2D Superparamagnetic Tantalum Carbide Composite MXenes for Efficient Breast-Cancer Theranostics

3D-bioprinting of MXenes: Developments, medical applications, challenges, and future roadmap

MXenes is a member of 2D transition metals carbides and nitrides with promising application prospects in energy storage, sensing, nanomedicine, tissue engineering, catalysis, and electronics. In the current era, MXenes have been widely applied in biomedical applications due to their unique rheological and electrochemical attributes. They have a larger surface area with more active sites, higher conductivity, lower cytotoxicity, and greater biocompatibility, making them highly suitable candidates for in-vivo biomedical applications. Due to recent advancemnets in MXenes 3D bioprinting, they are widely applied in regenerative medicine to combat challenges in suitable transplantation of tissues and organs. However, 3D bioprinting of MXenes has several complexities based on cell type, cytotoxicity, cell viability, and differentiation. To address these intricacies, surface modifications of MXene materials are done, which makes them highly fascinating for the 3D printing of tissues and organs. In the current review, we summarized recent progress in 3D bioprinting of MXene materials to construct scaffolds with desired rheological and biological properties, focusing on their potential applications in cancer phototherapy, tissue engineering, bone regeneration, and biosensing. We also discussed parameters affecting their biomedical applications and possible solutions by applying surface modifications. In addition, we addressed current challenges and future roadmaps for 3D bioprinting of MXene materials, such as generating high throughput 3D printed tissue constructs, drug delivery, drug discovery, and toxicology.

MXenes as emerging materials to repair electroactive tissues and organs

Nanomaterials with electroactive properties have taken a big leap for tissue repair and regeneration due to their unique physiochemical properties and biocompatibility. MXenes, an emerging class of electroactive materials have generated considerable interest for their biomedical applications from bench to bedside. Recently, the application of these two-dimensional wonder materials have been extensively investigated in the areas of biosensors, bioimaging and repair of electroactive organs, owing to their outstanding electromechanical properties, photothermal capabilities, hydrophilicity, and flexibility. The currently available data reports that there is significant potential to employ MXene nanomaterials for repair, regeneration and functioning of electroactive tissues and organs such as brain, spinal cord, heart, bone, skeletal muscle and skin. The current review is the first report that compiles the most recent advances in the application of MXenes in bioelectronics and the development of biomimetic scaffolds for repair, regeneration and functioning of electroactive tissues and organs including heart, nervous system, skin, bone and skeletal muscle. The content in this article focuses on unique features of MXenes, synthesis process, with emphasis on MXene-based electroactive tissue engineering constructs, biosensors and wearable biointerfaces. Additionally, a section on the future of MXenes is presented with a focus on the clinical applications of MXenes.

MXene-based nanocomposites: synthesis, optical properties, and biomedical applications

With the discovery and in-depth research of 2D carbide/nitride MXene, MXene-based nanocomposites have attracted widespread attention due to their unique enhancement and synergistic effects, demonstrating tremendous application potential in the biomedical field. Hence, this review provides a comprehensive discussion of the synthesis methods, optical properties, and biomedical applications of MXene-based nanocomposites. Firstly, it discusses and compares various synthesis methods for MXenes and MXene-based nanocomposites, and categorizes the combination types based on surface engineering strategies and distinct properties. Subsequently, the optical properties of MXene-based nanocomposites are summarized, including localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE). Furthermore, this review provides an in-depth discussion of the applications of MXene-based nanocomposites in biosensors, optical therapeutics, and bioimaging. Finally, we thoroughly explore the challenges and opportunities for the future development of MXene-based nanocomposites, aiming to offer a feasible approach for the development of high-performance materials for biomedical applications.

MXenes in healthcare: transformative applications and challenges in medical diagnostics and therapeutics

MXenes, a novel class of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, exhibit exceptional physicochemical properties that make them highly promising for biomedical applications. Their application has been explored in bioinstrumentation, tissue engineering, and infectious disease management. In bioinstrumentation, MXenes enhance the sensitivity and response time of wearable sensors, including piezoresistive, electrochemical, and electrophysiological sensors. They also function effectively as contrast agents in MRI and CT imaging for cancer diagnostics and therapy. In tissue engineering, MXenes contribute to both hard and soft tissue regeneration, playing a key role in neural, cardiac, skin and bone repair. Additionally, they offer innovative solutions in combating infectious and inflammatory diseases by facilitating antimicrobial surfaces and immune modulation. Despite their potential, several challenges hinder the clinical translation of MXene-based technologies. Issues related to synthesis, scalability, biocompatibility, and long-term safety must be addressed to ensure their practical implementation in medical applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of MXenes in next-generation medical diagnostics, including the role they play in wearable sensors and imaging contrast agents. It further explores their applications in tissue engineering and infectious disease management, highlighting their antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Finally, we discuss the key barriers to clinical translation and propose strategies for overcoming these limitations. This review aims to bridge current advancements with future opportunities for integration of MXenes in healthcare.

Exploring the revolutionary potential of MXene nanoparticles in breast Cancer therapy: A review of applications and future prospects

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are crucial for successful treatment and improving patient outcomes. Nanoparticles, such as MXenes, have emerged as a promising tool for various breast cancer applications due to their unique properties. MXenes possess a high surface area and excellent biocompatibility, and can be engineered to enhance targeting ability, as well as mechanical, electrochemical, and optical properties. This review article explores the potential of MXenes in breast cancer detection and treatment, including miRNA detection, MRI-guided photothermal therapy, combined therapy, and immunotherapy. MXenes can be used for miRNA detection, which has shown promise as a biomarker for breast cancer. MXenes can also be used for MRI-guided photothermal therapy, where they can absorb light and convert it into heat to destroy cancer cells. Additionally, MXenes can be used in combination therapy with other drugs to enhance their efficacy. MXenes can also be used for immunotherapy by enhancing the immune response against cancer cells. The article also discusses the future prospects of MXenes in breast cancer research and their cytotoxicity effects. The use of MXenes in breast cancer research is a novel approach with great potential for improving patient outcomes.

MXenes and MXene-based composites for biomedical applications

MXenes, a novel class of two-dimensional materials, have recently emerged as promising candidates for biomedical applications due to their specific structural features and exceptional physicochemical and biological properties. These materials, characterized by unique structural features and superior conductivity, have applications in tissue engineering, cancer detection and therapy, sensing, imaging, drug delivery, wound treatment, antimicrobial therapy, and medical implantation. Additionally, MXene-based composites, incorporating polymers, metals, carbon nanomaterials, and metal oxides, offer enhanced electroactive and mechanical properties, making them highly suitable for engineering electroactive organs such as the heart, skeletal muscle, and nerves. However, several challenges, including biocompatibility, functional stability, and scalable synthesis methods, remain critical for advancing their clinical use. This review comprehensively overviews MXenes and MXene-based composites, their synthesis, properties, and broad biomedical applications. Furthermore, it highlights the latest progress, ongoing challenges, and future perspectives, aiming to inspire innovative approaches to harnessing these versatile materials for next-generation medical solutions.

