Wheat germ agglutinin liposomes with surface grafted cyclodextrins as bioadhesive dual-drug delivery nanocarriers to treat oral cells

Applications of Cyclodextrin-Based Drug Delivery Systems in Inflammation-Related Diseases

Currently, inflammation diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. The therapeutic drugs for inflammation are mainly steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, the use of these anti-inflammatory drugs over a prolonged period is prone to causing serious side effects. Accordingly, it is particularly critical to design an intelligent target-specific drug delivery system to control the release of drugs in order to mitigate the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs without limiting their activity. Meanwhile, cyclodextrin-based nano-delivery systems have garnered significant attention in contemporary pharmaceutical research owing to their capacity to enhance drug bioavailability, enable site-specific targeted accumulation, prolong the systemic circulation duration, facilitate synergistic therapeutic outcomes, and exhibit superior biocompatibility profiles. It is worth noting that cyclodextrin-based drug delivery systems show great potential in inflammation-related diseases. However, few studies have systematically reviewed their design strategies and application advancements. Here, we summarize the structural and chemical modification strategies of cyclodextrins, as well as cyclodextrin-based drug delivery systems and their applications in inflammation-related diseases. In summary, the aim is to provide a bit of insight into the development of cyclodextrin-based drug delivery systems for inflammation-related diseases.

The Role and Advancement of Liposomes for Oral Diseases Therapy

As many as 48.0% of the global population suffers from disabilities caused by oral conditions. These conditions encompass dental caries, periodontal diseases, oral cancers, and other pathologies affecting the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions. Topical drug treatments in the oral cavity are often ineffective due to the short contact time, which prevents the drug from reaching optimal concentrations necessary for therapeutic effect. Conventional liposomes have several limitations, including low stability, challenges in long-term storage, and rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial system (RES). These factors significantly reduce their effectiveness in maintaining sustained drug delivery and achieving desired therapeutic outcomes. To overcome these challenges, advanced drug delivery systems have been developed. Among these systems, liposomes have been extensively explored as nanocarriers in targeted drug delivery systems, particularly in mucosal drug delivery, due to their biocompatibility and degradability, making them promising agents for the treatment of oral diseases. To address these issues, extensive research has been conducted to modify the surface of liposomes, optimizing their efficacy, and understanding their mechanisms of action. This review article discusses the role and recent advancements of liposomes in the treatment of oral diseases, highlighting their potential to revolutionize oral health care through improved drug delivery and therapeutic outcomes.

Synthetic Vesicle-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Oral Disease Therapy: Current Applications and Future Directions

Oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis, and oral cancer are prevalent and present significant challenges to global public health. Although these diseases are typically treated through procedures like dental preparation and resin filling, scaling and root planning, or surgical excision, these interventions are often not entirely effective, and postoperative drug therapy is usually required. Traditional drug treatments, however, are limited by factors such as poor drug penetration, significant side effects, and the development of drug resistance. As a result, there is a growing need for novel drug delivery systems that can enhance therapeutic efficacy, reduce side effects, and improve treatment outcomes. In recent years, drug-loaded vesicles, such as liposomes, polymersomes, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), have emerged as promising drug delivery platforms due to their high drug encapsulation efficiency, controlled release properties, and excellent biocompatibility. This review provides an in-depth examination of the characteristics, advantages, and limitations of liposomes, polymersomes, and extracellular vesicles in the context of oral disease treatment. It further explores the reasons for their advantages and limitations and discusses the specific applications, development prospects, and strategies for optimizing these vesicle-based systems for improved clinical outcomes.

Prevention and potential remedies for antibiotic resistance: current research and future prospects

