Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Kashif Hussain, Abdul Jabbar, Khwaja Ali Hasan, Muneeb Ali, Zaheer Ul-Haq, Muhammad Raza Shah, Saeed Ahmad Khan, Md Abdur Rashid, Mohsin Kazi, Muhammad Naseer Abbas
Summary: Due to the low solubility of hydrophobic drugs, nonionic surfactants are used to improve their solubility by entrapping them in lipid bilayers. Two newly synthesized nonionic surfactants, NODNH-16 and NODNH-18, were characterized and demonstrated good drug entrapment efficiency. They also showed biocompatibility and low blood hemolysis, making them safe for use. The antifungal potential of niosomes loaded with amphotericin B has been evaluated, showing promising fungicidal activity and providing a safe vehicle system for drug delivery.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Andrea Hernandez, Jeffrey D. D. Hartgerink, Simon Young
Summary: Self-assembling peptides are promising biomaterials in biomedicine and material sciences due to their biocompatibility and controlled release properties. They can form versatile nanostructures in response to molecular interactions and mimic biological functions, offering a combinatorial therapy for cytokines and drugs. However, there are challenges to be addressed for their wide application in the clinic. This article describes the characteristics and current applications of self-assembling peptides in immunomodulatory therapeutics.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xinyi Li, Mengjie Ye, Yong-E. Gao, Shengxin Hou, Peng Jia, Peng Xue, Yuejun Kang, Zhigang Xu
Summary: Nanoparticle-based theranostics have become a preferential technology for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This study introduces a drug delivery system based on natural silk fibroin (SF NPs). It has been evaluated and found to have high stability, universal drug delivery ability, and good biosafety both in vitro and in vivo.
ADVANCED FIBER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jawad Ur Rehman, Imdad Ali, Salim Saifullah, Shafi Ullah, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Raza Shah
Summary: Self-assembling amphiphilic molecules, synthesized from naturally occurring flavonoids, have shown promising applications in drug delivery by efficiently encapsulating drugs and enhancing oral bioavailability. Through experimental verification, these novel amphiphiles have been demonstrated to successfully form nanostructures for drug delivery, ultimately improving the oral bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jialin Chen, Wujun Wang, Yue Wang, Xiushuang Yuan, Chengzhi He, Pengfei Pei, Shengdi Su, Weihong Zhao, Shi-Zhong Luo, Long Chen
Summary: Water insolubility is a significant challenge for many small molecule drugs in clinical applications. Two branched amphiphilic peptides (BAPs) were designed using computer-aided methods for drug-loading through peptide self-assembly. The BAPs could self-assemble into nano-fibrils or bilayer delimited nano-vesicles, and showed high drug-loading efficiency and entrapment efficiency. The carriers could prolong drug release and exhibit pH-triggered release. Moreover, they demonstrated increased cytotoxicity against cancer cells, possibly due to their targeting ability towards cancer overexpressed integrins. The designed BAP carriers represent a promising approach for targeted drug delivery and can improve the clinical use of small molecule drugs with poor water solubility.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Dandan Zhu, Huanle Zhang, Yuanzheng Huang, Baoping Lian, Chi Ma, Lili Han, Yu Chen, Shengmei Wu, Ning Li, Wenjie Zhang, Xiaoxuan Liu
Summary: The drug-delivery nanosystem based on amphiphilic peptide dendrimers effectively overcomes drug resistance and improves the uptake and release of anticancer drugs, offering new hope for cancer therapy.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Haofei Ji, Qubo Zhu
Summary: Smart nanomaterials, constructed through DNA self-assembly, exhibit precise structures and diverse functions. They can be classified into static structures and dynamic reactions, serving as the basis for building smart nanomaterials. These materials, with good biocompatibility and stability, have wide applications in drug delivery.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiunan Yu, Hao Wang, Xin Liu, Le Huang, Na Song, Yanqiu Song, Xiaowei Mo, Shaofeng Lou, Linqi Shi, Zhilin Yu
