Local Administration of Low-Dose Nerve Growth Factor Antibody Reduced Pain in a Rat Osteoarthritis Model

Systemic injection of a nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody has been proven to have a significant relevance in relieving osteoarthritis (OA) pain, while its adverse effects remain a safety concern for patients. A local low-dose injection is thought to minimize adverse effects. In this study, OA was induced in an 8-week-old male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rat joint by monoiodoacetate (MIA) injection for 2 weeks, and the effect of weekly injections of low-dose (1, 10, and 100 µg) NGF antibody or saline (control) was evaluated. Behavioral tests were performed, and at the end of week 6, all rats were sacrificed and their knee joints were collected for macroscopic and histological evaluations. Results showed that 100 µg NGF antibody injection relieved pain in OA rats, as evidenced from improved weight-bearing performance but not allodynia. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in macroscopic and histological scores between rats from different groups, demonstrating that intra-articular treatment does not worsen OA progression. These results suggest that local administration yielded a low effective NGF antibody dose that may serve as an alternative approach to systemic injection for the treatment of patients with OA.     

人体胎盘神经生长因子的纯化和鉴定

采用人胎盘为原料，利用离心、超滤和SephadexG-100、DEAE－SephadexA－50、SephadexG－150层析等技术，在中性条件下，分离出7S神经生长因子（7SNGF）；再在酸性条件下，利用柱状等电聚焦电泳法分离出活性亚单位-β-NGF，利用鸡胚背根神经节培养法直接测定神经生长因子的生物活性，其比活性为8000u／mg；用十二烷基磺酸钠不连续聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（SDS－PAGE）测得β-NGF分子量为13KD；高效液相PEK－125柱层析法得单一洗脱峰证明为单一成分。     

The Clinical Significance of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor Polymorphism in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation

The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signaling pathway mediates multiple cancer cell biological processes. IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) expression has been used as a reporter of the clinical significance of non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, the association between IGF1R genetic variants and the clinical utility of NSCLC positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation is not clear. The current study investigated the association between the IGF1R genetic variants, the occurrence of EGFR mutations, and clinicopathological characteristics in NSCLC patients. A total of 452 participants, including 362 adenocarcinoma lung cancer and 90 squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer patients, were selected for analysis of IGF1R genetic variants (rs7166348, rs2229765, and rs8038415) using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)genotyping. The results indicated that GA + AA genotypes of IGF1R rs2229765 were significantly associated with EGFR mutation in female lung adenocarcinoma patients (odds ratio (OR) = 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.17–0.87). Moreover, The GA + AA genotype IGF1R rs2229765 was significantly associated with EGFR L858R mutation (p = 0.02) but not with the exon 19 in-frame deletion. Furthermore, among patients without EGFR mutation, those who have at least one polymorphic A allele of IGF1R rs7166348 have an increased incidence of lymph node metastasis when compared with those patients homozygous for GG (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.20–2.31). Our results showed that IGF1R genetic variants are related to EGFR mutation in female lung adenocarcinoma patients and may be a predictive factor for tumor lymph node metastasis in Taiwanese patients with NSCLC.     

Tryptophanyl-tRNA Synthetase as a Potential Therapeutic Target

Tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (WRS) is an essential enzyme that catalyzes the ligation of tryptophan (Trp) to its cognate tRNA^trp during translation via aminoacylation. Interestingly, WRS also plays physiopathological roles in diseases including sepsis, cancer, and autoimmune and brain diseases and has potential as a pharmacological target and therapeutic. However, WRS is still generally regarded simply as an enzyme that produces Trp in polypeptides; therefore, studies of the pharmacological effects, therapeutic targets, and mechanisms of action of WRS are still at an emerging stage. This review summarizes the involvement of WRS in human diseases. We hope that this will encourage further investigation into WRS as a potential target for drug development in various pathological states including infection, tumorigenesis, and autoimmune and brain diseases.     

神经生长因子促进骨折愈合的临床应用

目的探讨神经生长因子局部注射促进骨折愈合的临床作用。方法自2005年1月～2008年1月,对68例四肢新鲜骨折患者进行骨折端经皮局部注射NGF促进骨折愈合的临床治疗观察,其中胫腓骨骨折21例、股骨骨折16例、尺桡骨骨折20例、肱骨骨折11例。据骨折类型、治疗方法相同或相似的原则设立相应的对照组,对骨痂生长情况、骨折临床愈合的时间进行对比研究分析。结果两组病例均获随访,时间为3～20个月,两组骨痂出现的时间、骨痂量的多少两周内无明显不同,3周后骨痂量治疗组多于对照组,治疗组各类型骨折临床愈合时间均较对照组有不同程度的缩短,疗效优于对照组,两组对比有极显著差异(P<0.01)。结论临床应用神经生长因子经皮局部注射在骨折中后期有促进骨折愈合修复的作用。     

