Targeting the issue of immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) immunotherapy, this study was the first to confirm that melarsoprol (MEL), an arsenic-containing drug, activates the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway in tumor cells and induces an antitumor immune response . However, high-dose MEL excessively activates the pro-tumorigenic cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which impairs the immunotherapeutic efficacy. To address this, a poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based nanoparticle (NP) was prepared in this study for the co-delivery of MEL and lenalidomide (LEN), a TNF-α inhibitor. Through erythrocyte membrane camouflage and aminoethyl anisamide (AEAA)-targeted modification, the nanoparticle was precisely enriched in HCC tissues. It significantly reversed the immunosuppressive TME and achieved antitumor effects in two mouse models of HCC . This study provides a novel strategy for the chemoimmunotherapy of HCC.

Microplastics, tiny bits of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size, are now found in our air, food, water, and even inside the human body, according to new research led by scientists from China and the United States. The study, published in Carbon Research, urges scientists and policymakers to take immediate steps to understand and address potential health risks linked to widespread plastic pollution.

Adding carbon-rich materials such as biochar and hydrochar to farmland soils is often seen as a promising way to fight climate change. But a new study from Finland shows that the type of char used can make a big difference in whether the soil releases or stores greenhouse gases.

A collaboration between civil engineering and neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh could change how spinal fusion surgery is performed and monitored. Associate Professors Amir Alavi, Nitin Agarwal, and D. Kojo Hamilton have received a $352,213 National Institutes of Health (NIH) R21 grant to develop the first self-powered spinal implant capable of transmitting real-time data from inside the body.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) grant supports the development of a new technology designed to restore normal gene function in select neurodevelopmental disorders.