Laponite as carrier for controlled in vitro delivery of dexamethasone in vitreous humor models

Bacterial clustering biomaterials as anti-infective therapies

In Nature, bacterial clustering by host-released peptides or nucleic acids is an evolutionarily conserved immune defense strategy employed to prevent adhesion of pathogenic microbes, which is prerequisite for most infections. Synthetic anti-adhesion strategies present as non-lethal means of targeting bacteria and may potentially be used to avoid resistance against antimicrobial therapies. From bacteria-agglutinating biomolecules discovered in nature to synthetic designs involving peptides, cationic polymers and nanoparticles, the modes of actions appear broad and unconsolidated. Herein, we present a critical review and update of the state-of-the-art in synthetic bacteria-clustering designs with proposition of a more streamlined nomenclature and classification. Overall, this review aims to consolidate the conceptual framework in the field of bacterial clustering and highlight its potentials as an avenue for discovering novel antibacterial biomaterials.

Calcium Alginate/Laponite Nanocomposite Hydrogels: Synthesis, Swelling, and Sorption Properties

This study presents the synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of hybrid hydrogels based on calcium alginate (Ca-Alg) and synthetic nanoclay LaponiteRD (Lap), with an emphasis on their swelling and sorption properties. The motivation behind the development of these hybrid hydrogels stems from the need for sustainable materials with enhanced mechanical strength, swelling properties, and sorption capacity for environmental remediation and controlled-release applications. Synthesis methods for the ionotropically cross-linked Ca-Alg hydrogel and Alg–Lap composite hydrogels, based on Alg and Lap in the form of granules and fibres, have been developed. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of composite hydrogels confirmed the successful incorporation of Lap into the Ca-Alg matrix, indicating strong interactions between the polymer and clay, which enhanced the structural integrity of the hydrogels. The morphology of the surface and pore structure of nanocomposites were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The swelling behaviour of the nanocomposites was largely dependent on the concentrations of Lap and the cross-linking agent (CaCl2), with higher concentrations leading to more rigid, less swellable structures due to the increased cross-linking density. The sorption studies, specifically with Fe(II) ions, demonstrated that the hybrid hydrogels possess a large sorption capacity, with Lap contributing to selective sorption at lower Fe(II) ion concentrations and Alg enhancing overall capacity at higher concentrations. This suggests that the synergistic interaction between Alg and Lap not only improves mechanical stability but also tailors the sorption properties of the hydrogels. These findings position the Alg-Lap hydrogels as promising materials for a range of environmental applications, including wastewater treatment, heavy metal ion removal, and the design of advanced filtration systems. The study’s insights into the tunability of these hydrogels pave the way for further research into their use in diverse fields such as biomedicine, agriculture, and industrial water management.

Synthesis of novel silver-loaded clay AgF@Hec for the prevention of dental cariesin vitro

Dental caries, a chronic infectious disease characterized by tooth mineral loss caused by plaque, is one of the major global public health problems. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has been proven to be a highly effective anti-caries drug due to its high bacterial inhibition and remineralization ability. However, the SDF solution is unstable, which immensely limits its clinical application. Therefore, new silver-load clay named AgF@Hec was designed by replacing the NH3with hectorite in this study. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction spectroscopy were employed to confirm the structure of AgF@Hec. Dynamic light scattering analysis was used to reveal the effect of different hectorite concentrations on the stability of AgF@Hec. Moreover, AgF@Hec exhibits significant remineralization and hardness recovery of the initial carious lesions. Bacteriostatic experiments also proved that it has a significant inhibitory effect onA. Viscosus, S. mutans, S. sanguinis, S. salivarius, Lactobacillus sp.and both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. We therefore believed that AgF@Hec should be a promising biomaterial that can be applied in the prevention of dental caries.

Laponite®-From Dispersion to Gel-Structure, Properties, and Applications

Laponite® (LAP) is an intensively studied synthetic clay due to the versatility given by its layered structure, which makes it usable in various applications. This review describes the multifaceted properties and applications of LAP in aqueous dispersions and gel systems. The first sections of the review discuss the LAP structure and the interactions between clay discs in an aqueous medium under different conditions (such as ionic strength, pH, temperature, and the addition of polymers) in order to understand the function of clay in tailoring the properties of the designed material. Additionally, the review explores the aging phenomenon characteristic of LAP aqueous dispersions as well as the development of shake-gels by incorporating LAP. The second part shows the most recent studies on materials containing LAP with possible applicability in the drilling industry, cosmetics or care products industry, and biomedical fields. By elucidating the remarkable versatility and ease of integration of LAP into various matrices, this review underscores its significance as a key ingredient for the creation of next-generation materials with tailored functionalities.