小鼠神经生长因子基因治疗型DNA质粒的质量控制

目的对小鼠神经生长因子(NGF)基因治疗型DNA质粒进行质量控制。方法用酶切鉴定法和PCR法进行DNA质粒的结构确认,鸡胚背根神经节法和免疫印迹测定DNA质粒表达产物的生物学活性,分光光度法测定浓度,琼脂糖凝胶电泳法和DNA-NPR-HPLC法测定纯度,气相色谱法测定乙醇和异丙醇残留量,琼脂糖凝胶电泳法测定RNA残留量,其余检测项目按《中国药典》三部(2005版)规定进行。结果用上述方法对原液和成品进行了检定,各项指标均符合《预防用DNA疫苗临床前研究技术指导原则》和《中国药典》三部(2005版)的要求。结论所采用的质控方法和质量标准能够保证该DNA质粒的安全、有效,可用于治疗型DNA质粒的质控。     

2.5s神经生长因子的纯化及其临床应用

应用离子交换层析法，从胎脑组织匀浆上清中提纯神经生长因子（nervesrowthfactor，NGF），其分子量约14．3KD，其3种组分的等电点分别为9．13、9．42和9．65。纯化后的NGF比活力显著提高，用鸡胚背根神经书培养法证明其具有刺激神经生长的作用。采取肌肉、球后和局部注射的方法，对45例病人进行了治疗观察。其中脑梗塞10例，脑外伤10例，外周神经损伤8例，青光眼14例，椎间盘脱出3例。总有效率为100％。NGF对大多数神经损伤表现均有作用，尤对弥漫性脑损伤、青光眼、外周神经损伤疗效最明显，未发现不良反应。     

The Ubiquitin System: An Emerging Therapeutic Target for Lung Cancer

The ubiquitin system, present in all eukaryotes, contributes to regulating multiple types of cellular protein processes such as cell signaling, cell cycle, and receptor trafficking, and it affects the immune response. In most types of cancer, unusual events in ubiquitin-mediated signaling pathway modulation can lead to a variety of clinical outcomes, including tumor formation and metastasis. Similarly, ubiquitination acts as a core component, which contributes to the alteration of cell signaling activity, dictating biosignal turnover and protein fates. As lung cancer acquires the most commonly mutated proteins, changes in the ubiquitination of the proteins contribute to the development of lung cancer. Various inhibitors targeting the ubiquitin system have been developed for clinical applications in lung cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the current research advances in therapeutics for lung cancer by targeting the ubiquitin system.     

面神经损伤后TGF-β的表达与schwann细胞数量变化关系的研究

目的观察兔面神经夹伤后转化生长因子β(transforming growth factor beta,TGF-β)的表达及施万细胞(schwann cells,SCs)数量的变化,了解两者在面神经损伤修复过程中的相互关系及相互作用。方法取20只新西兰大白兔,造成面神经钳夹伤,于伤后1、3、7、14、21d取材分别进行组织学、免疫组化观察。结果 3d时神经夹伤处TGF-β抗原呈阳性反应,施万细胞增多;7d时TGF-β表达呈强阳性反应,为表达高峰,损伤处的施万细胞明显增多;14d时TGF-β表达的量有所减少,施万细胞数量亦无增多趋势;21d时施万细胞数量和TGF-β抗原表达的量均下降。结论 TGF-β参与面神经损伤的病理过程,并与施万细胞数量的变化存在一定的同步性,证实了两者之间存在相互作用。     

A Review of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Binding Partners for Immune Regulation and Potential Therapeutic Application

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) is the canonical serine protease inhibitor of neutrophil-derived proteases and can modulate innate immune mechanisms through its anti-inflammatory activities mediated by a broad spectrum of protein, cytokine, and cell surface interactions. AAT contains a reactive methionine residue that is critical for its protease-specific binding capacity, whereby AAT entraps the protease on cleavage of its reactive centre loop, neutralises its activity by key changes in its tertiary structure, and permits removal of the AAT-protease complex from the circulation. Recently, however, the immunomodulatory role of AAT has come increasingly to the fore with several prominent studies focused on lipid or protein-protein interactions that are predominantly mediated through electrostatic, glycan, or hydrophobic potential binding sites. The aim of this review was to investigate the spectrum of AAT molecular interactions, with newer studies supporting a potential therapeutic paradigm for AAT augmentation therapy in disorders in which a chronic immune response is strongly linked.     

