Na(+) Micro-Current Value Detection as a New Modality for Identification of Benign and Malignant Disease in Surgery

A Novel Fibromodulin Antagonist Peptide RP4 Exerts Antitumor Effects on Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Fibromodulin (FMOD) is the main proteoglycan that contributes to extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling by binding to matrix molecules, thereby playing an essential role in tumor growth and metastasis. There are still no useful drugs that target FMOD for CRC treatment in clinics. Here, we first used public whole-genome expression datasets to analyze the expression level of FMOD in CRC and found that FMOD was upregulated in CRC and associated with poor patient prognosis. We then used the Ph.D.-12 phage display peptide library to obtain a novel FMOD antagonist peptide, named RP4, and tested its anti-cancer effects of RP4 in vitro and in vivo. These results showed that RP4 inhibited CRC cell growth and metastasis, and promoted apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo by binding to FMOD. In addition, RP4 treatment affected the CRC-associated immune microenvironment in a tumor model by promoting cytotoxic CD8+ T and NKT (natural killer T) cells and inhibiting CD25+ Foxp3+ Treg cells. Mechanistically, RP4 exerted anti-tumor effects by blocking the Akt and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. This study implies that FMOD is a potential target for CRC treatment, and the novel FMOD antagonist peptide RP4 can be developed as a clinical drug for CRC treatment.

Recent Progress in Microneedles-Mediated Diagnosis, Therapy, and Theranostic Systems

Theranostic system combined diagnostic and therapeutic modalities is critical for the real-time monitoring of disease-related biomarkers and personalized therapy. Microneedles, as a multifunctional platform, are promising for transdermal diagnostics and drug delivery. They have shown attractive properties including painless skin penetration, easy self-administration, prominent therapeutic effects, and good biosafety. Herein, an overview of the microneedles-based diagnosis, therapies, and theranostic systems is given. Four microneedles-based detection methods are concluded based on the sensing mechanism: i) electrochemistry, ii) fluorometric, iii) colorimetric, and iv) Raman methods. Additionally, robust microneedles are suitable for implantable drug delivery. Microneedles-assisted transdermal drug delivery can be primarily classified as passive, active, and responsive drug release, based on the release mechanisms. Microneedles-assisted oral and implantable drug delivery mechanisms are also presented in this review. Furthermore, the key frontier developments in microneedles-mediated theranostic systems as the major selling points are emphasized in this review. These systems are classified into open-loop and closed-loop theranostic systems based on the indirectness and directness of feedback between the transdermal diagnosis and therapy, respectively. Finally, conclusions and future perspectives for next-generation microneedles-mediated theranostic systems are also discussed. Taken together, microneedle-based systems are promising as the new avenue for diagnosis, therapy, and disease-specific closed-loop theranostic applications.