Identification of possible reductants in the aqueous leaf extract of mangrove plant Rhizophora apiculata for the fabrication and cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles against human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells

Multiscale metal-based nanocomposites for bone and joint disease therapies

Bone and joint diseases are debilitating conditions that can result in significant functional impairment or even permanent disability. Multiscale metal-based nanocomposites, which integrate hierarchical structures ranging from the nanoscale to the macroscale, have emerged as a promising solution to this challenge. These materials combine the unique properties of metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs), such as enzyme-like activities, stimuli responsiveness, and photothermal conversion, with advanced manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing and biohybrid systems. The integration of MNPs within polymer or ceramic matrices offers a degree of control over the mechanical strength, antimicrobial efficacy, and the manner of drug delivery, whilst concomitantly promoting the processes of osteogenesis and chondrogenesis. This review highlights breakthroughs in stimulus-responsive MNPs (e.g., photo-, magnetically-, or pH-activated systems) for on-demand therapy and their integration with biocomposite hybrids containing cells or extracellular vesicles to mimic the native tissue microenvironment. The applications of these composites are extensive, ranging from bone defects, infections, tumors, to degenerative joint diseases. The review emphasizes the enhanced load-bearing capacity, bioactivity, and tissue integration that can be achieved through hierarchical designs. Notwithstanding the potential of these applications, significant barriers to progress persist, including challenges related to long-term biocompatibility, regulatory hurdles, and scalable manufacturing. Finally, we propose future directions, including machine learning-guided design and patient-specific biomanufacturing to accelerate clinical translation. Multiscale metal-based nanocomposites, which bridge nanoscale innovations with macroscale functionality, are a revolutionary force in the field of biomedical engineering, providing personalized regenerative solutions for bone and joint diseases.

Anticancer potential of phytochemicals derived from mangrove plants: Comprehensive mechanistic insights

Cancer is a collection of illnesses characterized by aberrant cellular proliferation that can infiltrate or metastasize to distant anatomical sites, posing a notable threat to human well-being due to its substantial morbidity and death rates worldwide. The potential of plant-derived natural compounds as anticancer medicines has been assessed owing to their favorable attributes of few side effects and significant antitumor activity. Mangrove plants and their derived compounds have been scientifically shown to exhibit many significant beneficial biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, and hepatoprotective properties. This study summarized mangrove plants and their derived compounds as potential anticancer agents, with an emphasis on the underlying molecular mechanisms. To explore this, we gathered data on the preclinical (in vivo and in vitro) anticancer effects of mangrove plants and their derived compounds from reputable literature spanning 2000 to 2023. We conducted thorough searches in various academic databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online, SpringerLink, Google Scholar, Scopus, and the Web of Science. The results demonstrated that mangrove plants and their derived compounds have promising anticancer properties in preclinical pharmacological test systems through various molecular mechanisms, including induction of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, antiproliferative, antimetastatic, and other miscellaneous actions. Upon thorough observation of the pertinent information, it is suggested that mangrove plants and their derived chemicals may serve as a potential lead in the development of novel drugs for cancer therapy.

ULK1 Mediated Autophagy-Promoting Effects of Rutin-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles Contribute to the Activation of NF-κB Signaling Besides Inhibiting EMT in Hep3B Hepatoma Cells

Background

Liver cancer remains to be one of the leading causes of cancer worldwide. The treatment options face several challenges and nanomaterials have proven to improve the bioavailability of several drug candidates and their applications in nanomedicine. Specifically, chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) are extremely biodegradable, pose enhanced biocompatibility and are considered safe for use in medicine.

Methods

CNPs were synthesized by ionic gelation, loaded with rutin (rCNPs) and characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The rCNPs were tested for their cytotoxic effects on human hepatoma Hep3B cells, and experiments were conducted to determine the mechanism of such effects. Further, the biocompatibility of the rCNPs was tested on L929 fibroblasts, and their hemocompatibility was determined.

