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Fabrication of magnetic particles (MPs) with high magnetization and large surface area simultaneously is critical for the application of MPs in bioseparation and drug delivery but remains a challenge. In this article, we describe an unprecedented approach to synthesize mesoporous magnetic colloidal nanocrystal clusters (MCNCs) stabilized by poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) with high magnetization, large surface area (136 m(2)/g) and pore volume (0.57 cm(3)/g), excellent colloidal stability, prominent biocompatibility, and acid degradability. This result provides the important step toward the construction of a new family of MCNCs and demonstrates its capacity in a "magnetic motor" drug delivery system. Here, as an example, we explore the applicability of as-prepared mesoporous MCNCs as hydrophobic drug delivery vehicles (paclitaxel as model drug), and the resultant loading capacity is as high as 35.0 wt %. The antitumor efficacy measured by MTT assay is significantly enhanced, compared with free drugs. Thus, combined with their inherent high magnetization, the mesoporous MCNCs pave the way for applying magnetic targeting drug carriers in antitumor therapeutics.

Antibodies are critical tools for research into extracellular vesicles (EVs) and other extracellular nanoparticles (ENPs), where they can be used for their identification, characterization, and isolation. However, the lack of a centralized antibody platform where researchers can share validation results thus minimizing wasted personnel time and reagents, has been a significant obstacle. Moreover, because the performance of antibodies varies among assay types and conditions, detailed information on assay variables and protocols is also of value. To facilitate sharing of results on antibodies that are relevant to EV/ENP research, the EV Antibody Database has been developed by the investigators of the Extracellular RNA Communication Consortium (ERCC). Hosted by the ExRNA Portal (https://exrna.org/resources/evabdb/), this interactive database aggregates and shares results from antibodies that have been tested by research groups in the EV/ENP field. Currently, the EV Antibody Database includes modules for antibodies tested for western Blot, EV Flow Cytometry, and EV Sandwich Assays, and holds 110 records contributed by 6 laboratories from the ERCC. Detailed information on antibody sources, assay conditions, and results is provided, including negative results. We encourage ongoing expert input and community feedback to enhance the databases utility, making it a valuable resource for comprehensive validation data on antibodies and protocols in EV biology.

Jian Gao,1 Jiannan Li,2 Zengyou Luo,1 Hongyong Wang,3 Zhiming Ma1 1Department of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Hernia Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Radiotherapy, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhiming Ma, Department of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Hernia Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China, Email mazhiming@jlu.edu.cnAbstract: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, non-specific inflammatory condition characterized by recurring inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. However, the existing IBD treatments are ineffective and have serious side effects. The etiology of IBD is multifactorial and encompasses immune, genetic, environmental, dietary, and microbial factors. The nanoparticles (NPs) developed based on specific targeting methodologies exhibit great potential as nanotechnology advances. Nanoparticles are defined as particles between 1 and 100 nm in size. Depending on their size and surface functionality, NPs exhibit different properties. A variety of nanoparticle types have been employed as drug carriers for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with encouraging outcomes observed in experimental models. They increase the bioavailability of drugs and enable targeted drug delivery, promoting localized treatment and thus enhancing efficacy. Nevertheless, numerous challenges persist in the translation from nanomedicine to clinical application, including enhanced formulations and preparation techniques, enhanced drug safety profiles, and so forth. In the future, it will be necessary for scientists and clinicians to collaborate in order to study disease mechanisms, develop new drug delivery strategies, and screen new nanomedicines. Nevertheless, numerous challenges persist in the translation from nanomedicine to clinical application, including enhanced formulations and preparation techniques, enhanced drug safety profiles, and so forth. In the future, it will be necessary for scientists and clinicians to collaborate in order to study disease mechanisms, develop new drug delivery strategies, and screen new nanomedicines.Keywords: nanoparticles, inflammatory bowel diseases, targeted delivery, passive targeting, active targeting, drug delivery system

Highlights Fundamental principles for designing synergistic composite catalysts are reviewed. The synergistic effect between various active sites, promoting electrocatalytic performance in different reactions are highlighted. The challenges and perspectives for multiple active sites catalysts are discussed.

The ideal vaccine against viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 must provide a robust, durable and broad immune protection against multiple viral variants. However, antibody responses to current vaccines often lack robust cross-reactivity. Here we describe a polymeric Toll-like receptor 7 agonist nanoparticle (TLR7-NP) adjuvant, which enhances lymph node targeting, and leads to persistent activation of immune cells and broad immune responses. When mixed with alum-adsorbed antigens, this TLR7-NP adjuvant elicits cross-reactive antibodies for both dominant and subdominant epitopes and antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in mice. This TLR7-NP-adjuvanted influenza subunit vaccine successfully protects mice against viral challenge of a different strain. This strategy also enhances the antibody response to a SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine against multiple viral variants that have emerged. Moreover, this TLR7-NP augments antigen-specific responses in human tonsil organoids. Overall, we describe a nanoparticle adjuvant to improve immune responses to viral antigens, with promising implications for developing broadly protective vaccines.

