Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Minghao Wu, Shipeng He, Hua Tang, Honggang Hu, Yejiao Shi
Summary: The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria and the lack of novel antibiotics have led to the revival of polymyxin B. Molecular engineering strategies have been used to improve its clinical applications in targeted imaging and effective treatment of bacterial infections. This mini review summarizes recent advances and provides an outlook on the challenges and trends in this research area.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Qiaoyu Liu, Jian Guan, Ruxiao Song, Xin Zhang, Shirui Mao
Summary: This review summarizes how the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles affect the physiological function and fate of pulmonary surfactants. The composition and characteristics of pulmonary surfactants, as well as the methods for studying their interaction with nanoparticles, are introduced. The influence of nanoparticles' physicochemical properties on hydrophobic protein adsorption and strategies to decrease their interaction with pulmonary surfactants are discussed. The influence of nanoparticles' physicochemical properties on lipids and hydrophilic protein adsorption and their consequent fate is described.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alberto Hidalgo, Cristina Garcia-Mouton, Chiara Autilio, Pablo Carravilla, Guillermo Orellana, Mohammad N. Islam, Jahar Bhattacharya, Sunita Bhattacharya, Antonio Cruz, Jesus Perez-Gil
Summary: This study demonstrated the potential of using pulmonary surfactant (PS) for drug delivery over the respiratory air-liquid interface in both in vitro and in vivo settings. The combination of PS with the hydrophobic anti-inflammatory drug Tacrolimus showed enhanced efficiency in drug delivery, particularly in attenuating the pro-inflammatory effects of LPS-induced acute lung injury. These results suggest a synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of PS/drug formulations, opening up novel effective delivery strategies for inhaled drugs.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Chanhee Oh, Ok Hwa Jeon, Junhee Han, Kyungsu Kim, Hyun Koo Kim, Ji-Ho Park
Summary: Inhalable nanotherapeutics using exogenous pulmonary surfactant (PS) were developed to treat lung adenocarcinoma, showing selective interaction with adenocarcinoma cells in vitro and prolonged retention in the alveolar space after inhalation. Inhalation treatments with paclitaxel-loaded PSNVs significantly inhibited tumor growth in a lung cancer mouse model compared to free paclitaxel and synthetic NVs, suggesting great potential for treating lung adenocarcinoma.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Fairoz Ali Al-Wrafy, Adel Ali Al-Gheethi, Senthil Kumar Ponnusamy, Efaq Ali Noman, Shaima Abdul Fattah
Summary: This review discusses the potential of nanotechnology in eradicating bacterial biofilm-related infections and highlights the gaps in research on the antimicrobial effects of NPs, as well as the challenges that need to be overcome.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lucrezia Caselli, Gisele R. Rodrigues, Octavio L. Franco, Martin Malmsten
Summary: Bacterial infections of the respiratory tract are a major cause of millions of deaths annually. Traditional antibiotic treatments face challenges such as lengthy treatment periods and the development of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, alternative therapies are urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have shown promise in combating antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, with some also suppressing inflammation and providing other host defense functions. However, the delivery of AMPs is complicated due to their size, charge, and amphiphilic nature, leading to the importance of studying delivery systems.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Barbara Pioselli, Fabrizio Salomone, Giuseppe Mazzola, Davide Amidani, Elisa Sgarbi, Francesco Amadei, Xabi Murgia, Silvia Catinella, Gino Villetti, Daniele De Luca, Virgilio Carnielli, Maurizio Civelli
Summary: Pulmonary surfactant plays a crucial role in maintaining lung homeostasis, preventing alveolar collapse, and protecting against inhaled pathogens. Deficiencies or inactivation of surfactant are associated with various lung diseases. The development of exogenous surfactant preparations and new formulations holds promise for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Pulmonary surfactant can also serve as a delivery system and release modulator for other drugs.
CURRENT MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Wenjie Fan, Haijie Han, Yaoyao Chen, Xiaobo Zhang, Yifan Gao, Su Li, Qiao Jin, Jian Ji, Ke Yao
Summary: Ocular infection caused by bacteria and fungi is a major cause of visual impairment and blindness. Traditional treatment with eye drops is inefficient, while nanomedicine provides a promising platform for enhancing the delivery of antimicrobial agents to the eye.
