OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and biodistribution characteristics of mixed activated killer (MAK) immune cells derived from the blood of tumor patients in immunodeficient mice. METHODS Immunodeficient NOG mice were injected with MAK cells 9 times via the tail vein. The mice were observed continuously for 28 d after the last administration. The clinical symptoms, body weight, food intake, hematological and serum biochemical indexes, cytokine indexes and histopathological changes in mice were investigated. In the meanwhile, the distribution characteristics of MAK cells in peripheral blood and various tissues and organs were investigated. RESULTS MAK cells had no significant effect on clinical symptoms, the injection site, body weight and food intake in mice, and could increase the level of human interferon gamma in serum of mice. MAK cells could elevate lymphocytes%, monocytes%, white blood cells and decrease basophils% in peripheral blood. Mix cell aggregates were observed in most organs. Massive expansion of MAK cells was observed in most tissues of mice after administration of MAK cells for 28 d. CONCLUSION MAK cells could proliferate and induce immune responses in immunodeficient NOG mice without obvious toxic reactions. Given the above, the data of this study can provide a reference for the non-clinical safety evaluation of related products.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the preclinical safety of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell U87 in tumor-bearing immunodeficient mice. METHODS A transplantation tumor model was constructed using NCG mice subcutaneously inoculated with BxPC-3, on which cells U87 (2×10⁶cells each mouse and 10×10⁶ cells each mouse) were administered in a single dose, and continued to be observed until day 84 after administration. Tumor clearance, survival rate, clinical symptoms, body weight changes, hematological indices, lymphocyte subpopulation classification, cytokine indices, and histopathological changes were examined to characterize the mice. RESULTS Single tail vein administration of U87 to hormonal NCG mice significantly prolonged mouse survival and even completely cleared the tumor load. As its pharmacodynamic action, U87 resulted in elevated levels of human-derived IFN-γ, as well as mixed cell aggregation in multiple tissues/organisms, with no local irritation and no apparent systemic toxicity associated with U87. U87 led excessive immune response at high doses, and has certain effects on the values of GLU, TG, TP, ALB, PLT and RET in animals. Mild GvHD-associated histopathological changes were only observed in 2×10⁶ CAR-T (from week 8 after cell administration) and 10×10⁶ CAR-T (from week 4 after cell administration), and the changes correlated with the level of T-cell proliferation. No tumor formation associated with U87 was seen. CONCLUSION U87 does not show any significant risk associated with immunotoxicity and tumorigenicity in BxPC-3 loaded NCG mice and shows some pharmacodynamic effects. The results of this study provide implications for the toxicological evaluation of targeted solid tumors.