The increasing threat of antibiotic resistance and shrinking treatment options for infections have pushed mankind into a difficult position. The looming threat of the return of the pre-antibiotic era has caused a sense of urgency to protect and conserve the potency of antibiotic therapy. One of the perverse effects of antibiotic resistance is the dissemination of its causative agents from non-clinically important strains to clinically important strains and vice versa. The popular saying "Prevention is better than cure" is appropriate for tackling antibiotic resistance. On the one hand, new and effective antibiotics are required; on the other hand, better measures for the use of antibiotics, along with increased awareness in the general public related to antibiotic use, are essential. Awareness, especially of appropriate antibiotic use, antibiotic resistance, its dissemination, and potential threats, can help greatly in controlling the use and abuse of antibiotics, and the containment of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic drugs' effectiveness can be enhanced by producing novel antibiotic analogs or adding adjuvants to current antibiotics. Combinatorial therapy of antibiotics has proven successful in treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. This review aims to highlight the current global situation of antibiotic resistance and discuss the methods used to monitor, prevent, inhibit, or reverse bacterial resistance mechanisms in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Lipocalin 2, synthesized using a cell-free protein synthesis system and encapsulated into liposomes, inhibits the adhesion of Porphyromonas gingivalis to human oral epithelial cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Lipocalin 2 (LCN2), a glycoprotein expressed in epithelial cells and leukocytes, has an antibacterial effect and plays a role in innate immunity. The delivery of LCN2 encapsulated in liposomes to oral epithelium may be useful to prevent oral infectious diseases. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of LCN2, artificially synthesized using a cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system, on the adhesion of Porphyromonas gingivalis to oral epithelial cells in order to approach oral healthcare using LCN2.

METHODS

LCN 2 was synthesized using a CFPS system and assayed by Western blotting, mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The bilayer liposomes were prepared by the spontaneous transfer method using 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3 phosphocholine (DOPC), 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine from Egg Yolk (Egg-PC), and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3 phosphoethanolamine (DOPE). The cellular and medium fractions derived from the culture of oral epithelial cells with liposome-encapsulated LCN2 were assayed by Western blotting and ELISA. The effect of the synthesized LCN2 on adhesion of the labeled P. gingivalis to oral epithelial cells was investigated as an evaluation of its antibacterial activity.

RESULTS

The synthesized LCN2 protein was identified by Western blotting; its amino acid sequence was similar to that of recombinant LCN2 protein. The additions of DOPE and octa-arginine in the outer lipid-layer components of liposome significantly increased the delivery of liposomes to epithelial cells. When oral epithelial cells were cultured with the synthesized and liposome-encapsulated LCN2, LCN2 was identified in the cellular and medium fractions by Western blotting and its concentration in the cellular fraction from the culture with the synthesized LCN2 was significantly higher than that of a template DNA-free protein. The synthesized LCN2 and liposome-encapsulated LCN2 significantly inhibited the adhesion of P. gingivalis to oral epithelial cells compared with template DNA-free protein.

CONCLUSION

LCN2 was artificially synthesized by a CFPS system, encapsulated in liposomes, and delivered to oral epithelial cells, and demonstrated an antibacterial action against P. gingivalis. This approach may become a useful model for oral healthcare.

Nanomaterials: an intra-periodontal pocket drug-delivery system for periodontitis

Periodontitis is a microbiological condition that affects the tissues supporting the teeth. The fundamental to effective periodontal therapy is choosing the suitable antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent, together with the proper route of drug administration and delivery system. Intra-periodontal pocket approach with nano drug-delivery systems (NDDS) such as polymeric nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, liposomes, polymersomes, exosomes, nano micelles, niosome, solid lipid nanoparticles, nano lipid carriers, nanocomposites, nanogels, nanofibers, scaffolds, dendrimers, quantum dots, etc., will be appropriate route of drug administration and delivery system. This NDDS delivers the drugs at the site of infection to inhibit growth and promote tissue regeneration. The present review focused on providing comprehensive information on the NDDS for periodontitis, which enhanced therapeutic outcomes via intra-periodontal pocket delivery.

Application of Nano-Inspired Scaffolds-Based Biopolymer Hydrogel for Bone and Periodontal Tissue Regeneration

This review's objectives are to provide an overview of the various kinds of biopolymer hydrogels that are currently used for bone tissue and periodontal tissue regeneration, to list the advantages and disadvantages of using them, to assess how well they might be used for nanoscale fabrication and biofunctionalization, and to describe their production processes and processes for functionalization with active biomolecules. They are applied in conjunction with other materials (such as microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs)) and other novel techniques to replicate physiological bone generation more faithfully. Enhancing the biocompatibility of hydrogels created from blends of natural and synthetic biopolymers can result in the creation of the best scaffold match to the extracellular matrix (ECM) for bone and periodontal tissue regeneration. Additionally, adding various nanoparticles can increase the scaffold hydrogel stability and provide a number of biological effects. In this review, the research study of polysaccharide hydrogel as a scaffold will be critical in creating valuable materials for effective bone tissue regeneration, with a future impact predicted in repairing bone defects.

