Presence Of Hyaluronic Acid Research Articles

Extraction of Hyaluronic Acid from Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera)

Hyaluronic acid have a high moisture preservation and biocompatibility characteristic, thus allowing various usage of this substance in pharmaceutical, medicinal, and skin care products. Present manufacturing process of hyaluronic acid requires extraction of animal cells or through other methods utilizing bacteria. The aim of this research is to investigate an alternative source of hyaluronic acid extraction using plant based which is aloe vera (A. Barbadensis). Three main parts of aloe vera (rind, mesophyll and gel) underwent several steps of extraction process and the result was compared to the sample of hyaluronic acid from goat brain. The evaluation including comparison of total carbohydrates, reducing sugars and degradation using heat treatment. The results of extraction were analyzed using UV-Spectrophotometer at 230 nm and compare to the extraction result of goat brain to ensure the presence of hyaluronic acid. It was found out that the rind part of aloe vera have the highest potential of high content of hyaluronic acid.

Chiral stacking of cyanine or porphyrin as cationic fluorescent dyes in the presence of anionic polysaccharide of hyaluronic acid

Cyanine dye or porphyrin are part of an important family of fluorophores, which have been widely used for photosensitization and optical recording materials. We compared herein the aggregation behaviors of two types of cationic dyes of cyanine or porphyrin in the presence of hyaluronic acid, which contains D-glucuronic acid as anionic helical polysaccharide. UV–Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra of those aqueous solutions revealed that fluorescent dyes of cyanine form H- and J-aggregates in the presence of hyaluronic acid. In particular, photoluminescent quenching through the H- and J-aggregates was observed in the mixture of anionic hyaluronic acid and the cationic cyanine dyes. On the contrary, increment of the intensities of the emission was confirmed in the mixture of porphyrin-hyaluronic acid through the effective interaction between the cationic porphyrin and anionic hyaluronic acid, which was confirmed by remarkable split-Cotton effects of induced circular dichroism in the visible region, though the UV-Vis spectra of porphyrin with hyaluronic acid did not show any sign of aggregation of porphyrin itself. Further addition of hyaluronic acid resulted in the decrease of the extent of the induced circular dichroism, though photoluminescent intensity was kept without quenching. It was also confirmed that the light scattering could be detected only when the remarkable split-Cotton effects were observed. Therefore, cationic porphyrin and anionic hyaluronic acid form complex and the complex might assemble to show the light scattering, though the single molecule of porphyrin was surrounded by polysaccharides and isolated without dye-aggregation.

Chain conformation: A key parameter driving clustering or dispersion in polyelectrolyte – Colloid systems

The work presents the characterization of Pluronic F127 micellar solutions in presence of hyaluronic acid in semi-dilute regime. The effects of the nature and salt concentration are investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and small angle neutron scattering. Hyaluronic acid reduces the critical micellar temperature to the same extend as an increase of the ionic strength. Within the investigated HA concentration range, the size and shape of the micelles are not modified by the addition of HA but their dispersion state depends on the salt concentration. By increasing the ionic strength we observe the formation of small micellar clusters which organize into a face-centered cubic liquid crystalline phase at high salt concentration. This behavior is reinforced by increasing the HA concentration or molecular weight. The nature of the salt plays also a role and divalent cations such as Ca2+ promote the clustering of micelles and their crystallization. The origin of the aggregative behavior is the change of the HA chain conformation –from stretched to coil- by addition of salt which in turn induces an excluded volume around the micelles and exerts a depletion interaction.

