Article
Polymer Science
Dimitrios Selianitis, Stergios Pispas
Summary: This work introduces a series of novel multi-responsive hyperbranched copolymers which self-organize in aqueous media. The copolymers, prepared by RAFT polymerization, exhibit responsiveness to changes in solution temperature and pH, and are able to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs like curcumin. These hyperbranched copolymers show potential as candidates for drug delivery and bio-imaging applications, as they demonstrate stability in the presence of serum proteins.
Article
Polymer Science
Dimitrios Selianitis, Stergios Pispas
Summary: We synthesized a new series of thermo- and pH-responsive hyperbranched copolymers and studied their self-assembly in aqueous media. The copolymers showed the formation of nano-aggregates responsive to changes in temperature and pH. Encapsulation experiments with a hydrophobic drug also showed promising results. These hyperbranched copolymers have potential as nanocarrier systems for medicinal applications.
Article
Polymer Science
Peter Cernoch, Alessandro Jager, Zulfiya Cernochova, Vladimir Sincari, Lindomar J. C. Albuquerque, Rafal Konefal, Ewa Pavlova, Fernando C. Giacomelli, Eliezer Jager
Summary: A novel amphiphilic block copolymer based on PMeOx and PDPA was synthesized using a two-step approach, and hydrodynamic flow focusing nanoprecipitation microfluidics was utilized to manufacture block copolymer self-assemblies of different morphologies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Silvana Casati, Paola Rota, Pietro Allevi, Alessandra Mingione, Roberta Ottria, Pierangela Ciuffreda
Summary: In recent years, nucleosides analogues have regained attention in the scientific community for their antiviral activity. This study investigates the use of benzylidene as a ribonolactone protecting group in the synthesis of C-purine nucleosides analogues, along with detailed structural analysis and molecular modeling.
Article
Polymer Science
Athanasios Skandalis, Dimitrios Selianitis, David R. Sory, Sara M. Rankin, Julian R. Jones, Stergios Pispas
Summary: This study investigates the ability of PDMAEMA-b-PLMA-b-POEGMA amphiphilic triblock terpolymers to encapsulate curcumin. The terpolymers self-assemble into spherical micelles in aqueous solutions. The encapsulation of curcumin within the polymeric micelles is confirmed and quantified using FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The micelles exhibit spherical morphology as observed by transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the curcumin-loaded micelles show no cytotoxicity in vitro.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Carolina Montoya, Julia Kurylec, Alex Ossa, Santiago Orrego
Summary: This study investigated the effect of cyclic strain on the virulence of Candida albicans. The results showed that surfaces subjected to cyclic strain had significantly higher biofilm biomass and metabolic activity. Genes and transcription factors associated with adhesion, biofilm formation, secretion of extracellular matrix, virulence, and secretion of extracellular enzymes were significantly upregulated on cyclically strained surfaces compared to static surfaces. This study reveals a biomaterial surface factor triggering the pathogenesis of Candida albicans, which is important for understanding and preventing oral infections.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Tatiana P. Loginova, Irina A. Khotina, Yurii A. Kabachii, Sergei Yu. Kochev, Vyacheslav M. Abramov, Valentin S. Khlebnikov, Natalia L. Kulikova, Yaroslav O. Mezhuev
Summary: Cationic copolymers based on 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate and polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (pDMAEMA-co-PEO) with different molecular weights were synthesized. The physicochemical properties of interpolyelectrolyte complexes of these polycations with circular DNA (IPEC DNA) were studied. It was found that the diameter and zeta-potential of the complexes can be varied by changing the ratio of ionizable groups in the copolymers and DNA, as well as by regulating pH. The resistance of the complexes to nucleases and the transfection efficiency of the polycations into human embryonic kidney cells were also investigated.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ameneh Taghavi-Kahagh, Seyedeh-Arefeh Safavi-Mirmahalleh, Reza Pashaei-Sarnaghi, Mehdi Salami-Kalajahi, Hossein Roghani-Mamaqani
