Deep-penetration functionalized cuttlefish ink nanoparticles for combating wound infections with synergetic photothermal-immunologic therapy

Cuttlefish-Inspired Photo-Responsive Antibacterial Microparticles with Natural Melanin Nanoparticles Spray

Topical antibiotics can be utilized to treat periodontitis, while their delivery stratagems with controlled release and long-lasting bactericidal inhibition are yet challenging. Herein, inspired by the defensive behavior of cuttlefish expelling ink, this work develops innovative thermal-responsive melanin-integrated porous microparticles (MPs) through microfluidic synthesis for periodontitis treatment. These MPs are composed of melanin nanoparticles (NPs), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), and agarose. Benefiting from the excellent biocompatibility and large surface area ratio of MPs, they can deliver abundant melanin NPs. Under near-infrared irradiation, the melanin NPs can convert photo energy into thermal energy. This leads to agarose melting and subsequent shrinkage of the microspheres induced by pNIPAM, thereby facilitating the release of melanin NPs. In addition, the released melanin NPs can serve as a highly effective photothermal agent, displaying potent antibacterial activity against porphyromonas gingivalis and possessing natural anti-inflammatory properties. These unique characteristics are further demonstrated through in vivo experiments, showing the antibacterial effects in the treatment of infected wounds and periodontitis. Therefore, the catfish-inspired photo-responsive antibacterial MPs with controlled-release drug delivery hold tremendous potential in clinical antibacterial applications.

One Stone, Three Birds: Design and Synthesis of "All-in-One" Nanoscale Mn-Porphyrin Coordination Polymers for Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Synergistic Photodynamic-Sonodynamic Therapy

Multifunctional nanomaterials with potential applications in both bioimaging and photodynamic-sonodynamic therapy have great advantages in cancer theranostic, but the design and preparation of "all-in-one" type of multifunctional nanomaterials with single component remains challenging. Herein the "all-in-one" type of Mn-PpIX (Protoporphyrin IX) coordination polymers (MnPPs) was reported as efficient nano-photo/sonosensitizers. The MnPPs had an average size of ∼ 110 nm. Upon light/US (ultrasound) irradiation for 5 min, 61.8 % (light) and 32.4 % (US) of DPBF (1.3-diphenyl isobenzofuran) was found to be oxidized by MnPPs, which showed effective ROS (reactive oxygen species) generation for photodynamic/sonodynamic therapy (PDT/SDT). In addition, MnPPs revealed excellent biosafety and could be engulfed by cells to produce intracellular ROS under light/US excitation for efficient killing tumor cells. When MnPPs was injected into mice, the tumor could be monitored via MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). In addition, tumor growth could be significantly inhibited by the synergistic PDT-SDT. Therefore, the present study not only represents MnPPs as an "all-in-one" type of multifunctional nanomaterials for MRI-guided PDT-SDT therapy, but also provides some insights for designing other PpIX-related molecules with the similar structure for bioapplication.

Construction of programmed time-released multifunctional hydrogel with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties for impaired wound healing

The successful reprogramming of impaired wound healing presents ongoing challenges due to the impaired tissue microenvironment caused by severe bacterial infection, excessive oxidative stress, as well as the inappropriate dosage timing during different stages of the healing process. Herein, a dual-layer hydrogel with sodium alginate (SA)-loaded zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-loaded Cu5.4O ultrasmall nanozymes (named programmed time-released multifunctional hydrogel, PTMH) was designed to dynamically regulate the wound inflammatory microenvironment based on different phases of wound repairing. PTMH combated bacteria at the early phase of infection by generating reactive oxygen species through ZnO under visible-light irradiation with gradual degradation of the lower layer. Subsequently, when the upper layer was in direct contact with the wound tissue, Cu5.4O ultrasmall nanozymes were released to scavenge excessive reactive oxygen species. This neutralized a range of inflammatory factors and facilitated the transition from the inflammatory phase to the proliferative phase. Furthermore, the utilization of Cu5.4O ultrasmall nanozymes enhanced angiogenesis, thereby facilitating the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the impaired tissue. Our experimental findings indicate that PTMHs promote the healing process of diabetic wounds with bacterial infection in mice, exhibiting notable antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties over a specific period of time.

From biomaterials to biotherapy: cuttlefish ink with protoporphyrin IX nanoconjugates for synergistic sonodynamic-photothermal therapy

Biologically produced nanomaterials capable of therapeutic purposes have received increasing interest in tumor therapy because of their intrinsic biocompatibility. In this study, we made cuttlefish ink (extracted from cuttlefish) and protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) nanoconjugates (CIPs) where PpIX was an endogenous organic compound. In the case of CIPs, PpIX could be triggered by ultrasound (US) for sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and the cuttlefish ink could be excited by a near-infrared laser for photothermal therapy (PTT). Thereafter, tumor growth was greatly inhibited through synergistic SDT-PTT in comparison to single SDT or PTT. In addition, in vivo administration of CIPs showed no noticeable side effects for mouse blood and chief organs, providing an effective strategy for developing biologically produced biomaterials and using them for biotherapy.