Silicon-containing nanomedicine and biomaterials: materials chemistry, multi-dimensional design, and biomedical application

The invention of silica-based bioactive glass in the late 1960s has sparked significant interest in exploring a wide range of silicon-containing biomaterials from the macroscale to the nanoscale. Over the past few decades, these biomaterials have been extensively explored for their potential in diverse biomedical applications, considering their remarkable bioactivity, excellent biocompatibility, facile surface functionalization, controllable synthesis, etc. However, to expedite the clinical translation and the unexpected utilization of silicon-composed nanomedicine and biomaterials, it is highly desirable to achieve a thorough comprehension of their characteristics and biological effects from an overall perspective. In this review, we provide a comprehensive discussion on the state-of-the-art progress of silicon-composed biomaterials, including their classification, characteristics, fabrication methods, and versatile biomedical applications. Additionally, we highlight the multi-dimensional design of both pure and hybrid silicon-composed nanomedicine and biomaterials and their intrinsic biological effects and interactions with biological systems. Their extensive biomedical applications span from drug delivery and bioimaging to therapeutic interventions and regenerative medicine, showcasing the significance of their rational design and fabrication to meet specific requirements and optimize their theranostic performance. Additionally, we offer insights into the future prospects and potential challenges regarding silicon-composed nanomedicine and biomaterials. By shedding light on these exciting research advances, we aspire to foster further progress in the biomedical field and drive the development of innovative silicon-composed nanomedicine and biomaterials with transformative applications in biomedicine.

Laponite for biomedical applications: An ophthalmological perspective

Clay minerals have been applied in biomedicine for thousands of years. Laponite is a nanostructured synthetic clay with the capacity to retain and progressively release drugs. In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in Laponite application in various biomedical areas. This is the first paper to review the potential biomedical applications of Laponite in ophthalmology. The introduction briefly covers the physical, chemical, rheological, and biocompatibility features of different routes of administration. After that, emphasis is placed on 1) drug delivery for antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, growth factors, other proteins, and cancer treatment; 2) bleeding prevention or treatment; and 3) tissue engineering through regenerative medicine using scaffolds in intraocular and extraocular tissue. Although most scientific research is not performed on the eye, both the findings and the new treatments resulting from that research are potentially applicable in ophthalmology since many of the drugs used are the same, the tissue evaluated in vitro or in vivo is also present in the eye, and the pathologies treated also occur in the eye. Finally, future prospects for this emerging field are discussed.

Natural and Synthetic Clay Minerals in the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Fields

Clay minerals are historically among the most used materials with a wide variety of applications. In pharmaceutical and biomedical fields, their healing properties have always been known and used in pelotherapy and therefore attractive for their potential. In recent decades, the research has therefore focused on the systematic investigation of these properties. This review aims to describe the most relevant and recent uses of clays in the pharmaceutical and biomedical field, especially for drug delivery and tissue engineering purposes. Clay minerals, which are biocompatible and non-toxic materials, can act as carriers for active ingredients while controlling their release and increasing their bioavailability. Moreover, the combination of clays and polymers is useful as it can improve the mechanical and thermal properties of polymers, as well as induce cell adhesion and proliferation. Different types of clays, both of natural (such as montmorillonite and halloysite) and synthetic origin (layered double hydroxides and zeolites), were considered in order to compare them and to assess their advantages and different uses.

Controlled Delivery of Corticosteroids Using Tunable Tough Adhesives

Hydrogel-based drug delivery systems typically aim to release drugs locally to tissue in an extended manner. Tissue adhesive alginate-polyacrylamide tough hydrogels are recently demonstrated to serve as an extended-release system for the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide. Here, the stimuli-responsive controlled release of triamcinolone acetonide from the alginate-polyacrylamide tough hydrogel drug delivery systems (TADDS) and evolving new approaches to combine alginate-polyacrylamide tough hydrogel with drug-loaded nano and microparticles, generating composite TADDS is described. Stimulation with ultrasound pulses or temperature changes is demonstrated to control the release of triamcinolone acetonide from the TADDS. The incorporation of laponite nanoparticles or PLGA microparticles into the tough hydrogel is shown to further enhance the versatility to control and modulate the release of triamcinolone acetonide. A first technical exploration of a TADDS shelf-life concept is performed using lyophilization, where lyophilized TADDS are physically stable and the bioactive integrity of released triamcinolone acetonide is demonstrated. Given the tunability of properties, the TADDS are a suggested technology platform for controlled drug delivery.

