Research in photodynamic therapy (PDT) primarily focuses on enhancing light penetration depth, improving oxygen supply, and optimizing photosensitizer delivery. Notably, the delivery efficiency of the photosensitizer is crucial for therapeutic efficacy. Carboxyl-substituted phthalocyanines, as important photosensitizing molecules, possess unique chemical modification sites that enable direct targeted delivery or integration into diverse delivery systems. Their synthesis predominantly employs mixed- or cross-condensation, selective synthesis, and axial modification strategies to introduce carboxyl groups. However, their inherent hydrophobicity significantly hinders effective delivery. To address this limitation, modifications with peptides or quaternary ammonium salt derivatives may facilitate precise delivery to tumor cells and pathogens. With advances in nanotechnology, carboxyl-substituted phthalocyanines can serve as key photosensitizer modules, effectively integrated into nanomaterials such as biomacromolecules, inorganic metals, and polymers for both active and passive delivery. Recently, researchers have exploited the π-π stacking and other intermolecular forces among carboxyl-substituted phthalocyanine molecules to drive their self-assembly into nano-micelles, enabling carrier-free delivery or co-delivery with other therapeutic agents for synergistic effects. This review systematically outlines the synthesis strategies for carboxyl-substituted phthalo-cyanines. Taking mono-carboxyl-substituted zinc phthalocyanine as a model molecule, the performance of three delivery modalities were compared: single-molecule targeted delivery, nanocarrier-encapsulated delivery, and carrier-free self-assembled delivery, in terms of PDT efficacy, biocompatibility, and imaging-guided tracing capabilities, to provide a systematic technical framework for the rational design of novel modular photosensitizers and to advance the clinical translation of PDT in precision oncology and anti-infective therapy.
Photochemotherapy/methods* ; Indoles/administration & dosage* ; Isoindoles ; Photosensitizing Agents/administration & dosage* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Humans

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining albumin-bound paclitaxel (abpaclitaxel) and anlotinib for ovarian cancer. In this study, 44 patients diagnosed with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer were enrolled. Patients received ab-paclitaxel along with anlotinib until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Efficacy was assessed according to RECIST 1.1 criteria or Rustin's criteria. The primary endpoint was the investigator-evaluated objective response rate (ORR). 44 patients were enrolled between January 2021 and March 2023 with a median age of 49 years. Twenty-nine had measurable lesions and 15 had non-measurable lesions. Overall, the investigator-evaluated ORR was 56.8% (25/44; 95% CI 0.411-0.713) in intention-to-treat population and 58.1% (25/43; 95% CI 0.422-0.726) in per-protocol population. The median progression-free survival was 9.8 months, and the median duration of response was 7.4 months. For safety, grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) included leukopenia, gum pain, hypertension, and hand-foot syndrome. The response rates were 55.0% (11/20) in patients with previous use of antiangiogenic reagents and who had previous use of PARP inhibitors. The combination of ab-paclitaxel and anlotinib showed promising anti-tumor activity and a manageable safety profile in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Patients with previous use of antiangiogenic drugs or PARP inhibitors still benefited from this protocol.
Humans ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Indoles/therapeutic use* ; Quinolines/therapeutic use* ; Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial/drug therapy* ; Adult ; Ovarian Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/administration & dosage* ; Aged ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel/therapeutic use* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy* ; Progression-Free Survival ; Paclitaxel/administration & dosage* ; Treatment Outcome

Plant polysaccharides are effective components that widely present in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), exhibiting rich biological activities. However, as most plant polysaccharides cannot be directly absorbed and utilized by the human digestive system, it is now believed that their mode of action mainly involves interaction with intestinal microbiota, leading to the production of functional small molecules. The efficacy of Astragalus polysaccharide(APS) is extensive, including weight loss, improvement of fatty liver, reduction of blood lipids, and enhancement of insulin sensitivity, which may also be related to the regulation of intestinal microbiota. Adipose tissue senescence is an important characteristic of the physiological aging process in the body, often occurring prior to the aging of other important organs. Its main features include the accumulation of senescent cells and exacerbation of inflammation within the tissue. Therefore, to explore the potential protective effects of APS on aging, the improvement of adipose tissue aging phenotype in naturally aging mice was observed using APS, and combined with metagenomic metabolomics, corresponding microbial metabolic functional molecules were identified. Furthermore, functional tests in cell aging models were conducted. The results showed that APS significantly improved the adipocyte aging characteristics of naturally aging mice: specifically reducing aging-induced adipocyte hypertrophy; decreasing the protein expression of aging markers cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(P21) and multiple tumor suppressor 1(P16); lowering the tissue inflammation reaction. Metagenomic metabolomic analysis of serum from mice in each group revealed that APS significantly increased the content of indole-3-lactic acid(ILA) in naturally aging mice. Further in vitro studies showed that ILA could improve the aging of 3T3-L1 mouse embryonic fibroblasts induced by bleomycin, reduce the protein expression of the aging marker P21, alleviate inflammation, and enhance the ability of preadipocytes to mature. Therefore, APS had the efficacy of protecting naturally aging mice, and its action may be related to the increase in the intestinal microbiota metabolite ILA. This study suggested that TCM may serve as an important entry point for explaining the mechanism of action of TCM by regulating intestinal microbiota and their functional metabolites.
Animals ; Mice ; Aging/drug effects* ; Adipose Tissue/metabolism* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Indoles/pharmacology* ; Male ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; 3T3-L1 Cells ; Humans ; Adipocytes/cytology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cellular Senescence/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*

