The feasibility of gene therapy in the treatment of head and neck cancer

Standard approach to the treatment of head and neck cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. More recently, dramatic increases in our knowledge of the molecular and genetic basis of cancer combined with advances in technology have resulted in novel molecular therapies for this disease. In particular, gene therapy, which involves the transfer of genetic material to cells to produce a therapeutic effect, has become a promising approach. Clinical trials concerning gene therapy strategies in head and neck cancer as well as combination of these strategies with chemotherapy and radiation therapy will be discussed

Kinetics of Enzymatic Ring-Opening Polymerization of ε-Caprolactone in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

The kinetics of enzymatic ring-opening polymerization (eROP) of ε-caprolactone in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) was investigated using a new, high-pressure sampling autoclave. The polymerization was performed using Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) as catalyst and was found to be approximately first order with respect to monomer up to 80% conversion. For the first time we have been able to present kinetic results on the eROP of caprolactone in scCO2. These results show that high molecular weight polymer could be obtained (up to 50 kDa) with polydispersities in the range of 2. The relatively poor molecular weight control was attributed to the large degree of enzyme-catalyzed transesterification that forms both cyclic species (intramolecular transesterification) and linear polymer (intermolecular transesterification). This effect has also been observed for eROP of ε-caprolactone in conventional solvents. The formation of cyclic oligomers of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) was investigated as a function of conversion, and comparisons were made to similar studies undertaken in conventional solvents

Suppression of cytokine storm with a sphingosine analog provides protection against pathogenic influenza virus

Human pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus rapidly infected millions worldwide and was associated with significant mortality. Antiviral drugs that inhibit influenza virus replication are the primary therapy used to diminish disease; however, there are two significant limitations to their effective use: (i) antiviral drugs exert selective pressure on the virus, resulting in the generation of more fit viral progeny that are resistant to treatment; and (ii) antiviral drugs do not directly inhibit immune-mediated pulmonary injury that is a significant component of disease. Here we show that dampening the host's immune response against influenza virus using an immunomodulatory drug, AAL-R, provides significant protection from mortality (82%) over that of the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir alone (50%). AAL-R combined with oseltamivir provided maximum protection against a lethal challenge of influenza virus (96%). Mechanistically, AAL-R inhibits cellular and cytokine/chemokine responses to limit immunopathologic damage, while maintaining host control of virus replication. With cytokine storm playing a role in the pathogenesis of a wide assortment of viral, bacterial, and immunologic diseases, a therapeutic approach using sphingosine analogs is of particular interest