Biocompatible Gallium Nanodots against Drug-Resistant Bacterial Pneumonia and Liver Abscess

Resistant bacterial infection remains a severe public health threat, and conventional antibiotic drugs work poorly in effectively treating infectious diseases. Here, we developed gallium-based nanodots (Ga NDs), consisting of specific disruption of bacterial iron ability, to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria-infected diseases. The Ga NDs significantly suppress the proliferation of two typical MDR bacteria strains (P. aeruginosa and ESBL E. coli) compared with clinically used antibacterial drugs, including penicillin and levofloxacin. Ga NDs could also disrupt the biofilms of these two bacterial strains. In P. aeruginosa infected pneumonia and ESBL E. coli infected acute liver abscess models, the Ga NDs enable substantial inhibition of bacterial growth and reduce the organs' inflammation that resulted in significant improvement of survival. Further, the Ga NDs demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and biosafety characteristics. Together, we believe that our gallium containing nanotherapeutics are expected to be developed into promising alternative therapies to combat drug-resistant bacterial infection.

Fabrication of 3D cylindrical thermosensitive hydrogels as supports for cell culture and detachment of tubular cell sheets

Pseudo interpenetrating vinyl-caprolactam (VCL) based thermosensitive tubular hydrogels with a volume phase transition temperature, VPTT, around 35 °C, have been prepared by combining two different crosslinkers, a di-methacrylate (C1) and a di-vinyl urea (C2). The molar ratio between the two crosslinkers (for a global crosslinker molar percentage of 1.9) has shown to play a key role on the properties of the hydrogel. Increasing the amount of di-vinyl urea, leads to transparent but rather fragile materials and to a lower extent of thermosensitivity, that is, to a lower variation in the hydrogel swelling upon temperature change. However, tubes prepared with a selected crosslinker molar ratio C1/C2 of 65/35 provided a compromise between transparency, thermosensitivity and maneuverability and were, thus, evaluated as supports for cell culture using premyoblastic cells. These hydrogels, used as supports, allow for surface adhesion and cell proliferation until confluence, and eventually an efficient monolayer detachment (and transplant to a 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) support) through a controlled drop in temperature. As a result, this method permits to obtain tubular tissue constructs with potential applications in tissue engineering such as in the elaboration of vascular grafts.

PVP/Highly Dispersed AgNPs Nanofibers Using Ultrasonic-Assisted Electrospinning

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are novel materials with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities over a wide range. This study aimed to prepare polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) electrospinning composites with uniformly distributed AgNPs. In this study, starch-capped ~2 nm primary AgNPs were first synthesized using Atmospheric pressure Pulsed Discharge Plasma (APDP) at AC 10 kV and 10 kHz. Then, 0.6 wt.% AgNPs were mixed into a 10 wt.% PVP ethanol-based polymer solution and coiled through an Ultrasonic-assisted Electrospinning device (US-ES) with a 50 W and 50 kHz ultrasonic generator. At 12 kV and a distance of 10 cm, this work successfully fabricated AgNPs-PVP electrospun fibers. The electrospun products were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), High-Resolution TEM (HR-TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric (TG), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) methods.

Hydrogels with Modulated Ionic Load for Mammalian Cell Harvesting with Reduced Bacterial Adhesion

In this manuscript, we describe the fabrication of hydrogel supports for mammalian cell handling that can simultaneously prevent materials from microbial contamination and therefore allow storage in aqueous media. For that purpose, hydrogels based on the antifouling polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were functionalized with different ionic groups (anionic, cationic, or two types of zwitterions). In order to prevent bacterial adhesion in the long-term, we took advantage of the synergistic effect of inherently antifouling PVP and additional antifouling moieties incorporated within the hydrogel structure. We evaluated, in a separated series of experiments, both the capability of the materials to act as supports for the growth of mammalian cell monolayers for transplantation (using C-166-GFP endothelial cell line), as well their antifouling properties against Staphylococcus aureus, were studied. All of the hydrogels are structurally pseudodouble networks with high swelling (around 90%) and similar mechanical properties (in the low range for hydrogel materials with Young modulus below 1250 kPa). With some differences, all the charged hydrogels were capable of hosting mouse endothelial cell line C166-GFP to confluence, as well as a monolayer detachment and transplantation through simple mechanical agitation. On the contrary, the uncharged hydrogel was not capable to detach a full monolayer for transplantation. Bacterial adhesion and proliferation was highly sensitive to the functionality (type of charge and density). In particular, we evidenced that monomers bearing zwitterionic sulfobetaine groups, those negatively charged as well as "electro neutral" hydrogels fabricated from stoichiometric amounts of positive and negative units, exhibit excellent antifouling properties both at initial adhesion times and during longer periods up to 72 h.

Chemical and Topographical Modification of Polycarbonate Surfaces through Diffusion/Photocuring Processes of Hydrogel Precursors Based on Vinylpyrrolidone

Facile procedures capable of simultaneously conferring hydrophilicity and tailored topography to surfaces of hydrophobic supports, such as polycarbonate (PC), are very attractive but rare. In this work, we describe a simple methodology to wrinkle PC surfaces after a process of (a) contacting with a photopolymerizable vinylic solution, (b) UV curing of such solutions, and (c) detachment of the formed polymer network, upon swelling in ethanol. The influence of different parameters such as contact lag time between the PC surface and the polymerizable solution, the monomer concentration and type of solvents, as well as the cross-linking degree on the formation of wrinkles, has been studied. The dimensions of the wrinkles can be tailored to some extent by altering the different parameters. Surface chemistry has been analyzed by contact angle measurements and by confocal Raman microscopy. The results are consistent with a chemical alteration of the surface and the formation of an outer hydrogel layer, which is interpenetrated into the PC structure. A mechanism of monomer diffusion and PC swelling that produces surface instabilities and wrinkling is proposed.