Effects of bio-mimic collagen II-g-hyaluronic acid copolymers on chondrocyte maintenance

Extracellular matrix has an important part of the role in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, so it is necessary to understand the various interactions between cells and extracellular matrix. Type II collagen and hyaluronic acid are the major structural components of the extracellular matrix of articular cartilage, and they are involved in fibril formation, entanglement and binding. The aim of this study was to prepare type II collagen fibrils with surface grafted with hyaluronic acid modified at the reducing end. The topographic pattern of type II collagen fibrils showed a significant change after the surface coupling of hyaluronic acid according to atomic force microscopy scanning. The presence of hyaluronic acid on the type II collagen fibrillar surface was confirmed by the specific binding of nanogold labelled with lectin. No significant increase in cell proliferation was detected by a WST-1 assay. According to histochemical examination, the maintenance of the round shape of chondrocytes and increased glycosaminoglycan secretion revealed that these cell pellets with Col II- g-hyaluronic acid molecules contained un-dedifferentiated chondrocytes in vitro. In the mixture with the 220-kDa Col II- g-hyaluronic acid copolymer, the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan genes in chondrocytes increased as demonstrated by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Experimental results show that the amount of hyaluronic acid added during culturing of chondrocytes can maintain the functionality of chondrocytes and thus allow for increased cell proliferation that is suitable for tissue repair of human cartilage.

Optical properties of phosphonium-, quaternary ammonium- and imidazolium- substituted regioregular polythiophenes and application for imaging live cells

Cationic side chains on conjugated polyelectrolytes play crucial roles in the state of polymer chains in water as well as the interactions with live cells. However, it is difficult to compare the effect of different cationic side chains due to the structural defect and severe aggregation issue. We synthesized structurally defined cationic polythiophenes with pendent phosphonium-, quaternary ammonium- and imidazolium-substituted side chains, and confirmed molecularly dispersed state of them in aqueous solutions by spectroscopic characterizations. We also investigated the cytotoxicity as well as cell binding and intracellular trafficking by imaging live cells in the absence and presence of hyaluronic acid.

Characterizing the yielding processes in pluronic-hyaluronic acid thermoreversible gelling systems using oscillatory rheology

Pluronic F-127 (Pl), a triblock copolymer that exhibits thermoreversible sol-gel transition, is being used with additives such as polysaccharides for enhanced gel stability and mechanical strength for controlled drug delivery applications. This study aims at elucidating the gelation behavior and structure-property relationship (at physiological temperature) of pluronic in the presence of hyaluronic acid (HA) using linear and nonlinear rheology. Small amplitude oscillatory shear of the gels indicated weak frequency dependence of G ′ and G ′ ′. Large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) response indicated flow induced yielding with both the moduli following power law decay beyond the critical strain amplitude. Stress waveform analysis, Fourier analysis, and Chebyshev decomposition indicated similar qualitative features for gels with different HA content. Interestingly, there is a non-monotonic variation in the dynamic light scattering timescales, G ′ (linear regime), and the critical stress values (at corresponding critical strains) with HA content. The physical insights obtained were understood in terms of a cage picture of soft glassy materials. Relaxation times corresponding to yielding transition obtained from strain rate frequency superposition measurements showed similar qualitative variation as those obtained from elastoviscoplastic modeling of the yielding processes occurring during an LAOS cycle. Based on these analyses, we obtain quantitative description of nonlinear rheological response of the Pl-HA gels.Pluronic F-127 (Pl), a triblock copolymer that exhibits thermoreversible sol-gel transition, is being used with additives such as polysaccharides for enhanced gel stability and mechanical strength for controlled drug delivery applications. This study aims at elucidating the gelation behavior and structure-property relationship (at physiological temperature) of pluronic in the presence of hyaluronic acid (HA) using linear and nonlinear rheology. Small amplitude oscillatory shear of the gels indicated weak frequency dependence of G ′ and G ′ ′. Large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) response indicated flow induced yielding with both the moduli following power law decay beyond the critical strain amplitude. Stress waveform analysis, Fourier analysis, and Chebyshev decomposition indicated similar qualitative features for gels with different HA content. Interestingly, there is a non-monotonic variation in the dynamic light scattering timescales, G ′ (linear regime), and the critical stress values...