Craft of Co-encapsulation in Nanomedicine: A Struggle To Achieve Synergy through Reciprocity

Achieving synergism, often by combination therapy via codelivery of chemotherapeutic agents, remains the mainstay of treating multidrug-resistance cases in cancer and microbial strains. With a typical core-shell architecture and surface functionalization to ensure facilitated targeting of tissues, nanocarriers are emerging as a promising platform toward gaining such synergism. Co-encapsulation of disparate theranostic agents in nanocarriers-from chemotherapeutic molecules to imaging or photothermal modalities-can not only address the issue of protecting the labile drug payload from a hostile biochemical environment but may also ensure optimized drug release as a mainstay of synergistic effect. However, the fate of co-encapsulated molecules, influenced by temporospatial proximity, remains unpredictable and marred with events with deleterious impact on therapeutic efficacy, including molecular rearrangement, aggregation, and denaturation. Thus, more than just an art of confining multiple therapeutics into a 3D nanoscale space, a co-encapsulated nanocarrier, while aiming for synergism, should strive toward achieving a harmonious cohabitation of the encapsulated molecules that, despite proximity and opportunities for interaction, remain innocuous toward each other and ensure molecular integrity. This account will inspect the current progress in co-encapsulation in nanocarriers and distill out the key points toward accomplishing such synergism through reciprocity.

Adhesion advances: from nanomaterials to biomimetic adhesion and applications

The field of adhesion has revealed a significant impact on numerous applications such as wound healing, drug delivery, electrically conductive adhesive, dental adhesive, and wood industry. Nanotechnology has continued to be the primary means to achieve adhesion. Among them, biological systems based on the unique structure of the nano-levels have developed excellent adhesion capabilities after billions of years of evolution and natural selection. Therefore, the research on bionic adhesion inspired by biological systems has gradually emerged. This review firstly focuses on the mechanism of adhesion, and secondly reports the effects of different nanomaterials on adhesion properties. Then based on the structure of mussels, geckos, tree frogs, octopuses, and other organisms, the research progress of biomimetic nanotechnology to achieve adhesion is summarized. Finally, the applications, challenges, and future directions of nanotechnology in new adhesive materials are provided.

Targeting foodborne pathogens via surface-functionalized nano-antimicrobials

The incorporation of antibiotics and bioactive compounds into non-toxic nanoparticles has been popularly used to produce effective antimicrobial nanocarriers against foodborne pathogens. These systems can protect antimicrobials against harsh environments, control their release, and increase their antimicrobial activities; however, their functions can be decreased by some major barriers. Intracellular localization of bacteria protects them from the host immune system and antimicrobial agents. Also, bacteria can cause constant infection by nestling in professional phagocytic cells. In the last years, surface functionalization of nanocarriers by passive and active modification methods has been applied for their protection against clearance from the blood, increasing both circulation time and uptake by target cells. For achieving this objective, different functional agents such as specifically targeted peptides internalize ligands, saccharide ligands, or even therapeutic molecules (e.g., antibodies or enzymes) are used. In this review, techniques for functionalizing the surface of antimicrobial-loaded nanocarriers have been described. This article offers a comprehensive review of the potential of functional nanoparticles to increase the performance of antimicrobials against foodborne pathogens through targeting delivery.

Astragaloside IV- and nesfatin-1-encapsulated phosphatidylserine liposomes conjugated with wheat germ agglutinin and leptin to activate anti-apoptotic pathway and block phosphorylated tau protein expression for Parkinson's disease treatment

Heap-up of α-synuclein (α-Syn) and its association with tau protein are esteemed to trigger the onset of Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to develop multi-functional liposomes incorporated with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC), cholesterol, 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and phosphatidylserine (PS) to load astragaloside IV (AS-IV) and nestifin-1 (NF-1), followed by grafting with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and leptin (Lep) (WGA-Lep-AS-IV-NF-1-PS-liposomes) to protect dopaminergic neurons from apoptosis. Experimental results showed that increasing the mole percentage of DSPC and PS enhanced the particle size, particle stability and entrapment efficiency of AS-IV and NF-1, and reduced the drug releasing rate. Strong affinity of NF-1 to PS was evidenced by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. WGA-Lep-AS-IV-NF-1-PS-liposomes diminished transendothelial electrical resistance and improved the capacity of propidium iodide, AS-IV and NF-1 to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Immunocytochemical staining exhibited the ability of functionalized liposomes to target Lep receptor and α-Syn in MPP⁺-insulted SH-SY5Y cells. Western blots revealed a substantial reduction of α-Syn and phosphorylated tau protein in the anti-oxidative pathway through interaction with PS. During the course of treatment with WGA-Lep-AS-IV-NF-1-PS-liposomes, the combined activity of AS-IV and NF-1 and recognition capability simultaneously decreased the expression of Bax, and increased the expressions of Bcl-2, tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter. The liposomes carrying AS-IV and NF-1 can rescue degenerated neurons and are a promising formulation to achieve better PD management.

