In this study, we developed a novel liposome-silica hybrid nano-carrier for tumor combination therapy via oral route, using paclitaxel and cyclosporine as a model drug pair. Optimization of the preparation of the drug-loading formulation and characterization of its physicochemical parameters and drug release profile were performed in vitro. Then in vivo pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics studies were performed. The results showed that the obtained formulation has a small particle size (mean diameter of 100.2 +/- 15.2 nm), a homogeneous distribution [the polydispersity index was (0.251 +/- 0.018)] and high encapsulation efficiency (90.15 +/- 2.47) % and (80.64 +/- 3.52) % for paclitaxel and cyclosporine respectively with a mild and easy preparation process. A sequential drug release trend of cyclosporine prior to palictaxel was observed. The liposome-silica hybrid nano-carrier showed good biocompatibility in vivo and co-delivery of cyclosporine and paclitaxel significantly enhanced the oral absorption of paclitaxel with improved anti-tumor efficacy, suggesting a promising approach for multi-drug therapy against tumor and other serious diseases via oral route.

Objective To prepare insulin-containing chitosan-thioglycollic acid conjugates microspheres and evaluate their hypoglycemic effect.Methods The insulin-containing chitosan-thioglycollic acid conjugates microspheres were prepared by the dry-in-oil method using the chitosan-thioglycollic acid conjugates which the content of thiol group was 983?mol?g-1.The hypoglycemic effect of the microsphere was evaluated by drug release test in vitro and hypoglycemic test on hyperglycemic rats.Results The insulin-containing chitosan-thioglycollic acid conjugates microspheres with an average diameter of 13?m were administered by intraduodenal and intraileal application,and gave visible decrease in plasma glucose level in 4h at a dose of 20IU?kg-1.The relative bioavailability of the latter compared to hypodermic injection was 29.9%.Couclusion The results showed that the bioavailability of oral insulin could be facilitated by insulin-containing chitosan-thioglycollic acid conjugates microspheres,and good biological availability was obtained when the microspheres were administered by intraileal application.

Objective : To investigate the quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS in Hangzhou City and analyze the influencing factors, so as to provide insights into the control of AIDS. Methods : From 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2018, the demographic characteristics, medical expenditures and disease status were collected from HIV/AIDS patients living in Hangzhou City, and the quality of life was assessed using the simplified Chinese version of Medical Outcomes Study-HIV Health Survey ( MOS-HIV ). Factors affecting the quality of life were identified among HIV/AIDS patients using multivariable linear regression analysis. Results : A total of 2 808 HIV/AIDS patients were surveyed, including 1 684 cases with HIV infections and 1 124 cases with AIDS. The participants included 2 510 men ( 89.39% ) and 298 women ( 10.61% ), and were predominantly at ages of 25 to 39 years ( 1 531 cases, 54.52% ). The physical and mental health scores were 53.87±6.96 and 46.03±9.09, respectively. Multivariable linear regression analysis identified age, average monthly income, self-paid medical expenses during the past year, and the latest CD4+T cell count as factors affecting physical and mental health ( P<0.05 ). Conclusions The quality of life is low among people living with HIV/AIDS in Hangzhou City, and is associated with age, income, medical expenditures and CD4+T cell count.

In the face of escalating problems with pathogen control, the development of proper formulations of existing antibiotics is as important as the development of novel antibiotics. Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic with potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Currently, only injectable solution of daptomycin has been approved for clinical use. In the present study, the formulation of PEGylated liposomal daptomycin (PLD) was prepared and optimized, and its efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA252) strains was investigated. The obtained PLD had a mean vesicle diameter of (111.5 +/- 15.4) nm and a mean percent drug loading of (5.81 +/- 0.19) % with high storage stability. Potent activity of PLD against MRSA was demonstrated in vitro with a more sustained effect than that of conventional liposomal daptomycin and daptomycin solution. In addition, intravenous administration of a single dose (equal to human use) of PLD significantly increased the survival of mice in a MRSA252 systemic infection model compared with other formulations. Drug distribution in the lung was significantly enhanced following administration of PLD, and no measurable tissue lesions or pathological changes were detected during PLD treatment. Taken together, PEGylated liposomes loaded with daptomycin may represent a promising approach to reduce MRSA252 infections, especially those involving bloodstream dissemination, such as hematogenous pulmonary infection.

