Project description: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. First, the classification and structure of CINMs are introduced. CINMs-based PTT combination therapy in tumors and PTT guided by multiple imaging modalities are then reviewed. Various representative designs of CINMs-based PTT in bone, skin and other organs are presented. Furthermore, the biosafety of CINMs is discussed. Finally, this analysis delves into the current challenges that researchers face and offers an optimistic outlook on the prospects of clinical translational research in this field. This review aims at elucidating on the applications of CINMs-based PTT and derived combination therapies in biomedicine to encourage future design and clinical translation.
Project description:Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the top 15 most prevalent cancers worldwide. However, the current treatment models for OSCC (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combination therapy) present several limitations: damage to adjacent healthy tissue, possible recurrence, low efficiency, and severe side effects. In this context, nanomaterial-based photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted extensive research attention. This paper reviews the latest progress in the application of biological nanomaterials for PTT in OSCC. We divide photothermal nanomaterials into four categories (noble metal nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, metal compounds, and organic nanomaterials) and introduce each category in detail. We also mention in detail the drug delivery systems for PTT of OSCC and briefly summarize the applications of hydrogels, liposomes, and micelles. Finally, we note the challenges faced by the clinical application of PTT nanomaterials and the possibility of further improvement, providing direction for the future research of PTT in OSCC treatment.
Project description:The development of biomimetic nanoparticles with functionalities of natural biomaterial remains a major challenge in cancer combination therapy. Herein, we developed a tumor-cell-derived exosome-camouflaged porous silicon nanoparticles (E-MSNs) as a drug delivery system for co-loading ICG and DOX (ID@E-MSNs), achieving the synergistic effects of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy against breast cancer. Compared with ID@MSNs, the biomimetic nanoparticles ID@E-MSNs can be effectively taken up by the tumor cell and enhance tumor accumulation with the help of the exosome membrane. ID@E-MSNs also retain the photothermal effect of ICG and cytotoxicity of DOX. Under 808 nm near infrared irradiation, ICG can produce hyperthermia to collapse E-MSNs nanovehicles, accelerate drug release, and induce tumor ablation, achieving effective chemo-photothermal therapy. In vivo results of 4T1 tumor-bearing BALB/c mice showed that ID@E-MSNs could accumulate tumor tissue and inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumor. Thus, tumor exosome-biomimetic nanoparticles indicate a proof-of-concept as a promising drug delivery system for efficient cancer combination therapy.
Project description:In recent years, various nanomaterials have emerged as an exciting tool in cancer theranostic applications due to their multifunctional property and intrinsic molecular property aiding effective diagnosis, imaging, and successful therapy. However, chemically synthesized nanoparticles have several issues related to the cost, toxicity and effectiveness. In this context, bio-inspired nanoparticles (NPs) held edges over conventionally synthesized nanoparticles due to their low cost, easy synthesis and low toxicity. In this present review article, a detailed overview of the cancer theranostics applications of various bio-inspired has been provided. This includes the recent examples of liposomes, lipid nanoparticles, protein nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles, and viral nanoparticles. Finally, challenges and the future scopes of these NPs in cancer therapy and diagnostics applications are highlighted.
Project description:Since the discovery of antibiotics, humanity has been able to cope with the battle against bacterial infections. However, the inappropriate use of antibiotics, the lack of innovation in therapeutic agents, and other factors have allowed the emergence of new bacterial strains resistant to multiple antibiotic treatments, causing a crisis in the health sector. Furthermore, the World Health Organization has listed a series of pathogens (ESKAPE group) that have acquired new and varied resistance to different antibiotics families. Therefore, the scientific community has prioritized designing and developing novel treatments to combat these ESKAPE pathogens and other emergent multidrug-resistant bacteria. One of the solutions is the use of combinatorial therapies. Combinatorial therapies seek to enhance the effects of individual treatments at lower doses, bringing the advantage of being, in most cases, much less harmful to patients. Among the new developments in combinatorial therapies, nanomaterials have gained significant interest. Some of the most promising nanotherapeutics include polymers, inorganic nanoparticles, and antimicrobial peptides due to their bactericidal and nanocarrier properties. Therefore, this review focuses on discussing the state-of-the-art of the most significant advances and concludes with a perspective on the future developments of nanotherapeutic combinatorial treatments that target bacterial infections.
