OBJECTIVE: This phase I study aimed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of Genexol-PM, when combined with carboplatin, as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: This open-label, multicenter, phase I, dose-escalation study included 18 patients (median age: 59.0 years, range: 40–75 years) diagnosed with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. All patients had measurable residual disease after debulking surgery. Patients were assigned to groups (n=6 each group) that received different doses of Genexol-PM (220, 260, and 300 mg/m², once every 3 weeks) and 5 area under the curve (AUC) carboplatin. Safety and efficacy were analyzed for each dose group. RESULTS: In this intention-to-treat population, 3 out of 18 patients dropped out of the study: 1 due to dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), 1 due to hypersensitivity, and 1 was lost during follow-up. DLTs were not reported at 220 mg/m² or 260 mg/m², but at 300 mg/m², 1 patient experienced DLT (grade 3 general pain). The MTD of Genexol-PM was not determined, but a dose of 300 mg/m² or less could be recommended for the phase II study. Most patients (73.9%) with adverse events recovered without sequelae, and no death occurred that was related to the disease or treatment. The best overall response rate was 94.1%. CONCLUSION: Genexol-PM combined with carboplatin was well tolerated as a first-line treatment, and good responses were observed in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Based on these results, we recommended a dose of 300 mg/m² or less for a phase II study.
Carboplatin* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Maximum Tolerated Dose ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Paclitaxel* ; Polymers* ; Toxicity Tests

To study the angiogenic activity of amphoteric brush-type copolymer complex of alginate-graft-PEI/pVEGF (Alg-g-PEI/pVEGF) in vivo, we evaluated the toxicity of Alg-g-PEI/pVEGF complexes to rMSCs and zebra fish first. Then, we used gel retardation assay to investigate the protection of complex to pDNA against DNase I, serum and heparin. For in vivo study, we evaluated the angiogenic activity of Alg-g-PEI/pVEGF complexes by using CAM and zebra fish as animal models, PEI 25K/pVEGF and saline as positive and negative controls. Our results show that Alg-g-PEI protected pVEGF from enzymolysis and displacement of heparin in some degree, and its complexes with pVEGF were less toxic to rMSCs and zebra fish. Alg-g-PEI/pVEGF complexes induced significant angiogenesis, which was dosage-dependent. In CAM, when the dosage of pVEGF was 2.4 microg/CAM, Alg-g-PEI group achieved the maximum of angiogenesis, and the area ratio of vessel to the total surface was 44.04%, which is higher than PEI 25K group (35.90%) and saline group (24.03%) (**P < 0.01). In zebra fish, the angiogenesis increased with the increase of N/P ratios of Alg-g-PEI/pVEGF complexes in our studied range; when N/P ratio was 110, the optimal angiogenesis was obtained with vessel length of 1.11 mm and area of 1.70 x 10(3) pixels, which is higher than saline group (0.69 mm and 0.94 x 10(3) pixels) (**P < 0.01) and PEI 25k group (0.82 mm and 1.11 x 10(3) pixels) (**P < 0.01). Our results demonstratethat Alg-g-PEI/pVEGF significantly induces angiogenesis in CAM and zebra fish, and has a great potential in therapeutic angiogenesis.
Alginates ; chemistry ; Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Chick Embryo ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Glucuronic Acid ; chemistry ; Hexuronic Acids ; chemistry ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Polyethyleneimine ; chemistry ; Polymers ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; chemistry ; Zebrafish

OBJECTIVETo establish an animal model of lung injury in SD rats using intratracheal instillation of unknown polymer and to provide the base for exploring the molecular mechanism of lung tissue injury induced by occupational exposure.

METHODSOne hundred forty SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups, including the control group 1 which was exposed to normal solution, the control group 2 which was not exposed to any one and five treatment groups which were exposed to 1 ml unknown polymer (0.5 ml for each lung) at the doses of 40, 30, 20, 10 and 5 mg/ml, respectively by intratracheal instillation. The rats were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 14th, 21th and 28th day after exposure, then the lung tissues were examined pathologically and the blood bio-chemical analysis was conducted.

RESULTSThe results of blood biochemical analysis indicated that ALT and AST levels in rats exposed to 30 and 40 mg/ml unknown polymer were significantly higher than those in control groups. Intratracheal instillation of unknown polymer can causes PLF in experimental animals on the 14th days after exposure. The results of pathological examination exhibited that the lung tissue injury in rats exposed to unknown polymer for 14 days or more was found and the dose-effect relationship was observed.

