Bio-mimetic nanostructure self-assembled from Au@Ag heterogeneous nanorods and phage fusion proteins for targeted tumor optical detection and photothermal therapy

The Role of Inorganic Nanomaterials in Overcoming Challenges in Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy

Colorectal cancer poses a significant threat to human health due to its high aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Key factors impacting patient outcomes include post-surgical recurrence, chemotherapeutic drug resistance, and insensitivity to immunotherapy. Consequently, early diagnosis and the development of effective targeted therapies are essential for improving prevention and treatment strategies. Inorganic nanomaterials have gained prominence in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer owing to their unique size, advantageous properties, and high modifiability. Various types of inorganic nanomaterials-such as metal-based, metal oxide, quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon-based, and rare-earth nanomaterials-have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing multimodal imaging, drug delivery, and synergistic therapies. These advancements underscore their critical role in improving therapeutic outcomes. This review highlights the properties and development of inorganic nanomaterials, summarizes their recent applications and progress in colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment, and discusses the challenges in translating these materials into clinical use. It aims to provide valuable insights for future research and the clinical application of inorganic nanomaterials in colorectal cancer management.

A Comprehensive Review on Phage Therapy and Phage-Based Drug Development

Phage therapy, the use of bacteriophages (phages) to treat bacterial infections, is regaining momentum as a promising weapon against the rising threat of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. This comprehensive review explores the historical context, the modern resurgence of phage therapy, and phage-facilitated advancements in medical and technological fields. It details the mechanisms of action and applications of phages in treating MDR bacterial infections, particularly those associated with biofilms and intracellular pathogens. The review further highlights innovative uses of phages in vaccine development, cancer therapy, and as gene delivery vectors. Despite its targeted and efficient approach, phage therapy faces challenges related to phage stability, immune response, and regulatory approval. By examining these areas in detail, this review underscores the immense potential and remaining hurdles in integrating phage-based therapies into modern medical practices.

Phage-based delivery systems: engineering, applications, and challenges in nanomedicines

Bacteriophages (phages) represent a unique category of viruses with a remarkable ability to selectively infect host bacteria, characterized by their assembly from proteins and nucleic acids. Leveraging their exceptional biological properties and modifiable characteristics, phages emerge as innovative, safe, and efficient delivery vectors. The potential drawbacks associated with conventional nanocarriers in the realms of drug and gene delivery include a lack of cell-specific targeting, cytotoxicity, and diminished in vivo transfection efficiency. In contrast, engineered phages, when employed as cargo delivery vectors, hold the promise to surmount these limitations and attain enhanced delivery efficacy. This review comprehensively outlines current strategies for the engineering of phages, delineates the principal types of phages utilized as nanocarriers in drug and gene delivery, and explores the application of phage-based delivery systems in disease therapy. Additionally, an incisive analysis is provided, critically examining the challenges confronted by phage-based delivery systems within the domain of nanotechnology. The primary objective of this article is to furnish a theoretical reference that contributes to the reasoned design and development of potent phage-based delivery systems.

Phage Display's Prospects for Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most diagnosed cancer among men. It was observed that early diagnosis of disease is highly beneficial for the survival of cancer patients. Therefore, the extension and increasing quality of life of PC patients can be achieved by broadening the cancer screening programs that are aimed at the identification of cancer manifestation in patients at earlier stages, before they demonstrate well-understood signs of the disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for standard, sensitive, robust, and commonly available screening and diagnosis tools for the identification of early signs of cancer pathologies. In this respect, the "Holy Grail" of cancer researchers and bioengineers for decades has been molecular sensing probes that would allow for the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of cancer diseases via their interaction with cell-secreted and cell-associated PC biomarkers, e.g., PSA and PSMA, respectively. At present, most PSA tests are performed at centralized laboratories using high-throughput total PSA immune analyzers, which are suitable for dedicated laboratories and are not readily available for broad health screenings. Therefore, the current trend in the detection of PC is the development of portable biosensors for mobile laboratories and individual use. Phage display, since its conception by George Smith in 1985, has emerged as a premier tool in molecular biology with widespread application. This review describes the role of the molecular evolution and phage display paradigm in revolutionizing the methods for the early diagnosis and monitoring of PC.

An ultrasensitive ELISA to assay femtomolar level SARS-CoV-2 antigen based on specific peptide and tyramine signal amplification

The SARS-CoV-2 spreading rapidly has aroused catastrophic public healthcare issues and economy crisis worldwide. It plays predominant role to rapidly and accurately diagnose the virus for effective prevention and treatment. As an abundant transmembrane protein, spike protein (SP) is one of the most valuable antigenic biomarkers for diagnosis of COVID-19. Herein a phage expression of WNLDLSQWLPPM peptide specific to SARS-CoV-2 SP was screened. Molecular docking revealed that the isolated peptide binds to major antigenic epitope locating at S2 subunit with hydrogen bonding. Taking the specific peptide as antigen sensing probe and tyramine signal amplification (TSA), an ultrasensitive "peptide-antigen-antibody" ELISA (p-ELISA) was explored, by which the limit of detection (LOD) was 14 fM and 2.8 fM SARS-CoV-2 SP antigen for first TSA and secondary TSA, respectively. Compared with the LOD by the p-ELISA by direct mode, the sensitivity with 2nd TSA enhanced 100 times. Further, the proposed p-ELISA method can detect SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses down to 10 and 3 TCID₅₀/mL spiked in healthy nasal swab sample with 1st TSA and 2nd TSA, separately. Thus, the proposed p-ELISA method with TSA is expected to be a promising ultrasensitive tool for rapidly detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigen to help control the infectious disease.