Summary: This study reports the assembly of synergistic peptide-drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer metastasis. The conjugates were created by co-assembling a protein-derived therapeutic peptide with paclitaxel, resulting in remarkable therapeutic effects and tumor-targeting properties.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sara La Manna, Concetta Di Natale, Valentina Onesto, Daniela Marasco
Summary: Self-assembling peptides are a novel class of agents with versatile applications in the biomedical field. They exhibit biocompatibility and molecular recognition capabilities, making them suitable for drug delivery and tissue engineering purposes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Manuela Curcio, Orazio Vittorio, Jessica Lilian Bell, Francesca Iemma, Fiore Pasquale Nicoletta, Giuseppe Cirillo
Summary: This review focuses on the unique application of self-assembling nanoparticles (SANPs) based on hyaluronic acid (HA) in cancer therapy. By combining the targeting activity of HA towards cancer cells with the advantages of self-assembling nanosystems, these SANPs can be used to fabricate delivery devices. The review analyzes the pros and cons of different nanosystems based on HA and discusses the most promising strategies for further research and therapeutic protocol development.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Huilei Dong, Mingshui Wang, Shihui Fan, Chuanliu Wu, Chunhui Zhang, Xia Wu, Bin Xue, Yi Cao, Junjie Deng, Dan Yuan, Junfeng Shi
Summary: This study reports the folding of a thiol-rich peptide into an amphiphilic beta-hairpin conformation through the formation of two hetero-disulfide bonds, and its subsequent self-assembly into a hydrogel. It is the first case of using multiple disulfide bonds to control conformational change and self-assembly, providing a cell-compatible hydrogel material for potential biomedical applications.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gagandeep Singh, Gaya S. Dasanayake, Claylee M. Chism, Priyavrat Vashisth, Amandeep Kaur, Sandeep Kumar Misra, Joshua S. Sharp, Eden E. L. Tanner
Summary: Achieving safe and efficacious drug delivery remains a challenge, and this study presents a promising approach using biocompatible GBILs to modify the surface of PLGA nanoparticles. The modified nanoparticles showed enhanced uptake by breast cancer cells and could potentially serve as a versatile platform for targeted drug delivery and gene therapy applications.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Rui Li, Qing-Ling Zhou, Min-Rui Tai, Kathryn Ashton-Mourney, Mathew I. I. Harty, Aaqil Rifai, Clare L. L. Parish, David R. R. Nisbet, Sai-Yi Zhong, Richard J. J. Williams
Summary: Bioinspired self-assembly is a bottom-up strategy that can create nanostructured biogels with biological sophistication, capable of mimicking natural tissue. These self-assembling peptides (SAPs) form supramolecular nanostructures that intertwine to create hydrogel materials, which can serve as versatile frameworks for cell and tissue engineering scaffolds. SAPs are programmable and can be designed to possess innate biocompatibility, biodegradability, synthetic feasibility, biological functionality, and responsiveness to external stimuli. They can be used independently or in combination with other molecules to recreate complex biological functions in a simplified framework.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mingming Li, Yanqiu Song, Na Song, Guangyao Wu, Hao Zhou, Jiafu Long, Pengcheng Zhang, Linqi Shi, Zhilin Yu
Summary: Mitochondrion-targeting therapy has great potential in cancer treatment, but limited therapeutic efficiency is a challenge. A mitochondrion-targeting supramolecular antagonist was developed, inducing tumor cell death by promoting apoptosis and preventing survival simultaneously. The combined therapeutic effect of the BH3 domain and CPT drug in the supramolecular antagonist efficiently inhibits tumor growth.