Results

Initially, UV-vis and FTIR analyses indicated the possible loading of rutin on rCNPs. Further, the rutin load was quantitatively measured using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and the concentration was 88 µg/mL for 0.22 micron filtered rCNPs. The drug loading capacity (LC%) of the rCNPs was observed to be 13.29 ± 0.68%, and encapsulation efficiency (EE%) was 19.55 ± 1.01%. The drug release was pH-responsive as 88.58% of the drug was released after 24 hrs at the lysosomal pH 5.5, whereas 91.44% of the drug was released at physiological pH 7.4 after 102 hrs. The cytotoxic effects were prominent in 0.22 micron filtered samples of 5 mg/mL rutin precursor. The particle size for the rCNPs at this concentration was 144.1 nm and the polydispersity index (PDI) was 0.244, which is deemed to be ideal for tumor targeting. A zeta potential (ζ-potential) value of 16.4 mV indicated rCNPs with good stability. The IC50 value for the cytotoxic effects of rCNPs on human hepatoma Hep3B cells was 9.7 ± 0.19 μg/mL of rutin load. In addition, the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were observed. Gene expression studies indicated that the mechanism for cytotoxic effects of rCNPs on Hep3B cells was due to the activation of Unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase (ULK1) mediated autophagy and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling besides inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal Transition (EMT). In addition, the rCNPs were less toxic on NCTC clone 929 (L929) fibroblasts in comparison to the Hep3B cells and possessed excellent hemocompatibility (less than 2% of hemolysis).

Conclusion

The synthesized rCNPs were pH-responsive and possessed the physicochemical properties suitable for tumor targeting. The particles were effectively cytotoxic on Hep3B cells in comparison to normal cells and possessed excellent hemocompatibility. The very low hemolytic profile of rCNPs indicates that the drug could be administered intravenously for cancer therapy.

Research Progress of Nanomaterials in Chemotherapy of Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common malignant bone tumor that occurs mostly in children and adolescents. At present, surgery after chemotherapy or postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is the main treatment plan. However, the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs is limited by the occurrence of chemotherapeutic resistance, toxicity to normal cells, poor pharmacokinetic performance, and drug delivery failure. The delivery of chemotherapy drugs to the bone to treat OS may fail for a variety of reasons, such as a lack of selectivity for OS cells, initial sudden release, short-term release, and the presence of biological barriers (such as the blood-bone marrow barrier). Nanomaterials are new materials with at least one dimension on the nanometer scale (1-100 nm) in three-dimensional space. These materials have the ability to penetrate biological barriers and can accumulate preferentially in tumor cells. Studies have shown that the effective combination of nanomaterials and traditional chemotherapy can significantly improve the therapeutic effect. Therefore, this article reviews the latest research progress on the use of nanomaterials in OS chemotherapy.

Nanomaterial-assisted theranosis of bone diseases

Bone-related diseases refer to a group of skeletal disorders that are characterized by bone and cartilage destruction. Conventional approaches can regulate bone homeostasis to a certain extent. However, these therapies are still associated with some undesirable problems. Fortunately, recent advances in nanomaterials have provided unprecedented opportunities for diagnosis and therapy of bone-related diseases. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of current advanced theranostic nanomaterials in bone-related diseases. First, the potential utility of nanomaterials for biological imaging and biomarker detection is illustrated. Second, nanomaterials serve as therapeutic delivery platforms with special functions for bone homeostasis regulation and cellular modulation are highlighted. Finally, perspectives in this field are offered, including current key bottlenecks and future directions, which may be helpful for exploiting nanomaterials with novel properties and unique functions. This review will provide scientific guidance to enhance the development of advanced nanomaterials for the diagnosis and therapy of bone-related diseases.

Bioceramic-based scaffolds with antibacterial function for bone tissue engineering: A review

Bone defects caused by trauma, tumor, congenital abnormality and osteoarthritis, etc. have been substantially impacted the lives and health of human. Artificial bone implants, like bioceramic-based scaffolds, provide significant benefits over biological counterparts and are critical for bone repair and regeneration. However, it is highly probable that bacterial infections occur in the surgical procedures or on bioceramic-based scaffolds. Therefore, it is of great significance to obtain bioceramic-based scaffolds with integrative antibacterial and osteogenic functions for treating bone implant-associated infection and promoting bone repair. To fight against infection problems, bioceramic-based scaffolds with various antibacterial strategies are developed for bone repair and regeneration and also have made great progresses. This review summarizes recent progresses in bioceramic-based scaffolds with antibacterial function, which include drug-induced, ion-mediated, physical-activated and their combined antibacterial strategies according to specific antibacterial mechanism. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of antibacterial bioceramic-based scaffolds are discussed.

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Bioceramic-based scaffolds with antibacterial function (BSAF) are reviewed.

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BSAF have a great potential in treating bone infection and promoting bone repair.