Adult ; Body Temperature/drug effects* ; COVID-19/pathology* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Ephedra sinica/chemistry* ; Female ; Fever/pathology* ; Glycyrrhiza/chemistry* ; Humans ; Indoles/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy/methods* ; Pneumonia, Viral/pathology* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; SARS-CoV-2/drug effects*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and safety of sunitinib as first-line therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) on a 2 weeks on/1 week off intermittent dosing schedule.

METHODSA total of 11 mRCC patients were enrolled to receive sunitinib 50 mg/day in 2 weeks on/1 week off schedule per 6 weeks till disease progression or intolerable toxicity occurred. The primary end point was progression free survival (PFS), the secondary end points were overall survival (OS), incidence of adverse effects and objective response.

RESULTSThe objective response rate in the 11 cases was 45.5% and disease control rate 72.7% (partial response n = 5, stable disease n = 3). Till the last follow up on Dec 2013, the median PFS was 17.0 months (95% CI 7.3 to 26.7 months), and median OS 26.0 months (95% CI 2.2 to 49.8 months). The common adverse events included leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, mucositis and hand-foot skin reaction. Dose reduction to 37.5 mg was seen only in 2 patients without discontinuation.

CONCLUSIONSSunitinib on an intermittent dosing schedule 2 weeks on /1 week off as first-line therapy for mRCC patients shows a good efficacy and tolerance, with less grade 3-4 drug-related toxicities and a tendency of prolonged PFS in mRCC patients.

Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; drug therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Humans ; Indoles ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Kidney Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Pilot Projects ; Pyrroles ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the antitumoral effect of indirubin on androgen-independent prostate cancer PC-3 cells and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSWe measured the inhibitory effect of indirubin on the proliferation of prostate cancer PC-3 cells using MTT assay, detected their cell cycles by flow cytometry, and determined the expressions of the cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin D1 and its related downstream gene c-myc by Western blot.

RESULTSThe viability of the PC-3 cells was significantly decreased by indirubin in a concentration-dependent manner, reduced to 52. 2% and 13. 6% at 5 and 10 µmol/L, respectively. The cell cycle of the PC-3 cells was markedly inhibited by indirubin at 5 µmol/L, with the cells remarkably increased in the G0 and G1 phases and decreased in the S and G2/M phases. Meanwhile, indirubin also inhibited the expressions of cyclin D1 and c-myc in the Wnt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONIndirubin can suppress the proliferation of androgen-independent prostate cancer PC-3 cells, which may be associated with its inhibitory effect on the cell cycle and Wnt signaling pathway.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Coloring Agents ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Genes, myc ; Humans ; Indoles ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; metabolism ; Tetrazolium Salts ; Thiazoles

PURPOSE: Postoperative ileus (POI) is an impairment of coordinated gastrointestinal (GI) motility that develops as a consequence of abdominal surgery and is a major factor contributing to patient morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonists, which stimulate excitatory pathways, on a POI model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental model of POI in guinea pigs was created by laparotomy, gentle manipulation of the cecum for 60 seconds, and closure by suture, all under anesthesia. Different degrees of restoration of GI transit were measured by the migration of charcoal. Colonic transit was indirectly assessed via measurement of fecal pellet output every hour for 5 hours after administration of various doses of mosapride, tegaserod, prucalopride, and 5-HT. RESULTS: Charcoal transit assay showed that various 5-HT4 receptor agonists can accelerate delayed upper GI transit in a dose-dependent manner. However, fecal pellet output assay suggested that only prucalopride had a significant effect in accelerating colonic motility in POI. CONCLUSION: Although mosapride, tegaserod, and prucalopride produce beneficial effects to hasten upper GI transit in the POI model, prucalopride administered orally restores lower GI transit as well as upper GI transit after operation in a conscious guinea pig. This drug may serve as a useful candidate for examination in a clinical trial for POI.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Benzamides/pharmacology ; Benzofurans/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Charcoal/pharmacokinetics ; Colon/drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gastrointestinal Motility/*drug effects ; Guinea Pigs ; Ileus/*surgery ; Indoles/pharmacology ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Morpholines/pharmacology ; Postoperative Complications/drug therapy ; Serotonin/pharmacology ; Serotonin 5-HT4 Receptor Agonists/*pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of histone deacetylase inhibitors trichostatin A (TSA) and LBH589 on the growth of human renal cell carcinoma OS-RC-2 cells in vitro and explore the underlying molecular mechanism.

