Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liangchun Li, Li Xie, Renlin Zheng, Rongqin Sun
Summary: This review discusses the design and structures of self-assembly linear dipeptide hydrogels, as well as the strategies for preparing the new generation of hydrogels. With a deeper understanding of the relationship between the structures and properties of dipeptides, it is believed that dipeptide hydrogels have great potential in preparing minimal biocompatible materials.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Konstantinos Safakas, Sofia-Falia Saravanou, Zacharoula Iatridi, Constantinos Tsitsilianis
Summary: In this article, polysaccharide-based graft copolymers with thermo-responsive grafting chains were designed to form thermo-responsive injectable hydrogels. The critical gelation temperature, T-gel, was controlled using an alginate-based thermo-responsive gelator with heterograft copolymer topology. Rheological investigation showed that the hydrogel exhibited temperature and shear responsiveness, making it suitable for biomedical applications.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bin Kong, Rui Liu, Yi Cheng, Xiaodong Cai, Junying Liu, Dagan Zhang, Hui Tan, Yuanjin Zhao
Summary: Developing a biocompatible and multifunctional adhesive hydrogel for wound healing is a highly anticipated clinical application. In this paper, a novel natural biopolymer-derived hydrogel based on aldehyde-modified oxidized guar gum (OGG) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) is presented. The hydrogel has excellent self-healing ability and shear thinning behavior, and can be injected conveniently through a needle. The physiochemical properties of the hydrogel can be controlled by regulating the concentrations of OGG. In addition, the hydrogel can adhere tightly to tissues and promote wound repair by encapsulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bin Kong, Rui Liu, Yi Cheng, Xiaodong Cai, Junying Liu, Dagan Zhang, Hui Tan, Yuanjin Zhao
Summary: This paper presents a biocompatible and multifunctional adhesive hydrogel based on oxidized guar gum and carboxymethyl chitosan for promoting wound healing. The hydrogel has self-healing ability and shear thinning behavior, allowing it to be easily injected. Its physiochemical properties can be controlled by regulating the concentrations of the hydrogel components. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibits strong adhesion to tissues at physiological temperature.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhenwei Yi, Fangke Zhan, Yijia Chen, Ran Zhang, Haodong Lin, Liming Zhao
Summary: A water-soluble conductive material was synthesized by grafting polyaniline onto carboxymethyl chitosan, and dual cross-linked hydrogels with injectable, self-healing, and conductive properties were created. The hydrogel showed good biocompatibility, elastic modulus, and electrical conductivity, promoting the proliferation and migration of Schwann cells and enhancing nerve conduction velocity in sciatic nerve injury.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qiuhong Zhang, Meijuan He, Xiaodong Zhang, Hongwei Yu, Jiawei Liu, Yi Guo, Junmin Zhang, Xiangzhong Ren, Han Wang, Yanli Zhao
Summary: This study reports the development of a tumor microenvironment-activable ROS-generating system using a protein-based nanomedicine that undergoes multistage self-assembly. The system offers effective self-protection for normal tissues and achieves tumor-specific therapy, providing a powerful strategy for nanomedicine design and precise cancer treatment.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yian Luo, Lei Fan, Can Liu, Huiquan Wen, Shihuan Wang, Pengfei Guan, Dafu Chen, Chengyun Ning, Lei Zhou, Guoxin Tan
Summary: This study developed an injectable self-healing electroconductive hydrogel for the treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury. The hydrogel showed mechanical and conductive properties similar to natural spinal cord tissues, promoting tissue repair and achieving significant locomotor function restoration in a rat model.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lingling Huang, Jianqin Wan, Honghui Wu, Xiaona Chen, Qiong Bian, Linlin Shi, Xinchi Jiang, Anran Yuan, Jianqing Gao, Hangxiang Wang
Summary: The study introduces a facile and versatile strategy to construct self-assembling prodrug cocktail nanoparticles for specific drug activation and cancer chemo-photodynamic therapy. Results from preclinical models show that this nanotherapy can effectively eradicate tumors with substantially low systemic toxicity.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Guidong Gong, Jiezhou Pan, Yunxiang He, Jiaojiao Shang, Xiaoling Wang, Yaoyao Zhang, Guolin Zhang, Fei Wang, Gang Zhao, Junling Guo
