• Biomaterials Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.235-248
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• 2018

Background: Injectable hydrogels have been extensively researched for the use as scaffolds or as carriers of therapeutic agents such as drugs, cells, proteins, and bioactive molecules in the treatment of diseases and cancers and the repair and regeneration of tissues. It is because they have the injectability with minimal invasiveness and usability for irregularly shaped sites, in addition to typical advantages of conventional hydrogels such as biocompatibility, permeability to oxygen and nutrient, properties similar to the characteristics of the native extracellular matrix, and porous structure allowing therapeutic agents to be loaded. Main body: In this article, recent studies of injectable hydrogel systems applicable for therapeutic agent delivery, disease/cancer therapy, and tissue engineering have reviewed in terms of the various factors physically and chemically contributing to sol-gel transition via which gels have been formed. The various factors are as follows: several different non-covalent interactions resulting in physical crosslinking (the electrostatic interactions (e.g., the ionic and hydrogen bonds), hydrophobic interactions, ${\pi}$-interactions, and van der Waals forces), in-situ chemical reactions inducing chemical crosslinking (the Diels Alder click reactions, Michael reactions, Schiff base reactions, or enzyme-or photo-mediated reactions), and external stimuli (temperatures, pHs, lights, electric/magnetic fields, ultrasounds, or biomolecular species (e.g., enzyme)). Finally, their applications with accompanying therapeutic agents and notable properties used were reviewed as well. Conclusion: Injectable hydrogels, of which network morphology and properties could be tuned, have shown to control the load and release of therapeutic agents, consequently producing significant therapeutic efficacy. Accordingly, they are believed to be successful and promising biomaterials as scaffolds and carriers of therapeutic agents for disease and cancer therapy and tissue engineering.

• Ceramist
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.269-280
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• 2019

Ceramic layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanohybrids have attracted considerable interest in biomedical science due to their unique structural feature and characteristics in biological condition. Many studies on LDH nanoparticles have been reported in diagnosis applications including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents in order to not only provide better imaging performance through multimodal imaging strategy, but realize therapeutic function which treat cancers in one platform. This review highlights the recent progress in MRI T₁ contrast agent, dual modal imaging system, and MRI-guided drug delivery systems ranging from synthetic method and characterization to evaluation in vitro and in vivo based on the ceramic LDH nanohybrids. Future research directions are also suggested for next-generation bio-imaging contrast agent.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 1986

The use of biodegradable polymetric materials as drug carriers is a relatively new dimension in polymeric drug delivery systems. A number of biodegradable or bioerodible polymers, such as poly(lactic/glycolic acid) copolymer, poly($\alpha$-amino acid), polyanhydride, and poly (ortho ester) are currently being investigated for this purpose. These polymers are useful for matrix and reservoir-type delivery devices. In addition, when chemical functional groups are introduced to the biodegradable polymer backdone, such as poly (N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide), the therapeutic agent can be covalently bound directly or via spacer to the backbone polymer. These polymer/drug conjugates represent another new dimension in biodegradable polymeric drug delivery systems. In addition, examples of biodegradable polymeric durg delivery systems currently being investigated will be discussed for the purpose of demonstrarting the potential importance of this new field.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.264-272
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• 2021

Background: Gintonin is a ginseng-derived exogenous G-protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, which exhibits in vitro and in vivo functions against Alzheimer disease (AD) through lysophosphatidic acid 1/3 receptors. A recent study demonstrated that systemic treatment with gintonin enhances paracellular permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) through the LPA1/3 receptor. However, little is known about whether gintonin can enhance brain delivery of donepezil (DPZ) (Aricept), which is a representative cognition-improving drug used in AD clinics. In the present study, we examined whether systemic administration of gintonin can stimulate brain delivery of DPZ. Methods: We administered gintonin and DPZ alone or coadministered gintonin with DPZ intravenously or orally to rats. Then we collected the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and serum and determined the DPZ concentration through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Results: Intravenous, but not oral, coadministration of gintonin with DPZ increased the CSF concentration of DPZ in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ was blocked by Ki16425, a LPA1/3 receptor antagonist. Coadministration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) + gintonin with DPZ similarly increased CSF DPZ concentration. However, gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ was blocked by axitinip, a VEGF receptor antagonist. Mannitol, a BBB disrupting agent that increases the BBB permeability, enhanced gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ. Conclusions: We found that intravenous, but not oral, coadministration of gintonin facilitates brain delivery of DPZ from plasma via LPA1/3 and VEGF receptors. Gintonin is a potential candidate as a ginseng-derived novel agent for the brain delivery of DPZ for treatment of patients with AD.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.407-414
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• 2010