Ultrasound-Driven Piezoelectric Heterostructures Block Early Atherosclerotic Plaques Progression

Atherosclerosis (AS), marked by lipid buildup and chronic inflammation in arteries, leads to major cardiovascular events. Macrophages contribute to AS by engulfing low-density lipoproteins, forming foam cells, and driving inflammation that promotes plaque growth and instability. The emerging piezocatalytic therapy uses piezoelectric materials to generate radicals that target inflammation-related macrophages for AS treatment, but the conventional materials suffer from low radical yield, substantially limiting clinical use. In this study, the construction of piezoelectric BaTiO3/Ta4C3 MXene heterostructured nanosheets (BTOMX NSs) is reported for achieving enhanced piezoelectric AS treatment by blocking early atherosclerotic plaque progression. The composite BTOMX NSs feature high electron-hole separation efficiency due to their narrowed bandgap and high surface potential under ultrasound irradiation, enabling more effective radical generation by piezocatalytic effects. Especially, these biocompatible piezoelectric nanosheets accumulate in plaques and are efficiently internalized by macrophages, where they generate radicals under ultrasound stimulation, ultimately triggering macrophage apoptosis and interrupting plaque progression. In ApoE-/- mice, the BTOMX NSs remove lesional macrophages, reduce lipid accumulation, and mitigate inflammation, decreasing plaque burden from 21.42% to 9.04%. Taken together, this work provides a paradigm for enhancing BaTiO3-based piezocatalytic performance by heterostructure construction, demonstrating an efficient, noninvasive, and safe therapeutic approach for treating early-stage AS.

MXenes in healthcare: synthesis, fundamentals and applications

Since their discovery over a decade ago, MXenes have transformed the field of "materials for healthcare", stimulating growing interest in their healthcare-related applications. These developments have also driven significant advancements in MXenes' synthesis. This review systematically examines the synthesis of MXenes and their applications in sensing and biomedical fields, underscoring their pivotal role in addressing critical challenges in modern healthcare. We describe the experimental synthesis of MXenes by combining appropriate laboratory modules with the mechanistic principles underlying each synthesis step. In addition, we provide extensive details on the experimental parameters, critical considerations, and essential instructions for successful laboratory synthesis. Various healthcare applications including sensing, biomedical imaging, synergistic therapies, regenerative medicine, and wearable devices have been explored. We further highlight the emerging trends of MXenes, viz., their role as nanovehicles for drug delivery, vectors for gene therapy, and tools for immune profiling. By identifying the important parameters that define the utility of MXenes in biomedical applications, this review outlines strategies to regulate their biomedical profile, thereby serving as a valuable guide to design MXenes with application-specific properties. The final section integrates experimental research with theoretical studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the field. It examines the role of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), in accelerating material discovery, structure-property optimization, and automation. Complemented by detailed supplementary information on synthesis, stability, biocompatibility, environmental impact, and theoretical insights, this review offers a profound knowledge base for understanding this diverse family of 2D materials. Finally, we compared the potential of MXenes with that of other 2D materials to underscore the existing challenges and prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration. By synthesizing key studies from its discovery to current trends (especially from 2018 onward), this review provides a cohesive assessment of MXene synthesis with theoretical foundations and their prospects in the healthcare sector.

Bioactive surface-functionalized MXenes for biomedicine

MXenes, with their good biocompatibility, excellent photovoltaic properties, excellent physicochemical properties, and desirable bioactivity, have broad application prospects in the field of tissue regeneration. MXenes have been used in a wide range of applications including biosensing, bioimaging, tumour/infection therapy, bone regeneration and wound repair. By applying bioactive materials to modify the surface of MXenes, a series of multifunctional MXene-based nanomaterials can be designed for different biomedical applications to achieve better therapeutic effects or more desirable biological functions. This paper reviews the existing studies on MXene-based bioactivities, surface modification strategies and biomedical applications. Finally, the challenges, trends and prospects of MXene nanomaterials are discussed. We expect that more and more well-designed MXene-based biomaterials will have a wider range of biomedical applications, thus providing favourable information for the clinical translation of nanomedicine.

Representative modeling of biocompatible MXene nanocomposites for next-generation biomedical technologies and healthcare

MXenes are a class of 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides (Mn+1XnT) that have attracted significant interest owing to their remarkable potential in various fields. The unique combination of their excellent electromagnetic, optical, mechanical, and physical properties have extended their applications to the biological realm as well. In particular, their ultra-thin layered structure holds specific promise for diverse biomedical applications. This comprehensive review explores the synthesis methods of MXene composites, alongside the biological and medical design strategies that have been employed for their surface engineering. This review delves into the interplay between these strategies and the resulting properties, biological activities, and unique effects at the nano-bio-interface. Furthermore, the latest advancements in MXene-based biomaterials and medicine are systematically summarized. Further discussion on MXene composites designed for various applications, including biosensors, antimicrobial agents, bioimaging, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine, are also provided. Finally, with a focus on translating research results into real-world applications, this review addresses the current challenges and exciting future prospects of MXene composite-based biomaterials.

An overview of the use of non-titanium MXenes for photothermal therapy and their combinatorial approaches for cancer treatment

Since the initial publication on the first Ti3C2T x MXene in 2011, there has been a significant increase in the number of reports on applications of MXenes in various domains. MXenes have emerged as highly promising materials for various biomedical applications, including photothermal therapy (PTT), drug delivery, diagnostic imaging, and biosensing, owing to their fascinating conductivity, mechanical strength, biocompatibility and hydrophilicity. Through surface modification, MXenes can mitigate cytotoxicity, enhance biological stability, and improve histocompatibility, thereby enabling their potential use in in vivo biomedical applications. MXenes are also known for their ability to absorb light in the near-infrared (NIR) region and generate heat by localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects and electron-phonon coupling. Optical excitation laser pulses result in hot photocarrier distribution in MXenes, which quickly transfers surplus energy to the crystal lattice and results in the internal conversion of light into heat with nearly 100% efficiency. The relaxation of hot carrier distribution by electron-phonon interactions leads to the cooling of the lattice by dissipating thermal energy to the surrounding environment. This heating effect of MXenes makes them potential photothermal agents (PTAs), particularly for PTT applications. The adjustable surface of MXenes and their high surface area-to-volume ratios are ideal for the combinatorial approach of PTT along with drug delivery, photodynamic therapy (PDT), bone regeneration and other applications. Since non-Ti MXenes are more biocompatible than Ti MXenes, they are promising candidates for different biomedical applications. This comprehensive review provides a concise overview of the current research patterns, properties, and biomedical applications of non-Ti MXenes, particularly in PTT and its combinatorial approaches.

