Polydopamine-assisted decoration of Se nanoparticles on curcumin-incorporated nanofiber matrices for localized synergistic tumor-wound therapy

TiO2 Nanotube Implants Modified with Silk Fibroin and Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposite Coatings Enable Efficient Drug Release to Promote Osteogenesis

Enhanced bone healing within 1 week after post-titanium (Ti) dental implant surgery especially contributes to the subsequent long-term osseointegration, and the commonly used drug-loaded TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) can promote osteogenesis yet still face the challenge of burst drug release that makes it difficult to maintain long-term effective drug concentrations and good osseointegration. Here, we prepared a double drug loading/release system of silk fibroin/mesoporous silica nanoparticles (SF/MSN) nanocomposite coating modified TNTs (TAMA) with AZD2858 (Wnt/β-catenin pathway agonist for promoting osteogenesis) as the therapeutic drug, realizing a long-term stable drug release and better osteogenesis. The increased β-sheet content of SF reduced the degradation rate of the SF/MSN coating, thus avoiding the AZD2858 burst release. The adsorption of MSN maintained the effective drug concentration more than 1 week that was especially critical for early bone healing. Under the protection of SF/MSN coating, the TAMA implant showed a well-organized spatial release of AZD2858, well enabling the osteogenic differentiation and mineralization at cellular level for up to 21 days. Animal experiments further demonstrated that the slow release of AZD2858 in the TAMA implant effectively activated the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, enabling rapid bone healing in the early stage of implantation and finally achieving the best osseointegration efficacy. Thus, this study proposed an efficient strategy for developing high-performance dental implants via the construction of a biodegradable SF/MSN coating.

Chlorogenic acid-assisted dopamine‑sodium alginate composite nanofiber membranes for promoting wound healing

Developing safe and effective novel wound dressings to enhance full-thickness skin wound regeneration is highly desirable. In this study, we firstly incorporated chlorogenic acid (CA) into dopamine (DA) functionalized alginate (Alg-DA) conjugates and utilized polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the carrier polymer to fabricate a series of novel multifunctional composite nanofiber membranes (PVA/Alg-DA/CA) for promoting wound healing. These nanofiber membranes exhibited high water absorption, water vapor transmission rate, porosity, and hydrophilicity properties. The CA endowed the PVA/Alg-DA/CA membranes with excellent antibacterial properties, and the superior antioxidant activity to effectively protect cells from oxidative damage. Meanwhile, capitalizing on the unique nanofiber architecture, as well as the inherent biofunctional activities of CA and Alg-DA, these membranes exhibited remarkable biocompatibility, fostering a conducive environment for fibroblast adhesion and proliferation. Moreover, wound healing assessments and histopathological analyses revealed that composite membranes could promote neovascularization and tissue remodeling, and thus accelerating wound closure in the mouse full-thickness wound defect model. Additionally, the upregulation of key healing markers including CD31 and TGF-β1 protein expressions, further corroborated the ability of multifunctional membrane to stimulate the wound healing cascade. This multifunctional membranes with biosafety and therapeutic outcomes are a promising candidate for wound dressing to promote skin repair.

Curcumin-based nanofibers: A promising approach for cancer therapy

Nanofibers are among the promising platforms for efficient delivery of drugs (both hydrophilic and hydrophobic) through harnessing polymers with different natures as their base. Hydrophobic low-solubility agents such as curcumin could be incorporated in various types of electrospun nanofibers for different aims in drug delivery, such as enhancing its solubility, making this agent sustained release with improved pharmacological efficacy. Through using this nanoplatform, curcumin may become more bioavailable and more efficcious in the field of cancer therapy as well as tissue engineering and wound healing for local delivery of this anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent. In this review, the characteristics of curcumin-loaded nanofibers, their targeting potential or stimuli-responsiveness accompanied with therapeutic anti-cancerous applications of them (mostly in local application) are securitized. These nanofibers follow the aim of enhancing curcumin's therapeutic effectiveness and release profile. We laso elaborate on the mechanisms of action through which curcumin exerts its effect on various cancerous cells after its incorporation in various types of nanofibers which have been prepared by exploiting different polymers.