肺癌患者血清血管内皮生长因子水平临床初步观察

目的探讨肺癌患者血清血管内皮生长因子水平及其临床关系。方法选择我院2007年1月～12月间我院各科室收治经病理学及细胞学检查确诊肺癌患者135例,及我院体检中心经常规检查体检正常者的血清标本80例作为健康对照组。所有入选者采用酶联免疫吸附试验方法测定血清血管内皮生长因子含量,并加以临床分析。结果肺癌患者血清血管内皮生长因子含量(357.9±97.3)ng/L明显高于健康对照者(91.3±30.2)ng/L(P<0.01),且不同性别、年龄、组织学类型血清血管内皮生长因子含量无差异(P>0.05)。结论肺癌患者血清血管内皮生长因子水平在一定程度上可反映肿瘤生长、发展,对肺癌的预后判断可能具有重要应用价值。     

Gellan-Xanthan Hydrogel Conduits with Intraluminal Electrospun Nanofibers as Physical,Chemical and Therapeutic Cues for Peripheral Nerve Repair

Optimal levels of functional recovery in peripheral nerve injuries remain elusive due to the architectural complexity of the neuronal environment. Commercial nerve repair conduits lack essential guidance cues for the regenerating axons. In this study, the regenerative potential of a biosimulated nerve repair system providing three types of regenerative cues was evaluated in a 10 mm sciatic nerve-gap model over 4 weeks. A thermo-ionically crosslinked gellan-xanthan hydrogel conduit loaded with electrospun PHBV-magnesium oleate-N-acetyl-cysteine (PHBV-MgOl-NAC) nanofibers was assessed for mechanical properties, nerve growth factor (NGF) release kinetics and PC12 viability. In vivo functional recovery was based on walking track analysis, gastrocnemius muscle mass and histological analysis. As an intraluminal filler, PHBV-MgOl-NAC nanofibers improved matrix resilience, deformation and fracture of the hydrogel conduit. NGF release was sustained over 4 weeks, governed by Fickian diffusion and Case-II relaxational release for the hollow conduit and the nanofiber-loaded conduit, respectively. The intraluminal fibers supported PC12 proliferation by 49% compared to the control, preserved up to 43% muscle mass and gradually improved functional recovery. The combined elements of physical guidance (nanofibrous scaffolding), chemical cues (N-acetyl-cysteine and magnesium oleate) and therapeutic cues (NGF and diclofenac sodium) offers a promising strategy for the regeneration of severed peripheral nerves.     

Protein Kinase C as a Therapeutic Target in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Driver-directed therapeutics have revolutionized cancer treatment, presenting similar or better efficacy compared to traditional chemotherapy and substantially improving quality of life. Despite significant advances, targeted therapy is greatly limited by resistance acquisition, which emerges in nearly all patients receiving treatment. As a result, identifying the molecular modulators of resistance is of great interest. Recent work has implicated protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes as mediators of drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Importantly, previous findings on PKC have implicated this family of enzymes in both tumor-promotive and tumor-suppressive biology in various tissues. Here, we review the biological role of PKC isozymes in NSCLC through extensive analysis of cell-line-based studies to better understand the rationale for PKC inhibition. PKC isoforms α, ε, η, ι, ζ upregulation has been reported in lung cancer, and overexpression correlates with worse prognosis in NSCLC patients. Most importantly, PKC isozymes have been established as mediators of resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in NSCLC. Unfortunately, however, PKC-directed therapeutics have yielded unsatisfactory results, likely due to a lack of specific evaluation for PKC. To achieve satisfactory results in clinical trials, predictive biomarkers of PKC activity must be established and screened for prior to patient enrollment. Furthermore, tandem inhibition of PKC and molecular drivers may be a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent the emergence of resistance in NSCLC.     

Potential Therapeutic Strategies and Substances for Facial Nerve Regeneration Based on Preclinical Studies

Despite advances in microsurgical technology and an improved understanding of nerve regeneration, obtaining satisfactory results after facial nerve injury remains a difficult clinical problem. Among existing peripheral nerve regeneration studies, relatively few have focused on the facial nerve, particularly how experimental studies of the facial nerve using animal models play an essential role in understanding functional outcomes and how such studies can lead to improved axon regeneration after nerve injury. The purpose of this article is to review current perspectives on strategies for applying potential therapeutic methods for facial nerve regeneration. To this end, we searched Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane library using keywords, and after applying exclusion criteria, obtained a total of 31 qualifying experimental studies. We then summarize the fundamental experimental studies on facial nerve regeneration, highlighting recent bioengineering studies employing various strategies for supporting facial nerve regeneration, including nerve conduits with stem cells, neurotrophic factors, and/or other therapeutics. Our summary of the methods and results of these previous reports reveal a common feature among studies, showing that various neurotrophic factors arising from injured nerves contribute to a microenvironment that plays an important role in functional recovery. In most cases, histological examinations showed that this microenvironmental influence increased axonal diameter as well as myelination thickness. Such an analysis of available research on facial nerve injury and regeneration represents the first step toward future therapeutic strategies.     

