Application of ultrasound-mediated adapalene-coated lysozyme-shelled microbubbles in UVA-induced skin photoaging

Specnuezhenide ameliorates ultraviolet-induced skin photoaging in mice by regulating the Sirtuin 3/8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase signal

PURPOSE

Ultraviolet-induced skin photoaging was involved in DNA oxidative damage. Specnuezhenide, one of the secoiridoids extracted from Ligustri Lucidi Fructus, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Whether specnuezhenide ameliorates skin photoaging remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of specnuezhenide on skin photoaging induced by ultraviolet and explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Mice were employed to treat with ultraviolet to induce skin photoaging, then administrated 10 and 20 mg/kg of specnuezhenide. Histological analysis, protein expression, network pharmacology, and autodock analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

Specnuezhenide ameliorated ultraviolet-induced skin photoaging in mice via the increase in collagen contents, and decrease in epidermal thickness, malondialdehyde content, and β-galactosidase expression in the skin. Specnuezhenide reduced cutaneous apoptosis and inflammation in mice with skin photoaging. In addition, network pharmacology data indicated that specnuezhenide possessed potential targets on the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. Validation experiment found that specnuezhenide inhibited the expression of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3, gasdermin D-C1, and Caspase 1. Furthermore, the expression of 8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), and superoxide dismutase 2 was increased in specnuezhenide-treated mice with photoaging.

CONCLUSION

Specnuezhenide protected against ultraviolet-induced skin photoaging in mice via a probable activation of SIRT3/OGG1 signal.

Panax ginseng Meyer cv. Silvatica phenolic acids protect DNA from oxidative damage by activating Nrf2 to protect HFF-1 cells from UVA-induced photoaging

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Long-wave ultraviolet A (UVA) causes skin aging by damaging the fine structures of the skin, such as elastic fibers and collagen fibers, through oxidation. Currently, the use of plant extracts to protect skin from photoaging is a popular method. Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer exerts commendable anti-photoaging and antioxidant effects. P. ginseng Meyer cv. Silvatica, also known as forest ginseng (FG), is a type of ginseng cultivated by artificially simulating the growth environment of wild ginseng aged >15 years. However, there are only a few reports on its anti-photoaging effect on the skin caused by UVA stimulation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate whether isolated and extracted FG can inhibit skin photoaging as well as to explore its action mechanism.

METHODS

The FG extract (FGE) was obtained from the supernatant of FG after water extraction and alcohol precipitation with the D101 resin. The composition and content of phenolic acids in FGE were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The MTT assay was performed to detect cell viability. The ratio of SA-β-GAL-positive cells, CoL-I level, 8-OHdG concentration, MDA, GSH, GPx, SOD, and CAT activity were measured using relevant kits. Furthermore, cell cycle alterations and ROS accumulation were assessed by flow cytometry. The expressions of p53, p21, p16, and Keap1 protein were detected by Western blotting. The Nrf2 translocation was monitored by immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that FGE significantly restored UVA injury-induced cell viability, reduced the proportion of SA-β-GAL-positive cells, and increased the level of CoL-I secretion in a dose-dependent manner, where the main ingredients were chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, salicylic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid. Further studies indicated that this phenolic acid mixture (PAM) could alleviate UVA-induced HFF-1 cell cycle arrest and protect the DNA from oxidative damage caused by UVA stimulation. Moreover, the expressions of cell cycle regulatory proteins p53, p21, and p16 and the accumulation of ROS were inhibited, the translocation of Nrf2 into the nucleus was promoted, the expression of Keap1 protein was inhibited, the activity of intracellular antioxidant indicators GSH, GPx, SOD, and CAT was enhanced, and the expression of malondialdehyde (MDA) was inhibited.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, our results demonstrated that FG phenolic acids protect DNA from oxidative damage by activating Nrf2 to safeguard the skin from photoaging induced by UVA stimulation.

Diagnosis of Idiopathic Premature Ovarian Failure by Color Doppler Ultrasound under the Intelligent Segmentation Algorithm

The aim of this study was to explore the application value of transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound based on the improved mean shift algorithm in the diagnosis of idiopathic premature ovarian failure (POF). In this study, 80 patients with idiopathic POF were selected and included in the experimental group, and 40 volunteers who underwent health examinations during the same period were selected and included in the control group, who underwent transvaginal Doppler ultrasound examination. At the same time, an improved mean shift algorithm was proposed based on artificial intelligence technology and applied to ultrasound image processing. In addition, the ovarian artery parameters of patients were compared in two groups, including peak systolic flow rate (PSV), diastolic flow rate (EDV), resistance index (RI), and pulsatile index (PI). The results showed that the relative difference degree (RDD) of the segmentation results of the algorithm in this study was significantly lower than that of Snake, Live_wire, and the traditional mean shift algorithm, while the relative overlap degree (ROD) and Dice coefficient were opposite, and the differences were significant (P<0.05). The mediolateral diameter of control group was 2.87±0.31cm, and the anteroposterior diameter was 1.86±0.28 cm; while those were 2.11±0.36 cm and 1.13±0.34 cm, respectively, in the experimental group, showing significant differences between the groups (P<0.05). Of the 80 patients in the experimental group, 132 cases with ovarian arteries were found; among 40 patients in the experimental group, 76 cases were found with ovarian arteries, and the hemodynamic detection rate of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). The ovarian artery parameters PI, RI, and S/D of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The results showed that the segmentation results of the improved algorithm in this study were more superior to the segmentation results of other algorithms. The regional information loss of the segmentation results was not serious, and the resolution was higher and the definition was higher. The transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound based on the artificial intelligence segmentation algorithm can clearly show the functional status and hemodynamics of the patient's ovaries. The ovarian artery parameters PI and RI can be used as specific indicators for evaluating the POF.

