Effects of amphiphilic star-shaped poly(ethylene glycol) polymers with a cholic acid core on human red blood cell aggregation

Dacarbazine-Loaded Targeted Polymeric Nanoparticles for Enhancing Malignant Melanoma Therapy

Dacarbazine (DTIC) dominates chemotherapy for malignant melanoma (MM). However, the hydrophobicity, photosensitivity, instability, and toxicity to normal cells of DTIC limit its efficacy in treating MM. In the present study, we constructed star-shaped block polymers nanoparticles (NPs) based on Cholic acid -poly (lactide-co-glycolide)-b-polyethylene glycol (CA-PLGA-b-PEG) for DTIC encapsulation and MM targeted therapy. DTIC-loaded CA-PLGA-b-PEG NPs (DTIC-NPs) were employed to increase the drug loading and achieve control release of DTIC, followed by further modification with nucleic acid aptamer AS1411 (DTIC-NPs-Apt), which played an important role for active targeted therapy of MM. In vitro, DTIC-NPs-Apt showed good pH-responsive release and the strongest cytotoxicity to A875 cells compared with DTIC-NPs and free DTIC. In vivo results demonstrated that the versatile DTIC-NPs-Apt can actively target the site of MM and exhibited excellent anti-tumor effects with no obvious side effects. Overall, this research provided multi-functional NPs, which endow a new option for the treatment of MM.

Bioinks for 3D bioprinting: an overview

Bioprinting is an emerging technology with various applications in making functional tissue constructs to replace injured or diseased tissues. It is a relatively new approach that provides high reproducibility and precise control over the fabricated constructs in an automated manner, potentially enabling high-throughput production. During the bioprinting process, a solution of a biomaterial or a mixture of several biomaterials in the hydrogel form, usually encapsulating the desired cell types, termed the bioink, is used for creating tissue constructs. This bioink can be cross-linked or stabilized during or immediately after bioprinting to generate the final shape, structure, and architecture of the designed construct. Bioinks may be made from natural or synthetic biomaterials alone, or a combination of the two as hybrid materials. In certain cases, cell aggregates without any additional biomaterials can also be adopted for use as a bioink for bioprinting processes. An ideal bioink should possess proper mechanical, rheological, and biological properties of the target tissues, which are essential to ensure correct functionality of the bioprinted tissues and organs. In this review, we provide an in-depth discussion of the different bioinks currently employed for bioprinting, and outline some future perspectives in their further development.

Paclitaxel-loaded star-shaped copolymer nanoparticles for enhanced malignant melanoma chemotherapy against multidrug resistance

Malignant melanoma (MM) is the most dangerous type of skin cancer with annually increasing incidence and death rates. However, chemotherapy for MM is restricted by low topical drug concentration and multidrug resistance. In order to surmount the limitation and to enhance the therapeutic effect on MM, a new nanoformulation of paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded cholic acid (CA)-functionalized star-shaped poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)-D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) nanoparticles (NPs) (shortly PTX-loaded CA-PLGA-TPGS NPs) was fabricated by a modified method of nanoprecipitation. The particle size, zeta potential, morphology, drug release profile, drug encapsulation efficiency, and loading content of PTX-loaded NPs were detected. As shown by confocal laser scanning, NPs loaded with coumarin-6 were internalized by human melanoma cell line A875. The cellular uptake efficiency of CA-PLGA-TPGS NPs was higher than those of PLGA NPs and PLGA-TPGS NPs. The antitumor effects of PTX-loaded NPs were evaluated by the MTT assay in vitro and by a xenograft tumor model in vivo, demonstrating that star-shaped PTX-loaded CA-PLGA-TPGS NPs were significantly superior to commercial PTX formulation Taxol®. Such drug delivery nanocarriers are potentially applicable to the improvement of clinical MM therapy.

RBC aggregation in dextran solutions can be measured by flow cytometry

The impact of macromolecules on RBC aggregation continues to be of interest, nevertheless present measurements still have limitations and need improvement. We applied flow cytometry to measure RBC aggregation in dextran T500 (Dx500) solution. The samples were fixed in the aggregated state by glutaraldehyde. Fixed RBC exhibit auto fluorescence, which can be detected by flow cytometry. Single cells, doublets, triplets and larger aggregates can be distinguished quantitatively and quickly due to the correlation between auto fluorescence intensity and number of RBC per measured event. With the increase in concentration of Dx500, percentages of all aggregates and bigger aggregates increased significantly at concentration of 2%, 4% and 6%, while decreased when the concentration reached 8% and 10%. The percentage of bigger aggregates in concentration of 4% was higher than that in 2% and 6%. The data of flow cytometry was confirmed by microscopic observation and are in good agreement with the literature. The method provide additional advantages to the conventional measurement of RBC aggregation. It gets the distribution of single cells and aggregates as derived from the microscopic observation with hematocrit of physiological level. It uses sample volume as 1/5∼1/10 as needed in sendimentation and photometricmethods.

The Effect of Covalently-Attached ATRP-Synthesized Polymers on Membrane Stability and Cytoprotection in Human Erythrocytes

Erythrocytes have been described as advantageous drug delivery vehicles. In order to ensure an adequate circulation half-life, erythrocytes may benefit from protective enhancements that maintain membrane integrity and neutralize oxidative damage of membrane proteins that otherwise facilitate their premature clearance from circulation. Surface modification of erythrocytes using rationally designed polymers, synthesized via atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), may further expand the field of membrane-engineered red blood cells. This study describes the fate of ATRP-synthesized polymers that were covalently attached to human erythrocytes as well as the effect of membrane engineering on cell stability under physiological and oxidative conditions in vitro. The biocompatible, membrane-reactive polymers were homogenously retained on the periphery of modified erythrocytes for at least 24 hours. Membrane engineering stabilized the erythrocyte membrane and effectively neutralized oxidative species, even in the absence of free-radical scavenger-containing polymers. The targeted functionalization of Band 3 protein by NHS-pDMAA-Cy3 polymers stabilized its monomeric form preventing aggregation in the presence of the crosslinking reagent, bis(sulfosuccinimidyl)suberate (BS3). A free radical scavenging polymer, NHS-pDMAA-TEMPO˙, provided additional protection of surface modified erythrocytes in an in vitro model of oxidative stress. Preserving or augmenting cytoprotective mechanisms that extend circulation half-life is an important consideration for the use of red blood cells for drug delivery in various pathologies, as they are likely to encounter areas of imbalanced oxidative stress as they circuit the vascular system.

Delivery of drugs bound to erythrocytes: new avenues for an old intravascular carrier

For several decades, researchers have used erythrocytes for drug delivery of a wide variety of therapeutics in order to improve their pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, controlled release and pharmacodynamics. Approaches include encapsulation of drugs within erythrocytes, as well as coupling of drugs onto the red cell surface. This review focuses on the latter approach, and examines the delivery of red blood cell (RBC)-surface-bound anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and anti-microbial agents, as well as RBC carriage of nanoparticles. Herein, we discuss the progress that has been made in surface loading approaches, and address in depth the issues relevant to surface loading of RBC, including intrinsic features of erythrocyte membranes, immune considerations, potential surface targets and techniques for the production of affinity ligands.