The release of free arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipids is believed to be the rate-controlling step in the production of the prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and related metabolites in inflammatory cells such as the macrophage. We have previously identified several different phospholipases in the macrophage-like cell line P388D1 potentially capable of controlling arachidonic acid release....

For applications of block copolymer mixtures as potential new nano-vehicles for delivery, understanding the components mixing characteristics are of special interest. In our previous study [1], we showed that interactions between a biological charged diblock-copolymer like protein, betacasein, and a synthetic uncharged synthetic triblock copolymer, Lutrol F-127, lead to the formation of mixed m...

This work focused on the preparation and the aqueous solution properties of hybrid polymeric micelles consisting of a hydrophobic poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) core and a mixed shell of hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and pH-sensitive poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP). The hybrid micelles were successfully prepared by the rapid addition of acidic water to a binary solution of PCL(34)-b-PEO...

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-ylation is a widely used strategy to fabricate nanocarriers with a long blood circulation time. Further elaboration of the contribution of the surface PEGylation pattern to biodistribution is highly desirable. We fabricated a series of polyion complex (PIC) micelles PEGylated with different ratios (PEG2k and PEG550). The plasma protein adsorption, murine macrophage upt...

Structural transformations of vesicles to micelles that take place during the interaction of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SOS) with individual and mixed vesicles of phosphatidyl choline (PC) and phosphatidic acid (FA), have been studied by monitoring changes in optical density and in the concentration of free SOS monomer in the respective systems. Incorporation of the surfactant monomers (SOS) in th...

Objective(s): Micelles have been studied as nanoparticulate drug delivery systems for improving the topical ocular delivery of hydrophobic drugs. The objective of this study was to develop and characterize dexamethasone-loaded polycaprolactone-polyethylene glycol-polycaprolactone (PCL-PEG-PCL) micelles to improve patient compliance and enhance the ocular bioavailability of poorly water-soluble ...

Eryngium foetidum (EF) has long been used as a medicinal plant and culinary spice in tropical regions. Phytochemicals in its leaves have been proposed to be responsible for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The present study used in vitro digestion coupled with Caco-2 cells to assess such activities. Caco-2 cells were incubated with aqueous fraction from simulated digestion (bio...

A photodiode array in conjunction with a rapid stopped-flow mixing method, with a millisecond time resolution, is used here to study the refolding of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin from an apoprotein state with a native-like secondary structure in mixed phospholipid/detergent micelles. Refolding to the native state is initiated by the rapid mixing of all-trans-retinal and the apoprotein...

Acridinium dimethylphenyl esters are highly sensitive chemiluminescent labels that are used in clinical diagnostics. Light emission from these labels is triggered with alkaline peroxide in the presence of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). CTAC compresses emission times of these labels to <5 seconds and also increases overall light yield 3-4 fold. The observed enhan...