Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Angela Sardo, Ida Orefice, Sergio Balzano, Lucia Barra, Giovanna Romano
Summary: Diatom frustules, made of hydrated silica, are unicellular eukaryotic microalgae widely distributed in aquatic environments, and are considered sustainable sources for industrial applications due to their high biocompatibility and surface functionalisation ease. Although suitable for biomedical applications, biosilica frustules have not yet been officially recognized as safe by governmental food and medical agencies.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hayeon Lim, Yoseph Seo, Daeryul Kwon, Sunggu Kang, Jiyun Yu, Hyunjun Park, Sang Deuk Lee, Taek Lee
Summary: A drug delivery system (DDS) is a technology that efficiently delivers target drugs to specific diseased tissues. Among them, mesoporous silica DDS (MS-DDS) is a commonly used drug carrier, but complications caused by synthesis methods have led to the emergence of natural biosilica as an alternative.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sakshi Phogat, Abhishek Saxena, Neha Kapoor, Charu Aggarwal, Archana Tiwari
Summary: Mesoporous synthetic silica is a significant porous material used in drug delivery applications, but the challenging synthetic route, costs, and toxicity make it desirable to find a natural alternative like diatoms. Diatoms, single-cell algae with porous structures, have proven to be a classic replacement for synthetic silica, being obtainable through mining or cell culture. Surface modifications can control drug release from mesoporous systems, making diatoms a potential tool for sustained drug release with their unique characteristics.
JOURNAL OF DRUG DELIVERY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Hussein E. Rozan, Guangsheng Wu, Zhongzheng Zhou, Qinfeng Li, Mohamed Sharaf, Xiguang Chen
Summary: In this study, a hydroxybutyl chitosan/diatom biosilica/doxycycline composite hydrogel was developed, which exhibited significant antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. It could promote wound healing and show potential for clinical applications.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Danilo Vona, Annarita Flemma, Francesca Piccapane, Pietro Cotugno, Stefania Roberta Cicco, Vincenza Armenise, Cesar Vicente-Garcia, Maria Michela Giangregorio, Giuseppe Procino, Roberta Ragni
Summary: This study investigates the possibility of using diatomaceous earth (DE) properly functionalized with n-octyl chains as an efficient system for local drug delivery to skin tissues. The experimental results demonstrate that the functionalized DE can effectively adhere to porcine skin tissues and gradually release and transdermally permeate naproxen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, within 24 hours. Additionally, the biocompatibility of the drug released from diatomaceous earth with human epithelial cells proves promising applications of these drug-delivery systems for therapies of skin diseases.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hanaa Ali Hussein, Muhammad Shahid Nazir, Nizakat Azra, Zeenat Qamar, Azman Seeni, Tengku Ahmad Damitri Al-Astani Tengku Din, Mohd Azmuddin Abdullah
Summary: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have unique properties that make them widely used in drug delivery systems. However, the synthesis process of MSNs is expensive and impractical. Biosilica from marine diatoms provides a viable alternative material. This review highlights the applications of biosilica in drug delivery, biosensing, imaging agents, and regenerative medicine, and discusses the future development prospects.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaojie Sun, Jing Li, Kai Shao, Chang Su, Shichao Bi, Yuzhi Mu, Kaichao Zhang, Zheng Cao, Xiaoye Wang, Xiguang Chen, Chao Feng
Summary: The AC-DB sponge demonstrated rapid hemostatic ability and good biocompatibility, activating intrinsic coagulation pathway to accelerate clotting process, with shortest clotting time and minimal blood loss in vivo assessments.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ki Karimi, Sarah Mojtabavi, Pooya M. Tehrany, Melina Maghsodlou Nejad, Aryan Rezaee, Shahab Mohtashamian, Erfan Hamedi, Farnaz Yousefi, Farshid Salmani, Mohammad Arad Zandieh, Noushin Nabavi, Navid Rabiee, Yavuz Nuri Ertas, Shokooh Salimimoghadam, Mohsen Rashidi, Parham Rahmanian, Kiavash Hushmandi, Wei Yu
