Ultrasmall Copper (I) Sulfide Nanoparticles Prevent Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Biomimetic Chiral Nanomaterials with Selective Catalysis Activity

Chiral nanomaterials with unique chiral configurations and biocompatible ligands have been booming over the past decade for their interesting chiroptical effect, unique catalytical activity, and related bioapplications. The catalytic activity and selectivity of chiral nanomaterials have emerged as important topics, that can be potentially controlled and optimized by the rational biochemical design of nanomaterials. In this review, chiral nanomaterials synthesis, composition, and catalytic performances of different biohybrid chiral nanomaterials are discussed. The construction of chiral nanomaterials with multiscale chiral geometries along with the underlying principles for enhancing chiroptical responses are highlighted. Various biochemical approaches to regulate the selectivity and catalytic activity of chiral nanomaterials for biocatalysis are also summarized. Furthermore, attention is paid to specific chiral ligands, materials compositions, structure characteristics, and so on for introducing selective catalytic activities of representative chiral nanomaterials, with emphasis on substrates including small molecules, biological macromolecule, and in-site catalysis in living systems. Promising progress has also been emphasized in chiral nanomaterials featuring structural versatility and improved chiral responses that gave rise to unprecedented chances to utilize light for biocatalytic applications. In summary, the challenges, future trends, and prospects associated with chiral nanomaterials for catalysis are comprehensively proposed.

Modulation by Co (II) Ion of Optical Activities of L/D-glutathione (GSH)-modified Chiral Copper Nanoclusters for Sensitive Adenosine Triphosphate Detection

Chiral nanoscale enantiomers exhibit different biological effects in living systems. However, their chirality effect on the detection sensitivity for chiral biological targets still needs to be explored. Here, we discovered that Co2+ can modulate the luminescence performance of L/D-glutathione (GSH)-modified copper nanoclusters (L/D-Cu NCs) and induce strong chiroptical activities as the asymmetric factor was enhanced 223-fold with their distribution regulating from the ultraviolet to visible region. One Co2+ coordinated with two GSH molecules that modified on the surface of Cu NCs in the way of CoN2O2. On this basis, dual-modal chiral and luminescent signals of Co2+ coordinated L/D-Cu NCs (L/D-Co-Cu NCs) were used to detect the chiral adenosine triphosphate (ATP) based on the competitive interaction between surficial GSH and ATP molecules with Co2+. The limits of detection of ATP obtained with fluorescence and circular dichroism intensity were 9.15 μM and 15.75 nM for L-Co-Cu NCs, and 5.35 μM and 4.69 nM for D-Co-Cu NCs. This demonstrated that selecting suitable chiral configurations of nanoprobes effectively enhances detection sensitivity. This study presents not only a novel method to modulate and enhance the chiroptical activity of nanomaterials but also a unique perspective of chirality effects on the detection performances for bio-targets.

Enantioselective Antiviral Activities of Chiral Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Chiral nanoparticles (C-NPs) play a crucial role in biomedical applications, especially in their biological effects on cytotoxicity and metabolism. However, there are rare reports about the antivirus property of C-NPs and their working mechanism. Here, three different types of chiral ZnO NPs (l-ZnO, d-ZnO, and dl-ZnO) were prepared as enantioselective antivirals. Biocompatibility test results showed that the three different chiral ZnO NPs varied significantly in cytotoxicity. Evaluation of their effects against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) indicated that compared with d-ZnO and dl-ZnO NPs, l-ZnO NPs exhibited stronger anti-PRRSV activity due to their higher cognate cell adhesion and uptake. Furthermore, the high concentration of l-ZnO NPs can obviously reduce cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in MARC-145 cells, thus effectively preventing PRRSV-induced oxidative damage. This study demonstrated the outstanding antiviral properties of l-ZnO NPs, which may facilitate the development and application of C-NPs in antiviral drugs and tissue engineering.

