Direct chemical editing of Gram-positive bacterial cell walls via an enzyme-catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction

Microneedles Constructed by Swellable Hydrogels Loaded with Celastrol for Efficient Treatment of Skin Infections Induced by Drug-Resistant Bacterial Strains

The urgent need for new antimicrobial drugs arises from the limited efficacy of traditional antibiotics against emerging drug-resistant strains. Celastrol (CSL) demonstrates an exceptional antibacterial property that remains unaffected by bacterial resistance, but its poor water solubility limits its wide applications. This study uses the hydrophobic inner cavity of mono-(6-diethylenetriamine-6-deoxy)-β-cyclodextrin (mβ-CD) (a derivative of cyclodextrin) to encapsulate CSL, constructing an inclusion complex (CSL@mβ-CD) to enhance the water solubility of CSL. The obtained inclusion complex is further incorporated into a swellable hydrogel microneedle (MN) to obtain CSL@mβ-CD/MN. The fabricated CSL@mβ-CD/MN can enable the sustained release of CSL, achieving effective bacterial eradication at infected sites. In vivo experiments demonstrate that CSL@mβ-CD/MN has a remarkable efficacy in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-induced subcutaneous abscesses and wound infections. Specifically, CSL@mβ-CD/MN can effectively penetrate the stratum corneum of the skin to realize rapid elimination of the bacteria in wounds. Moreover, CSL@mβ-CD/MN can efficiently scavenge reactive oxygen species, promote M2 polarization of macrophages, and relieve local inflammation at the wound sites. These results reveal that CSL@mβ-CD/MN holds great promise in the clinical treatment of acute skin infections induced by drug-resistant bacteria.

Tyrosinases: a family of copper-containing metalloenzymes

Tyrosinases (TYRs) are a family of copper-containing metalloenzymes that are present in all domains of life. TYRs catalyze the reactions that start the biosynthesis of melanin, the main pigment of the animal kingdom, and are also involved in the formation of the bright colors seen on the caps of mushrooms and in the petals of flowers. TYRs catalyze the ortho-hydroxylation and oxidation of phenols and the oxidation of catechols to the respective o-quinones. They only need molecular oxygen to do that, and the products of TYRs-o-quinones-are highly reactive and will usually react with the next available nucleophile. This reactivity can be harnessed for pharmaceutical applications as well as in environmental and food biotechnology. The majority of both basic and applied research on TYRs utilizes "mushroom tyrosinase", a crude enzyme preparation derived from button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) fruiting bodies. Access to pure TYR preparations comes almost exclusively from the production of recombinant TYRs as the purification of these enzymes from the natural source is usually very laborious and plagued by low yields. In this text an introduction into the biochemistry of the enzyme TYR will be given, followed by an overview of available structural data of TYRs, the current model for the catalytic mechanism, a survey of reports on the recombinant production of this important metalloenzyme family, and a review of the applications of TYRs for the synthesis of catechols, as biosensors, in bioremediation, for the cross-linking of proteins and medical hydrogels as well as for melanoma treatment.

Graphical Abstract

Targeted Sonodynamic Therapy Platform for Holistic Integrative Helicobacter pylori Therapy

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a primary pathogen associated with gastrointestinal diseases, including gastric cancer. The increase in resistance to antibiotics, along with the adverse effects caused by complicated medication protocols, has made the eradication of H. pylori a more formidable challenge, necessitating alternative therapeutics. Herein, a targeted nanoplatform is reported based on sonodynamic therapy, the chitosan-conjugated fucose loaded with indocyanine green (ICG@FCS). It penetrates the gastric mucosa and homes in on H. pylori through dual targeting mechanisms: molecular via fucose and physical via ultrasound. Upon ultrasound activation, it generates singlet oxygen, effectively attacking planktonic bacteria, disrupting biofilms, and facilitating the clearance of intracellular bacteria by promoting autophagy, including multidrug-resistant strains. The ICG@FCS nanoplatform minimally affects the gut microbiota and aids in gastric mucosa repair. a holistic integrative H. pylori therapy strategy is proposed that targets eradication while preserving gastrointestinal health. This strategy emphasizes the importance of maintaining patient health while eradicating the pathogen. This advancement is set to refine the comprehensive antibacterial approach, offering a promising horizon in the ongoing battle against antibiotic resistance and more effective gastric cancer prevention strategies.