Periodic Table of Immunomodulatory Elements and Derived Two-Dimensional Biomaterials

Periodic table of chemical elements serves as the foundation of material chemistry, impacting human health in many different ways. It contributes to the creation, growth, and manipulation of functional metallic, ceramic, metalloid, polymeric, and carbon-based materials on and near an atomic scale. Recent nanotechnology advancements have revolutionized the field of biomedical engineering to tackle longstanding clinical challenges. The use of nano-biomaterials has gained traction in medicine, specifically in the areas of nano-immunoengineering to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases. Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have been found to possess high bioactive surface area and compatibility with human and mammalian cells at controlled doses. Furthermore, these biomaterials have intrinsic immunomodulatory properties, which is crucial for their application in immuno-nanomedicine. While significant progress has been made in understanding their bioactivity and biocompatibility, the exact immunomodulatory responses and mechanisms of these materials are still being explored. Current work outlines an innovative "immunomodulatory periodic table of elements" beyond the periodic table of life, medicine, and microbial genomics and comprehensively reviews the role of each element in designing immunoengineered 2D biomaterials in a group-wise manner. It recapitulates the most recent advances in immunomodulatory nanomaterials, paving the way for the development of new mono, hybrid, composite, and hetero-structured biomaterials.

Isolation of Biomolecules Using MXenes

Biomolecule isolation is a crucial process in diverse biomedical and biochemical applications, including diagnostics, therapeutics, research, and manufacturing. Recently, MXenes, a novel class of two-dimensional nanomaterials, have emerged as promising adsorbents for this purpose due to their unique physicochemical properties. These biocompatible and antibacterial nanomaterials feature a high aspect ratio, excellent conductivity, and versatile surface chemistry. This timely review explores the potential of MXenes for isolating a wide range of biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecules, while highlighting key future research trends and innovative applications poised to transform the field. This review provides an in-depth discussion of various synthesis methods and functionalization techniques that enhance the specificity and efficiency of MXenes in biomolecule isolation. In addition, the mechanisms by which MXenes interact with biomolecules are elucidated, offering insights into their selective adsorption and customized separation capabilities. This review also addresses recent advancements, identifies existing challenges, and examines emerging trends that may drive the next wave of innovation in this rapidly evolving area.

Advanced 2D Nanomaterials for Phototheranostics of Breast Cancer: A Paradigm Shift

Breast cancer is the leading cause of women's deaths and associated comorbidities. The advanced and targeted strategies against breast cancer have gained considerable attention due to their potential enhanced therapeutic efficacy over conventional therapies. In this context, phototherapies like photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) have shown promise as an effective and alternative strategy due to reduced side effects, noninvasiveness, and spatiotemporal specificity. With the advent of nanotechnology, several types of nanomaterials that have shown excellent prospects in increasing the efficacy of photo therapies have been exploited in cancer treatment. In recent years, 2D nanomaterials have stood out promising because of their unique ultrathin planar structure, chemical, physical, tunable characteristics, and corresponding remarkable physiochemical/biological properties. In this review, the potential and the current status of several types of 2D nanomaterials such as graphene-based nanomaterials, Mxenes, Black phosphorous, and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for photo/thermo and combination-based imaging and therapy of breast cancer have been discussed. The current challenges and prospects in terms of translational potential in future clinical oncology are highlighted.

Two-Dimensional MXenes: Innovative Materials for Efficient Thermal Management and Safety Solutions

MXenes, a class of 2-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, have garnered important attention due to their remarkable electrical and thermal conductivity, high photothermal conversion efficiency, and multifunctionality. This review explores the potential of MXene materials in various thermal applications, including thermal energy storage, heat dissipation in electronic devices, and the mitigation of electromagnetic interference in wearable technologies. Recent advancements in MXene composites, such as MXene/bacterial cellulose aerogel films and MXene/polymer composites, have demonstrated enhanced performance in phase change thermal storage and electromagnetic interference shielding, underscoring their versatility and effectiveness. Although notable progress has been made, challenges remain, including the need for a deeper understanding of photothermal conversion mechanisms, improvements in mechanical properties, exploration of diverse MXene types, and the development of sustainable synthesis methods. This paper discusses these aspects and outlines future research directions, emphasizing the growing importance of MXenes in addressing energy efficiency, health, and safety concerns in modern applications.

Fabrication Methods, Structural, Surface Morphology and Biomedical Applications of MXene: A Review

Recently, two-dimensional (2-D) layered materials have revealed outstanding properties and play a crucial role for numerous advanced applications. The emerging transition metal carbides and nitrides, known as MXene with empirical formula Mn+1XnTx, have generated widespread attention and demonstrated impressive potential in various fields. The fabrication of 2-D novel MXene and its composites and their characterizations are applicable to vast applications in different areas such as energy storage, gas sensors, catalysis, and biomedical applications. In this review, the main focus is on the various synthesis methods, their properties, and biomedical applications. This review provides detailed illustrations of MXenes for many biomedical applications, including bioimaging, drug delivery, therapies, biosensors, tissue engineering, and antibacterial reagents. The challenges and future prospects were highlighted in a comprehensive manner, and the existing problems and potential for MXene-based biomaterials were analyzed with the goal of accelerating their use in the biomedical field.

Ta4C3 Nanosheets as a Novel Therapeutic Platform for Photothermal-Driven ROS Scavenging and Immune Activation against Antibiotic-Resistant Infections in Diabetic Wounds

The accumulation of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and recurrent infections with drug-resistant bacteria pose significant challenges in diabetic wound infections, often leading to impediments in wound healing. Addressing this, there is a critical demand for novel strategies dedicated to treating and preventing diabetic wounds infected with drug-resistant bacteria. Herein, 2D tantalum carbide nanosheets (Ta4C3 NSs) have been synthesized through an efficient and straightforward approach, leading to the development of a new, effective nanoplatform endowed with notable photothermal properties, biosafety, and diverse ROS scavenging capabilities, alongside immunogenic attributes for diabetic wound treatment and prevention of recurrent drug-resistant bacterial infections. The Ta4C3 NSs exhibit remarkable photothermal performance, effectively eliminating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and excessive ROS, thus promoting diabetic wound healing. Furthermore, Ta4C3 NSs enhance dendritic cell activation, further triggering T helper 1 (TH1)/TH2 immune responses, leading to pathogen-specific immune memory against recurrent MRSA infections. This nanoplatform, with its significant photothermal and immunomodulatory effects, holds vast potential in the treatment and prevention of drug-resistant bacterial infections in diabetic wounds.