NMR fragment-based screening for development of the CD44-binding small molecules

The cell-surface protein CD44, a primary receptor for hyaluronic acid (HA), is one of the most promising targets for cancer therapies. It is prominently involved in the process of tumor growth and metastasis. The possibility of modulating the CD44-HA interaction with a pharmacological inhibitor is therefore of great importance, yet until now there are only few small molecules reported to bind to CD44. Here, we describe the results of the NMR fragment-based screening conducted against CD44 by which we found eight new hit compounds that bind to the receptor with the affinity in milimolar range. The NMR-based characterization revealed that there are two possible binding modes for these compounds, and for some of them the binding is no longer possible in the presence of hyaluronic acid. This could provide an interesting starting point for the development of new high-affinity ligands targeting the CD44-HA axis.

Combination of Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Cartilage Pellet and Bioscaffold Supported Cartilage Regeneration of a Full Thickness Articular Surface Defect in Rabbits.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and/or biological scaffolds have been used to regenerate articular cartilage with variable success. In the present study we evaluated cartilage regeneration using a combination of bone marrow (BM)-MSCs, HyalofastTM and/or native cartilage tissue following full thickness surgical cartilage defect in rabbits. Full-thickness surgical ablation of the medial-tibial cartilage was performed in New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits. Control rabbits (Group-I) received no treatment; Animals in other groups were treated as follows. Group-II: BM-MSCs (1×106 cells) + HyalofastTM; Group-III: BMMSCs (1×106 cells) + cartilage pellet (CP); and Group-IV: BM-MSCs (1×106 cells) + HyalofastTM + CP. Animals were sacrificed at 12weeks and cartilage regeneration analyzed using histopathology, International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS-II) score, magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score and biomechanical studies. Gross images showed good tissue repair (Groups IV > III > Group II) and histology demonstrated intact superficial layer, normal chondrocyte arrangement, tidemark and cartilage matrix staining (Groups III and IV) compared to the untreated control (Group I) respectively. ICRS-II score was 52.5, 65.0, 66 and 75% (Groups I-IV) and the MOCART score was 50.0, 73.75 and 76.25 (Groups II-IV) respectively. Biomechanical properties of the regenerated cartilage tissue in Group IV closed resembled that of a normal cartilage. HyalofastTM together with BM-MSCs and CP led to efficient cartilage regeneration following full thickness surgical ablation of tibial articular cartilage in vivo in rabbits. Presence of hyaluronic acid in the scaffold and native microenvironment cues probably facilitated differentiation and integration of BM-MSCs.

Hydrating cleansing: efficacy and tolerability of new formulations with hyaluronic acid 0.2% for intimate hygiene in the woman in fertile age and menopause

Dehydration of genital areas, known as vaginal dryness, frequently affects woman's life, from fertile to postmenopausal period, and must be treated with specific products, including proper intimate cleansing. Based on that, two new cleanser formulations, characterized by Hyaluronic Acid 0.2% as main ingredient, have been developed (Hyalo Gyn® Intimo Active and Hyalo Gyn® Intimo Advance), with the aim to provide an effective hydration of the vaginal, vulvar, perianal and anal areas beyond guaranteeing daily intimate hygiene. The two intimate cleansing mousses have been formulated in mousse and differentiated, in terms of ingredients, accordingly to the different physiological conditions and female needs of fertile age and menopause respectively. Clinical trials conducted on women of childbearing age and menopause showed that daily cleansing with these intimate washes promotes hydration of vaginal tissues thanks to the presence of hyaluronic acid. In particular, the cleansing mousse for fertile women gives also a soothing effect, offers antimicrobial protection and a long lasting feeling of freshness. The cleansing mousse for menopausal women provides a freshness sensation, improves elasticity and tonicity and exerts an anti-smell and anti-oxidative effect.

