Understanding the Novel Approach of Nanoferroptosis for Cancer Therapy

As a new form of regulated cell death,ferroptosis has unraveled the unsolicited theory of intrinsic apoptosis resistance by cancer cells.The molecular mechanism of ferroptosis depends on the induction of oxidative stress through excessive reactive oxygen species accumulation and glutathione depletion to damage the structural integrity of cells.Due to their high loading and structural tunability,nanocarriers can escort the delivery of ferro-therapeutics to the desired site through enhanced permeation or retention effect or by active targeting.This review shed light on the necessity of iron in cancer cell growth and the fascinating features of ferroptosis in regulating the cell cycle and metastasis.Additionally,we discussed the effect of ferroptosis-mediated therapy using nanoplatforms and their chemical basis in overcoming the barriers to cancer therapy.

Spatial analysis of animal bites in Iran(2015-2020):A cross-sectional study

Objective:To investigate the distribution pattern of animal bites in Mirjaveh,Iran from 2015 to 2020.Methods:The data on animal bites were collected from the Department of Infectious Diseases,the provincial health center.Monthly climatic data on precipitation and temperature during the study period were also collected.The correlation between incidence and temperature,precipitation rate,land type,and altitude was also analyzed.Results:The results showed that men were more affected by animal bites than women(76.4%,P<0.001),and the highest incidence rate occurred in the age group of 5-19 years.The incidence rate of animal bites was found to be correlated with temperature and altitude.An increase in temperature was associated with a rise in the incidence rate of animal bites.The number of animal bites increased until 2019,possibly due to an increase in the number of dogs in the area.Conclusions:Targeted interventions should be implemented to reduce the incidence of animal bites,particularly among children,housewives,and students.Improving access to appropriate treatments,increasing public awareness of the hazards of animal bites,and increasing the number of vaccinated dogs in the area are essential strategies to be considered.

Epidemiological aspect of retinoblastoma in the world: a review of recent advance studies

·AIM: To collect and present updated evidence about epidemiological aspects of retinoblastoma(Rb) in the world.·METHODS: A comprehensive search without the time and language restrictions was conducted in international databases, including MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Pub Med. The search keywords were “retinoblastoma” OR “retinal Neuroblastoma” OR “retinal glioma” OR “retinoblastoma eye cancer” OR “retinal glioblastoma”.·RESULTS: The worldwide incidence of Rb is 1 in 16 000-28 000 live births, but was higher in developing compared to developed countries. Several attempts for improving early detection and treatment had increased the Rb survival rate from 5% to 90% in developed countries over the past decade, but its survival was lower in developing countries(about 40% in low-income countries) and the majority of mortalities occurred in developing countries. The etiology of Rb could be viewed as genetics in the heritable form and environmental and lifestyle factors in the sporadic form. Some environmental risk factors such as in vitro fertilization;insect sprays;father’s occupational exposure to oil mists in metal working, and poor living conditions might play a role in the occurrence of the disease. Although ethnicity might affect Rb incidence, sex has no documented effect and the best treatment approaches were now ophthalmic artery chemosurgery and intravitreal chemotherapy.·CONCLUSION: Determining the role of genetics and environmental factors helps to accurately predict the prognosis and identify the mechanism of the disease, which can reduce the risk of tumor development.

Prevalence of West Nile virus in Mashhad,Iran:A population-based study

Objective:To evaluate the prevalence of West Nile virus seropositivity in the general population of Mashhad.Northeast of Iran.Methods:One hundred and eighty two individuals living in the city of Mashhad were studied using cluster sampling method.Both IgM and IgG antibodies against WNV were detected by ELISA method.Results:In this study,the overall IgG seroprevalence of positive West Nile virus was 11%;however.IgM antibody was not found in the participants.Conclusions:Our study suggested that the prevalence rate of West virus is considerable in Mashhad city.It seems necessary for clinicians and health care workers to be aware of WNV infection in the Northeast Iran.