Biopanning of specific peptide for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based antigen assay

The ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread worldwide which triggered serious public health issues. The search for rapid and accurate diagnosis, effective prevention, and treatment is urgent. The nucleocapsid protein (NP) of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the main structural proteins expressed and most abundant in the virus, and is considered a diagnostic marker for the accurate and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2. Herein, we report the screening of specific peptides from the pIII phage library that bind to SARS-CoV-2 NP. The phage monoclone expressing cyclic peptide N1 (peptide sequence, ACGTKPTKFC, with C&C bridged by disulfide bonding) specifically recognizes SARS-CoV-2 NP. Molecular docking studies reveal that the identified peptide is bound to the "pocket" region on the SARS-CoV-2 NP N-terminal domain mainly by forming a hydrogen bonding network and through hydrophobic interaction. Peptide N1 with the C-terminal linker was synthesized as the capture probe for SARS-CoV-2 NP in ELISA. The peptide-based ELISA was capable of assaying SARS-CoV-2 NP at concentrations as low as 61 pg/mL (∼1.2 pM). Furthermore, the as-proposed method could detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus at limits as low as 50 TCID₅₀ (median tissue culture infective dose)/mL. This study demonstrates that selected peptides are powerful biomolecular tools for SARS-CoV-2 detection, providing a new and inexpensive method of rapidly screening infections as well as rapidly diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 patients.

Rational Design of a Bifunctional Peptide Exhibiting Lithium Titanate Oxide and Carbon Nanotube Affinities for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

Phage display is employed as a method for identifying polypeptides that bind to lithium-ion battery materials, specifically lithium titanate oxide (LTO) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Output/input assays are used as a quantitative measure to narrow down the strongest binding polypeptides from several peptides selected through biopanning. Negatively stained transmission electron microscopy is used to verify that a phage presenting a particular LTO or MWCNT binding peptide sequence colocalizes with the respective material. Heterologous expression allows for ample polypeptides to be grown and purified using a peptide expression vector. Isothermal titration calorimetry in conjunction with alanine scanning enables determination of the pertinent residues involved in LTO binding and yields a dissociation constant of 3.41 μM. A rationally designed bifunctional peptide exhibiting LTO and MWCNT binding domains is subsequently validated to exhibit both LTO and MWCNT affinities and is incorporated as a binding agent in LTO coin-type electrochemical cells where the bifunctional peptide demonstrates stability at high cycle rates and potential as an alternative to non-specific binding agents for aqueous slurry processing of lithium-ion battery electrodes.

Recombinant antibodies by phage display for bioanalytical applications

Antibody phage display, aimed at preparing antibodies to defined antigens, is a useful replacement for hybridoma technology. The phage system replaces all work stages that follow animal immunization with simple procedures for manipulating DNA and bacteria. It enables the time needed to generate stable antibody-producing clones to be shortened considerably, making the process noticeably cheaper. Antibodies prepared by phage display undergo several affinity selection steps and can be used as selective receptors in biosensors. This article briefly describes the techniques used in the making of phage antibodies to various antigens. The possibilities and prospects are discussed of using phage antibodies as selective agents in analytical systems, including biosensors.

New Frontiers in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Combining Nanotechnology with Photo- and Radiotherapy

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Despite recent advances in the treatment of this pathology, which include a personalized approach using radio- and chemotherapies in combination with advanced surgical techniques, it is imperative to enhance the performance of these treatments and decrease their detrimental side effects on patients' health. Nanomedicine is likely the pathway towards solving this challenge by enhancing both the therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities. In particular, plasmonic nanoparticles show remarkable potential due to their dual therapeutic functionalities as photothermal therapy agents and as radiosensitizers in radiotherapy. Their dual functionality, high biocompatibility, easy functionalization, and targeting capabilities make them potential agents for inducing efficient cancer cell death with minimal side effects. This review aims to identify the main challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. The heterogeneous nature of this cancer is also discussed from a single-cell point of view. The most relevant works in photo- and radiotherapy using nanotechnology-based therapies for colorectal cancer are addressed, ranging from in vitro studies (2D and 3D cell cultures) to in vivo studies and clinical trials. Although the results using nanoparticles as a photo- and radiosensitizers in photo- and radiotherapy are promising, preliminary studies showed that the possibility of combining both therapies must be explored to improve the treatment efficiency.

An ultrasensitive label-free electrochemical impedimetric immunosensor for vascular endothelial growth factor based on specific phage via negative pre-screening

As a vascular growth regulator, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) exerts significant biological roles through specific binding to its receptors on the vascular endothelial cells. VEGF165 is generally referenced as a potential therapeutic target of many malignant tumors. In this study, a negative pre-screening strategy with structurally analogous members of VEGF121, VEGFC and VEGFD was first proposed for VEGF165 biopanning, aiming at significantly improving the specificity of the selected phage monoclones. Indirect ELISA experiment showed that the phage monoclone expressing peptide SPFLLRM demonstrates excellent affinity and specificity. Then a VEGF165 electrochemical impedimetric spectroscopy (EIS) immunosensor was constructed by above specific phage modified electrode. After optimizing the experimental conditions, the as-explored EIS immunosensor had a linear range of 0.5-1000 pg/mL with the limit of detection of 0.15 pg/mL VEGF165. In addition, the developed phage-based EIS immunosensor was applied to satisfactorily detect VEGF165 in human serum samples. Considering its ultra-sensitivity, good selectivity, batch reproducibility and stability, the screened selective phage-based EIS sensor is envisioned potential application in diagnosis and therapy.