Hyaluronic acid in dermatomyositis and polymyositis: relationship with disease and cutaneous lesions

BackgroundThere are scarce studies in the literature about hyaluronic acid in systemic autoimmune myopathies.ObjectivesTo analyze the serum level of hyaluronic acid in patients with dermatomyositis and polymyositis.MethodsCross-sectional study, single-center, that evaluated hyaluronic acid in 18 dermatomyositis and 15 polymyositis (Bohan and Peter criteria), newly diagnosed, with clinical and laboratory activity, with no previous drug treatment. The patients were also age-, gender- and ethnicity-matched to 36 healthy individuals. The hyaluronic acid was analyzed by ELISA/EIA kit anti-hyaluronic acid.ResultsThere was a higher serum level of hyaluronic acid in patients with autoimmune myopathies, in relation to control group (P<0.05). Moreover, the serum level of this glycosaminoglycan was higher in dermatomyositis, when compared to polymyositis. Both groups were comparable with regard to demographic, clinical and laboratory data, except for the presence of skin lesions in the first group.Study limitations.The presence of hyaluronic acid in cutaneous lesions, particularly of patients with dermatomyositis, was not analyzed neither quantified. In addition, due to disease rarity and the establishment of strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, there was a small sample in the present study.ConclusionsAs an example of others systemic autoimmune diseases, it is possible that the hyaluronic acid is involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune myopathies, and particularly when associated with cutaneous lesions.

High-field MRI exploration of the structural effects of cellular matrix™ on articular cartilage in knee osteoarthritis: A pilot study in 6 patients

Objective: To analyze the potential modulatory effect of Cellular Matrix, a new medical device designed for the one-step preparation of platelet-rich plasma in presence of hyaluronic acid, on the structure of articular cartilage in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis using high-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging measurements of longitudinal relaxation time after gadolinium injection. Methods: The treatment consisted of a series of 3 intra-articular injections scheduled at D0, D60 and D180 into the affected knee of six patients with Kellgren-Lawrence grades of 1.5 to 3. Magnetic Resonance Imaging acquisitions were performed before the first injection at D0 (baseline), at D180 (just after the third injection) and at D270 (3 months after the third injection). The efficacy criterion was the variation of T1 relaxation time in different selected cartilage regions. Results: Our study reveals a positive time-dependent structural effect of the combination of PRP and HA obtained with Cellular Matrix on the proteoglycan content of the knee joint cartilage. At D180, the weight-bearing areas were involved in two patients with Kellgren-Lawrence grades equal to or greater than 2. At D270, 5 patients showed an initial improvement in the weight-bearing area; only one patient with early external femoropatellar osteoarthritis (with a Kellgren-Lawrence grade of 1.5) had no improvement. Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrates for the first time the modulatory effect on the structure of the knee joint cartilage of a combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid prepared with a specially dedicated medical device (Cellular Matrix) during the course treatment. Cellular Matrix could therefore be considered a Disease Modifying Osteoarthritis Device.

“Cellular matrix™ PRP-HA”: A new treatment option with platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid for patients with osteoarthritis having had an unsatisfactory clinical response to hyaluronic acid alone: Results of a pilot, multicenter French study with long-term follow-up

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Cellular Matrix™, a new medical device designed for one-step preparation of platelet-rich plasma in presence of hyaluronic acid, for the management of tibiofemoral knee osteoarthritis in patients who had failed to respond adequately to previous treatment with hyaluronic acid alone. Methods: Multicentre, open-label, uncontrolled, pilot study in 77 patients with grade II or III knee osteoarthritis and a pain at walking score between 3 and 8 on a Numeric Rating Scale. The treatment consisted of a series of 3 intra-articular injections scheduled at D0, D60 and D180 into the affected knee of a combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid prepared with the device Cellular Matrix. The primary efficacy criterion was the variation of pain at walking, as assessed with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (A1 score) between baseline and D270. Results: Treatment with the combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid prepared with Cellular Matrix significantly reduced pain at walking between baseline and D270. The percentage of responders according to the criteria of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trial and Osteoarthritis Research Society International was 94.4%. The treatment provided long-lasting benefits for half of the patients and allowed avoiding surgery for almost 80% of them at four years. Conclusion: A 3-injection course of a combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid prepared with Cellular Matrix was well tolerated and effective in the long-term to relieve pain associated with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Development of an Electrospun Nanofibrous Web with Hyaluronic Acid