Physiochemically and Genetically Engineered Bacteria: Instructive Design Principles and Diverse Applications

With the comprehensive understanding of microorganisms and the rapid advances of physiochemical engineering and bioengineering technologies, scientists are advancing rationally-engineered bacteria as emerging drugs for treating various diseases in clinical disease management. Engineered bacteria specifically refer to advanced physiochemical or genetic technologies in combination with cutting edge nanotechnology or physical technologies, which have been validated to play significant roles in lysing tumors, regulating immunity, influencing the metabolic pathways, etc. However, there has no specific reviews that concurrently cover physiochemically- and genetically-engineered bacteria and their derivatives yet, let alone their distinctive design principles and various functions and applications. Herein, the applications of physiochemically and genetically-engineered bacteria, and classify and discuss significant breakthroughs with an emphasis on their specific design principles and engineering methods objective to different specific uses and diseases beyond cancer is described. The combined strategies for developing in vivo biotherapeutic agents based on these physiochemically- and genetically-engineered bacteria or bacterial derivatives, and elucidated how they repress cancer and other diseases is also underlined. Additionally, the challenges faced by clinical translation and the future development directions are discussed. This review is expected to provide an overall impression on physiochemically- and genetically-engineered bacteria and enlighten more researchers.

Turning Polysaccharides into Injectable and Rapid Self-Healing Antibacterial Hydrogels for Antibacterial Treatment and Bacterial-Infected Wound Healing

Great efforts have been devoted to the development of novel and multifunctional wound dressing materials to meet the different needs of wound healing. Herein, we covalently grafted quaternary ammonium groups (QAGs) containing 12-carbon straight-chain alkanes to the dextran polymer skeleton. We then oxidized the resulting product into oxidized quaternized dextran (OQD). The obtained OQD polymer is rich in antibacterial QAGs and aldehyde groups. It can react with glycol chitosan (GC) via the Schiff-base reaction to form a multifunctional GC@OQD hydrogel with good self-healing behavior, hemostasis, injectability, inherent superior antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and excellent promotion of healing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-infected wounds. The biosafe and nontoxic GC@OQD hydrogel with a three-dimensional porous network structure possesses an excellent swelling rate and water retention capacity. It can be used for hemostasis and treating irregular wounds. The designed GC@OQD hydrogel with inherent antibacterial activity possesses good antibacterial efficacy on both S. aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria), as well as MRSA bacteria, with antibacterial activity greater than 99%. It can be used for the treatment of wounds infected by MRSA and significantly promotes the healing of wounds. Thus, the multifunctional antibacterial GC@OQD hydrogel has the potential to be applied in clinical practice as a wound dressing.

Nanoparticle/Engineered Bacteria Based Triple-Strategy Delivery System for Enhanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cancer Therapy

Background

New treatment modalities for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are desperately critically needed, given the lack of specificity, severe side effects, and drug resistance with single chemotherapy. Engineered bacteria can target and accumulate in tumor tissues, induce an immune response, and act as drug delivery vehicles. However, conventional bacterial therapy has limitations, such as drug loading capacity and difficult cargo release, resulting in inadequate therapeutic outcomes. Synthetic biotechnology can enhance the precision and efficacy of bacteria-based delivery systems. This enables the selective release of therapeutic payloads in vivo.

Methods

In this study, we constructed a non-pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) with a synchronized lysis circuit as both a drug/gene delivery vehicle and an in-situ (hepatitis B surface antigen) Ag (ASEc) producer. Polyethylene glycol (CHO-PEG2000-CHO)-poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI25k)-citraconic anhydride (CA)-doxorubicin (DOX) nanoparticles loaded with plasmid encoded human sulfatase 1 (hsulf-1) enzyme (PNPs) were anchored on the surface of ASEc (ASEc@PNPs). The composites were synthesized and characterized. The in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effect of ASEc@PNPs was tested in HepG2 cell lines and a mouse subcutaneous tumor model.