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Feng Wang, Wenyao Zhang, Hao Li, Xiaonan Chen, Sining Feng, Ziqing Mei
Summary: Developing dressings that can accelerate the healing of diabetic wounds is of great clinical significance. Nanoparticles have significant advantages in promoting wound healing due to their antibacterial properties, low cytotoxicity, good biocompatibility, and drug delivery ability. Adding nanoparticles to dressings and using them to deliver drugs and cytokines has been proven to be effective.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NANOMEDICINE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Fisheries
Brian Dixon, Rafael Rosa
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Shawna L. Semple, George Heath, Carina T. Filice, Daniel D. Heath, Brian Dixon
Summary: The study assessed the immune performance of inbred and outbred/hybrid crosses of Chinook salmon after challenge with the marine pathogen Vibrio anguillarum. Significant differences in mortality were observed between different crosses, with hybrids showing better survival having more individuals with a heterozygous genotype. Additionally, stress induced during infection resulted in signs of Bacterial Kidney Disease in some individuals, suggesting chronic co-infection may have contributed to susceptibility.
AQUACULTURE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biology
Carolina Figueroa, Debora Torrealba, Byron Morales-Lange, Luis Mercado, Brian Dixon, Pablo Conejeros, Gabriela Silva, Carlos Soto, Jose A. Gallardo
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of two commercial vaccines against two prevalent genetic variants of Piscirickettsia salmonis. The vaccines were found to be ineffective in providing protection. Further research is needed to explore the impact of pathogen heterogeneity on vaccine efficacy.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenwen Cai, Hugh J. MacIsaac, Runbing Xu, Jinlong Zhang, Xiaofu Pan, Yuanwei Zhang, Junxing Yang, Brian Dixon, Jiaojiao Li, Yuanyan Zi, Xuexiu Chang
Summary: This study investigated the neurotoxicity and toxicity mechanisms of Microcystis aeruginosa exudates (MaE) on embryos of the endangered fish Sinocyclocheilus grahami. The results showed that MaE affected the development of fish embryos, leading to malformation and mortality while decreasing fertilization rate. MaE also inhibited fish neurobehavior and affected gene and protein expression of neurotransmitters and receptors.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Joseph F. A. Varga, Sascha R. Brunner, Grant Cheng, Daniel Min, Marc G. Aucoin, Andrew C. Doxey, Brian Dixon
Summary: In this study, a novel antimicrobial peptide (AMP) derived from rainbow trout von Willebrand Factor was identified using computational methods, showing antibacterial activity against Streptococcus iniae. The findings improve understanding of fish immune responses towards zoonotic pathogens.
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Paula Valenzuela-Aviles, Debora Torrealba, Carolina Figueroa, Luis Mercado, Brian Dixon, Pablo Conejeros, Jose Gallardo-Matus
Summary: This article discusses the reasons for the low efficacy of vaccines against the severe disease piscirickettsiosis in the Chilean salmon industry. Extrinsic factors including chronic stress, such as biotic and abiotic factors, and farm-management factors are considered as reasons for vaccine failure. Intrinsic factors including fish-related and pathogen-related factors are also discussed. Recommendations for improving vaccine efficacy are provided.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Adriano A. P. Cunha, Shawn R. Garner, Erin Ingoldsby, Brian Dixon, Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton, Rosemary Knapp, Bryan D. Neff
Summary: Prolactin and 11-ketotestosterone are important reproductive hormones in fishes, but our experiment on bluegill fish showed no significant relationship between these hormones and immunocompetence measures.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huming Guo, Lindy Whitehouse, Roy Danzmann, Brian Dixon
Summary: Higher water temperatures and pathogens have negative effects on the welfare of teleost fish. Early-life thermal preconditioning can improve thermotolerance, but its effects on the immune system are not well understood. In this experiment, thermal preconditioned rainbow trout were subjected to a secondary thermal challenge and various measurements were taken. The results showed changes in transcript levels and lower cortisol levels in the preconditioned animals compared to the control group.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Fuguo Liu, Brian Dixon, Maria del Mar Ortega-Villaizan, Carolina Tafalla, Hongsen Xu, Christopher J. Secombes, Tiehui Wang
Summary: This study compared the gene expression profiles of proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines in eight different rainbow trout cell lines, including three epithelial cell lines, one endothelial cell line, one fibroblast cell line, two stromal cell lines, and one monocyte/macrophage-like cell line. The study found that certain cytokines were mainly expressed in leukocytes, while others were not expressed in these cells. The investigation of these cell lines provides a valuable database for studying cytokine function in fish and confirms the phenotypic relationship of these cell types at the molecular level.