Summary: The use of nanomedicine in cancer treatment has provided new approaches to address the limitations of current therapies and improve the effectiveness of HCC therapy. Chitosan-based nanostructures have shown potential in targeted drug and gene delivery, improving pharmacokinetic profiles and enhancing HCC suppression. Additionally, smart CS-based nanoparticles have been designed for cargo release and enhanced tumor site delivery, offering new perspectives on HCC treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jean Schoeller, Fabian Itel, Karin Wuertz-Kozak, Sandra Gaiser, Nicolas Luisier, Dirk Hegemann, Stephen J. Ferguson, Giuseppino Fortunato, Rene M. Rossi
Summary: Surface functionalization of electrospun nanofibers allows for the introduction of additional functionalities while retaining high porosity and surface-to-volume ratio. In this study, chitosan and alginate were sequentially deposited on PLGA nanofibers to form a polyelectrolyte complex for controlled release of ibuprofen. Chitosan with a positive surface charge regulated the interactions between the drug and the coating, resulting in slower release at acidic pH compared to neutral pH.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuqi Ding, Yuzhi Mu, Yi Hu, Jiahao Liu, Chang Su, Xiaojie Sun, Xiguang Chen, Nan Jia, Chao Feng
Summary: A temperature-sensitive composite hydrogel was developed to improve the diabetic wound microenvironment by promoting inflammatory processes, tissue cell proliferation, and collagen deposition, leading to accelerated wound healing.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2024)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaojie Sun, Mengxue Zhang, Jinfeng Liu, Guangyan Hui, Xiguang Chen, Chao Feng
Summary: Diatom biosilica is a natural inorganic material with a micro-nanoporous structure and has great application potential in drug delivery, hemostat materials, and biosensors. Manipulating the micro-nanostructure of diatom biosilica through biological regulation methods can transform the screening mode of its structural features and maximize its possibility as a biological material.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chan Wang, Mengdie Xue, Xiao Liu, Jingjing Chen, Mengdie Jiang, Liuting Zheng, Ruxuan Ma, Chengjin Ding, Yaping Tao, Hao Zhang, Qin Liu, Da Huo
Summary: This study challenges the traditional view of protein corona effect as a hindrance to drug delivery efficacy, showing that it can actually enhance delivery and reduce toxicity when used strategically. By utilizing depleted serum to create functional protein coronas on nanomaterials, it was found that the passivation process could improve therapeutic effects and decrease adverse reactions. Moreover, this approach showed promising results in cancer treatment, offering a potential strategy for precision nanomedicine development.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mikkel Bregnhoj, Helmut Lutz, Steven J. Roeters, Ingo Lieberwirth, Rolf Mertig, Tobias Weidner
Summary: Diatoms use silaffin peptides to synthesize titanium dioxide nanoparticles, providing an environmentally friendly approach for the production of nanomaterials with potential applications in water splitting and biocompatible materials design. The study demonstrates that the silaffin peptide R5 can precipitate stable titanium dioxide sheets.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pooyan Makvandi, Sidra Iftekhar, Fabio Pizzetti, Atefeh Zarepour, Ehsan Nazarzadeh Zare, Milad Ashrafizadeh, Tarun Agarwal, Vinod V. T. Padil, Reza Mohammadinejad, Mika Sillanpaa, Tapas Kumar Maiti, Giuseppe Perale, Ali Zarrabi, Filippo Rossi
Summary: The inert nature of most commercial polymers and nanomaterials limits their applications in various industrial fields, which can be solved by surface modifications to improve physicochemical and biological properties. Polymer functionalization allows for specific moieties and conjugate molecules to be grafted onto surfaces, enhancing material performances. Further research is needed on cell-polymer interactions, nanosafety, and industrial scale manufacturing to fully understand the advantages and challenges of polymer functionalization.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Hussam A. AL Saoud, Myroslav Sprynskyy, Reza Pashaei, Michal Kawalec, Pawel Pomastowski, Boguslaw Buszewski
Summary: Diatomaceous biosilica is a unique and renewable material with various applications in different industries due to its chemical inertness, biocompatibility, and high stability.
JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Joachim Delasoie, Natasa Radakovic, Aleksandar Pavic, Fabio Zobi
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sara Nasiri Sovari, Isabelle Kolly, Kevin Schindler, Youri Cortat, Shing-Chi Liu, Aurelien Crochet, Aleksandar Pavic, Fabio Zobi
Summary: The reaction between rhenium alpha-diimine tricarbonyl complexes and nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate yields dicarbonyl-nitrosyl [Re(CO)(2)(NO)(N-N)X](+) species, showing potential antimicrobial applications. The metal ion in the complexes behaves as a hard Re acid with strong affinity for pi-basic ligands, making it difficult to replace with other ligands. The complexes can be photo-activated towards CO release, representing a new class of photoCORMs.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Lucyano J. A. Macedo, Fernando P. Rodrigues, Ayaz Hassan, Leandro N. C. Maximo, Fabio Zobi, Roberto S. da Silva, Frank N. Crespilho
Summary: Recent emergence of FTIR spectromicroscopy (micro-FTIR) as a dynamic spectroscopy for imaging to study biological chemistry has opened new possibilities for investigating in situ drug release, redox chemistry effects on biological molecules, DNA and drug interactions, membrane dynamics, and redox reactions with proteins at the single cell level. Micro-FTIR applied to metallodrugs has been playing an important role since the last decade because of its great potential to achieve more robust and controlled pharmacological effects against several diseases, including cancer. An important aspect in the development of these drugs is to understand their cellular properties, such as uptake, accumulation, activity, and toxicity. The review highlights both the potential application of micro-FTIR and its importance for studying metal-based drugs, emphasizing the perspectives of chemistry of living cells and the significance of bioimaging for localization of cellular processes to understand the mechanism of action.
ANALYTICAL METHODS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kevin Schindler, Fabio Zobi
Summary: Luminescent rhenium complexes are of growing scientific interest for catalytic, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications, with a focus on their photophysical and photochemical properties. The choice of ligands and strategies to exploit the potential of these molecules in medicinal applications are crucial. Their applications include being used as luminescent cellular probes and developing photoactive carbon monoxide-releasing molecules for anticancer and antimicrobial purposes.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sara Nasiri Sovari, Natasa Radakovic, Paul Roch, Aurelien Crochet, Aleksandar Pavic, Fabio Zobi
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to public health, with lack of financial incentive leading pharmaceutical companies to halt antibiotic discovery programs. Metal complexes have untapped antibiotic potential with unique action mechanisms, offering effective and non-toxic solutions for various infections.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kevin Schindler, Fabio Zobi
Summary: Organometallic compounds of rhenium, particularly its tri- and dicarbonyl complexes, have shown promising potential as anticancer and antibiotic drugs due to their ease of preparation, stability, and unique photophysical and luminescent properties. This review focuses on discussing the structural variations and in vitro efficacy of these complexes in the past seven years, with an initial emphasis on tricarbonyl complexes and a later discussion on the future prospects of dicarbonyl species in this field.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hagir B. Suliman, Zachary Healy, Fabio Zobi, Bryan D. Kraft, Karen Welty-Wolf, Joshua Smith, Christina Barkauskas, Claude A. Piantadosi
Summary: The preclinical model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis is useful to study mechanisms related to human pulmonary fibrosis. The study found that HO-1/NRF-1 signaling protects lung AT2 cells against injury and fibrosis by maintaining mitochondrial health and suppressing the TGF beta 1 pathway.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sara Nasiri Sovari, Taryn M. Golding, Mziyanda Mbaba, Roxanne Mohunlal, Timothy J. Egan, Gregory S. Smith, Fabio Zobi