BackgroundThe emergence of nanotechnology has injected new vigor into vaccine research. Nanovaccine research has witnessed exponential growth in recent years; yet, a comprehensive analysis of related publications has been notably absent.ObjectiveThis study utilizes bibliometric methodologies to reveal the evolution of themes and the distribution of nanovaccine research.MethodsUsing tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Scimago Graphica, Pajek, R-bibliometrix, and R packages for the bibliometric analysis and visualization of literature retrieved from the Web of Science database.ResultsNanovaccine research commenced in 1981. The publication volume exponentially increased, notably in 2021. Leading contributors include the United States, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the “Vaccine”, and researcher Zhao Kai. Other significant contributors comprise China, the University of California, San Diego, Veronique Preat, the Journal of Controlled Release, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The USA functions as a central hub for international cooperation. Financial support plays a pivotal role in driving research advancements. Key themes in highly cited articles include vaccine carrier design, cancer vaccines, nanomaterial properties, and COVID-19 vaccines. Among 7402 keywords, the principal nanocarriers include Chitosan, virus-like particles, gold nanoparticles, PLGA, and lipid nanoparticles. Nanovaccine is primarily intended to address diseases including SARS-CoV-2, cancer, influenza, and HIV. Clustering analysis of co-citation networks identifies 9 primary clusters, vividly illustrating the evolution of research themes over different periods. Co-citation bursts indicate that cancer vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines, and mRNA vaccines are pivotal areas of focus for current and future research in nanovaccines. “candidate vaccines,” “protein nanoparticle,” “cationic lipids,” “ionizable lipids,” “machine learning,” “long-term storage,” “personalized cancer vaccines,” “neoantigens,” “outer membrane vesicles,” “in situ nanovaccine,” and “biomimetic nanotechnologies” stand out as research interest.ConclusionsThis analysis emphasizes the increasing scholarly interest in nanovaccine research and highlights pivotal recent research themes such as cancer and COVID-19 vaccines, with lipid nanoparticle-mRNA vaccines leading novel research directions.

Chao Gao,1,* Yan Liu,2,* Ting-Lin Zhang,3,* Yi Luo,2,4,* Jie Gao,3,* Jian-Jian Chu,1 Bao-Feng Gong,1 Xiao-Han Chen,1 Tong Yin,1 Jian Zhang,2 You Yin1 1Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital (Shanghai Changzheng Hospital) of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Changhai Clinical Research Unit, Shanghai Changhai Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4New Drug Discovery and Development, Biotheus Inc., Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: You Yin; Jian Zhang, Tel +86-21-81885463 ; +86- 21-25077150, Email yinyou179@163.com; zhangjian@xinhuamed.com.cnAbstract: Current therapies for Alzheimer’s disease used in the clinic predominantly focus on reducing symptoms with limited capability to control disease progression; thus, novel drugs are urgently needed. While nanoparticles (liposomes, high-density lipoprotein-based nanoparticles) constructed with synthetic biomembranes have shown great potential in AD therapy due to their excellent biocompatibility, multifunctionality and ability to penetrate the BBB, nanoparticles derived from natural biomembranes (extracellular vesicles, cell membrane-based nanoparticles) display inherent biocompatibility, stability, homing ability and ability to penetrate the BBB, which may present a safer and more effective treatment for AD. In this paper, we reviewed the synthetic and natural biomembrane-derived nanoparticles that are used in AD therapy. The challenges associated with the clinical translation of biomembrane-derived nanoparticles and future perspectives are also discussed. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, nanoparticles, blood‒brain barrier, liposomes, bionanotechnology, neurodegenerative diseases

T cell infiltration and proliferation in tumor tissues are the main factors that significantly affect the therapeutic outcomes of cancer immunotherapy. Emerging evidence has shown that interferon-gamma (IFNγ) could enhance CXCL9 secretion from macrophages to recruit T cells, but Siglec15 expressed on TAMs can attenuate T cell proliferation. Therefore, targeted regulation of macrophage function could be a promising strategy to enhance cancer immunotherapy via concurrently promoting the infiltration and proliferation of T cells in tumor tissues. We herein developed reduction-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) made with poly (disulfide amide) (PDSA) and lipid-poly (ethylene glycol) (lipid-PEG) for systemic delivery of Siglec15 siRNA (siSiglec15) and IFNγ for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. After intravenous administration, these cargo-loaded could highly accumulate in the tumor tissues and be efficiently internalized by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). With the highly concentrated glutathione (GSH) in the cytoplasm to destroy the nanostructure, the loaded IFNγ and siSiglec15 could be rapidly released, which could respectively repolarize macrophage phenotype to enhance CXCL9 secretion for T cell infiltration and silence Siglec15 expression to promote T cell proliferation, leading to significant inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth when combining with the immune checkpoint inhibitor. The strategy developed herein could be used as an effective tool to enhance cancer immunotherapy.

In this study, the critical need for precise and accurate prediction of intra‐tumor heterogeneity related to the enhanced permeability and retention effect and spatial distribution of nanoprobes is addressed for the development of effective nanodrug delivery strategies. Current predictive models are limited in terms of resolution and accuracy, prompting the construction of a high‐resolution prediction network (HRPN) that estimates the microdistribution of quantum dots, factoring in tumor vascular and nuclear features. The HRPN algorithm is trained using 27 780 patches and validated on 4920 patches derived from 4T1 breast cancer whole‐slide images, demonstrating its reliability. The HRPN model exhibits minimal error (mean square error = 1.434, root mean square error = 1.198), satisfactory goodness of fit (R2 = 0.891), and superior image quality (peak signal‐to‐noise ratio = 44.548) when compared to a generative‐adversarial‐network‐structured model. Furthermore, the HRPN model offers improved prediction accuracy, broader prediction intervals, and reduced computational resource requirements. Consequently, the proposed model yields high‐resolution predictions that more closely resemble actual tumor microdistributions, potentially serving as a powerful analytical tool for investigating the spatial relationship between the tumor microenvironment and nanoprobes.