Epidemiological characteristics and trends of animal bites in Neyshabur,Iran:A cross-sectional study

Objective:To investigate the trend of animal bites between 2015-2021 in Neyshabur,Iran.Methods:In this cross-sectional descriptive study,data were retrieved from the vice-chancellery of the Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences.The data included person variables,place and time variables,and animal variables.Results:There were 13190 cases of animal bites and the trend was increasing during 2015-2020.Most injuries were caused by dogs(86%),most animal bites(76.6%)occurred in males,and 28.1%of all cases were farmers.The most common bitten parts were the lower limbs(64.8%),often reported as a scratch(83.4%).Most of the biting animals(67.9%)were not strays,and 83.3%of them had bitten their owners.No rabies death was reported during the study period.Conclusions:The incidence of animal bites increases and is higher than the national statistics in Neyshabur,Iran.Serious attention and intervention should be given to control and prevent this health threat.

Regional Evaluation of Tolerability and Efficacy of Imatinib Mesylate in Patients with Chronic Phase CML in Mashhad (Iran, Southwest Asia)

Sixty patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) who were on oral imatinib were included in this study. The study aimed to evaluate patients characteristic, tolerability and efficacy and clinical outcome in Iranian patients who have been treated with generic imatinib. The median age of patients was 48 years, and the median follow up was 44 months. 94% of patients achieved complete hematologic response (CHR) during the 3 months of beginning imatinib, and after 12 - 24 months of imatinib therapy 46.8% achieved molecular response. The most common non-hematologic toxicity was fluid retention (64%), fatigue (43%) and moderate to severe hematologic side effect included anemia 10%, neutropenia 10%, and thrombocytopenia 6.6%. About 13% of patients transformed into accelerated phase (AP) or blastic crisis (BC) and the death rate during this period was 7%. In conclusion, there is heterogeneity in different areas in characteristic of CML (especially in age), and also response rate and side effect of patients with CML that treated with imatinib are different.

Demographic Characteristics of Patients and Causes Leading to Chronic Renal Failure in Children Admitted to Mashhad Children Hospital

Background: An irreversible renal function impairment is called chronic renal failure (CRF) which finally leads to the “end-stage renal disease” (ESRD) and requires renal replacement therapies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence, prevalence of epidemiological indicators (age, sex), and causes of chronic renal failure in children in Mashhad (one of the big cities of Iran). Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted on patients’ records over a seven-year period (2008-2014) in Doctor Sheikh Children’s Hospital of Mashhad. The inclusion criteria were all children under 20 years old diagnosed with ESRD, with a GFR less than 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 who were referred to the hospital during the study period. Patients’ information, such as age, gender, onset of dialysis, causes of constructing renal failure, and positive or negative antigen of hepatitis B was extracted from their records. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. Results: A total of 326 patients were studied, of which, 56.4% were male. 45.1% were from 7 to 18 years. 56.4% of patients were on hemodialysis and others were on peritoneal dialysis. The most common cause of chronic renal failure in the study was respectively reflux nephropathy (32.9%), nephrotic syndrome (8.9%), neurogenic bladder (5.5%), stones (2.5%), glomerulopathy (2.1%) and cystinosis (1.5%) and (20.9%) had unknown cause. During the 7-year period of study considering the treatment outcomes, 69.3% of patients needed to continue the dialysis;10.4% underwent transplantation;10.4% unfortunately died despite of treatment and 1.5% were cured. Conclusions: It is hoped that considering the clinical symptoms of children with chronic renal failure and the diagnosis of the cause, we can reduce complications of the disease with a quick diagnosis and treatment, as well as appropriate follow-up.

The Outcome of Posterior Spinal Fusion and Instrumentation of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis without Wound Suction Drainage

Background: In spine surgery postoperative closed suction drainage is used to decrease the potential risks of wound hematoma formation, and reduces the risk of infection, cord compression and neurologic deficit. However, the efficacy of drains used for this purpose in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate outcomes of patients after posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis without wound suction drainage. Methods: A total of 66 Patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation for the correction of Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis without the use of drain from January 2012 to January 2021 were included. Wound dehiscence, wound hematoma, infection, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels and need for transfusion were described as frequency and mean values. Results: The average age was 15.06 years. Hospital stay was 2.2 days. Patients were followed-up over 50.21 months. There was no deep infection, wound hematoma. The difference between just postoperative and three days after operation hemoglobin levels was not significant and no need for transfusion. Only 3 (4.5%) cases with superficial skin infection and 4 (6%) cases with skin and Wound dehiscence were treated with dressing and antibiotics with full recovery. Conclusion: Without using drain for patients with idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation, no increase in blood loss, transfusion requirements, wound infection, skin dehiscence, and wound hematoma was observed.