Advances of Photothermal Agents with Fluorescence Imaging/Enhancement Ability in the Field of Photothermal Therapy and Diagnosis

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is an effective cancer treatment method. Due to its easy focusing and tunability of the irradiation light, direct and accurate local treatment can be performed in a noninvasive manner by PTT. This treatment strategy requires the use of photothermal agents to convert light energy into heat energy, thereby achieving local heating and triggering biochemical processes to kill tumor cells. As a key factor in PTT, the photothermal conversion ability of photothermal agents directly determines the efficacy of PTT. In addition, photothermal agents generally have photothermal imaging (PTI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) functions, which can not only guide the optimization of irradiation conditions but also achieve the integration of disease diagnosis. If the photothermal agents have function of fluorescence imaging (FLI) or fluorescence enhancement, they can not only further improve the accuracy in disease diagnosis but also accurately determine the tumor location through multimodal imaging for corresponding treatment. In this paper, we summarize recent advances in photothermal agents with FLI or fluorescence enhancement functions for PTT and tumor diagnosis. According to the different recognition sites, the application of specific targeting photothermal agents is introduced. Finally, limitations and challenges of photothermal agents with fluorescence imaging/enhancement in the field of PTT and tumor diagnosis are prospected.

Graphene Oxide (GO) for the Treatment of Bone Cancer: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Cancer is a severe disease that, in 2022, caused more than 9.89 million deaths worldwide. One worrisome type of cancer is bone cancer, such as osteosarcoma and Ewing tumors, which occur more frequently in infants. This study shows an active interest in the use of graphene oxide and its derivatives in therapy against bone cancer. We present a systematic review analyzing the current state of the art related to the use of GO in treating osteosarcoma, through evaluating the existing literature. In this sense, studies focused on GO-based nanomaterials for potential applications against osteosarcoma were reviewed, which has revealed that there is an excellent trend toward the use of GO-based nanomaterials, based on their thermal and anti-cancer activities, for the treatment of osteosarcoma through various therapeutic approaches. However, more research is needed to develop highly efficient localized therapies. It is suggested, therefore, that photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and the use of nanocarriers should be considered as non-invasive, more specific, and efficient alternatives in the treatment of osteosarcoma. These options present promising approaches to enhance the effectiveness of therapy while also seeking to reduce side effects and minimize the damage to surrounding healthy tissues. The bibliometric analysis of photothermal and photochemical treatments of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide from January 2004 to December 2022 extracted 948 documents with its search strategy, mainly related to research papers, review papers, and conference papers, demonstrating a high-impact field supported by the need for more selective and efficient bone cancer therapies. The central countries leading the research are the United States, Iran, Italy, Germany, China, South Korea, and Australia, with strong collaborations worldwide. At the same time, the most-cited papers were published in journals with impact factors of more than 6.0 (2021), with more than 290 citations. Additionally, the journals that published the most on the topic are high impact factor journals, according to the analysis performed, demonstrating the high impact of the research field.

Nanotheranostic Trojan Horse for visualization and photo-immunotherapy of multidrug-resistant bacterial infection

Effective diagnosis and therapy for bacterial infections, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) species, greatly challenge current antimicrobial stewardship. Monocytes, which can chemotactically migrate from the blood to infection site and elicit a robust infection infiltration, provide a golden opportunity for bacterial theranostics. Here, a nano-Trojan Horse was facilely engineered using mannose-functionalized manganese-eumelanin coordination nanoparticles (denoted as MP-MENP) for precise two-step localization and potent photothermal-immunotherapy of MDR bacterial infection. Taking advantage of the selective recognition between mannose and inflammation-associated monocytes, the MP-MENP could be passively piggybacked to infection site by circulating monocytes, and also actively target infiltrated monocytes that are already accumulated in infection microenvironment. Such dual-pronged targeting enabled an efficient imaging diagnosis of bacterial infection. Upon laser irradiation, the MP-MENP robustly produced local hyperemia to ablate bacteria, both extracellularly and intracellularly. Further combined with photothermal therapy-induced immunogenic cell death and MP-MENP-mediated macrophage reprogramming, the immunosuppressive infection microenvironment was significantly relieved, allowing an enhanced antibacterial immunity. Collectively, the proposed nanotheranostic Trojan Horse, which integrates dual-pronged targeting, precise imaging diagnosis, and high-performance photothermal immunotherapy, promises a new way for complete eradication of MDR bacterial infection.

Biocompatible copper formate-based nanoparticles with strong antibacterial properties for wound healing

Copper-based antibacterial materials have emerged as a potential alternative for combating bacterial infections, which continue to pose significant health risks. Nevertheless, the use of copper-based nanoparticles as antibacterial agents has faced challenges due to their toxicity towards cells and tissues. To overcome this obstacle, we propose a new approach using a contact-active copper-based nanoparticles called polydopamine (PDA)-coated copper-amine (Cuf-TMB@PDA). The positively charged surface of Cuf-TMB@PDA enables efficient targeting of negatively charged bacteria, allowing controlled release of Cu(II) into the bacterial cell membrane. Moreover, Cuf-TMB@PDA exhibits similar ·OH signals as Cuf-TMB suspensions in previous work. In cytotoxicity assays conducted over 72 h, Cuf-TMB@PDA demonstrated an efficacy of 98.56%, while releasing lower levels of Cu(II) that were less harmful to cells, resulting in enhanced antimicrobial effects. These antimicrobial properties are attributed to the synergistic effects of charge-contact activity of PDA, controlled release of Cu(II), and free radicals. Subsequent in vivo experiments confirmed the strong antimicrobial potency of Cuf-TMB@PDA and its ability to promote wound healing.