CONCLUSIONAn animal model of lung injury in SD rats induced by unknown polymer with intratracheal instillation was established successfully. The results of pathological examination showed that the types of rat lung injury were similar to the clinical lung injury after exposure to unknown polymer, which provided a base for studying the mechanism of lung injury caused by occupational exposure to unknown polymer.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Lung ; drug effects ; pathology ; Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; Male ; Polymers ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A series of novel self-assembled polymeric micelles based on carboxymethyl chitosan bearing long chain alkyl chains (N-octyl-O, N-carboxymethyl chitosan, OCC) was synthesized. PTX loaded OCC polymeric micelles (PTX-OCC) were prepared by dialysis method. The effects of the degree of substitutions (DS) of octyl groups on the solubilizing abilities of OCC for paclitaxel were studied. The PTX-OCC were characterized using drug loading content, drug encapsulation efficiency, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Take PTX injection (PTX-INJ) as control, the safety of PTX-OCC including hemolysis, hypersensitiveness in guinea pigs and acute toxicity in mice were also evaluated. OCC showed excellent loading capacities for paclitaxel with the DS of octyl groups in the range of 37.9% - 58.6%. Drug loading contents were up to 24.9% - 34.4% with drug encapsulation efficiency 56.3% - 89.3%, which both increased with the increasing of DS of octyl groups. The mean size of PTX-OCC was 186.4 - 201.1 nm which decreased with the increasing of DS of octyl groups. The zeta potential was -47.5 to -50.9 mV, which had no obvious relation with the DS of octyl groups. The TEM images showed a spherical shape. No burst release phenomena were observed and drug cumulative release was in the range of 60% -95% in 15 days. PTX-OCC with higher DS of octyl groups showed stronger sustained releasing ability. In terms of the induction of membrane damage and hypersensitiveness, PTX-OCC was superior to PTX-INJ. The LD50 and its 95% confidence interval of PTX-OCC were 134.4 (125.0 - 144.6) mg x kg(-1), which was 2.7 fold of PTX-INJ. The present PTX-OCC could be potentially useful as safety carriers for intravenous delivery.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Chitosan ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Hemolysis ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; chemically induced ; Male ; Mice ; Micelles ; Nanoparticles ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Particle Size ; Polymers

Chitosan and its derivatives are extensively studied as non-viral gene delivery vectors nowadays. Polyethylene glycol-chitosan (mPEG-CS) copolymers were synthesized by oxidation of mPEG-OH and then combined mPEG-CHO with amino groups on chitosan chains. The in vitro cytotoxicity of copolymers was evaluated by MTT method. The results showed > 70% cell viability of HeLa and A549 cells after incubation with mPEG-CS copolymer from concentration 5 to 100 microg x mL(-1). The mPEG-CS copolymers with various degrees of PEG substitution were combined with DNA and the properties of mPEG-CS/DNA complexes were investigated such as nanoparticle size, zeta potential and agarose gel analysis. The best one among all these mPEG-CS copolymers was mPEG (3.55) -CS, for its capability to condense plasmid DNA was most efficient. For this reason, mPEG (3.55) -CS was picked out to mediate plasmid enhanced green fluorescence protein (pEGFP) and transfect HeLa and A549 cells. The expression of green fluorescence protein was observed by fluorescence microscope and the transfection efficiency was detected by flow cytometry. The gene expression mediated by mPEG-CS was resistant to serum, and the optimal transfection efficiency (8.1% for HeLa cells and 4.8% for A549 cells) of mPEG-CS/EGFP system was obtained under the condition of N/P 40 and 48 h transfection time. These results indicate that mPEG-CS copolymer is an efficient non-viral gene vector.
Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chitosan ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Drug Carriers ; Genetic Vectors ; chemistry ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Nanoparticles ; Particle Size ; Plasmids ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Polymers ; Transfection

This is a study on the biodegradable polymers as gene controlled-released coatings for gene transfer. The PELA (poly (Dl-lactic acid)-co-poly (ethylene glycol), and PLGAE (poly (lactic acid)-co-poly (ethylene glycol)-co-poly (glycolic acid) random copolymer) were synthesized and prepared as the coatings of plasmid pCH110 in the transfection. All kinds of factors affecting the loading efficiency, cytotoxicity, transfection efficiency and the course of the degradation and release in vitro were discussed. The average diameters of microspheres of PELA and PLGAE were 1-3 microm and 0.72 microm respectively. The loading efficiency levels of them were 62% and 70% respectively. The transfection efficiency levels of two kinds of pCH110 delivery system for COS-1 cells were higher and two of them had few cytotoxicity. After transfection, the X-gal assay was performed and reported positive for 96 h. The biodegradable polymeric materials as gene carriers possess their potential superiority.
Biocompatible Materials ; DNA ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Lactates ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Lactic Acid ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Polymers ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Transfection

AIMInvestigations on reducing the toxicity of triptolide through poly(D, L-lactic acid) nanoparticles as a drug carrier by oral administration to Wistar rats.