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Antibacterial strategies of BSAF include drug, ion, physical and combined ways.

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The combined strategy may be the optimal approach in fighting bone infection.

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Limitations, challenges and perspectives of BSAF are discussed.

Bioinspired Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Three Plant Extracts and Their Antibacterial Activity against Rice Bacterial Leaf Blight Pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Rice bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is responsible for a significant reduction in rice production. Due to the small impact on the environment, biogenic nanomaterials are regarded as a new type of antibacterial agent. In this research, three colloids of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized with different biological materials such as Arctium lappa fruit, Solanum melongena leaves, and Taraxacum mongolicum leaves, and called Al-AgNPs, Sm-AgNPs and Tm-AgNPs, respectively. The appearance of brown colloids and the UV-Visible spectroscopy analysis proved the successful synthesis of the three colloids of AgNPs. Moreover, FTIR and XRD analysis revealed the formation of AgNPs structure. The SEM and TEM analysis indicated that the average diameters of the three synthesized spherical AgNPs were 20.18 nm, 21.00 nm, and 40.08 nm, respectively. The three botanical AgNPs had the strongest bacteriostatic against Xoo strain C2 at 20 μg/mL with the inhibition zone of 16.5 mm, 14.5 mm, and 12.4 mm, while bacterial numbers in a liquid broth (measured by OD600) decreased by 72.10%, 68.19%, and 65.60%, respectively. Results showed that the three AgNPs could inhibit biofilm formation and swarming motility of Xoo. The ultrastructural observation showed that Al-AgNPs adhered to the surface of bacteria and broke the bacteria. Overall, the three synthetic AgNPs could be used to inhibit the pathogen Xoo of rice bacterial leaf blight.

A concise review on implications of silver nanoparticles in bone tissue engineering

Skeletal disorders represent a variety of degenerative diseases that affect bone and cartilage homeostasis. The regenerative capacity of bone is affected in osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bone fractures, congenital defects, and bone cancers. There is no viable, non-invasive treatment option and bone regeneration requires surgical intervention with the implantation of bone grafts. Incorporating nanoparticles in bone grafts have improved fracture healing by providing fine structures for bone tissue engineering. It is currently a revolutionary finding in the field of regenerative medicine. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have garnered particular attention due to their well-known anti-microbial and potential osteoinductive properties. In addition, AgNPs have been demonstrated to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) involved in bone regeneration. Furthermore, AgNPs have shown toxicity towards cancer cells derived from bone. In the last decade, there have been multiple studies focusing on the effect of nanoparticles on the proliferation and/or differentiation of MSCs and bone cancer cells; however, the specific studies with AgNPs are limited. Although the reported investigations show promising in vitro and in vivo potential of AgNPs for application in bone regeneration, more studies are required to ensure their implications in bone tissue engineering. This review aims to highlight the current advances related to the production of AgNPs and their effect on MSCs and bone cancer cells, which will potentiate their possible implications in orthopedics. Moreover, this review article evaluates the future of AgNPs in bone tissue engineering.

Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from Rhizophora apiculata and Studies on Their Wound Healing, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Cytotoxic Activity

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have recently gained interest in the medical field because of their biological features. The present study aimed at screening Rhizophora apiculata secondary metabolites, quantifying their flavonoids and total phenolics content, green synthesis and characterization of R. apiculata silver nanoparticles. In addition, an assessment of in vitro cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of R. apiculata and its synthesized AgNPs was carried out. The powdered plant material (leaves) was subjected to Soxhlet extraction to obtain R. apiculata aqueous extract. The R. apiculata extract was used as a reducing agent in synthesizing AgNPs from silver nitrate. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis, SEM-EDX, XRD, FTIR, particle size analyzer and zeta potential. Further aqueous leaf extract of R. apiculata and AgNPs was subjected for in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and cytotoxic activity against A375 (Skin cancer), A549 (Lung cancer), and KB-3-1 (Oral cancer) cell lines. All experiments were repeated three times (n = 3), and the results were given as the mean ± SEM. The flavonoids and total phenolics content in R. apiculata extract were 44.18 ± 0.086 mg/g of quercetin and 53.24 ± 0.028 mg/g of gallic acid, respectively. SEM analysis revealed R. apiculata AgNPs with diameters ranging from 35 to 100 nm. XRD confirmed that the synthesized silver nanoparticles were crystalline in nature. The cytotoxicity cell viability assay revealed that the AgNPs were less toxic (IC₅₀ 105.5 µg/mL) compared to the R. apiculata extract (IC₅₀ 47.47 µg/mL) against the non-cancerous fibroblast L929 cell line. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity tests revealed that AgNPs had significantly more activity than the plant extract. The AgNPs inhibited protein denaturation by a mean percentage of 71.65%, which was equivalent to the standard anti-inflammatory medication diclofenac (94.24%). The AgNPs showed considerable cytotoxic effect, and the percentage of cell viability against skin cancer, lung cancer, and oral cancer cell lines was 31.84%, 56.09% and 22.59%, respectively. R. apiculata AgNPs demonstrated stronger cell migration and percentage of wound closure (82.79%) compared to the plant extract (75.23%). The overall results revealed that R. apiculata AgNPs exhibited potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and cytotoxic properties. In future, R. apiculata should be further explored to unmask its therapeutic potential and the mechanistic pathways of AgNPs should be studied in detail in in vivo animal models.