Laponite-Based Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery

Laponite is a clay-based material composed of synthetic disk-shaped crystalline nanoparticles with highly ionic, large surface area. These characteristics enable the intercalation and dissolution of biomolecules in Laponite-based drug delivery systems. Furthermore, Laponite's innate physicochemical properties and architecture enable the development of tunable pH-responsive drug delivery systems. Laponite's coagulation capacity and cation exchangeability determine its exchange capabilities, drug encapsulation efficiency, and release profile. These parameters are exploited to design highly controlled and efficacious drug delivery platforms for sustained drug release. In this review, they provide an overview of how to design efficient delivery of therapeutics by leveraging the properties and specific interactions of various Laponite-polymer composites and drug moieties.

Hydroxyapatite grafted chitosan/laponite RD hydrogel: Evaluation of the encapsulation capacity, pH-responsivity, and controlled release behavior

In this study, a pH-responsive drug carrier was developed for the controllable release of drugs in the gastric environment. Chitosan (CS), a pH-sensitive biopolymer, and laponite RD (LAP), a nano-clay with a high drug-loading capability, were used to design the new carrier. Hydroxyapatite (HA) was grafted into CS/LAP matrix through a simple co-precipitation technique to overcome the burst release of the CS/LAP. The structural analysis and swelling tests of products demonstrated that the co-precipitation method has led to the penetration of HA nanoparticles inside the CS/LAP matrix and occupying its hollow pores. Occupation of the empty pores can lead to the entrapment of drug molecules, thereby reducing the release rate. The nanocomposite showed a high loading capacity to ofloxacin as a drug model. The effects of HA content on release behavior of nanocomposite were investigated at simulated gastric (pH 1.2) and intestine (pH 7.4) environments. The results indicated a high pH sensitivity for CS/LAP/HA. HA grafting reduced the release rate remarkably regardless of pH. The release rate of CS/LAP/HA decreased by 44-63% in pH 1.2 and 41-51% in pH 7.4 compared to CS/LAP. Kinetic studies indicated that grafting the HA in CS/LAP has changed the drug release mechanism.

Targeting steroid hormone receptors for anti-cancer therapy-A review on small molecules and nanotherapeutic approaches

The steroid hormone receptors (SHRs) among nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) are steroid ligand-dependent transcription factors that play important roles in the regulation of transcription of genes promoted via hormone responsive elements in our genome. Aberrant expression patterns and context-specific regulation of these receptors in cancer, have been routinely reported by multiple research groups. These gave an window of opportunity to target those receptors in the context of developing novel, targeted anticancer therapeutics. Besides the development of a plethora of SHR-targeting synthetic ligands and the availability of their natural, hormonal ligands, development of many SHR-targeted, anticancer nano-delivery systems and theranostics, especially based on small molecules, have been reported. It is intriguing to realize that these cytoplasmic receptors have become a hot target for cancer selective delivery. This is in spite of the fact that these receptors do not fall in the category of conventional, targetable cell surface bound or transmembrane receptors that enjoy over-expression status. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is one such exciting SHR that in spite of it being expressed ubiquitously in all cells, we discovered it to behave differently in cancer cells, thus making it a truly druggable target for treating cancer. This review selectively accumulates the knowledge generated in the field of SHR-targeting as a major focus for cancer treatment with various anticancer small molecules and nanotherapeutics on progesterone receptor, mineralocorticoid receptor, and androgen receptor while selectively emphasizing on GR and estrogen receptor. This review also briefly highlights lipid-modification strategy to convert ligands into SHR-targeted cancer nanotherapeutics. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Lipid-Based Structures Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies.

Nanoclay Reinforced Biomaterials for Mending Musculoskeletal Tissue Disorders

Nanoclay-reinforced biomaterials have sparked a new avenue in advanced healthcare materials that can potentially revolutionize treatment of musculoskeletal defects. Native tissues display many important chemical, mechanical, biological, and physical properties that engineered biomaterials need to mimic for optimal tissue integration and regeneration. However, it is time-consuming and difficult to endow such combinatorial properties on materials via feasible and nontoxic procedures. Fortunately, a number of nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, MXenes, and nanoclays already display a plethora of material properties that can be transferred to biomaterials through a simple incorporation procedure. In this direction, the members of the nanoclay family are easy to functionalize chemically, they can significantly reinforce the mechanical performance of biomaterials, and can provide bioactive properties by ionic dissolution products to upregulate cartilage and bone tissue formation. For this reason, nanoclays can become a key component for future orthopedic biomaterials. In this review, we specifically focus on the rapidly decreasing gap between clinic and laboratory by highlighting their application in a number of promising in vivo studies.

