Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hang Jiang, Shengwei Zhang, Guanqing Sun, Yunxing Li, Xin Guan, Cheng Yang, To Ngai
Summary: This paper successfully fabricated a hybrid poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based microgel with tunable wettability from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity through temperature regulation. By synthesizing engineered microgels in inverse emulsions stabilized with hydrophobic silica nanoparticles and utilizing swelling-induced feature, the microgel can undergo phase inversion with temperature change, stabilizing Pickering emulsions and achieving stability of water-in-oil emulsions with encapsulated enzymes.
Article
Biophysics
Huaihong Zhang, Na Liu, Yuting Zhang, Hui Cang, Zhaosheng Cai, Ziqun Huang, Jun Li
Summary: A functionalized cationic polymer, CR-PQAC, was designed and synthesized for photothermal enhanced antimicrobial therapy. The CR-PQAC nanoparticles exhibited significant antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Mouldy Sioud, Qindong Zhang
Summary: Among immunosuppressive cells, macrophages in the tumor microenvironment play a crucial role in angiogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to cancer therapies. A synthetic peptide called NW has been developed to bind to both M1 and M2 macrophages. By further selection on M2 macrophages, peptides specifically binding to M2 macrophages were identified. These M2-specific peptides, when conjugated with a photosensitizer, effectively killed M2 macrophages upon near-infrared light exposure. The wild type M13 phage also displayed a significant tropism to M2 macrophages, suggesting the potential for targeting both M2 macrophages and cancer cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qingqing Yin, Anni Pan, Binlong Chen, Zenghui Wang, Mingmei Tang, Yue Yan, Yaoqi Wang, Heming Xia, Wei Chen, Hongliang Du, Meifang Chen, Chuanxun Fu, Yanni Wang, Xia Yuan, Zhihao Lu, Qiang Zhang, Yiguang Wang
Summary: The authors developed a binary ratiometric nanoreporter that quantifies intracellular nanoparticle uptake and predicts nanotherapeutic responses. This technology accurately quantifies the internalisation of nanoparticles in tumor cells, enabling the prediction of therapeutic responses and personalized cancer therapy.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Pichapak Srikamut, Treethip Phakkeeree, Farzad Seidi, Supitchaya Iamsaard, Daniel Crespy
Summary: Active protection coatings have been developed to mitigate the corrosion of metallic substrates by encapsulating and releasing corrosion inhibitors through responsive particles. Coatings prepared with polymer-inhibitor conjugates, featuring acetal and immolative disulfide linkers, show higher anticorrosion performance than single-responsive polymers. Unlike previous conjugates, the release of inhibitors can be activated not only by a change in pH value but also by a change in electrochemical potential.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wenhao Pan, Lei Zhang, Lei Li, Jie Cen, Rundi Song, Chengzhou Song, Guoying Zhang, Jinming Hu, Shiyong Liu
Summary: This study reports the synthesis of well-defined polypeptides containing semicarbazide moieties via direct polymerization of N-phenoxycarbonyl-functionalized alpha-amino acid (NPCA) based monomers. These polypeptides can be further decorated with ketone/aldehyde-containing agents with the formation of pH-cleavable semicarbazone linkages. The intracellular acidic pH-triggered release promotes drug escape from endolysosomes and enhances anti-tumor efficacy, which can be also employed for highly sensitive detection of tumor lesions.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Roberto Bernasconi, Emanuele Mauri, Arianna Rossetti, Stefano Rimondo, Raffaella Suriano, Marinella Levi, Alessandro Sacchetti, Salvador Pane, Luca Magagnin, Filippo Rossi
Summary: Targeted drug delivery is a promising approach that utilizes stimuli-responsive materials to control drug release with spatial and temporal precision. This study describes coating magnetically controlled microdevices with functionalized alginate-based hydrogels for drug release at specific pH values, showcasing the potential for spatially and temporally controlled release. The functional microtransporters hold promise for in-vivo applications, particularly in environments with pH differences like the digestive tract.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ramesh Singh, Pankaj Yadav, Hema Naveena, Dhiraj Bhatia
Summary: Self-assembled DNA nanocages have great potential in bioimaging and payload delivery. However, the cellular uptake of tetrahedral nanocages is hindered by electrostatic repulsion. In this study, we enhance the cellular uptake of DNA nanocages through the functionalization of a model cage with a cationic lipid. The results demonstrate the enhancement in cellular uptake and suggest multiple applications in gene transfection, drug delivery, and targeted bioimaging.