Objective To investigate whether the malignant transformation of macrophages ( Mφ) in glioma mesenchyme was induced by the fusion of glioma cells ( SU3 ) and Mφ.Methods SU3 cells transfected with red fluorescent protein genes were co-cultured in vitro with Mφexpressing enhanced green fluorescent protein.The cell lineages with RFP+/GFP+dual-color fluorescence were established by using monoclonal selection method.A series of tests for analyzing cancer-related phenotypes, tumorigenicity and specific markers for murine macrophage were performed.Results (1) A few of dual-color fluorescent cells were observed in the co-culture.Three monoclonal cell lineages (C3, C4 and C12) were obtained success-fully.(2) Three types of cells including RFP+, EGFP+and RFP+/EGFP+cells were formed during the cul-ture of monoclonal C12 cell lineage.The percentage of EGFP+cells was increased along the extended culture time and increased passages.Then, EGFP+cells gradually became the predominant cell population.Nota-bly, the percentage of RFP+/EGFP+cells were decreased and maintained at a low level, but the RFP+cells almost disappeared.(3) EGFP+cells from monoclonal C12 cell lineage showed the malignant characteristics such as loss of contact inhibition, rapid proliferation andchromosome aneuploidy, as well as high tumorigenic rate in nude mice (5/5).They also expressed macrophage specific marker CD68 and showed a large number of telocentric chromosomes.Conclusion The results of this study suggested that the malignant transforma-tion of host macrophages as previously observed in solid tumor might be induced by cell fusion occurred be-tween human glioma cells and macrophages.Along with the previous evidences showing the isolation of the malignantly transformed macrophages ( ihCTC) from solid tumor tissue of tumor-bearing mice, the results confirmed an objective existence of malignant transformation of host macrophages in tumor microenvironment. The malignant transformation of host cells induced by fusion with tumor cells revealed not only a new under-standing for the progression of tumor and cancer heterogeneity, but also new targets for cancer therapy.

Objective Research on the relation between the content of thiol group in chitosan-thioglycolic acid conjugates and in vitro adhesion. Methods Prepared chitosan-thioglycolic acid conjugates with different content of thiol group,and determined the swelling behavior,instant detachment force between test disc and mucosa,recorded the maximum detachment force(MDF),and calculated the total work of adhesion(TWA)of these samples.Results The relation between the content of thiol groups and in vitro adhesion of the chitosan-thioglycolic acid conjugates was positive correlation, the adhesion of the polymer increased along with the content of thiol group,but the rate decreased.Conclusion The adhesion of chitosan-thioglycolic acid conjugates with higher content of thiol gyoup was far more stronger than chitosan.

Objective To establish a new congenic inbred mouse strain carrying and expressing EGFP and Foxn1nugene for cancer research including human glioma as well .Methods According to criterion of GB14923-2010, the male Foxn1nu nude mice backcross the female C57BL/6-Tg (CAG-EGFP) transgenic mice for 10 times, Then identify the phenotype using the methods and equipment as below: fluorescent flashlight and matching glasses; multifunction vivo imager; fluorescence microscopy.Results The congenic inbred mouse strain named Foxn1nu.B6-CAG-EGFP/SU ( Soochow University ) .All the 14 biochemical loci are homozygous and same with Balb/c mouse in addition to the Pep3 loci (“b” type instead of “a” type).Peripheral blood lymphocyte count shows the lymphocytes occupy 15%of nucleated cells;T lymphocytes occupy 0.3%, meet the requirement of inbred strain of EGFP nude mice .Conclusions Established a new congenic inbred strain -Foxn1nu.B6-CAG-EGFP/SU which both express EGFP stably, and own immunodeficiency with lack of T lymphocytes .The phenotype “b” of biochemical loci “Pep3” is the unique characteristic that distinguish SU to Foxn1nu.

Objective : To investigate the HIV-1 molecular transmission network among school students with newly confirmed HIV/AIDS in Hangzhou City from 2020 to 2021, so as to provide insights into AIDS control in school. Methods : School students with newly confirmed HIV/AIDS in Hangzhou City from 2020 to 2021 were sampled, and participants' demographics and epidemiological survey data were retrieved from the HIV/AIDS Control Information System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The HIV-1 pol gene was amplified in participants' blood samples using reverse transcription (RT) and nested PCR assays, and the HIV subtypes were characterized through multiple sequence alignments. The gene sequences were aligned among newly confirmed HIV/AIDS patients in Hangzhou City during the same study period. The genetic distance was estimated using the software MEGA 11, and the molecular transmission network was created using the software Cytoscape 3.9.1 to analyze the characteristics of clustered cases in the network. Results: A total of 99 school students were newly confirmed with HIV/AIDS in Hangzhou City from 2020 to 2021, including 98 men (98.98%), and 94 men who had sex with men (94.94%). The HIV-1 pol gene sequence was successfully amplified from 87 cases, and four HIV-1 subtypes were characterized, including CRF07_BC (49 cases, 56.32%), CRF01_AE (27 cases, 31.03%), CRF55_01B (6 cases, 6.90%) and CRF67_01B (5 cases, 5.75%). There were 30 molecular clusters in 50 MSM, with 2 to 16 cases in each cluster, and 27 molecular clusters associated with non-student cases, and clustered cases were all MSM. Infection route, location of schools and current address of non-student cases were identified as factors affecting case clustering, and the residence of schools was an important area of activity among clustered HIV/AIDS cases. Conclusions CRF07_BC and CRF01_AE were predominant HIV-1 subtypes among school students with newly confirmed HIV/AIDS in Hangzhou City from 2020 to 2021, and the transmission of HIV/AIDS strongly correlated with non-student cases, with men-men sexual behaviors as the predominant transmission route. The interventions for of MSM is recommended to be reinforced to block the transmission of HIV/AIDS from community to schools.

