Antiviral adsorption activity of porous silicon nanoparticles against different pathogenic human viruses

Facile synthesis of Fe2O3, Fe2O3@CuO and WO3 nanoparticles: characterization, structure determination and evaluation of their biological activity

Due to their high specific surface area and its characteristic's functionalized nanomaterials have great potential in medical applications specialty, as an anticancer. Herein, functional nanoparticles (NPs) based on iron oxide Fe2O3, iron oxide modified with copper oxide Fe2O3@CuO, and tungsten oxide WO3 were facile synthesized for biomedical applications. The obtained nanomaterials have nanocrystal sizes of 35.5 nm for Fe2O3, 7 nm for Fe2O3@CuO, and 25.5 nm for WO3. In addition to octahedral and square nanoplates for Fe2O3, and WO3; respectively. Results revealed that Fe2O3, Fe2O3@CuO, and WO3 NPs showed remarked anticancer effects versus a safe effect on normal cells through cytotoxicity test using MTT-assay. Notably, synthesized NPs e.g. our result demonstrated that Fe2O3@CuO exhibited the lowest IC50 value on the MCF-7 cancer cell line at about 8.876 µg/ml, compared to Fe2O3 was 12.87 µg/ml and WO3 was 9.211 µg/ml which indicate that the modification NPs Fe2O3@CuO gave the highest antiproliferative effect against breast cancer. However, these NPs showed a safe mode toward the Vero normal cell line, where IC50 were monitored as 40.24 µg/ml for Fe2O3, 21.13 µg/ml for Fe2O3@CuO, and 25.41 µg/ml for WO3 NPs. For further evidence. The antiviral activity using virucidal and viral adsorption mechanisms gave practiced effect by viral adsorption mechanism and prevented the virus from replicating inside the cells. Fe2O3@CuO and WO3 NPs showed a complete reduction in the viral load synergistic effect of combinations between the tested two materials copper oxide instead of iron oxide alone. Interestingly, the antimicrobial efficiency of Fe2O3@CuO NPs, Fe2O3NPs, and WO3NPs was evaluated using E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans pathogens. The widest microbial inhibition zone (ca. 38.45 mm) was observed with 250 mg/ml of WO3 NPs against E. coli, whereas using 40 mg/ml of Fe2O3@CuO NPS could form microbial inhibition zone ca. 32.86 mm against S. aureus. Nevertheless, C. albicans was relatively resistant to all examined NPs. The superior biomedical activities of these nanostructures might be due to their unique features and accepted evaluations.

Augmented physical, mechanical, and cellular responsiveness of gelatin-aldehyde modified xanthan hydrogel through incorporation of silicon nanoparticles for bone tissue engineering

Bioactive scaffolds fabricated from a combination of organic and inorganic biomaterials are a promising approach for addressing defects in bone tissue engineering. In the present study, a self-crosslinked nanocomposite hydrogel, composed of gelatin/aldehyde-modified xanthan (Gel-AXG) is successfully developed by varying concentrations of porous silicon nanoparticles (PSiNPs). The effect of PSiNPs incorporation on physical, mechanical, and biological performance of the nanocomposite hydrogel is evaluated. Morphological analysis reveals formation of highly porous 3D microstructures with interconnected pores in all nanocomposite hydrogels. Increased content of PSiNPs results in a lower swelling ratio, reduced porosity and pore size, which in turn impeded media penetration and slowed down the degradation process. In addition, remarkable enhancements in dynamic mechanical properties are observed in Gel-AXG-8%Si (compressive strength: 0.6223 MPa at 90 % strain and compressive modulus: 0.054 MPa), along with improved biomineralization ability via hydroxyapatite formation after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). This optimized nanocomposite hydrogel provides a sustained release of Si ions at safe dose levels. Furthermore, in-vitro cytocompatibility studies using MG-63 cells exhibited remarkable performance in terms of cell attachment, proliferation, and ALP activity for Gel-AXG-8%Si. These findings suggest that the prepared nanocomposite hydrogel holds promising potential as a scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

Silica-based nanosystems against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogenic viruses

Today, with the intensity of antibiotic abuse and self-medication, the need for the use of novel systems with high efficiency and biosafety for targeted drug delivery against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their infections should be highly considered by researchers. Silica-based nanosystems with unique physicochemical properties such as large surface area, tuneable pore diameter, drug loading capacity, controlled particle size/morphology, and good biocompatibility are attractive candidates against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogenic viruses. They can be loaded with antiviral and antimicrobial drugs or molecules through their exclusive internal porous structures or different surface linkers. In this context, smart nanosystems can be produced via suitable surface functionalization/modification with a variety of functional groups to act against different clinical pathogenic microbes or viruses, offering great opportunities for controlling and treating various infections. However, important criteria such as the ability to degrade, biocompatibility, biodegradability, cytotoxicity, stability, clearance from targeted organs should be systematically analysed to develop nanosystems or nanocarriers with high efficiency and multifunctionality. Herein, recent advancements pertaining to the application of silica-based nanosystems against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogenic viruses are deliberated, focussing on important challenges and future perspectives.

Current status of silica-based nanoparticles as therapeutics and its potential as therapies against viruses

In the past decade, interest in nanoparticles for clinical indications has been steadily gaining traction. Most recently, Lipid Nanoparticles (LNP) have been used successfully to construct the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines for rapid pandemic response. Similarly, silica is another nanomaterial which holds much potential to create nanomedicines against pathogens of interest. One major advantage of silica-based nanoparticles is its crystalline and highly ordered structure, which can be specifically tuned to achieve the desired properties needed for clinical applications. Increasingly, clinical research has shown the potential of silica nanoparticles not only as an antiviral, but also its ability as a delivery system for antiviral small molecules and vaccines against viruses. Silica has an excellent biosafety profile and has been tested in several early phase clinical trials since 2012, demonstrating good tolerability and minimal reported side effects. In this review, we discuss the clinical development of silica nanoparticles to date and identify the gaps and potential pitfalls in its path to clinical translation.