Article
Polymer Science
Neena Yadav, Arul Prakash Francis, Veeraraghavan Vishnu Priya, Shankargouda Patil, Shazia Mustaq, Sameer Saeed Khan, Khalid J. Alzahrani, Hamsa Jameel Banjer, Surapaneni Krishna Mohan, Ullas Mony, Rukkumani Rajagopalan
Summary: Polysaccharide-based drug carriers have been widely studied for anticancer therapy due to their biocompatibility, high drug loading capacity, and ability to target cancer cells specifically.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Toni A. Pringle, Oliver Coleman, Akane Kawamura, James C. Knight
Summary: This study evaluated the cellular internalization properties of Herceptin-TAT conjugates with different degrees of TAT labeling. The conjugates showed enhanced cell membrane translocation and increased cellular internalization in high HER2 cells. This research provides a potential strategy for improving the efficacy of antibodies.
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Yiao Wang, Carston R. Wagner, Mark D. Distefano
Summary: The homeostasis of cellular activities is crucial for the normal functioning of organisms. Protein conjugates, as hybrid biomacromolecules, have shown great potential in manipulating cell function for therapeutic applications such as cancer treatment, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. This review discusses recent progress in the design and assembly of protein conjugates, including different categories based on their mechanisms of action, conjugation methodologies, and potential biomedical applications.
BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rohin Biswas, Shilong Yang, Ryan A. Crichton, Patrick Adly-Gendi, Tyler K. Chen, William P. Kopcha, Zheng Shi, Jianyuan Zhang
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of water-soluble C-60-beta-cyclodextrin conjugates as drug delivery systems. The behavior of fullerene aggregates inside cells is controlled by the functionalization of the C-60 cage. Conjugates with a hydroxylated C-60 cage quickly escape lysosomes and deliver drugs to the cell nucleus, while those with a hydrophobic C-60 cage are trapped in lysosomes for a longer time and show reduced drug delivery to the nucleus.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Min Li, Ling'e Zhang, Yang Xuan, Defu Zhi, Wei Wang, Wenjun Zhang, Yinan Zhao, Shufen Zhang, Shubiao Zhang
Summary: This study developed a pH-responsive tumor prodrug using hyaluronic acid as a targeting carrier. The prodrug micelles demonstrated excellent stability, blood compatibility, and drug release properties. In vivo experiments showed that the prodrug micelles had significant tumor inhibition activity with minimal systemic toxicity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rui Sun, Yifan Zhang, Xiaowei Lin, Ying Piao, Tao Xie, Yi He, Jiajia Xiang, Shiqun Shao, Quan Zhou, Zhuxian Zhou, Jianbin Tang, Youqing Shen
Summary: Tumor enzyme-responsive charge-reversal carriers have the potential to effectively infiltrate tumors and deliver anticancer drugs. This study investigates the correlations between molecular structure, charge-reversal property, tumor penetration, and drug delivery efficiency. The findings show that the structure of the monomeric unit and polymer chain determines the enzymatic hydrolysis and charge-reversal rates, which subsequently impact the transcytosis and tumor accumulation of the carriers. The conjugate with moderate APN responsiveness exhibits the best tumor delivery efficiency and demonstrates potent antitumor efficacy.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Luzhi Liu, Qingqing Zhou, Qin He, Wengui Duan, Yan Huang
Summary: This study successfully constructed supramolecular vesicles with pH-triggering effect for drug delivery, which are formed by the complexation between a cationic pillar[5]arene and sodium dodecyl sulfonate. These vesicles efficiently loaded anticancer drug doxorubicin under neutral conditions and could control drug release in the simulated weak acid environment of tumor cells, showing promising potential for various biomedical applications.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Victoria C. Vetter, Ernst Wagner
Summary: This review summarizes the challenges and strategies for tumor-targeted nucleic acid delivery, with a focus on polyplexes as nanocarriers and their delivery options across multiple barriers into tumor cells.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ricarda Carolin Steffens, Ernst Wagner
Summary: Nucleic acid therapeutics have emerged as a promising treatment for a variety of diseases, including genetic disorders and cancer. They have also been effectively utilized as vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in order to maximize their therapeutic potential, these nano agents must overcome various obstacles, particularly the challenge of targeted transport to specific tissues and cell types.
PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yanhui Qin, Xiaoyi Zhang, Ulrich Laechelt, Rongqin Huang
Summary: A multifunctional core-shell nanoparticle, OPCPT, was constructed by coating PEGylated COF on photothermal carbon nanospheres. The COF shell dissociates in the acidic tumor microenvironment, leading to tumor-specific photothermal therapy and enhanced apoptosis of cancer cells. This study reveals the potential of COF-based nanomaterials for extended biomedical applications.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Carolin Kitzberger, Rebekka Spellerberg, Yang Han, Kathrin A. Schmohl, Christina Stauss, Christian Zach, Roland E. Kaelin, Gabriele Multhoff, Matthias Eiber, Franz Schilling, Rainer Glass, Wolfgang A. Weber, Ernst Wagner, Peter J. Nelson, Christine Spitzweg
Summary: In this study, genetically engineered MSCs carrying the NIS gene were injected into mice to treat experimental glioblastoma. The results showed that NIS-MSCs successfully homed to the tumor and expressed the NIS gene, and subsequent treatment with therapeutically effective radioiodide (131I) significantly delayed tumor growth and prolonged mouse survival.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi Lin, Ulrich Wilk, Jana Poehmerer, Elisa Hoerterer, Miriam Hoehn, Xianjin Luo, Hongcheng Mai, Ernst Wagner, Ulrich Laechelt
Summary: The CRISPR/Cas9 system provides opportunities for precise modification of the genome to treat various diseases. This study presents Cas9 RNP nanocarriers based on lipid-modified oligoamino amides and folic acid (FolA)-PEG for receptor-mediated uptake and gene editing in cancer cells. The nanocarriers achieve efficient knockout of GFP, PD-L1, and PVR genes, and exhibit superior gene editing and tumor growth inhibition compared to non-targeted nanoparticles in an in vivo mouse model.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sophie Thalmayr, Melina Grau, Lun Peng, Jana Poehmerer, Ulrich Wilk, Paul Folda, Mina Yazdi, Eric Weidinger, Tobias Burghardt, Miriam Hoehn, Ernst Wagner, Simone Berger
Summary: By combining cationizable lipids and polymers, we have developed highly potent pH-responsive nucleic acid carriers for efficient intracellular delivery. These carriers exhibit tunable polarity and structural changes in response to pH, allowing for dynamic nucleic acid delivery. Through optimization of topologies, LAF types, and LAF/aminoethylene ratios, we have identified carriers that are up to several 100-fold more efficient than previous generations and maintain activity in the presence of serum. Importantly, these carriers show excellent in vivo performance, particularly in the spleen, tumor, lungs, and liver.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Faqian Shen, Yi Lin, Miriam Hoehn, Xianjin Luo, Markus Doeblinger, Ernst Wagner, Ulrich Laechelt
Summary: This study presents a versatile platform for the cellular delivery of various cargo peptides by integrating them into metallo-peptidic coordination nanoparticles. These nanoparticles can enhance the stability and membrane permeability of the peptides, making them efficient in delivering bioactive cargos into cells. The nanoparticles also generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, further enhancing their therapeutic potential.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miriam Grava, Mohd Ibrahim, Akhil Sudarsan, Julio Pusterla, Julian Philipp, Joachim O. Raedler, Nadine Schwierz, Emanuel Schneck
Summary: The protonation degree and lipid packing of ionizable lipids play crucial roles in the performance of lipid-based nanoparticles, and a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and experimental measurements can provide valuable insights for further predictive modeling.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lindomar J. C. Albuquerque, Fernando A. de Oliveira, Marcelo A. Christoffolete, Michelle Nascimento-Sales, Simone Berger, Ernst Wagner, Ulrich Lachelt, Fernando C. Giacomelli