The effect of AgNPS bio-functionalization on the cytotoxicity of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This work used Sedum praealtum leaf extract to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in a single step. The cytotoxicity of AgNPs was studied with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae W303-1. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the DPPH radical was studied both in the extract of S. praealtum and in the AgNPs. UV-Vis spectroscopy determined the presence of AgNPs by the location of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 434 nm. TEM and XRD analyzes show AgNPs with fcc structure and hemispherical morphology. Also, AgNPs range in size from 5 to 25 nm and have an average size of 14 nm. 1H NMR, FTIR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques agreed that glycosidic compounds were the main phytochemical components responsible for the reduction and stabilization of AgNPs. In addition, AgNPs presented a maximum of 12% toxicity in yeast attributed to the generation of ROS. Consequently, there was low bioactivity because glycoside compounds cover the biosynthesized AgNPs from S. praealtum. These findings allow applications of AgNPs involving contact with mammals and higher organisms.

Silver nanoparticles induce mitochondria-dependent apoptosis and late non-canonical autophagy in HT-29 colon cancer cells

The interactions of nanomaterials with biological materials such as immortalized cell lines are recently on the rise. Owing to this superiority, the biosynthesis of AgNPs using gallic acid as a reductant was implemented in this study. After being synthesized, the AgNPs were characterized using techniques such as dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and X-ray diffraction methods. Furthermore, the AgNPs were assessed for their cytotoxic effects on the colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29. The mechanisms of such cell-killing effect were investigated by analyzing the expressions of 14 mRNAs using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The outcomes indicate that the synthesized AgNPs were cytotoxic on HT-29 cells. The expressions of all apoptotic genes analyzed including cyt-C, p53, Bax, Bcl2, CASP3, CASP8, CASP9, and CASP12 were upregulated. With regard to the autophagy-related genes, Beclin-1, XBP-1, CHOP, and LC3-II were upregulated, whereas the expressions of ATG3 and ATG12 were downregulated. To conclude, the AgNPs induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis and non-canonical autophagy in HT-29 cells. A crosstalk did occur between autophagy and apoptosis in such a cell-killing effect. Hence, further studies are required to elucidate the exact mechanisms in animal models for further use of AgNPs in clinical medicine for the treatment of neoplasms of the digestive tract.

Inorganic Nanoparticles in Bone Healing Applications

Modern biomedicine aims to develop integrated solutions that use medical, biotechnological, materials science, and engineering concepts to create functional alternatives for the specific, selective, and accurate management of medical conditions. In the particular case of tissue engineering, designing a model that simulates all tissue qualities and fulfills all tissue requirements is a continuous challenge in the field of bone regeneration. The therapeutic protocols used for bone healing applications are limited by the hierarchical nature and extensive vascularization of osseous tissue, especially in large bone lesions. In this regard, nanotechnology paves the way for a new era in bone treatment, repair and regeneration, by enabling the fabrication of complex nanostructures that are similar to those found in the natural bone and which exhibit multifunctional bioactivity. This review aims to lay out the tremendous outcomes of using inorganic nanoparticles in bone healing applications, including bone repair and regeneration, and modern therapeutic strategies for bone-related pathologies.