Highlights By employing side-chain regulation, the photothermal therapy response of conjugated diradical polymer can red-shift from near-infrared (NIR)-I to the NIR-II region. This strategy offers new radical materials in developing NIR-II photothermal materials. The conjugated diradical polymer TTB-2 receives a record-high photothermal conversion efficiency of 87.7%, far beyond the recently reported NIR-II photothermal agents. Such conjugated diradical polymer must enrich the NIR-II photothermal agents’ library and provide important insight for more diradical polymer construction. The conjugated diradical polymer nanoparticles TTB-2 NPs achieve good tumor photoablation with navigation of photoacoustic imaging in the NIR-II window, without any side effect. Furthermore, the efficient photo-immunity effect prevents the pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer.

As a carotenoid originally used as a pigment in the aquaculture industry, astaxanthin is gaining interest in food, nutritional, and biopharmaceutical sciences in recent years due to its great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its health effects on diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and so on. However, the poor chemical stability and water solubility make practical applications of astaxanthin on human health become challenging. Nanoencapsulation of astaxanthin is considered a possible solution to tackle such challenges by improving chemical stability, and providing controlled release, thus enhancing its bioaccessibility and bioavailability. In this article, an updated overview of the chemistry, sources, and extraction methods of astaxanthin is provided. Moreover, recent studies on the health effects of astaxanthin were introduced and then the recent progress on the preparation of various nanoparticles for the encapsulation of astaxanthin are highlighted. This perspective article aims to provide guidance on potential structural designs of nanoparticles for the encapsulation of astaxanthin and the effects of nanoencapsulation on its functionality.

Bone tumors, particularly osteosarcoma, are prevalent among children and adolescents. This ailment has emerged as the second most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality in adolescents. Conventional treatment methods comprise extensive surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Consequently, the management of bone tumors and bone regeneration poses significant clinical challenges. Photothermal tumor therapy has attracted considerable attention owing to its minimal invasiveness and high selectivity. However, key challenges have limited its widespread clinical use. Enhancing the tumor specificity of photosensitizers through targeting or localized activation holds potential for better outcomes with fewer adverse effects. Combinations with chemotherapies or immunotherapies also present avenues for improvement. In this review, we provide an overview of the most recent strategies aimed at overcoming the limitations of photothermal therapy (PTT), along with current research directions in the context of bone tumors, including (1) target strategies, (2) photothermal therapy combined with multiple therapies (immunotherapies, chemotherapies, and chemodynamic therapies, magnetic, and photodynamic therapies), and (3) bifunctional scaffolds for photothermal therapy and bone regeneration. We delve into the pros and cons of these combination methods and explore current research focal points. Lastly, we address the challenges and prospects of photothermal combination therapy.

Protein colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) are ubiquitous present in nature and function as building blocks with multiple functions in both food formulations and biological processes. Food scientists are inspired by naturally occurring proteins to induce self-assembly behavior of protein by manipulating environmental parameters, providing opportunities to construct special and expected NPs. Zein and casein, the main proteins derived from corn and milk, are two examples of the most prevalently studied food proteins for nanoarchitectures in recent years. In this article, the compositions, structures, and physicochemical properties of these two proteins and casein derivatives are summarized as well as their interactions and characterizations. Strategies to fabricate zein-sodium caseinate based NPs are critically highlighted and illustrated. Particularly, applications such as encapsulation and delivery of bioactive compounds, producing food packaging for enhanced antioxidative and antimicrobial effects, and stabilization of emulsions to achieve fat replacement. Due to the imperative role of food proteins in diet composition, this review not only provides cutting-edge knowledge for nanoparticle construction but also opens new avenues for efficient utilization and exploitation of food proteins.

Abstract Atherosclerosis, the leading cause of death worldwide, is responsible for ≈17.6 million deaths globally each year. Most therapeutic drugs for atherosclerosis have low delivery efficiencies and significant side effects, and this has hampered the development of effective treatment strategies. Diversified nanomaterials can improve drug properties and are considered to be key for the development of improved treatment strategies for atherosclerosis. The pathological mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis is summarized, rationally designed nanoparticle‐mediated therapeutic strategies, and potential future therapeutic targets for nanodelivery. The content of this study reveals the potential and challenges of nanoparticle use for the treatment of atherosclerosis and highlights new effective design ideas.

Using host-guest chemistries in a biphasic system, a novel supramolecular nanoparticle surfactant (s-NPS) with redox-responsiveness is presented to structure liquids. The in situ assembly/jamming and disassembly/unjamming of s-NPSs at the oil-water interface are reversibly controlled by a switchable redox process, imparting a nanoscale redox-responsiveness, affecting the assemblies on all length scales. "Smart" all-liquid constructs including structured emulsions and programmable liquid devices are easily prepared, showing promising applications in responsive delivery, release, and reaction systems.

