Functionalized antibacterial peptide with DNA cleavage activity for enhanced bacterial disinfection

Near-infrared light-heatable platinum nanozyme for synergistic bacterial inhibition

The development of non-antibiotic strategies for bacterial disinfection is of great clinical importance. Among recently developed different antimicrobial strategies, nanomaterial-mediated approaches, especially the photothermal way and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating method, show many significant advantages. Although promising, the clinical application of nanomaterials is still limited, owing to the potential biosafety issues. Further improvement of the antimicrobial activity to reduce the usage, and thus reduce the potential risk, is an important way to increase the clinical applicability of antibacterial nanomaterials. In this paper, an antimicrobial nanostructure with both an excellent photothermal effect and peroxidase-like activity was constructed to achieve efficient synergistic antimicrobial activity. The obtained nano-antimicrobial agent (ZIF-8@PDA@Pt) can not only efficiently catalyze the production of ROS from H2O2 to cause damage to bacteria but also convert the photon energy of near-infrared light into thermal energy to kill bacteria, and the two synergistic effects induced in a highly efficient antimicrobial activity. This study not only offers a new nanomaterial with efficient antibacterial activity but also proposes a new idea for constructing synergistic antibacterial properties.

Metallic Nanocarriers for Therapeutic Peptides: Emerging Solutions Addressing the Delivery Challenges in Brain Ailments

Peptides and proteins have recently emerged as efficient therapeutic alternatives to conventional therapies. Although they emerged a few decades back, extensive exploration of various ailments or disorders began recently. The drawbacks of current chemotherapies and irradiation treatments, such as drug resistance and damage to healthy tissues, have enabled the rise of peptides in the quest for better prospects. The chemical tunability and smaller size make them easy to design selectively for target tissues. Other remarkable properties include antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, protection from hemorrhage stroke, and as therapeutic agents for gastric disorders and Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. Despite these unmatched properties, their practical applicability is often hindered due to their weak susceptibility to enzymatic digestion, serum degradation, liver metabolism, kidney clearance, and immunogenic reactions. Several methods are adapted to increase the half-life of peptides, such as chemical modifications, fusing with Fc fragment, change in amino acid composition, and carrier-based delivery. Among these, nanocarrier-mediated encapsulation not only increases the half-life of the peptides in vivo but also aids in the targeted delivery. Despite its structural complexity, they also efficiently deliver therapeutic molecules across the blood-brain barrier. Here, in this review, we tried to emphasize the possible potentiality of metallic nanoparticles to be used as an efficient peptide delivery system against brain tumors and neurodegenerative disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In this review, we have emphasized the various therapeutic applications of peptides/proteins, including antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases. We also focused on these peptides' challenges under physiological conditions after administration. We highlighted the importance and potentiality of metallic nanocarriers in the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, increasing the stability and half-life of peptides, their efficiency in targeting the delivery, and their diagnostic applications.