Results

The results demonstrated that upon intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice, ASEc can actively target and colonise tumor sites. The lytic genes to achieve blast and concentrated release of Ag significantly increased cytokine secretion and the intratumoral infiltration of CD4/CD8+T cells, initiated a specific immune response. Simultaneously, the PNPs system releases hsulf-1 and DOX into the tumor cell resulting in rapid tumor regression and metastasis prevention.

Conclusion

The novel drug delivery system significantly suppressed HCC in vivo with reduced side effects, indicating a potential strategy for clinical HCC therapy.

Enzyme-Mediated Bioorthogonal Cascade Catalytic Reaction for Metabolism Intervention and Enhanced Ferroptosis on Neuroblastoma

It remains a tremendous challenge to explore effective therapeutic modalities against neuroblastoma, a lethal cancer of the sympathetic nervous system with poor prognosis and disappointing treatment outcomes. Considering the limitations of conventional treatment modalities and the intrinsic vulnerability of neuroblastoma, we herein develop a pioneering sequential catalytic therapeutic system that utilizes lactate oxidase (LOx)/horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-loaded amorphous zinc metal-organic framework, named LOx/HRP-aZIF, in combination with a 3-indole-acetic acid (IAA) prodrug. On the basis of abnormal lactate accumulation that occurs in the tumor microenvironment, the cascade reaction of LOx and HRP consumes endogenous glutathione and a reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to achieve the first stage of killing cancer cells via antioxidative incapacitation and electron transport chain interference. Furthermore, the generation of reactive oxygen species induced by HRP and IAA through bioorthogonal catalysis promotes ferritin degradation and lipid peroxidation, ultimately provoking self-enhanced ferroptosis with positive feedback by initiating an endogenous Fenton reaction. This work highlights the superiority of the natural enzyme-dependent cascade and bioorthogonal catalytic reaction, offering a paradigm for synergistically enzyme-based metabolism-ferroptosis anticancer therapy.

Magnetic Hydroxyapatite-Coated Iron-Chromium Microspheres for Dental Surface Polishing and Plaque Removal

This research aimed to engineer magnetic hydroxyapatite-coated iron-chromium (HAp-FeCr) microspheres to enhance dental surface polishing and plaque elimination. Utilizing a tailored sol-gel approach, the HAp-FeCr microspheres were synthesized and exhaustively characterized via scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, ζ-potential, X-ray diffractometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methodologies. Key findings showcased that these microspheres retained their magnetic properties post-HAp coating, as evidenced by the magnetization curves. An innovative magnetic polishing system was developed, incorporating these microspheres and a 2000 rpm magnet. Comparative evaluations between traditional air-powder polishing and the proposed magnetic technique demonstrated the latter's superiority. Notably, the magnetic polishing led to a substantial reduction in dental plaque on the tooth surface, decreasing bacterial adhesion and early biofilm formation by Streptococcus gordonii and Lactobacillus acidophilus, where the most pronounced effects were observed in samples with elevated HAp content. A significant 60% reduction in dental plaque was achieved with the magnetic method relative to air-powder polishing. Furthermore, the HAp-FeCr microspheres' biocompatibility was verified through cytotoxicity tests and animal studies. In essence, the magnetic HAp-FeCr microspheres present a novel and efficient strategy for dental treatments, holding immense potential for improving oral health.