With an increasing incidence rate，ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic inflammation of the colon causing diarrhea and blood in the stool. Existing studies have shown that oxidative stress is an important factor leading to UC, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) has a certain effect on relieving UC symptoms. To improve its bioavailability, superoxide dismutase (SOD) was self-assembled into nanoparticles (ΔSOD) by heating it. The activity, transmembrane capacity and radical scavenging capacity of ΔSOD were significantly better than those of native SOD. ΔSOD liposomes (L-ΔSOD) were prepared by reverse-phase evaporation and orally administered to mice with UC. The results showed that compared with the positive control and model groups, L-ΔSOD significantly ameliorated UC, reduced disease activity index (DAI) score, restored the morphology of colon tissue, increased the length of colon, reduced the density of colon and spleen coefficient, and restored the integrity of mucosal epithelium. Besides, L-ΔSOD could reduce the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and pro-inflammatory factors in colon tissue and increase the levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and tight junction protein mRNA expression. These results confirmed that oral L-ΔSOD has a good ameliorative effect on UC, which will lay the foundation for the application of SOD in promoting human health.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the primary microorganism involved in ethanol production, is hindered by the accumulation of ethanol, leading to reduced ethanol production. In this study, we employed histidine-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (His-Fe3O4) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, as a method to enhance ethanol yield during the S. cerevisiae fermentation process. The results demonstrated that exposing S. cerevisiae cells to Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) led to increased cell proliferation and glucose consumption. Moreover, the introduction of His-Fe3O4 significantly boosted ethanol content by 17.3% (p < 0.05) during fermentation. Subsequent findings indicated that the increase in ethanol content was associated with enhanced ethanol tolerance and improved electron transport efficiency. This study provided evidence for the positive effects of His-Fe3O4 on S. cerevisiae cells and proposed a straightforward approach to enhance ethanol production in S. cerevisiae fermentation. The mediation of improved ethanol tolerance offers significant potential in the fermentation and bioenergy sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yuehong Ren,1,&ast; Linghui Nie,2,&ast; Chunhua Luo,3,&ast; Shiping Zhu,4 Xingwang Zhang1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2ASD Medical Rehabilitation Center, the Second People’s Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Chinese Traditional Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xingwang Zhang, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, No. 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511443, People’s Republic of China, Email zhangxw@jnu.edu.cn Shiping Zhu, Department of Chinese Traditional Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou, 513630, People’s Republic of China, Email zhushiping@jnu.edu.cnAbstract: Intestinal flora has become a therapeutic target for the intervention of colonic diseases (CDs) with better understanding of the interplay between microbiota and CDs. Depending on unique properties and prominent ability of regulating the intestinal flora, prebiotics can not only achieve a colon-specific drug delivery but also maintain the intestinal homeostasis, thus playing a positive role in the intervention of CDs. Currently, different studies on prebiotic-based nanoparticles have been contrived for colonic drug delivery and have shown great potential in curing various CDs, such as colitis and colorectal cancer. Nevertheless, there is a lack of systematic survey on the use of prebiotic nanoparticles for the treatment of CDs. This review aims to generalize the state-of-the-art of prebiotic nanomedicines specific for CDs. The species and function of intestinal flora and various kinds of prebiotics available as well as their regulating effects on intestinal flora were expounded. A variety of prebiotic nanoparticles pertinent to colon-targeted drug delivery systems were illustrated with particular emphasis on their curative activities on CDs. The efficacy and safety of prebiotic-based colonic drug delivery systems (p-CDDs) were also analyzed. In conclusion, the synergy between prebiotic nanoparticles and their cargos may hold promise for the treatment and intervention of CDs.Keywords: colonic diseases, prebiotics, nanoparticles, therapeutic intervention, drug delivery

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignant tumor in men. Chemotherapy with docetaxel (DTX) and novel hormonal agents such as enzalutamide (EZL) and abiraterone are the preferred first-line therapeutic regimens. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is overexpressed on the surface of PCa cells. This study aimed to prepare a PSMA targeted (Glutamate-Urea-Lysine, GUL ligand modified), glutathione (GSH)-sensitive (Cystamine, SS), DTX and EZL co-loaded nanoparticles (GUL-SS DTX/EZL-NPs) to treat PCa. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was conjugated with oleic acid (OA) using a GSH-sensitive ligand: cystamine (PEG-SS-OA). GUL was covalently coupled to PEG-SS-OA to achieve GUL-PEG-SS-OA. GUL-PEG-SS-OA was used to prepare GUL-SS DTX/EZL-NPs. To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficiency of the system, human prostate cancer cell lines and PCa cells bearing mice were applied. Single drug-loaded nanoparticle and free drugs systems were utilized for the comparison of the anticancer ability. GUL-SS DTX/EZL-NPs showed a size of 143.7 ± 4.1 nm, with a PDI of 0.162 ± 0.037 and a zeta potential of +29.1 ± 2.4 mV. GUL-SS DTX/EZL-NPs showed high cancer cell uptake of about 70%, as well as higher cell growth inhibition efficiency (a maximum 79% of cells were inhibited after treatment) than single drug-loaded NPs and free drugs. GUL-SS DTX/EZL-NPs showed the most prominent tumor inhibition ability and less systemic toxicity. The novel GUL-SS DTX/EZL-NPs could be used as a promising system for PCa therapy.

Lycorine is a kind of natural active ingredient with a strong antitumor effect. In this study, folate ligand-conjugated polyethylene glycol-block-poly(l-lactide) (PEG-PLLA) nanoparticles (FA-PEG-PLLA NPs) were designed to deliver lycorine to enhance its anti-glioma activity. The successful preparation of the FA-PEG-PLLA polymer was confirmed by 1H-NMR, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and DSC. The optimal formulation for LYC@FA-PEG-PLLA NPs was determined by response surface analysis as follows: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) of 1%, carrier material of 0.03 g, organic phase volume of 3 mL, and ultrasonic power of 20%. The LYC@FA-PEG-PLLA NPs exhibited an encapsulation efficiency of 83.58% and a particle size of 49.71 nm, demonstrating good stability. Hemolysis experiments, MTT assays, and cell scratch assays revealed excellent biocompatibility of FA-PEG-PLLA and superior anti-glioma activity of LYC@FA-PEG-PLLA NPs compared to the raw drug. Additionally, cell apoptosis assays, ROS experiments, and western blot analysis demonstrated that LYC@FA-PEG-PLLA NPs contributed to cell apoptosis by inducing ROS generation and increasing the expression of NF-κB inhibitory protein IκBα. These results suggested that LYC@FA-PEG-PLLA NPs hold promise for glioma treatment.