DRUG DELIVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Abhirup Basu, Rohini Singh, Shalini Gupta
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive overview of the bilateral relationship between cancer and bacteria, highlighting the gaps in current research. The article discusses the potential of dual drug therapies that target both bacteria and cancer cells simultaneously to overcome drug resistance, as well as the opportunities for using the natural colonization and remission power of bacteria for cancer treatment.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cristina Garcia-Mouton, Alberto Hidalgo, Raquel Arroyo, Mercedes Echaide, Antonio Cruz, Jesus Perez-Gil
Summary: This research focuses on delivering full-length recombinant human surfactant protein SP-D using pulmonary surfactant at the respiratory air-liquid interface. Results demonstrate that pulmonary surfactant can transport rhSP-D long distances over air-liquid interfaces, either separately or in combination with PS, opening new possibilities for enhancing clinical surfactants and surfactant replacement therapy.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Rafael R. Castillo, Maria Vallet-Regi
Summary: The overuse of antibiotics is leading to increasing bacterial resistance, with studies suggesting the possibility of using abandoned antibiotics to reverse this effect, though it may lead to new resistance issues. Nanotechnology offers new possibilities for addressing this problem, such as using porous silica nanoparticles as carriers for antibiotics.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NANOMEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Longfukang Yao, Qianying Liu, Zhixin Lei, Taolei Sun
Summary: The escalating global prevalence of antimicrobial resistance poses a critical threat to public health. The shortage of novel antimicrobial agents aggravates this predicament. Antimicrobial peptides, known for their intrinsic antibacterial activity, offer a promising avenue to tackle bacterial resistance. However, their clinical utility is hindered by limited bioavailability and susceptibility to degradation. The emergence of nanocarriers provides a transformative approach for peptide delivery, enabling precise release based on dynamic microenvironmental factors.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yinglu Chen, Xiaoheng He, Qiuhong Chen, Yi He, Fangman Chen, Chao Yang, Liang Wang
Summary: Fighting intracellular bacteria with strong antibiotics has been a challenge, but utilizing nanomaterials with unique physicochemical properties offers potential for precise drug delivery and modulation of the infectious microenvironment. This review explores the characteristics of intracellular infection microenvironment and how nanomaterials' properties affect their interactions with cells and bacteria. The progress of nanomaterial-based targeted delivery and controlled release of antibiotics is discussed, with an emphasis on the unique intrinsic properties of nanomaterials for treating intracellular bacteria. Opportunities and challenges of bioactive nanomaterials in addressing intracellular infections are also examined.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Asmariah Ahmad, Teruki Nii, Takeshi Mori, Yoshiki Katayama, Masanori Toyofuku, Akihiro Kishimura
Summary: This study develops novel nanovehicles for polymyxin-type antibiotics using a polyion complex (PICs) system. The importance of guanidine moieties in enhancing the interaction between catiomer and colistimethate sodium (CMS) is demonstrated. The ratio of guanidine residues determines the formation of micellar or vesicular PIC nanostructures. The encapsulation efficiency of CMS depends on the guanidinium modification ratio.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Xiaoxiang Ren, Henny C. van der Mei, Yijin Ren, Henk J. Busscher, Brandon W. Peterson
Summary: Titanium is commonly used for implants, but bacterial contamination during surgery can prevent surface coverage by mammalian cells, leading to implant failure. Efforts to kill contaminating bacteria and promote surface coverage are being researched, with low-level gentamicin-loading showing promise as a local antibiotic delivery system. Care must be taken when loading nanotubular titanium surfaces with Ag nanoparticles to avoid tissue-cell death.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING C-MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fredrik G. Backlund, Benjamin Schmuck, Gisele H. B. Miranda, Gabriele Greco, Nicola M. Pugno, Jesper Ryden, Anna Rising
Summary: This study introduces a new method for categorizing protein fibers, allowing for highly accurate prediction of tensile strength through the use of a light microscope and image analysis. This non-destructive quality control process provides further insights into the relationship between supramolecular organization and mechanical functionality of protein fibers.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karen Salve Coutinho-Wolino, Beatriz Oliveira da Cruz, Ludmila F. M. De F. Cardozo, Igor Alexandre Fernandes, Claudio Tinoco Mesquita, Peter Stenvinkel, Peter Bergman, Denise Mafra, Milena Barcza Stockler-Pinto
Summary: This study aimed to assess the effect of Brazil nut supplementation on TMAO levels and GPx activity in patients with CAD. It found that a 3-month Brazil nut supplementation did not change TMAO levels, but potentially increased GPx activity.
JOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Carl Inge Edvard Smith, Rula Zain, Anders osterborg, Marzia Palma, Marcus Buggert, Peter Bergman, Yenan Bryceson
Summary: The scarcity of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) may contribute to the severe clinical course of COVID-19 in these patients. Treatment of CLL with Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors can increase the number of pDCs.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Senait Ashenafi, Amsalu Bekele, Getachew Aseffa, Wondwossen Amogne, Endale Kassa, Getachew Aderaye, Alemayehu Worku, Peter Bergman, Susanna Brighenti
Summary: Anemia is strongly associated with wasting, disease severity, inflammation, and slower recovery in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients. The study found that anemic patients had higher clinical scores and lower hemoglobin levels than non-anemic patients. Anemia was also linked to lower body mass index, reduced peripheral T cell counts and IFN-gamma levels, and higher erythrocyte sedimentation rates. High levels of pro-inflammatory IL-6 were observed in anemic patients, indicating chronic inflammation and TB disease progression. Successful chemotherapy increased hemoglobin levels, but anemic TB patients had slower clinical recovery during the intensive phase treatment.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
D. Mafra, L. Cardozo, M. Ribeiro-Alves, P. Bergman, P. G. Shiels, P. Stenvinkel
Summary: This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between plasma choline levels and transcriptional expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The study found a positive correlation between choline plasma levels and Nrf2 expression.
