Fabrication of hyaluronic acid-inulin coated Enterococcus faecium for colon-targeted delivery to fight Fusobacterium nucleatum

The abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is highly associated with the development and poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is regarded as a promising target for CRC. However, until now, the novel strategy to clear F. nucleatum in the colon and CRC has not been well proposed. Herein, a probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium, EF47) is verified to secrete various organic acids and bacteriocins to exert superior antimicrobial activity towards F. nucleatum. However, the oral delivery of EF47 is affected by the complex digestive tract environment, so we design the hyaluronic acid-inulin (HA-IN) coated EF47 for colon-targeted delivery to fight F. nucleatum. IN can protect EF47 from the harsh gastrointestinal tract environment and is degraded specifically in the colon, acting as prebiotics to further promote the proliferation of EF47. The exposed HA can also enhance the targeting effect to the tumor area via the interaction with the CD44 receptor on the tumor cells, which is confirmed to increase the adhesive ability in tumor tissues and inhibit the growth of F. nucleatum. Therefore, this colon-targeted delivery system provides a novel platform to realize high-activity and adhesive delivery of probiotics to assist the therapeutic efficiency of CRC.

[Orofacial myofunctional reeducation assisted by a prefabricated reeducation appliance: towards a necessary paradigm shift]

INTRODUCTION

Orofacial myofunctional reeducation (OFMR) is the rehabilitation of the muscles, functions and resting postures of the orofacial complex. It is used in the therapeutic management of orofacial dysfunction in patients of all ages and with a wide range of disorders and comorbidities.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this article was to advocate the association of orofacial myofunctional reeducation (OFMR) with the use of prefabricated reeducation appliances (PRAs) in orthodontics.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A summary of published data was carried out and the conclusions of a cross-sectional epidemiological study were reported. The aim of the study was to assess the current state of orofacial myofunctional rehabilitation in orthodontics in France. Consideration was given to the relevance of the arguments put forward by manufacturers regarding the specific features of their devices and their supposed effects.

RESULTS

Published data, albeit of uneven methodological quality, seem to show the superiority of orofacial myofunctional reeducation combined with the use of a prefabricated reeducation appliance (PRA), compared with the use of OFMR without PRA. A new, more effective, simpler and less time-consuming approach to PRA-assisted OFMR is proposed. The project for a new model of prefabricated reeducation appliance is presented. Ten clinical cases are presented to illustrate the clinical and administrative aspects of this PRA-assisted RMOF. Original clinical approaches are also presented: mandibular disocclusion and recentering wedges (MDRW), anti-retrusion wedges (ARW) and sequential multi-attachment bonding (SMB), mandibular then maxillary.

CONCLUSION

PRA-assisted OFMR appears to be a necessary paradigm shift, which it would be useful to offer our patients.

Apparent diffusion coefficient as an effective index for the therapeutic efficiency of brain chemoradiotherapy for brain metastases from lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The potential of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value alteration before and after chemoradiotherapy as a potential monitor for therapeutic efficiency of treatment for brain metastases from lung cancer were discussed.

METHOD

Thirty lung cancer patients with brain metastases, conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were performed one week before chemoradiotherapy and after one treatment cycle and two treatment cycles. 43 tumor lesions were divided into effective group and invalid group according to the changes of the tumor size. The differences in ADC values at different time points before and after treatment in each treatment group were analyzed.

RESULT

The maximum diameter of the tumor was no difference after one treatment cycle, but decreased after two treatment cycles. ADC values significantly increased after both one and two treatment cycles. In effective group, the ADC values were significantly increased after one and two treatment cycles. While, there are no difference in invalid group after one treatment cycle but decreased after two treatment cycles. ΔADC values in effective group after one and two treatment cycles were both significantly higher than those in the invalid group. ROC curve analysis then revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of ΔADC after one treatment was 0.872.

CONCLUSION

ADC values in brain metastases from lung cancer can help monitor and dynamically observe the therapeutic efficiency of whole brain chemoradiotherapy.

The therapeutic potential of three-dimensional multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell spheroids

The efficiency of clinical trials involving transplantation of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is often insufficient due to harsh conditions present within the target tissue including hypoxia, low nutrient supply as well as inflammatory reactions. This indicates the necessity for optimization of cell-based therapy approaches which might include either modification of the cell manufacturing process or specific cell pretreatment procedures prior to transplantation. Recent reports confirm evidence that the aggregation of MSCs into three-dimensional (3D) multicellular spheroids results in enhancement of the overall therapeutic potential of cells, by improving the anti-inflammatory and angiogenic properties, stemness and survival of MSCs after transplantation. Such an MSCs spheroid generation approach may open new opportunities for the enlargement of MSCs applications in clinical research and therapy. However, the unification and optimization of 3D spheroid generation techniques, including the selection of appropriate clinical-grade culture conditions and methods for their large-scale production, are still of great importance. The current review addresses questions regarding therapeutic-associated properties of 3D multicellular MSCs spheroids in vitro and during preclinical animal studies, with special attention to the possibilities of translating these research achievements toward further clinical manufacturing and applications.