"Spongy skin" as a robust strategy to deliver 4-octyl itaconate for conducting dual-regulation against in-stent restenosis

Study of Manipulative In Situ Pore-Formation upon Polymeric Coating on Cylindrical Substrate for Sustained Drug Delivery

Herein, the micro-porous polylactic acid coating applied on the surface of the cylindrical substrate is fabricated by a novel in situ pore-formation strategy based on the combinational effect of breath figure (BF) and vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS) processes. Under the condition of high environmental humidity, solvent pair of chloroform and dimethylformamide is employed for post-treatment onto pre-formed PLA coating to induce the pore-formation following the mechanism of BF and VIPS, respectively. A composite porous structure with both cellular-like and bi-continuous network morphologies is obtained. By tunning the experimental factors including the ratio of the solvent pair, environmental humidity, and temperature, morphological manipulation upon the pore morphology can be facilely achieved based on the control of mechanism transition between BF and VIPS. Paclitaxel is used as a model drug and loaded into the porous coating by the wicking effect of post-immersion. Coatings with different morphological features show varying drug loading and release capacities. The 28-day release test reveals dynamic release profiles between different coating samples, with the total release rate ranging from 35.70% to 79.96%. Optimal loading capacity of 19.28 µg cm-2 and 28-day release rate of 35.70% are achieved for the coating with composite BF-VIPS structure. This research established a cost-efficient strategy with high flexibility in the structural manipulation concerning the construction of drug-eluting coating with the feature of manipulative drug delivery.

Itaconate as a key player in cardiovascular immunometabolism

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, resulting in a major health burden. Thus, an urgent need exists for exploring effective therapeutic targets to block progression of CVDs and improve patient prognoses. Immune and inflammatory responses are involved in the development of atherosclerosis, ischemic myocardial damage responses and repair, calcification, and stenosis of the aortic valve. These responses can involve both large and small blood vessels throughout the body, leading to increased blood pressure and end-organ damage. While exploring potential avenues for therapeutic intervention in CVDs, researchers have begun to focus on immune metabolism, where metabolic changes that occur in immune cells in response to exogenous or endogenous stimuli can influence immune cell effector responses and local immune signaling. Itaconate, an intermediate metabolite of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, is related to pathophysiological processes, including cellular metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory immune responses. The expression of immune response gene 1 (IRG1) is upregulated in activated macrophages, and this gene encodes an enzyme that catalyzes the production of itaconate from the TCA cycle intermediate, cis-aconitate. Itaconate and its derivatives have exerted cardioprotective effects through immune modulation in various disease models, such as ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, vascular disease, heart transplantation, and chemotherapy drug-induced cardiotoxicity, implying their therapeutic potential in CVDs. In this review, we delve into the associated signaling pathways through which itaconate exerts immunomodulatory effects, summarize its specific roles in CVDs, and explore emerging immunological therapeutic strategies for managing CVDs.

Robust, Sprayable, and Multifunctional Hydrogel Coating through a Polycation Reinforced (PCR) Surface Bridging Strategy

The sprayable hydrogel coatings that can establish robust adhesion onto diverse materials and devices hold enormous potential; however, a significant challenge persists due to monomer hydration, which impedes even coverage during spraying and induces inadequate adhesion post-gelation. Herein, a polycation-reinforced (PCR) surface bridging strategy is presented to achieve tough and sprayable hydrogel coatings onto diverse materials. The polycations offer superior wettability and instant electrostatic interactions with plasma-treated substrates, facilitating an effective spraying application. This PCR-based hydrogel coatings demonstrate tough adhesion performance to inert PTFE and silicone, including remarkable shear strength (161 ± 49 kPa for PTFE), interfacial toughness (198 ± 27 J m-2 for PTFE), and notable tolerance to cyclic tension (10 000 cycles, 200% strain, silicone). Meanwhile, this method can be applied to various hydrogel formulations, offering diverse functionalities, including underwater adhesion, lubrication, and drug delivery. Furthermore, the PCR concept enables the conformal construction of durable hydrogel coatings onto sophisticated medical devices like cardiovascular stents. Given its simplicity and adaptability, this approach paves an avenue for incorporating hydrogels onto solid surfaces and potentially promotes untapped applications.