Biomedical Applications of Supramolecular Materials in the Controllable Delivery of Steroids

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones secreted from the adrenal glands. The strong anti-inflammatory effects make it be one of the most popular and versatile drugs available to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. Additionally, supramolecular materials have been widely exploited in drug delivery, due to their biocompatibility, tunability, and predictability. Thus, steroid-based supramolecular materials and the release of steroids have been applied in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. This mini-review summarized recent advances in supramolecular materials loaded with glucocorticoid drugs in terms of hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and π-π stackings. We also discussed and prospected the application of the glucocorticoid drugs-based supramolecular system on chronic rhinosinusitis, multifactorial inflammatory disease of the nasal and paranasal sinuses mucosal membranes. Overall, supramolecular materials can provide an alternative to traditional materials as a novel delivery platform in clinical practice.

Nanostructured Non-Newtonian Drug Delivery Barrier Prevents Postoperative Intrapericardial Adhesions

With the increasing volume of cardiovascular surgeries and the rising adoption rate of new methodologies that serve as a bridge to cardiac transplantation and that require multiple surgical interventions, the formation of postoperative intrapericardial adhesions has become a challenging problem that limits future surgical procedures, causes serious complications, and increases medical costs. To prevent this pathology, we developed a nanotechnology-based self-healing drug delivery hydrogel barrier composed of silicate nanodisks and polyethylene glycol with the ability to coat the epicardial surface of the heart without friction and locally deliver dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug. After the fabrication of the hydrogel, mechanical characterization and responses to shear, strain, and recovery were analyzed, confirming its shear-thinning and self-healing properties. This behavior allowed its facile injection (5.75 ± 0.15 to 22.01 ± 0.95 N) and subsequent mechanical recovery. The encapsulation of dexamethasone within the hydrogel system was confirmed by ¹H NMR, and controlled release for 5 days was observed. In vitro, limited cellular adhesion to the hydrogel surface was achieved, and its anti-inflammatory properties were confirmed, as downregulation of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 was observed in TNF-α activated endothelial cells. In vivo, 1 week after administration of the hydrogel to a rabbit model of intrapericardial injury, superior efficacy was observed when compared to a commercial adhesion barrier, as histological and immunohistochemical examination revealed reduced adhesion formation and minimal immune infiltration of CD3+ lymphocytes and CD68+ macrophages, as well as NF-κβ downregulation. We presented a novel nanostructured drug delivery hydrogel system with unique mechanical and biological properties that act synergistically to prevent cellular infiltration while providing local immunomodulation to protect the intrapericardial space after a surgical intervention.

Swelling layered minerals applications: A solid state NMR overview

Swelling layered clay minerals form an important sub-group of the phyllosilicate family. They are characterized by their ability to expand or contract in the presence or absence of water. This property makes them useful for a variety of applications, ranging from environmental technologies to heterogeneous catalysis, and including pharmaceutical and industrial applications. Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SS-NMR) has been extensively applied in the characterization of these materials, providing useful information on their dynamics and structure that is inaccessible using other characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction. In this review, we present the key contributions of SS-NMR to the understanding of the mechanisms that govern some of the main applications associated to swelling clay minerals. The article is divided in two parts. The first part presents SS-NMR conventional applications to layered clay minerals, while the second part comprises an in-depth review of the information that SS-NMR can provide about the different properties of swelling layered clay minerals.

Recent advances in the design of inorganic and nano-clay particles for the treatment of brain disorders

Inorganic materials, in particular nanoclays and silica nanoparticles, have attracted enormous attention due to their versatile and tuneable properties, making them ideal candidates for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as drug delivery. This review aims at overviewing recent developments of inorganic nanoparticles (like porous or mesoporous silica particles) and different nano-clay materials (like montmorillonite, laponites or halloysite nanotubes) employed for overcoming the blood brain barrier (BBB) in the treatment and therapy of major brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, glioma or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Recent strategies of crossing the BBB through invasive and not invasive administration routes by using different types of nanoparticles compared to nano-clays and inorganic particles are overviewed.

