Novel cardiovascular magnetic resonance oxygenation approaches in understanding pathophysiology of cardiac diseases

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) permits accurate phenotyping of many cardiac diseases. CMR’s inherent advantages are its non‐invasive nature, lack of ionizing radiation and high accuracy and reproducibility. Furthermore, it is able to assess many aspects of cardiac anatomy, structure and function. Specifically, it can characterize myocardial tissue, myocardial function, myocardial mass, myocardial blood flow/perfusion, irreversible and reversible injury, all with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility. Hence, CMR is a powerful tool in clinical and pre‐clinical research. In recent years there have been novel advances in CMR myocardial tissue characterization. Oxygenation‐sensitive CMR (OS‐CMR) is a novel non‐invasive, contrast independent technique that permits direct quantification of myocardial tissue oxygenation, both at rest and during stress. In this review, we will address the principles of the OS‐CMR technique, its recent advances and summarize the studies in the effects of oxygenation on cardiac diseases.     

Chitosan-based zinc oxide nanoparticle for enhanced anticancer effect in cervical cancer: A physicochemical and biological perspective

In this study, chitosan-assembled zinc oxide nanoparticle (CZNP) was successfully prepared for evaluated for its anticancer efficacy against cervical cancer cells. The CZNP particles were nanosized and spherical in shape. The zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZNP) and CZNP showed significant cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Results showed that the enhanced cytotoxicity was mainly attributed to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the cancer cells. The apoptosis assay further revealed that apoptosis was the main reason behind the cell killing effect of the zinc oxide nanoparticles. The apoptosis was further confirmed by the nuclear chromatin assay. Live dead assay showed increased red fluorescent cell for CZNP treated cancer cells. Overall, metal oxide present in nanoparticulate dimensions will be advantageous in imparting the cytotoxicity to cervical cancer cell.     

Therapeutic targets for altering mitochondrial dysfunction associated with diabetic retinopathy

Introduction: Retinopathy remains as one of the most feared blinding complications of diabetes, and with the prevalence of this life-long disease escalating at an alarming rate, the incidence of retinopathy is also climbing. Although the cutting edge research has identified many molecular mechanisms associated with its development, the exact mechanism how diabetes damages the retina remains obscure, limiting therapeutic options for this devastating disease.

Areas covered: This review focuses on the central role of mitochondrial dysfunction/damage in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, and how damaged mitochondria initiates a self-perpetuating vicious cycles of free radicals. We have also reviewed how mitochondria could serve as a therapeutic target, and the challenges associated with the complex double mitochondrial membranes and a well-defined blood-retinal barrier for optimal pharmacologic/molecular approach to improve mitochondrial function.

Expert opinion: Mitochondrial dysfunction provides many therapeutic targets for ameliorating the development of diabetic retinopathy including their biogenesis, DNA damage and epigenetic modifications. New technology to enhance pharmaceuticals uptake inside the mitochondria, nanotechnology to deliver drugs to the retina, and maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis via lifestyle changes and novel therapeutics to prevent epigenetic modifications, could serve as some of the welcoming avenues for a diabetic patient to target this sight-threatening disease.     

Nanomagnetic Modulation of Tumor Redox State

Modulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in a tumor could be exploited for nanotherapeutic benefits. We investigate the antitumor effect in Walker-256 carcinosarcoma of magnetic nanodots composed of doxorubicin-loaded Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles combined with electromagnetic fields. Treatment using the magnetic nanodot with the largest hysteresis loop area (3402 erg/g) had the greatest antitumor effect with the minimum growth factor 0.49 ± 0.02 day^–1 (compared to 0.58 ± 0.02 day^–1 for conventional doxorubicin). Electron spin resonance spectra of Walker-256 carcinosarcoma treated with the nanodots, indicate an increase of 2.7 times of free iron (that promotes the formation of highly reactive oxygen species), using the nanodot with the largest hysteresis loop area, compared to conventional doxorubicin treatment as well as increases in ubisemiquinone, lactoferrin, NO-FeS-proteins. Hence, we provide evidence that the designed magnetic nanodots can modulate the tumor redox state. We discuss the implications of these results for cancer nanotherapy.