Curcumin-Based Nanoparticles: Advancements and Challenges in Tumor Therapy

Curcumin, a bioactive compound derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., has garnered significant attention for its potent anticancer properties. Despite its promising therapeutic potential, its poor bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and low water solubility hinder curcumin's clinical application. Nanotechnology offers a viable solution to these challenges by enabling the development of curcumin-based nanoparticles (CNPs) that enhance its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in the design and synthesis of CNPs for cancer therapy. We discuss various NP formulations, including polymeric, lipid-based, and inorganic nanoparticles, highlighting their role in improving curcumin's pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. The mechanisms by which CNPs exert anticancer effects, such as inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation, and modulating signaling pathways, are explored in details. Furthermore, we examine the preclinical and clinical studies that have demonstrated the efficacy of CNPs in treating different types of tumors, including breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. Finally, the review addresses the current challenges and future perspectives in the clinical translation of CNPs, emphasizing the need for further research to optimize their design for targeted delivery and to enhance their therapeutic outcomes. By synthesizing the latest research, this review underscores the potential of CNPs as a promising avenue for advancing cancer therapy.

Synthesis and characterization of selenium nanoparticles stabilized by Grifola frondosa polysaccharides and gallic acid conjugates

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are of interest for their versatility and low toxicity, but bare SeNPs are unstable and tend to aggregate and precipitate as black elemental Se, which limits the application of SeNPs. This study evaluated the physicochemical properties, physical stability, antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity of SeNPs stabilized by Grifola frondosa polysaccharides (GFPs) and GFPs-gallic acid conjugates (GFPs-GA). The results showed that the particle size (PZ), polymer index (PDI) and zeta potential (ZP) of the GFPs-SeNPs and GFPs-GA-SeNPs were 58.72 ± 0.53 nm, 0.11, -8.36 ± 0.21 mV and 61.80 ± 0.16 nm, 0.12, -9.37 ± 0.13 mV, respectively. Besides, the GFPs-SeNPs and GFPs-GA-SeNPs remained stable when stored at 4 °C for 70 days in darkness. SeNPs stabilized with GFPs have improved the antioxidant activity and selective toxicity to tumour cells. Interestingly, SeNPs stabilized with GFPs-GA further enhanced these biological activities. This work provided a simple and effective method to construct well-dispersed SeNPs in aqueous systems, demonstrating the important roles of GFPs and GFPs-GA in the size control, dispersion and stabilization of SeNPs. The prepared GFPs-SeNPs and GFPs-GA-SeNPs can serve as good selenium supplements and have potential prospects for antioxidant activity and tumour inhibition.

Local Delivery of Dual Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Using an Electrospun Nanofibrous Platform for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury poses serious physical, psychosocial, and economic threats. Although systemic administration of stem cell-derived exosomes has recently been proven to be a promising modality for traumatic brain injury treatment, they come with distinct drawbacks. Luckily, various biomaterials have been developed to assist local delivery of exosomes to improve the targeting of organs, minimize nonspecific accumulation in vital organs, and ensure the protection and release of exosomes. In this study, we developed an electrospun nanofibrous scaffold to provide sustained delivery of dual exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells and neural stem cells for traumatic brain injury treatment. The electrospun nanofibrous scaffold employed a functionalized layer of polydopamine on electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofibers, thereby enhancing the efficient incorporation of exosomes through a synergistic interplay of adhesive forces, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions. First, the mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes and the neural stem cell-derived exosomes were found to modulate microglial polarization toward M2 phenotype, play an important role in the modulation of inflammatory responses, and augment axonal outgrowth and neural repair in PC12 cells. Second, the nanofibrous scaffold loaded with dual stem cell-derived exosomes (Duo-Exo@NF) accelerated functional recovery in a murine traumatic brain injury model, as it mitigated the presence of reactive astrocytes and microglia while elevating the levels of growth associated protein-43 and doublecortin. Additionally, multiomics analysis provided mechanistic insights into how dual stem cell-derived exosomes exerted its therapeutic effects. These findings collectively suggest that our novel Duo-Exo@NF system could function as an effective treatment modality for traumatic brain injury using sustained local delivery of dual exosomes from stem cells.

