Biomaterials Research

BACKGROUND: EAU is an inflammatory disease usually characterized by autoinflammation and autoimmunity and is aggravated by excessive generation of ROS. Conventional hormone therapy often has more adverse effects. It is urgent to find a therapeutic drug with higher efficiency and fewer adverse effects. METHODS: We developed an Fe-curcumin nanozyme in which natural antioxidants coordinate with Fe3+ to form nanoparticles with excellent solubility for directing anti-inflammatory and ROS scavenging effects to treat EAU...

BACKGROUND: Bone tissue regeneration is regulated by complex events, including inflammation, osteoinduction, and remodeling. Therefore, to induce the complete restoration of defective bone tissue, biomaterials with the ability to regulate the collective bone regenerative system are beneficial. Although some studies conclude that reducing reactive oxygen species created a favorable environment for bone regeneration by controlling inflammation, biomaterials that can simultaneously promote osteogenesis and regulate inflammation have not been developed...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized particles that are released from cells and reflect the characteristics of the mother cell. Recently, the EVs have been used in several types of studies across many different fields. In the field of EV research, multiple cell culture and EV isolation techniques have been highlighted in importance. Various strategies, including exclusive component culture media, three-dimensional (3D) cultures, and hypoxic conditions, have been proposed for the cell culture to control function of the EVs...

BACKGROUND: Magnesium oxychloride cement has good mechanical properties, but poor water resistance. METHODS: Phytic acid, which can form chelate with Mg2+ , was used to modify magnesium oxychloride cement, and the effects of phytic acid on the strength, in vitro degradation and biological activity of magnesium oxychloride cement were studied. Based on the preparation of phytic acid modified magnesium oxychloride cement with good water resistance and biological activity, osteoporosis treatment strontium ranelate was loaded on phytic acid- magnesium oxychloride cement, strontium ranelate/phytic acid-magnesium oxychloride cement was prepared...

BACKGROUND: The regulation of dose-dependent biological effects induced by biodegradation is a challenge for the production of biodegradable bone-substitute materials, especially biodegradable zinc (Zn) -based materials. Cytotoxicity caused by excess local Zn ions (Zn2+ ) from degradation is one of the factors limiting the wide application of Zn implants. Given that previous studies have revealed that delayed degradation of Zn materials by surface modification does not reduce cytotoxicity; in the present study, we explore whether preventing the entry of excess Zn2+ into cells may can reduce local Zn toxicity by applying Psoralen (PRL) to Zn implants and assessing its ability to regulate intracellular Zn2+ concentrations...

Molecular self-assembly has received considerable attention in biomedical fields as a simple and effective method for developing biomolecular nanostructures. Self-assembled nanostructures can exhibit high binding affinity and selectivity by displaying multiple ligands/receptors on their surface. In addition, the use of supramolecular structure change upon binding is an intriguing approach to generate binding signal. Therefore, many self-assembled nanostructure-based biosensors have been developed over the past decades, using various biomolecules (e...

BACKGROUND: To overcome the limitations of current alternative therapies for chronic kidney disease (CKD), tissue engineering-mediated regeneration strategies have demonstrated the possibilities for complete kidney tissue regeneration. Given the challenges associated with the reproducibility of renal basal cells, the incorporation of intermediate mesoderm (IM) cells and bioactive materials to control bioactivities of cells with supported scaffolds should be considered as a viable approach to enable the regeneration of the complex kidney structure via renal differentiation...

RATIONALE: To realize imaging-guided multi-modality cancer therapy with minimal side effects remains highly challenging. METHODS: We devised a bioinspired hollow nitrogen-doped carbon sphere anchored with individually dispersed Mn atoms (Mn/N-HCN) via oxidation polymerization with triton micelle as a soft template, followed by carbonization and annealing. Enzyme kinetic analysis and optical properties were performed to evaluate the imaging-guided photothermally synergized nanocatalytic therapy...

BACKGROUND: Recently, increased attention has been given on exosomes as ideal nanocarriers of drugs owing to their intrinsic properties that facilitate the transport of biomolecular cargos. However, large-scale exosome production remains a major challenge in the clinical application of exosome-based drug delivery systems. Considering its biocompatibility and stability, bovine milk is a suitable natural source for large-scale and stable exosome production. Because the active-targeting ability of drug carriers is essential to maximize therapeutic efficacy and minimize side effects, precise membrane functionalization strategies are required to enable tissue-specific delivery of milk exosomes with difficulty in post-isolation modification...

