1.Recent research progress on intestinal bacteria and chronic pancreatitis
Wenbin ZHANG ; Chutong ZHAO ; Tao ZHANG ; Le LI ; Bei SUN
Chinese Journal of Hepatobiliary Surgery 2021;27(7):557-560
Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is characterized by progressive pancreatic fibrosis, which can lead to irreversible pancreatic endocrine and exocrine dysfunction. Previous reported studies suggested that in patients with CP, there are varying degrees of intestinal bacteria imbalance. In addition, intestinal bacteria have been found to associate with a variety of fibrosis-related diseases. The purpose of this study is to analyze the possible mechanisms of intestinal bacteria in progression of pancreatic fibrosis in CP, by investigating regulation of intestinal barrier, regulation of immunity, and synthesis and release of metabolites, to provide further references in exploring the clinical value of intestinal bacteria in diagnosis and treatment of CP.
2.Artificial tumor microenvironment regulated by first hemorrhage for enhanced tumor targeting and then occlusion for synergistic bioactivation of hypoxia-sensitive platesomes.
Wenhui TAO ; Dongyang ZHAO ; Guanting LI ; Lingxiao LI ; Songhao LI ; Hao YE ; Chutong TIAN ; Yutong LU ; Shuying LI ; Yinghua SUN ; Zhonggui HE ; Jin SUN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2022;12(3):1487-1499
The unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME) could be exploited to develop antitumor nanomedicine strategies. However, in many cases, the actual therapeutic effect is far from reaching our expectations due to the notable tumor heterogeneity. Given the amplified characteristics of TME regulated by vascular disrupting agents (VDAs), nanomedicines may achieve unexpected improved efficacy. Herein, we fabricate platelet membrane-fusogenic liposomes (PML/DP&PPa), namely "platesomes", which actively load the hypoxia-activated pro-prodrug DMG-PR104A (DP) and physically encapsulate the photosensitizer pyropheophorbide a (PPa). Considering the different stages of tumor vascular collapse and shutdown induced by a VDA combretastatin-A4 phosphate (CA4P), PML/DP&PPa is injected 3 h after intraperitoneal administration of CA4P. First, CA4P-mediated tumor hemorrhage amplifies the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect, and the platesome-biological targeting further promotes the tumor accumulation of PML/DP&PPa. Besides, CA4P-induced vascular occlusion inhibits oxygen supply, followed by photodynamic therapy-caused acute tumor hypoxia. This prolonged extreme hypoxia contributes to the complete activation of DP and then high inhibitory effect on tumor growth and metastasis. Thus, such a combining strategy of artificially-regulated TME and bio-inspired platesomes pronouncedly improves tumor drug delivery and boosts tumor hypoxia-selective activation, and provides a preferable solution to high-efficiency cancer therapy.