Summary: Polyampholyte star copolymers were synthesized through a two-step RAFT polymerization and DPP polymerization, and their morphological changes and drug release behavior under different pH conditions were studied.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Ipsita Pani, Yogendra Nailwal, Sukanya Dutta, Santanu Kumar Pal
Summary: This study presents a simple and rational design of enzyme-responsive LC interfaces using a cleavable non-ionic surfactant for encapsulation and enzyme-triggered release. LC droplets decorated with dye-loaded micelles showed advantages over conventional micellar nanocarriers, exhibiting controlled release features unaffected at high dilutions.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Khalid M. Alotaibi, Abdurrahman A. Almethen, Abeer M. Beagan, Latifah H. Alfhaid, Maqusood Ahamed, Ahmed M. El-Toni, Abdullah M. Alswieleh
Summary: A new pH-responsive nanosystem based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) was developed for cancer therapy, featuring a gatekeeper PDEAEMA and further modification to encapsulate the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). The fabricated nanoplatform exhibited significant drug release and cytotoxicity in acidic media, suggesting its potential as a nanocarrier for anti-cancer drugs.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zishuai An, Bing Cao, Junzhe Zhang, Baihong Zhang, Chengqian Zhou, Xianglong Hu, Wenli Chen
Summary: Nanomaterials have been widely studied for their potential to become the new generation of nanocarriers in gene transfection. This study focuses on the application of Poly (2-(N,N-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) as a gene carrier in plant cells. The results show that PDMAEMA has the ability to efficiently deliver DNA in plant cells with lower cytotoxicity compared to polyethylenimine (PEI). This work provides new ideas and more effective methods for plant transformation.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Meifang Shen, Yushu Wang, Tiejun Bing, Yujing Tang, Xueyi Liu, Yingjie Yu
Summary: Alendronate (Ale)-based cationic platinum prodrug nanoparticles (Ale NP) with cascade responsiveness to the osteosarcoma (OS) tumor microenvironment are developed. Ale NP can deeply penetrate dense OS tissues via bone targeting and charge reversal effects, and induce dendritic cell (DC) maturation through the cGAS-STING pathway. The release of highly potent Pt(II) in tumor cells achieves dual-targeted cascade delivery of cationic platinum drugs, effectively reversing the suppressive microenvironment of OS.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Xuan Wu, Lantian Zhou, Chen Ye, Zhenzhong Zha, Chuchu Li, Chao Feng, Yue Zhang, Qian Jin, Jianyi Pan
Summary: Vibrio parahaemolyticus utilizes VopY to suppress the immune response triggered by c-di-GMP, evading host immune defense and causing disease.
Article
Polymer Science
Zihnil A. I. Mazrad, May Lai, Thomas P. Davis, Joseph A. Nicolazzo, Kristofer J. Thurecht, Meike N. Leiske, Kristian Kempe
Summary: This study explores the application of a new initiator in polymer synthesis. The results show that this initiator can achieve a higher degree of control over the polymerization process under irradiation, resulting in well-defined polymers. In addition, tailored amine-based polymers can be prepared by using different terminating agents.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nathaniel M. Bingham, Qamar Un Nisa, Priyanka Gupta, Neil P. Young, Eirini Velliou, Peter J. Roth
Summary: In this study, polymers with backbone thioesters were successfully synthesized through radical reactions, and these thioesters can degrade under specific conditions. Treatment of these polymers under simulated intracellular conditions can trigger a solubility switch and release encapsulated drugs.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Liping Zhang, Yun Li, Ganen Mu, Lijun Yang, Chunhua Ren, Zhongyan Wang, Qingxiang Guo, Jianfeng Liu, Cuihong Yang
Summary: The unique fluorescence property of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) makes them ideal for constructing self-assembled peptide-based nanoprobes. This study reveals the key factors influencing the assembly and luminescence of AIEgen-peptides and proposes strategies for efficient assembly and luminescence. Additionally, AIEgen-peptide probes show good selectivity and sensitivity for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) detection. These insights are crucial for guiding the design of AIEgen-conjugated supramolecular materials, especially for applications in enzyme detection, biomarker imaging, diseases therapy, and other biomedical fields.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Cui-Cui Zhao, Chuan-Gui Zhang, Xuan Sun, Qingxiang Guo, Jinjian Liu, Yan Liu, Ya-Nan Hao, Guowei Feng, Lijun Yang, Hong Liu, Jianfeng Liu
