Browsing by Author "Jing, Lihong"

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    Enhanced stability and clinical absorption of a form of encapsulated vitamin A for food fortification
    (PNAS, 2022) Tang, Wen; Zhuang, Jia; Anselmo, Aaron C.; Xu, Xian; Duan, Aranda; Zhang, Ruojie; Sugarman, James L.; Zeng, Yingying; Rosenberg, Evan; Graf, Tyler; McHugh, Kevin J.; Tzeng, Stephany Y.; Behrens, Adam M.; Freed, Lisa E.; Jing, Lihong; Jayawardena, Surangi; Weinstock, Shelley B.; Le, Xiao; Sears, Christopher; Oxley, James; Daristotle, John L.; Collins, Joe; Langer, Robert; Jaklenec, Ana
    Food fortification is an effective strategy to address vitamin A (VitA) deficiency, which is the leading cause of childhood blindness and drastically increases mortality from severe infections. However, VitA food fortification remains challenging due to significant degradation during storage and cooking. We utilized an FDA-approved, thermostable, and pH-responsive basic methacrylate copolymer (BMC) to encapsulate and stabilize VitA in microparticles (MPs). Encapsulation of VitA in VitA-BMC MPs greatly improved stability during simulated cooking conditions and long-term storage. VitA absorption was nine times greater from cooked MPs than from cooked free VitA in rats. In a randomized controlled cross-over study in healthy premenopausal women, VitA was readily released from MPs after consumption and had a similar absorption profile to free VitA. This VitA encapsulation technology will enable global food fortification strategies toward eliminating VitA deficiency.
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    Nanotechnology-enhanced immunotherapy for metastatic cancer
    (Elsevier, 2021) Zhang, Peisen; Meng, Junli; Li, Yingying; Yang, Chen; Hou, Yi; Tang, Wen; McHugh, Kevin J.; Jing, Lihong
    A vast majority of cancer deaths occur as a result of metastasis. Unfortunately, effective treatments for metastases are currently lacking due to the difficulty of selectively targeting these small, delocalized tumors distributed across a variety of organs. However, nanotechnology holds tremendous promise for improving immunotherapeutic outcomes in patients with metastatic cancer. In contrast to conventional cancer immunotherapies, rationally designed nanomaterials can trigger specific tumoricidal effects, thereby improving immune cell access to major sites of metastasis such as bone, lungs, and lymph nodes, optimizing antigen presentation, and inducing a persistent immune response. This paper reviews the cutting-edge trends in nano-immunoengineering for metastatic cancers with an emphasis on different nano-immunotherapeutic strategies. Specifically, it discusses directly reversing the immunological status of the primary tumor, harnessing the potential of peripheral immune cells, preventing the formation of a pre-metastatic niche, and inhibiting the tumor recurrence through postoperative immunotherapy. Finally, we describe the challenges facing the integration of nanoscale immunomodulators and provide a forward-looking perspective on the innovative nanotechnology-based tools that may ultimately prove effective at eradicating metastatic diseases.
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    Theranostic nanoparticles with disease-specific administration strategies
    (Elsevier, 2022) Zhang, Peisen; Li, Yingying; Tang, Wen; Zhao, Jie; Jing, Lihong; McHugh, Kevin J.
    Recent advances in the synthesis of nanomaterials with diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities have been rapidly reshaping the landscape of precision medicine. Impressive progress has been made toward the design and production of innovative theranostic nanomaterials to treat a variety of diseases, yet their potential is currently limited by low bioavailability, biocompatibility, or undesirable pharmacokinetics, hindering their widespread clinical implementation. Here, we summarize the state of the art for theranostic nanoparticles and discuss the diverse administration routes being used in the diagnosis and treatment of different diseases. In addition to the most commonly used intravenous (IV) administration, newly emerging nanomaterial administration routes are described in depth to explore the potential benefits of these routes that can bypass biological barriers and thereby facilitate the delivery of nanoparticles to boost imaging sensitivity and therapeutic efficacy in specific use cases. Some of the biggest challenges facing nanoparticle delivery systems are site-specific targeting, controlled nanoparticle accumulation, and safe metabolic processing. By providing examples of their in vivo applications for various diseases, we highlight the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of theranostic nanoprobes and routes of administration to inform future nanoparticle design.