Versatile fluorinated Pd@Au nanoplates doped with yttrium for tumor theranostics

As one of the emerging modalities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 19F MRI is highly conducive for the specific detection and imaging of deep-seated tumors, with negligible background. However, most 19F MRI probe designs are constructed with organic CF3, which contains rich fluorine atoms, and few of the fluorine-containing groups are equipped with therapeutic function. Herein, we designed a versatile 19F MRI-based theranostic nanoplatform, FY-Pd@Au nano-metallacages (FY-Pd@Au NCs), which not only serve as a 19F MRI/CT/PAI contrast agent, but also produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) by type I photodynamic therapy (PDT) pathway, as well as heat for photothermal therapy (PTT), under the single NIR laser irradiation. Overall, this work successfully built a theranostics nanoplatform based on 19F MRI.

Biomedical nanoparticle design: What we can learn from viruses

Viruses are nanomaterials with a number of properties that surpass those of many synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) for biomedical applications. They possess a rigorously ordered structure, come in a variety of shapes, and present unique surface elements, such as spikes. These attributes facilitate propitious biodistribution, the crossing of complex biological barriers and a minutely coordinated interaction with cells. Due to the orchestrated sequence of interactions of their stringently arranged particle corona with cellular surface receptors they effectively identify and infect their host cells with utmost specificity, while evading the immune system at the same time. Furthermore, their efficacy is enhanced by their response to stimuli and the ability to spread from cell to cell. Over the years, great efforts have been made to mimic distinct viral traits to improve biomedical nanomaterial performance. However, a closer look at the literature reveals that no comprehensive evaluation of the benefit of virus-mimetic material design on the targeting efficiency of nanomaterials exists. In this review we, therefore, elucidate the impact that viral properties had on fundamental advances in outfitting nanomaterials with the ability to interact specifically with their target cells. We give a comprehensive overview of the diverse design strategies and identify critical steps on the way to reducing them to practice. More so, we discuss the advantages and future perspectives of a virus-mimetic nanomaterial design and try to elucidate if viral mimicry holds the key for better NP targeting.

Gold nanoplates with superb photothermal efficiency and peroxidase-like activity for rapid and synergistic antibacterial therapy

Gold nanoplates exhibit 68.5% photothermal conversion efficiency and peroxidase-like activity, and AuNPTs (50 μg mL⁻¹)/H₂O₂ (0.1 mM)/NIR (1 W cm⁻², 3 min) show excellent synergistic antibacterial ability and promote MRSA-infected wound healing in vivo.

Synthesis, characterization and photothermal analysis of nanostructured hydrides of Pd and PdCeO2

Hyperthermia was shown to be an important co-adjuvant therapy to conventional cancer treatments. Nanoparticles can be used in the hyperthermia therapy to improve the localized absorption of energy imposed by external sources, in order to kill tumor cells solely by the effect of heat and with minimum thermal damage to surrounding healthy cells. Nanoparticles can also serve as carriers of drugs that specifically act on the tumor when heated, including hydrogen that can be desorbed to locally promote an antioxidant effect and reduce the viability of cancer cells. In this context, palladium hydride nanoparticles emerge as promising materials for the hyperthermia therapy. In this study, palladium nanocubes (PdNC) and PdCeO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized. Nanofluids produced with these nanomaterials were hydrogenated and then tested to examine their photothermal effects. Nanofluids made of PdH_x nanoparticles presented significant temperature increases of more than 30 °C under 3 min of diode-laser irradiation. On the other hand, nanofluids with PdCeO₂H nanoparticles presented temperature increases around 11 °C under the same experimental conditions. The behavior observed with the PdCeO₂H nanofluids can be attributed to the effect of H⁺ in reducing Ce⁺⁴ to Ce⁺³.

Application of Bacteriophages in Nanotechnology

Bacteriophages (phages for short) are viruses, which have bacteria as hosts. The single phage body virion, is a colloidal particle, often possessing a dipole moment. As such, phages were used as perfectly monodisperse systems to study various physicochemical phenomena (e.g., transport or sedimentation in complex fluids), or in the material science (e.g., as scaffolds). Nevertheless, phages also execute the life cycle to multiply and produce progeny virions. Upon completion of the life cycle of phages, the host cells are usually destroyed. Natural abilities to bind to and kill bacteria were a starting point for utilizing phages in phage therapies (i.e., medical treatments that use phages to fight bacterial infections) and for bacteria detection. Numerous applications of phages became possible thanks to phage display-a method connecting the phenotype and genotype, which allows for selecting specific peptides or proteins with affinity to a given target. Here, we review the application of bacteriophages in nanoscience, emphasizing bio-related applications, material science, soft matter research, and physical chemistry.

Photothermal therapy technology of metastatic colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies. The current treatments of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are ineffective and the bottleneck problem. It is of significance to explore effective new therapeutic strategies to eradicate mCRC. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is an emerging technology for tumor therapy, with the potential in the treatment of mCRC. In this review, the current treatment approaches to mCRC including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy interventional therapy, biotherapy, and photothermal therapy are reviewed. In addition, we will focus on the various kinds of nanomaterials used in PTT for the treatment of CRC both in vitro and in vivo models. In conclusion, we will summarize the combined application of PTT with other theranostic methods, and propose future research directions of PTT in the treatment of CRC.