Excess mortality in Northeast Iran caused by COVID-19:Neglect of offset community transformations of health

Objective:To make evidence-based decisions based on broad mortality trends for Razavi Khorasan province,Iran.Methods:In order to determine the baseline number of deaths,we used univariate time series analyses for monthly data from the monthly vital statistics reports(From April 2015 to March 2022).For excess mortalities,these baselines were subtracted from reported deaths with a 95%prediction interval.To compare time and causes,a P-score was calculated.Results:From March 2020 to March 2022,there were 61949 registered deaths,and the estimated deaths with a 95%confidence interval(CI)were 43246.16(35718.28,50774.05).So,in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022,the death counts were 35.15%and 51.33%higher than projected.A total of 18666 cardiovascular diseases were reported and a total of 15704.46(12006.95,19401.96)was estimated.The P-score for this duration was 14.49%and 23.23%higher than expected.Infectious and parasitic diseases plus COVID-19 were 16633 and estimated to be 1044.87(456.77,1632.96).A total of 4420 diseases of the respiratory system were reported,and 4564.94 deaths were predicted(2277.43,6852.43).In the first year of the pandemic,the P-score dropped to-35.28%and in the second year,it jumped sharply to 22.38%.Conclusions:Excess mortality,along with cause-specific mortality,can be helpful for monitoring trends and developing public health policies at the local,national,and international levels.

Zataria multiflora and its constituent,carvacrol,counteract sepsis-induced aortic and cardiac toxicity in rat:Involvement of nitric oxide and oxidative stress

Background:Zataria multiflora and carvacrol showed various pharmacological prop-erties including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects.However,up to now no studies have explored its potential benefits in ameliorating sepsis-induced aortic and cardiac injury.Thus,this study aimed to investigate the effects of Z.multiflora and carvacrol on nitric oxide(NO)and oxidative stress indicators in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced aortic and cardiac injury.Methods:Adult male Wistar rats were assigned to:Control,lipopolysaccharide(LPS)(1 mg/kg,intraperitoneal(i.p.)),and Z.multiflora hydro-ethanolic extract(ZME,50–200 mg/kg,oral)-and carvacrol(25–100 mg/kg,oral)-treated groups.LPS was in-jected daily for 14 days.Treatment with ZME and carvacrol started 3 days before LPS administration and treatment continued during LPS administration.At the end of the study,the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA),NO,thiols,and antioxidant enzymes were evaluated.Results:Our findings showed a significant reduction in the levels of superoxide dis-mutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and thiols in the LPS group,which were restored by ZME and carvacrol.Furthermore,ZME and carvacrol decreased MDA and NO in car-diac and aortic tissues of LPS-injected rats.Conclusions:The results suggest protective effects of ZME and carvacrol on LPS-induced cardiovascular injury via improved redox hemostasis and attenuated NO pro-duction.However,additional studies are needed to elucidate the effects of ZME and its constituents on inflammatory responses mediated by LPS.

Distribution and associated factors of intraocular pressure in the older population:Tehran Geriatric Eye Study

AIM:To determine the distribution and associated factors of intraocular pressure(IOP) in an Iranian elderly population 60 years of age and above.METHODS:The present report is part of the Tehran Geriatric Eye study(TGES),a population-based cross-sectional study that was conducted on the residents of Tehran 60 years of age and above.The sampling was performed using multistage stratified random cluster sampling methods from 22 districts of Tehran,Iran.Demographic and history information,blood samples,and blood pressure were collected from all participants.Ocular examinations included measurement of uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity,objective and subjective refraction,and slit-lamp biomicroscopy.The IOP was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry(GAT).Corneal imaging and ocular biometry were performed using Pentacam AXL.RESULTS:The data of 3892 eyes of 2124 individuals were analyzed for this report.The mean age of the study participants was 66.49±5.31y(range:60 to 95y).The mean IOP was 15.2 mm Hg(95%CI:15.1 to 15.4),15.3 mm Hg(95%CI:15.1 to 15.5) and 15.1 mm Hg(95%CI:15.0 to 15.3) in all participants,males,and females,respectively.Of the study participants,1.3% had an IOP of ≥20 mm Hg.The mean IOP increased from 15.1 mm Hg in the age group 60-64y to 16.3 mm Hg in the age group ≥80y.According to the final multiple GEE model,the IOP was statistically significantly higher in men than in women.All the studied age groups,except for the 75-79-year-old age group,had significantly higher IOP compared to the 60-64-year-old age group.The IOP was significantly higher in underweight compared to other body mass index groups.Moreover,the IOP had a statistically significant direct relationship with the mean corneal power(mean CP),central corneal thickness(CCT),and systolic blood pressure.CONCLUSION:The present study presents the distribution of IOP in an Iranian elderly population.A higher IOP(within the range 14 to 17 mm Hg) is significantly associated with older age,male sex,high systolic blood pressure,increased mean CP,and CCT.These factors should be considered in the clinical interpretation of IOP.