Summary: The study demonstrated that using paclitaxel-conjugated mifepristone-loaded hydrogel (PM-nano) can effectively inhibit breast cancer metastasis, showing good water solubility and biocompatibility. Additionally, PM-nano inhibits metastasis by impacting glucocorticoid receptor/receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 and MMPs.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zujian Feng, Yumin Zhang, Chunfang Yang, Xiang Liu, Yini Huangfu, Chuangnian Zhang, Pingsheng Huang, Anjie Dong, Jinjian Liu, Jianfeng Liu, Deling Kong, Weiwei Wang
Summary: A glycopeptide hydrogel inspired by extracellular matrix (ECM) has been designed to accelerate wound healing in radiation-induced skin injury (RSI) by modulating chronic inflammation. The hydrogel replicates ECM components and structure, scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS), and polarizes macrophages to reduce inflammation. In mouse models, the hydrogel significantly reduces hyperplasia, promotes regeneration and angiogenesis, and decreases proinflammatory cytokine expression, making it superior to current treatment options.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huan Liu, Xiuhui Tian, Xianghong Gong, Dianfeng Han, Lihua Ren, Yanmei Cui, Fang Jiang, Junqiang Zhao, Jianqiang Chen, Lisheng Jiang, Yingjiang Xu, Huanjun Li
Summary: In this study, transcriptomics and metabolomics were used to investigate the genetic and metabolite changes and functional physiological disturbances in scallops exposed to inorganic arsenic. The omics results were supported by physiological indicators and cell apoptosis analysis, confirming the toxic effects of inorganic arsenic. The study reveals that inorganic arsenic disrupts the physiological functions of bivalves by interfering with cell growth and small molecule metabolism, providing new insights into the toxic effects of environmental pollutants on marine organisms.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lijun Yang, Dianyu Wang, Haixue Jia, Cuihong Yang, Yumin Zhang, Hui Li, Jinjian Liu, Jianfeng Liu
Summary: Tumor cells use metabolic reprogramming to create an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and evade the immune system. This study develops a tumor-specific peroxynitrite nanogenerator that disrupts metabolic homeostasis in melanoma cells. The produced peroxynitrite induces a decrease in metabolites in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and reduces lactate production. Mechanistically, peroxynitrite impairs glucose metabolism by affecting the activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. These metabolic alterations reverse the immunosuppressive TME and promote antitumor immune responses. When combined with anti-PD-L1, the nanogenerator inhibits both primary and metastatic melanomas without causing toxicity. This research provides a new strategy for enhancing immunotherapy sensitivity.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qian Wang, Hongmei Cao, Xiaoxue Hou, Dianyu Wang, Zhilong Wang, Yue Shang, Shuqin Zhang, Jinjian Liu, Chunhua Ren, Jianfeng Liu
Summary: A surface-induced self-assembly system (CA-Pt) is developed to overcome hypoxic cancer stem cell-mediated radioresistance by deep penetration, amplified CAIX inhibition, and enhanced cellular uptake. It effectively relieves the hypoxic and acidic microenvironment, promotes the differentiation of hypoxic CSCs, and enhances the DNA damage induced by radiotherapy. This study provides a universal treatment strategy for overcoming tumor radioresistance.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Botao Jia, Ning Yang, Xianwen Zhang, Gan Wang, Peichen Wang, Junqiang Zhao, Li Chen, Yiping Zhao
Summary: An aminated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber membrane was fabricated for the in situ remediation of Cd(II) contaminated soil. The membrane showed potential as a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) combined with electrokinetics (EK) for the remediation of potentially toxic metal contaminated soil.
