In Situ Polymerization of Aniline Derivative in Vivo for NIR-II Phototheranostics of Tumor

Polymerization in Living Organisms for Biomedical Applications

Intra-tissue polymerization as a kind of polymerization reaction in biological tissues has the advantages of good biocompatibility, accurate localization, and dynamic response. In this review, the progress and applications of intra-tissue polymerization technologies in biomedicine are summarized. The biomedical applications of polymerization in different tissues are discussed, including living neural tissues to improve neural device performance, preparation of electronic devices in plants and animals, polymerization in tumor tissues for therapeutic and monitoring purposes, and polymerization in skin tissues for wound monitoring and therapy. Various polymerization strategies, including electrochemical polymerization, enzymatic polymerization, photopolymerization, and free radical polymerization, are used and described in the different intra-tissue polymerization methods. Moreover, the challenges in this field are discussed, such as the precise control of polymerization reactions and the development of biocompatible materials, and the future development direction of this field is also prospected.

Injectable dual-network hyaluronic acid nanocomposite hydrogel for prevention of postoperative breast cancer recurrence and wound healing

High locoregional recurrence rates and potential wound infections remain a significant challenge for postoperative breast cancer patients. Herein, we developed a dual-network hyaluronic acid (HA) nanocomposite hydrogel composed of herring sperm DNA (hsDNA) bridged methacrylated HA (HAMA) and FeMg-LDH-ppsa nanohybrid chelated catechol-modified HA (HADA) for the prevention of breast cancer recurrent, anti-infection, and promoting wound healing. Dynamic reversible hsDNA cross-linking combined with metal-catechol chelating renders the hydrogel injectability, rapid self-healing ability, and enhanced mechanical properties. FeMg-LDH-ppsa nanohybrids obtained by in situ polymerization of aniline derivatives in the FeMg-LDH interlayer exhibited excellent photothermal effect. Upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the photothermal effect mediated by FeMg-LDH-ppsa can unwind the hsDNA duplex, enabling the controlled release of preloaded DOX for synergistic photothermal-chemotherapy antitumor. Meanwhile, the catechol-metal (Fe3+/Mg2+) moieties in the hydrogel enhanced tissue adhesion and exhibited intrinsic antimicrobial and bioactive properties, which in combination with the NIR-assisted photothermal effect, significantly accelerated infected wound healing through sterilizing microorganisms, alleviating inflammation, re-epithelialization, and angiogenesis. Overall, this multifunctional hydrogel represented a promising candidate in postoperative wound management for simultaneous tumor elimination, antiinfection, and wound repair.

Artificial Polymerizations in Living Organisms for Biomedical Applications

Within living organisms, numerous nanomachines are constantly involved in complex polymerization processes, generating a diverse array of biomacromolecules for maintaining biological activities. Transporting artificial polymerizations from lab settings into biological contexts has expanded opportunities for understanding and managing biological events, creating novel cellular compartments, and introducing new functionalities. This review summarizes the recent advancements in artificial polymerizations, including those responding to external stimuli, internal environmental factors, and those that polymerize spontaneously. More importantly, the cutting-edge biomedical application scenarios of artificial polymerization, notably in safeguarding cells, modulating biological events, improving diagnostic performance, and facilitating therapeutic efficacy are highlighted. Finally, this review outlines the key challenges and technological obstacles that remain for polymerizations in biological organisms, as well as offers insights into potential directions for advancing their practical applications and clinical trials.

Magnetic and injectable Fe-doped liquid metals for controlled movement and photothermal/electromagnetic therapy

As a multifunctional material, gallium-based liquid metal (LM) mixtures with metal particles dispersed in the LM environment display many excellent and intriguing properties. In this study, biomaterials were prepared by mixing Fe particles with LM for easily manageable photothermal or electromagnetic therapy and evaluated. Clinically, the fabricated 5%Fe/LM sample was injectable and radiopaque, which allowed its smooth delivery through a syringe to the target tissues, where it could help achieve clear imaging under CT. Meanwhile, because of the loading of Fe particles, the 5%Fe/LM possessed a magnetic property, implying a high manipulation capability. According to the experiments, the capsule containing 5%Fe/LM when placed in an isolated pig large intestine could move as desired to the designated position through an external magnet. Further, the biosafety and low toxicity of the 5%Fe/LM were confirmed by cytotoxicity tests in vitro, and the temperature changes at the interface between the 5%Fe/LM and intestinal tissue after near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation were determined through theoretical modeling and numerical simulation data analysis. Due to the excellent photothermal and magnetothermal effects of LM, the temperature of the 5%Fe/LM injected into the rabbit abdominal cavity could significantly increase under NIR laser or alternating magnetic field (AMF) administration. As a novel functional biomaterial, the 5%Fe/LM exhibited promising potential for designated position movement and photothermal or magnetothermal therapy in the near future.

Research progress of organic photothermal agents delivery and synergistic therapy systems

Cancer is currently one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Due to the inevitable shortcomings of conventional treatments, photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted great attention as an emerging and non-invasive cancer treatment method. Photothermal agents (PTAs) is a necessary component of PTT to play its role. It accumulates at the tumor site through appropriate methods and converts the absorbed light energy into heat energy effectively under near-infrared light irradiation, thus increasing the temperature of the tumor area and facilitating ablation of the tumor cells. Compared to inorganic photothermal agents, which have limitations such as non-degradability and potential long-term toxicity in vivo, organic photothermal agents exhibit excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, thus showing promising prospects for the application of PTT in cancer treatment. And these organic photothermal agents can also be engineered into nanoparticles to improve their water solubility, extend their circulation time in vivo, and specifically target tumors. Moreover, further combination of PTT with other treatment methods can effectively enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment and alleviate the side effects associated with single treatments. This article briefly introduces several common types of organic photothermal agents and their nanoparticles, and reviews the applications of PTT based on organic photothermal agents in combination with chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, chemodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, and multimodal combination therapy for tumor treatment, which expands the ideas and methods in the field of tumor treatment.