p16 promoter hypermethylation:A useful serum marker for early detection of gastric cancer

AIM： TO determine p15 promoter hypermethylation in gastric tumoral tissue and serum samples, its impact on p16-protein expression, and correlation with clinical and histological features. METHODS： Samples were obtained from 52 histologically confirmed cases of gastric adenocarcinoma. Gastric tissue and serum of 50 age- and sex-matched individuals with normal gastroscopy and biopsy were obtained as control samples. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction （MSP） was used to evaluate methylation status of p16 promoter, p16-protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining on paraffin-embedded sections. RESULTS： Methylation was detected in 44.2% （23/52） of tumoral tissues. 60.9% of them were also methylated in serum, i.e., 26.9% of all patients （14/52）. Methylation was not detected in tissue and sera of control samples. p16-protein expression was decreased in 61.5% of cases （32/52）, and was significantly associated with promoter hypermethylation （P 〈 0.001）. Methylation was significantly more frequent in higher pathological grades （P 〈 0.05）. Methylation was not associated with other clinicopathological features and environmental factors including Hpylori infection and smoking. CONCLUSION： p16 promoter hypermethylation is an important event in gastric carcinogenesis. It is the principle mechanism of p16 gene silencing. It is related to malignant tumor behavior. Detection of DNA methylation in serum may be a biomarker for early detection of gastric cancer.

Expression of cell adhesion molecule CD44 in gastric adenocarcinoma and its prognostic importance

AIM: To evaluate the relation of cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) expression with clinicopathological features of gastric adenocarcinoma, and also its effect on prognosis with an emphasis on the differences between intestinal and diffuse types. METHODS: From 2000 to 2006, 100 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, who had undergone total or subtotal gastrectomy without any prior treatment, were studied. Haematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining was used for histological evaluation, including the type (Lauren's classifi cation) and grading of the tumor. The expression of CD44 in the gastric adenocarcinoma mucosa and the adjacent mucosa were determined by immunohistochemistry. The survival analysis was obtained using the Kaplan-Meier test. RESULTS: Of 100 patients, 74 (74%) patients were male. The tumors were categorized as intestinal type (78%) or diffuse type (22%). Sixty-five percent of patients were CD44-positive. CD44 expression was not detected in normal gastric mucosa. Rather, CD44 was more commonly expressed in the intestinal subtype (P = 0.002). A signifi cant relation was seen between the grade of tumor and the expression of CD44 (P = 0.014). The survival analysis showed a poor prognosis of patients with CD44-positive tumors (P = 0.008); and this was more prominent in the intestinal (P = 0.001) rather than diffuse type. CONCLUSION: Cell adhesion molecule CD44 is highly expressed in gastric adenocarcinoma. CD44 expression is correlated with a poor prognosis in patients with the intestinal type of gastric adenocarcinoma. CD44 can, therefore, be utilized as a prognostic marker for this group of patients.

Association of p53/p21 expression with cigarette smoking and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients

【Abstract】factors,such as cigarette smoking,in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)in northeastern Iran,a region with a high incidence of ESCC.METHODS:The expression of p53 and p21 proteins was investigated immunohistochemically in tumor tissue from 80 ESCC patients and in 60 available paraffinembedded blocks of adjacent normal specimens from the cases,along with normal esophageal tissue from 80 healthy subjects.RESULTS:Positive expression of p53 protein was detected in 56.2%(45/80)of ESCC cases,and in none of the normal esophageal tissue of the control group(P【0.001).Furthermore,73.8%(59/80)of ESCC cases and 43.8%(35/80)of controls had positive expression of p21 protein(P【0.001).Cigarette smoking was significantly associated with p53 over-expression in ESCC cases(P=0.010,OR=3.64;95%CI:1.32-10.02).p21 over-expression was associated with poorer clinical outcome among the ESCC patients(P=0.009).CONCLUSION:Over-expression of p53 in association with cigarette smoking may play a critical role in ESCC carcinogenesis among this high-risk population of northeastern Iran.Furthermore,p21 over-expression was found to be associated with poor prognosis,specifically in the operable ESCC patients.

Neuroprotective effects of minocycline on focal cerebral ischemia injury: a systematic review

To review the neuroprotective effects of minocycline in focal cerebral ischemia in animal models.By searching in the databases of PubMed,ScienceDirect,and Scopus,and considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study.Studies were included if focal cerebral ischemia model was performed in mammals and including a control group that has been compared with a minocycline group.Written in languages other than English;duplicate data;in vitro studies and combination of minocycline with other neuroprotective agents were excluded.Neurological function of patients was assessed by National Institute of Health Stroke Scale,modified Rankin Scale,and modified Barthel Index.Neuroprotective effects were assessed by detecting the expression of inflammatory cytokines.We examined 35 papers concerning the protective effects of minocycline in focal cerebral ischemia in animal models and 6 clinical trials which had evaluated the neuroprotective effects of minocycline in ischemic stroke.These studies revealed that minocycline increases the viability of neurons and decreases the infarct volume following cerebral ischemia.The mechanisms that were reported in these studies included anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,as well as anti-apoptotic effects.Minocycline also increases the neuronal regeneration following cerebral ischemia.Minocycline has considerable neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal damages.However,larger clinical trials may be required before using minocycline as a neuroprotective drug in ischemic stroke.

Progress in the development of vaccines for hepatitis C virus infection

The hepatitis C virus(HCV), first described in 1989, is now a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. With more than 170 million people infected globally, this virus is a major public health issue. The current standard therapy is based on interferon in combination with ribavirin. This costly therapy often fails to completely clear the infection and is associated with adverse side effects. Recent anti-HCV therapies are interferon-free direct-acting antiviral(DAA) regimens for HCV, including simeprevir, sofosbuvir, and ledipasvir, which have effects on non-structural proteins. DAA regimens have several advantages, such as specifically targeting HCV viral replication, accompanied by very high sustained virological response rates and lower side effects like flu-like syndrome. These facts plus the fact that most HCV cases progress to chronic infection suggest the potential need for an efficient HCV vaccine. Different innovative methods, including methods based on peptide, recombinant protein, DNA, vector-based, and virus-like particles, have been introduced for the development of HCV vaccines. An extensive number of studies have been published on these vaccines, and some vaccines were even tested in clinical trials. In the current review, progress in the development of preventive and therapeutic vaccines against the HCV is reviewed in the context of peptide vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, HCV-like particle, DNA vaccines and viral vectors expressing HCV genes.

Assessment of the anterior chamber parameters after laser iridotomy in primary angle close suspect using Pentacam and gonioscopy

AIM:To evaluate the changes in the anterior segment parameters of the subjects with primary angle closure suspect(PACS) before and after laser iridotomy(LI) using the Pentacam and gonioscopy. METHODS:Forty-eight eyes of 48 PACS were included.Anterior chamber angle(ACA),central anterior chamber depth(ACD),anterior chamber volume(ACV) and central corneal thickness(CCT) were recorded from the Pentacam before and one month after LI.ACA was graded according to Shaffer classification using Goldmann gonioscopy.RESULTS:ACA increased significantly from 25.59±4.41 to 26.46±4.33 degrees(P=0.009) and ACV changed from 85.97±16.07mm3to 99.25±15.83mm3(P=0.000).The changes in ACD,CCT and intraocular pressure were non-significant(P】0.05).Gonioscopy showed significant widening of the Shaffer angle in 4 quadrants(P【0.001).CONCLUSION:Pentacam can serve as the objective instrument in assessing the efficacy of LI.

