Fucoidan-coated cotton dressing functionalized with biomolecules capped silver nanoparticles (LB-Ag NPs-FN-OCG) for rapid healing therapy of infected wounds

Active site-inspired multicopper laccase-like nanozymes for detection of phenolic and catecholamine compounds

Phenolic compounds are typical organic pollutants which cause severe human health problems due to their teratogenesis, carcinogenesis, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity and endocrine disruption. Natural laccase is a multicopper oxidase existing in bacteria, plants, and insects, which can accelerate the transformation of phenolic compounds to their less hazardous oxidized products under mild conditions without harmful byproducts. Despite eco-environmentally friendly property of laccase, it still faces constraints of widespread application attribute to its high cost, complex preparation, and vulnerability. Therefore, exploring laccase mimics with high catalytic activity attracts a lot of attention and endeavors. In this research, copper-based nanozymes were prepared with coordination of copper ions and imidazole for mimicking the active sites of natural laccase via solvothermal method. The obtained Cu-based (Cu-Im) nanozymes exhibited multiple redox valence states of Cu and laccase-mimicking coordination structures, which endow Cu-Im with high laccase-like activity. During the process of catalytic oxidation reactions, singlet oxygen and superoxide anions generated from oxygen. Encouraged by the catalytic property, Cu-Im was utilized in degradation and detection of phenolic and catecholamine compounds. The catalytic degradation of compounds by Cu-Im showed good conversion and substrate versatility, which can be used as a kind of potential materials for phenolic pollutant degradation and remediation. Simultaneously, colorimetric sensors of phenols and catecholamines based on Cu-Im in solution system and POCT pad platform were constructed which indicated wide linear range and low limit of detection for both detection strategies. The Cu-Im-based sensor was a promising method for sensitive, fast, convenient, and qualitative-quantitative colorimetric analysis of phenols and catecholamines. The outcomes of this research elucidate Cu-Im is a satisfactory substitute for natural laccase, which will have broad application prospects in laccase-related fields, such as environmental recovery, pollution monitoring, and diagnosis of neurological diseases etc.

Metabolomics and network pharmacology approach to identify potential bioactive compounds from Trichoderma sp. against oral squamous cell carcinoma

This study aimed to profile metabolites from five Trichoderma strains and assess their cytotoxic and pharmacological activities, particularly targeting oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). UHPLC-TOF-MS analysis revealed the presence of 25 compounds, including heptelidic acid, viridiol isomers, and sorbicillinol from the different Trichoderma extracts. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed moderate permeability and low interaction with P-glycoprotein, suggesting good drug absorption with minimal interference in cellular uptake. ADME-Tox analysis indicated limited inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes, low renal clearance, which are favorable for maintaining therapeutic levels. Toxicity predictions revealed some compounds with potential mutagenicity, but low hepatotoxicity and skin sensitization risks. Network pharmacology identified MAPK1 as a key target for oral cancer, and molecular docking and induced fit docking studies demonstrated strong binding affinities of Trichoderma metabolites, including stachyose and harzianol, to MAPK1. In addition, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations confirmed stable interactions. In vitro studies on NIH3T3 and YD-10B cells showed significant cytotoxicity, particularly with extracts CNU-05-001 (IC50:10.15 µg/mL) and CNU-02-009 (10.00 µg/mL) against YD-10B cells. These findings underscore the potential of Trichoderma metabolites in drug discovery, particularly for cancer therapies.

Antibacterial and wound healing stimulant nanofibrous dressing consisting of soluplus and soy protein isolate loaded with mupirocin