Recent Advances in Non-Ti MXenes: Synthesis, Properties, and Novel Applications

One of the most fascinating 2D nanomaterials (NMs) ever found is various members of MXene family. Among them, the titanium-based MXenes, with more than 70% of publication-related investigations, are comparatively well studied, producing fundamental foundation for the 2D MXene family members with flexible properties, familiar with a variety of advanced novel technological applications. Nonetheless, there are still more candidates among transitional metals (TMs) that can function as MXene NMs in ways that go well beyond those that are now recognized. Systematized details of the preparations, characteristics, limitations, significant discoveries, and uses of the novel M-based MXenes (M-MXenes), where M stands for non-Ti TMs (M = Sc, V, Cr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W, and Lu), are given. The exceptional qualities of the 2D non-Ti MXene outperform standard Ti-MXene in several applications. There is many advancement in top-down as well as bottom-up production of MXenes family members, which allows for exact control of the M-characteristics MXene NMs to contain cutting-edge applications. This study offers a systematic evaluation of existing research, covering everything in producing complex M-MXenes from primary limitations to the characterization and selection of their applications in accordance with their novel features. The development of double metal combinations, extension of additional metal candidates beyond group-(III-VI)B family, and subsequent development of the 2D TM carbide/TMs nitride/TM carbonitrides to 2D metal boride family are also included in this overview. The possibilities and further recommendations for the way of non-Ti MXene NMs are in the synthesis of NMs will discuss in detail in this critical evaluation.

Construction of polypyrrole nanoparticles with a rough surface for enhanced chemo-photothermal therapy against triple negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer, characterized by aggressive malignancy and a poor prognosis. Emerging nanomedicine-based combination therapy represents one of the most promising strategies for combating TNBC. Polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPY) are excellent drug delivery vehicles with outstanding photothermal performances. However, the impact of morphology on PPY's drug loading efficiency and photothermal properties remains largely unexplored. In this study, we propose that pluronic P123 can assist in the synthesis of polypyrrole nanoparticles with rough surfaces (rPPY). During the synthesis, P123 formed small micelles around the nanoparticle surface, which were later removed, resulting in small pits and cavities in rPPY. Subsequently, the rPPY was loaded with the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine (Gem@rPPY) for chemo-photothermal therapy against TNBCs. Our results demonstrate that rPPY exhibited superior photothermal performance and significantly enhanced drug loading efficiency by five times compared to smooth PPY nanoparticles. In vitro assessments confirmed Gem@rPPY's robust photothermal properties by efficiently converting light into heat. Cell culture experiments with 4T1 cells and a TNBC mice model revealed significant tumor suppression upon Gem@rPPY administration, emphasizing its efficacy in inducing apoptosis. Toxicity evaluations demonstrated minimal adverse effects both in vitro and in vivo, highlighting the biocompatibility of Gem@rPPY. Overall, this study introduces a promising combination therapy nanoplatform that underscores the importance of surface engineering to enhance therapeutic outcomes and overcome current limitations in TNBC therapy.

Natural killer cell-derived exosome-based cancer therapy: from biological roles to clinical significance and implications

Natural killer (NK) cells are important immune cells in the organism and are the third major type of lymphocytes besides T cells and B cells, which play an important function in cancer therapy. In addition to retaining the tumor cell killing function of natural killer cells, natural killer cell-derived exosomes cells also have the characteristics of high safety, wide source, easy to preserve and transport. At the same time, natural killer cell-derived exosomes are easy to modify, and the engineered exosomes can be used in combination with a variety of current cancer therapies, which not only enhances the therapeutic efficacy, but also significantly reduces the side effects. Therefore, this review summarizes the source, isolation and modification strategies of natural killer cell-derived exosomes and the combined application of natural killer cell-derived engineered exosomes with other antitumor therapies, which is expected to accelerate the clinical translation process of natural killer cell-derived engineered exosomes in cancer therapy.

MXenes-polymer nanocomposites for biomedical applications: fundamentals and future perspectives

The article discusses the promising synergy between MXenes and polymers in developing advanced nanocomposites with diverse applications in biomedicine domains. MXenes, possessing exceptional properties, are integrated into polymer matrices through various synthesis and fabrication methods. These nanocomposites find applications in drug delivery, imaging, diagnostics, and environmental remediation. They offer improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects in drug delivery, enhanced sensitivity and specificity in imaging and diagnostics, and effectiveness in water purification and pollutant removal. The perspective also addresses challenges like biocompatibility and toxicity, while suggesting future research directions. In totality, it highlights the transformative potential of MXenes-polymer nanocomposites in addressing critical issues across various fields.

Novel 2D MXene Cobalt Ferrite (CoF@Ti3C2) Composite: A Promising Photothermal Anticancer In Vitro Study

In search of materials with superior capability of light-to-heat (photothermal) conversion, biocompatibility, and confinement of active photothermal materials within the cells, novel magnetic MXene-based nanocomposites are found to possess all of these criteria. The CoF@Ti3C2 composite is fabricated by a simple two-step method, including an exfoliation strategy followed by sonochemical method. MXene composite has been modified with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to improve the stability in physiological conditions. The synthesized composite was characterized with multiple analytical tools. In vitro photothermal conversion efficiency of composite was determined by the time constant method and achieved η = 34.2% with an NIR 808 nm laser. In vitro, cytotoxicity studies conducted on human malignant melanoma (Ht144) and cells validated the photothermal property of the CoF@Ti3C2-PVP composite in the presence of an NIR laser (808 nm, 1.0 W cm-2), with significantly increased cytotoxicity. Calculated IC50 values were 86 μg/mL with laser, compared to 226 μg/mL without the presence of NIR laser. Microscopic results demonstrated increased apoptosis in the presence of NIR laser. Additionally, hemolysis assay confirmed biocompatibility of CoF@Ti3C2-PVP composite for intravenous applications at the IC50 concentration. The research described in this work expands the potential applications of MXene-based nanoplatforms in the biomedical field, particularly in photothermal therapy (PTT). Furthermore, the addition of cobalt ferrite serves as a magnetic nanocomposite, which eventually helps to confine therapeutic photothermal materials inside the cells, provides enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency, and creates externally controlled theranostic nanoplatforms for cancer therapy.

