BACKGROUND Cationic immune stimulating complexes (PLUSCOMs) are particulate antigen delivery systems. PLUSCOMs consist of cationic immunostimulatory complexes (ISCOMs) derivatives and are able to elicit in vivo T cell responses against an antigen. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of PLUSCOMs containing Leishmania major antigens (SLA) on the type of immune response generated in the murine mod...

The plasmid DNA (pDNA) loading by cationic polymers or/and cationic lipids is essential for gene therapy, especially for metal implants such as stents and artificial joints. Polycations can condense with pDNA by self-assembly, forming polyplexes spontaneously as a result of electrostatic interactions to carry and transfer pDNA in vivo. Cationic polymers, such as chitosan, can also protect pDNA ...

Pulmonary endothelium plays an important role in the maintenance of normal pulmonary physiology and its dysfunction is involved in a number of pulmonary diseases. Correction of endothelial dysfunction via antisense oligodeoxyonucleotides (ODN) is dependent on the development of a delivery vehicle that can efficiently deliver the ODN to pulmonary endothelium with minimal toxicity. To this end, w...

Synthetic vectors were evaluated for their ability to mediate efficient mRNA transfection. Initial results indicated that lipoplexes, but not polyplexes based on polyethylenimine (PEI, 25 and 22 kDa), poly(L-lysine) (PLL, 54 kDa) or dendrimers, mediated efficient translation of mRNA in B16-F10 cells. Significant mRNA transfection was achieved by lipoplex delivery in quiescent (passage 0) human ...

Present studies have focused on a novel cyanide antidotal system, on the coencapsulation of a new sulfur donor DTO with rhodanese within sterically stabilized liposomes. The optimal lipid composition for coencapsulation of DTO with rhodanese is the combination of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, cholesterol, cationic lipid (DOTAP), and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethano...

RNA oligonucleotides have emerged as a new class of biologicals that can silence gene expression but also stimulate immune responses through specific pattern-recognition receptors. The development of effective delivery systems remains a major challenge for the therapeutic application of the RNA oligonucleotides. In this study, we have established a novel biodegradable carrier system that is hig...

Hematoporphyrin is being used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy of tumors, as well as of other clinical cases. Many classes of tetrapyrroles, including hematoporphyrin, are partitioning quite easily into the external cytoplasmic membrane as the mechanism of cellular uptake. Several chemical and physical parameters of the membrane were studied for their effect on the extent of porphyr...

Systemic gene delivery systems are needed for therapeutic application to organs that are inaccessible by percutaneous injection. Currently, the main objective is the development of a stable and non-toxic vector that can encapsulate and deliver foreign genetic material to target cells. To this end, DNA, complexed with cationic lipids i.e. DOTAP/DOPE, was encapsulated into lipid nanocapsules (LNC...

A gadolinium-chelated liposomal contrast agent has been prepared, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) efficacy has been examined by indirect magnetic resonance lymphography. A lipidic N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine derivative (4) containing a 10,12-diyne-diacyl domain was treated with DTPA anhydride followed by GdCl3 complexation. The complex was confirmed using MALDI spectrometry. An equimolar ...

Radiosensitivity of tumors is due to a complex interaction of various factors, it has been reported that survivin also acts as a constitutive and inducible radioresistance factor in a panel of tumor cells and approaches designed to inhibit survivin expression or function may lead to tumor sensitisation to chemical and physical agents. Previously, we found that the plasmid encoding the phosphory...