Preparation and application of modified three-dimensional cellulose microspheres for paclitaxel targeted separation

Theranostic advances and the role of molecular imprinting in disease management

Molecular imprinting has become an effective technology in the realm of diagnosing diseases, providing unparalleled specificity and sensitivity. This method is a promising trend in current medical research. This review examines the utilization of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in theranostic that integrates diagnostic functionalities for personalized medicine. The present work briefly discusses the fundamental concepts of molecular imprinting and how it has evolved into a versatile platform. Subsequently, the utilization of MIPs in the advancement of biosensors is focused, specifically emphasizing their contribution to the detection and diagnosis of diseases. The therapeutic potential of MIPs, focusing on targeted drug delivery and controlled release systems and the integration of MIPs into theranostic platforms is explored through case studies, showcasing the technology's ability to simultaneously diagnose and treat diseases. Finally, we address the current challenges facing MIPs and discuss future perspectives, emphasizing the potential of this technology to revolutionize the next generation.

Simple preparation of cellulose microspheres based on a regeneration process

This study reports a one-step method for preparing and functionalizing cellulose microspheres (RC-m) from cellulose lysates via a regeneration process. The RC-m prepared at a lower energy consumption exhibited smaller sizes and more regular morphologies. The RC-m generation mechanism during preparation was investigated from a regeneration perspective, and the factors affecting the size and shape were also examined. Moreover, the potential applications of RC-m were explored, exhibiting pronounced color contrast for enhanced smart response characteristics, good encapsulation of non-water-soluble dyes, and avoidance of leakage of pH-responsive dyes. This novel RC-m preparation method is expected to broaden the potential of using cellulose in various adsorption and smart-response applications.

Targeted recognition and enhanced biotransformation of phytochemicals by a dual-functional cellulose-based hydrogel bioreactor

The combined technology of molecular imprinting and immobilization is a promising strategy for improving biocatalytic performance. In this work, a dual-functional cellulose-based hydrogel bioreactor with targeted recognition and transformation functions was innovatively designed by cellulose-based molecularly imprinted polymers (CM-MIPs) hydrogel coupled with layered double hydroxide immobilized enzyme (LDH-E). Firstly, CM-MIPs hydrogel was prepared by using phlorizin, 4-pinylpyridine, and cellulose microspheres as template molecule, functional monomer, and support material, respectively. Meanwhile, layered double hydroxide (LDH) taken as a carrier to immobilize β-glucosidase. The prepared LDH was layered sheet-like structure with ultra-thin thickness of approximately only 1.5 nm, and β-glucosidase was immobilized on both sides of the LDH. Further, the dual-functional bioreactor was constructed by the anion exchange, which possessed maximum targeted adsorption capacity to phlorizin of 15.25 mg/g, exhibited 1.2 folds higher transformation efficiency than LDH-E, and the phloretin content increased 26 folds to that in Lithocarpus litseifolius (Hance) Chu leaves extracts. Moreover, the transformation efficiency remained above 70 % even after five consecutive transformations. Overall, the dual-functional bioreactor has broad prospects for the application in targeted recognition and transformation of phytochemicals, and provides a new insight on multifunctional bio-based reactors in natural production field.

A nanocellulose molecularly imprinted membrane: Preparation, characterization and application in targeted separation of taxane 10-deacetylbaccatin III

Targeted separation of active phytochemicals is urgently needed in the natural medicine field. In this paper, due to the natural porosity and high biocompatibility of cellulose, a nanocellulose membrane combined with surface molecular imprinting was successfully prepared; the efficient nanocellulose-based molecular imprinted membrane (NC-MIM) provided good adsorption for the targeted separation of phytochemicals such as 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB), an essential intermediate in the synthesis of the anticancer drug paclitaxel. Through a series of characterization and adsorption experiments, the adsorption mechanism of NC-MIM was determined. At pH 8.0 and temperatures of 20 °C-40 °C, the maximum capacity of NC-MIM for adsorption of 10-DAB reached 66.90 mg g - 1, and the content of 10-DAB was dramatically increased 17.5-fold after adsorption. The specific adsorption results showed that NC-MIM had excellent capacity for targeted separation of 10-DAB from among taxane structural analogues. Even after ten cycles, NC-MIM demonstrated a remarkable adsorption capacity of 86.43%, thereby indicating exceptional selectivity and stability. The successful implementation of NC-MIM for green, safe, and efficient enrichment of phytochemicals from plants provides a promising new approach and valuable insights into its practical application.

Natural xylose-derived carbon dots towards efficient semi-artificial photosynthesis

Photosynthesis by plants stores sunlight into chemicals and drives CO2 fixation into sugars with low biomass conversion efficiency due to the unoptimized solar spectrum utilization and various chemical conversion possibilities that follow H2O oxidation. Expanding the solar spectrum utilization and optimizing the charge transfer pathway of photosynthesis is critical to improving the conversion efficiency. Here, a group of carbon dots (CDs) with distinct content of sp2 CC domain are prepared by one-step carbonization of natural xylose, which penetrated natural chloroplasts and integrated with the grana thylakoid to promote in vitro photosynthesis. Structural characterization and electrochemical results reveal the positive impact of graphitization degree on the electron transport capacity of CDs. Classic Hill reaction and ATP production demonstrate the enhanced photosynthetic activity resulting from the CDs-mediated electron transfer of photosystem II. In-depth studies of the structure-function relationship prove the synergistic effect of intensified biotic-abiotic interaction between CDs and chloroplast, lower charge transfer resistance, and extended light absorption. This work posts a promising method to optimize electron transport and improve natural photosynthesis using artificial interventions.

Optimization of Taxol Extraction Process Using Response Surface Methodology and Investigation of Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Taxol in Taxus mairei

Taxus mairei is an important source for industrial extraction of taxol in China. However, the standard and steps of extraction are currently not uniform, which seriously affects the taxol yield. In the present study, the influence of four factors (methanol concentration, solid-liquid ratio, ultrasonic extraction temperature, and ultrasonic extraction time) on the taxol yield was successively explored in T. mairei. A response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the extraction process based on the single-factor experiments above. The optimal conditions were as follows: methanol concentration was 90%, solid-liquid ratio was 1:15 (g/mL), ultrasonic extraction temperature was 40 °C and ultrasonic extraction time was 60 min. Moreover, the twigs and needles from T. mairei with different tree ages were treated by the optimum extraction process, which further revealed temporal and spatial distribution of taxol in the reproducible tissues. Interestingly, the taxol content was relatively higher in needles of T. ‘Jinxishan’ (a cultivar from T. mairei with yellow aril, FY), but was less in FY twigs. The accumulation of taxol in twigs and leaves of females (with red aril, FR) was significantly higher than that of males (M); however, the content showed a decreasing trend with the increasing tree ages. Therefore, it is suitable to increase the proportion of female trees especially the FY leaves as raw materials for the industrial production of taxol from T. mairei, and the tree ages should be better controlled at 3–7 years.