Colorimetric Assay of Bacterial Pathogens Based on Co3O4 Magnetic Nanozymes Conjugated with Specific Fusion Phage Proteins and Magnetophoretic Chromatography

It is important to detect pathogens rapidly, sensitively, and selectively for clinical medicine, homeland security, food safety, and environmental control. We report here a specific and sensitive colorimetric assay that incorporated a bovine serum albumin-templated Co₃O₄ magnetic nanozyme (Co₃O₄ MNE) with a novel specific fusion phage protein and magnetophoretic chromatography to detect Staphylococcus aureus. The Co₃O₄ MNE was conjugated to S. aureus-specific fusion-pVIII (Co₃O₄ MNE@fusion-pVIII), screened from the S. aureus-specific phage AQTFLGEQD (the phage monoclone is denoted by the peptide sequence). The as-prepared triple-functional Co₃O₄ MNE@fusion-pVIII particles were capable of capturing S. aureus in sterile milk, which were then isolated from milk magnetically. Assisted by polyethylene glycol, the Co₃O₄ MNE@fusion-pVIII@S. aureus complex was separated from the free Co₃O₄ MNE@fusion-pVIII by magnetophoretic chromatography in an external magnetic field. After transferring the isolated Co₃O₄ MNE@fusion-pVIII@S. aureus complexes into a 96-well plate, diammonium salt of 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and H₂O₂ were added to develop color because of the peroxidase mimetics activity of the Co₃O₄ MNE. A S. aureus concentration within 10-10,000 cfu/mL in milk can be detected (detection limit: 8 cfu/mL). The as-developed method is simple, cost-efficient, and sensitive, which is useful for rapidly diagnosing pathogenic bacteria and helpful to prevent disease outbreaks induced by pathogens in developing countries.

Polydopamine-tailored paclitaxel-loaded polymeric microspheres with adhered NIR-controllable gold nanoparticles for chemo-phototherapy of pancreatic cancer

Chemotherapeutic drugs often used as a first-line treatment of pancreatic cancer (PC) exhibit challenges due to resistance development, lack of selectivity, and tumor heterogeneity. Currently, combination chemo-photothermal therapy is known to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs in PC. In this study, we develop adherent gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded PLGA microspheres for the treatment of PC. Polydopamine (pD) was used as a linker to adhere GNPs to the surface of PLGA-Ms and characterized using TEM. Short-term cytotoxicity of GNPs-pD-PTX-PLGA-Ms with or without NIR treatment was evaluated using CCK-8 assays. ROS and western blot assay were performed to determine the intensity of ROS following the treatment of GNPs-pD-PTX-PLGA-Ms with or without NIR in Panc-1 cell line. Successful adhesion of GNPs on the microspheres was confirmed by TEM. CCK-8 assay revealed that GNPs-pD-PTX-PLGA-Ms with NIR showed three-fold higher cytotoxicity, compared to the group without NIR. Furthermore, ROS and western blot assay suggest that GNPs-pD-PTX-PLGA-Ms with NIR showed more ROS generation, followed by downregulation of the expression levels of antioxidant enzyme (SOD2 and CATALASE). These results suggest that the GNPs-pD-PTX-PLGA-Ms in combination with NIR irradiation can provide a synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy for the treatment of PC.

Plasmon Enhanced Fluorescence and Raman Scattering by [Au-Ag Alloy NP Cluster]@SiO2 Core-Shell Nanostructure

Silica-shell coated noble metal nanoparticles have shown a good performance in surface enhanced fluorescence and Raman scattering. However, silica-shell coated single noble nanoparticle cannot effectively enhance the optical signal due to the relative weak near-field enhancement. In this paper, [Au-Ag alloy NP cluster]@SiO₂ core-shell nanostructure is employed to achieve the effective electric field enhancement. With the specific structure, simultaneous Raman scattering and fluorescence emission enhancement is obtained, and the enhancement comparison of fluorescence emission with Raman scattering in different type agglomeration of metal NPs is investigated in-situ. With different thickness of SiO₂ shell, the optimized Raman and fluorescence enhancement systems are obtained, respectively, and corresponding study of power dependence are investigated in detail. The selectively enhanced Raman and fluorescence can be realized via controlling the shell thickness and laser power. Our work provides a non-polarization dependent [metal NP cluster]@SiO₂ system, which may have a promising application in portable chemical and biochemistry detecting.

Phage Display in the Quest for New Selective Recognition Elements for Biosensors

Phages are bacterial viruses that have gained a significant role in biotechnology owing to their widely studied biology and many advantageous characteristics. Perhaps the best-known application of phages is phage display that refers to the expression of foreign peptides or proteins outside the phage virion as a fusion with one of the phage coat proteins. In 2018, one half of the Nobel prize in chemistry was awarded jointly to George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter "for the phage display of peptides and antibodies." The outstanding technology has evolved and developed considerably since its first description in 1985, and today phage display is commonly used in a wide variety of disciplines, including drug discovery, enzyme optimization, biomolecular interaction studies, as well as biosensor development. A cornerstone of all biosensors, regardless of the sensor platform or transduction scheme used, is a sensitive and selective bioreceptor, or a recognition element, that can provide specific binding to the target analyte. Many environmentally or pharmacologically interesting target analytes might not have naturally appropriate binding partners for biosensor development, but phage display can facilitate the production of novel receptors beyond known biomolecular interactions, or against toxic or nonimmunogenic targets, making the technology a valuable tool in the quest of new recognition elements for biosensor development.

A Review on the Scope of Photothermal Therapy-Based Nanomedicines in Preclinical Models of Colorectal Cancer

Oncologic thermal ablation involves the use of hyperthermic temperatures to damage and treat solid cancers. Thermal ablation is being investigated as a method of treatment in colorectal cancers and has the potential to complement conventional anticancer treatments in managing local recurrence and metastatic disease. Photothermal therapy utilizes photosensitive agents to generate local heat and induce thermal ablation. There is growing interest in developing nanotechnology platforms to deliver such photosensitive agents. An advantage of nanomedicines is their multifunctionality, with the capability to deliver combinations of chemotherapeutics and cancer-imaging agents. To date, there have been no clinical studies evaluating photothermal therapy-based nanomedicines in colorectal cancers. This review presents the current scope of preclinical studies, investigating nanomedicines that have been developed for delivering multimodal photothermal therapy to colorectal cancers, with an emphasis on potential clinical applications.