Polymeric nanoparticles and nanomicelles of hydroxychloroquine co-loaded with azithromycin potentiate anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect

The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has put the world in an unprecedented scenario. To reestablish the world routine as promote the effective treatment of this disease, the world is looking for new (and old) drug that can efficiently kill the virus. In this study, we have developed two nanosystems: polymeric nanoparticles and nanomicelles-based on hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. The nanosystem was fully characterized by AFM and DLS techniques. Also, the nanosystems were radiolabeled with ^99mTc and pulmonary applied (installation) in vivo to evaluate the biological behavior. The toxicity of both nanosystem were evaluated in primary cells (FGH). Finally, both nanosystems were evaluated in vitro against the SARS-CoV-2. The results demonstrated that the methodology used to produce the nanomicelles and the nanoparticle was efficient, the characterization showed a nanoparticle with a spherical shape and a medium size of 390 nm and a nanomicelle also with a spherical shape and a medium size of 602 nm. The nanomicelles were more efficient (~ 70%) against SARS-CoV-2 than the nanoparticles. The radiolabeling process with ^99mTc was efficient (> 95%) in both nanosystems and the pulmonary application demonstrated to be a viable route for both nanosystems with a local retention time of approximately, 24 h. None of the nanosystems showed cytotoxic effect on FGH cells, even in high doses, corroborating the safety of both nanosystems. Thus, claiming the benefits of the nanotechnology, especially with regard the reduced adverse we believe that the use of nanosystems for COVID-19 treatment can be an optimized choice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40097-022-00476-3.

Tackling COVID-19 Using Antiviral Nanocoating's-Recent Progress and Future Challenges

In the current situation of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there is a worldwide demand for the protection of regular handling surfaces from viral transmission to restrict the spread of COVID-19 infection. To tackle this challenge, researchers and scientists are continuously working on novel antiviral nanocoatings to make various substrates capable of arresting the spread of such pathogens. These nanocoatings systems include metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, electrospun antiviral polymer nanofibers, antiviral polymer nanoparticles, graphene family nanomaterials, and etched nanostructures. The antiviral mechanism of these systems involves depletion of the spike glycoprotein that anchors to surfaces by the nanocoating and makes the spike glycoprotein and viral nucleotides inactive; however, the nature of the interaction between the spike proteins and virus depends on the type of nanostructure and a surface charge over the coating surface. In this article, the current scenario of COVID-19 and how it can be tackled using antiviral nanocoatings from the further transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), along with their different mode of action, are discussed. Additionally, it is also highlighted different types of nanocoatings developed for various substrates to encounter transmission of SARS-CoV-2, future research areas along with the current challenges related to it, and how these challenges can be resolved.

Refractive index sensor with magnified resonant signal

Herein, we theoretically suggest one-dimensional photonic crystal composed of polymer doped with quantum dots and porous silicon. The present simulated design is proposed as a refractive index biosensor structure based on parity-time symmetry. Under the parity-time conditions, the transmittance of the resonant peaks is magnified to be 57,843% for refractive index 1.350, 2725% for 1.390, 2117% for 1.392, 1502% for 1.395, 1011% for 1.399, and 847% for 1.401. By magnification, we can distinguish between different refractive indices. The present design can record an efficiency twice the published designs as clear in the comparison table. Results clear that the sensitivities are 635 nm/RIU and 1,000,000%/RIU. So, it can be used for a broader range of detection purposes.

Development of antiviral carbon quantum dots that target the Japanese encephalitis virus envelope protein

Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) that is prevalent in Asia and the Western Pacific. Currently, there is no effective treatment for Japanese encephalitis. Curcumin (Cur) is a compound extracted from the roots of Curcuma longa, and many studies have reported its antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the high cytotoxicity and very low solubility of Cur limit its biomedical applications. In this study, Cur carbon quantum dots (Cur-CQDs) were synthesized by mild pyrolysis-induced polymerization and carbonization, leading to higher water solubility and lower cytotoxicity, as well as superior antiviral activity against JEV infection. We found that Cur-CQDs effectively bound to the E protein of JEV, preventing viral entry into the host cells. In addition, after continued treatment of JEV with Cur-CQDs, a mutant strain of JEV was evolved that did not support binding of Cur-CQDs to the JEV envelope. Using transmission electron microscopy, biolayer interferometry, and molecular docking analysis, we revealed that the S123R and K312R mutations in the E protein play a key role in binding Cur-CQDs. The S123 and K312 residues are located in structural domains II and III of the E protein, respectively, and are responsible for binding to receptors on and fusing with the cell membrane. Taken together, our results suggest that the E protein of flaviviruses represents a potential target for the development of CQD-based inhibitors to prevent or treat viral infections.

Inhaled hydrogel-based microspheres for management of COVID-19: A new sweeper biological platform

The cytokine storm caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection threatens the condition of patients, even leading to death. In a recent issue of Matter, Prof. Wenguo Cui and co-workers have prepared lung-sweeper inhaled hydrogel microspheres for intratracheal neutralization of COVID-19 and cytokine storm calming, which could be applied for antiviral tissue regeneration, drug delivery, and disease diagnosis.