Injectable hyaluronan/MnO2 nanocomposite hydrogel constructed by metal-hydrazide coordinated crosslink mineralization for relieving tumor hypoxia and combined phototherapy

Construction of Mineralization Nanostructures in Polymers for Mechanical Enhancement and Functionalization

Mineralization capable of growing inorganic nanostructures efficiently, orderly, and spontaneously shows great potential for application in the construction of high-performance organic-inorganic composites. As a thermodynamically spontaneous solid-phase crystallization reaction involving dual organic and inorganic components, mineralization allows for the self-assembly of sophisticated and exclusive nanostructures within a polymer matrix. It results in a diversity of functions such as enhanced strength, toughness, electrical conductivity, selective permeability, and biocompatibility. While there are previous reviews discussing the progress of mineralization reactions, many of them overlook the significant benefits of interfacial regulation and functionalization that come from the incorporation of mineralized structures into polymers. Focusing on different means of assembly of mineralized nanostructures in polymer, the work analyzes their design principles and implementation strategies. Then, their different advantages and disadvantages are analyzed by combining nanostructures with organic substrates as well as involving the basis of different functionalizations. It is anticipated to provide insights and guidance for the future development of mineralized polymer composites and their application designs.

MXene/zinc ion embedded agar/sodium alginate hydrogel for rapid and efficient sterilization with photothermal and chemical synergetic therapy

Bacterial infections can significantly impair wound healing. Therefore, it is essential to develop wound dressings with high antimicrobial activity. Hydrogels are often used as wound dressings due to their excellent physicochemical properties. Herein, by cross linking sodium alginate (SA), agar (AG) with Ti3C2Tx MXene and Zinc ions (Zn2+), a biosafe composite hydrogel (MSG-Zn2+) was developed for fast and efficient sterilization treatment. The excellent photothermal properties of Ti3C2Tx MXene and the chemical antimicrobial activity of Zn2+ enable synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT)/chemical therapy in NIR biowindow with reduced power density and improved antimicrobial efficiency. More importantly, the incorporation of Zn2+ can enhance the effective contact between the hydrogel and bacteria, benefiting both photothermal and chemical antibacteria. In vitro antibacterial experiments showed that MSG-Zn2+ has a broad-spectrum antibacterial effect against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli). Cellular experiments showed that the hydrogel had excellent biocompatibility and the released Zn2+ stimulated cell migration. In addition, the prepared MSG-Zn2+ hydrogel has other advantages such as hydrophilic, high swelling, simple and low cost preparation, which meets the requirements of an economical wound dressing. This proposed work shows that this composite hydrogel MSG-Zn2+ has great potential for practical antimicrobial wound dressing applications.

Effective drug combinations of betulinic acid and ceranib-2 loaded Zn:MnO2 doped-polymeric nanocarriers against PC-3 prostate cancer cells

The development of theranostic nanocarriers with synergistic drug combinations has received considerable attention due to their improved pharmaceutical activity. Herein, we reported an investigation about the in-vitro anticancer activity of ceranib-2 (Cer), betulinic acid (BA), and the combination of betulinic acid and ceranib-2 (BA-Cer) against PC-3 prostate cancer cells. For this purpose, first we designed a suitable nanocarrier using a novel Zn:MnO₂ nanocomposite (NCs) and gallic acid (GA)-polylactic acid (PLA)-Alginate polymeric shell with nanoscale particle size and good stability. Chemical statements, morphology, and physicochemical properties of the nanocarrier have been illuminated with advanced characterization techniques. According to the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results, Zn:MnO₂ NCs had a spherical and monodispersed morphology with a 2.03 ± 0.67 nm diameter. Moreover, vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM) results showed that Zn:MnO₂ had paramagnetic properties with a saturation magnetization (Ms) value of 1.136 emu/g. Additionally, the in-vitro cytotoxic effects of the single and binary drugs loaded Zn:MnO₂-doped polymeric nanocarriers against PC-3 prostate cancer cells were investigated. According to the results, there was no significant cytotoxic effect of free BA and Cer against PC-3 prostate cancer cells. However, BA/Zn:MnO₂@GA-PLA-Alginate NCs, BA-Cer/Zn:MnO₂ @GA-PLA-Alginate NCs and free BA-Cer had IC₅₀ values of 6.498, 7.351, and 18.571 μg/mL, respectively. Consequently, BA-Cer/Zn:MnO₂@GA-PLA-Alginate is a nanocarrier with good stability, enhanced drug loading and release capacity for hydrophobic drugs, as well as being used as both imaging and treatment agent due to its magnetic properties. Furthermore, BA and Cer drug combination showed great promise in prostate cancer therapy which is known to be resulted high drug resistance. We strongly believed that this work could lead to an investigation of the molecular mechanisms of BA-mediated cancer theapy.

Recent Advances in Hydrogel-Based Phototherapy for Tumor Treatment

Phototherapeutic agent-based phototherapies activated by light have proven to be safe modalities for the treatment of various malignant tumor indications. The two main modalities of phototherapies include photothermal therapy, which causes localized thermal damage to target lesions, and photodynamic therapy, which causes localized chemical damage by generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conventional phototherapies suffer a major shortcoming in their clinical application due to their phototoxicity, which primarily arises from the uncontrolled distribution of phototherapeutic agents in vivo. For successful antitumor phototherapy, it is essential to ensure the generation of heat or ROS specifically occurs at the tumor site. To minimize the reverse side effects of phototherapy while improving its therapeutic performance, extensive research has focused on developing hydrogel-based phototherapy for tumor treatment. The utilization of hydrogels as drug carriers allows for the sustained delivery of phototherapeutic agents to tumor sites, thereby limiting their adverse effects. Herein, we summarize the recent advancements in the design of hydrogels for antitumor phototherapy, offer a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in hydrogel-based phototherapy and its combination with other therapeutic modalities for tumor treatment, and discuss the current clinical status of hydrogel-based antitumor phototherapy.

Why traditional herbal medicine promotes wound healing: Research from immune response, wound microbiome to controlled delivery

Impaired wound healing in chronic wounds has been a significant challenge for clinicians and researchers for decades. Traditional herbal medicine (THM) has a long history of promoting wound healing, making them culturally accepted and trusted by a great number of people in the world. However, for a long time, the understanding of herbal medicine has been limited and incomplete, particularly in the allopathic medicine-dominated research system. The therapeutic effects of individual components isolated from THM are found less pronounced compared to synthetic chemical medicine, and the clinical efficacy is always inferior to herbs. In the present article, we review and discuss underlying mechanisms of the skin microbiome involved in the wound healing process; THM in regulating immune responses and commensal microbiome. We additionally propose few pioneer ideas and studies in the development of therapeutic strategies for controlled delivery of herbal medicine. This review aims to promote wound care with a focus on wound microbiome, immune response, and topical drug delivery systems. Finally, future development trends, challenges, and research directions are discussed.