Nanoparticles in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Review

In recent years, nanoparticles (NPs) have been receiving more attention in dentistry. Their advantageous physicochemical and biological properties can improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of numerous oral diseases, including dental caries, periodontal diseases, pulp and periapical lesions, oral candidiasis, denture stomatitis, hyposalivation, and head, neck, and oral cancer. NPs can also enhance the mechanical and microbiological properties of dental prostheses and implants and can be used to improve drug delivery through the oral mucosa. This paper reviewed studies from 2015 to 2020 and summarized the potential applications of different types of NPs in the many fields of dentistry.

Wheat Germ Agglutinin—From Toxicity to Biomedical Applications

Wheat germ agglutinin is a hevein class N-Acetylglucosamine–binding protein with specific toxicity and biomedical potential. It is extractable from wheat germ—a low-value byproduct of the wheat industry—using well–established extraction methods based on salt precipitation and affinity chromatography. Due to its N-Acetylglucosamine affinity, wheat germ agglutinin exhibits antifungal properties as well as cytotoxic properties. Its anticancer properties have been demonstrated for various cancer cells, and toxicity mechanisms are well described. Wheat germ agglutinin has been demonstrated as a viable solution for various biomedical and therapeutic applications, such as chemotherapy, targeted drug delivery, antibiotic-resistant bacteria monitoring and elimination. This is performed mostly in conjunction with nanoparticles, liposomes, and other carrier mechanisms via surface functionalization. Combined with abundant wheat byproduct sources, wheat germ agglutinin has the potential to improve the biomedical field considerably.

Evaluation and clinical comparison studies on liposomal and non-liposomal ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and their enhanced bioavailability

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral bioavailability of liposomal vitamin C and non-liposomal vitamin C in healthy, adult, human subjects under fasting conditions through an open label, randomized, single-dose, two-treatment, two-sequence, two-period, two-way crossover, study. The vitamin C loaded liposome was well characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements for evaluating morphology, particle size and stabilities, respectively. Microscopic image shows the core-type structure that confirms the characteristic pattern of liposome. The encapsulation efficiency (EE%) and the particle size were 65.85 ± 1.84% and below 100 nm, respectively. The results of the clinical studies of liposomal vitamin C by oral delivery to be 1.77 times more bioavailable than non-liposomal vitamin C. The liposomal vitamin C demonstrated higher values of C_max, AUC_0-t and AUC_0-∞ related to non-liposomal vitamin C due to liposomal encapsulation. No adverse events were reported. It could be concluded that liposomal encapsulated ascorbic acid (vitamin C) shows well-organized morphological pattern, uniform particle size and highly efficient, which leads to have enhanced bioavailability.

Nanomedicine Fight against Antibacterial Resistance: An Overview of the Recent Pharmaceutical Innovations

Based on the recent reports of World Health Organization, increased antibiotic resistance prevalence among bacteria represents the greatest challenge to human health. In addition, the poor solubility, stability, and side effects that lead to inefficiency of the current antibacterial therapy prompted the researchers to explore new innovative strategies to overcome such resilient microbes. Hence, novel antibiotic delivery systems are in high demand. Nanotechnology has attracted considerable interest due to their favored physicochemical properties, drug targeting efficiency, enhanced uptake, and biodistribution. The present review focuses on the recent applications of organic (liposomes, lipid-based nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, and polymeric nanoparticles), and inorganic (silver, silica, magnetic, zinc oxide (ZnO), cobalt, selenium, and cadmium) nanosystems in the domain of antibacterial delivery. We provide a concise description of the characteristics of each system that render it suitable as an antibacterial delivery agent. We also highlight the recent promising innovations used to overcome antibacterial resistance, including the use of lipid polymer nanoparticles, nonlamellar liquid crystalline nanoparticles, anti-microbial oligonucleotides, smart responsive materials, cationic peptides, and natural compounds. We further discuss the applications of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, combination drug therapy, nano antibiotic strategy, and phage therapy, and their impact on evading antibacterial resistance. Finally, we report on the formulations that made their way towards clinical application.