Summary: This study evaluated the use of lipopeptides capable of binding to nucleic acids for plasmid DNA delivery, with a focus on retinal pigment epithelial cells and ocular disorders. The lipopeptides effectively condensed pDNA and demonstrated highly efficient delivery with lower cytotoxicity compared to linear polyethylenimine. However, carriers containing cysteine showed lower efficiency possibly due to excessive polyplex stabilization.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi Lin, Xianjin Luo, Tobias Burghardt, Sarah Dorrer, Miriam Hoehn, Ernst Wagner, Ulrich Laechelt
Summary: This study reports a series of artificial peptides based on novel ionizable amino acids that efficiently deliver Cas9 RNP into cells. The relationship between the xenopeptide logD(7.4) and genome editing potency was revealed through systematic variation of hydrophobic properties. The optimized amphiphilic carriers enable high levels of eGFP knockout and homology-directed repair (HDR) in reporter cells, and mechanistic studies show that hydrophobically balanced xenopeptides are more resistant to stress and promote endocytosis.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ozgur Ozturk, Anna-Lina Lessl, Miriam Hoehn, Stefan Wuttke, Peter E. Nielsen, Ernst Wagner, Ulrich Laechelt
Summary: Ideal drug carriers should have high loading capacity to minimize patient exposure to excessive and inactive carrier materials. This study presents peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-based zirconium (Zr) coordination nanoparticles with very high PNA loading capacity. These nanoparticles can serve as a bioactive platform with high design flexibility.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Fengrong Zhang, Teoman Benli-Hoppe, Wei Guo, Johanna Seidl, Yi Wang, Rongqin Huang, Ernst Wagner
Summary: Carbon nanodots have great potential in bioimaging applications due to their resistance to photobleaching, bright photoluminescence, and superior biocompatibility. In this study, researchers used four-armed oligomers caged with a novel ligand reL57 to enhance cellular uptake of nanoprobes. The study also highlighted the importance of incorporating epsilon-amino-linked lysines in the development of the oligomers, which significantly extended their contour length per monomer.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Stefan Stoeberl, Miriam Balles, Thomas Kellerer, Joachim O. O. Raedler
Summary: Researchers introduced RGD-functionalized hydrogel structures with pressurized clefts for evaluating invasive migration of cells. Equally spaced blocks of PEG-NB hydrogels were formed using UV-photolithography, which swelled and closed the interjacent gaps, enabling the study of cancer cell transmigration through these clefts. This approach provides soft 3D-microstructures mimicking invasion conditions in the extracellular matrix.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanira Zeyn, Dominika Hobernik, Ulrich Wilk, Jana Poehmerer, Christoph Hieber, Carolina Medina-Montano, Nadine Roehrig, Caroline F. Straehle, Andrea K. Thoma-Kress, Ernst Wagner, Matthias Bros, Simone Berger
Summary: A deeper understanding of the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer development has led to the development of new strategies, such as gene-based cancer immunotherapy. This study tested the concept of DC-focused transcriptional targeting by modifying and optimizing plasmids to achieve specific gene expression in antigen-presenting cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