CLEAN-SOIL AIR WATER
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yusen Hao, Hui Li, Jiajun Guo, Dan Wang, Jiamin Zhang, Jinjian Liu, Cuihong Yang, Yumin Zhang, Guoliang Li, Jianfeng Liu
Summary: Radiotherapy is an important cancer treatment method, but it can cause adverse reactions and injuries to the skin. This study designed an antioxidant heparin-mimetic peptide hydrogel (K16) for repairing radiation-induced skin injuries (RISI). The K16 hydrogel can scavenge excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), prevent radiation damage to DNA, promote cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, and eliminate inflammation at the wound site. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the K16 hydrogel inhibits wound degradation, reduces inflammation, and promotes wound healing. Therefore, the K16 hydrogel has great potential for application in repairing radiation-induced skin injuries.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hongjing Luo, Hongmei Cao, Haixue Jia, Yuna Shang, Jinjian Liu, Han Gui, Cuihong Yang, Chunhua Ren, Zhongyan Wang, Jianfeng Liu
Summary: Radiotherapy can remodel the tumor microenvironment by inducing immunogenic cell death and inflammation, but it is not effective in generating a systemic antitumor immune response. This study presents a novel strategy to create in situ peptide-based nanovaccines using enzyme-induced self-assembly, in combination with immunogenic cell death. The nanovaccine enhances antigen accumulation in the lymph nodes and cross-presentation by antigen-presenting cells, and promotes the repolarization of macrophages and reduces regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. The combination of nanovaccines and radiotherapy significantly improves the therapeutic effect on tumors, providing a promising strategy for tumor radioimmunotherapy.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Junqiang Zhao, Jianqiang Chen, Xiuhui Tian, Lisheng Jiang, Qingkui Cui, Yanqing Sun, Ningning Wu, Ge Liu, Yuzhu Ding, Jing Wang, Yongchun Liu, Dianfeng Han, Yingjiang Xu
Summary: This study investigated the toxicity of amantadine on sea cucumbers, showing that it can induce oxidative stress and histopathological changes in the intestinal tissues of Apostichopus japonicus. Proteomics analysis revealed alterations in metabolic pathways, including increased energy production, activation of NF-kappa B pathway, and inhibition of protein synthesis and growth. These findings provide a theoretical basis for further research on amantadine toxicity.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jing Yang, Ligang Lin, Fengling Tang, Junqiang Zhao
Summary: In this study, a novel N-oxide zwitterionic polymer (PTMAO) was developed with ultralow fouling property and superior hydrophilicity, inspired by the secretion of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) by saltwater fish. A zwitterionic polymer network was formed using a biomimetic co-deposition technique of dopamine (DA) and PTMAO. The fabricated membrane exhibited excellent superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity, achieving high efficiency of oil-water separation performance under ultra-low-pressure conditions.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang Yanfu, Wang Qiqi, Zhang Hui, Zhang Qinglei, Zhao Junqiang, Zhao Yiping, Chen Li
Summary: Using PVDF as a substrate material, a block copolymer PHMH with hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments was used to modify the PVDF substrate. The modified substrate had smaller surface pore size, increased porosity and hydrophilicity. The nanofiltration membrane prepared from PVDF/PHMH exhibited higher surface roughness, hydrophilicity and lower molecular weight cut-off, with a rejection rate of 96.0% for Na2SO4 and a permeation flux of 304 L·m(-2)·h(-1)·MPa-1.
CHEMICAL JOURNAL OF CHINESE UNIVERSITIES-CHINESE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhongyan Wang, Yuna Shang, Hongjing Luo, Cuihong Yang, Zhimou Yang, Chunhua Ren, Jianfeng Liu
Summary: This study presents a novel strategy of achieving higher hierarchical structures through cooperative self-assembly of hydrophobic tripeptides with reverse sequences, showing a low-to-high hierarchical structure transformation. The cooperation between different sequences also allows different morphological transitions, promoting a more compact molecular arrangement by creating more hydrogen bond interactions and in-register π-π stacking in the anti-parallel β-sheet conformation. This work provides a handy approach for controlled hierarchical assembly and the development of various functional bionanomaterials.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zhixian Gao, Yehong Zhang, Yun Zhao, Yinping Wei, Shiyang Lv, Zhenpeng Shao, Zongya Zhao, Chang Wang, Xuezhi Zhou, Junqiang Zhao, Wensheng Hou, Yi Yu
Summary: This study aimed to investigate how neuromuscular compartments within a forearm multi-tendon muscle cooperate to achieve constant finger force. Through electromyography signal analysis, the study found a coordination strategy across EDC compartments during sustained index finger extension, involving an auxiliary pattern compensating for the intensity and stability of the primary pattern. These findings provide new insights into constant force control of prosthetic hands.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qian Wang, Hongmei Cao, Xiaoxue Hou, Dianyu Wang, Zhilong Wang, Yue Shang, Shuqin Zhang, Jinjian Liu, Chunhua Ren, Jianfeng Liu
Summary: This study reports a CAIX-targeted induced in situ self-assembly system on the surface of hypoxic cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), which relieves the hypoxic and acidic microenvironment and promotes CSC differentiation to overcome tumor radiotherapy resistance. The constructed peptide-based drug delivery system exhibits deep penetration, amplified CAIX inhibition, and enhanced cellular uptake, showing potential as a universal treatment strategy for overcoming tumor radioresistance.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