Uncontrolled inflammation is a pathological state that underlies many diseases. Despite the development of numerous anti-inflammatory agents, the treatment of uncontrolled inflammation remains a challenging task. We developed a targeted delivery system for [5-(p-fluorophenyl)-2-ureido]thiophene-3-carboxamide (TPCA-1), a potent inhibitor of the NF-κB signaling pathway. The system comprises TPCA-1-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that specifically binds to the break point of the IgD6 region of the platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) extracellular segment that is overexposed on the injured endothelium and activated macrophages during the pathogenesis of inflammation. In vitro binding and cellular uptake experiments revealed that the mAb modification on NPs could significantly enhance uptake by both Raw264.7 and HUVEC compared with unmodified NPs. In studies conducted at the cellular level focusing on anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, this formulation was found to effectively inhibit M1 polarization of macrophages, downregulate the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and reduce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). In an animal model of vascular endothelial injury with acute inflammation, these NPs were capable of delivering TPCA-1 to inflammatory lesions in a targeted manner. Compared with the free agent-treated group, the NP-treated group exhibited reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that this targeted delivery of TPCA-1-loaded NPs represents a promising strategy for improved mitigation of uncontrolled inflammation.

Zhongbin Zhang,1,2,&ast; Jinqing Chen,1,&ast; Linghui Zou,1,&ast; Jing Tang,1 Jiaxin Zheng,1 Meijiao Luo,1 Gang Wang,1 Dan Liang,1,2 Yuyang Li,1 Ben Chen,1 Hongjun Yan,1 Wenya Ding1– 3 1Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Common Technology of Chinese Medicine Preparations, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 3College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Wenya Ding, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-15045630868, Email DingWenYa666@163.comBackground and Purpose: Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization in medical implants are resistant to antibiotics due to the formation of bacterial biofilm internal. Baicalein (BA) has been confirmed as an inhibitor of bacterial biofilm with less pronounced effects owing to its poor solubility and absorption. Studies have found that β-cyclodextrin-grafted chitosan (CD-CS) can improve drug efficiency as a drug carrier. Therefore, this research aims to prepare BA-loaded CD-CS nanoparticles (CD-CS-BA-NPs) for S. aureus biofilm elimination enhancement.Methods: CD-CS-BA-NPs were prepared via the ultrasonic method. The NPs were characterized using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Malvern Instrument. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the NPs were investigated. The biofilm models in vivo and in vitro were constructed to assess the S. aureus biofilm elimination ability of the NPs. The Confocal laser method (CLSM) and the Live/Dead kit were employed to explore the mechanism of the NPs in promoting biofilm elimination.Results: CD-CS-BA-NPs have an average particle size of 424.5 ± 5.16 nm, a PDI of 0.2 ± 0.02, and a Zeta potential of 46.13 ± 1.62 mV. TEM images revealed that the NPs were spherical with uniform distribution. XRD and TGA analysis verified the formation and the thermal stability of the NPs. The NPs with a MIC of 12.5 ug/mL exhibited a better elimination effect on S. aureus biofilm both in vivo and in vitro. The mechanism study demonstrated that the NPs may permeate into the biofilm more easily, thereby improving the biofilm elimination effect of BA.Conclusion: CD-CS-BA-NPs were successfully prepared with enhanced elimination of S. aureus biofilm, which may serve as a reference for future development of anti-biofilm agents.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: baicalein, β-cyclodextrin-grafted chitosan, nanoparticles, Staphylococcus aureus, biofilm elimination

The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced Mo-based composites were fabricated by an efficient powder metallurgy method, including acid treatment, wet dispersion, ball milling (BM) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The sintered Mo-based composites possess high relative density (99.1%) and compressive yield strength (970 ± 10 MPa). Acid treatment and wet dispersion effectively address the problems of the agglomeration and subsequent uniform distribution of the CNTs in the composite powders. After BM and SPS, ultrafine-grained composites with a grain size of 1.84 μm and a nanoparticle size of less than 200 nm were obtained. A mechanism for purification and strengthening is proposed. On the one hand, Hf and HfC can adsorb nearby oxygen impurities and purify the Mo matrix. On the other hand, the incoherent interface between Mo and nanoparticles acts as primary dislocation nucleation and prevents the propagation of secondary dislocations, which in turn leads to strain hardening.

Abstract Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an important tool for the treatment of many genetic disorders. However, similar to other gene drugs, vectors are often required to protect them from degradation and clearance, and to accomplish their transport in vivo. Compared with viral vectors, artificial nonviral nanoparticles have a variety of design, synthesis, and formulation possibilities that can be selected to accomplish protection and delivery for specific applications, and they have served critical therapeutic purposes in animal model research and clinical applications, allowing safe and efficient gene delivery processes into the target cells. We believe that as new ASO drugs develop, the exploration for corresponding nonviral vectors is inevitable. Intensive development of nonviral vectors with improved delivery strategies based on specific targets can continue to expand the value of ASO therapeutic approaches. Here, we provide an overview of current nonviral delivery strategies, including ASOs modifications, action mechanisms, and multi-carrier methods, which aim to address the irreplaceable role of nonviral vectors in the progressive development of ASOs delivery.