Making waves: how ultrasound-targeted drug delivery is changing pharmaceutical approaches

Administration of drugs through oral and intravenous routes is a mainstay of modern medicine, but this approach suffers from limitations associated with off-target side effects and narrow therapeutic windows. It is often apparent that a controlled delivery of drugs, either localized to a specific site or during a specific time, can increase efficacy and bypass problems with systemic toxicity and insufficient local availability. To overcome some of these issues, local delivery systems have been devised, but most are still restricted in terms of elution kinetics, duration, and temporal control. Ultrasound-targeted drug delivery offers a powerful approach to increase delivery, therapeutic efficacy, and temporal release of drugs ranging from chemotherapeutics to antibiotics. The use of ultrasound can focus on increasing tissue sensitivity to the drug or actually be a critical component of the drug delivery. The high spatial and temporal resolution of ultrasound enables precise location, targeting, and timing of drug delivery and tissue sensitization. Thus, this noninvasive, non-ionizing, and relatively inexpensive modality makes the implementation of ultrasound-mediated drug delivery a powerful method that can be readily translated into the clinical arena. This review covers key concepts and areas applied in the design of different ultrasound-mediated drug delivery systems across a variety of clinical applications.

Network-Based Approaches Reveal Potential Therapeutic Targets for Host-Directed Antileishmanial Therapy Driving Drug Repurposing

Leishmania parasites are the causal agent of leishmaniasis, an endemic disease in more than 90 countries worldwide. Over the years, traditional approaches focused on the parasite when developing treatments against leishmaniasis. Despite numerous attempts, there is not yet a universal treatment, and those available have allowed for the appearance of resistance. Here, we propose and follow a host-directed approach that aims to overcome the current lack of treatment. Our approach identifies potential therapeutic targets in the host cell and proposes known drug interactions aiming to improve the immune response and to block the host machinery necessary for the survival of the parasite. We started analyzing transcription factor regulatory networks of macrophages infected with Leishmania major. Next, based on the regulatory dynamics of the infection and available gene expression profiles, we selected potential therapeutic target proteins. The function of these proteins was then analyzed following a multilayered network scheme in which we combined information on metabolic pathways with known drugs that have a direct connection with the activity carried out by these proteins. Using our approach, we were able to identify five host protein-coding gene products that are potential therapeutic targets for treating leishmaniasis. Moreover, from the 11 drugs known to interact with the function performed by these proteins, 3 have already been tested against this parasite, verifying in this way our novel methodology. More importantly, the remaining eight drugs previously employed to treat other diseases, remain as promising yet-untested antileishmanial therapies. IMPORTANCE This work opens a new path to fight parasites by targeting host molecular functions by repurposing available and approved drugs. We created a novel approach to identify key proteins involved in any biological process by combining gene regulatory networks and expression profiles. Once proteins have been selected, our approach employs a multilayered network methodology that relates proteins to functions to drugs that alter these functions. By applying our novel approach to macrophages during the Leishmania infection process, we both validated our work and found eight drugs already approved for use in humans that to the best of our knowledge were never employed to treat leishmaniasis, rendering our work as a new tool in the box available to the scientific community fighting parasites.

Recent Advances Regarding the Therapeutic Potential of Adapalene

Adapalene (ADP) is a representative of the third retinoids generation and successfully used in first-line acne treatment. ADP binds to retinoic acid nuclear receptors. The comedolytic, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory are the known ADP effects. Its safety profile is an advantage over other retinoids. ADP recently was found to be effective in the treatment of several dermatological diseases and photoaging besides the utility in the treatment of acne vulgaris. New biological effects of adapalene with therapeutic potential are highlighted in this review paper. Thus, adapalene could be a valuable therapeutic drug into the treatment of several types of cancer. Additionally, some neurodegenerative diseases could be treated with a suitable formulation for intravenous administration. The antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of an analogue of ADP has been proven. In different therapeutic schemes, ADP is more effective in combination with other active substances. New topical combinations with adapalene include ketoconazole (antifungal), mometasone furoate (anti-inflammatory corticosteroid), nadifloxacin (fluoroquinolone), and alfa and beta hydroxy acids. Combination with oral drugs is a new trend that enhances the properties of topical formulations with adapalene. Several studies have investigated the effects of ADP in co-administration with azithromycin, doxycycline, faropenem, isotretinoin, and valganciclovir. Innovative formulations of ADP also aim to achieve a better bioavailability, increased efficacy, and reduced side effects. In this review, we have highlighted the current studies on adapalene regarding biological effects useful in various treatment types. Adapalene has not been exploited yet to its full biological potential.