Severe cutaneous injuries may not heal spontaneously and may necessitate the use of supplementary therapeutic methods. Electrospun nanofibers possess high porosity and specific surface area, which provide the necessary microenvironment for wound healing. Here in, the nanofibers of Soluplus-soy protein isolate (Sol-SPI) containing mupirocin (Mp) were fabricated via electrospinning for wound treatment. The fabricated nanofibers exhibited water absorption capacities of about 300.83 ± 29.72% and water vapor permeability values of about 821.8 ± 49.12 g/m2 day. The Sol/SPI/Mp nanofibers showed an in vitro degradability of 33.73 ± 3.55% after 5 days. The ultimate tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation of the Sol/SPI/Mp nanofibers were measured as 3.61 ± 0.29 MPa, 39.15 ± 5.08 MPa, and 59.11 ± 1.94%, respectively. Additionally, 85.90 ± 6.02% of Mp loaded in the nanofibers was released in 5 days in vitro, and by applying the Mp-loaded nanofibers, 93.06 ± 5.40% and 90.40 ± 5.66% of S. aureus and E. coli bacteria were killed, respectively. Human keratinocyte cells (HaCat) demonstrated notable biocompatibility with the prepared nanofibers. Furthermore, compare to other groups, Sol-SPI-Mp nanofibers caused the fastest re-epithelialization and wound healing in a rat model. The findings of this study present a novel nanofiber-based wound dressing that accelerates the healing of severe skin wounds with the risk of infection.

Antimicrobial Properties of Carboxymethyl Cellulose/Starch/N'N Methylenebisacrylamide Membranes Endowed by Ultrasound and Their Potential Application in Antimicrobial Packaging

Cellulose is used widely in antimicrobial packaging due to its abundance in nature, biodegradability, renewability, non-toxicity, and low cost. However, how efficiently and rapidly it imparts high antimicrobial activity to cellulose-based packaging materials remains a challenge. In this work, Ag NPs were deposited on the surface of carboxymethyl cellulose/starch/N'N Methylenebisacrylamide film using ultrasonic radiation. Morphology and structure analysis of as-prepared films were conducted, and the antibacterial effects under different ultrasonic times and reductant contents were investigated. These results showed that Ag NPs were distributed uniformly on the film surface under an ultrasonic time of 45 min. The size of Ag NPs changes as the reducing agent content decreases. The composite film demonstrated a slightly better antibacterial effect against E. coli than against S. aureus. Therefore, this work can provide valuable insights for the research on antimicrobial packaging.

Acer tegmentosum extract-mediated silver nanoparticles loaded chitosan/alginic acid scaffolds enhance healing of E. coli-infected wounds

This work developed Acer tegmentosum extract-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) loaded chitosan (CS)/alginic acid (AL) scaffolds (CS/AL-AgNPs) to enhance the healing of E. coli-infected wounds. The SEM-EDS and XRD results revealed the successful formation of the CS/AL-AgNPs. FTIR analysis evidenced that the anionic group of AL (-COO-) and cationic amine groups of CS (-NH3+) were ionically crosslinked to form scaffold (CS/AL). The CS/AL-AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-) bacterial pathogens, while being non-toxic to red blood cells (RBCs), the hen's egg chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM), and a non-cancerous cell line (NIH3T3). Treatment with CS/AL-AgNPs significantly accelerated the healing of E. coli-infected wounds by regulating the collagen deposition and blood parameters as evidenced by in vivo experiments. Overall, these findings suggest that CS/AL-AgNPs are promising for the treatment of infected wounds.

Use of Biomaterials in 3D Printing as a Solution to Microbial Infections in Arthroplasty and Osseous Reconstruction

The incidence of microbial infections in orthopedic prosthetic surgeries is a perennial problem that increases morbidity and mortality, representing one of the major complications of such medical interventions. The emergence of novel technologies, especially 3D printing, represents a promising avenue of development for reducing the risk of such eventualities. There are already a host of biomaterials, suitable for 3D printing, that are being tested for antimicrobial properties when they are coated with bioactive compounds, such as antibiotics, or combined with hydrogels with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, such as chitosan and metal nanoparticles, among others. The materials discussed in the context of this paper comprise beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP), hydroxyapatite, lithium disilicate glass, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF), poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC), and zirconia. While the recent research results are promising, further development is required to address the increasing antibiotic resistance exhibited by several common pathogens, the potential for fungal infections, and the potential toxicity of some metal nanoparticles. Other solutions, like the incorporation of phytochemicals, should also be explored. Incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in the development of certain orthopedic implants and the potential use of AI against bacterial infections might represent viable solutions to these problems. Finally, there are some legal considerations associated with the use of biomaterials and the widespread use of 3D printing, which must be taken into account.