From N-vinylpyrrolidone anions to modified paraffin-like oligomers via double alkylation with 1,8-dibromooctane: access to covalent networks and oligomeric amines for dye attachment

The double alkylation of N-vinylpyrrolidone (N-VP) with 1,8-dibromooctane yields paraffin-like oligomeric chains bearing polymerizable vinyl moieties. These oligomers were radically crosslinked in bulk with N-VP as co-monomer yielding swellable polymer disks. The vinylic side groups of the N-VP oligomers allow thiol–ene click reactions with 2-aminoethanethiol hydrochloride to obtain reactive amino-functionalized oligomers. Further modification of the free amino groups with 1,4-difluoro-9,10-anthraquinone (DFA) yields red-colored oligomeric anthraquinone dyes. The final reaction of DFA-substituted N-VP oligomers with Jeffamine^® M 600 leads to blue-colored and branched oligomers with poly(ethylene glycol) side chains.

Internalization of red blood cell-mimicking hydrogel capsules with pH-triggered shape responses

We report on naturally inspired hydrogel capsules with pH-induced transitions from discoids to oblate ellipsoids and their interactions with cells. We integrate characteristics of erythrocytes such as discoidal shape, hollow structure, and elasticity with reversible pH-responsiveness of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) to design a new type of drug delivery carrier to be potentially triggered by chemical stimuli in the tumor lesion. The capsules are fabricated from cross-linked PMAA multilayers using sacrificial discoid silicon templates. The degree of capsule shape transition is controlled by the pH-tuned volume change, which in turn is regulated by the capsule wall composition. The (PMAA)15 capsules undergo a dramatic 24-fold volume change, while a moderate 2.3-fold volume variation is observed for more rigid PMAA-(poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PMAA-PVPON)5 capsules when solution pH is varied between 7.4 and 4. Despite that both types of capsules exhibit discoid-to-oblate ellipsoid transitions, a 3-fold greater swelling in radial dimensions is found for one-component systems due to a greater degree of the circular face bulging. We also show that (PMAA-PVPON)5 discoidal capsules interact differently with J774A.1 macrophages, HMVEC endothelial cells, and 4T1 breast cancer cells. The discoidal capsules show 60% lower internalization as compared to spherical capsules. Finally, hydrogel capsules demonstrate a 2-fold decrease in size upon internalization. These capsules represent a unique example of elastic hydrogel discoids capable of pH-induced drastic and reversible variations in aspect ratios. Considering the RBC-mimicking shape, their dimensions, and their capability to undergo pH-triggered intracellular responses, the hydrogel capsules demonstrate considerable potential as novel carriers in shape-regulated transport and cellular uptake.

Pseudo-double network hydrogels with unique properties as supports for cell manipulation

Introducing new hydrogels for the support of confluent cell growth and from which cell sheets can be easily detached or transplanted.

Synthesis of randomly aminated polyvinylpyrrolidone and its use in the preparation of hydrolyzable conjugates

Preparation of side-aminated polyvinylpyrrolidones and their potential application as pH-sensitive drug-conjugate carriers.

Macromolecular prodrugs for controlled delivery of ribavirin

Ribavirin (RBV)-containing polymers are synthesized based on poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) and poly(acrylic acid), two polymers with extensive characterization in biomedicine. The copolymers are shown to exhibit a minor to negligible degree of association with erythrocytes, thus effectively eliminating the origin of the main side effects of RBV. The therapeutic benefit of macromolecular RBV prodrugs is illustrated by matched efficacy in suppressing production of nitric oxide by stimulated cultured macrophages as compared to pristine RBV with no associated cytotoxicity, which is in stark contrast to an RBV-based treatment which results in a significant decrease in cell viability. These results contribute to the development of antiviral polymer therapeutics and delivery of RBV in particular.

Cholesterol modification of (Bio)polymers using UV-Vis traceable chemistry in aqueous solutions

Cholesterol modification of synthetic and biological polymers is achieved using of thiocholesterol (TC) and thiol-disulfide exchange. TC is reacted with Ellman's reagent to produce a mixed disulfide (TC-ER) which is activated towards thiol-disulfide exchange. TC-ER is used to obtain an inclusion complex with methyl-β-cyclodextrin, which is then employed to achieve cholesterol functionalization of a model peptide, synthetic polymers, and physical hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol). It is anticipated that the established techniques will significantly broaden the use of cholesterol in bio- and nanotechnology and specifically biomedicine.

Chemical guiding of magnetic nanoparticles in dispersed media containing poly-(methylmethacrylate-co-vinylpyrrolidone)

The differential reactivity of methylmethacrylate (MMA) and vinylpyrrolidone (VP) in free radical copolymerization, with stirring in methanol, renders an emulsified two phase system. The dispersed and continuous liquid phases contain copolymers rich in MMA and VP, respectively. When Fe(3)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs) stabilized with tetramethylammonium hydroxide are added to this emulsion, the mNPs are located in the continuous phase. Very small chemical changes in the methacrylic or vinylic chains are able to guide the mNP toward the interface or to the inside of the dispersed phase since quite a selective functionalization of each phase may be achieved separately. Thus, a small addition of methacrylic acid as comonomer (0.5% molar) guides all of the mNPs to the interface while a 0.5% molar of sulfopropyl methacrylate induces the migration of all mNPs to the dispersed phase. When 0.5% molar of a VP derivative bearing sulfonate functionality is added, the mNPs are found both in the interface and in the continuous phase. The addition of water allows solid MMA-based microspheres to be obtained incorporating the mNPs selectively either at the surface or in the core.