Impact of UV radiation on Mxene-mediated tubulin dissociation and mitochondrial apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is a global health concern that requires personalized therapies to prevent relapses, as conventional treatments may develop resistance over time. Photothermal therapy using spectral radiation or intense light emission is a broad-spectrum treatment that induces hyperthermia-mediated cancer cell death. MXene, a two-dimensional material, has been reported to have potential biological applications in photothermal therapy for cancer treatment. In this study, we investigated the apoptotic activity of MXene and UV-irradiated MXene in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by treating them with varying concentrations of MXene. The cytotoxicity of MXene and UV was evaluated by analyzing cellular morphology, nuclei condensation, caspase activation, and apoptotic cell death. We also assessed the effect of the combined treatment on the expression and cellular distribution of Tubulin, a key component of microtubules required for cell division. At low concentrations of MXene (up to 100 µg/ml), the level of cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells was low. However, the combined treatment of MXene and UV resulted in a synergistic increase in cytotoxicity, causing rounded cellular morphology, condensed nuclei, caspase activation, and apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, the treatment reduced Tubulin protein expression and cellular distribution, indicating a potent inducer of cell death with potential application for cancer treatment. The study demonstrates that the combined treatment of MXene and UVB irradiation is a promising strategy for inducing apoptotic cell death in breast cancer cells, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic intervention for breast cancer.

Magnetic two-dimensional nanocomposites for multimodal antitumor therapy: a recent review

Magnetic two-dimensional nanocomposites (M2D NCs) that synergistically combine magnetic nanomedicine and 2D nanomaterials have emerged in multimodal antitumor therapy, attracting great interest in materials science and biomedical engineering. This review provides a summary of the recent advances of M2D NCs and their multimodal antitumor applications. We first introduce the design and fabrication of M2D NCs, followed by discussing new types of M2D NCs that have been recently reported. Then, a detailed analysis and discussions about the different types of M2D NCs are presented based on the structural categories of 2D NMs, including 2D graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), transition metal carbides/nitrides/carbonitrides (MXenes), black phosphorus (BP), layered double hydroxides (LDHs), metal organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and other 2D nanomaterials. In particular, we focus on the synthesis strategies, magnetic or optical responsive performance, and the versatile antitumor applications, which include magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT), photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), drug delivery, immunotherapy and multimodal imaging. We conclude the review by proposing future developments with an emphasis on the mass production and biodegradation mechanism of the M2D NCs. This work is expected to provide a comprehensive overview to researchers and engineers who are interested in such a research field and promote the clinical translation of M2D NCs in practical applications.

Recent trends in preparation and biomedical applications of iron oxide nanoparticles

The iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), possessing both magnetic behavior and semiconductor property, have been extensively used in multifunctional biomedical fields due to their biocompatible, biodegradable and low toxicity, such as anticancer, antibacterial, cell labelling activities. Nevertheless, there are few IONPs in clinical use at present. Some IONPs approved for clinical use have been withdrawn due to insufficient understanding of its biomedical applications. Therefore, a systematic summary of IONPs' preparation and biomedical applications is crucial for the next step of entering clinical practice from experimental stage. This review summarized the existing research in the past decade on the biological interaction of IONPs with animal/cells models, and their clinical applications in human. This review aims to provide cutting-edge knowledge involved with IONPs' biological effects in vivo and in vitro, and improve their smarter design and application in biomedical research and clinic trials.

Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System evaluation of breast lesions improved with virtual touch tissue imaging average grayscale values

BACKGROUND

Early breast cancer diagnosis is of great clinical importance for selecting treatment options, improving prognosis, and enhancing the quality of patients' survival.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the value of virtual touch tissue imaging average grayscale values (VAGV) helper Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in diagnosing breast malignancy.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 141 breast tumors in 134 patients. All breast lesions were diagnosed pathologically by biopsy or surgical excision. All patients first underwent conventional ultrasound (US) followed by virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI). The measurement of the VAGV of the lesion was performed by Image J software. BI-RADS classification was performed for each lesion according to the US. We performed a two-by-two comparison of the diagnostic values of VAGV, BI-RADS, and BI-RADS+VAGV.

RESULTS

VAGV was lower in malignant tumors than in benign ones (35.82 ± 13.39 versus 73.58 ± 42.69, P< 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value, sensitivity, and specificity of VAGV was 0.834, 84.09%, and 69.07%, respectively. Among BI-RADS, VAGV, and BI-RADS+VAGV, BI-RADS+VAGV had the highest AUC (0.926 versus 0.882, P= 0.0066; 0.926 versus 0.834, P= 0.0012). There was perfect agreement between the two radiologists using VAGV (ICC= 0.9796) and substantial agreement using BI-RADS (Kappa= 0.725).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that VAGV can accurately diagnose breast cancer. VAGV effectively improves the diagnostic performance of BI-RADS.

A Critical Appraisal of Functionalized 2-Dimensional Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery Applications

The development of an efficient and innovative drug delivery system is essential to improve the pharmacological parameters of the medicinal compound or drug. The technique or manner used to improve the pharmacological parameters plays a crucial role in the delivery system. In the current scenario, various drug delivery systems are available where nanotechnology has firmly established itself in the field of drug delivery. One of the most prevalent elements is carbon with its allotropic modifications such as graphene-based nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes, carbon dots, and carbon fullerenes, these nanomaterials offer notable physiochemical and biochemical properties for the delivery applications due to their smaller size, surface area, and ability to interact with the cells or tissues. The exceptional physicochemical properties of carbon-based 2D nanomaterials, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes, make them attractive candidates for drug delivery systems. These nanomaterials offer a large surface area, high drug loading capacity, and tunable surface chemistry, enabling efficient encapsulation, controlled release, and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. These properties of the nanomaterials can be exploited for drug delivery applications, like assisting the target delivery of drugs and aiding combination molecular imaging. This review emphasizes on the recent patents on 2D carbon-based nanomaterial and their role in drug delivery systems. Carbon-based 2D nanomaterials present a wealth of opportunities for advanced drug delivery systems. Their exceptional properties and versatility offers great potential in improving therapeutic efficacy, minimizing side effects, and enabling personalized medicine and the recent patents on 2D nanomaterial.

Nanomedicine-Based Drug-Targeting in Breast Cancer: Pharmacokinetics, Clinical Progress, and Challenges

Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant neoplasm that begins in the breast tissue. After skin cancer, BC is the second most common type of cancer in women. At the end of 2040, the number of newly diagnosed BC cases is projected to increase by over 40%, reaching approximately 3 million worldwide annually. The hormonal and chemotherapeutic approaches based on conventional formulations have inappropriate therapeutic effects and suboptimal pharmacokinetic responses with nonspecific targeting actions. To overcome such issues, the use of nanomedicines, including liposomes, nanoparticles, micelles, hybrid nanoparticles, etc., has gained wider attention in the treatment of BC. Smaller dimensional nanomedicine (especially 50-200 nm) exhibited improved in vivo effectiveness, such as better tissue penetration and more effective tumor suppression through enhanced retention and permeation, as well as active targeting of the drug. Additionally, nanotechnology, which further extended and developed theranostic nanomedicine by incorporating diagnostic and imaging agents in one platform, has been applied to BC. Furthermore, hybrid and theranostic nanomedicine has also been explored for gene delivery as anticancer therapeutics in BC. Moreover, the nanocarriers' size, shape, surface charge, chemical compositions, and surface area play an important role in the nanocarriers' stability, cellular absorption, cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and toxicity. Additionally, nanomedicine clinical translation for managing BC remains a slow process. However, a few cases are being used clinically, and their progress with the current challenges is addressed in this Review. Therefore, this Review extensively discusses recent advancements in nanomedicine and its clinical challenges in BC.