The addition of metal oxide nanoparticles to fluids has been used as a means of enhancing the thermal conductive properties of base fluids. This method formulates a heterogeneous fluid conferred by nanoparticles and can be used for high-end fluid heat-transfer applications, such as phase-change materials and fluids for internal combustion engines. These nanoparticles can enhance the properties of both polar and nonpolar fluids. In the current paper, dispersions of nanoparticles were carried out in hydrocarbon and aqueous-based fluids using molecular dynamic simulations (MDS). The MDS results have been validated using the autocorrelation function and previous experimental data. Highly concurrent trends were achieved for the obtained results. According to the obtained results of MDS, adding CuO nanoparticles increased the thermal conductivity of water by 25% (from 0.6 to 0.75 W·m−1·K−1). However, by adding these nanoparticles to hydrocarbon-based fluids (i.e., alkane) the thermal conductivity was increased three times (from 0.1 to 0.4 W·m−1·K−1). This approach to determine the thermal conductivity of metal oxide nanoparticles in aqueous and nonaqueous fluids using visual molecular dynamics and interactive autocorrelations demonstrate a great tool to quantify thermophysical properties of nanofluids using a simulation environment. Moreover, this comparison introduces data on aqueous and nonaqueous suspensions in one study.

Beyond traditional endothelium-dependent vessel (EDV), vascular mimicry (VM) is another critical tumor angiogenesis that further forms in many malignant metastatic tumors. However, the existing anti-angiogenesis combined chemotherapeutics strategies are only efficient for the treatment of EDV-based subcutaneous tumors, but remain a great challenge for the treatment of in situ malignant metastatic tumor associated with EDV and VM. Here, we demonstrate a self-assembled nanoparticle (VE-DDP-Pro) featuring self-anti-EDV and -VM capacity enables to significantly enhance the treatment efficacy of cisplatin (DDP) against the growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. The VE-DDP-Pro is constructed by patching DDP loaded cRGD-folate-heparin nanoparticles (VE) onto the surface of protamine (Pro) nanoparticle. We demonstrated the self-anti-angiogenesis capacity of VE-DDP-Pro was attributed to VE, which could significantly inhibit the formation of EDV and VM by regulating signaling pathway of MMP-2/VEGF, AKT/mTOR/MMP-2/Laminin and AKT/mTOR/EMT, facilitating chemotherapeutics to effectively suppress the development and metastasis of ovarian cancer. Thus, combing with the chemotherapeutics effectiveness of DDP, the VE-DDP-Pro can significantly enhance treatment efficacy and prolong median survival of mice with metastatic ovarian cancer. We believe our self-assembled nanoparticles integrating the anti-EDV and anti-VM capacity provide a new preclinical sight to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutics for the treatment malignant metastasis tumor.

Melanoma is a malignant tumor that accounts for the deadliest form of skin cancers. Despite the significant efforts made recently for development of immunotherapeutic strategies including using immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines, the clinical outcomes are unsatisfying. Different factors affect efficient cancer immunotherapy such as side-effects, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and tumor heterogeneity. In the past decades, various nanotechnology-based approaches have been developed to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, in addition to diminishing the toxicity associated with it. Several studies have shown that proper application of nanomaterials can revolutionize the outcome of immunotherapy in diverse melanoma models. This review summarizes the recent advancement in the integration of nanotechnology and cancer immunotherapy in melanoma treatment. The importance of nanomaterials and their therapeutic advantages for patients with melanoma are also discussed.

Anode materials based on the TiO2 nanoparticles of different morphologies were prepared using the hydrothermal method and characterized by various techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and N2 absorption. The TiO2 nanoparticles prepared were used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and their electrochemical properties were tested using discharging/charging measurements. The results showed that the initial morphology of the nanoparticles plays a minor role in battery performance after the first few cycles and that better capacity was achieved for TiO2 nanobelt morphology. The sharp drop in the specific capacity of LIB during their first cycles is examined by considering changes in the morphology of TiO2 particles and their porosity properties in terms of size and connectivity. The performance of TiO2 anode materials has also been assessed by considering their phase.

Treatment of liver metastasis experiences slow progress owing to the severe side effects. In this study, we demonstrate a strategy capable of eliminating metastatic cancer cells in a selective manner. Nucleus-targeting W18O49 nanoparticles (WONPs) are conjugated to mitochondria-selective mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) containing photosensitizer (Ce6) through a Cathepsin B-cleavable peptide. In hepatocytes, upon the laser irradiation, the generated singlet oxygen species are consumed by WONPs, in turn leading to the loss of their photothermally heating capacity, thereby sparing hepatocyte from thermal damage induced by the laser illumination. By contrast, in cancer cells, the cleaved peptide linker allows WONPs and MSNs to respectively target nucleus and mitochondria, where the therapeutic powers could be unleashed, both photodynamically and photothermally. This ensures the energy production of cancer cells can be abolished. We further assess the underlying molecular mechanism at both gene and protein levels to better understand the therapeutic outcome.