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Vimbai Irene Machimbirike, Ignacio Vasquez, Trung Cao, Joy Chukwu-Osazuwa, Oluwatoyin Onireti, Cristopher Segovia, Pongsak Khunrae, Triwit Rattanarojpong, Marije Booman, Simon Jones, Manuel Soto-Davila, Brian Dixon, Javier Santander
Summary: This study investigates the genetic differences and evolution of the most common fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum serotype O1. The O1 strain has two chromosomes and two typical plasmids. Furthermore, the O1 strain displays resistance to colistin sulphate, which differs from the O2 serotype and may be attributed to the ugd gene. The study also reveals that the genetic heterogeneity in the O-antigen biosynthesis gene cluster is characterized by the absence or presence of unique genes, which could result in differences in immune evasion mechanisms among serotypes.
Article
Fisheries
Valentina Wong-Benito, Jill de Rijke, Brian Dixon
Summary: This article summarizes the structural and functional aspects of antigen presentation pathways in vertebrates, with a focus on MHC receptors and other related proteins.
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Aaron P. Frenette, Tania Rodriguez-Ramos, Fabio Zanuzzo, Devyn Ramsay, Shawna L. Semple, Cheryl Soulliere, Tania Rodriguez-Cornejo, George Heath, Emily McKenzie, Jack Iwanczyk, Mark Bruder, Marc G. Aucoin, A. Kurt Gamperl, Brian Dixon
Summary: In this study, a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to accurately measure the concentration of IL-1 beta protein in salmonids. By comparing changes in IL-1 beta protein levels to the expression of its mRNA, a more accurate and complete understanding of IL-1 beta's role in the immune response of salmonids can be achieved.
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Paulina Bustos, Carolina Figueroa, Barbara Cadiz, Tamara Santander, Brian Dixon, Jose A. Gallardo, Pablo Conejeros
Summary: Recently, it was found that Atlantic salmon vaccinated against Piscirickettsia salmonis lose their protection when co-infected with Caligus rogercresseyi. The reasons for this effect and the molecular basis of the immune responses in vaccinated salmon during C. rogercresseyi infection have not been determined. In this study, changes in immune gene expression were investigated in vaccinated Atlantic salmon co-infected with C. rogercresseyi and P. salmonis. The results showed that the co-infection had a similar effect on immune gene expression as a single P. salmonis infection, suggesting a decreased cellular response. However, some individual fish exhibited a significantly higher immune response, indicating variation in vaccine efficacy.
JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Janet Velazquez, Tania Rodriguez-Cornejo, Tania Rodriguez-Ramos, Geysi Perez-Rodriguez, Laura Rivera, James Hugh Campbell, Lowia Al-Hussinee, Yamila Carpio, Mario Pablo Estrada, Brian Dixon
Summary: PACAP has been found to have antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects in fish, making it a potential alternative to antibiotics in the aquaculture industry. The study demonstrates that PACAP can directly inhibit bacterial growth and pre-treatment with low concentrations of the peptide significantly suppresses infection.
Article
Fisheries
James Hugh Campbell, Xiaoqing Dang, Tania Rodriguez-Ramos, Yamila Carpio, Mario P. Estrada, Brian Dixon
Summary: Recent research suggests that PACAP may be a potential antimicrobial and immune stimulating agent for use in aquaculture. However, its effects on teleost immunity are not well understood. This study explored the effects of PACAP on Atlantic salmon macrophage cells and found that it increased the expression of il-1beta when administered prior to LPS stimulation. Furthermore, PACAP also increased the expression of il-1beta and tnf-alpha in cells challenged with heat-killed Flavobacterium columnare. The study also investigated the mechanism underlying the enhanced il-1beta expression and found that it was not mediated by cAMP accumulation, but rather by phospholipase C activity. These findings suggest that fish may utilize PACAP receptors differently than mammals, but PACAP still exhibits immunostimulatory effects in fish.
FISH AND SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY REPORTS
(2023)