Specialized Proresolving Lipid Mediators: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a global public health issue due to its high morbidity, mortality, and economic impact. The implementation of innovative therapeutic alternatives for CVD is urgently required. Specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs) are bioactive compounds derived from ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids, integrated into four families: Lipoxins, Resolvins, Protectins, and Maresins. SPMs have generated interest in recent years due to their ability to promote the resolution of inflammation associated with the pathogeneses of numerous illnesses, particularly CVD. Several preclinical studies in animal models have evidenced their ability to decrease the progression of atherosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia, and reperfusion injury via diverse mechanisms. Large-scale clinical trials are required to determine the effects of SPMs in humans. This review integrates the currently available knowledge of the therapeutic impact of SPMs in CVD from preclinical and clinical studies, along with the implicated molecular pathways. In vitro results have been promising, and as such, SPMs could soon represent a new therapeutic alternative for CVD.     

Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress—A Causative Factor and Therapeutic Target in Many Diseases

The excessive formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and impairment of defensive antioxidant systems leads to a condition known as oxidative stress. The main source of free radicals responsible for oxidative stress is mitochondrial respiration. The deleterious effects of ROS on cellular biomolecules, including DNA, is a well-known phenomenon that can disrupt mitochondrial function and contribute to cellular damage and death, and the subsequent development of various disease processes. In this review, we summarize the most important findings that implicated mitochondrial oxidative stress in a wide variety of pathologies from Alzheimer disease (AD) to autoimmune type 1 diabetes. This review also discusses attempts to affect oxidative stress as a therapeutic avenue.     

Noradrenaline in Alzheimer’s Disease: A New Potential Therapeutic Target

A growing body of evidence demonstrates the important role of the noradrenergic system in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative processes, especially Alzheimer’s disease, due to its ability to control glial activation and chemokine production resulting in anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Noradrenaline involvement in this disease was first proposed after finding deficits of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus from Alzheimer’s disease patients. Based on this, it has been hypothesized that the early loss of noradrenergic projections and the subsequent reduction of noradrenaline brain levels contribute to cognitive dysfunctions and the progression of neurodegeneration. Several studies have focused on analyzing the role of noradrenaline in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. In this review we summarize some of the most relevant data describing the alterations of the noradrenergic system normally occurring in Alzheimer’s disease as well as experimental studies in which noradrenaline concentration was modified in order to further analyze how these alterations affect the behavior and viability of different nervous cells. The combination of the different studies here presented suggests that the maintenance of adequate noradrenaline levels in the central nervous system constitutes a key factor of the endogenous defense systems that help prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease. For this reason, the use of noradrenaline modulating drugs is proposed as an interesting alternative therapeutic option for Alzheimer’s disease.     

肿瘤侵袭抑制因子-2对基因重组肝细胞生长因子诱导的人肺癌细胞运动和侵袭的抑制作用

应用基因重组肝细胞生长因子（HGF）可诱导人肺癌细胞运动和侵袭，通过细胞离散、集落扩散和基底膜侵袭实验证明，侵袭抑制因子-2（ⅡF-2）可明显地抑制由HGF诱导的作用。该抑制作用可被抗ⅡF-2抗体所阻断，表明ⅡF-2在肿瘤转移的预防和治疗方面可能具有重要意义。     

Use of Natural Neural Scaffolds Consisting of Engineered Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Immobilized on Ordered Collagen Fibers Filled in a Collagen Tube for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in Rats

The search for effective strategies for peripheral nerve regeneration has attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, ordered collagen fibers were used as intraluminal fibers after nerve injury in rats. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in nerve regeneration, but its very fast initial burst of activity within a short time has largely limited its clinical use. For the stable binding of VEGF to ordered collagen fibers, we fused a collagen-binding domain (CBD) to VEGF through recombinant DNA technology. Then, we filled the ordered collagen fibers-CBD-VEGF targeting delivery system in a collagen tube to construct natural neural scaffolds, which were then used to bridge transected nerve stumps in a rat sciatic nerve transection model. After transplantation, the natural neural scaffolds showed minimal foreign body reactions and good integration into the host tissue. Oriented collagen fibers in the collagen tube could guide regenerating axons in an oriented manner to the distal, degenerating nerve segment, maximizing the chance of target reinnervation. Functional and histological analyses indicated that the recovery of nerve function in the natural neural scaffolds-treated group was superior to the other grafted groups. The guiding of oriented axonal regeneration and effective delivery systems surmounting the otherwise rapid and short-lived diffusion of growth factors in body fluids are two important strategies in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration. The natural neural scaffolds described take advantage of these two aspects and may produce synergistic effects. These properties qualified the artificial nerve conduits as a putative candidate system for the fabrication of peripheral nerve reconstruction devices.