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Potrich C, Pedrotti A, Pederzolli C, Lunelli L. Functional surfaces for exosomes capturing and exosomal microRNAs analysis. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2024; 233:113627. [PMID: 37948834 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles well-studied both as cell signaling elements and as source of highly informative biomarkers, in particular microRNAs. Standard techniques for exosome isolation are in general scarcely efficient and give low purity vesicles. New techniques combining microfluidics with suitable functionalized surfaces could overcome these disadvantages. Here, different functional surfaces aimed at exosomes capture are developed thank to the functionalization of silicon oxide substrates. Charged surfaces, both positive and negative, neutral and immunoaffinity surfaces are characterized and tested in functional assays with both exosome mimicking vesicles and exosomes purified from cell supernatants. The different surfaces showed promising properties, in particular the negatively-charged surface could capture more than 4 × 108 exosomes per square centimeter. The captured exosomes could be recovered and their biomarker cargo analyzed. Exosomal microRNAs were successfully analyzed with RT-PCR, confirming the good performances of the negatively-charged surface. The best-performing functionalization could be easily moved to microdevice surfaces for developing modular microfluidic systems for on-chip isolation of exosomes, to be integrated in simple and fast biosensors aimed at biomarker analysis both in clinical settings and in research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Potrich
- FBK-Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Center for Sensors and Devices, via Sommarive, 18, I-38123, Trento, Italy; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biofisica, via alla Cascata 56/C, I-38123, Trento, Italy.
| | - Anna Pedrotti
- FBK-Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Center for Sensors and Devices, via Sommarive, 18, I-38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Cecilia Pederzolli
- FBK-Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Center for Sensors and Devices, via Sommarive, 18, I-38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Lunelli
- FBK-Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Center for Sensors and Devices, via Sommarive, 18, I-38123, Trento, Italy; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biofisica, via alla Cascata 56/C, I-38123, Trento, Italy
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Speranza G, Mele GR, Favia P, Pederzolli C, Potrich C. Tuning Surface Properties via Plasma Treatments for the Improved Capture of MicroRNA Biomarkers. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15072641. [PMID: 35407971 PMCID: PMC9000635 DOI: 10.3390/ma15072641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Advanced materials could bring about fundamental improvements in the evolution of innovative analytical devices, i.e., biosensors or lab-on-a-chip devices, in particular in the context of liquid biopsies. Here, plasma deposition processes were tested for the introduction of primary amines on silicon surfaces by tuning the amounts and availability of amino-charged residues. Different binary (CH4/NH3) and ternary (CH4/NH3/H2 and CH4/NH3/N2) mixtures of gases were used as feeds for the plasma treatments. The obtained surfaces were fully characterized for their chemical and physical properties before their use as capture materials in a functional test. Synthetic and fluorescently conjugated microRNA-21 (miR-21) was selected as the target molecule. The capture of miR-21 increased linearly with the increase in amino nitrogen measured on surfaces. The surface showing the most promising performance was further analyzed in different conditions, i.e., varying pH and time of incubation, incubation with different microRNAs, and possible elution of captured microRNAs. The apparent pH range of primary amines present on the surfaces was around 3.5–4. Positively charged surfaces prepared via PE-CVD were, therefore, demonstrated as being suitable materials for the capture of microRNA biomarkers, paving the way for their inclusion in biomedical devices for the purification and analysis of circulating biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Speranza
- Center for Sensors and Devices, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.S.); (G.R.M.); (C.P.)
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, v. Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
- CNR-Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Via alla Cascata 56/C, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Gaetano Roberto Mele
- Center for Sensors and Devices, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.S.); (G.R.M.); (C.P.)
- Department of Chemistry, CNR Inst. NANOTEC, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy;
| | - Pietro Favia
- Department of Chemistry, CNR Inst. NANOTEC, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy;
| | - Cecilia Pederzolli
- Center for Sensors and Devices, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.S.); (G.R.M.); (C.P.)
| | - Cristina Potrich
- Center for Sensors and Devices, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.S.); (G.R.M.); (C.P.)
