Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces

One hundred and sixty-five years ago, Charles Darwin's observations of homologous structures in finch beaks laid the groundwork for evolutionary biology. Today, his evolutionary theory has been extended to the microscopic scale, where homologous structures in viral capsids reveal pathogen-associated geometric pattern (PAGP). PAGP is the highly conserved geometric signature characteristic of an entire class of microbes like viruses or bacteria. These repetitive and highly organized structures reflect evolutionary convergence shaped by natural selection...

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Fungal infections associated with oral, gynecological, and skin ailments pose significant clinical challenges. The presence of biofilms often hampers the efficacy of conventional antifungal drugs owing to the complex microenvironment they create. In this study, the widely used antifungal medication fluconazole is utilized as a foundational component to be incorporated into zinc 2-methylimidazolate frameworks, resulting in the synthesis of nanoscale fluconazole-constructed metal-organic frameworks (F-ZIF). The F-ZIF is constructed through coordination interactions between zinc and fluconazole, retaining the structure and pH-responsiveness of the zinc 2-methylimidazolate framework...

Persistent bacterial colonization, abnormal inflammatory responses, and impaired angiogenesis pose significant challenges to effective wound repair, particularly in diabetic wounds. Employing exogenous bioactive substances in wound dressings is a recognized approach to dynamically respond to the wound microenvironment and accelerate the repair process. However, this strategy can lead to the development of drug resistance and induce further tissue damage. To address these challenges, we are synthesizing a novel hydrogel for diabetic wound treatment using functional poly (ionic liquid) and modified dextran...

Chitosan is widely employed in gene carriers due to its excellent gene loading capacity, ease of modification, and exceptional biodegradability. However, low gene delivery efficiency, high cytotoxicity, and lack of tracer biomimetic properties limit its clinical use. To address these issues, a novel biomimetic tracking gene delivery carrier, RBCm-C50kQT, was constructed by using the design scheme of cell membrane coated carbon quantum dots/chitosan. This carrier improves stability and tracking performance while embedding the cell membrane enhances biosafety...

Recent research has focused on enhancing tumor response to radiation therapy using radiosensitizers to increase radiation absorption by cancerous tissues. This study utilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as radiation sensitizers and chitosan as a nanocarrier to deliver metformin to breast cancer cells. Metformin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Met NPs) and AgNPs were synthesized and characterized. MCF-7 breast cancer cells were pretreated with Met NPs, followed by treatment with AgNPs and irradiation with X-rays at 2, 4, and 8 Gy doses...

INTRODUCTION: A local microneedle patch loaded with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was constructed to improve the efficiency of ALA photodynamic treatment of oral leukoplakia, reduce local photosensitivity reactions, and promote the healing of lesions. METHODS: The microneedle patch loaded with ALA was constructed with the hyaluronic acid (HA) solution (ALA-HAMN), and its morphology, strength, mucosal penetration, and biocompatibility were tested. RESULTS: In vivo safety and permeability tests confirmed that ALA-HAMN had good biocompatibility and could penetrate the mucosal barrier and quickly dissolve and release ALA for in situ transdermal administration...

In this study, a simple but novel preparation method was developed by heating a mixture of dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (DG) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) in aqueous solution, and a DG self-assembled nanomicelles-loading BDMC (named B@DNM) ophthalmic solution was successfully fabricated with this heating-driven process. AutoDock simulation analysis revealed that Pi-Alkyl hydrophobic interactions between BDMC and DG played important role in this self-assembled B@DNM. The optimized B@DNM, with a DG:BDMC mass ratio of 40:1 and heating time of 6 h, had a high encapsulation efficacy of 96...

The advancement of nanotechnology and their application has intrigued a significant interest in green synthesis and application of organic and inorganic nanomaterials like graphene oxide (GO) and silver nanoparticles (AgNP). This study explores the intrinsic physiochemical properties of silver (Ag)-decorated graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets synthesized via a green approach, focusing on their photoluminescence behaviour and in vivo cellular biocompatibility with embryonic zebrafish. The nanocomposites were characterized using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to elucidate their structural and optical properties...

Tau is a protein found in the central nervous system (CNS) and is involved in stabilizing microtubules in axons. Given the link between Tau levels in the body and Alzheimer's disease (AD), there is a demand for straightforward and precise strategies to detect Tau in body fluids. In this study, we report liquid crystal (LC)-based sensors for the real-time detection of Tau protein, a well-known AD biomarker. The sensor uses a detection method based on the orientation change of the LC because of the competitive biomolecular interaction between Tau and Tau aptamers with the cationic polymer poly-L-lysine (PLL)...

Study of cell migration in cancer is crucial to the comprehension of the processes and factors that govern tumor spread. Cancer cells migrate invading tissues, causing alterations in cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, and signaling pathways. Little is known about the physical attributes of cancer cells that change when interacting with microenvironments. In this work, the local topography of the ECM has been mimicked through micropillar array substrates. MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, exhibiting high and low metastatic potential, respectively, were analyzed...