Monitoring New Long-Lasting Intravitreal Formulation for Glaucoma with Vitreous Images Using Optical Coherence Tomography

Intravitreal injection is the gold standard therapeutic option for posterior segment pathologies, and long-lasting release is necessary to avoid reinjections. There is no effective intravitreal treatment for glaucoma or other optic neuropathies in daily practice, nor is there a non-invasive method to monitor drug levels in the vitreous. Here we show that a glaucoma treatment combining a hypotensive and neuroprotective intravitreal formulation (IF) of brimonidine–Laponite (BRI/LAP) can be monitored non-invasively using vitreoretinal interface imaging captured with optical coherence tomography (OCT) over 24 weeks of follow-up. Qualitative and quantitative characterisation was achieved by analysing the changes in vitreous (VIT) signal intensity, expressed as a ratio of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) intensity. Vitreous hyperreflective aggregates mixed in the vitreous and tended to settle on the retinal surface. Relative intensity and aggregate size progressively decreased over 24 weeks in treated rat eyes as the BRI/LAP IF degraded. VIT/RPE relative intensity and total aggregate area correlated with brimonidine levels measured in the eye. The OCT-derived VIT/RPE relative intensity may be a useful and objective marker for non-invasive monitoring of BRI/LAP IF.

Polydopamine-Coated Laponite Nanoplatforms for Photoacoustic Imaging-Guided Chemo-Phototherapy of Breast Cancer

Theranostic nanoplatforms combining photosensitizers and anticancer drugs have aroused wide interest due to the real-time photoacoustic (PA) imaging capability and improved therapeutic efficacy by the synergistic effect of chemotherapy and phototherapy. In this study, polydopamine (PDA) coated laponite (LAP) nanoplatforms were synthesized to efficiently load indocyanine green (ICG) and doxorubicin (DOX), and modified with polyethylene glycol-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (PEG-RGD) for PA imaging-guided chemo-phototherapy of cancer cells overexpressing α_vβ₃ integrin. The formed ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX nanoplatforms showed significantly higher photothermal conversion efficiency than ICG solution and excellent PA imaging capability, and could release DOX in a pH-sensitive and NIR laser-triggered way, which is highly desirable feature in precision chemotherapy. In addition, the ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX nanoplatforms could be uptake by cancer cells overexpressing α_vβ₃ integrin with high specificity, and thus serve as a targeted contrast agent for in vivo PA imaging of cancer. In vivo experiments with 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model demonstrated that ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX nanoplatforms exhibited much stronger therapeutic effect and higher survival rate than monotherapy due to the synergetic chemo-phototherapy under NIR laser irradiation. Therefore, the reported ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX represents a promising theranostic nanoplatform for high effectiveness PA imaging-guided chemo-phototherapy of cancer cells overexpressing α_vβ₃ integrin.

Dexamethasone delivery to the ocular posterior segment by sustained-release Laponite formulation

This paper presents a novel nanoformulation for sustained-release delivery of dexamethasone (DEX) to the ocular posterior segment using a Laponite (LAP) carrier-DEX/LAP 1:10 w w^-1 formulation; 10 mg ml^-1. In vivo ocular feasibility and pharmacokinetics after intravitreal (IV) and suprachoroidal (SC) administration in rabbit eyes are compared against IV administration of a DEX solution (1 mg ml^-1). Thirty rabbit eyes were injected with the DEX/LAP formulation (15 suprachoroid/15 intravitreous). Ophthalmological signs were monitored at day 1 and at weeks 1-4-12-24 post-administration. Three eyes per sample time point were used to quantify DEX concentration using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The ocular tissues' pharmacokinetic parameters (lens, vitreous humour, choroid-retina unit and sclera) were studied. DEX/LAP was well tolerated under both administration methods. Peak intraocular DEX levels from the DEX/LAP were detected in the vitreous humour after both deliveries soon after administration. The vitreous area under the curve was significantly greater after both DEX/LAP deliveries (IV: 205 968.47; SC: 11 442.22 ng g^-1 d^-1) than after IV administration of the DEX solution (317.17 ng g^-1 d^-1). Intravitreal DEX/LAP delivery extended higher vitreous DEX levels up to week 24 (466.32 ± 311.15 ng g^-1). With SC delivery, DEX levels were detectable in the choroid-retina unit (12.04 ± 20.85 ng g^-1) and sclera (25.46 ± 44.09 ng g^-1) up to week 24. This study demonstrated the intraocular feasibility of both SC and IV administration of the DEX/LAP formulation. The LAP increased the intraocular retention time of DEX when compared with conventional solutions. DEX/LAP could be considered a biocompatible and useful sustained-release formulation for treating posterior-pole eye diseases.

