The significance of bioengineered nanoplatforms against SARS-CoV-2: From detection to genome editing

Nanomaterials-assisted gene editing and synthetic biology for optimizing the treatment of pulmonary diseases

The use of nanomaterials in gene editing and synthetic biology has emerged as a pivotal strategy in the pursuit of refined treatment methodologies for pulmonary disorders. This review discusses the utilization of nanomaterial-assisted gene editing tools and synthetic biology techniques to promote the development of more precise and efficient treatments for pulmonary diseases. First, we briefly outline the characterization of the respiratory system and succinctly describe the principal applications of diverse nanomaterials in lung ailment treatment. Second, we elaborate on gene-editing tools, their configurations, and assorted delivery methods, while delving into the present state of nanomaterial-facilitated gene-editing interventions for a spectrum of pulmonary diseases. Subsequently, we briefly expound on synthetic biology and its deployment in biomedicine, focusing on research advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary conditions against the backdrop of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Finally, we summarize the extant lacunae in current research and delineate prospects for advancement in this domain. This holistic approach augments the development of pioneering solutions in lung disease treatment, thereby endowing patients with more efficacious and personalized therapeutic alternatives.

Technical and engineering considerations for designing therapeutics and delivery systems

The newly-emerged pathological conditions and increased rates of drug resistance necessitate application of the state-of-the-art technologies for accelerated discovery of the therapeutic candidates and obtaining comprehensive knowledge about their targets, action mechanisms, and interactions within the body including those between the receptors and drugs. Using the physics- and chemistry-based modern techniques for theranostic purposes, preparing smart carriers, local delivery of genes or drugs, and enhancing pharmaceutical bioavailability could be of great value against the hard-to-treat diseases and growing drug resistance. Besides the artificial intelligence- and quantum-based techniques, crystal engineering capable of designing new molecules with appropriate characteristics, improving the stability and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs, and efficient carrier development could play a crucial role in manufacturing efficient pharmaceuticals and reducing the adverse events. In this context, identifying the structures and behaviors of crystals and predicting their characteristics are of great value. Electron diffraction by accelerated analysis of the chemicals and sensitivity to charge alterations, electromechanical tools for controlled delivery of therapeutics, mechatronics via fabrication of multi-functional smart products including the organ-on-chip devices for healthcare applications, and optomechatronics by overcoming the limitations of conventional biomedical techniques could address the unmet biomedical requirements and facilitate development of more effective theranostics with improved outcomes.

Nanobionics: From plant empowering to the infectious disease treatment

Infectious diseases (ID) are serious threats against the global health and socio-economic conditions. Vaccination usually plays a key role in disease prevention, however, insufficient efficiency or immunogenicity may be quite challenging. Using the advanced vectors for delivery of vaccines with suitable efficiency, safety, and immune-modulatory activity, and tunable characteristics could be helpful, but there are no systematic reviews confirming the capabilities of the vaccine delivery systems for covering various types of pathogens. Furthermore, high rates of the infections, transmission, and fatal ratio and diversity of the pathogens and infection mechanisms may negatively influence vaccine effectiveness. The absence of highly-effective antibiotics against the resistant strains of bacteria and longevity of antibiotic testing have provoked increasing needs towards the application of more accurate and specific theranostic strategies including the nanotechnology-based ones. Nanobionics which is based on the charge storage and transport in the molecular structures, could be of key value in the molecular diagnostic tests and highly-specific electro-analytical methods or devices. Such devices based on the early disease diagnostics might be of critical significance against various types of diseases. This article highlights the significance of nanobionics against ID.

Presenting a bioactive nanotherapeutic agent for colon cancer treatment

Colon cancer (CC) is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Insufficient drug concentration, non-specificity, or serious adverse effects of the conventional chemotherapeutic agents necessitate application of more effective treatment options. Herein, poly-ursolic acid, a polymer with anticancer effect, has been self-assembled for producing nanoparticles (NPs) for delivery of irinotecan (IRN) which is usually associated with poor solubility and severe adverse effects. NPs showed therapeutic efficiency by themselves in vivo and in vitro. IRN-loaded NPs with appropriate physicochemical characteristics, released IRN in a controlled fashion and demonstrated more efficient cytotoxicity, lower clearance rate and distribution volume, higher C_max and AUC, prolonged t_1/2, increased accumulation in tumor, and therapeutic effects in vivo as compared to free drug. There was no significant alteration of body weight or damage to the major organs. The prepared bioactive nanoplatform via improvement of IRN efficiency could be applied for inducing synergistic toxicity against CC.

