Jin Xin,Chen Rui,Zhao Shikun,Li Peiyong,Xue Bai,Chen Xiang,Zhu Xinyuan
In this article, an attempt for efficient screening of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with excellent operability on microfluidic chips was reported. A Parsortix™-like cell separation chip was manufactured in our lab. This chip allowed lateral flow of fluid which increased the flow rate of blood. And, an air valve controlled injection pump was manufactured which allowed eight chips working simultaneously. This greatly facilitated the blood treatment process and saved time. As for the mechanism of screening circulating tumor cells, selective size amplification was utilized. By size amplification of cancer cells, both the hardness and the size of CTCs increased which differentiated them from blood cells. And the modification procedure of beads used for size amplification of cancer cells was optimized. Finally, by integrating the commercialized Parsortix™-like cell separation chip and selective size amplification, a practical method for screening circulating tumor cells was established.
Qin Xianyan,Zhang Luhan,Miao Yang-Bao,Jiang Linxi,Zou Liang,Wang Qin,Shi Yi
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by painful swelling and inflammation, arising from the immune system attacking on healthy cells. However, arthritic sites often experience increased lymph flow, hastening drug clearance and potentially reducing treatment effectiveness. To address this challenge, an in situ size amplification has been proposed to reduce lymphatic clearance and thereby enhance arthritis therapy. This system has been developed based on a conjugate of dexamethasone (Dex) and polysialic acid (PSA), linked via an acid-sensitive linker, supplemented with bis-5-hydroxytryptamine (Bis-5HT) on the PSA backbone. Under physiological conditions, the system autonomously assembles into stable nanoparticles (PD5NPs), facilitating prolonged circulation and targeted delivery to inflamed joints. Upon arrival at arthritic joints, Bis-5HT reacts to elevated myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels and oxidative stress, prompting particle aggregation and in-situ size amplification. This in situ size amplification nanocarrier effectively reduces lymphatic clearance and serves as reservoirs for sustained Dex release in acidic pH environments within arthritic sites, thus continuously alleviating RA symptoms. Moreover, investigation on the underlying mechanism elucidates how the in situ size amplification nanocarrier influences the transportation of PD5NPs from inflamed joints to lymphatic vessels. Our study offers valuable insights for optimizing nanomedicine performance in vivo and augmenting therapeutic efficacy.Graphical