Textile materials with an electrospun nanofibrous web can be used fo ar wide range of applications, including medicine and health care. In this research, polyamide-6 and hyaluronic acid were used for the development of a nanofibrous web via electrospinning. Hyaluronic acid is one of the most interesting ingredients used in skin care. It is very important that the electrospun polyamide-6 nanofibrous structure binds nanoparticles of hyaluronic acid not covering the surface of these particles. The main goal of this work was to develop an electrospun nanofibrous polyamide-6 web with hyaluronic acid which can be used for health care and/or cosmetology A. polyamide-6 nanofibrous web with hyaluronic acid was successfully developed via electrospinning. The presence of hyaluronic acid in the nanoweb was confirmed after web treatment with hot (95%) water. Hyaluronic acid was transported from the spinning solution to the electrospun web, was not isolated from the environment by polyamide-6, and could interact with human skin.

Synthesis and Characterization of PEGylated and Fluorinated Chitosans: Application to the Synthesis of Targeted Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery.

To synthesize chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs), ionic gelation is a very attractive method. It relies on the spontaneous supramolecular assembly of cationic CS with anionic compounds, which leads to nanohydrogels. To extend ionic gelation to functionalized CS, the assessment of CS degree of substitution (DSCS) is a key step. In this paper, we have developed a hyphenated strategy for functionalized CS characterization, based upon 1H, DOSY and, when relevant, 1D diffusion-filtered 19F NMR spectroscopies. For that, we have synthesized two series of water-soluble CS via amidation of CS amino groups with mPEG2000-COOH or fluorinated synthons (TFB-COOH). The aforementioned NMR techniques helped to discriminate between ungrafted and grafted synthons and finally to determine DSCS. According to DSCS values, the selection of CS-mPEG2000 or CS-TFB copolymers can be made to obtain, in the presence of hyaluronic acid (HA) and tripolyphosphate (TPP), CS-mPEG2000-TPP/HA or CS-TFB-TPP/HA nanohydrogels suitable for drug delivery.

Evaluation of free or anchored antimicrobial peptides as candidates for the prevention of orthopaedic device-related infections.

The prevention of implant-associated infection, one the most feared complications in orthopaedic surgery, remains a major clinical challenge and urges development of effective methods to prevent bacterial colonization of implanted devices. Alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) may be promising candidates in this respect due to their potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, their low tendency to elicit resistance and possible retention of efficacy in the immobilized state. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of five different helical AMPs, the cathelicidins BMAP-27 and BMAP-28, their (1-18) fragments and the rationally designed, artificial P19(9/G7) peptide, for the prevention of orthopaedic implant infections. Peptides were effective at micromolar concentrations against 22 Staphylococcus and Streptococcus isolates from orthopaedic infections, while only BMAP-28 and to a lesser extent BMAP-27 were active against Enterococcus faecalis. Peptides in solution showed activities comparable to those of cefazolin and linezolid, on a molar basis, and also a variable capacity to neutralize bacterial lipopolysaccharide, while devoid of adverse effects on MG-63 osteoblast cells at concentrations corresponding to the MIC. The (1-18) BMAP fragments and P19(9/G7) were selected for further examination, based on better selectivity indices, and showed effectiveness in the presence of hyaluronic acid and in synovial fluid, while human serum affected their activity to variable extents, with BMAP-27(1-18) best retaining activity. This peptide was immobilized on streptavidin-resin beads and retained activity against reference Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus strains, with negligible toxicity towards osteoblasts, underlining its potential for the development of infection-resistant biomaterials for orthopaedic application. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract A43: Interfacial migration patterns in glioblastoma are analyzed in structured hydrogel platforms

Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer (median survival time of 12-15 months). Since the cancer is unique in its ability to invade diffusely into the surrounding brain tissue, surgical resection is often ineffective. As such, it is imperative to develop methods of understanding GBM behavior and determining novel therapeutic strategies. Currently, there are limited tools to rigorously assess the relationship between the tissue microenvironment, tumor growth and invasion, and therapeutic outcomes. While most invasion studies have utilized 2D substrates or semi-3D chambers, the lack of cell-cell/cell-matrix interactions limits the ability to accurately predict GBM invasive behavior as observed in a 3D tumor environment. GBM cell invasion is influenced by mechanical and chemical heterogeneity within the extracellular matrix (ECM). The presence of hyaluronic acid (HA) and the differences in stiffness within the brain parenchyma contribute to invasive phenotype. Vasculature within the ECM has also been shown to affect the invasive behavior of GBM, as cells migrating along vascular beds experience integrin signaling through proteins in the vascular basement membrane. To understand how these multiple signals regulate GBM cell invasion, we have developed a 3D methacrylamide-functionalized gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel platform that allows for selective incorporation of matrix-immobilized HA as inspired by the varying composition and structure of brain parenchyma. This system can be further modified to incorporate structural, biophysical, and metabolic gradients inspired by GBM tumor margins and the native brain microenvironment. We developed an in vitro invasion assay utilizing GBM cell-coated dextran beads embedded into the hydrogels to effectively characterize GBM invasive phenotype as a function of margin-inspired variations in matrix stiffness and composition within the hydrogels. A family of hydrogels with varying stiffness and variants of matrix-bound HA were explored with the invasion assay. Experiments were conducted using GBM cell line U251, which is known to be highly invasive. Preliminary data showed that stiffness and HA content did not influence cell metabolic activity. Not surprisingly, we saw a significant increase in cell invasion distance in softer hydrogels compared to their stiffer counterparts. Interestingly, cells invaded less in hydrogels with HA than in those containing GelMA only. ELISA showed a higher secretion of soluble HA in GelMA-only hydrogels, which may be due to the necessity of cells to compensate for the lack of bound HA, thereby resulting in a more invasive behavior. Recent efforts have focused on the development of vessel structures within these hydrogels by using a co-culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLFs). The incorporation of vasculature will offer an additional level of complexity to the platform to study cell migration mechanisms in GBM. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that following seven- and ten-day culture periods, the vessel architectures were stable between time points. Vessel development, as measured with metrics such as vessel area, vessel length, and number of junction, was observed more robustly in hydrogels without HA. We conclude that our platform is capable of promoting differential invasive behavior of GBM cells in response to heterogeneous mechanical and chemical properties, and that our platform shows the potential to probe tumor-vessel interactions. In future work, we intend to elucidate how vessel structures, when combined with varying matrix stiffness and HA content, impact GBM invasive behavior within the tumor microenvironment. We predict that more invasive phenotype and more established migratory trajectories will be observed in the presence of vessel structures within the hydrogels. Citation Format: Jee-Wei Emily Chen, Mai Ngo, Brendan Harley. Interfacial migration patterns in glioblastoma are analyzed in structured hydrogel platforms. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Engineering and Physical Sciences in Oncology; 2016 Jun 25-28; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A43.

Docetaxel-Chitosan nanoparticles for breast cancer treatment: cell viability and gene expression study.

Docetaxel acts through the inhibition of tubulin polymerization and reduction in the expression of BCL-2 gene. In this study, nanoparticles containing Docetaxel were prepared and their effects on the gene expression levels of BCL-2 and BAX genes were investigated. The drug was first conjugated to chitosan, and the nanoparticles were assembled in the presence of hyaluronic acid. Conjugations were confirmed by 1 H-NMR, and the obtained nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering and SEM. Cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles, cellular uptake, and cell death were evaluated. Finally, the effect of nanoparticles on the expression of BAX and BCL-2 genes in MCF-7 cells were investigated through real-time PCR. The results revealed that the prepared NPs had spherical shape with narrow size distribution of <200nm with positive zeta potentials. In vitro cytotoxicity of Cs nanoparticles and free Docetaxel investigations revealed that increasing the treatment time with nanoparticles led to decrease in the rate of cell viability. BAX and BCL-2 gene expressions were decreased in nanoparticle-treated cells in comparison with intact cells, while the BAX/BCL-2 ratio was significantly elevated compared with free drug-treated cells after 72h. Docetaxel-conjugated NPs may offer a promising treatment with low off-target toxicity for breast cancer.

