Polysaccharides have been assessed as a potential natural active component in Chinese herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory properties. However, the complex and indefinite structures of polysaccharides limit their applications. This study explains the structures and anti-inflammatory potentials of three neutral polysaccharides, RIP-A1 (M_w 1.8 × 10⁴ Da), RIP-B1 (M_w 7.4 × 10⁴ Da) and RIP-B2 (M_w 9.3 × 10⁴ Da), which were isolated from the roots of Isatis indigotica Fort. with sequenced ultrafiltration membrane columns, DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100. The planar structures and microstructures of RIP-A1, RIP-B1 and RIP-B2 were further determined by HPGPC, GC–MS, methylation analysis, FT-IR, SEM and AFM, in which the structure of RIP-A1 was elucidated in detail using 1D/2D NMR. The Raw 264.7 cells were used for the anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. The results showed that RIP-A1, RIP-B1 and RIP-B2 are all neutral polysaccharides, with RIP-A1 having the smallest M_w and the simplest monosaccharide composition of the three. RIP-A1 is mainly composed of Ara and Gal, except for a small quantity of Rha. Its main structure is covered with glycosidic linkages of T-α-Araf, 1,2-α-Rhap, 1,5-α-Araf, T-β-Galp, 1,2,4-α-Rhap, 1,3,5-α-Araf and 1,6-β-Galp with 0.33:0.12:1.02:0.09:0.45:11.41:10.23. RIP-A1 significantly inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokines (NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) and increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, RIP-A1 could significantly inhibit the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and L-1β. It could also activate IKK, p65 and IκBα (the components of the NF-κB signaling pathway). In conclusion, the above results show the structural characterization and anti-inflammatory potentials of RIP-A1 as an effective natural anti-inflammatory drug.

Background: Emerging data has suggested that Tregs, Th17, Th1 and Th2 are correlated with early immune mechanisms by controlling Plasmodium infection. Plasmodium infection appeared to impair the antigen presentation and maturation of DCs, leading to attenuation of specific cellular immune response ultimately. Hence, in this study, we aim to evaluate the relevance between DCs and Tregs/Th17 populations in the process and outcomes of infection with Plasmodium yoelii 17XL (P.y17XL). Methods: DCs detection/analysis dynamically was performed by Tregs depletion or Th17 neutralization in P.y17XL infected BALB/c mice via flow cytometry. Then the levels of cytokines production were detected using enzyme-linked mmunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Our results indicated that Tregs depletion or Th17 neutralization in BALB/c mice infected with P.y17XL significantly up-regulated the percentages of mDC and pDC, increased the expressions of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, CD80, CD86 on DCs and the levels of IL-10/IL-12 secreted by DCs, indicating that abnormal amplification of Tregs or Th17 may damage the maturation and function of DCs during the early stage of malaria infection. Interestingly, we also found that the abnormal amplification of Th17, as well as Tregs, could inhibit the maturation of DCs. Conclusions: Tregs skewing or Th17 amplification during the early stage of malaria infection may inhibit the maturation and function of DCs by modifying the subsets of DCs, expressions of surface molecules on DCs and secretion mode of cytokines.

Prolonged use of clear aligners promotes bacterial colonization and biofilm formation, which can compromise orthodontic outcomes. There is a clear clinical demand for approaches that can suppress pathogenic activity while preserving the fundamental functional and material characteristics of the aligners. To address this need, a novel strategy of fabricating metal–organic framework (MOF) coatings on aligners was adopted. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising antibacterial coating materials by combining antimicrobial metal ions with biocompatible organic ligands. Three distinct porphyrin-based MOFs (Ag-, Cu-, and Ce-TCPP) were synthesized and fabricated as coatings on clear aligner surfaces via a coordination-driven self-assembly approach. The coated aligners were comprehensively assessed in vitro to determine their antibacterial performance, anti-inflammatory potential, biocompatibility, and key physical characteristics. Among the three coatings, Ag-TCPP showed the most favorable overall antibacterial and anti-biofilm performance in the present experimental system and facilitated macrophage polarization toward an anti-inflammatory M2-like phenotype. Ag-TCPP exhibited a significant inhibition zone of 6.75 ± 0.25 mm and reduced biofilm biomass by 72.2%. All MOF coatings exhibited excellent biocompatibility, and their application did not compromise the aligners’ mechanical integrity or aesthetic properties (light transmittance). This study reports the successful development of a novel metal–organic framework (MOF)-based coating strategy for clear aligners. Among the formulations investigated, the Ag-TCPP coating exhibited outstanding antibacterial and immunomodulatory performance while maintaining the critical mechanical integrity and aesthetic qualities of the aligner. The findings of this work offer a practical approach to designing multifunctional orthodontic devices that may reduce biofilm-related complications and improve clinical outcomes.