Nanovaccines against Animal Pathogens: The Latest Findings

Nowadays, safe and efficacious vaccines represent powerful and cost-effective tools for global health and economic growth. In the veterinary field, these are undoubtedly key tools for improving productivity and fighting zoonoses. However, cases of persistent infections, rapidly evolving pathogens having high variability or emerging/re-emerging pathogens for which no effective vaccines have been developed point out the continuing need for new vaccine alternatives to control outbreaks. Most licensed vaccines have been successfully used for many years now; however, they have intrinsic limitations, such as variable efficacy, adverse effects, and some shortcomings. More effective adjuvants and novel delivery systems may foster real vaccine effectiveness and timely implementation. Emerging vaccine technologies involving nanoparticles such as self-assembling proteins, virus-like particles, liposomes, virosomes, and polymeric nanoparticles offer novel, safe, and high-potential approaches to address many vaccine development-related challenges. Nanotechnology is accelerating the evolution of vaccines because nanomaterials having encapsulation ability and very advantageous properties due to their size and surface area serve as effective vehicles for antigen delivery and immunostimulatory agents. This review discusses the requirements for an effective, broad-coverage-elicited immune response, the main nanoplatforms for producing it, and the latest nanovaccine applications for fighting animal pathogens.

Development of a novel nanoformulation against the colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) with high metastasis rates has been known as a major cause of death worldwide. Lack of the specificity and insufficient concentrations of traditional chemotherapeutics at tumor site and their severe adverse effects necessitate development of new treatment strategies such as designing suitable nanocarriers for delivery of drugs, improving their pharmacological profiles and reducing adverse effects. We have developed a platform based on the poly-ursolic acid (poly-UA), a polymeric system with potential anticancer effect. Following the self-assembly of poly-UA into the nanoparticles (NPs), they were applied for delivery of mithramycin A (Mith-A), a promising candidate for CRC therapy, however, with some limitations such as rapid clearance and serious side effects. Mith-A-loaded poly-UA NPs with suitable physicochemical properties and efficient drug entrapment, released Mith-A in a controlled manner and provided suitable toxicity against the CT-26 colorectal cancer cells, increased accumulation in tumor, and protection against the detrimental features of the disease. Poly-UA NPs demonstrated therapeutic efficiency (in vivo and in vitro) by themselves. The prepared NPs induced no remarkable alteration of body weights or damages to the major organs in animals bearing tumor indicating the safety of NPs. The bioactive nanoformulation along with improving the pharmacological profile of Mith-A could provide a synergistic toxicity against the CRC.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles improve testicular steroidogenesis machinery dysfunction in benzo[α]pyrene-challenged rats

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) demonstrate potential positive effects on reproduction. However, their protective role against the reproductive toxicity pollutants has not yet been adequately studied at the molecular level. This study was designed to assess this objective using Benzo[α]pyrene B[a]P as reproductive toxic agent . Forty-eight mature male rats were randomly distributed into six groups: Group1 (negative control); Groups 2 and 3 (positive control I and II, wherein the animals were treated with 10 and 30 mg ZnO NPs/kg BW, respectively); Group 4 (B[a]P group; treated with 150 mg B[a]P/kg BW); and Groups 5 and 6 (subjected to B[a]P treatment co-administered with different concentrations of ZnO NPs). We investigated oxidative stress biomarkers; cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) gene expression; testosterone levels; and histopathology of the liver, kidney, and testicles. The B[a]P-treated group showed significant deterioration in all reproductive parameters and displayed induced oxidative stress. ZnO NPs remarkably reduced oxidative stress, effectively upregulated the mRNA levels of CY11A1, StAR, and 3β-HSD, and improved the histological pictures in the examined organs. At their investigated doses and given their NPs properties, ZnO NPs demonstrated a marked ameliorative effect against the reproductive toxic effects of B[a]P. Further studies are needed to thoroughly investigate the molecular mechanisms of ZnO NPs.

The capabilities of nanoelectronic 2-D materials for bio-inspired computing and drug delivery indicate their significance in modern drug design

Remarkable advancements in the computational techniques and nanoelectronics have attracted considerable interests for development of highly-sophisticated materials (Ms) including the theranostics with optimal characteristics and innovative delivery systems. Analyzing the huge amounts of multivariate data and solving the newly-emerged complicated problems including the healthcare-related ones have created increasing demands for improving the computational speed and minimizing the consumption of energy. Shifting towards the non-von Neumann approaches enables performing specific computational tasks and optimizing the processing of signals. Besides usefulness for neuromorphic computing and increasing the efficiency of computation energy, 2-D electronic Ms are capable of optical sensing with ultra-fast and ultra-sensitive responses, mimicking the neurons, detection of pathogens or biomolecules, and prediction of the progression of diseases, assessment of the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of therapeutic candidates, mimicking the dynamics of the release of neurotransmitters or fluxes of ions that might provide a deeper knowledge about the computations and information flow in the brain, and development of more effective treatment protocols with improved outcomes. 2-D Ms appear as the major components of the next-generation electronically-enabled devices for highly-advanced computations, bio-imaging, diagnostics, tissue engineering, and designing smart systems for site-specific delivery of therapeutics that might result in the reduced adverse effects of drugs and improved patient compliance. This manuscript highlights the significance of 2-D Ms in the neuromorphic computing, optimizing the energy efficiency of the multi-step computations, providing novel architectures or multi-functional systems, improved performance of a variety of devices and bio-inspired functionalities, and delivery of theranostics.