Bacterial infections pose a great threat to human health. Therefore, the development of new antibacterial agents or methods is in urgent need. In this study, we prepared polytannic acid (pTA)-coated PLGA nanoparticles decorated with Dermaseptin-PP (Der), an antimicrobial peptide (AMP), on the surface to obtain PLGA-pTA-Der. This nanoplatform could combine AMPs with photothermal treatment (PTT) mediated by pTA to achieve synergistic bacterial killing. The results of in vitro experiments showed that the PLGA-pTA-Der nanoparticles could eliminate nearly 99 % of Escherichia coli (E...

Biofouling has been persisting as a global problem due to the difficulties in finding efficient and environmentally friendly antifouling coatings for long-term applications. Initial attachment of bacteria on material surface and subsequent formation of biofilm are the predominate phenomena accounting for subsequent occurrence of biofouling. Among the various factors influencing the bacterial attachment, conditioning layer formed by organic macromolecules usually plays the key role in mediating bacterial attachment through altering physicochemical properties of substrate surface...

A transistor inspired by biological systems, which possesses synaptic and sensing capabilities, has demonstrated significant promise in the field of neuromorphic electronics and sensory systems resembling the human brain. Despite the remarkable advancements in emulating neuromorphic operations, the development of a synaptic FET with a bionic architecture, extended lifespan, minimal energy usage, and marker monitoring capability remains challenging. In this work, a synaptic transistor based on NiAl-layer double hydroxides nanosheets is reported...

Abnormal cell growth and proliferation can lead to tumor formation and cancer, one of the most fatal diseases worldwide. Hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) has emerged as a cancer biomarker, with its concentration being crucial for distinguishing cancer cells from normal cells. Herein, a cost-effective and enzymeless electrochemical sensing system for the monitoring of intracellular H2 O2 has been constructed. The sensor is fabricated using gold nanoparticles embedded bimetallic copper/nickel metal organic framework (Au-CNMOF) immobilized reduced graphene oxide (RGO) modified screen printed electrode (SPE)...

Recently, advances in enhancing corrosion properties through various techniques, and the clinical application of biodegradable cardiovascular stents made from magnesium (Mg) alloys face challenges to corrosion resistance, blood compatibility, and biocompatibility. Drug-eluting stents (DES) offer a solution to enhance the corrosion resistance of Mg alloys while simultaneously reducing the occurrence of restenosis. In this study, WE43 Mg alloy was pretreated using electropolishing technology, and different polymers (PEG and PLLA) were used as drug-polymer coatings for the Mg alloy...

Implant-associated infections (IAIs), triggered by pathogenic bacteria, are a leading cause of implant failure. The design of functionalized coatings on biomedical materials is crucial to address IAIs. Herein, a multifunctional coating with good antifouling effect and antibacterial photothermal therapy (aPTT) performance was developed. The copper tannate nanosheets (CuTA NSs) were formed via coordination bonding of Cu2+ ions and tannic acid (TA). The CuTA NSs were then integrated into the TA and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) network to form the TCP coating for deposition on the titanium (Ti) substrates via surface adhesion of TA and gravitational effect...

Apoptotic resistance of tumor often leads to poor efficacy from mono-therapy based on apoptosis. Cuproptosis, a new type of non-apoptotic cell death related to mitochondrial dysfunction, can alter metabolism and enhance ferroptosis, providing a promising strategy for effective synergistic cancer treatment. In this work, Cu0 -based nanoparticles (denoted as HA-ZCu) were successfully developed to improve anti-tumor efficacy by combining cuproptosis with enhanced ferroptosis, which was achieved by cuproptosis-induced glutathione synthesis disorder...

Advancement in the development of new materials with theranostic and phototherapeutic potential along with receptiveness to external stimuli has been persistently inspiring oncology research. Herein, titanium carbide-based MXene quantum dots (FHMQDs) have been synthesized and modified to take advantage of stimuli-responsive behavior and target specificity for breast cancer cells. With a size of around 3 nm, the developed FHMQDs demonstrate high fluorescent emission at around 460 nm. With ∼90 % encapsulation efficiency of doxorubicin (DOX), the developed system also offers rapid DOX release behavior when encountering an acidic pH (5...

Photothermal therapy (PTT), particularly in the near-infrared-II (NIR-II) range, has attracted widespread attention over the past years. However, the accompanied inflammatory responses can result in undesirable side effects and contribute to treatment ineffectiveness. Herein, we introduced a novel biodegradable nanoplatform (CuS/HMON-PEG) capable of PTT and hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) generation, aimed at modulating inflammation for improved cancer treatment outcomes. The embedded ultrasmall copper sulphide (CuS) nanodots (1-2 nm) possessed favorable photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and NIR-II photothermal capabilities, rendering CuS/HMON-PEG an ideal phototheranostic agent...