrylate adhesive. Moreover, quick adhesion and induction of inflammatory cells migration were observed in HMA-CM-chitin/CNF and HMA-CM-chitin/S-DACNF. These findings indicate that the composites prepared in this study are promising materials as new biological adhesives.
Chitin (β-(1-4)-poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) is widely distributed in nature and is the second most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose. It is often converted to its more deacetylated derivative, ...chitosan. Previously, many reports have indicated the accelerating effects of chitin, chitosan, and its derivatives on wound healing. More recently, chemically modified or nano-fibrous chitin and chitosan have been developed, and their effects on wound healing have been evaluated. In this review, the studies on the wound-healing effects of chitin, chitosan, and its derivatives are summarized. Moreover, the development of adhesive-based chitin and chitosan are also described. The evidence indicates that chitin, chitosan, and its derivatives are beneficial for the wound healing process. More recently, it is also indicate that some nano-based materials from chitin and chitosan are beneficial than chitin and chitosan for wound healing. Clinical applications of nano-based chitin and chitosan are also expected.
Artemisinin and its derivatives, including artesunate (ART) and artemether (ARM), exert anticancer effects in the micromolar range in drug and radiation-resistant cell lines. Artemisinin has been ...reported to sensitize cervical cancer cells to radiotherapy. In the present study, we determined whether ART and ARM could enhance the cytotoxicity of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) against the mammary tumor cells of mice. The corrected PpIX fluorescence intensities in the control, 5-ALA, 5-ALA + ART, and 5-ALA + ARM groups were 3.385 ± 3.730, 165.7 ± 33.45, 139.0 ± 52.77, and 165.4 ± 51.10 a.u., respectively. At light doses of 3 and 5 J/cm
, the viability of 5-ALA-PDT-treated cells significantly decreased with ART (
< 0.01 and
< 0.01) and ARM treatment (
< 0.01 and
< 0.01). Besides, the number of annexin V-FITC and ethidium homodimer III-positive cells was greater in the 5-ALA-PDT with ARM group than that in the other groups.
-acetylcysteine could not significantly inhibit the percentages of apoptotic cells or inviable cells induced by 5-ALA-PDT with ARM. These reactive oxygen species-independent mechanisms might enhance cytotoxicity in 5-ALA-PDT with ARM-treated tumor cells, suggesting that the use of 5-ALA-PDT with ARM could be a new strategy to enhance PDT cytotoxicity against tumor cells. However, as these results are only based on in vitro studies, further in vivo investigations are required.
A 21-year-old female spotted seal (Phoca largha), with a swollen abdomen, had a five-month history of anorexia and vomiting. Ultrasonography revealed an extended mass with central necrotic foci in ...the right cranial abdomen. Computed tomography revealed an abdominal mass with a low-density central lumen and a pulmonary nodular lesion. Cytology of an abdominal specimen collected through fine-needle aspiration indicated a malignant tumor with round, atypical cells with large nuclei. Three days after diagnosis, necropsy revealed a 10-cm large, solid, whitish mass in the pancreatic parenchyma and multiple small nodules in the liver, spleen, mesentery, lungs, and mediastinal lymph nodes. Histopathological analysis showed prolific neoplastic cells with marked atypia and occasional keratinization. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the neoplastic cells were positive for cytokeratin AE1/AE3 antibody. Thus, the seal was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, of presumed pancreatic origin, which had metastasized to multiple organs.
This study investigated the prophylactic effects of orally administered surface-deacetylated chitin nanofibers (SDACNFs) and chitosan against 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced intestinal mucositis, which ...is a common side effect of 5-FU chemotherapy. SDACNFs and chitosan abolished histological abnormalities associated with intestinal mucositis and suppressed hypoproliferation and apoptosis of intestinal crypt cells. These results indicate that SDACNF and chitosan are useful agents for preventing mucositis induced by anti-cancer drugs.
PDF