Brimonidine-LAPONITE® intravitreal formulation has an ocular hypotensive and neuroprotective effect throughout 6 months of follow-up in a glaucoma animal model

Intravitreal administration is widely used in ophthalmological practice to maintain therapeutic drug levels near the neuroretina and because drug delivery systems are necessary to avoid reinjections and sight-threatening side effects. However, currently there is no intravitreal treatment for glaucoma. The brimonidine-LAPONITE® formulation was created with the aim of treating glaucoma for extended periods with a single intravitreal injection. Glaucoma was induced by producing ocular hypertension in two rat cohorts: [BRI-LAP] and [non-bri], with and without treatment, respectively. Eyes treated with brimonidine-LAPONITE® showed lower ocular pressure levels up to week 8 (p < 0.001), functional neuroprotection explored by scotopic and photopic negative response electroretinography (p = 0.042), and structural protection of the retina, retinal nerve fibre layer and ganglion cell layer (p = 0.038), especially on the superior-inferior axis explored by optical coherence tomography, which was corroborated by a higher retinal ganglion cell count (p = 0.040) using immunohistochemistry (Brn3a antibody) up to the end of the study (week 24). Furthermore, delayed neuroprotection was detected in the contralateral eye. Brimonidine was detected in treated rat eyes for up to 6 months. Brimonidine-LAPONITE® seems to be a potential sustained-delivery intravitreal drug for glaucoma treatment.

Identifying Specific Combinations of Matrix Properties that Promote Controlled and Sustained Release of a Hydrophobic Drug from Electrospun Meshes

Despite advances in the development of degradable polymers for drug delivery, effective translation of drug-loaded materials is often hindered due to a poor understanding of matrix property combinations that promote controlled and sustained release. In this study, we investigated the influence of dominant factors on the release of a hydrophobic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) from electrospun meshes. Polycaprolactone meshes released 98% of the drug within 24 h, while poly(l-lactide) meshes exhibited negligible release even after 28 days despite both polymers being slow-degrading. Differences in drug-polymer interactions and drug-polymer miscibility-but neither matrix degradation nor differences in bulk hydrophobicity-influenced DEX release from these semi-crystalline matrices. Poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) 50:50 meshes possessing two different fiber diameters exhibited a sequential burst and sustained release, while poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) 85:15 meshes cumulatively released 26% drug in a controlled manner. Although initial drug release from these matrices was driven by differences in matrix architecture and solid-state drug solubility, release toward the later stages was influenced by a combination of fiber swelling and matrix degradation as evidenced by gross and microstructural changes to the mesh network. We suggest that drug release from polymeric matrices can be better understood via investigation of critical matrix characteristics influencing release, as well as concomitant examination of drug-polymer interactions and miscibility. Our findings offer rational matrix design criteria to achieve controlled/extended drug release for promoting sustained biological responses.

Hydrogel-clay Nanocomposites as Carriers for Controlled Release

The present review aims to summarize the research efforts undertaken in the last few years in the development and testing of hydrogel-clay nanocomposites proposed as carriers for controlled release of diverse drugs. Their advantages, disadvantages and different compositions of polymers/biopolymers with diverse types of clays, as well as their interactions are discussed. Illustrative examples of studies regarding hydrogel-clay nanocomposites are detailed in order to underline the progressive researches on hydrogel-clay-drug pharmaceutical formulations able to respond to a series of demands for the most diverse applications. Brief descriptions of the different techniques used for the characterization of the obtained complex hybrid materials such as: swelling, TGA, DSC, FTIR, XRD, mechanical, SEM, TEM and biology tests, are also included. Enlightened by the presented data, we can suppose that hydrogel-clay nanocomposites will still be a challenging subject of global assiduous researches. We can dare to dream to an efficient drug delivery platform for the treatment of multiple affection concomitantly, these being undoubtedly like "a tree of life" bearing different kinds of fruits and leaves proper for human healing.

Laponite-based Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications: A Review

Laponite based nanomaterials (LBNMs) are highly diverse regarding their mechanical, chemical, and structural properties, coupled with shape, size, mass, biodegradability and biocompatibility. These ubiquitous properties of LBNMs make them appropriate materials for extensive applications. These have enormous potential for effective and targeted drug delivery comprised of numerous biodegradable materials which results in enhanced bioavailability. Moreover, the clay material has been explored in tissue engineering and bioimaging for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. The material has been profoundly explored for minimized toxicity of nanomedicines. The present review compiled relevant and informative data to focus on the interactions of laponite nanoparticles and application in drug delivery, tissue engineering, imaging, cell adhesion and proliferation, and in biosensors. Eventually, concise conclusions are drawn concerning biomedical applications and identification of new promising research directions.

