Functional and pathological improvements of the hearts in diabetes model by the combined therapy of bFGF-loaded nanoparticles with ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction
Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among the diabetic patients and currently there is no effective means to reverse its pathological progress. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has shown promise as a molecular therapy for DCM, but its delivery is inefficient and non-specific. In the present study, a therapy combining nanoparticle (NP) carrier and ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) was reported the first time for bFGF delivery to the heart of diabetic rats. bFGF-loaded NP (bFGF-NP) were prepared with Poloxamer 188-grafted heparin copolymer using water-in-water technique, and the morphology, encapsulation efficiency, and bioactivity of bFGF-NP were studied. The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of bFGF-NP were evaluated with primary cultures of the left ventricular (LV) cardiomyocytes in vitro. Therapeutic effects of bFGF-NP/UTMD on the heart of DCM rats were studied by measuring LV systolic and diastolic functions, hemodynamic characteristics and indicators of cardiac remodeling including myocardial collagen volume fraction and capillary density. Results demonstrated that bFGF-NP showed good round morphology, efficient bFGF encapsulation and stable bioactivity of bFGF in vitro. bFGF-NP/UTMD combined treatment significantly enhanced the efficiency of bFGF cellular uptake (P<0.05) without obvious cytotoxicity. Significant improvements (P<0.05) in both cardiac functions and tissue morphology in the DCM rats were observed in bFGF-NP/UTMD group. These were not achievable using free bFGF, bFGF-NP or UTMD treatment alone. Our results show that combining a non-viral vector with UTMD technique is an effective strategy to deliver bFGF to the heart, and the resulting growth factor therapy has demonstrated potential to reverse the progress of DCM by restoring the cardiac functions and even the structure of damaged cardiac tissues.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
2
5%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
2
5%
Computer Science
2
5%
Other
6
14%
Unknown
19
45%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 4. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 25 July 2023.
All research outputs
#9,555,275
of 30,296,742 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Controlled Release
#4,294
of 11,446 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#78,896
of 252,801 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Controlled Release
#72
of 143 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 30,296,742 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 68th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 11,446 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.1. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 60% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 143 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 44th percentile – i.e., 44% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