3D composites based on the blends of chitosan and collagen with the addition of hyaluronic acid

3D porous composites based on blends of chitosan, collagen and hyaluronic acid were obtained through the lyophilization process. Mechanical properties, swelling behavior and thermal stability of the blends were studied. Moreover, SEM images were taken and the structure of the blends was studied. Biological properties of the materials obtained were investigated by analyzing of proliferation rate of fibroblast cells incubated with biomaterial extract using MTT assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide).The results showed that the properties of 3D composites based on the blends of chitosan and collagen were altered after the addition 1%, 2% and 5% of hyaluronic acid. Mechanical properties and thermal stability of chitosan/collagen blends were improved in the presence of hyaluronic acid in the composite. New 3D materials based on the blends of chitosan, collagen and hyaluronic acid were non-toxic and did not significantly affect cell morphology.

Efficacy of Hyaluronic Acid in The Selection of Human Spermatozoa with Intact DNA by The Swim-up Method.

In 2014, enrolled 20 patients who applied to the Unit of Assisted Reproduction Techniques, Konya Necmettin Erbakan University. Based on the presence of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the oocyte-cumulus cell complex, sperm attached to HA in vivo were modeled in vitro. Available healthy sperm obtained in the swim-up procedure using HA were investigated. This observational cohort study, a routine analysis was conducted on the ejaculation samples obtained from 20 patients. We divided each sample into two groups and the swim-up method was applied. Human serum albumin (HSA, 0.5%) was added to samples from the first group. HA (10%) was added to samples from the second group. We determined the floating linear and non-linear sperm concentrations of both groups annexin V was used to determine the rate of apoptosis of these sperm. Following swim-up, linear and non-linear sperm concentrations were higher in the group that contained HA compared to the group with HSA. However, there was a significantly higher apoptosis rate in the HSA group compared to the HA group. The addition of HA to the medium in the swim-up procedure positively affected sperm parameters. Thus, healthier sperm cells were obtained without DNA damage and with high motility.

Cytological Findings in Urine of Adult Residents of Urinary Schistosomiasis Endemic Community in Cross River State, Nigeria

Aims: To investigate urinary cytological abnormalities among adult residents of a urinary schistosomiasis endemic community. Study Design: Ethical approval, consent from the village Head/villagers, parasitological survey and cytological analysis of urine. Place and Duration of Study: Adim Community in Cross River State, Nigeria between May and November 2014 Methodology: Urine samples from 160 sex matched adults aged 18–85 years were examined using standard parasitological techniques for the presence of ova of Schistosoma haematobium. The urine smears were stained with Papanicolaou and Alcian Blue (PH 2.5) staining techniques and examined for cytological abnormalities and the presence of Hyaluronic acid respectively. Results: 18 (11.3%) subjects were infected. Subjects in the age groups >35 – 45 years had the Original Research Article Inyang-Etoh et al.; BJMMR, 8(11): 948-955, 2015; Article no.BJMMR.2015.525 949 highest prevalence rate 9(20.5%) while those in the age group >75 – 85 years had the lowest prevalence rate 0(0%) and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.359). The infection rate was higher among females 11(12.5%) than the males 7(9.7%) but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.580). Males had a higher mean egg count (18±25.7 egg/10 ml of urine) than the females (17±15.5 egg/10 ml of urine). Subjects in the age group >35–45 years had the highest level of abnormal epithelial cells 1(11.1%). Males had a higher prevalence of abnormal cells 3(42.9%) than the females 1(9.1%). There was a positive correlation between the occurrence of infection and abnormal epithelial cells (r = 0.5). 3(1.9%) of the subjects were positive for hyaluronic acid. Male subjects had a higher level of epithelial cells positive for hyaluronic acid 2(2.8%) than the female subjects 1(1.14%) but this was not statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study has reconfirmed the endemicity of urinary schistosomiasis and has also revealed the presence of abnormal epithelial cells as an indicator for bladder cancer in the urine of residents in Adim community.