Tyrosinase enzyme purification and immobilization from Pseudomonas sp. EG22 using cellulose coated magnetic nanoparticles: characterization and application in melanin production

Melanin is a brown-black pigment with significant roles in various biological processes. The tyrosinase enzyme catalyzes the conversion of tyrosine to melanin and has promising uses in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. This research aims to purify and immobilize the tyrosinase enzyme from Pseudomonas sp. EG22 using cellulose-coated magnetic nanoparticles. Various techniques were utilized to examine the synthesized nanoparticles, which exhibited a spherical shape with an average diameter of 12 nm and a negative surface potential of - 55.7 mV with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.260. Comparing the immobilized magnetic tyrosinase enzyme with the free enzyme, the study's findings showed that the immobilized tyrosinase enzyme had optimal activity at a pH of 6 and a temperature of 35 °C, and its activity increased as the concentration of tyrosine increased. The study investigated the antibacterial and anticancer bioactivity of the enzyme's melanin product and found that it exhibited potential antibacterial activity against a multi-drug resistant strain including S. aureus and E. coli. The produced melanin also demonstrated the potential to decrease cell survival and induce apoptosis in initiation cells.

A modular phage vector platform for targeted photodynamic therapy of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens

Growing antibiotic resistance has encouraged the revival of phage-inspired antimicrobial approaches. On the other hand, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered a very promising research domain for the protection against infectious diseases. Yet, very few efforts have been made to combine the advantages of both approaches in a modular, retargetable platform. Here, we foster the M13 bacteriophage as a multifunctional scaffold, enabling the selective photodynamic killing of bacteria. We took advantage of the well-defined molecular biology of M13 to functionalize its capsid with hundreds of photo-activable Rose Bengal sensitizers and contemporarily target this light-triggerable nanobot to specific bacterial species by phage display of peptide targeting moieties fused to the minor coat protein pIII of the phage. Upon light irradiation of the specimen, the targeted killing of diverse Gram(-) pathogens occurred at subnanomolar concentrations of the phage vector. Our findings contribute to the development of antimicrobials based on targeted and triggerable phage-based nanobiotherapeutics.

Facile Synthesis of Self-Targeted Zn2+ -Gallic acid Nanoflowers for Specific Adhesion and Elimination of Gram-Positive Bacteria

Transition metal ions are served as disinfectant thousand years ago. However, the in vivo antibacterial application of metal ions is strongly restricted due to its high affinity with proteins and lack of appropriate bacterial targeting method. Herein, for the first time, Zn2+ -gallic acid nanoflowers (ZGNFs) are synthesized by a facile one-pot method without additional stabilizing agents. ZGNFs are stable in aqueous solution while can be easily decomposed in acidic environments. Besides, ZGNFs can specifically adhere onto Gram-positive bacteria, which is mediated by the interaction of quinone from ZGNFs and amino groups from teichoic acid of Gram-positive bacteria. ZGNFs exhibit high bactericidal effect toward various Gram-positive bacteria in multiple environments, which can be ascribed to the in situ Zn2+ release on bacterial surface. Transcriptome studies reveal that ZGNFs can disorder basic metabolic processes of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Moreover, in a MRSA-induced keratitis model, ZGNFs exhibit long-term retention in the infected corneal site and prominent MRSA elimination efficacy due to the self-targeting ability. This research not only reports an innovative method to prepare metal-polyphenol nanoparticles, but also provides a novel nanoplatform for targeted delivery of Zn2+ in combating Gram-positive bacterial infections.

Engineered bacteria for augmented in situ tumor vaccination

In situ tumor vaccination has aroused tremendous interest with its capability for eliciting strong and systemic antitumor immune responses. Unlike traditional cancer vaccines, in situ tumor vaccination avoids the laborious process of tumor antigen identification and can modulate tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment at the same time. In recent years, bacteria have been used as both efficient tumor-targeted delivery vehicles and potent adjuvants. Regarding the rapid development in this area, in this review, we summarize recent advances in the application of bacteria for in situ cancer vaccination. We illustrate the mechanisms of bacteria as both efficient tumor immunogenic cell death inducers and tumor-targeted delivery platforms. Then we comprehensively review the engineering strategies for designing bacteria-based in situ vaccination, including chemical modification, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering. The current dilemma and future directions are discussed at the end of this review.