Enhancing the Half-Life of ODAP-Urea Based Radioligands by Incorporating Albumin-Binding Moieties.

Purpose: Prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted radioligand therapy (PSMA-RLT) is a promising approach to treating metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). With the emergence of oxalyldiaminopropionic acid urea (ODAP-Urea) based radioligands targeting PSMA, novel paradigms focused on PSMA-RLT are garnering attention. This study aims to assess potentially novel ODAP-Urea-based radioligands prepared for PSMA-RLT.

Preclinical Evaluation of an AlF-Radiolabeled Bicyclic Peptide Targeting Nectin-4.

Precisely assessing nectin-4 expression in tumors is important in identifying patients who may benefit from nectin-4-targeted therapies. In our previous work, we developed a bicyclic peptide-based nectin-4-targeting radiotracer Ga-N188 and validated its nectin-4 detection efficacy. However, the relatively short half-life and low positron emission rate of Ga limit its further application.

Translational PET Imaging of Nectin-4 Expression in Multiple Different Cancers with Ga-N188.

Nectin cell adhesion molecule 4 (nectin-4) is a transmembrane protein overexpressed on a variety of cancers and plays an important role in oncogenic and metastatic processes. The nectin-4-targeted antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin has been approved for treating locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer, but the efficacy in other types of cancer remains to be explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of nectin-4-targeted PET imaging with Ga-N188 as a noninvasive method to quantify membranous nectin-4 expression in multiple tumor types-an approach that may provide insight for patient stratification and treatment selection.

Preparing gelatin-containing polycaprolactone / polylactic acid nanofibrous membranes for periodontal tissue regeneration using side-by-side electrospinning technology.

Electrospinning technology has recently attracted increased attention in the biomedical field, and preparing various cellulose nanofibril membranes for periodontal tissue regeneration has unique advantages. However, the characteristics of using a single material tend to make it challenging to satisfy the requirements for a periodontal barrier film, and the production of composite fibrous membranes frequently impacts the quality of the final fiber membrane due to the influence of miscibility between different materials. In this study, nanofibrous membranes composed of polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers were fabricated using side-by-side electrospinning.

Four-dimensional digital design to prediction of the real-time functional rehabilitation in the esthetic zone.

Recent developments in digital technology and materials have improved the accuracy and efficiency of tracking and recording mandibular motion, with various methods being described. The present article describes a digital workflow with complete and accurate 3-dimensional spatial trajectories of mandibular motion to direct the design of lingual restorations. The workflow allowed the lingual curvature of the restoration to conform with the distinctive trajectory of mandibular protrusion.

First-in-Human Study of the Radioligand 68Ga-N188 Targeting Nectin-4 for PET/CT Imaging of Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

Purpose: Nectin-4 is an emerging biomarker for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Recently, enfortumab vedotin (EV) was approved by the FDA as the first nectin-4 targeting antibody-drug conjugate for treating advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). A PET imaging method to noninvasively quantify nectin-4 expression level would potentially help to select patients most likely to respond to EV and predict the response.

A biotin-guided near-infrared fluorescent probe for imaging hydrogen sulfide and differentiating cancer cells.

Imaging cancer specific biomarkers with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes can help inaccurate diagnosis. Hydrogen sulfide (HS) has been reported to be involved in many physiological and pathological processes and is considered as one of the key gasotransmitters during the development of cancer. To achieve specific HS detection in cancer cells, we reported a biotin-guided NIR fluorescent sensor P1 targeting a cancer cell surface biomarker, based on the HS-specific thiolysis of the NBD-amine-hemicyanine conjugate.

Molecular PET/CT Profiling of ACE2 Expression In Vivo: Implications for Infection and Outcome from SARS-CoV-2.

Rapid progress has been made to identify and study the causative agent leading to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but many questions including who is most susceptible and what determines severity remain unanswered. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a key factor in the infection process of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, molecularly specific positron emission tomography imaging agents for targeting ACE2 are first developed, and these novel agents are evaluated in vitro, in preclinical model systems, and in a first-in-human translational ACE2 imaging of healthy volunteers and a SARS-CoV-2 recovered patient (NCT04422457).

Selection of Aptamers with Large Hydrophobic 2'-Substituents.

Previously, we evolved a DNA polymerase, SFM4-3, for the recognition of substrates modified at their 2' positions with a fluoro, -methyl, or azido substituent. Here we use SFM4-3 to synthesize 2'-azido-modified DNA; we then use the azido group to attach different, large hydrophobic groups via click chemistry. We show that SFM4-3 recognizes the modified templates under standard conditions, producing natural DNA and thereby allowing amplification.