Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Article Title: Design of Gelatin-Capped Plasmonic-Diatomite Nanoparticles with Enhanced Galunisertib Loading Capacity for Drug Delivery Applications

doi: 10.3390/ijms221910755

Figure Lengend Snippet: Preparation and Characterization of the AuDNP-LY@Gel system. ( a ) Schematic representation of the functionalization procedure. The growth of AuNPs on the surface of the DNP is achieved by dispersing amino-modified DNPs in the HAuCl 4 solution and adding gelatin as a stabilizing agent. NaBH 4 is used as the reducing agent. Then, the small molecule Galunisertib is loaded into the system and the gelatin shell is performed by crosslinking of the polymer matrix. The scheme is not in scale and not intended to represent the full sample composition. ( b ) TEM investigations of the AuDNP (I), AuDNP-LY@Gel 0.125% (II) and AuDNP-LY@Gel 0.5% samples ( c ). Particle size analysis of AuNPs decorating the surface of the DNP fitted by a Gaussian curve. ( d ) Change in the size (black) and surface charge (blue) of the samples AuDNP-LY@Gel according to the different gelatin amounts in the outer shell. The vertical bars are representative of the standard deviation (SD) on a minimum of three independent measurements.

Article Snippet: Galunisertib (LY 2157299) was purchased from Axon Medchem (Groningen, NL).

Techniques: Modification, Polymer, Particle Size Analysis, Standard Deviation

Journal: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

Article Title: Extracellular Vesicles Derived From Adult and Fetal Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Differentially Promote ex vivo Expansion of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.640419

Figure Lengend Snippet: Proteomic profiling of adult- and fetal MSC derived EVs. (A) Principal Component Analyses, PCA, based on the LFQ intensity values of proteins that were quantified in all samples, showing a separation between aEVs and fEVs. Each datapoint represents one independent sample ( n = 2 single and n = 2 pooled adult MSC EV donors and n = 3, single fetal MSC EV donors). (B) Scatterplot results of all quantified proteins, represented as median LFQ values after imputation, showing 156 differentially expressed proteins identified in aEVs (orange) vs. 255 differentially expressed proteins in fEVs (green). The top highly expressed proteins are representative EV protein markers (blue). (C) Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed proteins based on the “Biological process.” (D) Heatmap showing significantly enriched fEV proteins involved in transforming growth factor receptor signaling pathway and potentially responsible for limiting the effect of fEVs to support the ex vivo expansion of UCB CD34 + cells. Each column represents one independent sample (X = not quantified). (E) Inhibition of TGFB1 signaling pathway in UCB-CD34 + cells. UCB-CD34 + cells ( n = 6 donors) were cultured for 10 days in growth factor-driven serum-free expansion media in the presence or absence of fEVs ( n = 6, single donors) and TGFB1R inhibitor; (i) proliferation of viable total nucleated cells, TNC and (ii) CD34 + cells shown as fold change increase compared to D0 input.; (iii) proliferation of primitive HSC (CD34 + CD38-CD45RA-) subset, shown as absolute fold change normalized to D10 control. Blocking TGFBR1 shows a non-significant trend in increased expansion of total nucleated cells ( P = 0.14), the CD34 + cell subset ( P = 0.11) and the primitive HSCs ( P = 0.09) when compared to fEVs. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01.

Article Snippet: For the TGFB1 receptor inhibitor experiment, cells were incubated in the absence or presence of fEVs, 1 μM TGFB1 receptor inhibitor (LY 2157299 from Axon Medchem, Netherlands) and DMSO (control TGFB1R inhibitor).

Techniques: Derivative Assay, Ex Vivo, Inhibition, Cell Culture, Control, Blocking Assay