Selected landscape phage probe as selective recognition interface for sensitive total prostate-specific antigen immunosensor

The level of total prostate-specific antigen (t-PSA) is generally known as the key index of prostate cancer. Here, phage probes against t-PSA were selected from f8/8 landscape phage library. After three rounds of biopanning, four t-PSA-binding phage clones were isolated and identified by the DNA sequencing. Based on the phage capture assay, the phage clone displaying the fusion peptide ATRSANGM showed highest affinity and specificity against t-PSA. Subsequently, the t-PSA-specific phage was used as t-PSA capture probe in a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) assay systems. Both assay methods showed high specificity and acceptable reliability for real serum samples analysis. By comparison, DPV method showed wider linear range (0.01-100 ng mL^-1) and lower limit of detection (3 pg mL^-1) than those (3.3-330 ng mL^-1 and 1.6 ng mL^-1) of ELISA. Moreover, DPV system showed smaller distinction to the authoritative method in real samples assay. Excitingly, the phage probe based DPV immunosensor showed high sensitivity for the detection of t-PSA and LOD achieved the pg mL^-1 level, which was far lower than those values (usually above 0.1 ng mL^-1) for reported immunosensors based on antibodies. Due to the biocompatibility, multivalency, stability, and high structural homogeneity, the t-PSA-specific landscape phage demonstrates as a novel specific interface in biosensors.

Landscape Phage: Evolution from Phage Display to Nanobiotechnology

The development of phage engineering technology has led to the construction of a novel type of phage display library-a collection of nanofiber materials with diverse molecular landscapes accommodated on the surface of phage particles. These new nanomaterials, called the "landscape phage", serve as a huge resource of diagnostic/detection probes and versatile construction materials for the preparation of phage-functionalized biosensors and phage-targeted nanomedicines. Landscape-phage-derived probes interact with biological threat agents and generate detectable signals as a part of robust and inexpensive molecular recognition interfaces introduced in mobile detection devices. The use of landscape-phage-based interfaces may greatly improve the sensitivity, selectivity, robustness, and longevity of these devices. In another area of bioengineering, landscape-phage technology has facilitated the development and testing of targeted nanomedicines. The development of high-throughput phage selection methods resulted in the discovery of a variety of cancer cell-associated phages and phage proteins demonstrating natural proficiency to self-assemble into various drug- and gene-targeting nanovehicles. The application of this new "phage-programmed-nanomedicines" concept led to the development of a number of cancer cell-targeting nanomedicine platforms, which demonstrated anticancer efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. This review was prepared to attract the attention of chemical scientists and bioengineers seeking to develop functionalized nanomaterials and use them in different areas of bioscience, medicine, and engineering.

Sensitive colorimetric immunoassay of Vibrio parahaemolyticus based on specific nonapeptide probe screening from a phage display library conjugated with MnO2 nanosheets with peroxidase-like activity

Pathogen detection continues to receive significant attention due to the harmful effects of pathogens on public health. Herein, specific nonapeptide-fusion proteins pVIII (pVIII fusion) were isolated from phage VQTVQIGSD (designated by the sequence of a fused foreign peptide), which was specifically screened from the f8/9 landscape phage library against Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) in a high-throughput way. The as-prepared V. parahaemolyticus-specific recognition element is cheaper and more available than antibodies. Further, a highly sensitive colorimetric immunoassay for V. parahaemolyticus was established using pVIII fusion as capture probes coupled with protein-templated MnO₂ nanosheets (NSs) as signal probes. In the presence of a target bacterium, V. parahaemolyticus, a sandwich-type complex of pVIII fusion-V. parahaemolyticus-MnO₂ NS@pVIII fusion was formed through specific recognition of pVIII fusion and V. parahaemolyticus. The signal probes (MnO₂ NSs) could catalyze the reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine and H₂O₂ to generate a colorimetric change. The proposed V. parahaemolyticus detection method demonstrated a wide detection range (20-10⁴ colony-forming units (CFU) mL^-1), low limit of detection (15 CFU mL^-1), excellent selectivity, and high reliability for real marine samples, showing potential application in marine microbiological detection and control.

Broadband absorption and enhanced photothermal conversion property of octopod-like Ag@Ag2S core@shell structures with gradually varying shell thickness

Photothermal conversion materials have promising applications in many fields and therefore they have attracted tremendous attention. However, the multi-functionalization of a single nanostructure to meet the requirements of multiple photothermal applications is still a challenge. The difficulty is that most nanostructures have specific absoprtion band and are not flexible to different demands. In the current work, we reported the synthesis and multi-band photothermal conversion of Ag@Ag2S core@shell structures with gradually varying shell thickness. We synthesized the core@shell structures through the sulfidation of Ag nanocubes by taking the advantage of their spatially different reactivity. The resulting core@shell structures show an octopod-like mopgorlogy with a Ag2S bulge sitting at each corner of the Ag nanocubes. The thickness of the Ag2S shell gradually increases from the central surface towards the corners of the structure. The synthesized core@shell structures show a broad band absorption spectrum from 300 to 1100 nm. Enhanced photothermal conversion effect is observed under the illuminations of 635, 808, and 1064 nm lasers. The results indicate that the octopod-like Ag@Ag2S core@shell structures have characteristics of multi-band photothermal conversion. The current work might provide a guidance for the design and synthesis of multifunctional photothermal conversion materials.