METHODSTriptolide-loaded poly (D, L-lactic acid) nanoparticles (TP-PLA-NPs) were prepared by modified spontaneous emulsification solvent diffusion (modified-SESD). The shape of nanoparticles was observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The size distribution and mean diameter were measured by laser light scattering technique. The entrapment efficiency and contents of drug loading were determined by RP-HPLC. The physical state of drug loaded in nanopartiles were primarily investigated by X-ray powder diffractometry. TP-PLA-NPs release behavior in vitro was carried out. After oral administration of the nanoparticles to Wistar rats in 15d, the toxicity for liver and kidney were studied by determining aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and blood urea nitrogen in serum and concentration of protein in urine.

RESULTSThe preparation process adapted to the formulation was as follows: the volume ratio of the aqueous and organic phases was 40/15; the surfactant concentration was 1%; the drug concentration was 0.3%; triptolide-PLA was 1:15 (w/w). The mean diameter was 149.7 nm and the polydispersity index was 0. 088 for the nanoparticles prepared by above conditions. The entrapment efficiency and content of drug loading were 74.27% and 1.36%, respectively. The release behavior of drug in vitro showed an initial burst effect, subsequently a slower rate stage. The results indicated that the liver toxicity (P < 0.01) and kidney toxicity (P < 0.05) caused by triptolide could be decreased significantly by nanoparticles carrier.

CONCLUSIONPLA-NPs might be used as a new oral carrier for triptolide.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Epoxy Compounds ; Lactic Acid ; Male ; Nanotechnology ; Particle Size ; Phenanthrenes ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Polyesters ; Polymers ; Proteinuria ; urine ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

The human fibroblast MRC-5 cells incubated with PHB granules (TM) added at a final concentration of 4 mg/ml showed a time-course pattern of survival. The percentages of dead cells obtained were at the rate of 3.8% after 7 days, respectively. When the MRC-5 cells grown in different material, using the test concentration of 4 mg/ml PCM, they were found to show a similar time-course increasing pattern of death as that obtained with PHB. However, the death was noted in the cells incubated for 7 days, the death rates obtained was 40.54% respectively.
Cell Line ; Cell Survival/*drug effects ; Fibroblasts/drug effects ; Hydroxybutyrates/*toxicity ; *Materials Testing ; Polymers/*toxicity

Hypersusceptibility test, pyrogen test, cell cultivation, and toxicity examination were applied in the biological evaluation of the poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/chitosan composite materials. The results indicated that all the materials were negative, conforming to the ISO10993-1. The cell could grow well on the surface of the materials. So the PLA/chitosan composite materials have good biocompatibility and can be planted in the body as scaffolds.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemical synthesis ; toxicity ; Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Chitin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; toxicity ; Chitosan ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Lactic Acid ; chemical synthesis ; toxicity ; Male ; Materials Testing ; Polyesters ; Polymers ; chemical synthesis ; toxicity ; Rabbits

For the purpose of increasing the hydrophilicity of poly aspartic acid, a series of polymer of L-aspartic acid and 4-aminobutanoic acid with different ratios (mol/mol) were prepared. The copolymers were characterized by 13CNMR, DSC and x-ray. The confirmed the structures of the polymers. In-vitro tests of release at phosphate buffer saline, enzyme solution of trypsin and papain (37.0 degrees C, pH = 7.4) were carried out. The result indicated that the polymers could be degraded in some degree, and that 4-aminobutanoic acid segments accelerated the degradation rate of the polymers. Skin irritation test and systemic acute toxicity test were carried out, which showed that the polymer was a nontoxic biomedical material.
Animals ; Aspartic Acid ; chemistry ; Female ; Hydrolysis ; Male ; Materials Testing ; Mice ; Polymers ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Rabbits ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; chemistry