Project description:Mycotoxins (MYTs), a class of low molecular weight secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi in food and feed, pose serious global threat to both human health and world economy. Due to their mutagenic, teratogenic, carcinogenic and immunosuppressive effects, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified various MYTs under Group 1 to 3 category with aflatoxins being designated under Group 1 category (carcinogenic to humans). Also, the presence of MYTs in trace amounts in diverse food matrices necessitates exploration of highly sensitive methods for onsite analysis. Although conventional chromatographic methods are highly sensitive, they are expensive, tedious and cannot be applied for rapid onsite analysis. In recent years the application of nanomaterials especially carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) in the fabrication of low-cost and miniaturized electrochemical and optical sensors has enabled rapid onsite analysis of MYTs with high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, the CNMs are employed as effective solid phase extraction (SPE) adsorbents possessing high specific surface area for effective enrichment of MYTs to improve the sensitivity of chromatographic methods for MYT analysis in food. This article aims to overview the recent trends in the application of CNMs as SPE adsorbents for sample pretreatment in chromatographic methods as well as in the fabrication of highly sensitive electrochemical and optical sensors for rapid analysis of MYTs in food. Initially, the efficiency of various functionalized CNMs developed recently as adsorbent in packed SPE cartridges and dispersive SPE adsorbent/purification powder is discussed. Then, their application in the development of various electrochemical immunosensors involving functionalized carbon nanotubes/nanofibers, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots is summarized. In addition, the recent trends in the use of CNMs for fabrication of electrochemical and fluorescence aptasensors as well as some other colorimetry, fluorometry, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical based sensors are compared and tabulated. Collectively, this review article can provide a research update on analysis of MYTs by carbon-based nanomaterials paving a way for identifying future perspectives.
Project description:Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanomaterials are an emerging class of biomaterials that are photo-responsive at near-infrared wavelengths (NIR). Here, we demonstrate for the first time the ability of 2D MoS2 to modulate cellular functions of human stem cells through photothermal mechanisms. The interaction of MoS2 with human stem cells is investigated using whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). Global gene expression profile of stem cells reveals significant influence by NIR stimulation of MoS2 on integrins, cellular migration and wound healing. Overall, the combination of MoS2 and NIR light may provide new approach to control and regulate cellular migration and functions.
Project description:Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by lipid accumulation in arteries, leading to narrowing and thrombosis. It affects the heart, brain, and peripheral vessels and is the leading cause of mortality in the United States. Researchers have strived to design nanomaterials of various functions, ranging from non-invasive imaging contrast agents, targeted therapeutic delivery systems to multifunctional nanoagents able to target, diagnose, and treat atherosclerosis. Therefore, this review aims to summarize recent progress (2017-now) in the development of nanomaterials and their applications to improve atherosclerosis diagnosis and therapy during the preclinical and clinical stages of the disease.
Project description:The presence of harmful and poisonous gases in the environment can have dangerous effects on human health, and therefore portable, flexible, and highly sensitive gas sensors are in high demand for environmental monitoring, pollution control, and medical diagnosis. Currently, the commercialized sensors are based on metal oxides, which generally operate at high temperatures. Additionally, the desorption of chemisorbed gas molecules is also challenging. Hence, due to the large surface area, high flexibility, and good electrical properties of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and their derivatives (graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and graphene quantum dots), they are considered to be the most promising chemiresistive sensing materials, where their electrical resistance is affected by their interaction with the analyte. Further, to increase their selectivity, nanocomposites of CNMs with metal oxides, metallic nanoparticles, chalcogenides, and polymers have been studied, which exhibit better sensing capabilities even at room temperature. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art progress in research related to CNMs-based sensors. Moreover, to better understand the analyte adsorption on the surface of CNMs, various sensing mechanisms and dependent sensing parameters are discussed. Further, several existing challenges related to CNMs-based gas sensors are elucidated herein, which can pave the way for future research in this area.
Project description:Microcarrier is a promising drug delivery system demonstrating significant value in treating cancers. One of the main goals is to devise microcarriers with ingenious structures and functions to achieve better therapeutic efficacy in tumors. Here, inspired by the nucleus-cytoplasm structure of cells and the material exchange reaction between them, we develop a type of biorthogonal compartmental microparticles (BCMs) from microfluidics that can separately load and sequentially release cyclooctene-modified doxorubicin prodrug (TCO-DOX) and tetrazine-modified indocyanine green (Tz-ICG) for tumor therapy. The Tz-ICG works not only as an activator for TCO-DOX but also as a photothermal agent, allowing for the combination of bioorthogonal chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT). Besides, the modification of DOX with cyclooctene significantly decreases the systemic toxicity of DOX. As a result, the developed BCMs demonstrate efficient in vitro tumor cell eradication and exhibit notable tumor growth inhibition with favorable safety. These findings illustrate that the formulated BCMs establish a platform for bioorthogonal prodrug activation and localized delivery, holding significant potential for cancer therapy and related applications.