The Del1 deposition domain can immobilize 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the extracellular matrix without interfering with enzymatic activity

Developing methods that result in targeting of therapeutic molecules in gene therapies to target tissues has importance, as targeting can increase efficacy and decrease off target-side-effects. Work from my laboratory previously showed that the extracellular matrix protein Del1 is organized in the extracellular matrix (ECM) via the Del1 deposition domain (DDD). In this work, a fusion protein with DDD was made to assay the ability to immobilize an enzyme without disrupting enzymatic function. A prostatic cancer-derived cell line LNCap that grows in an androgen-dependent manner was used with 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 αHD), which catalyzes dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Plasmids encoding a 3αHD:DDD fusion were generated and transfected into cultured cells. The effects of 3αHD immobilized in the ECM by the DDD were evaluated by monitoring growth of LNCap cells and DHT concentrations. It was demonstrated that the DDD could immobilize an enzyme in the ECM without interfering with function

Nonviral Gene Therapy for Cancer: A Review

Although the development of effective viral vectors put gene therapy on the road to commercialization, nonviral vectors show promise for practical use because of their relative safety and lower cost. A significant barrier to the use of nonviral vectors, however, is that they have not yet proven effective. This apparent lack of interest can be attributed to the problem of the low gene transfer efficiency associated with nonviral vectors. The efficiency of gene transfer via nonviral vectors has been reported to be 1/10th to 1/1000th that of viral vectors. Despite the fact that new gene transfer methods and nonviral vectors have been developed, no significant improvements in gene transfer efficiency have been achieved. Nevertheless, some notable progress has been made. In this review, we discuss studies that report good results using nonviral vectors in vivo in animal models, with a particular focus on studies aimed at in vivo gene therapy to treat cancer, as this disease has attracted the interest of researchers developing nonviral vectors. We describe the conditions in which nonviral vectors work more efficiently for gene therapy and discuss how the goals might differ for nonviral versus viral vector development and use

Photo- and thermo-stable luminescent beads composed of Eu(III) complexes and PMMA for enhancement of silicon solar cell efficiency

Photo-and thermo-stable luminescent beads composed of Eu(hfa)(3)(TPPO)(2) (hfa: hexafluoroacetylacetonate, TPPO: triphenylphosphine oxide) and PMMA (polymethylmethacryrate), Eu(hfa)(3)(TPPO)(2)-beads, have been reported for improvement of energy conversion efficiency on silicon solar cell. The photophysical properties of Eu(hfa)(3)(TPPO)(2) and compared Eu(tta)(3)(TPPO)(2) (tta: trifluoromethyl- thienylacetylacetonate) are characterized by the emission quantum yield, the emission lifetime, the radiative and the non-radiative rate constants. Photo-and thermo-stability of the beads with Eu(III) complexes in EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) are estimated under UV irradiation (Xenon lamp: 60 W/m(2)) and highly temperature (120 degrees C). The stability of the Eu(hfa)(3)(TPPO)(2)-beads for industrial application was calculated to be ten years under air condition. Energy conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells attached EVA films with Eu(hfa)(3)(TPPO)(2)-beads increased approximately 2%(10% -> 10.2%) compared with EVA films contained with UV absorber. Photo-and thermo-stable Eu(hfa)(3)(TPPO)(2)-beads for silicon solar cells are demonstrated for the first time

Standardization of clinical protocols in oral malodor research

The objective of this study is to standardize protocols for clinical research into oral malodor caused by volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). To detect VSCs, a gas chromatograph (GC) using a flame photometric detector equipped with a bandpass filter (at 393 nm) is the gold standard (sensitivity: 5 x 10 (11) gS s (1)). The baselines of VSC concentrations in mouth air varied considerably over a week. When the subjects refrained from eating, drinking and oral hygiene including mouth rinsing, the VSC concentrations remained constant until eating. Over a 6 h period after a meal, VSC concentrations decreased dramatically (p <0.01). These results point to optimal times and conditions for sampling subjects. Several portable devices were compared with the measurements by the GCs. Portable GCs demonstrated capabilities similar to those of the GCs. We also applied the recommended protocols described below to clinical research testing the efficacy of ZnCl2 products, and confirmed that using the recommended protocols in a randomized crossover design would provide very clear results. Proposed protocols include: (a) a short-term study rather than a long-term study is strongly recommended, since the VSC concentrations are constant in the short term; (b) a crossover study would be the best design to avoid the effects of individual specificities on each clinical intervention; (c) measurements of VSCs should preferably be carried out using either a GC or portable GCs