To enhance tumor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals via the selective accumulation of contrast agents, we prepared folate-modified gadolinium-lipid-based nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents. Folate-modified nanoparticles were comprised of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-lipid, gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid lipid, cationic cholesterol derivatives, folate-conjugated PEG-lipid, a...

Plants are the main source of folate in human diets, but many fruits, tubers, and seeds are poor in this vitamin, and folate deficiency is a worldwide problem. Plants synthesize folate from pteridine, p-aminobenzoate (PABA), and glutamate moieties. Pteridine synthesis capacity is known to drop in ripening tomato fruit; therefore, we countered this decline by fruit-specific overexpression of GTP...

INTRODUCTION Egypt has a high incidence of neural tube defects related to folate deficiency. One major food source for folate is pita (baladi) bread, which is consumed daily. Bioprocessing (e.g. germination) has been reported to increase the folate content in cereals. The aim was to produce pita bread with increased folate content using germinated wheat flour (GWF). METHODS Prior to milling t...

PURPOSE To establish a novel formulation tumor-targeted drug carrier of lipophilic antitumor antibiotics, aclacinomycin A (ACM), folate-linked microemulsions were prepared and investigated both in vitro and in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Three kinds of folate-linked microemulsions with different polyethylene glycol (PEG) chain lengths loading ACM were formulated with 0.24 mol% folate-PEG(2000)-...

The folate receptor is overexpressed in a broad spectrum of malignant tumors and represents an attractive target for selective delivery of anticancer agents to folate receptor-expressing tumors. This study examines folate-lipid conjugates as a means of enhancing the tumor selectivity of liposome-encapsulated drugs in a mouse lymphoma model. Folate-derivatized polyethylene glycol (PEG3350)-diste...

There is widespread vitamin and mineral deficiency problem in Tanzania with known deficiencies of at least vitamin A, iron, folate and zinc, resulting in lasting negative consequences especially on maternal health, cognitive development and thus the nation's economic potential. Folate deficiency is associated with significant adverse health effects among women of reproductive age, including a h...

Low blood folate concentrations have been associated with cardiovascular disease, neural tube defects and selected cancers, but little is known about folate status in Chinese adults. In a cross-sectional study we measured the plasma and red blood cell folate concentrations in 2422 Chinese men and women aged 35 to 64 y, living in the North and South of China, who provided blood samples either in...

We describe a radioassay procedure for serum folate, in which commercially available crystalline 3lactoglobulirt is used as the folate-binding agent. The folate binders present in serum are eliminated by heating serum in a boiling water bath for 15 mm to denature the proteins. Radioassayable serum folate is shown to be stable under these conditions, and the results for folate compare well with ...

to the editor: Ramaekers et al. (May 12 issue)1 report 28 patients with the cerebral folate deficiency syndrome characterized by decreased levels of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF) in the cerebrospinal fluid caused by autoantibodies’ blocking of folate transport into the brain. The patients benefited from folinic acid supplementation. The clinical features of this syndrome fit with other neuro...