Discovery of a polystyrene binding peptide isolated from phage display library and its application in peptide immobilization

Phage peptide display is a powerful technique for discovery of various target-specific ligands. However, target-unrelated peptides can often be obtained and cause ambiguous results. Peptide PB-TUP has been isolated repeatedly in our laboratory on different targets and we conducted a research on PB-TUP phage to investigate their binding properties and rate of propagation. ELISA and phage recovery assay demonstrated that PB-TUP phage had a significant superior affinity to polystyrene solid surface compared with control phage clones. In this study, some incidental bindings are excluded like blocking agents and non-specific binding of secondary antibodies. Propagation rate assays of the selected phage clones showed that the growth rate of PB-TUP phage was not superior to the control phages. Furthermore, the binding of PB-TUB to polystyrene was concentration dependent and varied with solution pH. Molecular modeling revealed that stable structures of α-helix and β-turn may contribute to the binding of PB-TUP to polystyrene plate. The PB-TUP sequence was fused to the N-terminus of peptide P2 and the fusion peptide significantly increased the binding affinity to polystyrene. The fusion peptide also enhanced the cell adhesion ability of peptide P2 with human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). The addition of the polystyrene binding peptide provided a convenient method for peptide immobilization.

Biomedical Applications of Multifunctional Gold-Based Nanocomposites

Active application of gold nanoparticles for various diagnostic and therapeutic purposes started in recent decades due to the emergence of new data on their unique optical and physicochemical properties. In addition to colloidal gold conjugates, growth in the number of publications devoted to the synthesis and application of multifunctional nanocomposites has occurred in recent years. This review considers the application in biomedicine of multifunctional nanoparticles that can be produced in three different ways. The first method involves design of composite nanostructures with various components intended for either diagnostic or therapeutic functions. The second approach uses new bioconjugation techniques that allow functionalization of gold nanoparticles with various molecules, thus combining diagnostic and therapeutic functions in one medical procedure. Finally, the third method for production of multifunctional nanoparticles combines the first two approaches, in which a composite nanoparticle is additionally functionalized by molecules having different properties.

Paradigm shift in bacteriophage-mediated delivery of anticancer drugs: from targeted 'magic bullets' to self-navigated 'magic missiles'

INTRODUCTION

New phage-directed nanomedicines have emerged recently as a result of the in-depth study of the genetics and structure of filamentous phage and evolution of phage display and phage nanobiotechnology. This review focuses on the progress made in the development of the cancer-targeted nanomaterials and discusses the trends in using phage as a bioselectable molecular navigation system. Areas covered: The merging of phage display technologies with nanotechnology in recent years has proved promising in different areas of medicine and technology, such as medical diagnostics, molecular imaging, vaccine development and targeted drug/gene delivery, which is the focus of this review. The authors used data obtained from their research group and sourced using Science Citation Index (Web of Science) and NCBI PubMed search resources. Expert opinion: First attempts of adapting traditional concepts of direct targeting of tumor using phage-targeted nanomedicines has shown minimal improvements. With discovery and study of biological and technical barriers that prevent anti-tumor drug delivery, a paradigm shift from traditional drug targeting to nanomedicine navigation systems is required. The advanced bacteriophage-driven self-navigation systems are thought to overcome those barriers using more precise, localized phage selection methods, multi-targeting 'promiscuous' ligands and advanced multifunctional nanomedicine platforms.

An efficient strategy to synthesize a multifunctional ferroferric oxide core@dye/SiO2@Au shell nanocomposite and its targeted tumor theranostics

Regular spheric magnetic ferroferric oxide nanoclusters have been developed and used for the targeted photothermal therapy of colorectal cancer cells after conjugation with SW620-specific phage fusion proteins.

Multifunctional gold-based nanocomposites for theranostics

Although Au-particle potential in nanobiotechnology has been recognized for the last 15 years, new insights into the unique properties of multifunctional nanostructures have just recently started to emerge. Multifunctional gold-based nanocomposites combine multiple modalities to improve the efficacy of the therapeutic and diagnostic treatment of cancer and other socially significant diseases. This review is focused on multifunctional gold-based theranostic nanocomposites, which can be fabricated by three main routes. The first route is to create composite (or hybrid) nanoparticles, whose components enable diagnostic and therapeutic functions. The second route is based on smart bioconjugation techniques to functionalize gold nanoparticles with a set of different molecules, enabling them to perform targeting, diagnostic, and therapeutic functions in a single treatment procedure. Finally, the third route for multifunctionalized composite nanoparticles is a combination of the first two and involves additional functionalization of hybrid nanoparticles with several molecules possessing different theranostic modalities. This last class of multifunctionalized composites also includes fluorescent atomic clusters with multiple functionalities.

Chemically Modifying Viruses for Diverse Applications

Long fascinating to biologists, viruses offer nanometer-scale benchtops for building molecular-scale devices and materials. Viruses tolerate a wide range of chemical modifications including reaction conditions, pH values, and temperatures. Recent examples of nongenetic manipulation of viral surfaces have extended viruses into applications ranging from biomedical imaging, drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and biosensors to materials for catalysis and energy generation. Chemical reactions on the phage surface include both covalent and noncovalent modifications, including some applied in conjunction with genetic modifications. Here, we survey viruses chemically augmented with capabilities limited only by imagination.

Advance in phage display technology for bioanalysis

Phage display technology has emerged as a powerful tool for target gene expression and target-specific ligand selection. It is widely used to screen peptides, proteins and antibodies with the advantages of simplicity, high efficiency and low cost. A variety of targets, including ions, small molecules, inorganic materials, natural and biological polymers, nanostructures, cells, bacteria, and even tissues, have been demonstrated to generate specific binding ligands by phage display. Phages and target-specific ligands screened by phage display have been widely used as affinity reagents in therapeutics, diagnostics and biosensors. In this review, comparisons of different types of phage display systems are first presented. Particularly, microfluidic-based phage display, which enables screening with high throughput, high efficiency and integration, is highlighted. More importantly, we emphasize the advances in biosensors based on phages or phage-derived probes, including nonlytic phages, lytic phages, peptides or proteins screened by phage display, phage assemblies and phage-nanomaterial complexes. However, more efficient and higher throughput phage display methods are still needed to meet an explosion in demand for bioanalysis. Furthermore, screening of cyclic peptides and functional peptides will be the hotspot in bioanalysis.

