Chitosan nanoparticle carrying small interfering RNA to platelet-derived growth factor B mRNA inhibits proliferation of smooth muscle cells in rabbit injured arteries

Development of mRNA nano-vaccines for COVID-19 prevention and its biochemical interactions with various disease conditions and age groups

This review has focused on the development of mRNA nano-vaccine and the biochemical interactions of anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccines with various disease conditions and age groups. It studied five major groups of individuals with different disease conditions and ages, including allergic background, infarction background, adolescent, and adult (youngsters), pregnant women, and elderly. All five groups had been reported to have background-related adverse effects. Allergic background individuals were observed to have higher chances of experiencing allergic reactions and even anaphylaxis. Individuals with an infarction background had a higher risk of vaccine-induced diseases, e.g. pneumonitis and interstitial lung diseases. Pregnant women were seen to suffer from obstetric and gynecological adverse effects after receiving vaccinations. However, interestingly, the elderly individuals (> 65 years old) had experienced milder and less frequent adverse effects compared to the adolescent (<19 and >9 years old) and young adulthood (19-39 years old), or middle adulthood (40-59 years old) age groups, while middle to late adolescent (14-17 years old) was the riskiest age group to vaccine-induced cardiovascular manifestations.

Non-coding RNAs to treat vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction

Vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) dysfunction is a critical contributor to cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, restenosis and vein graft failure. Recent advances have unveiled a fascinating range of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that play a pivotal role in regulating vSMC function. This review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms underlying vSMC dysfunction and the therapeutic potential of various ncRNAs in mitigating this dysfunction, either preventing or reversing it. We explore the intricate interplay of microRNAs, long-non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs, shedding light on their roles in regulating key signalling pathways associated with vSMC dysfunction. We also discuss the prospects and challenges associated with developing ncRNA-based therapies for this prevalent type of cardiovascular pathology.

Nanoparticles in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular aging and related diseases

Aging-induced alternations of vasculature structures, phenotypes, and functions are key in the occurrence and development of vascular aging-related diseases. Multiple molecular and cellular events, such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, cellular senescence, and epigenetic alterations are highly associated with vascular aging physiopathology. Advances in nanoparticles and nanotechnology, which can realize sensitive diagnostic modalities, efficient medical treatment, and better prognosis as well as less adverse effects on non-target tissues, provide an amazing window in the field of vascular aging and related diseases. Throughout this review, we presented current knowledge on classification of nanoparticles and the relationship between vascular aging and related diseases. Importantly, we comprehensively summarized the potential of nanoparticles-based diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in vascular aging and related diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, as well as chronic kidney diseases, and discussed the advantages and limitations of their clinical applications.

Application of the Nano-Drug Delivery System in Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become a serious threat to human life and health. Though many drugs acting via different mechanism of action are available in the market as conventional formulations for the treatment of CVDs, they are still far from satisfactory due to poor water solubility, low biological efficacy, non-targeting, and drug resistance. Nano-drug delivery systems (NDDSs) provide a new drug delivery method for the treatment of CVDs with the development of nanotechnology, demonstrating great advantages in solving the above problems. Nevertheless, there are some problems about NDDSs need to be addressed, such as cytotoxicity. In this review, the types and targeting strategies of NDDSs were summarized, and the new research progress in the diagnosis and therapy of CVDs in recent years was reviewed. Future prospective for nano-carriers in drug delivery for CVDs includes gene therapy, in order to provide more ideas for the improvement of cardiovascular drugs. In addition, its safety was also discussed in the review.

Preparation of Targeted Anionic Lipid-Coated Polyplexes for MicroRNA Delivery

As nonviral nucleic acid delivery vehicles, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been widely used. Here we describe the synthesis and evaluation of LNPs based on targeted anionic lipid-coated polyplexs for therapeutic delivery of microRNA (miRNA) mimics. These LNPs are particularly suited for therapeutic delivery of oligonucleotide agents to leukemia cells.

Cardiac-targeting transfection of tissue-type plasminogen activator gene to prevent the graft thrombosis and vascular anastomotic restenosis after coronary bypass

AIM

To observe the tissue-type plasminogen activator gene (t-PA) plasmid packaged with albumin nanoparticles crosslinked to albumin ultrasound microbubbles for targeting transfection to myocardium to prevent the graft thrombosis and vascular anastomotic restenosis after coronary bypass.

METHODS

A dog model of coronary bypass using the autoallergic saphenous vein as the graft was made. A highly expressive t-PA gene plasmid packaged with albumin nanoparticles crosslinked to albumin ultrasound microbubbles was constructed. Targeting myocardial transfection was performed with this gene vector under the aid of therapeutic ultrasound(1MHz, 1.5 w/cm2, 6minutes, intravenously) after the bypass. The expression of t-PA in myocardium was detected with a multiclonal antibody to t-PA by the indirect immunohistochemical method. Venous blood t-PA and D-dimer contents were tested before and 1, 2 and 4weeks after the operation. The effects of this gene vector on thrombosis of the grafts and the coronary intimal hyperplasia around the anastomotic stoma were observed using a routine pathological examination, a morphometry for intimal thickness and area and the immuno-histochemical stain with a monoclonal antibody to PCNA for estimating the intimal SMC proliferation.

RESULTS

The effective expression of t-PA protein by myocardium was obtained, followed by the persistent raises of blood t-PA and D-dimer 1, 2 and 4weeks after the transfection. Thrombosis of the grafts was successfully restrained. The expression of PCNA by coronary intimal vSMCs and intimal hyperplasia were remarkablely reduced.

CONCLUSION

This t-PA gene targeting vector could be used to prevent the dog thrombosis, which provided the experimental identification for prevention on human thrombotic diseases.