Metastasis is the major cause for breast cancer related mortality. The combination of miRNA-based therapy and chemotherapy represents a promising approach against breast cancer lung metastasis. The goal of this study is to develop an improved therapy that co-delivers a novel bioengineered miRNA prodrug (tRNA-mir-34a) and doxorubicin (DOX) via a multifunctional nanomicellar carrier that is based on a conjugate of amphiphilic copolymer POEG-VBC backbone with creatine, a naturally occurring cationic molecule. Co-delivery of DOX leads to more effective processing of tRNA-mir-34a into mature miR-34a and down-regulation of target genes. DOX + tRNA-mir-34a/POEG-PCre exhibits potent synergistic anti-tumor and anti-metastasis activity in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, the enhanced immune response contributes to the overall antitumor efficacy. POEG-PCre may represent a safe and effective delivery system for an optimal chemo-gene combination therapy.

Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) and the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains are major threats to human health. Copper is well known for its high antimicrobial efficacy, including the ability to kill superbugs and the notorious ESKAPE group of pathogens. We sought a material that maintains the antimicrobial efficacy of copper while minimizing the downsides - cost, appearance and metallic properties - that limit application. Here we describe a copper-glass ceramic powder as an additive for antimicrobial surfaces; its mechanism is based on the controlled release of copper (I) ions (Cu1+) from cuprite nanocrystals that form in situ in the water labile phase of the biphasic glass ceramic. Latex paints containing copper-glass ceramic powder exhibit ≥99.9% reduction in S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, K. aerogenes and E. Coli colony counts when evaluated by the US EPA test method for efficacy of copper-alloy surfaces as sanitizer, approaching that of benchmark metallic copper.

Abstract Background Outbreaks of infection due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, especially Gram-negative bacteria, have become a global health issue in both hospitals and communities. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) based therapeutics hold a great promise for treating infections caused by MDR bacteria. However, ASOs therapeutics are strangled because of its low cell penetration efficiency caused by the high molecular weight and hydrophilicity. Results Here, we designed a series of dendritic poly-peptides (DPP1 to DPP12) to encapsulate ASOs to form DSPE-mPEG2000 decorated ASOs/DPP nanoparticles (DP-AD1 to DP-AD12) and observed that amphipathic DP-AD2, 3, 7 or 8 with a positive charge ≥ 8 showed great efficiency to deliver ASOs into bacteria, but only the two histidine residues contained DP-AD7 and DP-AD8 significantly inhibited the bacterial growth and the targeted gene expression of tested bacteria in vitro. DP-AD7anti-acpP remarkably increased the survival rate of septic mice infected by ESBLs-E. coli, exhibiting strong antibacterial effects in vivo. Conclusions For the first time, we designed DPP as a potent carrier to deliver ASOs for combating MDR bacteria and demonstrated the essential features, namely, amphipathicity, 8–10 positive charges, and 2 histidine residues, that are required for efficient DPP based delivery, and provide a novel approach for the development and research of the antisense antibacterial strategy. Graphical Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly used as delivery vehicles for drugs and bioactive molecules, which usually require intravascular administration. The endothelial cells covering the inner surface of blood vessels are susceptible to the shear stress of blood flow. Few studies demonstrate the interplay of red blood cell-derived EVs (RBCEVs) and endothelial cells. Thus, the phagocytosis of EVs by vascular endothelial cells during blood flow needs to be elucidated. In this study, red blood cell-derived extracellular vesicles (RBCEVs) were constructed to investigate endothelial cell phagocytosis in vitro and animal models. Results showed that low magnitude shear stress including low shear stress (LSS) and oscillatory shear stress (OSS) could promote the uptake of RBCEVs by endothelial cells in vitro. In addition, in zebrafish and mouse models, RBCEVs tend to be internalized by endothelial cells under LSS or OSS. Moreover, RBCEVs are easily engulfed by endothelial cells in atherosclerotic plaques exposed to LSS or OSS. In terms of mechanism, oxidative stress induced by LSS is part of the reason for the increased uptake of endothelial cells. Overall, this study shows that vascular endothelial cells can easily engulf EVs in areas of low magnitude shear stress, which will provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of EVs-based nano-drug delivery systems in vivo.