Pathological consequences of C-peptide deficiency in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Diabetes is associated with several complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy and cardiovascular diseases. Currently, insulin is the main used medication for management of insulin-dependentdiabetes mellitus(type-1 diabetes). In this metabolic syndrome, in addition to decrease of endogenous insulin, the plasma level of connecting peptide(C-peptide) is also reduced due to beta cell destruction. Studies in the past decade have shown that C-peptide is much more than a byproduct of insulin biosynthesis and possess different biological activities. Therefore, it may be possible that C-peptide deficiency be involved, at least in part, in the development of different complications of diabetes. It has been shown that a small level of remaining C-peptide is associated with significant metabolic benefit. The purpose of this review is to describe beneficial effects of C-peptide replacement on pathological features associated with insulin-dependent diabetes. Also, experimental and clinical findings on the effects of C-peptide on wholebody glucose utilization, adipose tissue metabolism and tissues blood flow are summarized and discussed. The hypoglycemic, antilipolytic and vasodilator effects of C-peptide suggest that it may contribute to fine-tuning of the tissues metabolism under different physiologic or pathologic conditions. Therefore, C-peptide replacement together with the classic insulin therapy may prevent, retard, or ameliorate diabetic complications in patients with type-1 diabetes.

Diagnostic accuracy of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in gallbladder cancer: A meta-analysis

AIM: To meta-analyze published data about the diagnostic accuracy of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose(18F-FDG) positron emission tomography(PET) and PET/computed tomography(PET/CT) in the evaluation of primary tumor in patients with gallbladder cancer(GBCa).METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of studies published through 30 th June 2014 regarding the role of 18F-FDG PET and PET/CT in the evaluation of primary gallbladder cancer(GBCa) was performed. All retrieved studies were reviewed. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT in the evaluation of primary GBCa were calculated. The area under the summary receiving operator characteristics curve(AUC) was calculated to measure the accuracy of these methods. Sub-analyses considering the device used(PET vs PET/CT) were carried out.RESULTS: Twenty-one studies comprising 495 patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT for suspicious GBCa were selected for the systematic review. The meta-analysis of 13 selected studies provided the following results: sensitivity 87%(95%CI: 82%-92%),specificity 78%(95%CI: 68%-86%). The AUC was 0.88. Improvement of sensitivity and specificity was observed when PET/CT was used.CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG-PET and PET/CT demonstrated to be useful diagnostic imaging methods in the assessment of primary tumor in GBCa patients,nevertheless possible sources of false-negative and false-positive results should be kept in mind. PET/CT seems to have a better diagnostic accuracy than PET alone in this setting.

Preparation, characterization and in vivo evaluation of alginate-coated chitosan and trimethylchitosan nanoparticles loaded with PR8 influenza virus for nasal immunization

For efficient mucosal vaccine delivery, nanoparticulate antigens are better taken by microfold cells in the nasal associated lymphoid tissue and also dendritic cells. Nanoparticles based on polymers such as chitosan(CHT) and its water soluble derivative, trimethylchitosan(TMC), could be successfully used as carrier/adjuvant for this purpose. Sodium alginate, a negatively charged biopolymer, could modify the immunostimulatory properties of CHT and TMC NPs and increase their stability. Sodium alginate(ALG)-coated chitosan(CHT)and trimethylchitosan(TMC) nanoparticles(NPs) loaded with inactivated PR8 influenza virus were successfully prepared by direct coating of the virus with CHT or TMC polymers to evaluate their immunoadjuvant potential after nasal immunization. After nasal immunizations in BALB/c mice, PR8-CHT formulation elicited higher IgG2 a and Ig G1 antibody titers compared with PR8-TMC. ALG coating of this formulation(PR8-CHT-ALG) significantly decreased the antibody titers and a less immune response was induced than PR8-TMC-ALG formulation. PR8-TMC-ALG formulation showed significantly higher Ig G2 a/Ig G1 ratio, as criteria for Th1-type immune response, compared with PR8-CHT-ALG and PR8 virus alone. Altogether, the PR8-TMC-ALG formulation could be considered as an efficient intranasal antigen delivery system for nasal vaccines.