PEGylated curcumin-loaded poly(vinyl alcohol)/Zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine vinylimidazole)-grafted chitosan nanofiber as a second-degree burn wound dressing

Burn injuries damage skin function and increased the risk of infection. Using natural-inspired antibiotic-free nanofibrous in wound healing has attracted increasing attention. Here, mPEG-Curcumin (mPEG-CUR) was synthesized through a novel, cheap, and high-efficiency method, and incorporated onto poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine vinylimidazole)-grafted chitosan (CS-g-PNVIS) nanofiber. Due to the lack of electrospinning capability of CS-g-PNVIS and its brittleness, to obtain nanofibers with uniform and bead-free morphology, PVA was used as an electrospinning aid polymer, so that the prepared nanofibers have suitable mechanical properties with an average diameter between 115 ± 18-157 ± 39 nm. The heat-treated nanofibers have adequate swelling and dimensional stability. Time-killing assay proved the antibacterial activity of the mPEG-CUR-loaded nanofibers towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterium. The MTT investigation illustrated the non-cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of the nanofibers. In vivo studies exhibited significant improvement in the mean wound area closure by applying mPEG-CUR nanofibers. The mPEG-CUR-loaded nanofibers showed the highest antioxidant (86 %) power after 40 min. Moreover, nanofibers possess a desirable WVT rate (3.4 ± 0.24-5.5 ± 0.3 kg/m2.d) and good breathability and had the potential to supply a suitable moist environment in the wounded area. This approach can be the beginning of a new path in designing a new generation of nanofiber mats for wound healing applications.

Constructing a Photothermal and Quaternary Ammonium Cation Bactericidal Platform onto SEBS for Synergistic Therapy

Poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS) with eminent elasticity, thermoplastic ability, and biological stability has aroused great interest in the medical area. However, bacteria can easily adhere to the hydrophobic SEBS surface to cause medical device-related infections. In this work, SEBS is modified to prepare the SEBS-polydopamine (PDA)-poly(lysine) quaternary ammonium derivative (PLQ) antibacterial surface by PDA deposition and surface grafting techniques to solve bacterial infections. PDA is used as an intermediate layer and presents an excellent photothermal effect. The grafted polymer PLQ has antimicrobial quaternary ammonium cation groups, which plays synergistic bactericidal therapy with PDA. The SEBS-PDA-PLQ surface almost totally suppresses the growth of bacteria with a surface bacterial survival rate of 0.05% under laser irradiation. The outstanding antibacterial activity of the SEBS-PDA-PLQ surface is attributed to the synergistic effects of the photothermal performance of PDA and quaternary ammonium cationic functional groups of PLQ. In addition, the membrane SEBS-PDA-PLQ shows good hydrophilicity, antiprotein adsorption ability, chemical stability, and biocompatibility. This antibiotic-free antimicrobial approach has great potential for practical application in solving infections associated with medical devices.

Curcumin-based nanoformulations alleviate wounds and related disorders: A comprehensive review