Summary: A small library of aminoquinoline and imidazolopiperidine (IMP)-based ligands showed potent inhibitory activities against chloroquine-sensitive (CQS) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of P. falciparum. The compounds may act through hemozoin inhibition and the quinoline-based compounds exhibited higher binding affinities than the reference drug chloroquine.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Kevin Schindler, Youri Cortat, Miroslava Nedyalkova, Aurelien Crochet, Marco Lattuada, Aleksandar Pavic, Fabio Zobi
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to human health and has a major impact on the global economy. Metal complexes, including rhenium complexes, have untapped potential as antimicrobial agents. This study investigates the antimicrobial potential of rhenium di- and tricarbonyl diimine complexes and identifies two potential targets for these compounds. The findings have implications for the future design of rhenium tricarbonyl diimine-based antibiotics.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Fatlinda Rahmani, Aurelien Crochet, Fabio Zobi
Summary: In this study, (E)-3-(2-(4-methylthiazol-2-yl)hydrazineylidene)chromane-2,4-dione was synthesized for the first time and characterized using various spectroscopic techniques. The chemical structure and isomeric configuration of the molecule were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Youri Cortat, Miroslava Nedyalkova, Kevin Schindler, Parth Kadakia, Gozde Demirci, Sara Nasiri Sovari, Aurelien Crochet, Stefan Salentinig, Marco Lattuada, Olimpia Mamula Steiner, Fabio Zobi
Summary: In the context of the global health issue caused by antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the need for novel antimicrobial agents is urgent. Inorganic and organometallic complexes show potential as untapped sources of antibiotics. This study used a computer-aided drug design approach to synthesize and evaluate fac-Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes as antibacterial agents, with promising results.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Kevin Schindler, Justine Horner, Gozde Demirci, Youri Cortat, Aurelien Crochet, Olimpia Mamula Steiner, Fabio Zobi
Summary: Cancer is still a leading cause of death worldwide, and the interest in organometallic complexes as anticancer drug candidates is crucial. Rhenium dicarbonyl complexes have been given less attention compared to tricarbonyl complexes. This study tested various rhenium dicarbonyl complexes in vitro against different cancer cell lines and found that some compounds showed good activity against specific cancer lines but were also toxic to healthy cells.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Youri Cortat, Fabio Zobi
Summary: This review discusses the research work on coordination derivatives of antifungal azoles (AAs) synthesized for medical purposes, highlighting the most promising compounds and emphasizing the efficiency of AAs and their metallic species.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Sara Nasiri Sovari, Isabelle Kolly, Kevin Schindler, Ana Djuric, Tatjana Srdic-Rajic, Aurelien Crochet, Aleksandar Pavic, Fabio Zobi
Summary: This study reports the synthesis, characterization, and in vivo evaluation of a series of rhenium tricarbonyl complexes containing 5- and 6-(halomethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine ligands. The aim was to investigate the role of a reactive halomethyl substituent on the diimine ligand system in the design of effective and non-toxic anticancer agents. Compounds capable of undergoing ligand-based alkylating reactions exhibited significant antiproliferative activity against colorectal and pancreatic cell lines. One specific compound (5-(chloromethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine derivative) displayed significant inhibition of pancreatic tumor growth in vivo in zebrafish-Panc-1 xenografts at a concentration of 8 μM, lower than its in vitro IC50 values, and also inhibited in vivo cancer cell dissemination.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kevin Schindler, Aurelien Crochet, Fabio Zobi
Summary: The article introduces new synthetic routes to produce aerobically stable and substitutionally labile alpha-diimine rhenium(i) dicarbonyl complexes. These complexes can be prepared in high yield and exhibit different reactions in various solvents, providing a convenient entry into the chemistry of the core.