Magnetic particles with polymeric shells bearing cholesterol moieties sensitize breast cancer cells to low doses of doxorubicin

One of the promising strategies for improvement of cancer treatment is application of a combination therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity of nanoformulations containing doxorubicin and iron oxide particles covered with polymeric shells bearing cholesterol moieties. It was postulated that due to high affinity to cell membranes, particles comprising poly(cholesteryl acrylate) can sensitize cancer cells to doxorubicin chemotherapy. The performed analyses revealed that the developed systems are effective against the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 even at low doses of the active compound applied (0.5 µM). Additionally, high compatibility and lack of toxicity of the tested materials against human red blood cells, immune (monocytic THP-1) cells, and cardiomyocyte H9C2(2-1) cells was demonstrated. Synergistic effects observed upon administration of doxorubicin with polymer–iron oxide hybrids comprising poly(cholesteryl acrylate) may provide an opportunity to limit toxicity of the drug and to improve its therapeutic efficiency at the same time

Extracellular vimentin is sufficient to promote cell attachment, spreading, and motility by a mechanism involving N-acetyl glucosamine-containing structures

Vimentin intermediate !laments form part of the cytoskeleton of mesenchymal cells, but under pathological conditions often associatedwith in ammation, vimentin !laments depolymerize as the result of phosphorylation or citrullination, and vimentin oligomers are secreted or released into the extracellular environment. In the extracellular space, vimentin can bind surfaces of cells and the extracellular matrix, and the interaction between extracellular vimentin and cells can trigger changes in cellular functions, such as activation of !broblasts to a !brotic phenotype. The mechanism by which extracellular vimentin binds external cell membranes and whether vimentin alone can act as an adhesive anchor for cells is largely uncharacterized. Here, we show that various cell types (normal and vimentin null !broblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, and A549 lung carcinoma cells) attach to and spread on polyacrylamide hydrogel substrates covalently linked to vimentin. Using traction force microscopy and spheroid expansion assays, we characterize how different cell types respond to extracellular vimentin. Cell attachment to and spreading on vimentin-coated surfaces is inhibited by hyaluronic acid degrading enzymes, hyaluronic acid synthase inhibitors, soluble heparin or N-acetyl glucosamine, all of which are treatments that have little or no effect on the same cell types binding to collagen-coated hydrogels. These studies highlight the effectiveness of substratebound vimentin as a ligand for cells and suggest that carbohydrate structures, including the glycocalyx and glycosylated cell surface proteins that contain N-acetyl glucosamine, form a novel class of adhesion receptors for extracellular vimentin that can either directly support cell adhesion to a substrate or !ne-tune the glycocalyx adhesive properties

Common Classroom of the XXI Century

Niegdyś świetlice tworzono dla rekompensowania braków wychowawczych rodziny. Pełniły one funkcję tzw. ochronek. Pomagały rodzinom dysfunkcyjnym. Zapewniały dziecku wsparcie, opiekę i rozwój. Dziś nadal świetlice – ochronki istnieją. Równolegle do nich funkcjonują świetlice szkolne, jako instytucje opiekuńczo-wychowawcze pomocne w opiece i wychowaniu rodzicom, wspomagające ogólny rozwój dziecka. W dobie migracji młodych rodzin oraz pracy obojga rodziców świetlice pełnią coraz bardziej znaczącą rolę. Wypełnione po brzegi podopiecznymi niekoniecznie odpowiednio wykonują swoje zadania. Co zrobić, aby świetlica szkolna jako instytucja była miła i przyjazna dziecku, wspierała jego rozwój i tym samym zmieniła negatywne postrzeganie społeczeństwa? Co należy zmienić, aby nie postrzegać świetlic jako przechowalni dzieci i nauczycieli? Artykuł ten jest próbą odpowiedzi na powyższe pytania.Common classrooms used to be created in order to make up for families’ educational deficiencies and functioned somewhat similar to nowadays nurseries. They were to help dysfunctional families and to provide a child with support, care and opportunity to develop. Such common rooms still exist nowadays but concurrently there are also school common rooms, which function as care and educational institutions that help parents in upbringing their children and support the overall development of their children. In times like nowadays when families migrate a lot and both parents are working, school common rooms are playing more and more significant role. However, being entirely overfilled by pupils, school common rooms not necessarily serve their purpose. What should be done in order to make the school common room as an organization become a nice and friendly place for a child, support its development and thus change the society negative perception of it? What should be changed for the school common room not to be perceived as a storage room for children and teachers? This article attempts to answer the above questions

Polymeric Drug Delivery Systems Bearing Cholesterol Moieties: A Review

This review aims to provide an overview of polymers comprising cholesterol moiety/ies designed to be used in drug delivery. Over the last two decades, there have been many papers published in this field, which are summarized in this review. The primary focus of this article is on the methods of synthesis of polymers bearing cholesterol in the main chain or as side chains. The data related to the composition, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution of polymers are presented. Moreover, other aspects, such as forms of carriers, types of encapsulated drugs, encapsulation efficiency and capacity, are also included

Dethiocarboxylation of MADIX (co)polymers

International audienceOne potential drawback of the MADIX process lies in the fact that the xanthate terminal group, if not deactivated, is likely to be degraded during the lifetime of the polymer or under some specific application conditions. Several appropriate treatments were developed in order to prevent an uncontrolled degradation over time which may eventually generate low molecular weight malodorous, potentially toxic sulfur-based by-products. For instance, thermally-induced elimination of xanthate terminal groups of polymer chains (Chugaev reaction) was efficiently conducted with five different secondary xanthates. This allowed the generation of thiol groups at the end of PDMS and MADIX polymer chains

Canine transmigration accompanying mandibular retrognathism secondary to osteitis

Transmigration is a tooth pathology in which the migrating tooth bud passes the median plane. Methods: This study is a presentation of the diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes in the cases of 4 stomach teeth transmigrations diagnosed in 3 patients with mandibular retrognathia which was a complication after osteitis in the postnatal period and infancy. Results: Extending imaging diagnostics to include CT, most preferably CBCT, makes it possible to precisely evaluate a transmigrated canine’s position and to plan a course of treatment. Conclusions: Planning of the treatment of teeth in transmigration in patients with temporomandibular ankylosis should be done by a team consisting of an orthodontist and a surgeon

Sialic Acid—Modified Nanoparticles—New Approaches in the Glioma Management—Perspective Review

The cell surface is covered by a dense and complex network of glycans attached to the membrane proteins and lipids. In gliomas, the aberrant sialylation, as the final stage of glycosylation, is an important regulatory mechanism of malignant cell behavior and correlates with worse prognosis. Better understanding of the role of sialylation in cellular and molecular processes opens a new way in the development of therapeutic tools for human brain tumors. According to the recent clinical observation, the cellular heterogeneity, activity of brain cancer stem cells (BCSCs), immune evasion, and function of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) are attractive targets for new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize the importance of sialic acid-modified nanoparticles in brain tumor progression