Application of magnetic nanoparticles to gene delivery

Nanoparticle technology is being incorporated into many areas of molecular science and biomedicine. Because nanoparticles are small enough to enter almost all areas of the body, including the circulatory system and cells, they have been and continue to be exploited for basic biomedical research as well as clinical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. For example, nanoparticles hold great promise for enabling gene therapy to reach its full potential by facilitating targeted delivery of DNA into tissues and cells. Substantial progress has been made in binding DNA to nanoparticles and controlling the behavior of these complexes. In this article, we review research on binding DNAs to nanoparticles as well as our latest study on non-viral gene delivery using polyethylenimine-coated magnetic nanoparticles.     

Solvent Extraction of Picric Acid from Acid Aqueous Solutions into Cyclohexane with Trioctylphosphine Oxide and Trioctylamine

The solvent extraction of picric acid(Hpic) from acid aqueous chloride solutions into cyclohexane with trioctylphosphine oxide(TOPO) and trioctylamine(TOA) was examined and the UV-visible spectrum of the organic phase was studied. In the organic phase, the acid associates with one or two TOPO molecules but it associates with only one TOA molecule. The absorption peak of the 1:1 associate with TOPO appears only in the UV range and thus it is assumed to be a hydrogen-bonded molecular adduct. The 1:2 associate with TOPO and the 1:1 associate with TOA, on the other hand, has a marked absorption peak in the visible range which is quite similar to that of picrate ions and thus the extracts are assumed to be ion pairs in which an electron transfers from the hydrogen atom to the oxygen atom in the OH-group. For this reason, the spectrum of TOPO extract is dependent on the amount of free extractant but that of TOA extract is not.     

Effects of dietary α-lipoic acid enantiomers on hepatic fatty acid metabolism in rats

Effects of dietary α-lipoic acid enantiomers on hepatic and serum lipid concentrations and the activity and mRNA levels of enzymes involved in hepatic fatty acid metabolism were examined in rats. Rats were fed experimental diets containing 0 or 2.5 g/kg of α-lipoic acid enantiomers (a racemic mixture of R/S-, S- or R-α-lipoic acid) for 21 days. Various α-lipoic acid preparations decreased serum and liver concentrations of triacylglycerol, and also lowered serum concentrations of cholesterol and phospholipid and the concentration of cholesterol in the liver. α-Lipoic acid decreased the activity and mRNA levels of various hepatic lipogenic enzymes and also decreased the activities of carnitine acyltransferase and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase and mRNA levels of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a involved in fatty acid oxidation in the liver; however, R- and S-enantiomers of α-lipoic acid as well as well as a racemic mixture of R/S-α-lipoic acid were indistinguishable in altering these indices for lipid metabolism.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activities of Chinese fermented soypaste and estimation of the inhibitory substances

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities of aqueous extracts of Chinese commercial soypaste were investigated in this work. Six samples from northern China showed potent ACE inhibitory activities with IC₅₀ values less than 40.0 μg/mL. ACE inhibitors in the sample with the strongest activity were purified by ultrafiltration, solid-phase extraction and gradient RP-HPLC. According to spectroscopic methods, a compound (M328.1) was separated as C₁₅H₂₁NO₇. It was supposed to be a conjugate of phenylalanine and glucose generated by Maillard reaction during soypaste production, providing support on the contribution of Maillard reaction products to the ACE inhibitory activity of the sample. Results further indicated that the total ACE inhibition by the sample occurred from the combined function of various bioactive substances, suggesting that Chinese soypaste could be a good source of ACE inhibitors for exploring functional foods or ingredients with antihypertensive effect.     