Promiscuous tumor targeting phage proteins

Cancer cell-specific targeting ligands against numerous cancer cell lines have been selected previously and used as ligands for cell-specific delivery of chemotherapies and various nanomedicines. However, tumor heterogeneity is one recognized problem hampering clinical translation of targeted anti-cancer medicines. Therefore, a novel class of targeting ligands is required that recognize receptors expressed between a variety of cancer phenotypes, identified here as 'promiscuous' ligands. In this work, promiscuous phage fusion proteins were first identified by a novel selection scheme to enrich for pan-cancer cell binding abilities, as indicated by conserved structural motifs identified previously in other cancer types. Additionally, peptide sequences containing a combination of motifs were identified to modulate binding. A panel of phage fusion proteins was studied for their specificity and selectivity for lung and pancreatic cancer cells. Phage displaying the fusion peptides GSLEEVSTL or GEFDELMTM, the two predominate clones with greatest binding ability, were used to modify preformed, doxorubicin-loaded, liposomes. These modified liposomes increased cytotoxicity up to 8.1-fold in several cancer cell lines when compared with unmodified liposomal doxorubicin. Taken together, these data indicate that promiscuous phage proteins, selected against different cancer cell lines, can be used as targeting ligands for treatment of heterogeneous tumor populations.

A Label-Free Electrochemical Impedance Cytosensor Based on Specific Peptide-Fused Phage Selected from Landscape Phage Library

One of the major challenges in the design of biosensors for cancer diagnosis is to introduce a low-cost and selective probe that can recognize cancer cells. In this paper, we combined the phage display technology and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to develop a label-free cytosensor for the detection of cancer cells, without complicated purification of recognition elements. Fabrication steps of the cytosensing interface were monitored by EIS. Due to the high specificity of the displayed octapeptides and avidity effect of their multicopy display on the phage scaffold, good biocompatibility of recombinant phage, the fibrous nanostructure of phage, and the inherent merits of EIS technology, the proposed cytosensor demonstrated a wide linear range (2.0 × 10(2) - 2.0 × 10(8) cells mL(-1)), a low limit of detection (79 cells mL(-1), S/N = 3), high specificity, good inter-and intra-assay reproducibility and satisfactory storage stability. This novel cytosensor designing strategy will open a new prospect for rapid and label-free electrochemical platform for tumor diagnosis.

Cu-Au alloy nanostructures coated with aptamers: a simple, stable and highly effective platform for in vivo cancer theranostics

As a star material in cancer theranostics, photoresponsive gold (Au) nanostructures may still have drawbacks, such as low thermal conductivity, irradiation-induced melting effect and high cost. To solve the problem, copper (Cu) with a much higher thermal conductivity and lower cost was introduced to generate a novel Cu-Au alloy nanostructure produced by a simple, gentle and one-pot synthetic method. Having the good qualities of both Cu and Au, the irregularly-shaped Cu-Au alloy nanostructures showed several advantages over traditional Au nanorods, including a broad and intense near-infrared (NIR) absorption band from 400 to 1100 nm, an excellent heating performance under laser irradiation at different wavelengths and even a notable photostability against melting. Then, via a simple conjugation of fluorophore-labeled aptamers on the Cu-Au alloy nanostructures, active targeting and signal output were simultaneously introduced, thus constructing a theranostic platform based on fluorophore-labeled, aptamer-coated Cu-Au alloy nanostructures. By using human leukemia CCRF-CEM cancer and Cy5-labeled aptamer Sgc8c (Cy5-Sgc8c) as the model, a selective fluorescence imaging and NIR photothermal therapy was successfully realized for both in vitro cancer cells and in vivo tumor tissues. It was revealed that Cy5-Sgc8c-coated Cu-Au alloy nanostructures were not only capable of robust target recognition and stable signal output for molecular imaging in complex biological systems, but also killed target cancer cells in mice with only five minutes of 980 nm irradiation. The platform was found to be simple, stable, biocompatible and highly effective, and shows great potential as a versatile tool for cancer theranostics.

Selection of Lung Cancer-Specific Landscape Phage for Targeted Drug Delivery

Cancer cell-specific diagnostic or therapeutic tools are commonly believed to significantly increase the success rate of cancer diagnosis and targeted therapies. To extend the repertoire of available cancer cell-specific phage fusion proteins and study their efficacy as navigating moieties, we used two landscape phage display libraries f8/8 and f8/9 displaying an 8- or 9-mer random peptide fusion to identify a panel of novel peptide families that are specific to Calu-3 cells. Using a phage capture assay, we showed that two of the selected phage clones, ANGRPSMT and VNGRAEAP (phage and their recombinant proteins are named by the sequence of the fusion peptide), are selective for the Calu-3 cell line in comparison to phenotypically normal lung epithelial cells and distribute into unique subcellular fractions.

Bioinspired polymer vesicles and membranes for biological and medical applications

Biological membranes play an essential role in living organisms by providing stable and functional compartments, supporting signalling and selective transport. Combining synthetic polymer membranes with biological molecules promises to be an effective strategy to mimic the functions of cell membranes and apply them in artificial systems.

