Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu capsule alleviates myocardial fibrosis by improving endothelial cell dysfunction

Background and aim

Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu (ZL) capsule is a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with satisfactory curative effects. Endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction plays an important role during myocardial fibrosis (MF). But the therapeutic effect of ZL capsule on EC dysfunction remains unknown in the development of MF. This study aims to investigate the effect of ZL capsule on EC dysfunction during MF in vivo.

Experimental procedure

The model of MF is established in vivo by injecting isoproterenol for 14 days, simultaneously, we examined the therapeutic effect of ZL capsule on MF in vivo. An integrative approach combining biomarker examination, echocardiography and myocardial fibrosis condition using Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson staining, and Sirius red staining were performed to assess the efficacy of ZL capsule against MF. Subsequently, comprehensive immunofluorescence staining was performed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of ZL capsule on EC dysfunction.

Results and conclusion

Prior to experiments, analysis of the published single-cell sequencing data was performed and it was discovered that EC dysfunction plays an important role. Further pharmacological results showed that ZL capsule could alleviate fibrosis injury and collagen fiber deposition. The mechanism investigation results showed that the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and MHC class-II (MHC-II) expression in EC were improved. In addition, ZL capsule can attenuate the inflammatory response during MF by intervening the activation of CD4+T cell mediated by EC. For the first time, we provided evidence that ZL capsule could improve MF by alleviating EC dysfunction via the regulation of EndMT and expression of MHC-II.

Taxonomy classification by evise

Myocardial fibrosis, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Endothelium, dysfunction, Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Graphene quantum dot doped viscoelastic lyotropic liquid crystal nanocolloids for antibacterial applications

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are prepared and characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL). GQDs are doped (5 mg and 10 mg) in the lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) lamellar and hexagonal phases to prepare GQD/LLC nanocolloids. Polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurement reveals that GQDs do not affect the lamellar and hexagonal LLC structures and may organize on their interface. Pure LLC phases and nanocolloids are studied for steady and dynamic rheological behavior. LLC phases and GQD/LLC nanocolloids possess shear thinning and frequency dependent liquid viscoelastic behavior. A complex moduli study of LLCs and GQD/LLC nanocolloids is carried out which indicates the gel to viscous transition in LLCs and GQD/LLC nanocolloids as a function of frequency. LLC phases and GQD/LLC nanocolloids are tested for antibacterial activity against Listeria ivanovii. The effect of surfactant concentration, LLC phase geometry and GQD concentration has been studied and discussed. A probable mechanism for the strong antimicrobial activity of LLCs and GQD/LLC nanocolloids is presented considering intermolecular interactions. The viscoelastic behavior and strong antibacterial activity (inhibition zone 49.2 mm) of LLCs and GQD/LLC nanocolloids make them valuable candidates for lubrication, cleaning, cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications.

Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Copper Nanoclusters Driven by Cationic Surfactants

Amphiphilicity is an excellent physicochemical property, which is yet to be explored from traditional surfactants to nanoparticles. This article shows that the amphiphilicity of copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) can be readily tuned by electrostatic interactions with cationic surfactants and cetyltrimethylammonium cations (CTA⁺) with counterions Br^-, Cl^-, and C₇H₈O₃S^-. Due to the role of surface ligands, the complexes of glutathione-capped CuNCs (GSH-CuNCs) and the surfactants exhibit good amphiphilicity, which enables them to self-assemble like a molecular amphiphile. This could significantly increase the utility of metal nanoclusters in basic and applied research. As the concentration of the surfactant changes, the aggregates change from nanoparticles to network-like structures. After the formation of supramolecular self-assemblies by hydrophobic interactions, the enhancement of fluorescence intensity was observed, which can be ascribed to the suppression of intramolecular vibrations based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and combined with the compactness of GSH-CuNCs in self-assemblies. Our study provides a facile way to generate solid fluorescent materials with excellent fluorescence performance, which may find applications in light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Red Emissive Carbon Dots Prepared from Polymers as an Efficient Nanocarrier for Coptisine Delivery in vivo and in vitro

Negatively charged fluorescent carbon dots (CDs, E_m =608 nm) were hydrothermally prepared from thiophene phenylpropionic acid polymers and then successfully loaded with the positively charged anticancer cargo coptisine, which suffers from poor bioavailability. The formed CD-coptisine complexes were thoroughly characterized by particle size, morphology, drug loading efficiency, drug release, cellular uptake and cellular toxicity in vitro and antitumor activities in vivo. In this nano-carrier system, red emissive CDs possess multiple advantages as follows: 1) high drug loading efficiency (>96 %); 2) sustained drug release; 3) enhanced drug efficacy towards cancer cells; 4) EPR effect; 5) drug release tracing with near-infrared imaging. These properties indicated that red emissive CDs prepared from polymers could be used as a novel drug delivery system with integrated therapeutic and imaging functions in cancer therapy, which are expected to have great potential in future clinical applications.