It has been reported that the serum level of vitamin D3 (VitD3) could affect the natural course of chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) and the response to treatment with pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) and ribavirin. Although several mechanisms for the favorable effects of VitD3 supplementation were reported, the total effect of VitD3 supplementation remains unclear. Previously, we reported that suppleme...

Dendrimers have shown great promise as drug delivery vehicles in recent years because they can be synthesized with designed size and functionalities for optimal transportation, targeting, and biocompatibility. One of the most well-known termini used for biocompatibility is polyethylene glycol (PEG), whose performance is affected by its actual conformation. However, the conformation of individua...

Conjugation with polyethylene glycol (PEG), known as PEGylation, has been widely used to improve the bioavailability of proteins and low molecular weight drugs. The covalent conjugation of PEG to the carbohydrate moiety of a protein has been mainly used to enhance the pharmacokinetic properties of the attached protein while yielding a more defined product. Thus, glycoPEGylation was successfully...

We report a new use of dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs) modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG) with good biocompatibility for in vitro and in vivo imaging of atherosclerotic mice by computed tomography (CT). In this study, Au DENPs were synthesized using poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers of generation 5 (G5.NH2) modified by PEG monomethyl ether (G5.NH2-mPEG20) as templates. In...

Studies have highlighted the challenge of developing injectable liposomes as a paclitaxel (PTX) carrier, a challenge attributable to the limitations in liposomal stability caused by PTX loading. Poor stability of PTX-loaded liposomes is caused by PTX-triggered aggregation or fusion of liposomal membranes and is exacerbated in the presence of PEGylated lipid. In the present study, the effect of ...

Engineered nanomaterials promise to transform medicine at the bio-nano interface. However, it is important to elucidate how synthetic nanomaterials interact with critical biological systems before such products can be safely utilized in humans. Past evidence suggests that polyethylene glycol-functionalized (PEGylated) nanomaterials are largely biocompatible and elicit less dramatic immune respo...

We report a patient who was treated with recombinant (r)-hirudin for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and developed a flush reaction twice upon re-exposure to 25 mg of subcutaneous r-hirudin. Antihirudin IgG antibodies developed. The patient received 50 mg of PEG-hirudin subcutaneously over 2 days. No side-effects occurred. The level of IgG antihirudin antibodies increased. Ecarin clotting time...

A deficiency of ADAMTS13 leads to platelet clumping and/or thrombi formation, finally resulting in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). In this study, a 62-year-old male with chronic hepatitis C developed TTP a month after long-term pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN) treatment. The observed low level of activity of plasma ADAMTS13 following PEG-IFN treatment was shown to gradually increase wi...

Dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs) can be formed using low-generation dendrimers pre-modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG). The formed PEGylated Au DENPs with desirable stability, cytocompatibility, and X-ray attenuation properties enable efficient computed tomography imaging of the heart and tumor model of mice.

To assess the biological activity and tolerability of pegylated recombinant native human leptin (PEG-OB), 30 obese men (mean body mass index, 33.9 kg/m2) were randomized to a double-blind treatment with weekly sc injections of 20 mg PEG-OB or placebo for 12 weeks, in addition to a hypocaloric diet (deficit, 2 MJ/day). Body composition, energy expenditure, and metabolic parameters were measured ...