scholarly journals Determination of the pH Gradient in Hair Follicles of Human Volunteers Using pH-Sensitive Melamine Formaldehyde-Pyranine Nile Blue Microparticles

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 5243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Kaden ◽  
Lars Dähne ◽  
Fanny Knorr ◽  
Heike Richter ◽  
Jürgen Lademann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hair Follicle ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Nile Blue ◽  
Hair Shaft ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Melamine Formaldehyde

Nanoparticles can be applied to the hair follicles, which can serve as reservoirs for triggered drug release. A valid measurement method for the determination of the pH within the hair follicle in vivo has not been shown yet. Here, melamine formaldehyde particles up to 9 µm in size were applied on 40 freshly plucked scalp hairs of eight individuals to determine the pH along the hair shaft down to the root area of the hair. For fluorescent pH indicators, pyranine and Nile blue were incorporated into the particles. Measurements were conducted using confocal laser scanning microscopy. A pH decay gradient could be found from the hair sheath towards the external hair shaft (p = 0.012) with pH values at the hair sheath of 6.63 ± 0.09, at the hair sheath end at 6.33 ± 0.11, and at the external hair shaft at 6.17 ± 0.09 (mean ± SE). The pH difference between the hair sheath end and the external hair shaft was found to be significant (p = 0.036). The results might be comparable with the pH within the hair follicle in vivo indicating a pH increase towards the hair root.

scholarly journals Targeted photosensitizer delivery: A prospective approach to vitiligo photochemotherapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Utz ◽  
G. B. Sukhorukov ◽  
V. V. Tuchin ◽  
D. A. Gorin ◽  
E. A. Genina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Calcium Carbonate ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Skin Pigmentation ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Uva Irradiation ◽  
Ammi Majus ◽  
Pigment Accumulation

Aim. In this work, the authors set out to develop an effective method for the intrafollicular delivery of “Ammi majus fructuum furocumarines” photosensitizer (AMFF) followed by UVA irradiation (λ = 320–400 nm). Materials and methods. The proposed delivery method consists in using calcium carbonate particles acting as AMFF carriers. In vivo monitoring of hair follicle filling was carried out via optical coherence tomography, as well as by means of analyzing epilated hair using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Following the administration of free and encapsulated AMFF to three healthy volunteers, the character of UVA-induced skin pigmentation was registered under dermatoscopic examination. Results. The obtained results demonstrate a profuse filling of hair follicles with calcium carbonate particles, thus confirming the possibility of intrafollicular photosensitizer delivery. It was established that exposure to UVA irradiation causes intense pigment accumulation in the area of AMFF carrier administration. Conclusion. The proposed method of the targeted photosensitizer delivery allows photochemical therapy to be improved.

Vacuoles Induced in Mammalian Cells by Helicobacter Cytotoxin are Acidic Organelles

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-169
Author(s):  
M. H. Chestnut ◽  
C. E. Catrenich
Keyword(s):  
Acridine Orange ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Ulcer Disease ◽  
Gastroduodenal Disease ◽  
H Pylori

Helicobacter pylori is a non-invasive, Gram-negative spiral bacterium first identified in 1983, and subsequently implicated in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal disease including gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. Cytotoxic activity, manifested by intracytoplasmic vacuolation of mammalian cells in vitro, was identified in 55% of H. pylori strains examined. The vacuoles increase in number and size during extended incubation, resulting in vacuolar and cellular degeneration after 24 h to 48 h. Vacuolation of gastric epithelial cells is also observed in vivo during infection by H. pylori. A high molecular weight, heat labile protein is believed to be responsible for vacuolation and to significantly contribute to the development of gastroduodenal disease in humans. The mechanism by which the cytotoxin exerts its effect is unknown, as is the intracellular origin of the vacuolar membrane and contents. Acridine orange is a membrane-permeant weak base that initially accumulates in low-pH compartments. We have used acridine orange accumulation in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy of toxin-treated cells to begin probing the nature and origin of these vacuoles.

