Advanced Healthcare Materials

The emerging field of photopharmacology is a promising chemobiological methodology for optical control of drug activities that could ultimately solve the off-target toxicity outside the disease location of many drugs for the treatment of a given pathology. The use of photolytic reactions looks very attractive for a light activated drug release but requires to develop photolytic reactions sensitive to red or NIR light excitation for better tissue penetration. In this review, we will present the concepts of triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) based photolysis and their recent in vivo applications for light induced drug delivery using photoactivatable nanoparticles (NPs)...

Improving reaction selectivity is the next target for nanozymes to mimic natural enzymes. Currently, the majority of strategies in this field are exclusively applicable to metal-organic-based or organic-based nanozymes, while limited in regulating metal oxide-based semiconductor nanozymes. Herein, taking semiconductor Co3 O4 as an example, we propose a heterojunction strategy to precisely regulate nanozyme selectivity by simultaneously regulating three vital factors including band structure, metal valence state, and oxygen vacancy content...

With the growth of optogenetic research, the demand for optical probes tailored to specific applications is ever rising. Specifically, for applications like the coiled cochlea of the inner ear, where planar, stiff and non-conformable probes can hardly be used, transitioning from commonly used stiff glass fibers to flexible probes is required, especially for long-term use. Following this demand, Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with its lower Young's modulus compared to glass fibers could serve as material of choice...

Partial hepatectomy is an essential surgical technique used to treat advanced liver diseases such as liver tumors, as well as for performing liver transplants from living donors.However, postoperative complications such as bleeding, abdominal adhesions, wound infections, and accelerated liver regeneration pose significant challenges and increase morbidity and mortality rates.We have developed a self-repairing mixed hydrogel (O5H2/Cu2+/SCCK) containing bioactive cell factors (SCCK) derived from Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells (HUMSCs) treated with the traditional Chinese remedy Tanshinone IIA (TSA)...

Melt Electrowriting (MEW) is a continuously growing manufacturing platform. Its advantage is the consistent production of micro- to nanometer fibers, that stack intricately, forming complex geometrical shapes. MEW allows tuning of the mechanical properties of constructs via the geometry of deposited fibers. Due to this, MEW can create complex mechanics only seen in multi-material compounds and serve as guiding structures for cellular alignment. The advantage of MEW is also shown in combination with other biotechnological manufacturing methods to create multilayered constructs that increase mechanical approximation to native tissues, biocompatibility, and cellular response...

The pervasive employment of antibiotics has engendered the advent of drug-resistant bacteria, imperiling the well-being and health of both humans and animals. Infections precipitated by such multi-resistant bacteria, especially those induced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, pervade hospital settings, constituting a grave menace to patient vitality. Antimicrobial peptides have garnered considerable attention as a potent countermeasure against multi-drug resistant bacteria. In preceding research endeavors, we identified an insect-derived antimicrobial peptide that, while possessing antimicrobial attributes, manifested suboptimal efficacy against drug-resistant gram-positive bacteria...

Following biomaterial implantation, a failure to resolve inflammation during the formation of a fracture hematoma can significantly limit the biomaterial's ability to facilitate bone regeneration. This study aimed to combine the immunomodulatory and osteogenic effects of BMP-7 and IL-10 with the regenerative capacity of collagen-hydroxyapatite (CHA) scaffolds to enhance in vitro mineralization in a hematoma-like environment. Incubation of CHA scaffolds with human whole blood led to rapid adsorption of fibrinogen, significant stiffening of the scaffold, and the formation of a hematoma-like environment characterized by a limited capacity to support the infiltration of human bone progenitor cells, a significant upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins, and significantly reduced osteoconductivity...

The implementation of chemoradiation combinations has gained great momentum in clinical practices. However, the full utility of this paradigm is often restricted by the discordant tempos of action of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Here, we developed a gold nanoparticle-based radiation-responsive nanovesicle system loaded with cisplatin and veliparib, denoted as CV-Au NVs, to augment the concurrent chemoradiation effect in a spatiotemporally controllable manner of drug release. Upon irradiation, the in-situ generation of •OH induces the oxidation of polyphenylene sulfide from being hydrophobic to hydrophilic, resulting in the disintegration of the nanovesicles and the rapid release of the entrapped cisplatin and Veliparib (the PARP inhibitor)...

Cancer immunotherapy presents a promising approach to fight against cancer by utilizing the immune system. Recently, engineered microorganisms have emerged as a potential strategy in cancer immunotherapy. These microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, can be designed and modified using synthetic biology and genetic engineering techniques to target cancer cells and modulate the immune system. This review delves into various microorganism-based therapies for cancer immunotherapy, encompassing strategies for enhancing efficacy while ensuring safety and ethical considerations...

Drug-resistant and metastatic cancer cells such as a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a crucial role in metastasis and relapse. Conventional small-molecule chemotherapeutics, however, are unable to eradicate drug-resistant CSCs owing to limited interface inhibitory effects, leading to chemotherapy failure. Herein, we report that enhanced interfacial inhibition leading to eradication of drug-resistant CSCs can be dramatically induced by self insertion of bioactive graphene quantum dots (GQDs) into DNA major groove (MAG) sites in cancer cells...