CLINICAL NUTRITION ESPEN
(2022)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Peter Bergman
JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Jinjin Zhang, Wentao Wang, Shufei Liang, Rui Shao, Wenkai Shi, Gudmundur H. Gudmundsson, Peter Bergman, Qinghui Ai, Kangsen Mai, Min Wan
Summary: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) promote the expression of IL-22 in fish macrophages, enhancing their bactericidal activity. Feeding turbot with sodium butyrate (NaB) reduces mortality after bacterial infection and increases IL-22 expression and bactericidal activity in macrophages. Treatment with NaB also promotes the expression of beta-defensins in zebrafish, although this effect is reduced in IL-22 mutant fish. Macrophages are identified as a cell source of IL-22 production in vivo.
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Peter Bergman
JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cagla Sahin, Aikaterini Motso, Xinyu Gu, Hannes Feyrer, Dilraj Lama, Tina Arndt, Anna Rising, Genis Valentin Gese, B. Martin Haellberg, Erik. G. Marklund, Nicholas P. Schafer, Katja Petzold, Kaare Teilum, Peter G. Wolynes, Michael Landreh
Summary: Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of heterogeneous ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) was studied using protein engineering, native ion mobility mass spectrometry, and molecular dynamics simulations. The experiments focused on hnRNPs FUS, TDP-43, and hCPEB3 involved in neurodegeneration, cancer, and memory storage. Conformational changes associated with LLPS were monitored by releasing the proteins inside the mass spectrometer from their native assemblies. The results revealed different assembly mechanisms and potentially different impacts on RNA processing and translation depending on the protein species.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Letter
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Axel Leppert, Gefei Chen, Dilraj Lama, Cagla Sahin, Vaida Railaite, Olga Shilkova, Tina Arndt, Erik G. Marklund, David P. Lane, Anna Rising, Michael Landreh
Summary: Many protein condensates can convert to fibrillar aggregates, but the mechanisms are unclear. Spider silk proteins, spidroins, undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) which suggests a regulatory switch. This study investigates the influence of protein sequence, ions, and regulatory domains on spidroin LLPS using microscopy and native mass spectrometry. The findings demonstrate that salting out-effects drive LLPS via low-affinity stickers in the repeat domains, and conditions that enable LLPS also cause dissociation of the dimeric C-terminal domain (CTD), priming it for aggregation. The study expands the stickers and spacers-model of phase separation with the concept of folded domains as conditional stickers.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Benjamin Schmuck, Gabriele Greco, Tomas Bohn Pessatti, Sumalata Sonavane, Viktoria Langwallner, Tina Arndt, Anna Rising
Summary: Artificial spider silk is an attractive material with superior mechanical properties. The key challenge in large-scale production is to maintain its native-like mechanical properties. Strategies to improve the properties of artificial spider silk include optimizing protein composition, improving spinning setups, innovating protein engineering, chemical and physical crosslinking, and incorporating nanomaterials.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Thomas R. R. Muller, Takuya Sekine, Darya Trubach, Julia Niessl, Puran Chen, Peter Bergman, Ola Blennow, Lotta Hansson, Stephan Mielke, Piotr Nowak, Jan Vesterbacka, Mira Akber, Anna Olofsson, Susana Patricia Amaya Hernandez, Yu Gao, Curtis Cai, Gunnar Soderdahl, C. I. Edvard Smith, Anders Osterborg, Karin Lore, Margaret Sallberg Chen, Per Ljungman, Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren, Annika C. C. Karlsson, Sunil Kumar Saini, Soo Aleman, Marcus Buggert
Summary: Suboptimal immunity to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination is common in immunodeficient individuals. T cell responses were assessed in 279 individuals with different immunodeficiencies and healthy controls before and after booster vaccination, as well as after Omicron infection. Robust and persistent Omicron-reactive T cell responses were observed, which increased significantly after booster vaccination and correlated with antibody titers in all patient groups. Additional vaccine doses effectively countered poor vaccination responsiveness in immunocompromised or elderly individuals.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Mohammad Javad Jafari, Fredrik G. Backlund, Tina Arndt, Benjamin Schmuck, Gabriele Greco, Anna Rising, Andreas Barth, Thomas Ederth
Summary: This study reports significant method-induced irreversible structural changes to both natural and synthetic spider silk fibers using the ATR-FTIR technique. Changing the contact force revealed correlated and largely irreversible changes in the secondary structure. The findings highlight the need for careful use and interpretation of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Biophysics
Gabriele Greco, Benjamin Schmuck, S. K. Jalali, Nicola M. Pugno, Anna Rising
Summary: This article critically reviews the research on spider silk mechanical performance over the past 50 years and proposes a protocol for conducting tensile tests on silk fibers.
BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Benjamin Schmuck, Gabriele Greco, Fredrik G. Backlund, Nicola M. Pugno, Jan Johansson, Anna Rising
Summary: Artificial spider silk has the potential to replace petroleum-based materials, but its mechanical properties need improvement. By optimizing spinning conditions and post-spin stretching, fibers with high tensile strength can be achieved.
COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS
(2022)