Despite numerous advantages, curcumin's (CUR) low solubility and low bioavailability limit its employment as a free drug. CUR-incorporated nanoformulation enhances the bioavailability and angiogenesis, collagen deposition, fibroblast proliferation, reepithelization, collagen synthesis, neovascularization, and granulation tissue formation in different wounds. Designing nanoformulations with controlled-release properties ensure the presence of CUR in the defective area during treatment. Different nanoformulations encompassing nanofibers, nanoparticles (NPs), nanospray, nanoemulsion, nanosuspension, nanoliposome, nanovesicle, and nanomicelle were described in the present study comprehensively. Moreover, for some other systems which contain nano-CUR or CUR nanoformulations, including some nanofibers, films, composites, scaffolds, gel, and hydrogels seems the CUR-loaded NPs incorporation has better control of the sustained release, and thereby, the presence of CUR until the final stages of wound healing is more possible. Incorporating CUR-loaded chitosan NPs into nanofiber increased the release time, while 80% of CUR was released during 240 h (10 days). Therefore, this system can guarantee the presence of CUR during the entire healing period. Furthermore, porous structures such as sponges, aerogels, some hydrogels, and scaffolds disclosed promising performance. These architectures with interconnected pores can mimic the native extracellular matrix, thereby facilitating attachment and infiltration of cells at the wound site, besides maintaining a free flow of nutrients and oxygen within the three-dimensional structure essential for rapid and proper wound healing, as well as enhancing mechanical strength.

Highly Dispersed Cu Produced by Mechanical Stress-Activated Redox Reaction to Establish Galvanic Corrosion in Fe Implant

Fe has immense potential for biodegradable orthopedic applications, but it degrades slowly in the physiological environment. Inducing galvanic couple by alloying Cu to Fe using ball milling is a promising approach. However, the ductile nature of Cu leads to the cold welding of a large amount of Cu powder during ball milling, which makes it difficult to disperse uniformly in the Fe matrix. Here, a Fe-CuO implant with highly dispersed Cu particles in the matrix was developed by shift-speed ball milling and selective laser melting. Specifically, copper oxide (CuO) particles were selected as precursors and dispersed in Fe powders by ball milling since they were brittle and would not be cold-welded during ball milling. After further milling in higher energy, it was found that CuO particles reacted with Fe and generated Cu particles through a stress-activated redox reaction. Subsequently, the obtained powders were prepared into a Fe-CuO implant using selective laser melting. Microstructure examination revealed that the Cu phases in the implant were dispersed evenly in the Fe matrix, which was considered to establish a large number of galvanic couples and aggravated the galvanic corrosion tendency. Electrochemical tests indicated that the implant had improved performance in degradation behavior in terms of high corrosion current density (22.4 μA/cm²), low corrosion resistance (1319 Ω cm²), and good degradation stability. In addition, it presented antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by diffusion mechanisms with killing rates of 90.7 and 96.7%, respectively, as well as good cytocompatibility.

Polydopamine-modified ZIF-8 nanoparticles as a drug carrier for combined chemo-photothermal osteosarcoma therapy

Single chemotherapy often causes severe adverse effects and chemoresistance which limits therapeutic efficacy. Recently, combination of chemotherapy with photothermal therapy (PTT) have received broad attention for synergistic treatment of osteosarcoma, ultimately resulting in the enhancement of therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs. In this study, we have developed a novel drug delivery system based on polydopamine (pDA)-modified ZIF-8 nanoparticles loaded with methotrexate (MTX) (pDA/MTX@ZIF-8 NPs). Herein, pDA modification avoided the explosive release of the drug, and improved the biocompatibility and near-infrared (NIR) light absorbance performance of nanoparticles. The as-prepared pDA/MTX@ZIF-8 NPs could be used as drug targeting delivery system and simultaneously displayed excellent photothermal effects under NIR irradiation. Biology assays in vitro indicated that the pDA/MTX@ZIF-8 NPs were able to efficiently induce MG63 cell apoptosis through reducing mitochondrial membrane potentials (MMPs), and the introduction of photothermal agents enhanced the antitumor effect and decreased the dose of chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, the optimized pDA/MTX@ZIF-8 NPs (40 μg/mL) exhibited better photothermal conversion performance and facilitated tumor cells death. These results triumphantly exhibit that the pDA/MTX@ZIF-8 NPs have a synergistic effect of chemo-photothermal therapy (combination index CI = 0.346) and excellent biocompatibility, which has unexceptionable prospects for the therapy of osteosarcoma.