Summary: In this study, a self-assembled nanomicelle with rationally designed building blocks is described, which shows a high efficiency of synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy in an animal model. The nanomicelle possesses a low hemolysis rate, prolonged blood circulation time, and significantly improved antitumor efficacy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pengfei Ren, Liuxin Yang, Dandan Wei, Min Liang, Li Xu, Tianzhu Zhang, Wanjun Hu, Zhigang Zhang, Qianli Zhang
Summary: In this study, a supramolecular hydrogel system with improved adhesion was constructed through host-guest interactions between alginate and polyacrylamide. The hydrogel exhibited high tensile adhesion strength and demonstrated excellent self-healing, shear-thinning, and injectable properties. It can serve as a viscosity extender or bioadhesive, and as a carrier material for minimally invasive injection.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
M. Monti, E. Scarel, A. Hassanali, M. Stener, S. Marchesan
Summary: This study uncovers the conformational differences that drive self-assembly of dipeptides into distinct outcomes. Through in silico and experimental data, the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of self-assembling dipeptides were analyzed, revealing the importance of folded or extended conformers in the self-assembly process.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gi Doo Cha, Wang Hee Lee, Sung-Hyuk Sunwoo, Dayoung Kang, Taegyu Kang, Kyoung Won Cho, Minjeong Kim, Ok Kyu Park, Dongjun Jung, Jongha Lee, Seung Hong Choi, Taeghwan Hyeon, Dae-Hyeong Kim
Summary: The study proposes a material design strategy for a multifunctional injectable hydrogel with good adhesiveness, stretchability, and bioresorbability. The hydrogel can be administered through minimally invasive procedure, form a conformal adhesive interface with target tissue, and be resorbed in vivo after a certain period. The incorporation of functional nanomaterials allows for various in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic applications without compromising the original multifunctionality of the hydrogel.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiao He, Zhangkang Li, Jia Li, Dinesh Mishra, Yuxuan Ren, Ian Gates, Jinguang Hu, Qingye Lu
Summary: An ultrastretchable hydrogel with strong antibacterial activity has been developed for manufacturing robust micro/nanofibers, showing promising mechanical properties suitable for applications such as nets and safety cords. Additionally, nanosized hydrogel fibers spun on personal protective equipment exhibit near 100% killing efficiency against airborne bacteria aerosols, indicating their potential in disinfection-related applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shu-ping Wang, Xuechun Huang, Yunhong He, Haotian Zhang, Jun Zhou, Guping Tang, Shijun Li, Hongzhen Bai
Summary: The development of intelligent nano-platforms with high tumor-targeting capability, enhanced solubility, and efficacious photochemotherapy is urgently demanded for clinical anticancer treatments. In this study, an amphiphilic porphyrin (P) was used to complex with camptothecin (CPT) to form supra-amphiphile-assembled nanoparticles (CPT@P). The resulting CPT@PM, with cancer cell membrane (M) camouflage, showed excellent stability, homologous targeting ability, and specific co-delivering of the chemotherapeutic drug and photosensitizer to tumor cells. This research provides a promising nanoplatform for cancer therapy by utilizing the unique structure and intrinsic performance of porphyrin photosensitizers and membrane-coating technology.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Cao Cui, Chenlu Wang, Qinrui Fu, Jibin Song, Jianhua Zou, Ling Li, Jianwei Zhu, Wei Huang, Lin Li, Zhen Yang, Xiaoyuan Chen
Summary: This study developed a generic self-assembly approach to design nano-phototheranostics with NIR-II fluorescence imaging and phototherapy. The morphology of the resulting nanoparticles can be controlled by adjusting the ratio of the components. The nanoparticles exhibit bright fluorescence and effective photothermal and photodynamic properties, showing great potential for cancer phototheranostics.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yuqi Ma, Anhe Wang, Jieling Li, Qi Li, Qingquan Han, Yafeng Jing, Xuefang Zheng, Hongyu Cao, Xuehai Yan, Shuo Bai