OBJECTVIE To provide safety basis for clinical application, and evaluate the toxicity CIK cells by repeated administration of CIK cells in severe immunodeficient NPG mouse model. METHODS The NPG mice were randomized into two groups: the main experimental group and the satellite group. Each group was divided into vehicle control group, low dose group (2×10⁶ cells per mouse) and high dose group (3×10⁷ cells per mouse). The CIK cells were given every two weeks for 6 times with 28-day recovery. During the experiment, the clinical symptoms, body weight and food intake were observed in the main experimental group. Blood samples were dissected and collected at the end of the administration period and recovery period, and the hematology, serum biochemical examination, cytokine detection, organ weighing and pathological examination were performed. The blood samples of satellite animals were collected to investigate the distribution of CIK cells before the first and last administration, 3 h, 1 d, 3 d, 10 d after the administration, and after the recovery period. RESULTS After repeated administration for 6 times at low dose, no obvious toxic reaction was observed in mice. A few CIK cells were detected in the blood at 1 day after the first dose and at some time points (3 h, day 10, day 29) after the last dose. High levels of CIK cells were detected in the blood of mice after repeated administration of 6 times at high dose. The levels of IFN-γ, TNF, IL-10, IL-2 and Il-10 in serum were increased. At the same time, significant graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) reaction was observed in mice, including the changes of clinical symptoms, body weight, food intake, hematology and serum biochemistry, mixed cell aggregation and GvHD-related lesions occurred in multiple organs of animals. CONCLUSION The data from the study indicates that no significant toxic reaction was observed at the dose of 2×10⁶ cells per mouse (the clinical dosage). GvHD associated with xenotransplantation was observed at a dose of 3×10⁷ cells per mouse, and no other related toxicity was observed. These data will facilitate CIK cells to enter into clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the distribution and clearance of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in NOG mice. METHODS Eighty-four NOG mice were used, divided into control group and test group. The mice were given a single tail vein injection. After administration blood was collected and organs were taken at different time points, flow cytometry and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to detect the distribution of cells in the blood and different organs. RESULTS After 1-2 d of administration, the number of CD3⁺, CD3⁺CD4⁺, and CD3⁺CD8⁺cells in the blood reached their peaks. At the same time, qPCR showed that TIL was mainly distributed in tissues such as lungs, blood, and liver, with less distribution in other tissues. On day 42 after administration, gene copies of most tissues were below the lower limit of quantitation. CONCLUSION Single tail vein injection of TIL in NOG mice is mainly distributed in the lungs, blood, and liver, and its duration in vivo does not exceed 42 d.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) decoction is a complex dispersion system, and its active components are mostly to form different phases in the form of solutes or dispersed substances, such as true solution, colloidal phase, suspension phase, etc. The active components are complex and diverse, and the formation, transformation, and transmission of each phase may affect the metabolism and action process of the pharmacodynamic components in biological bodies. However, the study on the phase differences and effective phases in TCM decoction is still in the initial stage. In this paper, we will be explored the quality basis and mechanism of TCM decoction from the perspectives of the formation, characterization, transformation, transmission and mechanism of the ordered phase in TCM decoction, and look forward to the quality research mode of TCM based on phase structure, so as to provide a reference for explaining the effect mechanism of TCM decoction from the perspective of structural TCM decoction.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative retinal disease. AMD is divided into two major forms: dry (atrophic) AMD and wet (exudative) AMD. The most common treatment for wet AMD is intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs. However, the treatment can only relieve but not care, and there are some patients who aren’t adapted to this treatment of administration. The application of nanotechnology offers new strategies for improving drug delivery in AMD, where polymeric nanoparticles can provide sustained drug release, can be modified to target the lesion and increase drug target site deposition, can penetrate the ocular barrier and extend drug retention times. This paper reviews the current research advances in polymeric nanoparticles-based drug delivery systems for the treatment of AMD, providing a viable reference to the treatment of AMD.

OBJECTIVE To establish a callus culture system for dedifferentiation of Mahonia fortunei (Lindl.) in order to screen the key genes involved in the biosynthesis of jatrorrhizine. METHODS The contents of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in callus at different dedifferentiation stages were determined by HPLC. Transcriptome was used to analyze the gene expression profiles of callus at different dedifferentiation processes and identify the differentially expressed genes. By analyzing the relationship between the variation of alkaloid content and the differentially expressed genes, the key genes involved in the biosynthesis of jatrorrhizine were screened. RESULTS The contents of columbamine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine and berberine increased in varying degrees during the dedifferentiation of Mahonia fortunei (Lindl.) leaves, among which jatrorrhizine increased significantly. By comparing and analyzing the transcripts of the leaves of Mahonia fortunei (Lindl.) and samples from different dedifferentiated stages, differential expression genes between different dedifferentiated stage samples were screened. Furthermore, through KEGG enrichment analysis, cluster analysis, 25 differentially expressed genes involved in jatrorrhizine biosynthesis pathway were annotated, among which NCS, 7OMT, CNMT, BBE, CAS, STOX may be potential key genes. CONCLUSION During the dedifferentiation period, the contents of columbamine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine and berberine all increase, among which the contents of jatrorrhizine increases the most significantly. Callus culture can be used as a method to produce benzyl isoquinoline alkaloids such as jatrorrhizine.

OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of different data preprocessing algorithms and their combinations, different band selection algorithms and different classification methods on the performance of the model by using near infrared spectroscopy to classify the genuineness of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi in Hebei province. METHODS A total of 138 samples of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi were collected, and the spectral acquisition of different Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi samples was carried out by using 12 500-4 000 cm^-1 band. Firstly, the single performance and combined performance of different spectral preprocessing methods are compared. Secondly, the performance of competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), uninformative variable elimination (UVE), successive projections algorithm (SPA) and principal component analysis (PCA) in infrared spectral band selection and feature extraction are compared. Finally, the performance differences of partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), support vector (SVM), artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), traditional one-dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN) and stacked autoencoder (SAE) in establishing the attribute classification model of traditional Chinese medicine were compared. RESULTS The best preprocessing algorithm is to use mean centralization (MC) and multiple scattering correction (MSC), and the overall accuracy rate can reach 92.9 %. The optimal band selection algorithm is based on the 25-dimensional variables selected by PCA, which can increase the total accuracy by 10.7 %. The best classification algorithm is a one-dimensional CNN model established after MSC processing and PCA dimensionality reduction, which can achieve 100 % accuracy of geo-authentic binary classification. CONCLUSIONS The study of genuineness classification algorithm by infrared spectroscopy provides a fast and non-destructive detection method and reliable data analysis method for the genuineness classification of Scutellaria baicalensis, and provides a new method reference for the traceability of Chinese medicinal materials.

OBJECTIVE To prepare and characterize scoprone-loaded PLGA microspheres. METHODS Scoprone-loaded PLGA microspheres were constructed by a O/W emulsion-solvent evaporation method.Their surface morphology, encapsulation rate and drug loading of microspheres were the main evaluation indexes. Based on single factor experiment,the optimum preparation conditions of PLGA microspheres were obtained through central composite design. RESULTS Scoprone-loaded PLGA microspheres were light yellow powder and spherical in shape with smooth surface with size 2.94 μm.Scoprone was loaded into PLGA microspheres with drug loading(4.28%)and encapsulation efficiency(47.03%). CONCLUSION Scoprone-loaded PLGA microspheres are constructed successfully. The particle size of microspheres meets the requirements of intraocular vitreous cavity injection, and has good slow-release performance under simulated in vitro environment. The preparation method is accurate and reliable, and can provide a new dosage form for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

OBJECTIVE To established and optimized an analytical method for spiramycin related substances for daily testing of spiramycin related substances. METHODS A Waters Xbridge shield RP₁₈ (4.6 mm×250 mm, 3.5 μm) column was used for the experiment. The chromatographic conditions were as follows: water: 0.2 mol·L^-1 dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (adjust the pH value to 9.5 using a 1 mol·L^-1 KOH solution): acetonitrile: methanol, (10∶60∶28.5∶1.5) as mobile phase A, water: 0.2 mol·L^-1 dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (pH 9.5): acetonitrile: methanol, (10∶30∶57∶3) as mobile phase B, and gradient elution was performed. Detection wavelength 232 nm. RESULTS The established method can achieve good separation between the components of spiramycin and its related substances. The mass concentration of spiramycin Ⅰ is in the range of 0.7-1 200 μg·mL^-1, and its peak area shows a good linear relationship with concentration (r=0.999 3). The limit of detection (LOD) is 0.2 μg·mL^-1, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) is 0.7 μg·mL^-1. The RSD of the repeatability and precision test is less than 2.0%, and the test solution is stable at 5 ℃ for 24 h. CONCLUSION Compared with current analytical methods, this method has strong specificity, good sensitivity and stability, and effectively shortens the testing time and improves the testing efficiency. It can be used for the daily testing of related substances of spiramycin.