Search results for "Liver"

The Role of Transforming Growth Factor-β in Human Hepatocarcinogenesis: Mechanistic and Therapeutic Implications From an Integrative Multiomics Appro…

2017

Hepatitis C Virus Eradication by Direct Antiviral Agents Improves Carotid Atherosclerosis in patients with Severe Liver Fibrosis.

2018

Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIM: Recent studies suggest an association between HCV infection and cardiovascular damage, including carotid atherosclerosis, with a possible effect of HCV clearance on cardiovascular outcomes. We aimed to examine whether HCV eradication by direct antiviral agents (DAA) improves carotid atherosclerosis in HCV-infected patients with advanced fibrosis/compensated cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty-two consecutive HCV patients with advanced fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis were evaluated by virological, anthropometric and metabolic measurements. All patients underwent DAA-based antiviral therapy according to AISF/EASL guidelines. Intima-media thickne…

Cytotoxic effects induced by patulin, deoxynivalenol and toxin T2 individually and in combination in hepatic cells (HepG2).

2018

Abstract Patulin (PAT), deoxynivalenol (DON) and toxin T-2 (T-2) are mycotoxins distributed worldwide in food and feed. Cytotoxicity of the three mycotoxins individually or in combination in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells was evaluated by MTT assay over 24, 48 and 72 h of exposure. The concentration ranges used were 0.625–15 μM for DON, 1.25–50 nM for T-2 and 0.45–7.5 μM for PAT. The IC 50 values obtained ranged from 9.30 to 2.53 μM, from 33.69 to 44.37 nM and from 2.66 to 1.17 μM for DON, T-2 and PAT, respectively. The most cytotoxic mycotoxin to HepG2 cells was T-2 followed by PAT and DON. The combination ratios used for the mixtures were 1:3 (DON: T-2), 1:5 (DON: PAT), 1:1.…

Imatinib-Loaded Micelles of Hyaluronic Acid Derivatives for Potential Treatment of Neovascular Ocular Diseases

2018

In this work, new micellar systems able to cross corneal barrier and to improve the permeation of imatinib free base were prepared and characterized. HA-EDA-C-16, HA-EDA-C-16-PEG, and HA-EDA-C-16-CRN micelles were synthesized starting from hyaluronic acid (HA), ethylenediamine (EDA), hexadecyl chains (C-16), polyethylene glycol (PEG), or L-carnitine (CRN). These nanocarriers showed optimal particle size and mucoadhesive properties. Imatinib-loaded micelles were able to interact with corneal barrier and to promote imatinib transcorneal permeation and penetration. In addition, a study was conducted to understand the in vitro imatinib inhibitory effect on a choroidal neovascularization process…

Albumin-Folate Conjugates for Drug-targeting in Photodynamic Therapy.

2016

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is based on the cytotoxicity of photosensitizers in the presence of light. Increased selectivity and effectivity of the treatment is expected if a specific uptake of the photosensitizers into the target cells, often tumor cells, can be achieved. An attractive transporter for that purpose is the folic acid receptor α (FRα), which is overexpressed on the surface of many tumor cells and mediates an endocytotic uptake. Here, we describe the synthesis and photobiological characterization of polar β-carboline derivatives as photosensitizers covalently linked to folate-tagged albumin as the carrier system. The particles were taken up by KB (human carcinoma) cells within …

Nanoparticle delivery to metastatic breast cancer cells by nanoengineered mesenchymal stem cells

2017

We created a 3D cell co-culture model by combining nanoengineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with the metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MD-231 and primary breast cancer cell line MCF7 to explore the transfer of quantum dots (QDs) to cancer cells. First, the optimal conditions for high-content QD loading in MSCs were established. Then, QD uptake in breast cancer cells was assessed after 24 h in a 3D co-culture with nanoengineered MSCs. We found that incubation of MSCs with QDs in a serum-free medium provided the best accumulation results. It was found that 24 h post-labelling QDs were eliminated from MSCs. Our results demonstrate that breast cancer cells efficiently uptake QDs that a…

Nano-delivery system targeting to cancer stem cell cluster of differentiation biomarkers

2017

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are one of the most important origins of cancer progression and metastasis. CSCs have unique self-renewal properties and diverse cell membrane receptors that induced the resistance to the conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, the therapeutic removal of CSCs could result in the cancer cure with lack of recurrence and metastasis. In this regard, targeting CSCs in accordance to their specific biomarkers is a talented attitude in cancer therapy. Various CSCs surface biomarkers have been described, which some of them exhibited similarities on different cancer cell types, while the others are cancer specific and have just been reported on one or a few types of …

Polymeric hepatitis C virus non-structural protein 5A nanocapsules induce intrahepatic antigen-specific immune responses

2016

Targeting antigen combined with adjuvants to hepatic antigen-presenting cells (APCs) is essential for the induction of intrahepatic T cellular immunity controlling and resolving viral infections of the liver. Intravenous injection of antigen-loaded nanoparticles is a promising approach for the delivery of antigens to liver APCs. Accordingly, polymeric nanocapsules (NCs) synthesized exclusively of hepatitis C virus non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) and the adjuvant monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) adsorbed to the nanocapsule surface were developed. Aim of the present study was the evaluation of the in vitro and in vivo behavior of MPLA-functionalized NS5A-NCs regarding the interaction with liver…

Chemical Composition, In Vitro Antitumor and Pro-Oxidant Activities of Glandora rosmarinifolia (Boraginaceae) Essential Oil

2018

The biological properties of essential oils have been demonstrated in the treatment of several diseases and to enhance the bioavailability of other drugs. In natural habitats the essential oils compounds may play important roles in the protection of the plants as antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, insecticides and also against herbivores by reducing their appetite for such plants or by repelling undesirable others. We analyzed by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry the chemical composition of the essential oil of aerial parts of Glandora rosmarinifolia (Ten.) D.C. Thomas obtained by hydrodistillation and verified some biological activities on a panel of hepatocellular carcinoma cell …

Physical Methods of Gene Delivery

2017

Gene therapy can be defined as the use of nucleic acids (NAs) as medicines with the aim of correcting a deficient gene expression, introducing new functions in the cell, repairing mutations and modulating the gene expression. Two main classes of vectors, viral and nonviral, have been used for gene delivery in order to avoid the NAs hydrolysis by tissue nucleases and improve their cellular uptake. The ideal gene delivery vector should offer high transfection efficacy, cell specificity and low toxicity. However, the immunogenic and mutagenic side effects of viral vector as well as toxicity and low efficacy of nonviral carriers are limiting their application. In this respect, naked NAs deliver…