Enhancement of MXene optical properties towards medical applications via metal oxide incorporation

MXenes have garnered research attention in the field of biomedical applications due to their unique properties, such as a large surface area, low toxicity, biocompatibility, and stability. Their optical behavior makes them versatile for a wide range of biomedical applications, from diagnostics to therapeutics. Nonetheless, MXenes have some minor limitations, including issues with restacking, susceptibility to oxidation, and a non-semiconducting nature. These limitations have prompted researchers to explore the incorporation of metal oxides into MXene structures. Metal oxides possess advantageous properties such as a high surface area, biocompatibility, intriguing redox behavior, catalytic activity, semiconducting properties, and enhanced stability. Incorporating metal oxides into MXenes can significantly improve their conductivity, surface area, and mechanical strength. In this review, we emphasize the importance of incorporating metal oxides into MXenes for light-influenced biomedical applications. We also provide insights into various preparation methods for incorporating metal oxides into MXene structures. Furthermore, we discuss how the incorporation of metal oxides enhances the optical behavior of MXenes. Finally, we offer a glimpse into the future potential of metal oxide-incorporated MXenes for diverse biomedical applications.

Multifunctional MXene-Based Bioactive Materials for Integrated Regeneration Therapy

The reconstruction engineering of tissue defects accompanied by major diseases including cancer, infection, and inflammation is one of the important challenges in clinical medicine. The development of innovative tissue engineering strategies such as multifunctional bioactive materials presents a great potential to overcome the challenge of disease-impaired tissue regeneration. As the major representative of two-dimensional nanomaterials, MXenes have shown multifunctional physicochemical properties and have been diffusely studied as multimodal nanoplatforms in the field of biomedicine. This review summarized the recent advances in the multifunctional properties of MXenes and integrated regeneration-therapy applications of MXene-based biomaterials, including tissue regeneration-tumor therapy, tissue regeneration-infection therapy, and tissue regeneration-inflammation therapy. MXenes have been recognized as good candidates for promoting tissue regeneration and treating diseases through photothermal therapy, regulating cell behavior, and drug and gene delivery. The current challenges and future perspectives of MXene-based biomaterials in integrated regeneration-therapy are also discussed well in this review. In summary, MXene-based biomaterials have shown promising potential for integrated tissue regeneration and disease treatment due to their favorable physicochemical properties and bioactive functions. However, there are still many obstacles and challenges that must be addressed for the regeneration-therapy applications of MXene-based biomaterials, including understanding the bioactive mechanism, ensuring long-term biosafety, and improving their targeting therapy capacity.

V4 C3 MXene Immune Profiling and Modulation of T Cell-Dendritic Cell Function and Interaction

Although vanadium-based metallodrugs are recently explored for their effective anti-inflammatory activity, they frequently cause undesired side effects. Among 2D nanomaterials, transition metal carbides (MXenes) have received substantial attention for their promise as biomedical platforms. It is hypothesized that vanadium immune properties can be extended to MXene compounds. Therefore, vanadium carbide MXene (V4 C3 ) is synthetized, evaluating its biocompatibility and intrinsic immunomodulatory effects. By combining multiple experimental approaches in vitro and ex vivo on human primary immune cells, MXene effects on hemolysis, apoptosis, necrosis, activation, and cytokine production are investigated. Furthermore, V4 C3 ability is demonstrated to inhibit T cell-dendritic cell interactions, evaluating the modulation of CD40-CD40 ligand interaction, two key costimulatory molecules for immune activation. The material biocompatibility at the single-cell level on 17 human immune cell subpopulations by single-cell mass cytometry is confirmed. Finally, the molecular mechanism underlying V4 C3 immune modulation is explored, demonstrating a MXene-mediated downregulation of antigen presentation-associated genes in primary human immune cells. The findings set the basis for further V4 C3 investigation and application as a negative modulator of the immune response in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Ti3C2 (MXene) nanosheets disrupt spermatogenesis in male mice mediated by the ATM/p53 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Two-dimensional ultrathin Ti₃C₂ nanosheets are increasingly being used in biomedical applications owing to their special physicochemical properties. But, the biological effects of its exposure on the reproductive system is still unclear. This study evaluated the reproductive toxicity of Ti₃C₂ nanosheets in the testes.

RESULTS

Ti₃C₂ nanosheets at doses of 2.5 mg/kg bw and 5 mg/kg bw in mice caused defects in spermatogenic function, and we also clarified an underlying molecular mechanism of it in vivo and in vitro model. Ti₃C₂ nanosheets induced an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in testicular and GC-1 cells, which in turn led to the imbalance in oxidative and antioxidant systems (also known as oxidative stress). Additionally, oxidative stress often induces cellular DNA strand damages via the oxidative DNA damages, which triggered cell cycle arrest in the G1/G0 phase, leading to cell proliferation inhibition and irreversible apoptosis. ATM/p53 signaling manifest key role in DNA damage repair (DDR), and we demonstrate that ATM/p53 signaling was activated, and mediated the toxic damage process caused by Ti₃C₂ nanosheet exposure.

CONCLUSION

Ti₃C₂ nanosheet-induced disruption of proliferation and apoptosis of spermatogonia perturbed normal spermatogenic function that was mediated by ATM/p53 signaling pathway. Our findings shed more light on the mechanisms of male reproductive toxicity induced by Ti₃C₂ nanosheets.

Recent trends in MXene-based material for biomedical applications

MXene is a magical class of 2D nanomaterials and emerging in many applications in diverse fields. Due to the multiple advantageous characteristics of its fundamental components, such as structural, physicochemical, optical, and occasionally even biological characteristics. However, it is limited in the biomedical industry due to poor physiological stability, decomposition rate, and lack of controlled and sustained drug release. These limitations can be overcome when MXene forms composites with other 2D materials. The efficiency of pure MXene in biomedicine is inferior to that of MXene-based composites. The availability of functionality on the exterior part of MXene has a key role in the modification of their surface and their characteristics. This review provides an extensive discussion on the synthesizing of MXene and the role of the surface functionalities on the efficiency of MXene. In addition, a detailed discussion of the biomedical applications of MXene, including antibacterial activity, regenerative medicine, CT scan capability, drug delivery, diagnostics, MRI and biosensing capability. Furthermore, an outline of the future problems and challenges of MXene-based materials for biomedical applications was narrated. Thus, these salient features showcase the potential of MXene-based material and will be a breakthrough in biomedical applications in the near future.