METHODSOS-RC-2 cells were treated with LBH589 or TSA with or without SP600125 pretreatment, and the cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The changes of cell cycle distribution and apoptosis of OS-RC-2 cells were examined by flow cytometry, and the expressions of c-Jun, p-c-Jun, Bcl-2, and Bax were quantified by Western blotting.

RESULTSTSA and LBH589 both inhibited the growth of OS-RC-2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. TSA at 1 µnmol/L and LBH589 at 50 nmol/L caused obvious cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase and cell apoptosis, and significantly increased the protein levels of phosphorylated c-Jun. TSA treatment obviously increased Bax expression but decreased Bcl2 expression in the cells. The growth inhibitory effect of TSA was attenuated by the JNK inhibitor SP600125 in OS-RC-2 cells. TSA-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun and Bax upregulation was partially counteracted by SP600125.

CONCLUSIONTSA and LBH589 can cause cell cycle arrest and induce apoptosis in OS-RC-2 cells, in which process P-JNK pathway plays an important role.

Anthracenes ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hydroxamic Acids ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Indoles ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Kidney Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

This study is to explore the interventional effects of fluvastatin on anti-beta2GPI/beta2GPI-induced activation in THP-1 mononuclear cells. In vitro, human mononuclear cells THP-1 were treated with fluvastatin, LPS and anti-beta2GPI/beta2GPI, then the TF expression on THP-1 cells was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) or TF activity was detected by kit. TNF-alpha mRNA and its protein expression were investigated by RT-PCR and ELISA kit. The expression of phospho-NF-kappaB p65 and inhibitory protein of NF-kappaB (IkappaB-alpha) were measured by Western blotting. The results suggested that the expression of TF and TNF-alpha on THP-1 cells was significantly up-regulated with treatment of anti-beta2GPI/beta2GPI complex (100 mg x L(-1)), compared with that of untreated cells (P < 0.05). Fluvastatin (50 mg x L(-1)) could decrease TF (mRNA and activity) expression and the level of TNF-alpha (mRNA and protein) in THP-1 cells with anti-beta2GPI/beta2GPI complex. The expression of TF and TNF-alpha was shown in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, anti-beta2GPI/beta2GPI complex could downregulate IkappaB-alpha levels and increase the levels of phospho-NF-kappaB p65. And these effects of anti-beta2GPI/beta2GPI complex could be blocked by fluvastatin. In conclusion, fluvastatin may interfere the expression and regulation of NF-kappaB signal transduction pathway, thereby inhibit the effects of anti-beta2GPI/beta2GPI on activation of THP-1 cells, by decreasing the expression of TF and TNF-alpha.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; Indoles ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Monocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Thromboplastin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism ; beta 2-Glycoprotein I ; antagonists & inhibitors ; immunology

Sunitinib as a multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor is one of the anti-tumor agents, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to use treat gastrointestinal stromal tumor and metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The agent is known to commonly induce adverse reactions such as fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, stomatitis, esophagitis, hypertension, skin toxicity, reduciton in cardiac output of left ventricle, and hypothyroidism. However, it has been reported to rarely induce adverse reactions such as nephrotic syndrome and irreversible reduction in renal functions, and cases of intestinal perforation or pneumatosis interstinalis as such reactions have been consistently reported. In this report, a 66-year old man showing abdominal pain had renal cell carcinoma and history of sunitinib at a dosage of 50 mg/day on a 4-weeks-on, 2-weeks-off schedule. Seven days after the third cycle he was referred to the hospital because of abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed pneumoperitoneum with linear pneumatosis intestinalis in his small bowel. The patient underwent surgical exploration that confirmed the pneumatosis intestinalis at 100 cm distal to Treitz's ligament. We report a rare case of intestinal perforation with pneumatosis intestinalis after administration of sunitinib to a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell/*drug therapy ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Humans ; Indoles/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Intestinal Perforation/*diagnosis/etiology/surgery ; Kidney Neoplasms/*drug therapy ; Lung/radiography ; Male ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis/*diagnosis/etiology ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Pyrroles/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed