Search

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) can lead to the imbalance of antioxidant system in the body and cause oxidative damage to cells. It is imperative to rationally design nanomaterials with high catalytic activity and multiple antioxidant activities. Here, line peppers-derived carbon dots (CDs) is encapsulated into zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (CDs@ZIF-8) to achieve enhanced antioxidant activities for improved protective effect on cells. This nanosystem has a broad spectrum of antioxidant properties, which can effectively remove a variety of intracellular ROS and protect cells from ROS-induced death and cytoskeleton damage. In addition, CDs@ZIF-8 can reduce malondialdehyde (MDA) level and increase the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), as well as the level of glutathione (GSH) in human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) cells. Mechanism studies demonstrated that CDs@ZIF-8 can up-regulate the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), allowing the regulation of antioxidant enzymes to further achieve antioxidant effect. Besides, CDs@ZIF-8 inhibited the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. This work demonstrates that the constructed CDs@ZIF-8 with multi-antioxidant activity can act as a highly efficient intracellular ROS scavenger and provide potential for the application in related oxidative stress-induced diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most commonly used anticancer drugs; however, its clinical application is greatly limited due to its toxicity and chemotherapy resistance. The delivery of DOX by liposomes (Lipos) can improve the blood circulation time in vivo and reduce toxic side effects, but the drug's accumulation in the tumor is often insufficient for effective treatment. In this study, we present a calcium cross-linked liposome gel for the encapsulation of DOX, demonstrating its superior long-term release capabilities compared to conventional Lipos. By leveraging this enhanced long-term release, we can enhance drug accumulation within tumors, ultimately leading to improved antitumor efficacy. Lipos were prepared using the thin-film dispersion method in this study. We utilized the ion-responsiveness of glutathione-gelatin (GSH-GG) to form the gel outside the Lipos and named the nanoparticles coated with GSH-GG on the outside of Lipos as Lipos@GSH-GG. The average size of Lipos@GSH-GG was around 342.9 nm, with a negative charge of -25.6 mV. The in vitro experiments revealed that Lipos@GSH-GG exhibited excellent biocompatibility and slower drug release compared to conventional Lipos. Further analysis of cellular uptake and cytotoxicity demonstrated that Lipos@GSH-GG loading DOX (DOX&Lipos@GSH-GG) exhibited superior long-term release effects and lower toxic side effects compared to Lipos loading DOX (DOX&Lipos). Additionally, the findings regarding the long-term release effect in vivo and the tumor accumulation within tumor-bearing mice of Lipos@GSH-GG suggested that, compared to Lipos, it demonstrated superior long-term release capabilities and achieved greater drug accumulation within tumors. In vivo antitumor efficacy experiments showed that DOX&Lipos@GSH-GG demonstrated superior antitumor efficacy to DOX&Lipos. Our study highlights Lipos@GSH-GG as a promising nanocarrier with the potential to enhance efficacy and safety by means of long-term release effects and may offer an alternative approach for effective antitumor therapy in the future.

Bacterial infections are a significant global health concern, particularly in the context of skin infections and chronic wounds, which was further exacerbated by the emerging of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, there are urgent needs to develop alternative antibacterial strategies without inducing significant resistance. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising alternative approach but usually faces limitations such as the need for stable and environmental-friendly PTT agents and ensuring biocompatibility with living tissues, necessitating ongoing research for its clinical advancement. Herein, in this study, with the aim to develop a green synthesized PTT agent for photothermal enhanced antibacterial and wound healing, we proposed a facile one-pot method to prepare epigallocatechin gallate-ferric (EGCG-Fe) complex nanoparticles. The obtained nanoparticles showed improved good size distribution and stability with high reproducibility. More importantly, EGCG-Fe complex nanoparticles have additional photothermal conversion ability which can give photothermal enhanced antibacterial effect on various pathogens, including Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains. EGCG-Fe complex nanoparticles also showed powerful biofilm prevention and destruction effects with promoted antibacterial and wound healing on mice model. In conclusion, EGCG-Fe complex nanoparticles can be a robust green material with effective and novel light controllable antibacterial properties for photothermal enhanced antibacterial and wound healing applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Amifostine (AMF, also known as WR-2721) is the only approved broad-spectrum small-molecule radiation protection agent that can combat hematopoietic damage caused by ionizing radiation and is used as an antitumor adjuvant and cell protector in cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Amifostine is usually injected intravenously before chemotherapy or radiotherapy and has been used in the treatment of head and neck cancer. However, the inconvenient intravenous administration and its toxic side effects such as hypotension have severely limited its further application in clinic. In order to reduce the toxic and side effects, scientists are trying to develop a variety of drug administration methods and are devoted to developing a wide application of amifostine in radiation protection. This paper reviews the research progress of amifostine for radiation protection in recent years, discusses its mechanism of action, clinical application, and other aspects, with focus on summarizing the most widely studied amifostine injection administration and drug delivery systems, and explored the correlation between various administrations and drug efficacies.

Aims: Bacterial infection is a significant factor contributing to the deterioration of wounds, and the misuse of antibiotics has exacerbated bacterial resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a novel antibacterial strategy to replace conventional therapies. This study aims to construct a self-activated cascade reaction nanozyme, f-FeNC@GOx, which triggers a cascade reaction in the presence of glucose. This cascade reaction generates highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (OH), thereby achieving the goal of eliminating bacteria and promoting wound healing., Material and Methods: In vitro antibacterial experiments, bacterial spread plate method, Live/Dead staining, and crystal violet staining were conducted to analyze the antibacterial ability and mechanism of f-FeNC@GOx. In vivo experiments, a mouse wound model was established, and H&E and Masson staining of wound tissues were performed to assess the antibacterial activity of the f-FeNC@GOx in vivo., Key Findings: The in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed that f-FeNC@GOx exhibited significant antibacterial effect against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in the presence of glucose. Furthermore, it showed optimal wound healing performance in the wound models., Significance: These findings suggested that f-FeNC@GOx was a novel and effective antibacterial nanomaterial, which provided a promising antibacterial strategy using nanoenzyme based cascade reaction., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Worldwide antibiotic abuse accelerates the evolution of drug-resistant super bacteria, which goes against the war toward bacterial infection. Antibiotic-loaded nanoparticles as a typical form of nanomedicine hold great promise in combating bacterial infection, which requires the development of a suitable carrier. Tannic acid (TA) showed an inhibition effect on both Gram-positive and -negative strains; however, there are no reports on the development of antibacterial nanoformulations based on TA itself. We could get PTA NPs using a one-pot method, and their size and ζ-potential were characterized. Herein, we carefully tuned the polymerization of TA to give well-dispersed polytannic acid nanoparticles (PTA NPs) with a size of 100 nm. Moreover, our results demonstrated that PTA NPs showed enhanced antibacterial effects on both Gram-positive and -negative strains as compared to free TA. Especially, PTA NPs can preferably accelerate the healing of Staphylococcus -infected wounds. Based on its structure, we suggested that PTA NPs may have a similar property to polydopamine nanoparticles to offer high drug loading for potential combination therapy for extended application in bacterial infection management.

Gene therapy is one of the most widely studied treatments and has the potential to treat a variety of intractable diseases. The skin's limited permeability, as the body's initial protective barrier, drastically inhibits the delivery effect of gene medicine. Given the potential adverse effects and physicochemical features of the medications, improving generic drug penetration into the skin barrier and achieving an effective level of target tissues remains a challenge. Microneedles have made tremendous improvements in aided gene transfer and medication delivery as a unique method. Microneedles offer the advantage of being minimally invasive and painless, as well as the ability to distribute gene medicines straight through the stratum corneum. Microneedles have been used to penetrate skin tissue with various nucleic acids and medicines in recent years, allowing for a wide range of applications in the treatment of skin ailments. This review focuses on skin-related disorders and immunity, and it primarily discusses the progress of microneedle transdermal gene therapy in recent years. It also complements the current major vectors and related microneedle gene therapy applications., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Infection-induced chronic wounds cause prolonged pains, a high risk of amputation, and even increased mortality in immunocompromised patients. Here we report an antibacterial microneedle (MN) patch, which features high degradability in biological fluids and gelatinase-responsive release of an antibacterial photothermal peptide AMP-Cypate. We first synthesize gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) and then conjugate the AMP-Cypate to afford composite AMP-Cypate@GNPs. The proteinaceous nanoparticles can responsively release AMP-Cypate in the presence of gelatinase, an enzyme secreted specifically by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). AMP-Cypate@GNPs were then deposited in the tips of MNs fabricated by PVP and recombinant human type III collagen (Col III) to devise the antibacterial MN/AMP-Cypate@GNP patches. When applied to the infection site, MNs break through the epidermis and the stratum corneum, dissolve in the infected dermis, reach the bacterial colony or biofilm, release AMP-Cypate@GNPs, and exert a gelatinase-responsive photothermal therapy under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation to kill the pathogen S. aureus. In a rat model of staphylococcal infection-induced chronic wounds mimicking the condition of diabetic foot ulcer, the antibacterial MN/AMP-Cypate@GNP patches eradiated the bacterial infection and resulted in complete healing of the wounds, proving its potential application in the treatment of chronic wound infections and diabetic foot ulcers., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Promising cancer chemotherapy requires the development of suitable drug delivery systems (DDSs). Previous research has indicated that a hydrogel is a powerful DDS for tumor therapy and holds great potential to offer a feasible method for cancer management., Methods: In this study, glutathione-gellan gum conjugate (GSH-GG) was synthesized through chemical reaction. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) was loaded into GSH-GG to accomplish DOX-loaded GSH-GG. The properties, injectability, drug release, and in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects of DOX-loaded GSH-GG were tested., Results: DOX-loaded GSH-GG showed a temperature-ion dual responsive gelling property with good viscosity, strength, and injectability at an optimized gel concentration of 1.5%. In addition, lower drug release was found under acidic conditions, offering beneficial long-acting drug release in the tumor microenvironment. DOX-loaded GSH-GG presented selective action by exerting substantially higher cytotoxicity on cancer cells (4T1) than on normal epithelial cells (L929), signifying the potential of complete inhibition of tumor progression, without affecting the health quality of the subjects., Conclusions: GSH-GG can be applied as a responsive gelling material for delivering DOX for promising cancer therapy.

As a highly absorbent and hydrophobic material with a three-dimensional network structure, hydrogels are widely used in biomedical fields for their excellent biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, adjustable physicochemical properties, ability to encapsulate a variety of drugs, controllability, and degradability. Hydrogels can be used not only for wound dressings and tissue repair, but also as drug carriers for the treatment of tumors. As multifunctional hydrogels are the focus for many researchers, this review focuses on hydrogels for antitumor therapy, hydrogels for antibacterial therapy, and hydrogels for co-use in tumor therapy and bacterial infection. We highlighted the advantages and representative applications of hydrogels in these fields and also outlined the shortages and future orientations of this useful tool, which might give inspirations for future studies.

One of the most significant barriers to the clinical transformation of nanomedicines is low drug distribution in solid tumors due to quick clearance of nanomedicine after injection. Studies have revealed that the distribution of nanomedicine in tumor sites can be considerably improved when the number of nanoparticles supplied in a short period surpasses the threshold. Most routinely employed nanomaterials have dose-related safety concerns. To resolve this problem, we use highly biocompatible albumin to construct blank nanoparticles and doxorubicin loading nanoparticles. Under the guidance of the threshold theory, when the quantity of drug loading nanoparticles is constant, the drug delivery effectiveness improves with the addition of blank nanoparticles. This enhanced impact was verified both in vitro and in vivo. The area under the curve of the high dose group (19.5 × 10 11 ) is 2.5 times higher than that of the low dose group (6.5 × 10 11 ). In addition, the drug distribution of the high dose group at the tumor site was also improved by 1.5 times compared with the low dose group. The results of histopathological sections also showed that the administration of excess blank nanoparticles within 24 h has no damage to the animals. This study contributes to the clinical transition of nanomedicine by providing fresh ideas for anticancer nanomedicine research.

The emergence of superbacteria as well as the drug resistance of the current bacteria gives rise to worry regarding a bacterial pandemic and also calls for the development of novel ways to combat the bacteria. Here in this article, we demonstrate that mild hyperthermia induced by hollow mesoporous Prussian blue nanoparticles (HMPBNPs) in alliance with a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) shows a powerful inhibition effect on bacteria. Our results demonstrate that this therapeutic regime could realize almost full growth inhibition of both Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus , S. aureus ) and -negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli , E. coli ), as well as potent inhibition/elimination of the S. aureus biofilm. The wound healing results indicate that combination regime of the antibacterial system could be conveniently used for wound disinfection in vivo and could promote wound healing. To our limited knowledge, this is one of the few pioneer works to apply mild hyperthermia for the combat of bacteria, which provides a novel strategy to inspire future studies.

Intranasal administration, which can bypass the blood-brain barrier (BBB), is widely recognized as a promising strategy for high-efficiency drug delivery to the brain. Herein, for the purpose of effectively delivering drugs to the brain via intranasal administration, glutathione (GSH)-modified gellan gum (GSH-GG) with ion/temperature dual responsive properties was synthesized and encapsulated on galanthamine hydrobromide (GH)-loaded liposomes (GH-Lipo) for effective GH delivery to the brain (GH-Lipo@GSH-GG). Our results demonstrated that GSH-GG greatly decreased the gelation temperature of GG from 44.0 °C to 22.1 °C without compromising its ion responsiveness. Moreover, GSH-GG had a good protection ability for GH-loaded liposomes without affecting its drug release. Most importantly, the finally obtained GH-Lipo@GSHGG showed acceptable targeted delivery of GH to the brain upon in vivo administration. Therefore, this formulation can be employed as a potential delivery system in nasal-to-brain delivery.

Bacterial infection of wounds delays the healing process, increases the risk of chronic trauma associated with pain and complications, and offers a breeding ground for drug-resistant bacteria. A rapid and effective eradication of the bacterial species in the wound area is thus important. Herein, we designed a phototherapeutic antibacterial platform based on peptides and copper sulfide nanodots (CuS NDs) for multi-mechanistic eradication of bacteria colonized on the wound surface. The antimicrobial peptide weaves into a network in the form of a hydrogel, which supports CuS NDs to generate heat and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) under the irradiation of near-infrared light (NIR). The heat and ROS generated in situ act as non-contact-based antibacterial factors and together with contact-based antimicrobial peptides cause irreversible membrane destruction, cell content damage, and thermal ablation of the bacteria. Lastly, nanodot-doped peptide hydrogels combined with collagen showed complete bacterial elimination and significantly accelerated wound healing in a splint-fixed mouse infection model.

The detection of protease activity in the body plays a significant role in the early diagnosis of diseases. However, enzymes inevitably come into contact with various complex biological fluids in the body during the flow, which greatly increases the detection difficulty. Therefore, protease detection in vivo has great challenges. Herein, we report a new assay for detecting protease using capillary electrophoresis inside a capillary with semicircular bends. We first designed a peptide substrate, and then the peptide was self-assembled with quantum dots to form a QDs-peptide substrate. The capillary was bent to semicircular-shaped turns and served as a micro-reactor to allow protease and substrate react in it. Due to the different electrophoretic velocity, the protease and the substrate were mixed inside the bent capillary with sequential injections and the cleavage of the substrate can be detected using capillary electrophoresis combined with Förster resonance energy transfer technology. This novel assay will greatly expand the detection of enzyme activity in vivo., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Gene vectors with high biocompatibility and transfection efficiency are critical for successful gene therapy. PEI 25K (Polyethyleneimine 25K) is a common polymeric gene vector that has been employed as a positive control material in gene transfection studies due to its good performance in endosome escape. PEI 25K's indegradability and abundance of positive charges, on the other hand, cause toxicity in cells, limiting its use. In this study, we developed the PEI-ER non-viral vector by adding an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) targeting ligand to low molecular weight PEI 1.8K. These small molecule modifications dramatically improved PEI transfection efficiency while barely interfering with compatibility. PEI-ER/DNA complexes were discovered to enter the cell via caveolin-mediated endocytosis, avoiding destruction in the endosome. We believe that this little chemical alteration is a simple solution to enhance the efficacy of cationic polymer vectors in gene transport, and it has a lot of medicinal applications.

Dual intramolecular FRET polymers are synthesized via Suzuki coupling and their luminescence characteristics from aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) to aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is modulated conveniently by adjusting the charged ratios. The finally obtained AIE polymer is further employed to construct doxorubicin loaded nanoparticles as a promising theranostics platform for cancer therapy., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the weapons of neutrophiles against bacterial pathogens, and also the central effectors in reactive oxygen therapy for skin and soft tissue infection. Nanozymes that spontaneously generate ROS under physiological conditions are new antibacterials that hold promise towards multidrug resistant pathogens. The clinical use of the nanozymes is however limited by their low biocompatibility and toxicity in vivo. Here, we develop an oleic acid (OA) nanoemulsion template method for the one-pot synthesis of OA-manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) nanozyme. The OA-MnO 2 nanozyme showed high stability and biocompatibility under physiological conditions with marked oxidase-like activity. The ROS generated by the OA-MnO 2 nanozyme effectively kill the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative Escherichia coli strains. Moreover, the OA-MnO 2 nanozyme shows promising abilities to prevent and destruct biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus, and result in superior in vivo antibacterial performance as compared to vancomycin. The reactive oxygen therapy based on OA-MnO 2 nanozyme cures the infected skin and promotes wound healing in mice, manifesting its potential use in skin and soft tissue infection.

A strategy based on fluorescence coupled capillary electrophoresis (CE-FL) was developed for analyzing tetrahedron DNA (TD) and TD-doxorubicin (DOX) conjugate. Capillary gel electrophoresis exhibited desirable performance for separating TD and DNA strands. Under the optimized conditions, satisfactory repeatability concerning run-to-run and interday repeatability was obtained, and relative standard deviation value of resolution (n = 6) was 0.64%. Furthermore, the combination of CE and fluorescence detection provided a sensitive platform for quantifying TD concentration and calculating the damage degree of TD. The electrophoretograms indicated that CE-FL was a suitable TD assay method with high specificity and sensitivity. In addition, the application of CE-FL for TD fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) research was also explored. Two types of DNA strands were utilized to interfere the formation of TD. The impact of partially complementary chain and completely complementary chain on FRET signal was explored, and the influence mechanism was discussed. After applying CE-FL for characterizing TD, we also combine CE and FRET to analyze TD-DOX conjugate. CE presented a favourable technique to monitor DOX loading and releasing processes. These noteworthy results offered a stepping stone for DNA nanomaterials assay by using CE-FL., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel peptide containing antimicrobial sequence and gelatinase cleavage sites was designed for Staphylococcus aureus detection. Since Staphylococcus aureus could secrete gelatinase, the fluorescein labeled peptide GKRWWKWWRRPLGVRGC could be recognized and cleaved. The obtained products were able to be analyzed by capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection. To explore the effect of Staphylococcus aureus concentration on enzyme digestion ability of peptide, Staphylococcus aureus with different concentrations were incubated with the peptide. Results indicated that capillary electrophoretic method was efficient for determining Staphylococcus aureus content. Compared with traditional approaches for Staphylococcus aureus detection, capillary electrophoresis possessed higher efficiency, enhanced sensitivity, and low sample consumption. Moreover, the proposed peptide also presented desirable antimicrobial activity. It suggested that the novel antimicrobial peptide used in this research opens a new path of detecting Staphylococcus aureus by capillary electrophoretic method., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) related staphylococcal infection is one of the most common types of hospital-acquired infections, which requires selective and effective treatment in clinical practice. Considering gelatinase as a characteristic feature of S. aureus, gelatinase-responsive release of the antibiotic reagent thereby can target the pathogenic S. aureus while sparing beneficial bacteria in the microflora. In this work, we design a hybrid antibacterial photodynamic peptide (APP, Ce6-GKRWWKWWRRPLGVRGC) based on the polycationic antimicrobial peptide GKRWWKWWRR by introducing a photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) at the N-terminus, a cysteine residue at the C-terminus, and a gelatinase cleavage site (PLGVRG) inserted between the C-terminal cysteine and the polycationic peptide. This multi-motif peptide assembles with gold nanoclusters (AuNc) via Au-thiol bonding and affords a gelatinase-responsive antibacterial photodynamic nanocomposite (GRAPN). In vitro results show that the gelatinase secreted by S. aureus can cleave and release APP from AuNc, thereby resulting in preferential killing of S. aureus over E. coli. In a mouse model of staphylococcal skin wound infection, by integrating gelatinase-responsive drug release and the synergistic effect of a photodynamic agent and APP, GRAPN exhibits a marked photodynamic antibacterial activity, effectively eradicates S. aureus infection, and promotes rapid healing of the infected wounds.

Damage or injury to the skin creates wounds that are vulnerable to bacterial infection, which in turn retards the process of skin regeneration and wound healing. In patients with severe burns and those with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, skin infection by multidrug-resistant bacteria can be lethal. Therefore, a broad-spectrum therapy to effectively eradicate bacterial infection through a mechanism different from that of antibiotics is much sought after. We successfully synthesized antibacterial photodynamic gold nanoparticles (AP-AuNPs), which are self-assembled nanocomposites of an antibacterial photodynamic peptide and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-stabilized AuNPs. The AP-AuNPs exhibited aqueous and light stability, a satisfactory generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and a remarkable antibacterial effect toward both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli upon light irradiation. Moreover, the synthesized nanocomposites significantly inhibited bacterial growth and biofilm formation in vitro . Photodynamic antibacterial treatment accelerated the wound-healing rate in S. aureus infections, mimicking staphylococcal skin infections. Using a combination of the bactericidal effect of a peptide, the photodynamic effect of a photosensitizer, and the multivalency clustering on AuNPs for maximal antibacterial effect under light irradiation, we synthesized AP-AuNPs as a wound-dressing nanomaterial in skin infections to promote wound healing. Our findings indicate a promising strategy in the management of bacterial infections resulting from damaged skin tissue, an aspect that has not been fully explored by our peers.

DNA possesses various chemical and physical properties which make it important in biological analysis. The opportunity for DNA to 'meet' capillary-based microsystems is rapidly increasing owing to the expanding development of miniaturization. Novel capillary-based methods can provide favourable platforms for DNA-ligand interaction assay, DNA translocation study, DNA separation, DNA aptamer selection, DNA amplification assay, and DNA digestion. Meanwhile, DNA exhibits great potential in the fabrication of new capillary-based biosensors and enzymatic bioreactors. Moreover, DNA has received significant research interest in improving capillary electrophoresis (CE) performance. We focus on highlighting the advantages of combining DNA and capillary-based microsystems. The general trend presented in this review suggests that the 'meeting' has offered a stepping stone for the application of DNA and capillary-based microsystems in the field of analytical chemistry.

Bifunctional magnetic/fluorescent core-shell silica nanospheres (MNPs) encapsulated with the magnetic Fe 3 O 4 core and a derivate of 8-amimoquinoline (N-(quinolin-8-yl)-2-(3-(triethoxysilyl) propylamino) acetamide) (QTEPA) into the shell were synthesized. These functional MNPs were prepared with a modified stöber method and the formed Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -QTEPA core-shell nanocomposites are biocompatible, water-dispersible, and stable. These prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermoelectric plasma Quad II inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), TG/DTA thermal analyzer (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Further application of the nanoparticles in detecting Zn 2+ was confirmed by the fluorescence experiment: the nanosensor shows high selectivity and sensitivity to Zn 2+ with a 22-fold fluorescence emission enhancement in the presence of 10 μM Zn 2+ . Moreover, the transverse relaxivity measurements show that the core-shell MNPs have T2 relaxivity (r2) of 155.05 mM -1 S -1 based on Fe concentration on the 3.0 T scanner, suggesting that the compound can be used as a negative contrast agent for MRI. Further in vivo experiments showed that these MNPs could be used as MRI contrast agent. Therefore, the new nanosensor provides the dual modality of magnetic resonance imaging and optical imaging.

As the barrier between the human body and the outside world, the skin is vulnerable to pathogenic microorganisms, especially when suffering from skin injuries such as burns. Staphylococcus aureus remains the most common type of bacteria that infects humans, and the surging drug resistance poses a major threat to the treatment of these infections. Here we report the development of antibacterial photodynamic peptides (APPs) that are constructed based on the covalent conjugation of an antibacterial peptide and the photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6). Peptide conjugation significantly increases the photo-stability of Ce6, while retaining its ROS generation capability under photo-irradiation. The APPs combine the antibacterial activity of the peptide and the photodynamic therapy of Ce6, and under the assistance of mild laser irradiation, can eradicate bacterial infection and inhibit the formation of bacterial biofilms ex vivo. One of the APPs, (GKRWWKWWRR) 2 KGGK(Ce6)G, AMP 2 -Ce6, with Ce6 conjugated with the dimeric peptide, showed exceptional antibacterial activity with an MIC 90 value around 3.2 μM without photo-irradiation and <0.1 μM with short light treatment. Supported by a hydrogel matrix composed of gelatin and recombinant human collagen III protein (rhCol III) mimicking the extracellular matrix of skin cells, AMP 2 -Ce6 efficiently accelerated the healing rate of wounds and improved the quality of wound healing in mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus. Altogether, here we report the development of antibacterial photodynamic peptides, which together with a regenerative matrix material exhibit an added effect against staphylococcal skin infection. This composite material holds promise as a new type of wound dressing material for skin infection and wound healing.

Multienzyme detection and monitoring enzyme activity in situ are significant for the disease to diagnose. This study aims to develop a quantum dots (QDs)-based nanoprobe Cyanine5-DDDLEVLFQFPGLVPRGSGGHHHHHH-QDs (Cy5-LEVLVP-QD), which is able to detect two enzymes inside a bent capillary using CE. Cy5-LEVLVP and QDs were allowed to bind with each other through metal affinity interaction and then injected the Cy5-LEVLVP-QD complex into a capillary with different bends, followed by related enzyme that can cleave the Cy5-LEVLVP peptide. The fluorescence of Cy5 was excited by QDs due to Förster resonance energy transfer. By monitoring the peaks produced by the original Cy5-LEVLVP-QD complex and a significant fluorescence change, sensitive analysis of two different enzymes was conducted. Therefore, the novel approach of using capillaries with semicircular bends could prove particularly useful for enzyme investigating in disease., (© 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The metrics used to quantify the particles on the leaf surface can serve as indicators for the quality of the atmospheric environment and is employed to evaluate the ecosystem services that plants can provide. Magnification of an SEM image may affect the recognition of particles in various aspects, yet little research has examined the impact. In this study, images were obtained at magnifications of 500×, 1000×, 2000×, and 5000× for a widely planted vegetation fence species in Beijing: Euonymus japonicas. Particle amount per leaf area increased as magnification increased; the percentage of the leaf area covered by particles was a relatively stable index across magnifications at around 7% except for the magnification 2000× which was around 15%; and the weight of particles per leaf area was unstable over all magnifications. The mean area of each particle decreased from 5.68 μm 2 at magnification 500× to 0.20 at magnification 5000×, and shape complexity increased as magnification increased from 1.29 at magnification 500× to 1.50 at magnification 5000×. Particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm are more sensitive to scale than particles with a diameter greater than 2.5 μm of judged by the differences of the characteristics, diameter, area and shape index, of particles with different diameter ranges over four magnifications. Regarding the percentage characteristic, the percentage of particles with a diameter smaller than 1 μm increased as the magnification increased and accounted for 46% at magnification 500× and 96% at magnification 5000×. The percentage of particles with an area smaller than 1 μm 2 also increased as the magnification increased accounting for 56% at magnification 500× and 99% at magnification 5000×. Particles with shape index between 1-1.5 accounted for most of the particles across all four magnifications of which the percentage was 0.66-0.80. Therefore, when comparing the results from different magnifications, three factors should be considered carefully: magnification, quantification index, and particle size range. The revealed relationship of the factors can facilitate the understanding of the metrics as indicators for atmospheric environments and vegetation as a sink for atmospheric particles to improve the urban environment., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have many interesting properties. In particular, their photohyperthermic effect by near-infrared (NIR) irradiation could be used to kill cancer cells, and could thus be applied in photohyperthermic therapy. However, the solubility of CNTs must be improved before they can be used in biological applications. As DNA is reported to disperse the CNTs in aqueous solution with π-π interactions, we hypothesis that immunostimulatory CpG DNA may also disperse the CNTs in aqueous solution. In this study, we used CpG DNA to disperse single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) in aqueous solution, in order to combine photohyperthermic effect and immunoactivation together to achieve a more effective cancer therapy. As expected, CpG DNA effectively dispersed the SWCNTs in aqueous solution via the formation of SWCNT/CpG DNA complexes. Moreover, the immunoreactivity of the SWCNT/CpG DNA complexes was investigated. The results showed that intratumoral administration of the SWCNT/CpG DNA complexes in mice enhanced the production level of inflammatory cytokines in tumor tissues. Finally, we evaluated the antitumor effects of the SWCNT/CpG DNA complexes in tumor-bearing mice. The result indicated that intratumoral administration of the SWCNT/CpG DNA complexes combined with NIR irradiation was a more effective approach to prevent the proliferation of tumor growth., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are known to have great potential for biomedical applications such as photothermal ablation of tumor cells in combination with near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. In this study, the photothermal activity of a novel SWCNTs composite with a designed peptide having a repeated structure of H-(-Lys-Phe-Lys-Ala-)7-OH [(KFKA)7] against tumor cells was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The SWCNT-(KFKA)7 composite demonstrated high aqueous dispersibility that enabled SWCNTs to be used in tumor ablation. The NIR irradiation of SWCNT-(KFKA)7 solution resulted in a rapid temperature increase dependent on the SWCNTs concentration up to 50μg/ml. Three minutes of NIR irradiation of a colon 26 or HepG2 cell culture incubated with SWCNT-(KFKA)7 resulted in remarkable cell damage, while that by single treatment with SWCNT-(KFKA)7 or NIR irradiation alone was moderate. The intratumoral injection of SWCNT-(KFKA)7 solution followed by NIR irradiation resulted in a rapid increase of the temperature to 43°C in the subcutaneously inoculated colon 26 tumor based on thermographic observation and remarkable suppression of tumor growth compared with treatment with only SWCNT-(KFKA)7 injection alone or NIR irradiation alone. These results suggest the a great potential of an SWCNT-peptide composite for use in photothermal cancer therapy., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing CpG motifs (CpG DNA) can activate immunocompetent cells, which may possess antitumor activity. Previously, we found that when the cationic liposomes complexes formed with CpG DNA (CpG DNA lipoplex) were administered intranasally, they could prevent pulmonary metastasis in mice. However, the mechanisms underlying this process are unknown. In the present study, we show that natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in preventing pulmonary metastasis and peritoneal dissemination in a mouse model of metastatic disease. Further, in vitro, the NK cells obtained from mice treated with CpG DNA lipoplex showed higher cytotoxicity compared with untreated mice and in vivo, depletion of NK cells (achieved through injection of rabbit anti-asialo GM1 serum), abolished the inhibitory effect of CpG DNA lipoplex on pulmonary metastasis and peritoneal dissemination. In contrast, macrophage elimination did not disrupt the effects of the CpG DNA lipoplex. These results suggest that intranasal administration of CpG DNA lipoplex could prevent pulmonary metastasis and peritoneal dissemination by activating NK cells.

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing CpG motifs (CpG DNA) can activate immunocompetent cells which offer the potential advantage of antitumor activity. In this study, we used cationic liposomes to complex with CpG DNA (CpG DNA lipoplex) to prevent pulmonary metastasis following intranasal administration in mice. Intranasal administration of CpG DNA lipoplex prior to challenge with both colon26/Luc and B16F10 cells significantly prevented the proliferation of tumor cells, and the survival time of the mice receiving CpG DNA lipoplex was prolonged. After intranasal administration, [(32)P] CpG DNA lipoplex mainly distributed in nose and lung and induced higher IFN-gamma production in the lung. These results suggest that intranasal administration of CpG DNA lipoplex has a significant effect on preventing pulmonary metastasis in mice., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Immunotherapy using immunostimulatory CpG DNA could be a promising new therapeutic approach to combat refractory hepatic metastasis. In this study, we report the use of a conventional cationic liposomes/CpG DNA complex (Bare/CpG DNA lipoplex) and a mannosylated cationic liposomes/CpG DNA complex (Man/CpG DNA lipoplex) for effective inhibition of hepatic metastasis in mice. After intravenous administration of Bare/CpG DNA lipoplex, higher amounts of IL-12 and IFN-gamma were produced in serum or liver compared with naked CpG DNA, and their production was increased further by Man/CpG DNA lipoplex. Then, Bare/CpG DNA lipoplex and Man/CpG DNA lipoplex were administered intravenously to hepatic metastasis model mice, and the numbers of tumor cells (colon26/Luc) were quantitatively assayed. The number of tumor cells in Man/CpG DNA lipoplex-treated mice was same as those in Bare/CpG DNA lipoplex-treated mice. These results suggest that intravenous administration of not only Bare/CpG DNA lipoplex but also Man/CpG DNA lipoplex could be an efficient immunotherapy for hepatic metastasis., ((c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association)

Background: Immunotherapy using immunostimulatory CpG DNA could be a promising new therapeutic approach to combat refractory peritoneal dissemination. In the present study, we report the use of a mannosylated cationic liposomes/immunostimulatory CpG DNA complex (Man/CpG DNA lipoplex) for effective inhibition of peritoneal dissemination in mice., Methods: The immune response characteristics of the Man/CpG DNA lipoplex were evaluated by measuring tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production using primary cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages. Subsequently, Man/CpG DNA lipoplex was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) to peritoneal dissemination model mice, and the number of tumor cells (colon26/Luc) was quantitatively evaluated by measuring luciferase activity. The effect on survival time of the Man/CpG DNA lipoplex was also investigated. The serum transaminase levels of mice receiving i.p. Man/CpG DNA lipoplex treatment were measured to evaluate systemic toxicity., Results: The Man/CpG DNA lipoplex induced higher TNF-alpha production from macrophages than CpG DNA complexed with conventional cationic liposomes and galactosylated cationic liposomes (Bare/CpG DNA lipoplex and Gal/CpG DNA lipoplex), suggesting mannose receptor-mediated CpG DNA transfer. Intraperitoneal administration of Man/CpG DNA lipoplex inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells in the greater omentum and the mesentery more efficiently than Bare/CpG DNA lipoplex and Gal/CpG DNA lipoplex. Furthermore, the survival time of the peritoneal dissemination model mice was prolonged by i.p. administration of Man/CpG DNA lipoplex. The serum transaminase levels of mice receiving i.p. Man/CpG DNA lipoplex were found to be the same as those of untreated mice., Conclusions: The results obtained suggest that i.p. administered Man/CpG DNA lipoplex can be used for efficient immunotherapy to combat peritoneal dissemination., ((c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Peritoneal dissemination remains the most difficult type of metastasis to treat, and current systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy tends to have little effect; therefore, immunotherapy using immunostimulatory CpG DNA could be a promising new therapeutic approach. Recently, we have reported that intraperitoneal administration of phosphodiester (PO) CpG DNA-lipoplex could efficiently inhibit peritoneal dissemination in mice. In this study, chemically modified phosphorothioate (PS)-CpG DNA and natural PO-CpG DNA were complexed with DOTMA/cholesterol cationic liposomes (PS-CpG DNA-lipoplex and PO-CpG DNA-lipoplex) and their antitumor activity was evaluated in a mouse model of peritoneal dissemination. Intraperitoneal administration of the PS-CpG DNA-lipoplex inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells in the greater omentum and the mesentery more efficiently than PO-CpG DNA-lipoplex. PS-CpG DNA-lipoplex induced higher cytokine production from primary cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages, suggesting that the high antitumor activity of the PS-CpG DNA-lipoplex is mediated by a high rate of cytokine production from immunocompetent cells such as macrophages. The serum transaminase levels of mice receiving intraperitoneal PS-CpG DNA-lipoplex treatment were measured to evaluate systemic toxicity, and these were found to be the same as those of untreated mice. These results suggest that intraperitoneal administration of PS-CpG DNA-lipoplex could be efficient immunotherapy for peritoneal dissemination.