Efficacy of Gold Nanoparticles against Drug-Resistant Nosocomial Fungal Pathogens and Their Extracellular Enzymes: Resistance Profiling towards Established Antifungal Agents

Drug resistance of filamentous fungi to the commonly used antifungal agents is a major concern in medicine. Therefore, an effective approach to treat several opportunistic fungal infections is the need of the hour. Mentha piperita is used in home remedies to treat different disorders. Isolates of fungi were taken from hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and identified using molecular tools. Amphotericin B, Voriconazole, and Micafungin were applied to screen the resistance of these isolates using both disc and broth microdilution techniques. An aqueous extract of Mentha piperita was utilized to synthesize AuNPs and the nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis, FTIR, TEM, EDAX, and XRD. The AuNPs were tested for antifungal activity against the nosocomial fungal pathogens and the activity of extracellular enzymes of such pathogens were analyzed after treatment with AuNPs. We conclude that AuNPs synthesized using Mentha piperita do not possess especially effective antifungal properties against multi-drug resistant Aspergillus species. Five out of eighteen isolates were inhibited by AuNPs. When inhibition was observed, significant alterations in the activity profile of extracellular enzymes of the nosocomial fungi were observed.

Recent Developments in Metallic Nanomaterials for Cancer Therapy, Diagnosing and Imaging Applications

Cancer continues to represent a global health concern, imposing an ongoing need to research for better treatment alternatives. In this context, nanomedicine seems to be the solution to existing problems, bringing unprecedented results in various biomedical applications, including cancer therapy, diagnosing, and imaging. As numerous studies have uncovered the advantageous properties of various nanoscale metals, this review aims to present metal-based nanoparticles that are most frequently employed for cancer applications. This paper follows the description of relevant nanoparticles made of metals, metal derivatives, hybrids, and alloys, further discussing in more detail their potential applications in cancer management, ranging from the delivery of chemotherapeutics, vaccines, and genes to ablative hyperthermia therapies and theranostic platforms.

Recent Advancements in Plant-Derived Nanomaterials Research for Biomedical Applications

Engineering, physics, chemistry, and biology are all involved in nanotechnology, which comprises a wide variety of multidisciplinary scientific field devices. The holistic utilization of metallic nanoparticles in the disciplines of bio-engineering and bio-medicine has attracted a great deal of attention. Medical nanotechnology research can offer immense health benefits for humans. While the advantages of developing nanomaterials have been well documented, it is precisely apparent that there are still some major issues that remain unattended to those need to be resolved immediately so as to ensure that they do not adversely affect living organisms in any manner. The existence of nanoparticles gives them particular value in biology and materials science, as an emerging scientific field, with multiple applications in science and technology, especially with numerous frontiers in the development of new materials. Presented here is a review of recent noteworthy developments regarding plant-derived nanomaterials and their use in the development of medicine and biomedical applications around the world.

Genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying mangrove adaptations to intertidal environments

Mangroves are halophytic plants belonging to diverse angiosperm families that are adapted to highly stressful intertidal zones between land and sea. They are special, unique, and one of the most productive ecosystems that play enormous ecological roles and provide a large number of benefits to the coastal communities. To thrive under highly stressful conditions, mangroves have innovated several key morphological, anatomical, and physio-biochemical adaptations. The evolution of the unique adaptive modifications might have resulted from a host of genetic and molecular changes and to date we know little about the nature of these genetic and molecular changes. Although slow, new information has accumulated over the last few decades on the genetic and molecular regulation of the mangrove adaptations, a comprehensive review on it is not yet available. This review provides up-to-date consolidated information on the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular regulation of mangrove adaptive traits.

Synthesis and characterization of TiO2 NPs by aqueous leaf extract of Coleus aromaticus and assess their antibacterial, larvicidal, and anticancer potential

The frequent applications of synthetic chemical insecticides and drugs create resistance among insects and microbes, creating a new threat to human and environmental welfare. This investigation focused on evaluating the possibilities of fabricating and characterizing the titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) from titanium dioxide (TiO2) through the aqueous leaf extract of Coleus aromaticus. Their biological applications were studied against the larvae of Aedes aegypti human pathogenic bacteria, and cancer cell line. The results revealed that the aqueous leaf extract had the metal reducing proficiency to produce nanoparticles from TiO2. The synthesized TiO2 NPs were initially confirmed by visible color changes and Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometer analysis that showed a predominant peak at 332 nm. Furthermore, the nanocrystals, structural alignment, functional groups and elemental compositions were studied by following standard operating protocol in XRD (X-ray Powder Diffraction), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), and EDX (Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) techniques, respectively. The results attained from these techniques confirmed that the plant mediated and fabricated particles were in the nanoscale range (12-33 nm) with a hexagonal shape. The synthesized TiO2 NPs had an outstanding (1000 μg mL-1) larvicidal activity against the four stages of instars larvae of Ae. aegypti at 1000 μg mL-1. It also had an excellent antibacterial potential against E. faecalis (33 mm), followed by S. boydii (30 mm) at 30 mg L-1 concentration. The green fabricated TiO2 NPs had a fabulous (92.37%) cytotoxic activity on the HeLa cell line at 100 μg mL-1 dosage within one day of exposure. The entire results concluded that the C. aromaticus mediated TiO2 NPs have excellent biological applications and thus, could be considered for the welfare of human beings.