- CNR-Istituto di Biofisica, Via alla Cascata 56/C, 38123 Trento, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Effect of Calcination Temperature on the Phase Composition, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of ZrO 2 and Al 2O 3 Modified with APTES (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane). MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14216651. [PMID: 34772179 PMCID: PMC8588538 DOI: 10.3390/ma14216651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes the effect of calcination temperature on the phase composition, chemical composition, and morphology of ZrO2 and Al2O3 powders modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). Both ceramic powders were modified by etching in piranha solution, neutralization in ammonia water, reaction with APTES, ultrasonication, and finally calcination at 250, 350, or 450 °C. The obtained modified powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, particle size distribution (PSD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
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Alumina and Zirconia-Reinforced Polyamide PA-12 Composites for Biomedical Additive Manufacturing. MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14206201. [PMID: 34683792 PMCID: PMC8537022 DOI: 10.3390/ma14206201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This work aimed to prepare a composite with a polyamide (PA) matrix and surface-modified ZrO2 or Al2O3 to be used as ceramic fillers (CFs). Those composites contained 30 wt.% ceramic powder to 70 wt.% polymer. Possible applications for this type of composite include bioengineering applications especially in the fields of dental prosthetics and orthopaedics. The ceramic fillers were subjected to chemical surface modification with Piranha Solution and suspension in 10 M sodium hydroxide and Si3N4 to achieve the highest possible surface development and to introduce additional functional groups. This was to improve the bonding between the CFs and the polymer matrix. Both CFs were examined for particle size distribution (PSD), functional groups (FTIR), chemical composition (XPS), phase composition (XRD), and morphology and chemical composition (SEM/EDS). Filaments were created from the powders prepared in this way and were then used for 3D FDM printing. Samples were subjected to mechanical tests (tensility, hardness) and soaking tests in a high-pressure autoclave in artificial saliva for 14, 21, and 29 days.
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Glucosamine-conjugated nanoseeds for chemo-magneto hyperthermia therapy of cancer. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2020.102295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Fang JS, Yang TM, Pan YC, Lai GY, Cheng YL, Chen GS. Chemical-Structure Evolution Model for the Self-Assembling of Amine-Terminated Monolayers on Nanoporous Carbon-Doped Organosilicate in Tightly Controlled Environments. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:15153-15161. [PMID: 33270454 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Amine-terminated self-assembled monolayers are molecular nanolayers, typically formed via wet-chemical solution on specific substrates for precision surface engineering or interface modification. However, homogeneous assembling of a highly ordered monolayer by the facile, wet method is rather tricky because it involves process parameters, such as solvent type, molecular concentration, soaking time and temperature, and humidity level. Here, we select 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) as a model molecule of aminosilane for the silanization of nanoporous carbon-doped organosilicate (p-SiOCH) under tightly controlled process environments. Surface mean roughness (Ra) and the water contact angle (θ) of the p-SiOCH layers upon silanization at a 10% humidity-controlled environment behave similarly and follow a three-stage evolution: a leap to a maximum at 15 min for Ra (from 0.227 to 0.411 nm) and θ (from 25 to 86°), followed by a gradual decrease to 0.225 nm and 69o, finally leveling off at the above values (>60 min). The -NH3+ fraction indicating monolayer disorientation evolves in a similar fashion. The fully grown monolayer is highly oriented yielding an unprecedented low -NH3+ fraction of 0.08 (and 0.92 of upright -NH2 groups). However, while having a similar thickness of approximately 1.4 ± 0.1 nm, the molecular layers grown at 30% relative humidity exhibit a significantly elevated -NH3+ fraction of 0.42, indicating that controlling the humidity is vital to the fabrication of highly oriented APTMS molecular layers. A bonding-structure evolution model, as distinct from those offered previously, is proposed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jau-Shiung Fang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Formosa University, Huwei, Yunlin 632, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Ming Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Chang Pan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
| | - Guan-Yu Lai
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lung Cheng
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chi-Nan University, Puli, Nantou 54561, Taiwan
| | - Giin-Shan Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
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Abstract
The isolation and analysis of circulating biomarkers, the main concern of liquid biopsy, could greatly benefit from microfluidics. Microfluidics has indeed the huge potentiality to bring liquid biopsy into the clinical practice. Here, two polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microdevices are presented as valid tools for capturing microRNAs biomarkers from clinically-relevant samples. After an extensive study of functionalized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) properties in adsorbing/eluting microRNAs, the best conditions were transferred to the microdevices, which were thoroughly characterized. The channels morphology and chemical composition were measured, and parameters for the automation of measures were setup. The best working conditions were then used with microdevices, which were proven to capture microRNAs on all channel surfaces. Finally, microfluidic devices were successfully validated via real-time PCR for the detection of a pool of microRNAs related to non-small cell lung cancer, selected as proof-of-principle. The microfluidic approach described here will allow a step forward towards the realization of an efficient microdevice, possibly automated and integrated into a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip with high analytical potentialities.
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