Copper and Copper-Based Nanoparticles in Medicine-Perspectives and Challenges

Nanotechnology has ushered in a new era of medical innovation, offering unique solutions to longstanding healthcare challenges. Among nanomaterials, copper and copper oxide nanoparticles stand out as promising candidates for a multitude of medical applications. This article aims to provide contemporary insights into the perspectives and challenges regarding the use of copper and copper oxide nanoparticles in medicine. It summarises the biomedical potential of copper-based nanoformulations, including the progress of early-stage research, to evaluate and mitigate the potential toxicity of copper nanomaterials. The discussion covers the challenges and prospects of copper-based nanomaterials in the context of their successful clinical translation. The article also addresses safety concerns, emphasizing the need for toxicity assessments of nanomedicines. However, attention is needed to solve the current challenges such as biocompatibility and controlled release. Ongoing research and collaborative efforts to overcome these obstacles are discussed. This analysis aims to provide guidance for the safe and effective integration of copper nanoparticles into clinical practice, thereby advancing their medical applications. This analysis of recent literature has highlighted the multifaceted challenges and prospects associated with copper-based nanomaterials in the context of their translation from the laboratory to the clinic. In particular, biocompatibility remains a formidable hurdle, requiring innovative solutions to ensure the seamless integration into the human body. Additionally, achieving the controlled release of therapeutic agents from copper nanoparticles poses a complex challenge that requires meticulous engineering and precise design.

Toxicity Mechanisms of Copper Nanoparticles and Copper Surfaces on Bacterial Cells and Viruses

Copper is a metal historically used to prevent infections. One of the most relevant challenges in modern society are infectious disease outbreaks, where copper-based technologies can play a significant role. Currently, copper nanoparticles and surfaces are the most common antimicrobial copper-based technologies. Despite the widespread use of copper on nanoparticles and surfaces, the toxicity mechanism(s) explaining their unique antimicrobial properties are not entirely known. In general, toxicity effects described in bacteria and fungi involve the rupture of membranes, accumulation of ions inside the cell, protein inactivation, and DNA damage. A few studies have associated Cu-toxicity with ROS production and genetic material degradation in viruses. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of the toxicity of copper nanoparticles and surfaces will contribute to developing and implementing efficient antimicrobial technologies to combat old and new infectious agents that can lead to disease outbreaks such as COVID-19. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the microbial toxicity of copper nanoparticles and surfaces and the gaps in this knowledge. In addition, we discuss potential applications derived from discovering new elements of copper toxicity, such as using different molecules or modifications to potentiate toxicity or antimicrobial specificity.

The potential of converting carbon dioxide to food compounds via asymmetric catalysis

The food crisis caused by diminished arable land, extreme weather and climate change linked to increased carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission, is threatening global population growth. Interestingly, CO₂, the most widespread carbon source, can be converted into food ingredients. Here, we briefly discuss the progress and challenges in catalytic conversion of CO₂ to food ingredients via chiral catalysis.

Copper-based nanoparticles against microbial infections

Drug-resistant bacteria and highly infectious viruses are among the major global threats affecting the human health. There is an immediate need for novel strategies to tackle this challenge. Copper-based nanoparticles (CBNPs) have exhibited a broad antimicrobial capacity and are receiving increasing attention in this context. In this review, we describe the functionalization of CBNPs, elucidate their antibacterial and antiviral activity as well as applications, and briefly review their toxicity, biodistribution, and persistence. The limitations of the current study and potential solutions are also shortly discussed. The review will guide the rational design of functional nanomaterials for antimicrobial application. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease.

Risk model of hepatocellular carcinoma based on cuproptosis-related genes

Background: Owing to the heterogeneity displayed by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the complexity of tumor microenvironment (TME), it is noted that the long-term effectiveness of the cancer therapy poses a severe clinical challenge. Hence, it is essential to categorize and alter the treatment intervention decisions for these tumors.

Materials and methods: “ConsensusClusterPlus” tool was used for developing a secure molecular classification system that was based on the cuproptosis-linked gene expression. Furthermore, all clinical properties, pathway characteristics, genomic changes, and immune characteristics of different cell types involved in the immune pathways were also assessed. Univariate Cox regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) analyses were used for designing the prognostic risk model associated with cuproptosis.