The hypoxic microenvironment of solid tumors severely lowers the efficacy of oxygen-dependent photodynamic therapy (PDT). The development of hypoxia-tolerant photosensitizers for PDT is an urgent requirement. In this study, we report a novel rhenium complex (Re-TTPY) to develop a "closed-loop" therapy based on PDT-induced ferroptosis and immune therapy. Due to its electron donor-acceptor (D-A) structure, Re-TTPY undergoes energy transfer and electron transfer processes under 550 nm light irradiation, and displays hypoxia-tolerant type I/II combined PDT capability, which can generate 1 O2 , O2 ·- , and ·OH simultaneously...

In obstructive airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein amount and composition of the airway smooth muscle (ASM) is often remodelled, likely altering tissue stiffness. The underlying mechanism of how human ASM cell (hASMC) mechanosenses the aberrant microenvironment is not well understood. Physiological stiffnesses of the ASM layer were measured by uniaxial compression tester using porcine ASM layers under 0, 5 and 10% longitudinal stretch above in situ length...

Median sternotomy surgery stands as one of the prevailing strategies in cardiac surgery. In this study, the cutting-edge bone adhesive is designed, inspired by the impressive adhesive properties found in mussels and sandcastle worms. We have created an osteogenic nanocomposite coacervate adhesive by integrating a cellulose-polyphosphodopamide interpenetrating network, quaternized chitosan, and zinc, gallium-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. This adhesive is characterized by robust catechol-metal coordination which effectively adheres to both hard and soft tissues with a maximum adhesive strength of 900 ±38 kPa on the sheep sternum bone, surpassing that of commercial bone adhesives...

Neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders substantially impact the pediatric population, but there is a lack of dedicated devices for monitoring the developing brain in animal models, leading to gaps in mechanistic understanding of how brain functions emerge and their disruption in disease states. Due to the small size, fragility, and high-water content of immature neural tissue, as well as the absence of a hardened skull to mechanically support rigid devices, conventional neural interface devices are poorly suited to acquire brain signals without inducing damage...

Tendon injuries are pervasive orthopedic injuries encountered by the general population. Nonetheless, recovery after severe injuries such as Achilles tendon injury is limited. Consequently, there is a pressing need to devise interventions, including biomaterials, that foster tendon healing. Regrettably, tissue engineering treatments have faced obstacles in crafting appropriate tissue scaffolds and efficacious nanomedical approaches. To surmount these hurdles, we have pioneered an innovative injectable hydrogel (CP@SiO2 ), comprising puerarin and chitosan through in situ self-assembly, while concurrently delivering mesoporous silica nanoparticles for tendon healing...

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to a severe permanent disability. A poor inflammatory microenvironment and nerve electric signal conduction block are the main reasons for difficulty in spinal cord nerve regeneration. In this study, black phosphorus (BP) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) were integrated into methacrylate-modified silk fibroin (SF) to construct a bifunctional injectable hydrogel (SF/BP/GA) with appropriate conductivity and the ability to inhibit inflammation to promote neuronal regeneration after SCI...

Increasing the penetration and accumulation of antitumor drugs at the tumor site are crucial in chemotherapy. Smaller drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) typically exhibit increased tumor penetration and more effective permeation through the nuclear membrane, whereas larger drug-loaded NPs show extended retention at the tumor site. In addition, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have unlimited proliferative potential and are crucial for the onset, progression and metastasis of cancer. Therefore, we designed a drug-loaded amphiphilic peptide, DA/Pep1, that self-assembles into spherical NPs upon the encapsulation of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (DDP) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)...

Dyes with extended conjugate structures have been the focus of extensive design and synthesis efforts, aiming to confer unique and improved optical and electronic properties. Such advancements render these dyes applicable across a wide spectrum of uses, ranging from NIR-II bioimaging to organic photovoltaics. Nevertheless, the inherent benefits of long conjugation are often accompanied by persistent challenges like aggregation, fluorescence quenching, absorption blue-shift and low stability and poor water solubility...

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has proven effective in blocking tumor-supplied arteries and delivering localized chemotherapeutic treatment to combat tumors. However, traditional embolic TACE agents exhibit certain limitations, including insufficient chemotherapeutic drug-loading and sustained-release capabilities, non-biodegradability, susceptibility to aggregation, and unstable mechanical properties. This study introduces a novel approach to address these shortcomings by utilizing a complex coacervate as a liquid embolic agent for tumor chemoembolization...

Thin cell culture membranes in organ-on-a-chip (OOC) devices are used to model a wide range of thin tissues. While early and most current platforms use micro-porous or fibrous elastomeric or thermoplastic membranes, there is an emerging class of devices using extra-cellular matrix (ECM) protein-based membranes to improve their biological relevance. These ECM-based membranes present physiologically relevant properties, but they are difficult to integrate into OOC devices due to their relative fragility. Additionally, the specialized fabrication methods developed to date make comparison between methods difficult...