State-of-the-art: MXene structures in nano-oncology

Cancer nanomedicine has been investigated widely and boomed in the last two decades, resulting in designing nanostructures with biofunctionalization, giving rise to an "All-in-One" multifunctional platform. The development of rational design technology with extended functionalities brought interdisciplinary researchers to work continuously, aiming to find a prevent or effectively treat the deadly disease of the century. Thus, it led to some Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approving nano-based formulations for cancer treatment and opening a vast area of promising discoveries by exploiting different nanomaterials. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have recently gained tremendous interest among scientists because of their outstanding structural, optical, electronic, thermal, and mechanical characteristics. Among various 2D nanomaterials, MXenes are a widely studied nanosystem because of their close similarity to graphene analogs. So, it is synthesized using multiple approaches and exploits their inherited properties. But in most cases, surface functionalization techniques are carried out for targeting, site-specific drug clearance, renal clearance, and biocompatible with healthy cells. Thus, fabricating a multimodal agent for mono or combined therapies is also an image-guided diagnostic agent. This review will explain the recent and emerging advancements of MXenes-based composites as a multifunctional theragnostic agent and discuss the possibilities of transferring laboratory research to clinical translation.

Cytocompatibility of Ti3C2Tx MXene with Red Blood Cells and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells and the Underlying Mechanisms

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have been widely used in biomedical applications because of their biocompatibility. Considering the high risk of exposure of the circulatory system to Ti3C2Tx, we studied the cytocompatibility of Ti3C2Tx MXene with red blood cells (RBCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and showed that Ti3C2Tx had excellent compatibility with the two cell lines. Ti3C2Tx at a concentration as high as 200 μg/mL caused a negligible percent hemolysis of 0.8%. By contrast, at the same treatment concentration, graphene oxide (GO) caused a high percent hemolysis of 50.8%. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that RBC structures remained intact in the Ti3C2Tx treatment group, whereas those in the GO group completely deformed, sunk, and shrunk, which resulted in the release of cell contents. This difference can be largely ascribed to the distinct surficial properties of the two nanosheets. In specific, the fully covered surface-terminating -O and -OH groups leading to Ti3C2Tx had a very hydrophilic surface, thereby hindering its penetration into the highly hydrophobic interior of the cell membrane. However, the strong direct van der Waals attractions coordinated with hydrophobic interactions between the unoxidized regions of GO and the lipid hydrophobic tails can still damage the integrity of the cell membranes. In addition, the sharp and keen-edged corners of GO may also facilitate its relatively strong cell membrane damage effects than Ti3C2Tx. Thus, the excellent cell membrane compatibility of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets and their ultraweak capacity to provoke excessive ROS generation endowed them with much better compatibility with HUVECs than GO nanosheets. These results indicate that Ti3C2Tx has much better cytocompatibility than GO and provide a valuable reference for the future biomedical applications of Ti3C2Tx.

Ta4C3-Modulated MOF-Derived 3D Crosslinking Network of VO2(B)@Ta4C3 for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries

A two-dimensional MXene (Ta₄C₃) was innovatively used herein to modulate the space group and electronic properties of vanadium oxides, and the MXene/metal-organic framework (MOF) derivative VO₂(B)@Ta₄C₃ with 3D network cross-linking was prepared, which was then employed as a cathode to improve the performance of aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). A novel method combining HCl/LiF and hydrothermal treatments was used to etch Ta₄AlC₃ to obtain a large amount of accordion-like Ta₄C₃, and the V-MOF was then hydrothermally grown on the surface of the stripped Ta₄C₃ MXene. During the annealing process of V-MOF@Ta₄C₃, the addition of Ta₄C₃ MXene liberates the V-MOF from agglomerative stacking, allowing it to show additional active sites. More significantly, Ta₄C₃ prevents the V-MOF in the composite structure from converting into V₂O₅ of space group Pmmn but into VO₂(B) of space group C2/m after annealing. A considerable advantage of VO₂(B) for Zn²⁺ intercalation is provided by the negligible structural transformation during the intercalation process and the special tunnel transport channels, which have an enormous area (0.82 nm² along the b axis). According to first-principles calculations, there is a strong interfacial interaction between VO₂(B) and Ta₄C₃, which deliver remarkable electrochemical activity and kinetic performances for the storage of Zn²⁺. Therefore, the ZIBs prepared with the VO₂(B)@Ta₄C₃ cathode material exhibit an ultra-high capacity of 437 mA h·g^-1 at 0.1 A·g^-1 while showing good cycle performance and dynamic performance. This study will offer a fresh approach and a reference for creating metal oxide/MXene composite structures.

The Rise of MXene: A Wonder 2D Material, from Its Synthesis and Properties to Its Versatile Applications-A Comprehensive Review

MXene, a new member of 2D material, unites the eminence of hydrophilicity, large surface groups, superb flexibility and excellent conductivity. Because of its prodigious characteristics, MXene has gained much approbation among researchers worldwide. MXene's noteworthy features, such as its electrical conductivity, structural property, magnetic behaviour, etc., manifest a broad spectrum of applications, including environment, catalytic, wireless communications, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, drug delivery, wound dressing, bio-imaging, antimicrobial and biosensor. In this review article, an overview of the latest advancements in the applications of MXene has been reported. First, various synthesis strategies of MXene will be summarized, followed by the different structural, physical and chemical properties. The current advances in versatile applications have been discussed. The article aims to incorporate all the possible applications of MXene, making it a versatile material that juxtaposes it with other 2D materials. A separate section is dedicated to the bottlenecks for future developments and recommendations.

Roles of MXenes in biomedical applications: recent developments and prospects

....With the development of nanomedical technology, the application of various novel nanomaterials in the biomedical field has been greatly developed in recent years. MXenes, which are new inorganic nanomaterials with ultrathin atomic thickness, consist of layered transition metal carbides and nitrides or carbonitrides and have the general structural formula Mn+1XnTx (n = 1-3). Based on the unique structural features of MXenes, such as ultrathin atomic thickness and high specific surface area, and their excellent physicochemical properties, such as high photothermal conversion efficiency and antibacterial properties, MXenes have been widely applied in the biomedical field. This review systematically summarizes the application of MXene-based materials in biomedicine. The first section is a brief summary of their synthesis methods and surface modification strategies, which is followed by a focused overview and analysis of MXenes applications in biosensors, diagnosis, therapy, antibacterial agents, and implants, among other areas. We also review two popular research areas: wearable devices and immunotherapy. Finally, the difficulties and research progress in the clinical translation of MXene-based materials in biomedical applications are briefly discussed.