Results: Three cuproptosis-linked subtypes (clust1, clust2, and clust3) were detected. Out of these, Clust3 showed the worst prognosis, followed by clust2, while Clust1 showed the best prognosis. Three subtypes had significantly different enrichment in pathways related to Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle, cell cycle, and cell senescence (p < 0.01). The clust3 subtype with poor prognosis had a low “ImmuneScore” and low immune cell infiltration, and the three subtypes had significant differences in the antigen processing and presentation pathway of the macrophages. Clust1 had a low TIDE score and was sensitive to immunotherapy. Then, according to the prognosis-related genes of cuproptosis, a prognosis risk model related to cuproptosis was constructed, containing seven genes (KIF2C, PTTG1, CENPM, CDC20, CYP2C9, SFN, and CFHR3). “High” group had a higher TIDE score compared to the TIDE score value shown by the “Low” group, which benefited less from immunotherapy, whereas the “High” group patients were more sensitive to the conventional drugs. Finally, the prognosis risk model related to cuproptosis was combined with clinical pathological characteristics to further improve the prognostic model and survival prediction.

Conclusion: Three new molecular subgroups based on cuproptosis-linked genes were revealed, and a cuproptosis-related prognostic risk model comprising seven genes was established in this study, which could assist in predicting the prognosis and identifying the patients benefit from immunotherapy.

A carrier-free metal-organic hybrid nanoassembly with combination anti-viral and hepato-protective activity for hepatitis B treatment

Hepatitis B represents a major global public health burden, which is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) with a high infection rate. Although several anti-HBV drugs have been developed for clinical treatment of hepatitis B, the current therapeutic strategies still suffer from undeniable adverse effects, insufficient efficacy after systemic administration and chronic inflammation. Here, we develop a carrier-free metal-organic hybrid nanoassembly that is co-loaded with tenofovir (TFV), an anti-viral agent and phosphorylated glycyrrhetinic acid (GAP), an anti-inflammatory compound (TFV/GAP/NA) to enhance the anti-HBV effect and alleviate the inflammatory response for hepatitis B treatment. The nanoassembly is easily prepared through the ionic interactions between the anionic phosphonate/phosphate groups from TFV/GAP and the zirconium cation, which has a stable nanostructure and a high drug-loading capacity. The nanoassembly prolongs the circulation time with reduced drug leakage in the blood and elevates drug accumulation in the liver after intravascular administration. After internalization mediated by the GAP ligand-GA receptor interaction, TFV/GAP/NA disassembles by the phosphatase-triggered degradation of the phosphate ester bonds in GAP and releases TFV, GAP and GA within the HBV-positive hepatocytes. The released TFV interferes with the HBV polymerase to inhibit the viral DNA replication, while the released GAP and GA suppress the pro-inflammatory protein expression. In mouse models, treatment with TFV/GAP/NA inhibits HBV production and alleviates inflammation-mediated liver injury.

Chirality at nanoscale for bioscience

In the rapidly expanding fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology, there is considerable interest in chiral nanomaterials, which are endowed with unusually strong circular dichroism. In this review, we summarize the principles of organization underlying chiral nanomaterials and generalize the recent advances in the main strategies used to fabricate these nanoparticles for bioscience applications. The creation of chirality from nanoscale building blocks has been investigated both experimentally and theoretically, and the tunability of chirality using external fields, such as light and magnetic fields, has allowed the optical activity of these materials to be controlled and their properties understood. Therefore, the specific recognition and potential applications of chiral materials in bioscience are discussed. The effects of the chirality of nanostructures on biological systems have been exploited to sense and cut molecules, for therapeutic applications, and so on. In the final part of this review, we examine the future perspectives for chiral nanomaterials in bioscience and the challenges posed by them.