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which include a range of pathologies affecting bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, account for a significant portion of the global burden of disease. While pharmaceutical and surgical interventions represent conventional approaches for treating MSDs, their efficacy is constrained and frequently accompanied by adverse reactions. Considering the rising incidence of MSDs, there is an urgent demand for effective treatment modalities to alter the current landscape...

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gained significant attention for diverse biomedical applications, including cell-based therapy. Hence, in vitro expansion of MSCs is critical; however, in vitro MSC culture, especially long-term culture, inevitably leads to significant loss of stemness, growth, and differentiation potential. METHOD: Effects of mild heat treatment (HT) conditions (temperature, duration, and repetition) on the characteristics of adipose tissue-derived MSCs in vitro were systematically investigated...

Studies have reported on the significance of copper incorporated nanomaterials (CINMs) in cancer theranostics and tissue regeneration. Given their unique physicochemical properties and tunable nanostructures, CINMs are used in photothermal therapy (PTT) and photothermal-derived combination therapies. They have the potential to overcome the challenges of unsatisfactory efficacy of conventional therapies in an efficient and non-invasive manner. This review summarizes the recent advances in CINMs-based PTT in biomedicine...

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, metastatic and apparently drug-resistant subtype of breast cancer with a higher immune response compared to other types of breast cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been gaining popularity for its non-invasive nature, minimal side effects, and spatiotemporally controlled benifits. The use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) loaded with programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitors (iPD-L1) offers the possibility of combining PDT with immunotherapy...

BACKGROUND: Non-intrusive imaging of gastrointestinal (GI) tract using computed tomography (CT) contrast agents is of the most significant issues in the diagnosis and treatment of GI diseases. Moreover, spectral CT, which can generate monochromatic images to display the X-ray attenuation characteristics of contrast agents, provides a better imaging sensitivity for diagnose inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than convention CT imaging. METHODS: Herein, a convenient and one-pot synthesis method is provided for the fabrication of small-molecule lanthanide complex Holmium-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraacetic acid (Ho-DOTA) as a biosafe and high-performance spectral CT contrast agent for GI imaging with IBD...

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is a highly aggressive form of skin cancer with increasing incidence and mortality rates. Chemotherapy, the primary treatment for melanoma, is limited by hypoxia-induced drug resistance and suppressed immune response at the tumor site. Modulating the tumor microenvironment (TME) to alleviate hypoxia and enhance immune response has shown promise in improving chemotherapy outcomes. METHODS: In this study, a novel injectable and in situ forming hydrogel named MD@SA was developed using manganese dioxide (MnO2 ) nanosheets pre-loaded with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX) and mixed with sodium alginate (SA)...

BACKGROUND: There is a great clinical need and it remains a challenge to develop artificial soft tissue constructs that can mimic the biomechanical properties and bioactivity of natural tissue. This is partly due to the lack of suitable biomaterials. Hydrogels made from human placenta offer high bioactivity and represent a potential solution to create animal-free 3D bioprinting systems that are both sustainable and acceptable, as placenta is widely considered medical waste. A combination with silk and gelatin polymers can bridge the biomechanical limitations of human placenta chorion extracellular matrix hydrogels (hpcECM) while maintaining their excellent bioactivity...

Malignant bone tumors are characterized by severe disability rate, mortality rate, and heavy recurrence rate owing to the complex pathogenesis and insidious disease progression, which seriously affect the terminal quality of patients' lives. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as an attractive adjunctive treatment offering prominent hyperthermal therapeutic effects to enhance the effectiveness of surgical treatment and avoid recurrence. Simultaneously, various advanced biomaterials with photothermal capacity are currently created to address malignant bone tumors, performing distinctive biological functions, including nanomaterials, bioceramics (BC), polymers, and hydrogels et al...

Coatings of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have potential applications in surface modification for medical implants, tissue engineering, and drug delivery systems. Therefore, developing an applicable method for surface-mounted MOF engineering to fabricate protective coating for implant tissue engineering is a crucial issue. Besides, the coating process was desgined for drug infusion and effect opposing chemical and mechanical resistance. In the present review, we discuss the techniques of MOF coatings for medical application in both in vitro and in vivo in various systems such as in situ growth of MOFs, dip coating of MOFs, spin coating of MOFs, Layer-by-layer methods, spray coating of MOFs, gas phase deposition of MOFs, electrochemical deposition of MOFs...

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Cancer is a complex illness that presents significant challenges in its understanding and treatment. The classic definition, "a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body," fails to convey the intricate interaction between the many entities involved in cancer. Recent advancements in the field of cancer research have shed light on the role played by individual cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment as a whole in tumor development and progression. This breakthrough enables the utilization of the tumor and its components as biological tools, opening new possibilities...