Summary: The self-assembling behavior of peptides and derivatives plays a crucial role in constructing architectures and achieving specific functions in nature. However, the surface or interfacial self-assembly, especially on micro- or nanoparticles, has been less systematically studied. In this study, uniform porous CaCO3 micro particles with different surfaces were used to investigate the self-assembling behavior of dipeptides with various sequences. The experimental results showed that dipeptides with a negative charge preferentially self-assembled on the hydrophobic and positively charged surface of CaCO3 particles, and dipeptides with high Log p values had a significant effect on the self-assembling behavior on the surface of porous CaCO3.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qingquan Han, Chao Zhang, Taoming Guo, Yajie Tian, Wei Song, Jiaxin Lei, Qi Li, Anhe Wang, Milin Zhang, Shuo Bai, Xuehai Yan
Summary: This study develops a hydrogel network with tissue-like modulus and excellent flexibility by using polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinylpyrrolidone, and integrates polydopamine nanoparticles to improve transparency, self-adhesion, and impedance of the hydrogel. The multichannel and wirelessly operated hydrogel electrode can establish a conformal and stable interface with tissue, exhibiting high channel uniformity, low interfacial contact impedance, low power noise, long-term stability, and tolerance to sweat and motion. Furthermore, the hydrogel electrode demonstrates unprecedented ability to classify high-quality prefrontal EEG signals into seven-category sustained attention with high accuracy, showing potential applications in assessing human consciousness and multifunctional diagnoses.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Qian Zou, Quanjia Zhong, Jiangyu Mao, Ruiqiang Ding, Deyu Lu, Jianping Li, Xuan Li
Summary: Based on a simple coupled Lorenz model, this study investigates how to assess an appropriate initial perturbation scheme for ensemble forecasting in a multiscale system. Four initial perturbation approaches are used, and the results show that the ensemble averages perform better than the control forecast after short lead times in a fast subsystem and after a relatively long period of time in a slow subsystem. Adding perturbations to fast variables or slow variables can contribute to an improvement in the forecasting skill for these variables. The nonlinear local Lyapunov vectors (NLLVs) show higher forecasting skill compared to bred vectors (BVs) or random perturbations (RPs).
ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bowen Li, Yan Huang, Qianli Zou
Summary: Liver fibrosis is a process of excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix caused by liver injury. Development of safe and effective antifibrotic drugs is important, but no effective therapeutic drugs have been approved for treating liver fibrosis. Peptides, with their advantages of biological origination, synthetic availability, and good biocompatibility, have been investigated as key components for constructing antifibrotic nanomaterials. This review focuses on peptide-based nanoarchitectonics for treating liver fibrosis, including liver-targeting peptides, delivery of antifibrotic peptides, and self-assembled peptide nanomaterials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wenjia Zhang, Shukun Li, Yamei Liu, Ruirui Xing, Zhengyu Jin, Xuehai Yan, Huadan Xue
Summary: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating solid malignancy with a profuse fibrotic stromal reaction, hypoxia, and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Immunotherapy has shown limited success in improving PDAC survival, so there is an urgent need for strategies that specifically target the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune-related therapeutic resistance. Photothermal immunotherapy, which combines local tumor hyperthermia with immune remodeling, has shown promise in PDAC treatment. This study develops an injectable peptide-based hydrogel integrated with near-infrared photothermal pigment and an immunomodulatory peptide for local PDAC administration and treatment, effectively inhibiting tumor recurrence and metastasis.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yanchen Liu, Haoning Gong, Zhiwei Wang, Chengqian Yuan, Jianren Lu, Xuehai Yan
Summary: A new antimicrobial peptide hydrogel based on supramolecular self-assembly is developed, which exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against resistant strains and high cytocompatibility. The hydrogel also has immunoregulative activity and shows promising potential in treating skin abscess disease caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. This study not only provides insights into the design of supramolecular AMP hydrogels and their immune-related antimicrobial actions, but also advances the development of self-assembly peptide platforms to combat antimicrobial resistant infections.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Muhammad Younis, Sadia Ahmad, Atia Atiq, Muhammad Amjad Farooq, Mu-Hua Huang, Manzar Abbas