2D Nanoclay for Biomedical Applications: Regenerative Medicine, Therapeutic Delivery, and Additive Manufacturing

Clay nanomaterials are an emerging class of 2D biomaterials of interest due to their atomically thin layered structure, charged characteristics, and well-defined composition. Synthetic nanoclays are plate-like polyions composed of simple or complex salts of silicic acids with a heterogeneous charge distribution and patchy interactions. Due to their biocompatible characteristics, unique shape, high surface-to-volume ratio, and charge, nanoclays are investigated for various biomedical applications. Here, a critical overview of the physical, chemical, and physiological interactions of nanoclay with biological moieties, including cells, proteins, and polymers, is provided. The state-of-the-art biomedical applications of 2D nanoclay in regenerative medicine, therapeutic delivery, and additive manufacturing are reviewed. In addition, recent developments that are shaping this emerging field are discussed and promising new research directions for 2D nanoclay-based biomaterials are identified.

Interaction of Laponite with Membrane Components-Consequences for Bacterial Aggregation and Infection Confinement

The antimicrobial effects of Laponite nanoparticles with or without loading of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 was investigated along with their membrane interactions. The study combines data from ellipsometry, circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, particle size/ζ potential measurements, and confocal microscopy. As a result of the net negative charge of Laponite, loading of net positively charged LL-37 increases with increasing pH. The peptide was found to bind primarily to the outer surface of the Laponite nanoparticles in a predominantly helical conformation, leading to charge reversal. Despite their net positive charge, peptide-loaded Laponite nanoparticles did not kill Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria or disrupt anionic model liposomes. They did however cause bacteria flocculation, originating from the interaction of Laponite and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Free LL-37, in contrast, is potently antimicrobial through membrane disruption but does not induce bacterial aggregation in the concentration range investigated. Through LL-37 loading of Laponite nanoparticles, the combined effects of bacterial flocculation and membrane lysis are observed. However, bacteria aggregation seems to be limited to Gram-negative bacteria as Laponite did not cause flocculation of Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis bacteria nor did it bind to lipoteichoic acid from bacterial envelopes. Taken together, the present investigation reports several novel phenomena by demonstrating that nanoparticle charge does not invariably control membrane destabilization and by identifying the ability of anionic Laponite nanoparticles to effectively flocculate Gram-negative bacteria through LPS binding. As demonstrated in cell experiments, such aggregation results in diminished LPS-induced cell activation, thus outlining a promising approach for confinement of infection and inflammation caused by such pathogens.

Sustained and Prolonged Delivery of Protein Therapeutics from Two-Dimensional Nanosilicates

We present a nanoengineered system for sustained and prolonged delivery of protein therapeutics, which has the potential to impact current orthopedic regeneration strategies. Specifically, we introduce two-dimensional nanosilicates with a high surface area and charged characteristics for delivery of active proteins for more than 30 days. The nanosilicates show high binding efficacy without altering the protein conformation and bioactivity. The released proteins are able to maintain high activity as demonstrated by enhanced differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells at 10-fold lower concentration compared to the exogenous control. Utilizing the nanosilicates as a delivery vehicle could minimize the negative side effects observed because of the use of supraphysiological dosages of protein therapeutics for orthopedic regeneration strategies.

The impact of clay-based hypoxia mimetic hydrogel on human fibroblasts of the periodontal soft tissue

Thixotropic clays have favorable properties for tissue regeneration. Hypoxia mimetic agents showed promising results in pre-clinical models for hard and soft tissue regeneration. It is unclear if clays can be used as carrier for hypoxia mimetic agent in a periodontal regenerative setting. Here, we tested the response of human fibroblasts of the periodontal soft tissue to synthetic clay hydrogels and assessed hypoxia mimetic agent release. Cells were cultured on synthetic clay hydrogels (5.00%-0.15%). We assessed viability and differentiation capacity with resazurin-based toxicity assays, MTT staining, Live-Dead staining, and alkaline phosphatase staining. To reveal the response of fibroblasts to hypoxia mimetic agent-loaded clay hydrogels, cells were exposed to clay supplemented with dimethyloxalylglycine, deferoxamine, l-mimosine, and CoCl₂. Supernatants from hypoxia mimetic agent-loaded clay hydrogels were harvested and replaced with medium at hour 1, 3, 6, 24, 48, and 72. To reveal the hypoxia mimetic capacity of supernatants, vascular endothelial growth factor production in the fibroblasts was assessed in the culture medium. Our data show that clay did not induce relevant toxic effects in the fibroblasts which remained capable to differentiate into alkaline phosphatase-positive cells at the relevant concentrations. Fibroblasts cultured on clay hydrogel loaded with dimethyloxalylglycine, deferoxamine, l-mimosine, and CoCl₂ remained vital, however, no significant increase in vascular endothelial growth factor levels was found in the culture medium. Only dimethyloxalylglycine-loaded clay supernatants taken in the first hours stimulated vascular endothelial growth factor production in fibroblasts. In conclusion no pronounced toxic effects of synthetic clay were observed. Supplementation with dimethyloxalylglycine leads to hypoxia mimetic activity. This pilot study provides first insights into the impact of synthetic clay on periodontal tissue.