The photothermal conversion capability of polydopamine (PDA) was exploited to load the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) onto its surface via π-π stacking and hydrogen-bond interactions, yielding a PDA-DOX complex. In this study, biocompatible poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) was employed as a shell material to fabricate multifunctional PLLA composite PDA-DOX (PLLA@PDA-DOX) nanobubbles with integrated functions of ultrasound imaging, photothermal therapy, and chemotherapy. The fabricated nanobubbles exhibited a uniform mean diameter of 489.30 ± 6.96 nm with a Polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.226 ± 0.01 and a DOX loading efficiency of 3.27%. Acute toxicity evaluation in mice revealed that the maximum tolerated dose of PLLA@PDA-DOX nanobubbles was markedly higher than the clinical equivalent dose, showing no detectable toxicity or allergic reactions. Under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, the inhibition rate of HCCLM3 cells increased from 50.1% to 64.45%, indicating enhanced therapeutic efficacy through the combined effects of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy. Moreover, compared with the free DOX group, the survival rate of LX-2 cells in the composite nanobubble group significantly increased from 18.9 ± 1.56% to 68.8 ± 3.08%, suggesting that the PLLA@PDA-DOX nanobubbles effectively reduced the direct cytotoxicity of DOX by preventing its immediate contact with cells. Collectively, the results confirm that PLLA@PDA-DOX nanobubbles possess excellent biocompatibility, robust ultrasound imaging performance, and enhanced antitumor efficacy under NIR irradiation. This multifunctional nanosystem demonstrates promising potential as an integrated platform for simultaneous cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Polysaccharides comprise a structurally varied class of natural macromolecules found in plants, fungi, animals, marine algae, and microorganisms. Therefore, they have attracted considerable attention over several decades due to numerous anticancer-associated activities indicated by accumulating in vitro and in vivo evidence, along with clinical data of heterogeneous maturity—ranging from well-established adjuvants such as lentinan and PSK, which have demonstrated survival benefits in randomized controlled trials, to early-phase exploratory studies for agents like fucoidan. Traditional chemotherapeutic agents (e.g., alkylating agents, antimetabolites) exert direct cytotoxic effects; however, many contemporary small-molecule drugs—such as kinase inhibitors and hormone receptor modulators—act through targeted inhibition of oncogenic signaling, and immunotherapies (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors) function by enhancing endogenous anti tumor immunity rather than directly damaging tumor cells, as cytotoxic agents do. By contrast, polysaccharides are increasingly recognized as biological response modifiers that exert an impact on cancer development through, for instance, immune system functioning, redox, and/or inflammatory balance, communications between cancer and stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment, and intracellular signaling cascades. This review presents an outline of the structural variability, physiological sources, and functions of polysaccharides relevant to cancer treatment. Based on the present armamentarium of polysaccharides, the main modes of action are summarized in terms of immunomodulation through the engagement of pattern-recognition receptors, oxidative stress and inflammation regulation, quantifiable programmed cell death modes, angiogenesis and metastasis, and indirect regulation of oncogenic signaling pathways. These are first expressed in terms of the target-unrelated context and at the network level. Finally, we briefly discuss recent developments regarding polysaccharides as coadjuvants in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, in addition to their status as potential biomaterials in novel drug delivery systems. Critical reviews of relevant issues regarding structural heterogeneity and reproducibility, pharmacokinetics, and clinical translation are given. Indeed, this review presents polysaccharides as multi-functional components in multi-dimensional cancer therapy, paying due attention to appropriate structural elucidation, mechanism validation, and systems-oriented approaches to their rational development and clinical application.