125Te, 27Al, and 71Ga NMR Study of M2O3–TeO2 (M = Al and Ga) Glasses

The structures of M₂O₃–TeO₂ (M = Al and Ga) glasses have been investigated by means of ¹²⁵Te, ²⁷Al, and ⁷¹Ga NMR spectroscopies. The structural units of respective cations in M₂O₃–TeO₂ glasses were quantitatively analyzed. The fractions of TeO₄ trigonal bipyramid, AlO₆ and GaO₆ octahedra decreased and those of TeO₃ trigonal pyramid, AlO₄, AlO₅, and GaO₄ polyhedra increased with increasing M₂O₃ content. Based on the local structures around Te, Al, and Ga atoms, the structure models of M₂O₃–TeO₂ glasses were proposed.     

Large-area uniform dust-free plasma CVD

In the weak magnetic field perpendicular to the discharge electric field, both the electrons and positive ions are transported in the direction of E×B drift by the space charge electric field produced by the preceded electrons. As a result, radicals are generated uniformly outside of discharge space between the electrodes in the direction of E×B drift. On the other hand, negatively charged heavy particles such as dust particles can be removed from discharge space in the direction opposite to E×B drift of plasmas. The authors have studied the transport mechanisms of magnetized dusty plasmas and its applications for the large-area uniform a-Si:H thin film deposition in plasma CVD methods. This paper reviews the transport phenomena and the transport mechanisms of dust particles and the results of film preparation under particle-free process conditions.     

Evaluation of drug toxicity with hepatocytes cultured in a micro-space cell culture system

A micro-space cell culture system was recently developed in which cells such as hepatocytes can be cultured and formed into a multicellular three-dimensional (3D) architecture. In this study, we assessed the performance of HepG2 cells cultured in this micro-space cell culture system in a drug toxicity test, and evaluated the effects of micro-space culture on their hepatocyte-specific functions. The micro-space cell culture facilitated the formation of 3D HepG2 cell architecture. HepG2 cells cultured in a micro-space culture plate exhibited increased albumin secretion and enhanced mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme compared to those cultured in a monolayer culture. When the cells were exposed to acetaminophen, a hepatotoxic drug, the damage to the HepG2 cells grown in micro-space culture was greater than the damage to the HepG2 cells grown in monolayer culture. In addition, human primary hepatocytes grown in micro-space culture also exhibited increased albumin secretion, enhanced CYP mRNA expression levels and increased sensitivity to acetaminophen compared to those grown in monolayer culture. These results suggest that this micro-space culture method enhances the hepatocyte-specific functions of hepatocytes, including drug-metabolizing enzyme activities, making hepatocytes grown in the micro-space culture system a useful tool for evaluating drug toxicity in vitro.     

Photoelectrochemical properties of sol–gel-derived anatase and rutile TiO2 films

Anatase and rutile film electrodes with comparable porosities were prepared by the sol–gel dip-coating method, and the photoelectrochemical properties were studied based on photocurrent measurement and impedance analysis in a three-electrode wet cell. The photocurrent was found to increase with the donor density, both in anatase and rutile electrodes. For the same donor density, however, rutile electrodes exhibited higher photocurrents than anatase electrodes, which was ascribed to the more beneficial bandgap structure of the former.     

Hydration of phosphate and borate glasses at high temperatures and pressures

The kinetics of hydration of CaO-Al₂O₃-P₂O₅ and Na₂O-CaO-B₂O₃-Al₂O₃ glasses in an autoclave at high temperatures and pressures have been investigated. A linear time dependence of the depth of hydrated layer has been found for the glasses used in the present study. This implies that the hydration process is governed by the chemical reaction at the interface between the unhydrated and the hydrated glass phases. It is indicated that the hydration of the phosphate glasses may occur as a result of hydrolysis of glass constituents to form orthophosphate crystals. Water vapour can easily reach the interface through the crystalline aggregates, which are loosely packed. Cabal glasses which do not contain any alkali oxides have shown quite a high resistance to water. Substitution of sodium for calcium has resulted in deterioration of the chemical durability of cabal glasses. This can be explained by the difference in stability between sodium and calcium ions in the hydrated layer.