Hyaluronic Acid-Decorated Laponite® Nanocomposites for Targeted Anticancer Drug Delivery

In this study, hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural polysaccharide that can specifically bind to CD44 receptors, was conjugated onto laponite® (LAP) nanodisks for the encapsulation and specific delivery of the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) to CD44-overexpressed cancer cells. The prepared LM-HA could encapsulate DOX efficiently and release drug in a continuous manner with pH-responsiveness. In vitro cell viability assay proved that LM-HA had good biocompatibility, and drug-loaded LM-HA/DOX exhibited targeted anti-tumor effects against HeLa cells with CD44 receptors overexpressed. In addition, the flow cytometric detection and confocal laser scanning microscope results confirmed that LM-HA/DOX could be specifically internalized by HeLa cells via CD44-mediated endocytosis. Therefore, the HA-modified LAP nanodisks with high drug loading efficiency, pH-sensitive drug release properties and CD44 targetability might be an efficient nanoplatform for cancer chemotherapy.

Layered Silicates as a Possible Drug Carrier

The potential of layered silicates as drug carrier is overviewed. Due to their large surface area and expandable interlayer space to accommodate drug molecules, layered silicates have a potential as carrier of various molecules. In addition to the electrostatic interactions between negatively charged layered silicates and positively charged drug molecules, the organic modification of the surface of layered silicates has been applied to accommodate a variety of drug molecules not only cationic ones. The in vitro release experiment of the accommodated drug molecules has been reported under the acidic conditions. In order to discuss the future direction of layered silicates as drug carrier, materials' variation of layered silicates and their modification, and the reported stimuli-responsive hybrids based on layered silicates were introduced.

Loading of Indocyanine Green within Polydopamine-Coated Laponite Nanodisks for Targeted Cancer Photothermal and Photodynamic Therapy

The combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in cancer treatment has attracted much attention in recent years. However, developing highly efficient and targeted therapeutic nanoagents for amplifying PTT and PDT treatments remains challenging. In this work, we developed a novel photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic nanoplatform for treatment of cancer cells overexpressing integrin αvβ₃ through the coating of polydopamine (PDA) on indocyanine green (ICG)-loaded laponite (LAP) and then further conjugating polyethylene glycol-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (PEG-RGD) as targeted agents on the surface. The ICG/LAP⁻PDA⁻PEG⁻RGD (ILPR) nanoparticles (NPs) formed could load ICG with a high encapsulation efficiency of 94.1%, improve the photostability of loaded ICG dramatically via the protection of PDA and LAP, and display excellent colloidal stability and biocompatibility due to the PEGylation. Under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, the ILPR NPs could exert enhanced photothermal conversion reproducibly and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) efficiently. More importantly, in vitro experiments proved that ILPR NPs could specifically target cancer cells overexpressing integrin αvβ₃, enhance cellular uptake due to RGD-mediated targeting, and exert improved photothermal and photodynamic killing efficiency against targeted cells under NIR laser irradiation. Therefore, ILPR may be used as effective therapeutic nanoagents with enhanced photothermal conversion performance and ROS generating ability for targeted PTT and PDT treatment of cancer cells with integrin αvβ₃ overexpressed.

Novel Drug Delivery Systems Tailored for Improved Administration of Glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoids (GC) are one of the most popular and versatile classes of drugs available to treat chronic inflammation and cancer, but side effects and resistance constrain their use. To overcome these hurdles, which are often related to the uniform tissue distribution of free GC and their short half-life in biological fluids, new delivery vehicles have been developed including PEGylated liposomes, polymeric micelles, polymer-drug conjugates, inorganic scaffolds, and hybrid nanoparticles. While each of these nanoformulations has individual drawbacks, they are often superior to free GC in many aspects including therapeutic efficacy when tested in cell culture or animal models. Successful application of nanomedicines has been demonstrated in various models of neuroinflammatory diseases, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and several other disorders. Moreover, investigations using human cells and first clinical trials raise the hope that the new delivery vehicles may have the potential to make GC therapies more tolerable, specific and efficient in the future.