Recent Advances in Nanotechnology-Based Diagnosis and Treatments of Human Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a type of bone cancer that begins in the cells that form bones.OSA is a rare mesenchymal bone neoplasm derived from mesenchymal stem cells. Genome disorganization, chromosomal modifications, deregulation of tumor suppressor genes, and DNA repair defects are the factors most responsible for OSA development. Despite significant advances in the diagnosing and treatment of OSA, patients' overall survival has not improved within the last twenty years. Lately, advances in modern nanotechnology have spurred development in OSA management and offered several advantages to overcome the drawbacks of conventional therapies. This technology has allowed the practical design of nanoscale devices combined with numerous functional molecules, including tumor-specific ligands, antibodies, anti-cancer drugs, and imaging probes. Thanks to their small sizes, desirable drug encapsulation efficiency, and good bioavailability, functionalized nanomaterials have found wide-spread applications for combating OSA progression. This review invokes the possible utility of engineered nanomaterials in OSA diagnosis and treatment, motivating the researchers to seek new strategies for tackling the challenges associated with it.

Nanotoxic Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on Normal HEK-293 Cells in Comparison to Cancerous HeLa Cell Line

Purpose

Biomimetic approaches for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) had created a substantial impression among the research community that focuses on nano-bio interactions. In this study, an eco-friendly method using Rhizophora apiculata aqueous leaf extract as a reductant-rich hydrosol was followed to synthesize AgNPs and test its cytotoxicity.

Methods

To optimise the parameters for the synthesis of AgNPs, central composite design based on response surface methodology was used. The particles synthesized at a nano-scale were characterized in our previously published report. The present report further characterizes the nanoparticles by X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM at varying sites and magnifications. The characterized AgNPs were tested for their cytotoxic effects on HEK-293 and HeLa cells.

Results

The cytotoxicity on the cell lines was dose-dependent. At a concentration of 2.5 μL/mL of the AgNPs-containing hydrosol, 100% inhibition of HEK-293 cells and 75% inhibition of the HeLa cells were observed. The IC₅₀ value for AgNPs on HEK-293 was 0.622 µL/mL (12.135 ng), whereas, for HeLa cells, it was 1.98 µL/mL (38.629 ng).

Conclusion

The nanoparticles were three-fold toxic towards the HEK-293 cells in comparison to the HeLa cells. Therefore, the therapeutic index is low for R. apiculata derived AgNPs on HeLa cells when tested in comparison with the HEK-293 cells. The nanotoxicity profile of the synthesized AgNPs seems more prominent than the nanotherapeutic index. According to our knowledge, this is the first-ever report on the optimization of synthesis of AgNPs using response surface methodology and identifying the therapeutic index of mangrove leaf-derived AgNPs.

An Updated Review on Silver Nanoparticles in Biomedicine

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) represent one of the most explored categories of nanomaterials for new and improved biomaterials and biotechnologies, with impressive use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, anti-infective therapy and wound care, food and the textile industry. Their extensive and versatile applicability relies on the genuine and easy-tunable properties of nanosilver, including remarkable physicochemical behavior, exceptional antimicrobial efficiency, anti-inflammatory action and antitumor activity. Besides commercially available and clinically safe AgNPs-based products, a substantial number of recent studies assessed the applicability of nanosilver as therapeutic agents in augmented and alternative strategies for cancer therapy, sensing and diagnosis platforms, restorative and regenerative biomaterials. Given the beneficial interactions of AgNPs with living structures and their nontoxic effects on healthy human cells, they represent an accurate candidate for various biomedical products. In the present review, the most important and recent applications of AgNPs in biomedical products and biomedicine are considered.