New biological treatments were being developed at a record place, but their potential could be compromised by a significant obstacle: the delivery of these drugs into a body. Pharmaceutical delivery is now nearly as important as product. New systems are being developed, and Drug Delivery Markets Series cover these new systems. Transdermal Delivery System(TDS) is often used as a method of drug dosage into the epidermic skin. An approach used to delivery drugs through the skin for therapeutic use as an alternative to oral, intravascular, subcutaneous and transmucosal routes. Various transdermal drug delivery technologies are described including the use of suitable formulations, carriers and penetration enhancers. The most commonly used transdermal system is the skin patch using various types of technologies. Compared with other methods of dosage, it is possible to use for a long term. It is also possible to stop the drug dosage are stopped if the drug dosage lead to side effect. Polysaccharides, such as karaya gum and glucomannan, were selected as base materials of TDS. Also, these polymers were characterized in terms of enhancers, drug contents. Among these polysaccharide, the permeation rate of karaya gum matrix was fastest in fibric acid(ciprofibrate) such as lipophilic drug in vitro. We used glycerin, PEG400 and PEG800 as enhancers. Since dermis has more water content(hydration) than the stratum corneum, skin permeation rate at steady state was highly influenced when PEG400 was more effective for lipophilic drug. Proper selection of the polymeric materials which resemble and enhance properties of the delivering drug was found to be important in controlling the skin permeation rate. Especially, this result suggests a possible use of polysaccharide gel ointment matrix as a transdermal delivery system of anti-hyperlipoproteinemic agent.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.341-347
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• 2004

Several gene delivery therapies are being developed for treatment of serum protein deficiency. EPO is one of the most promising therapeutic agent for this treatment which is currently being investigated in depth. This study has the ultimate purpose of improving the gene delivery system for an increase of red blood cell production. A plasmid DNA was constructed smaller than other plasmids for an increase in penetration into animal cells, and two genes were cloned into each vector as a co-delivery system to express erythropoietin, and interluekin-3 or thrombopoietin, which can act on erythroid cell, thus activating hematopoiesis synergically. This co-delivery system has an advantage of decreasing the labour required for industrial production of DNA vaccine. A new plasmid vector, pVAC, in size 2.9 kb, was constructed with the essential parts from PUC 19 and pSectagB, which is much smaller than other plasmid vector and is the size of 2.9 kb. Co-delivery system was constituted by cloning human erythropoietin with each of human interluekin-3 gene or human thrombopoietin gene into both pVAC and pSectagB. As a result, the transfection efficiency of pVAC was higer than that of pSectagB in vitro, and hematocrit level of the mice injected with pVAC is higher than that of other mice. And co-delivery system, made of several plasmid DNAs, was expressed in vitro.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2004

