A visible fluorescent nanovaccine based on functional genipin crosslinked ovalbumin protein nanoparticles

Accurate and efficient antigen delivery is crucial for inducing a strong and long-term immune response. A visible protein nanovaccine made from antigen could provide a novel and promising technology for secure and efficient delivery of the antigen with imaging visualization. In this study, a functional nanovaccine based on genipin crosslinked ovalbumin (OVA) fluorescent nanoparticles with chitosan (CS-OVA-NPs) was developed. The nanovaccine can carry abundant antigens by self-crosslinking without additional carriers. The fluorescence imaging technique was applied to monitor and reveal the process of antigen delivery in vivo based on the fluorescence of genipin with a non-invasive and real-time manner. This functional OVA nanovaccine can enhance the uptake of OVA in Dendritic Cells (DCs) and further promote DCs to maturate in vitro. In vivo study further indicated CS-OVA-NPs could trigger antigen-specific immune responses, which demonstrated that this fluorescent nanovaccine provided a novel design approach for accurate and efficient vaccine delivery.     

Pulmonary delivery of polyplexes for combined PAI-1 gene silencing and CXCR4 inhibition to treat lung fibrosis

This report describes the development of polyplexes based on CXCR4-inhibiting poly(ethylenimine) derivative (PEI-C) for pulmonary delivery of siRNA to silence plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (siPAI-1) as a new combination treatment of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Safety and delivery efficacy of the PEI-C/siPAI-1 polyplexes was investigated in vitro in primary lung fibroblasts isolated from mice with bleomycin-induced PF. Biodistribution analysis following intratracheal administration of fluorescently labeled polyplexes showed prolonged retention in the lungs. Treatment of mice with bleomycin-induced PF using the PEI-C/siPAI-1 polyplexes resulted in a significant down-regulation of the PAI-1 expression and decreased collagen deposition in the lung. The results of this study provide first evidence of the potential benefits of combined inhibition of CXCR4 and PAI-1 in the pulmonary treatment of PF.     

Nano-topography: Quicksand for cell cycle progression?

The 3-D spatial and mechanical features of nano-topography can create alternative environments, which influence cellular response. In this paper, murine fibroblast cells were grown on surfaces characterized by protruding nanotubes. Cells cultured on such nano-structured surface exhibit stronger cellular adhesion compared to control groups, but despite the fact that stronger adhesion is generally believed to promote cell cycle progression, the time cells spend in G1 phase is doubled. This apparent contradiction is solved by confocal microscopy analysis, which shows that the nano-topography inhibits actin stress fiber formation. In turn, this impairs RhoA activation, which is required to suppress the inhibition of cell cycle progression imposed by p21/p27. This finding suggests that the generation of stress fibers, required to impose the homeostatic intracellular tension, rather than cell adhesion/spreading is the limiting factor for cell cycle progression. Indeed, nano-topography could represent a unique tool to inhibit proliferation in adherent well-spread cells.     

Detection of Memory B Activity Against a Therapeutic Protein in Treatment-Naïve Subjects

Bridging immunoassays commonly used to detect and characterize immunogenicity during biologic development do not provide direct information on the presence or development of a memory anti-drug antibody (ADA) response. In this study, a B cell ELISPOT assay method was used to evaluate pre-existing ADA for anti-TNFR1 domain antibody, GSK1995057, an experimental biologic in treatment naive subjects. This assay utilized a 7-day activation of PBMCs by a combination of GSK1995057 (antigen) and polyclonal stimulator followed by GSK1995057-specific ELISPOT for the enumeration of memory B cells that have differentiated into antibody secreting cells (ASC) in vitro. We demonstrated that GSK1995057-specific ASC were detectable in treatment-naïve subjects with pre-existing ADA; the frequency of drug-specific ASC was low and ranged from 1 to 10 spot forming units (SFU) per million cells. Interestingly, the frequency of drug-specific ASC correlated with the ADA level measured using an in vitro ADA assay. We further confirmed that the ASC originated from CD27⁺ memory B cells, not from CD27^?-naïve B cells. Our data demonstrated the utility of the B cell ELISPOT method in therapeutic protein immunogenicity evaluation, providing a novel way to confirm and characterize the cell population producing pre-existing ADA. This novel application of a B cell ELISPOT assay informs and characterizes immune memory activity regarding incidence and magnitude associated with a pre-existing ADA response.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vitro</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vivo</Emphasis> Dose Response of Ursolic Acid,Sulforaphane, PEITC,and Curcumin in Cancer Prevention

According to the National Center of Health Statistics, cancer was the culprit of nearly 600,000 deaths in 2016 in the USA. It is by far one of the most heterogeneous diseases to treat. Treatment for metastasized cancers remains a challenge despite modern diagnostics and treatment regimens. For this reason, alternative approaches are needed. Chemoprevention using dietary phytochemicals such as triterpenoids, isothiocyanates, and curcumin in the prevention of initiation and/or progression of cancer poses a promising alternative strategy. However, significant challenges exist in the extrapolation of in vitro cell culture data to in vivo efficacy in animal models and to humans. In this review, the dose at which these phytochemicals elicit a response in vitro and in vivo of a multitude of cellular signaling pathways will be reviewed highlighting Nrf2-mediated antioxidative stress, anti-inflammation, epigenetics, cytoprotection, differentiation, and growth inhibition. The in vitro-in vivo dose response of phytochemicals can vary due, in part, to the cell line/animal model used, the assay system of the biomarker used for the readout, chemical structure of the functional analog of the phytochemical, and the source of compounds used for the treatment study. While the dose response varies across different experimental designs, the chemopreventive efficacy appears to remain and demonstrate the therapeutic potential of triterpenoids, isothiocyanates, and curcumin in cancer prevention and in health in general.