scholarly journals Targeted Liposomal Chemotherapies to Treat Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3749
Author(s):  
Yingnan Si ◽  
Ya Zhang ◽  
Hanh Giai Ngo ◽  
Jia-Shiung Guan ◽  
Kai Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Surface Binding ◽  
Synthesis Inhibitor ◽  
Tnbc Cell

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are highly aggressive and recurrent. Standard cytotoxic chemotherapies are currently the main treatment options, but their clinical efficacies are limited and patients usually suffer from severe side effects. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate targeted liposomes-delivered combined chemotherapies to treat TNBCs. Specifically, the IC50 values of the microtubule polymerization inhibitor mertansine (DM1), mitotic spindle assembly defecting taxane (paclitaxel, PTX), DNA synthesis inhibitor gemcitabine (GC), and DNA damage inducer doxorubicin (AC) were tested in both TNBC MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Then we constructed the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody (mAb) tagged liposomes and confirmed its TNBC cell surface binding using flow cytometry, internalization with confocal laser scanning microscopy, and TNBC xenograft targeting in NSG female mice using In Vivo Imaging System. The safe dosage of anti-EGFR liposomal chemotherapies, i.e., <20% body weight change, was identified. Finally, the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy studies in TNBC cell line-derived xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models revealed that the targeted delivery of chemotherapies (mertansine and gemcitabine) can effectively inhibit tumor growth. This study demonstrated that the targeted liposomes enable the new formulations of combined therapies that improve anti-TNBC efficacy.

scholarly journals Degradation of Drug Delivery Nanocarriers and Payload Release: A Review of Physical Methods for Tracing Nanocarrier Biological Fate

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 770
Author(s):  
Patrick M. Perrigue ◽  
Richard A. Murray ◽  
Angelika Mielcarek ◽  
Agata Henschke ◽  
Sergio E. Moya
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Single Photon ◽  
Photon Emission ◽  
Correlation Spectroscopy ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Emission Computed Tomography ◽  
Systemic Delivery

Nanoformulations offer multiple advantages over conventional drug delivery, enhancing solubility, biocompatibility, and bioavailability of drugs. Nanocarriers can be engineered with targeting ligands for reaching specific tissue or cells, thus reducing the side effects of payloads. Following systemic delivery, nanocarriers must deliver encapsulated drugs, usually through nanocarrier degradation. A premature degradation, or the loss of the nanocarrier coating, may prevent the drug’s delivery to the targeted tissue. Despite their importance, stability and degradation of nanocarriers in biological environments are largely not studied in the literature. Here we review techniques for tracing the fate of nanocarriers, focusing on nanocarrier degradation and drug release both intracellularly and in vivo. Intracellularly, we will discuss different fluorescence techniques: confocal laser scanning microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, lifetime imaging, flow cytometry, etc. We also consider confocal Raman microscopy as a label-free technique to trace colocalization of nanocarriers and drugs. In vivo we will consider fluorescence and nuclear imaging for tracing nanocarriers. Positron emission tomography and single-photon emission computed tomography are used for a quantitative assessment of nanocarrier and payload biodistribution. Strategies for dual radiolabelling of the nanocarriers and the payload for tracing carrier degradation, as well as the efficacy of the payload delivery in vivo, are also discussed.

Probing Enhanced Cytochrome P450 2B1/2 Activity in Rat Hepatocyte Spheroids through Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy

2001 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanouhl S. Tzanakakis ◽  
Chang-Chun Hsiao ◽  
Taku Matsushita ◽  
Rory P. Remmel ◽  
Wei-Shou Hu
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome P450 ◽  
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Rat Hepatocytes ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser Scanning ◽  
Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes are essential for xenobiotic metabolism. Although CYP450s are found in many tissues, CYP2B1/2 are primarily expressed in the rat liver. The constitutive expression in vivo of CYP2B1/2 is low but it is induced in the presence of various drugs such as phenobarbital (PB). In this study, CYP2B1/2 activity in cultured hepatocytes was assessed in situ with the introduction of a fluorogenic sub-strate, pentoxyresorufin. The product of 7-pentoxyresorufin-O-dealkylation (PROD), which is catalyzed specifically by CYP2B1/2, was detected using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Primary hepatocytes cultured as monolayers on collagen-coated surfaces exhibited background PROD activity and minimal PB inducibility after 4 days in culture. In contrast, rat hepatocytes organized in compacted aggregates, or spheroids, exhibited higher levels of PROD activity and retained their ability for PB induction. The results from the CLSM analysis were verified by RT-PCR and Western immunoblotting analysis. Furthermore, CLSM in conjunction with image processing techniques and three-dimensional reconstruction revealed the localization of enhanced PROD activity in the center of spheroids. The results support the use of CLSM as a powerful tool for investigating CYP2B1/2 activity in cultured rat hepatocytes.

scholarly journals The Interaction of N-Acetylcysteine and Serum Transferrin Promotes Bacterial Biofilm Formation

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 1399-1409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Supeng Yin ◽  
Bei Jiang ◽  
Guangtao Huang ◽  
Yulong Zhang ◽  
Bo You ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Serum ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Serum Proteins ◽  
Venous Catheter ◽  
Bacterial Biofilm ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Bacterial Strains

Background/Aims: N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a novel and promising agent with activity against bacterial biofilms. Human serum also inhibits biofilm formation by some bacteria. We tested whether the combination of NAC and human serum offers greater anti-biofilm activity than either agent alone. Methods: Microtiter plate assays and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to evaluate bacterial biofilm formation in the presence of NAC and human serum. qPCR was used to examine expression of selected biofilm-associated genes. Extracellular matrix (ECM) was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The antioxidants GSH or ascorbic acid were used to replace NAC, and human transferrin, lactoferrin, or bovine serum albumin were used to replace serum proteins in biofilm formation assays. A rat central venous catheter model was developed to evaluate the effect of NAC on biofilm formation in vivo. Results: NAC and serum together increased biofilm formation by seven different bacterial strains. In Staphylococcus aureus, expression of genes for some global regulators and for genes in the ica-dependent pathway increased markedly. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, transcription of las, the PQS quorum sensing (QS) systems, and the two-component system GacS/GacA increased significantly. ECM production by S. aureus and P. aeruginosa was also enhanced. The potentiation of biofilm formation is due mainly to interaction between NAC and transferrin. Intravenous administration of NAC increased colonization by S. aureus and P. aeruginosa on implanted catheters. Conclusions: NAC used intravenously or in the presence of blood increases bacterial biofilm formation rather than inhibits it.

Confocal Microscopy in Ecophysiological Studies of Algae: A Door to Understanding Autofluorescence in Red Algae

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Teresa Coronado-Parra ◽  
Mónica Roldán ◽  
Marina Aboal
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Nitrogen Concentration ◽  
Monochromatic Light ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Light Intensities

Alga in the genus Chroothece have been reported mostly from aquatic or subaerial continental environments, where they grow in extreme conditions. The strain Chroothece mobilis MAESE 20.29 was exposed to different light intensities, red and green monochromatic light, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, high nitrogen concentrations, and high salinity to assess the effect of those environmental parameters on its growth. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used as an “in vivo” noninvasive single-cell method for the study. The strain seemed to prefer fairly high light intensities and showed a significant increase in allophycocyanin (APC) and chlorophyll a [photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII)] fluorescence with 330 and 789 μM/cm2/s intensities. Green monochromatic light promoted a significant increase in the fluorescence of APC and chlorophyll a (PSI and PSII). UV-A significantly decreased phycocyanin and increased APC, while UV-A + B showed a greater decreasing effect on c-Phycocyanin but did not significantly change concentrations of APC. The increase in nitrogen concentration in the culture medium significantly and negatively affected all pigments, and no effect was observed with an increase in salinity. Our data show that CLSM represents a very powerful tool for ecological research of microalgae in small volumes and may contribute to the knowledge of phycobiliproteins in vivo behavior and the parameters for the large-scale production of these pigments.

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