Summary: This article reviews the applications of azobenzene-containing small molecules and polymers in supramolecular nanomaterials, and discusses their use in complex coacervates, host-guest systems, co-assembled, and self-assembled supramolecular materials. It also highlights the applications of azobenzene-containing polymers-based supramolecular photoresponsive materials in pH sensing and CO2 capture.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bowen Li, Yan Huang, Jianwei Bao, Zixuan Xu, Xuehai Yan, Qianli Zou
Summary: We report the use of supramolecular nanoarchitectonics to fabricate nanodrugs from therapeutic peptides for treating liver fibrosis. Self-assembling antagonist peptides are designed and manipulated into uniform peptide nanoparticles with well-defined nanostructures and uniform sizes. The peptide nanoparticles show enhanced accumulation in liver sites and limited distribution in other tissues. In vivo results demonstrate greatly enhanced anti-fibrotic activity compared to the pristine antagonist along with good biocompatibility. These findings highlight the potential of self-assembly as a promising nanoarchitectonics approach to enhance the anti-fibrotic activity of therapeutic peptides for treating liver fibrosis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shukun Li, Rui Chang, Luyang Zhao, Ruirui Xing, Jan C. M. van Hest, Xuehai Yan
Summary: This study describes the enhanced TPA fluorescence imaging capacity of self-assembling near-infrared cyanine dye-based nanoprobes based on a photo-oxidation enhanced emission mechanism.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Peng Zhou, Ruirui Xing, Qi Li, Junbai Li, Chengqian Yuan, Xuehai Yan
Summary: Controlling the morphology of supramolecular hydrogels is crucial in tuning their mechanical properties. This study investigates the evolution of fibrillar networks in hydrogels by modulating droplets formed via liquid-liquid phase separation. The size and amount of droplets, as well as the structural evolution and network development, can be finely tuned by varying the thermal history. The findings provide insights into the role of phase-separated droplets in self-assembling networks and contribute to the engineering of supramolecular hydrogels with adjustable mechanical properties.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rui Chang, Luyang Zhao, Ruirui Xing, Junbai Li, Xuehai Yan
Summary: This review summarizes recent advances in chromopeptide nanoarchitectonics, focusing on the design strategy, assembly mechanism, and structure-function relationship. The effect of peptide sequences and the variation in photophysical performance are critically emphasized. Various applications, including biomedicine and artificial photosynthesis, are discussed, along with the future prospects of chromopeptide nanoarchitectonics.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiahua Wang, Manzar Abbas, Yu Huang, Junyou Wang, Yuehua Li
Summary: Therapeutic proteins show great potential for disease treatment, but efficient delivery remains challenging. In this study, the authors develop a complex coacervate system formed by phase separation of anionic metabolite NADPH with a short arginine-rich peptide, and demonstrate its application in redox-responsive drug delivery of therapeutic proteins. The coacervates can effectively compartmentalize the therapeutic protein and enhance its on-target efficacy. This research provides valuable insights into proteinous drug delivery systems and the development of synthetic therapeutic protocells for biomedical applications.
COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yan Xue, Jieling Li, Tianhe Jiang, Qingquan Han, Yafeng Jing, Shuo Bai, Xuehai Yan
Summary: An anisotropic and conductive hydrogel scaffold fabricated using gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and silver nanowire (AgNW) has shown great potential in promoting muscle repair through contact cues and electrical stimulation.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Muhammad Azhar Hayat Nawaz, Saima Zulfiqar, Manzar Abbas, Wei Zhou, Ying Li, Wenzhao Han, Di Demi He, Ning Liu, Akhtar Hayat, Mahmood Hassan Akhtar, Cong Yu
Summary: In this study, a multiple signal sensing probe based on highly luminescent nanosized Cu-PTC metal-organic framework (MOF) was designed for the detection of MMP-2. Through electrostatic interaction and substrate cleavage, specific recognition and fluorescence response of MMP-2 were achieved, and electrochemical detection was conducted using the catalytic activity of the probe. This novel sensing platform exhibited good stability and reliability in biological samples.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2023)