OBJECTIVETo establish red-green dual-color fluorescence glioma model in nude mice and to explore its practical values.

METHODSCM-DiI-stained rat glioma C6 cells (C6-CM- DiI cells) expressing red fluorescence were inoculated into the brain of athymic nude mice expressing green fluorescence protein (NC-C57BL/6J-EGFP). Then the whole-body dual-color fluorescence imaging was detected dynamically. Finally whole brains of the tumor-bearing mice were removed and 5 µm thick serial frozen slices were made. Light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy were performed to observe the transplanted tumor tissue structure and fluorescent cells.

RESULTSTumor mass with red fluorescence increased gradually under continuous in-vivo fluorescence imaging monitoring. Under the fluorescence microscope, cells with red, green and yellow fluorescence were observed in the frozen sections of transplanted tumor tissue and the mutual structural relationship among them could be defined. The tumor cells migration, implantation and cell fusion between transplanted tumor cells and host cells could be observed. It could be distinguished according to the fluorescence, that blood vessels of tumor-origin displayed red fluorescence, blood vessels of host-origin displayed green fluorescence and mosaic blood vessels appeared yellow fluorescence. It was depicted that host innate astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the microenvironment at the tumor periphery could be activated and dedifferentiated into nestin-positive cells.

CONCLUSIONSIn contrast to traditional animal model, the dual-color fluorescence imaging of nude mouse models of glioma possesses enormous advantages in investigating tumor mass in-vivo fluorescence imaging, tumor cells migration and metastasis, tumor angiogenesis and reactive activation of host innate cells in the microenvironment at tumor periphery, thus, has highly practical application value.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; metabolism ; Brain Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Carbocyanines ; metabolism ; Cell Fusion ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fluorescent Dyes ; metabolism ; Glioma ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; metabolism ; Luminescent Proteins ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Nude ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Nestin ; metabolism ; Oligodendroglia ; metabolism ; Rats

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to clarify whether the fusion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with tumor cells can promote tumor angiogensis.

METHODSHuman glioma stem/progenitor cells (GSPCs) (SU3 cells) were transfected with red fluorescent protein (RFP) gene. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were harvested from nude mice with whole-body green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene expression. Then the two kinds of cells were co-cultured in vitro. At the same time SU3-RFP was transplanted into the brain of GFP-expressing nude mice to establish xenograft tumors. The co-cultured cells, GFP/RFP double positive (yellow) cells and blood vessels obtained from the xenograft tumors were observed under fluorescent microscope and laser scanning confocal microscope.

RESULTSAfter five passages in vitro, MSCs maintained the proliferative activity and highly expressed CD105. CD105 was also expressed in the femurs of GFP-expressing nude mice, tumor cells, blood vessels of SU3 xenograft tumors, and clinical malignant gliomas. When MSCs were co-cultured with SU3-RFP, the ratio of yellow cells co-expressing RFP and GFP was significantly increased after extended time and continuous passages. According to the flow cytometry, yellow cells co-expressing RFP and GFP were 83.7% of the cultured cells. In tissue slices of the xenograft tumors, bundles of yellow vessel-like structure and cross-sectioned yellow vascular wall structures including vascular wall stroma cells were observed with RFP and GFP expression, and were identified as de novo formed vessels derived from fusion of MSCs with SU3-RFP cells.

CONCLUSIONCell fusion occurs between tumor cells and host MSCs and it promotes tumor angiogenesis.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; physiology ; Cell Communication ; Cell Fusion ; Cells, Cultured ; Glioma ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; Humans ; Luminescent Proteins ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Neoplasms ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Stem Cells ; Transfection ; Transplantation, Heterologous