Raman, Infrared and Brillouin Spectroscopies of Biofluids for Medical Diagnostics and for Detection of Biomarkers

This review surveys Infrared, Raman/SERS and Brillouin spectroscopies for medical diagnostics and detection of biomarkers in biofluids, that include urine, blood, saliva and other biofluids. These optical sensing techniques are non-contact, noninvasive and relatively rapid, accurate, label-free and affordable. However, those techniques still have to overcome some challenges to be widely adopted in routine clinical diagnostics. This review summarizes and provides insights on recent advancements in research within the field of vibrational spectroscopy for medical diagnostics and its use in detection of many health conditions such as kidney injury, cancers, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. The six comprehensive tables in the review and four tables in supplementary information summarize a few dozen experimental papers in terms of such analytical parameters as limit of detection, range, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, and other figures of merits. Critical comparison between SERS and FTIR methods of analysis reveals that on average the reported sensitivity for biomarkers in biofluids for SERS vs FTIR is about 103 to 105 times higher, since LOD SERS are lower than LOD FTIR by about this factor. High sensitivity gives SERS an edge in detection of many biomarkers present in biofluids at low concentration (nM and sub nM), which can be particularly advantageous for example in early diagnostics of cancer or viral infections.HighlightsRaman, Infrared spectroscopies use low volume of biofluidic samples, little sample preparation, fast time of analysis and relatively inexpensive instrumentation.Applications of SERS may be a bit more complicated than applications of FTIR (e.g., limited shelf life for nanoparticles and substrates, etc.), but this can be generously compensated by much higher (by several order of magnitude) sensitivity in comparison to FTIR.High sensitivity makes SERS a noninvasive analytical method of choice for detection, quantification and diagnostics of many health conditions, metabolites, and drugs, particularly in diagnostics of cancer, including diagnostics of its early stages.FTIR, particularly ATR-FTIR can be a method of choice for efficient sensing of many biomarkers, present in urine, blood and other biofluids at sufficiently high concentrations (mM and even a few µM)Brillouin scattering spectroscopy detecting visco-elastic properties of probed liquid medium, may also find application in clinical analysis of some biofluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid and urine.

Mixed-charge modification as a robust method to realize the antiviral ability of gold nanoparticles in a high protein environment

Pandemics caused by viruses have resulted in incalculable losses to human beings, which are exacerbated due to the lack of antiviral drugs. Sulfonic group modified nanomedicine has been proved to possess a broad-spectrum antiviral ability. However, it is very challenging to maintain the antiviral activity in a high protein environment in vivo. To improve the tolerance to the complex biological environment, sulfonic mixed-charge modified gold nanoparticles (MC_AuNPs) were prepared in this research by introducing positively charged ligands into sulfonic ligand modified gold nanoparticles. The MC_AuNPs showed excellent non-fouling ability while retaining comparable antiviral ability to single sulfonic ligand modified gold nanoparticles (MDS_AuNPs). The MC_AuNPs maintained their antiviral ability in 10 mg mL^-1 protein solutions, but the MDS_AuNPs completely lost their antiviral capability in 1 mg mL^-1 protein medium. The mixed-charge modification strategy provides a practical avenue to maintain the antiviral capability of HSPG mimicking nanoparticles in high protein environments.

Broad-spectrum nanoparticles against bacteriophage infections

Viral infections caused by bacteriophages, i.e., viruses that kill bacteria are one of the most dangerous and common threats for bacteria-based bioreactors. More than 70% of biotechnology companies have admitted to encountering this problem. Despite phage infections being such a dangerous and widespread risk, there are no effective methods to avoid them to date. Herein, we present a novel technology based on nanoparticles that irreversibly deactivates bacteriophages and is safe for bacteria. Our method allows for the unsupervised protection of bacterial processes in the biotechnology industry. Gold nanoparticles coated with a mixture of negatively charged 11-mercapto 1-undecanesulfonic acid (MUS) and hydrophobic 1-octanethiol (OT) ligands are effective at deactivating various types of Escherichia coli-selective phages: T1, T4, and T7. The nanoparticles can lower the titer of phages up to 2 and 5 logs in 6 and 24 h at 50 °C, respectively. A comparative analysis of nanoparticles with different ligand shells illustrates the importance of the combination of negatively charged and hydrophobic ligands that is the key to achieving a good inhibitory concentration (EC50 ≤ 1 μg mL-1) for all tested phages. We show that the nanoparticles are harmless for the commonly used bacteria in industry Escherichia coli and are effective under conditions simulating the environment of bioreactors.