Structural characterization and in vitro immunogenicity evaluation of amphibian-derived collagen type II from the cartilage of Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus)

Macrophage immunomodulatory activity of Acanthopanax senticousus polysaccharide nanoemulsion via activation of P65/JNK/ikkαsignaling pathway and regulation of Th1/Th2 Cytokines

Nanoemulsions (NE) are used widely in pharmaceutical drug formulations and vaccine preparation, and Acanthopanax senticousus polysaccharide (ASPS) is a natural bioactive compound with immunostimulatory activity. Therefore, NE-loaded ASPS is expected to provide immunological enhancement for effective treatment. In the present study, Acanthopanax senticousus polysaccharide (ASPS was encapsulated into nanoemulsions, the resultant ASPS-NE were coated with a negative charge, and the immune enhancement mechanism of these ASPS-NE formulations was analyzed. The immunosuppressive animal models (70 ICR mice, male) for the study were established using cyclophosphamide. In addition, the activation of splenocyte proliferation, phagocytosis of the macrophages, the ratio of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺, the concentrations of the cytokines in serum, Western blot analysis was used for the analysis of the P65/JNK/ikk α signaling pathway in the peritoneal macrophage s. The results revealed that the ASPS-NE could stimulated the proliferation of splenocytes and enhance immunity. The ASPS-NE induced the expression of different cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-6), could activate the expressions of P65, JNK, and ikkα, and regulated the Th1/Th2 cytokines. These findings demonstrated the potential of ASPS-NE formulations for drug delivery and to induce potent and sustained immune responses.

Collagen-based biocomposites inspired by bone hierarchical structures for advanced bone regeneration: ongoing research and perspectives

Bone is a hard-connective tissue composed of matrix, cells and bioactive factors with a hierarchical structure, where the matrix is mainly composed of type I collagen and hydroxyapatite. Collagen fibers assembled by collagen are the template for mineralization and make an important contribution to bone formation and the bone remodeling process. Therefore, collagen has been widely clinically used for bone/cartilage defect regeneration. However, pure collagen implants, such as collagen scaffolds or sponges, have limitations in the bone/cartilage regeneration process due to their poor mechanical properties and osteoinductivity. Different forms of collagen-based composites prepared by incorporating natural/artificial polymers or bioactive inorganic substances are characterized by their interconnected porous structure and promoting cell adhesion, while they improve the mechanical strength, structural stability and osteogenic activities of the collagen matrix. In this review, various forms of collagen-based biocomposites, such as scaffolds, sponges, microspheres/nanoparticles, films and microfibers/nanofibers prepared by natural/synthetic polymers, bioactive ceramics and carbon-based materials compounded with collagen are reviewed. In addition, the application of collagen-based biocomposites as cytokine, cell or drug (genes, proteins, peptides and chemosynthetic) delivery platforms for proangiogenesis and bone/cartilage tissue regeneration is also discussed. Finally, the potential application, research and development direction of collagen-based biocomposites in future bone/cartilage tissue regeneration are discussed.

Quality Characteristics and Moisture Mobility of Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus) Jerky during Roasting Process

Quality attributes and water mobility of giant salamander jerkies (GSJs) during roasting process (160°C, for 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 min) were investigated. The results showed that $a^{\ast },b^{\ast }$ values and shear force increased of GSJs roasting from 20 to 80 min, while $L^{\ast }$ , yield, and moisture content decreased significantly ( $p<0.05$ ). Sensory assessment showed that GSJs at a roasting time of 40–60 min had higher scores. GSJs contained great amount of healthy unsaturated fatty acids (including DHA and EPA), and the total amino acids and essential amino acids were among 59.33–71.77 g·100 g−1 and 25.94–31.40 g·100 g−1, respectively. The mobility of the immobilized moisture and free moisture were shrunk dramatically during roasting. The proton density weighted images also exhibited the moisture shrinkage during roasting. In addition, T22 and T23 were positively correlated with MRI signal, moisture content, and yield of GSJs, but negatively correlated with shear force and overall acceptability, respectively. Thus, in view of various quality attributes and sensory evaluation, a roasting time of 40–60 min was favored for nutritive GSJs production. LF-NMR and MRI might be employed to profile the quality characteristics during roasting as a rapid and nondestructive analytical tool.