An overview of synthetic strategies and current applications of gold nanorods in cancer treatment

Photothermal therapy, also referred to as optical hyperthermia or photothermal ablation, is an emerging strategy for treating solid tumours. Colloidal gold converts the absorbed light into localized heat via a non-radiative mechanism, surface plasmon resonance, which ablates the solid tumours. Several plasmon resonating nanostructures, including gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), gold nanorods (AuNRs), gold nanoshells, gold nanocages, copper sulphide and carbon nanotubes, have shown potential for photo-activated cancer therapy. Generally, spherical AuNPs display absorption maxima between 500-550 nm, making them inefficient due to low tissue penetration. On the other hand, AuNRs absorb light in the near-infrared (NIR) region that penetrates deeper with higher spatial precision, and causes no damage to the surrounding healthy tissues due to the low energy absorption of NIR light by normal tissue. Moreover, the absorption range of light can be fine-tuned to the NIR region by adjusting the aspect ratios of AuNRs. However, large-scale synthesis and stability of this colloidal system still poses challenges for clinical translation. In this review, we discuss various strategies applied up to now for the synthesis of AuNRs. Current trends in the pre-clinical development of multifunctional AuNRs with emphasis on preparation and application strategies in cancer therapy have been delineated.

One-pot synthesis of PEGylated plasmonic MoO(3-x) hollow nanospheres for photoacoustic imaging guided chemo-photothermal combinational therapy of cancer

Engineering design of plasmonic nanomaterials as on-demand theranostic nanoagents with imaging, drug carrier, and photothermal therapy (PTT) functions have profound impact on treatment of cancer. Here, a facile 'one-pot' template-free hydrothermal route was firstly developed for synthesis of plasmonic oxygen deficiency molybdenum oxide hollow nanospheres functionalized by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-MoO(3-x) HNSs). The as-prepared PEG-MoO(3-x) HNSs not only have good biocompatibility but also exhibit obvious localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region. Especially, due to its intrinsic mesoporous properties and effective photothermal conversion efficiency upon 808-nm NIR laser irradiation, the PEG-MoO(3-x) HNSs can be applied as a pH/NIR laser dual-responsive camptothecin (CPT) drug delivery nanoplatform for chemotherapy as well as PTT to cancer cells. A remarkably improved synergistic therapeutic effect to pancreatic (PANC-1) tumor-bearing mice was obtained compared to the result of chemotherapy or PTT alone. Apart from its application for drug delivery, the PEG-MoO(3-x) HNSs can also be employed as an effective contrast nanoagent for photoacoustic (PAT) imaging because of its high NIR absorption, making it promising as a theranostic nanoagent for PAT imaging-guided chemo-photothermal combinational cancer therapy in the nanomedicine field.

Beyond phage display: non-traditional applications of the filamentous bacteriophage as a vaccine carrier, therapeutic biologic, and bioconjugation scaffold

For the past 25 years, phage display technology has been an invaluable tool for studies of protein-protein interactions. However, the inherent biological, biochemical, and biophysical properties of filamentous bacteriophage, as well as the ease of its genetic manipulation, also make it an attractive platform outside the traditional phage display canon. This review will focus on the unique properties of the filamentous bacteriophage and highlight its diverse applications in current research. Particular emphases are placed on: (i) the advantages of the phage as a vaccine carrier, including its high immunogenicity, relative antigenic simplicity and ability to activate a range of immune responses, (ii) the phage's potential as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for infectious and chronic diseases, (iii) the regularity of the virion major coat protein lattice, which enables a variety of bioconjugation and surface chemistry applications, particularly in nanomaterials, and (iv) the phage's large population sizes and fast generation times, which make it an excellent model system for directed protein evolution. Despite their ubiquity in the biosphere, metagenomics work is just beginning to explore the ecology of filamentous and non-filamentous phage, and their role in the evolution of bacterial populations. Thus, the filamentous phage represents a robust, inexpensive, and versatile microorganism whose bioengineering applications continue to expand in new directions, although its limitations in some spheres impose obstacles to its widespread adoption and use.

Au@Ag Heterogeneous Nanorods as Nanozyme Interfaces with Peroxidase-Like Activity and Their Application for One-Pot Analysis of Glucose at Nearly Neutral pH

As substitutes for natural peroxidases, most nanomaterial-based enzyme mimetics (nanozymes) have unique properties such as high stability, low-cost, large surface area, and high catalytic activity. However, they usually work in acidic conditions and thus impede their real applications. In this work, by modulating the nanostructure, composition, and surface property of the bimetallic materials, the positively charged poly(diallyldimethylammonium)-stabilized Au@Ag heterogeneous nanorods (NRs) were developed as synergistic peroxidase-like interfaces, which exhibited high activity over a wide pH range (pH 4.0-6.5) using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) as the chromogenic substrate. At pH 6.5, the peroxidase-like activity for the Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs was stable and optimal within 20-40 °C. Moreover, the Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs showed excellent temperature stability and long-term storage stability. Given these characters, the detection of H2O2 at pH 6.5 was proposed on the basis of the Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs catalyzing the colorimetric reaction of H2O2 and ABTS, where the oxidized ABTS showed a typical absorption peak at 414 nm. The absorbance at 414 nm was linear with H2O2 concentration from 0.01 to 10 mM. Further, considering that Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs and glucose oxidase (GOx) have similar optimal pH for catalytic activities, a novel one-pot method for the detection of glucose was developed by the coupled catalytic reaction using GOx, Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs, and ABTS at nearly neutral pH (pH 6.5) and 37 °C. This proposed method had simple and rapid processes, wide linear range (0.05-20 mM), and reliability for the successful analysis of real samples. On the basis of these attractive and unique characteristics, Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs can become promising substitutes for peroxidase in analytical chemistry and environmental science.