Radioiodide uptake in thyroid follicular epithelial cells, mediated by a plasma membrane transporter, sodium iodide symporter (NIS), provides a first step mechanism for thyroid cancer detection by radioiodide injection and effective radioiodide treatment for patients with invasive, recurrent, and/or metastatic thyroid cancers after total thyroidectomy. NIS gene transfer to tumor cells may significantly and specifically enhance internal radioactive accumulation of tumors following radioiodide administration, and result in better tumor control. NIS gene transfers have been successfully performed in a variety of tumor animal models by either plasmid-mediated transfection or virus (adenovirus or retrovirus)-mediated gene delivery. These animal models include nude mice xenografted with human melanoma, glioma, breast cancer or prostate cancer, rats with subcutaneous thyroid tumor implantation, as well as the rat intracranial glioma model. In these animal models, non-invasive imaging of in vivo tumors by gamma camera scintigraphy after radioiodide or technetium injection has been performed successfully, suggesting that the NIS can serve as an imaging reporter gene for gene therapy trials. In addition, the tumor killing effects of I-131, ReO4-188 and At-211 after NIS gene transfer have been demonstrated in in vitro clonogenic assays and in vivo radioiodide therapy studies, suggesting that NIS gene can also serve as a therapeutic agent when combined with radioiodide injection. Better NIS-mediated imaging and tumor treatment by radioiodide requires a more efficient and specific system of gene delivery with better retention of radioiodide in tumor. Results thus far are, however, promising, and suggest that NIS gene transfer followed by radioiodide treatment will allow non-invasive in vivo imaging to assess the outcome of gene therapy and provide a therapeutic strategy for a variety of human diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.182-195
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• 2003

This study investigated the effects of triamcinolone acetonide by iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery on anti-inflammatory action into the rats and which had carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia and edema in the feet, trauma-induced tissue damage in the thigh. Each group was treated under the fellowing conditions. 1. Group I : Control group 2. Group II : Application of direct current 3. Group III : Application of 0.1$\%$ triamcinolone acetonide solution 4. Group IV : Iontophoresis of 0.1$\%$ triamcinolone acetonide solution The degree of anti-inflammation was evaluated by the paw withdrawal latency, the change in volume of foot the change of paw edema, histological change in rats. 1. In paw withdrawal latency, group IV showed the most significant therapeutic effect than the other groups at 0, 3, 6 and 9 hours(p < 0.001). 2. In paw edema experiment in the foot, group IV showed the most significant effect than group I at 0, 3, 6 and 9 hours. It meant that there was effective anti-inflammatory reaction in group I (p < 0.001). 3. In the light microscopic observation, group IV showed the most significant reduction of haemorrhage, hyperemia and infiltrative inflammation. From the results, the iontophoresis with triamcinolone acetonide is more effective than using each groups. It is one of the effective physical agent which delivered large molecular weight drug into the body. The continuous study is needed for many interesting issues of iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery in new future.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.293-296
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• 2005

Transferrin ($T_{f}$) has been used as a targeting ligand for delivering liposome/interleukin-12 (IL-12) pDNA complexes to cancer cells mostly due to the greater number of transferrin receptors ($T_{f}R$) found on tumor cells than on normal cells. $T_{f}$ was conjugated to liposomes via the reaction of MPB-PE with thiol groups of $T_{f}$ introduced by a heterobifunctional cross-linking agent, N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP). Four days after C26 inoculation when the tumor volume reached ${\sim}100mm^{3}$, tumor-bearing Balb/c mice were injected intravenously with $T_{f}-liposome/IL-12 pDNA$complexes twice a week for 3 weeks. Significant suppression of tumor growth was achieved in the group treated with the $T_{f}-liposome/IL-12 pDNA$ complexes, with a dose of $10{\mu}g$ of IL-12 pDNA showing the highest suppression effect among the tested doses. Similar results were obtained when the therapy was initiated one day after tumor inoculation, although in this case $30{\mu}g$ IL-12 pDNA/$T_{f}-liposome$ complexes showed a significant suppression of tumor growth between 19 and 23 days after tumor inoculation. This result indicates that the transferrin receptor-targeted liposomal system is an efficient delivery agent of therapeutic genes, such as IL-12, in mice and that its potential clinical use warrants further research investigation.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.119-128
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• 2022

2-Dimensional inorganic nanoparticles with high surface area and ion-exchangeable properties have been continuously growing based on nanotechnology in the field of nanomedicine. Among one of the 2-D nanoparticles, layered double hydroxide (LDH) has been intensively explored as drug delivery due to its low toxicity, enhanced cellular permeability, and high drug loading capacity. Moreover, controllable chemical composition makes possible varying isomorphic layered materials for therapy and imaging of diseases. In this review, specific structural characteristics of LDH were introduced, and its potential for application as a biocompatible therapeutic agent and diagnostic one was addressed in nuclear medicine, one of promising fields in nanomedicine.