Nanomaterials and nanomaterials-based drug delivery to promote cutaneous wound healing

Various factors could damage the structure and integrity of skin to cause wounds. Nonhealing or chronic wounds seriously affect the well-being of patients and bring heavy burdens to the society. The past few decades have witnessed application of numerous nanomaterials to promote wound healing. Owing to the unique physicochemical characteristics at nanoscale, nanomaterials-based therapy has been regarded as a potential approach to promote wound healing. In this review, we first overview the wound categories, wound healing process and critical influencing factors. Then applications of nanomaterials with intrinsic therapeutic effect and nanomaterials-based drug delivery systems to promote wound healing are addressed in detail. Finally, current limitations and future perspectives of nanomaterials in wound healing are discussed.

Two-dimensional-Ti3C2 magnetic nanocomposite for targeted cancer chemotherapy

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women, so novel therapeutic approaches are needed to improve the effectiveness of current therapies or extend their activity. In recent decades, graphene analogs, such as Mxene, an emerging class of two-dimensional (2D) graphene analogs, have been drawing considerable attention based on their intrinsic physicochemical properties and performance as potential candidates for tumor therapy, particularly for therapeutic purposes. Here we explored the targeted drug delivery in cervical cancer in in vivo model. Mxene-based nanocarriers are not able to be precisely controlled in cancer treatment. Method: To solve this problem, the titanium carbide-magnetic core-shell nanocarrier (Ti₃C₂-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-FA) is also developed to provide synergetic anticancer with magnetic controlling ability along with pH-responsive drug release. A xenograft model of the cervix was used to investigate the effects of Cisplatin alone, or in combination with Ti₃C₂@FA and Ti₃C₂@ Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-FA, on tumor growth following histological staining for evaluation of necrosis. Result and Discussion: A significant tumor-growth suppression effect is shown when the Ti₃C₂-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-FA nanocarrier is magnetically controlled Cisplatin drug release. It reveals a synergistic therapeutic efficacy used in conjunction with pharmaceuticals (p < .001). According to the in vivo study, the Ti₃C₂@FA@Cisplatin nanocomposite exhibits less tumor growth than the drug alone or Ti₃C₂@FA@Cisplatin via increasing necrosis effect (p < .001). Through this study, Mxene nanosheets are expanded for biomedical applications, not only through the fabrication of biocompatible magnetic Mxene nanocomposite but also through the development of functionalization strategies that enable the magnetic Ti₃C₂ nanocomposite to load high levels of Cisplatin for cervical cancer treatment (242.5%). Hence, Ti₃C₂-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-FA nanocarriers would be promising candidates to improve cancer treatment efficiency.

Sustained intra-articular reactive oxygen species scavenging and alleviation of osteoarthritis by biocompatible amino-modified tantalum nanoparticles

Recent studies highlight the vital role of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) during progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Attenuating oxidative stress and reducing reactive oxygen species generation in joints represent reasonable strategies for the treatment of osteoarthritis. To address the potential question for clinical translation, and improve the biocompatibility and long-term performance of current antioxidants, the present study provided high biocompatible small positively charged tantalum nanoparticles (Ta-NH₂ NPs) with sustained intra-articular catalase activity and first applied to osteoarthritis intervention. Our in vitro results showed that Ta-NH₂ NPs were stable with good biocompatibility, and protected viability and hyaline-like phenotype in H₂O₂-challenged chondrocytes. In addition, the in vivo biodistribution data demonstrated a sustained retention of Ta-NH₂ NPs in the joint cavity, particularly in articular cartilage without organ toxicity and abnormality in hemogram or blood biochemistry indexes. Finally, compared with catalase (CAT), Ta-NH₂ NPs exhibited long-term therapeutic effect in monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) induced osteoarthritis model. This study preliminarily explored the potential of simply modified metal nanoparticles as effective reactive oxygen species scavenging agent for osteoarthritis intervention, and offered a novel strategy to achieve sustained reactive oxygen species suppression using biocompatible Ta-based nano-medicine in oxidative stress related diseases.

ROS- and pH-Responsive Polydopamine Functionalized Ti3C2Tx MXene-Based Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Nanocarriers with High Antibacterial Activity

Premature drug release and poor controllability is a challenge in the practical application of tumor therapy, which may lead to poor chemotherapy efficacy and severe adverse effects. In this study, a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-cleavable nanoparticle system (MXene-TK-DOX@PDA) was designed for effective chemotherapy drug delivery and antibacterial applications. Doxorubicin (DOX) was conjugated to the surface of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES)-functionalized MXene via an ROS-cleavable diacetoxyl thioketal (TK) linkage. Subsequently, the surfaces of the MXene nanosheets were coated with pH-responsive polydopamine (PDA) as a gatekeeper. PDA endowed the MXene-TK-DOX@PDA nanoparticles with superior biocompatibility and stability. The MXene-TK-DOX@PDA nanoparticles had an ultrathin planar structure and a small lateral size of approximately 180 nm. The as-synthesized nanoparticles demonstrated outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency, superior photothermal stability, and a remarkable extinction coefficient (23.3 L g^-1 cm^-1 at 808 nm). DOX exhibited both efficient ROS-responsive and pH-responsive release performance from MXene-TK-DOX@PDA nanoparticles due to the cleavage of the thioketal linker. In addition, MXene-TK-DOX@PDA nanoparticles displayed high antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) within 5 h. Taken together, we hope that MXene-TK-DOX@PDA nanoparticles will enrich the drug delivery system and significantly expand their applications in the biomedical field.

Two-dimensional photonic MXene nanomedicine

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) with fascinating physicochemical properties, ultrathin lamellar structure, high specific surface area, and excellent biocompatibility have been extensively explored in biomedical applications over the past decade. Photonic MXene nanomedicine and materdicine, as one of the most burgeoning emerging treatment modalities, are of great research interest owing to their photon utilization ability and high therapeutic efficiency. This review aims to summarize and discuss the very-recent advances in engineering 2D MXenes for photonic theranostic applications. We initially concentrate on the synthesis methods, surface modification, and functionalization with respect to MXenes. Furthermore, the photonic biological applications including photonic antibacteria, photonic bioimaging, photonic therapy, and photonic theranostics are highlighted in detail with the selected paradigms. Finally, the current challenges and future directions for 2D MXene biomaterials in regard to their photonic biomedicines are discussed in depth, aiming to drive the speed of their practical applications in clinic.