Regulation of excessive inflammation and impaired cell proliferation is crucial for healing diabetic wounds. Although plant‐to‐mammalian regulation offers effective approaches for chronic wound management, the development of a potent plant‐based therapeutic presents challenges. This study aims to validate the efficacy of turmeric‐derived nanoparticles (TDNPs) loaded with natural bioactive compounds. TDNPs can alleviate oxidative stress, promote fibroblast proliferation and migration, and reprogram macrophage polarization. Restoration of the fibroblast–macrophage communication network by TDNPs stimulates cellular regeneration, in turn enhancing diabetic wound healing. To address diabetic wound management, TDNPs are loaded in an ultralight‐weight, high swelling ratio, breathable aerogel (AG) constructed with cellulose nanofibers and sodium alginate backbones to obtain TDNPs@AG (TAG). TAG features wound shape‐customized accessibility, water‐adaptable tissue adhesiveness, and capacity for sustained release of TDNPs, exhibiting outstanding performance in facilitating in vivo diabetic wound healing. This study highlights the potential of TDNPs in regenerative medicine and their applicability as a promising solution for wound healing in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using nanocatalysts to catalyze water electrolysis for hydrogen production is an ideal solution to address the energy crisis. The most well-adopted fabrication methods for nanocatalysts are tube furnace annealing, Hydrothermal method, etc., hardly satisfying the trade-off among coarsening, dispersity, and particle size due to mutual restrictions. Herein, a universal, ultrafast and facile cellulose nanometer whiskers-high temperature shock (CNW-HTS) method was reported for fabricating a library of ultrafine metal nanoparticles with uniform dispersion and narrow size distribution. The metal-anchor functional groups in CNW (i.e., –OH and –COOH) and the characteristics of the HTS method for ultrafast heating and powerful quenching synergistically contribute to the successful synthesis of metal nanoparticles. As an initial demonstration, the as-prepared Pt nanocatalyst (η10 ​mA ​cm−2 ​= ​51.8 ​mV) shows more excellent catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance than the Pt catalyst prepared in the tubular furnace (η10 ​mA ​cm−2 ​= ​169.4 ​mV). This rapid and universal CNW-HTS method can pave the way for nanomanufacturing to produce high-quality metal nanoparticles, thereby expanding applications of energy conversion and electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful application of nanobiotechnology in biomedicine has greatly changed the traditional way of diagnosis and treating of disease, and is promising for revolutionizing the traditional plant nanobiotechnology. Over the past few years, nanobiotechnology has increasingly expanded into plant research area. Nanomaterials can be designed as vectors for targeted delivery and controlled release of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, nucleotides, proteins, etc. Interestingly, nanomaterials with unique physical and chemical properties can directly affect plant growth and development; improve plant resistance to disease and stress; design as sensors in plant biology; and even be used for plant genetic engineering. Similarly, there have been concerns about the potential biological toxicity of nanomaterials. Selecting appropriate characterization methods will help understand how nanomaterials interact with plants and promote advances in plant nanobiotechnology. However, there are relatively few reviews of tools for characterizing nanomaterials in plant nanobiotechnology. In this review, we present relevant imaging tools that have been used in plant nanobiotechnology to monitor nanomaterial migration, interaction with and internalization into plants at three-dimensional lengths. Including: 1) Migration of nanomaterial into plant organs 2) Penetration of nanomaterial into plant tissues (iii)Internalization of nanomaterials by plant cells and interactions with plant subcellular structures. We compare the advantages and disadvantages of current characterization tools and propose future optimal characterization methods for plant nanobiotechnology.

This work highlights the radiation-induced syntheses of numerous semiconductor nanomaterials, including metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal selenides, polymers, surface precious metal nanoparticles deposition, and vacancy-defect semiconductors. The morphology, size, uniformity, and surface properties of semiconductor nanomaterials are controlled through parameters such as the dissolved oxygen content, pH, stabilizers, complexing agents, absorbed dose, and the dose rate.

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Antarctic krill peptide (AKP) has gained considerable interest because of its multiple biological functions. However, its application may be limited by its poor stability and susceptibility to degradation. Encapsulation of AKP using a nanoparticle delivery system is an effective way to overcome these problems. In the present study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and chitosan (CS) were used as delivery vehicles to encapsulate AKP.The results revealed that the particle size (83.3 ± 4.4–222.4 ± 32.7 nm) and zeta‐potential (35.1 ± 0.7–45.0 ± 2.7 mV) of nanoparticles (NPs) increased with the increasing content of BSA, but the polydispersity index decreased (1.000 ± 0.002 to 0.306 ± 0.011). Hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions were the main forces to form BSA/CS‐AKP NPs. X‐ray diffraction revealed that AKP was encapsulated by BSA/CS. Scanning electron microscopy images exhibited that the NPs were spherical in shape, uniform in size and tightly bound. BSA/CS‐AKP NPs exhibited excellent stability in the pH range (2–5) and after 15 days of storage, and could hinder the release of AKP in simulated gastric environment and promote the release of AKP in simulated intestinal environment. After simulated digestion, the hypoglycemic activity of encapsulated AKP was better than that of unencapsulated AKP.Our results revealed that the BSA/CS showed great potential for protecting and delivering AKP. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silica supported FeCoNiCuRu high-entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticle catalyst was prepared using a simple organic ligand chelate assisted thermal-reduction method. The organic ligand tannin is utilized to chelate Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Ru, facilitating the formation of HEAs with a homogeneous distribution of metal elements. The FeCoNiCuRu HEA nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed on the silica with an average size of approximately 17 nm. The formation of the HEA significantly enhances electron transfer among the individual metals within the silica supported FeCoNiCuRu catalysts. The silica supported FeCoNiCuRu HEA nanoparticle catalysts demonstrate superior hydrogenation performance for selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, in comparison to both silica supported monometallic catalysts and their mixture. This simple organic ligand chelate assisted thermal-reduction method provides a universal strategy for generating HEA catalysts with uniform dispersion for a wide range of catalysis applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) holographic microscopy exploits surface plasmon wave as illumination and acquires both SPR intensity and phase images. It detects extremely tiny variations of weakly interacting objects owing to high sensitivity and has been applied in cell biology, material science, surface chemistry, etc. However, it is very challenging to solve the problem of poor spatial resolution due to the transverse propagation of surface plasmon wave. In this paper, an azimuthal scanning excitation method is proposed in SPR holographic microscopy to improve the spatial resolution by engineering the Fourier spectra of SPR images from dual‐arc to circular shape. The study modulates the light field with spatial position, wavevector, and polarization to realize azimuthal scanning excitation of SPR. Systematic experiments of dielectric spheres, nanowires, two‐dimension materials, and complex nanostructure are conducted to show the resolution improvement with one order of magnitude, the higher detection sensitivity of SPR phase than that of SPR intensity, and the necessities of both of high‐resolution SPR intensity and phase images to retrieve sample information in certain scenarios. Benefiting from the high detection sensitivity and spatial resolution, the proposed microscopy will find wide applications in nanoparticle analysis, low‐dimensional material characterization, and imaging extremely thin or transparent samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]