Houston Methodist Research Institute

5 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Bioengineering

Low Molecular Weight Protein Enrichment on Mesoporous Silica Thin Films for Biomarker Discovery

Jia Fan^1,2, James W. Gallagher¹, Hung-Jen Wu¹, Matthew G. Landry¹, Jason Sakamoto¹, Mauro Ferrari¹, Ye Hu¹

¹Department of Nanomedicine, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, ²CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology

We developed a technology based on mesoporous silica thin film for the selective recovery of low molecular weight proteins and peptides from human serum. The physico-chemical properties of our mesoporous chips were finely tuned to provide substantial control in peptide enrichment and consequently profile the serum proteome for diagnostic purposes.

Bioengineering

Porous Silicon Microparticles for Delivery of siRNA Therapeutics

Jianliang Shen^*1,2, Xiaoyan Wu^*1,3, Yeonju Lee¹, Joy Wolfram^1,4, Zhizhou Yang¹, Zong-Wan Mao², Mauro Ferrari^1,5, Haifa Shen^1,6

¹Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, ²MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, ³Pediatrics Department of Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, ⁴CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience & Technology of China, ⁵Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, ⁶Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College

Delivery remains the main challenge for the therapeutic implementation of small interfering RNA (siRNA). This protocol involves the use of a multifunctional and biocompatible siRNA delivery platform, consisting of arginine and polyethylenimine grafted porous silicon microparticles.

Developmental Biology

Synaptic Microcircuit Modeling with 3D Cocultures of Astrocytes and Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Caroline Cvetkovic¹, Nupur Basu¹, Robert Krencik¹

¹Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute

In this protocol, we aim to describe a reproducible method for combining dissociated human pluripotent stem cell derived neurons and astrocytes together into 3D sphere cocultures, maintaining these spheres in free floating conditions, and subsequently measuring synaptic circuit activity of the spheres with immunoanalysis and multielectrode array recordings.

Immunology and Infection

Bone Marrow Transplantation Platform to Investigate the Role of Dendritic Cells in Graft-versus-Host Disease

Hung D. Nguyen^*1, Phung Thanh Huong^*2, Krystal Hossack¹, Sanjeev Gurshaney¹, Kevin Ezhakunnel¹, Thien-Huong Huynh¹, Anamaria Morales Alvarez¹, Nhat-Tu Le³, Hung N. Luu^4,5

¹Cancer Division, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, ²Department of Biochemistry, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, ³Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, ⁴Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, ⁵Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Hillman Cancer Center

Graft-versus-host disease is a major complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Dendritic cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease. The current article describes a novel bone marrow transplantation platform to investigate the role of dendritic cells in the development of graft-versus-host disease and the graft-versus-leukemia effect.

Neuroscience

Magnetic Resonance-Guided Stereotaxy for Infusions to the Pig Brain

Jesus G. Cruz-Garza¹, Khaled M. Taghlabi¹, Lokeshwar S. Bhenderu¹, Shruti Gupta², Arvind Pandey¹, Allison M. Frazier¹, Shawn Brisbay¹, John D. Patterson¹, Ernesto A. Salegio², Christopher J. Kantorak², Christof Karmonik³, Philip J. Horner¹, Robert C. Rostomily¹, Amir H. Faraji¹

¹Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, ²ClearPoint Neuro, ³Translational Imaging Center, Houston Methodist Research Institute

The protocol presented here demonstrates stereotaxy to the pig brain using convection-enhanced infusions, with real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visualization guidance and real-time infusion distribution visualization.